It does not matter if you have a small or extra-large aquarium; if
you are moving, this one object is likely causing you the most stress.
It’s not like your moving and storage professionals can just load the
tank into the truck and carry it into the new home all set up. This is
something you are going to need to invest a little care and time into to
make sure your fish make the move safely. You likely already know how
temperamental fish are, so one wrong move could have very sad
consequences.
Change the Water
To successfully move an aquarium, you are going to need to start two
weeks prior. Since you are ultimately going to take about 80 percent of
the water to your new home, you want to make sure it as clean as
possible for the move. Therefore, you should change about 20 percent
of the tank’s water every other day until the move. If you have a fully
stocked tank, you probably already are doing this at least once a week,
so it will take a little extra effort on your part. By the time moving
day comes, the fish should have clean oxygenized water to make the trip
in.
Gather Supplies
First, you are going to need a container for the fish. Insulated
plastic picnic coolers work well, or some fish stores have boxes with a
Styrofoam liner. Obviously, if you have a larger tank, you are going to
need more than one box.
You will also need plastic trash bags. The clear ones are ideal, but
make sure they are clean and unscented. The chemicals from scented bags
could kill your fish. You will also need some thick rubber bands,
containers for water and something to put your sunken ship, treasure
chest, skull and other accessories in.
Preparing for the Move
The most important thing to do before a move is stop feeding your
fish at least 24 hours prior. Some recommend 48 hours, but this will
depend on your fish. You want to be able to keep the water as clean as
possible throughout transport, because there will be minimal oxygen in
it.
Layer a couple of garbage bags inside one another, place in a cooler,
grab a cup and add some water from the tank into a bag until there is
more than enough for the fish. Use your net to transfer fish from the
tank to the bag. Never place aggressive fish in the same bag because it
is a smaller environment. Leave at least 8 inches of space at the top
for air. Blow air into the bag, but make sure you are blowing through
air into the bag. If you put your mouth in the bag and create a seal,
you will blow too much carbon dioxide into it.
Take a rubber band and seal the bag. It should look like a balloon on
top. If you have more fish, do this however many times you need so they
are all in bags. The cooler will help keep the water temperature
regulated, but ideally you will do this close to when you are walking
out the door. The sooner you can get them to their new home the better
off you will be. You also want to cover the cooler with the lid or put a
blanket over top. Fish are less active in the dark, so you want to
minimize the light.
Fill the other containers with the rest of the water from the tank
until you get down to having about 20 percent left. There is no reason
to keep the bottom layer of contaminated water. Clean the tank and
accessories as you normally would.
Setting Up the Tank
When you arrive at your new house, the first thing you want to do is
set up your tank. As a special note, it is a good idea to fill the tank
with pillows or blankets before the movers arrive just to offer a little
structural support to the walls.
Pour in the containers of water and add the fish, along with the
water they are currently in. Since they were never removed from the old
water, they won’t run the risk of shock when being added back to the
tank.
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