How do I move a large aquarium?

Moving a Large Aquarium: A Definitive Guide

Moving a large aquarium is a significant undertaking that requires meticulous planning and careful execution. Its weight, fragility, and the delicate nature of its inhabitants mean that professional assistance is often the most sensible approach. This guide outlines the essential steps for customers and removals professionals to ensure a successful move.

Initial Assessment and Planning

• Size and Weight: A large aquarium, especially when filled, is exceptionally heavy. An empty 200-litre tank can weigh around 40-50kg, but once filled with water, substrate, and equipment, this can easily exceed 250kg. Accurately assessing the weight is crucial for determining the necessary equipment and manpower.
• Professional Assistance: For aquariums over 100 litres, engaging professional removal companies that specialise in delicate and heavy items is strongly recommended. They possess the experience, lifting equipment, and suitable transport vehicles (lorries with tail-lifts) to manage the move safely.
• New Location Readiness: Ensure the new location is prepared. This includes a sturdy, level surface capable of supporting the full weight of the tank, and access to power sockets for all equipment. Consider the logistics of getting the tank into the new property, including doorway widths, staircases, and ground floor access.
• Timeline: Begin planning well in advance. The process of breaking down, moving, and re-establishing a large aquarium can take several days to a week, especially if a full nitrogen cycle needs to be re-established. A comprehensive moving checklist can help manage the timeline.
• Insurance: Verify that the removals company offers adequate insurance cover for specialist items. Understand the difference between standard liability and Full Value Protection for high-value items like aquariums.

Preparing the Aquarium for Transport

This phase is critical for the well-being of the aquatic life and the integrity of the tank.

• Fish and Plants:
  • Temporary Housing: Acquire suitable temporary housing for fish, invertebrates, and live plants. This could include large, clean plastic tubs or buckets with lids, an air pump, and a heater. Ensure the water temperature remains stable.
  • Water: Retain as much of the original aquarium water as possible (up to 75-80%) in clean, food-grade containers. This helps to reduce shock to the fish and preserve beneficial bacteria.
  • Capture: Gently net fish, placing them immediately into prepared temporary housing with some of the original tank water. Do this calmly to minimise stress.
  • Plants: Remove live plants and place them in containers with some original aquarium water to keep them hydrated.
• Equipment and Decorations:
  • Disassembly: Unplug and carefully remove all equipment: heaters, filters, pumps, lights, and air stones. Drain external filters completely.
  • Filter Media: Keep filter media (sponges, ceramic rings) wet in a container with original tank water. This preserves vital nitrifying bacteria.
  • Decorations: Remove all decorations, rocks, and driftwood. Clean off any algae or debris, and pack them securely in padded boxes.
  • Substrate: For freshwater tanks, remove most of the substrate (gravel, sand) into buckets. For planted tanks, a small layer can remain. For saltwater tanks, live sand is often best discarded and replaced, or kept wet with aeration.
• Draining and Cleaning the Tank:
  • Empty Completely: Once fish, plants, substrate, and equipment are out, completely drain the remaining water.
  • Clean and Dry: Thoroughly clean the inside of the tank, removing any stubborn algae or mineral deposits. Allow the tank to air dry completely. This prevents mould and reduces weight.

Moving the Tank Itself

The empty tank, despite being lighter, remains fragile and cumbersome.

• Disassemble Stand: If the aquarium stand is modular, disassemble it for easier transport and to prevent damage. Label all parts.
• Protect the Glass: Wrap the empty, dry tank securely. Use foam sheets, thick moving blankets, or custom-cut cardboard to protect all glass surfaces, especially corners and edges. Secure with packing tape, ensuring it doesn't touch the glass directly.
• Lifting and Carrying:
  • Manpower: A large aquarium will require at least two, often four, strong people to lift safely.
  • Equipment: Use heavy-duty lifting straps, a furniture dolly, or a sack truck designed for heavy loads. Avoid dragging the tank, as this can twist the frame or crack the glass.
  • Technique: Lift from the bottom, never by the rim. Maintain a flat, even pressure across the base. Keep the tank level at all times.
• Transport:
  • Vehicle: Use a vehicle (such as a large van or lorry) with sufficient space. Position the tank upright on its base.
  • Securing: Secure the aquarium firmly in the vehicle using ratchet straps to prevent any movement during transit. Place cushioning material (e.g., more blankets or foam) around it to absorb shocks.

Re-establishing the Aquarium

Once at the new property, the process is reversed.

• Placement: Carefully position the tank on its stand in the chosen spot. Ensure it is level.
• Reassembly: Reassemble the stand if it was taken apart. Place decorations and substrate back into the tank.
• Water and Equipment: Carefully pour the saved aquarium water back into the tank, then refill with new, dechlorinated water to the desired level. Reinstall all equipment, including the filter with its wet media, heater, and air pump.
• Cycling and Reintroduction: Monitor water parameters closely for several days. If significant amounts of water or filter media were lost, a partial or full nitrogen cycle may need to be re-established before reintroducing fish. Reintroduce fish gradually, monitoring their behaviour for signs of stress.