You will need:

• Foam boxes to carry the corals, plants, fish, gravel and rocks.
• A siphon pipe
• A water pump to attach to the siphonpipe.
• Some 20lt hand drums to carry a minimum of half the water in your tank
• A Battery powered air pump
• Some Bacteria Product
• Large fish nets
• Some Stand Levelers
• A Flat plastic spade

1. The first thing you will need is a foam box or an eski. The eski or foam box is to be filled up halfway with water which will be siphoned from your aquarium. (You will be placing the fish in this for the trip.) if you have corals or any plants they will be distributed into separate boxes. Be aware not to put too many fish in each box. If you have quite a few fish it is wiser to more than one box or eski for their trip. If the room is at a comfortable temperature you will not need a heater in the box. If you are going to use a heater or need a heater make sure your heater is not touching the sides of your box as it could melt the plastic.

2. Then remove your aerator from your main tank and place it into your foam box or eski to give you fish the appropriate oxygen. (Never leave your fish without oxygen for extended periods of time as they will die)

3. Have another foam box handy and remove all rocks and decorations from your tank. Place them into your box for transportation.

4. Once your tank has been emptied you should have no problems moving the fish into the box using a catching net. When moving your fish in the box make sure you use a battery powered air pump. This will make sure they don’t suffocate during their relocation. Buying one of these pumps is certainly worth the investment.

5. Then drain the tank into 20lt hand drums that can be easily be carried.

6. Remove the substrate using a flat plastic spade and wash it. It is actually best not to wash the gravel in tap water, but sometimes it is so dirty that this is not possible. Expect to loose some bacterial capacity in the gravel if you do wash it in tap water.

7. When the tank is completely empty, disassemble the tank and move it to its new location.

8. When the tank has been move to the new location you will to make sure your tank is level. Check that each is secure on the float, making sure the tank is not able to be moved or rocked easily. A good way to check that it is level is to place 1 cm of water in the tank then measure the water on each side of the 4 corners of the tank.

9. You will then add your gravel then fill your tank with your water you have in your hand drums. Place all the rocks and decorations into the tank. Then place the fish into the tank making sure the tank is at the very least half full. Then run the filters.

10. Place a drum near your tank and fill it with water. Add water ager and bacteria and make sure your pH, temperature and salt levels are running at the same levels in your tank. When the water has been checked and is correct you will then pump this water into your tank. Refill the drum then repeat again until you tank is full. Your move is now complete!

Important tips: Make sure you do not over dose the water with your water age when reestablishing your tank. Another good idea is to introduce a bacteria product into your tank to reduce your chances of ammonia after the relocation.

Also, do not feed to fish too much over the next couple of weeks. Test the water regularly after the move and never introduce any new fish for at least a month!

Keep the feeding low for the next 2 weeks and test your water regularly after you move the tank and do not introduce new fish for the next month.

For a professional guide on Saltwater Aquariums check out http://www.exclusivefishfilms.com
 

Paul Talbot