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Valued Contributor
Posts: 516
Registered: ‎06-21-2010

Re: Aquariums and new carpet

Get you a big Rubbermaid container and siphon the water into the container. Might want to ass a little Stress Coat to the water. Try to remove as much water as you can, as moving the aquarium with water will weaken the seals holding it together. Honestly, you should never move a glass aquarium filled. I had to do the same thing when we got a new carpet. It was a perfect time to disassemble and thoroughly clean my tank.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,200
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Aquariums and new carpet

Water weighs around 8 pounds per gallon so a twenty-gallon tank isn't terrible to move. I have a fifty, 20 high, thirty high, and a ten-gallon tank going currently. With the gravel, tank, stand, etc. you're looking at around 250-300 pounds. The furniture sliders are a great option. Some even come with a lever you can use to lift up one side of whatever you're moving and slide the sliders under it.

 

The undergravel filter should do fine. They're pretty much bulletproof in terms of biofiltration. I'd get whatever large-ish containers you can find to drain much of the water out for the move, then just put the water back after the move is done. (I buy kitty litter in large, plastic containers and use them to store water after they've been emptied and rinsed out. Twenty gallons is pretty easy to handle. I'd leave a couple of inches of water in the bottom with the fish for the move, then just refill it when in the temporary location. Then just repeat the process when it's time to go back to its permanent home. 

 

For fishy folks, Aquarium Coop has a very nice and friendly fish forum for any aquarium questions or issues. I check in there once to twice a day to answer any questions people have.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,109
Registered: ‎04-14-2013

Re: Aquariums and new carpet

Thanks, @CritterKeeper , and @gardenman .  Sometimes just knowing what others have done it gives me the courage I need.

 

I have successfully moved a tank from an old house to a new house, in the dead of winter, with zero casualties, so I guess I did something right.

 

Then, we have a power surge yesterday and my power head quit working!  I think there must have been an airlock in the intake tube that it sits on, because a little jiggling and I got it back on line.  I ordered a back up from the big A because I really like this model and they do eventually fail. The water is a little cloudy but I think that's due to seasonal changes and flushing the fire hydrants.  At least the county lets me know when they are doing that.

 

I will definitely tell how it goes, when I do this.  Where is the magic wand when we need it?

 

Thanks everybody for sharing your experiences.  I can't imagine a world without an aquarium.  My little 20 long is delightful.

Cogito ergo sum