How can I move my tank onto my new stand?

[Knight~Ryder]

I got a smokin deal on a new 60 gallon stand for my tank ($99 canadian). I would like to know what I need to do to take my tank off my old stand and put it on the new one.

I know I need to empty some water out, but how much should I take out and what do I do with the ornaments, and should I leave my fish in?

As I build this stand right now, I hope you guys can give me the low down on how to move it safely.

Thank you.

[COM]

I would completely drain your tank before attempting to move it. The tank alone is heavy, the water adds approximately 8 pounds per gallon and the glass and frame, unsupported, can easily break.

[Blue Cray]

Empty about 50% or more of the water depending on how big the tank is seeing 50% of the water can weigh alot. Keep the fish in the tank, take out any extra weight like rocks and ornaments (not the substrate) keep the filter running on a container full of water from the tank and get atleast 2 people to lift it and keep it even. I used a board and just lifted it on the flat surface so the tank had no strain on it. When i did it i only need one person seeing the tank was only 150 lbs.

[Ichthius]

Well, the safest thing to do would be to empty the tank. I recently helped move a 40 gallon tank by doing this:

Remove the fish and put them in a clean/chemical free bucket with their tank water.

Remove the water. You can keep it in buckets or clean jugs or the like to refill, if you want.

Remove the gravel and decorations (I've moved tanks before leaving the gravel, but it's a lot of unnecessary extra weight).

Move your tank.

Put gravel, decor, water back in. Add fish

You should keep the gravel and filter media wet so they don't dry out and kill off the bacteria.

[karazy]

this is the way i did it when i
had to set up/move 4 tanks. you take a good clean rubbermaid bin. you put as much water as possible in it. then take out all rocks/plants/wood/ect. and put them in a clean box or another rubbermaid container. put the rest of the water into another rubbermaid bin. (you can take out the gravel if you want, we didnt) lift the tank(2 people) and put it on new stand, add ornaments, add water, add fish, add rest of the water from the fish bin

[Knight~Ryder]

Well, I finished building the stand, it looks grand!

I will now take out all my water and put it in buckets, but maybe I could leave a little water for the fish at the bottem. This may be the fastest way to do it. Plus I don't want to lose bacteria right?

Really all I am doing is lifting the tank off the old one and moving it directly on the new stand. Shouldn't be too bad.

[Scuba Kid]

heheh, good luck. Its going to be heavier than you think.

Really, not the smartest way to do this, leaving the fish in the tank. Take them out, including all the water. You can probably move it with the gravel still in the tank, although it'd be easier to just scoop most of it out and replace it.

[Knight~Ryder]

Yes, it was heavy, but I managed to pick it up and set it on the stand. I made sure I could do it.

I left just enough water for them to swim in, but I took everything out except the gravel.

ahhhhh, now it looks so much better.

[karazy]

pics?

[GoodMike]

just for future notice, moving a tank with extra weight in it cause cause you to break the seals and get a small, or large leak. The silicone seals are not as strong as you think, and it only takes a small tweak to break that seal. There is a reason you should empty the tank fully before moving it.