Relocating the BC29... advice needed.

Hi guys. In preparation for the installation of our new 90 we need to relocate our 29g Biocube to the other side of the room (~20ft). We've never moved a tank before, so I'm looking for some advice on the plan we came up with.

The tank has 4 fish (occ clown, 6 line, midas blenny, royal gramma), RBTA, a bunch of ricordias (they're pretty cool orange ones, if anyone wants one let me know), frogspawn, trumpet coral, duncan, and a few favias.

Step 1: Empty the stand and siphon enough water out to fill two 5g buckets about 2/3 full.
Step 2: Remove the rocks that are unstable (they're not glued together or anything). This will leave a few rocks on the sand bed and about 18 or so gallons of water, the fish and a few corals in it.
Step 3: Strap the tank and stand to a dolly and move it. I'm figuring we won't have to tip it over very far, hoping only a few degrees just to get it on the wheels. It's on carpet, so it may be easier to get some of those furniture moving skids and slide it.... thoughts here?
Step 4: Arrive at the new location and but the water and rocks back in.

Anything else we need to consider?

Any advice is appreciated, we're a bit nervous about this and want to do it in the least stressful way possible. Thanks guys.

 

If you can lift the tank and stand enough to get it onto a dolly then I would probably just put the sliders under it and slide it that way. Id probably dump 5-10g of water and add new after the move and then take another 5-10g or so out it would be easier to move and then put it back in after the move. Hope that made sense.

 

Thanks elbow, that does make sense. Any other thoughts?

 

When I swapped stands due to water damage I took all my water out but maybe 3 inches and picked the tank up off the stand.


I have an extra 20L laying around and it worked very well for the job. Just don't make any sudden movements and everything will be okay. The last thing you want to do is move the stand and tank together, the BC stand is held together by particle board.

 

Yeah, I'm a bit nervous about that and why I was planning on strapping everything to the dolly. You figure that'd work?

I agree, those stands are P'sOS. One of these days Imma make a new one.

 

How far is this thing moving?

 

~20'

 

Shoot, no dolly needed my friend.

Empty the tank (make sure all inverts are in the water on the bottom of the tank 3" of water needed)

Place tank on counter top without water in it, then move stand and place tank back onto stand. Add the water SLOWLY back into the tank.

You have about 5-10 min to complete this task.