How to Safely Move an Aquarium?

Before transport

• If you want to leave the fish in the aquarium during the move, do not feed them the day before moving. This will help them cope better with the stress associated with the move.
• Prepare a new place for the aquarium.
• Prepare a hose to empty the aquarium, a transport crate or sturdy mat, air cushions, stretch film, a sprayer and containers for transporting aquarium water, equipment, rocks, roots and decorations, if necessary.
• Do not add CO2 to the aquarium on the day of the move, as this will increase the fish’s stress.
• Remove all the equipment from the tank and place it in the container in which it will be transported.
• Drain the aquarium water so that only a few centimetres remain in the tank for the fish. The more water remains in the tank, the harder it will be to move it – each litre means 1 kilogram of additional weight.
• Do not pour the aquarium water away; take it with you in canisters – you will use it again in the aquarium.
• Roots, stones and aquarium decorations: remember to remove the largest stones and decorations for safety during transport, as they could damage the tank while it is being moved. Fill the space between the remaining rocks and roots with air cushions. This will secure them in place and prevent them from shifting during the move.
• Before the journey, moisten the aquarium plants with a sprayer filled with aquarium water.
• Cover and wrap the aquarium with stretch film.
• If possible, place the aquarium in a transport crate or at least on a stable mat for the journey. During transport, the aquarium must stand on a flat surface so that the force acting on the tank glass is distributed evenly and the aquarium does not crack.
• The aquarium is now ready to be transported by car.

After transport

• Unpack the aquarium and place it in the location prepared earlier.
• If the stones and decorations were removed from the aquarium for the move, put them back in.
• Fill the aquarium with water.
• Equipment – before switching it on, pour out the water from the filter and fill it with water from the aquarium you brought with you.
• Do not turn on the aquarium lighting until the fish have acclimatised.

Moving an aquarium

When moving a large, heavy aquarium, it is better to empty the tank completely and transport the plants, fish, sand and decorations separately. Place the plants and decorations in one container, the sand in another, and keep the fish temporarily in a spare tank with some of the aquarium water. After transporting and refilling the aquarium, it is recommended that more delicate fish species be introduced into the aquarium after one or two days. In the meantime, the water will warm up, everything will settle down, and the fish will acclimatise better to their new environment.