Bit of an emergency! New Flooring...

[robertoi]

Hi all,
I am currently living in rented accommodation. I have had a 75 litre tropical fish tank for about a year now, and it has finally settled down to something approaching equlibrium (ie no fish deaths for > 4 months!). However, disaster could be about to strike my happy little fishy world.

My landlady is about to have laminate wood flooring put down all over our flat, so the tank needs to be moved. I have suggested leaving a hole in the flooring around the tank, and then if /when I move out I will put the piece that was cut out - in its rightful place. However, Ive been told that you cant really do this with laminate flooring.

I know this isnt a DIY chatroom, but if anyone has encountered similar problem, then please let me know if you were able to overcome it in the way ive suggested.

Alternatively, I have a small quarantine tank I could dump all my fish into temporarily until the floor is finished....what a palava!

BTW - I have one bushy nose catfish, 5 neons, 3 zebra danios, and 2 smallish clownloaches - small tank is probably about 10-12 litres I think. Could hold them temporarily?


Cheers

[soccermouth]

She's right, you can't really do that with laminate flooring. Sorry.

[HollywoodBob]

What kind of stand do you have it on? Metal or a wood cabinet?

Is your tank planted? Would removing the water to another location be feasable so you could move the tank then reposition?

If possible, get a couple fresh rubbermaid garbage cans, clean them as you would a tank, then remove your water to them until your tank is light enough to move. Remember water weighs 8 pounds a gallon so you'll need lots of help if you're gonna try that.

If there was a way to lift the cabinet at an angle safely I'd say get a piano dolly, they'll move the whole thing fairly easily but you typically have to tip a piano to get them under it. I built one into a friends cabinet so he could move his tank.

I don't see why your small tank couldn't hold them. Laminate flooring is a quick install, if your room isn't too big it should only take a day.

-HollywoodBob

[penpitt]

A 75 litre tank is about 20 gallons right? If so Just drain out about half the water and get some body to help you move it to another place in your flat where the new flooring already is. I moved from one apt to another apt,both on the same floor, and just had somebody help me carry the tank while it was still on the stand. I had a wood stand which is probably a little sturdier then metal ones.

[MsCichlid]

Do you have to take all of your furniture out of the apartment or do you have to move it from room to room as the flooring progresses?

If the flooring isn't going in the bathroom, is there room in there to set up the tank?

[DavidDoyle]

If you have an iron stand I would suggest when you set it back up that you go to your local lumber yard and buy a small piece of 3-4 inch wide oak. Cut 4 pieces off about 4x4 and place one under each leg. This will prevent the stand from damaging the new floor.

[maxpayne_lhp]

Well, yeah, then remove all the plants and rocks, big objects possible! Then drain the water half way to buckets. After finishing, pour the water back in.

[scuba_steve]

NEVER MOVE AN AQUARIUM WITH WATER IN IT! dont mean to hurt everyones eyes with my yelling, but you run a good risk of breaking it. water is heavy, and the seams on your tank are not made to hold while it is being held up from the sides, supported from the bottom, tipped at an angle, or in any other position other than upright with the outer base completely supported. this will definately void any warranty you have also. im sure many people have done this with success, but they got lucky. as was said above, transfer all of your water AND filters (you wana keep that good bacteria alive!) to a rubbermaid. actually it isnt neccesary to transfer your water back and forth if you dont want to, you can use all new water as long as you dechlorinate it first, all your bacteria is in your filters and substrate.

[Mr Aquarium]

Well I have been lucky for about 10 years or so then, I never have drained a tank 29g or less to just move it.....When I get a used tank, they get hosed n cleaned out before they come in the house with the hose, then half full I tip them over on the small end to dump the water out,,,
never had a leaker yet...

Like someone said, you could put your water ina new trash can, drop your filter on it and put the fish in there, leave a few inches of water in your tank so the bact. don;t all die off.....then when you set it back up, put the water back, fish, pumps, ect ect,,,,,,then do about 10% water change after a hour or so......fish shoudl be fine.....

I use to go fish shopping with a 5g bucket, 3/4 full with "water from tank" a battery air pump, and a few plants in it,
I would float the fish in there and un-bag them if i was going to be gone most of the day. never had a problem with it......