How to move an aquarium – step by step guide

So, you have decided to move to your new home, and since you are reading this text, that means that you need to move your aquarium as well. Reading some of the following steps is going to help you with your aquarium relocation process. You should also know that you need to pay attention to every step because every step is important. So, how to move an aquarium- step by step? Here is the answer.

Do the preparation work in order to move an aquarium safely

One of the wisest things to do is to plan everything before taking action. Planning and making a list is very important in this process. Also, make sure that you have some of the following things:

• Fishnet
• Large buckets
• Cardboard boxes, blankets or any material which you could find useful to protect the aquarium.

Before relocating an aquarium and the fish, keep in mind the following things.

Choose a location in the house

Think about the design of your new home and decide which place should be best to place the aquarium. Make sure that the area is close to the electrical outlet, and that is not exposed to direct sunlight. Remember that you will need a lot of space for your aquarium.

Find a place for your aquarium at your new home.

Take some photos

It is a great idea to take several pictures of your aquarium from different angles so that you should know how the filter system and accessories are set up. Don’t do this while the fish are still in the aquarium, you are going to upset them.

Know what you pack

The aquarium should be one of the last items which you should pack, but the first item to unpack. The thing which you need to pay attention to is that you need to create a safe environment for the fish during the relocating process.

To move an aquarium safely, you need a good packing strategy.

To move an aquarium you need to think about the fish too

You should know that moving fish from their usual environment for a long time may stress them out. As you know, with long-distance moving it takes a few days to arrive at your desired location. Thus, you could give your fish to a friend as a present and buy new ones when you arrive at your new address. Doing that is going to protect the fish from high-level stress. But, if you are emotionally attached to your fish, or they are expensive and you decide to move them with you, be sure to follow the next steps.

Try not to give them food for 24-48 hours

This is maybe cruel, but it will give you enough time to clean the aquarium filtration system.

Choose the best transport method

You should know that it is going to be very difficult for you to transport your aquarium since you don’t have any experience with it. Licensed movers can help you with different moving tasks and they are going to do that professionally, plus you are going to save your time. But if you don’t have enough money for it, you can try to conduct the relocation by yourself.

You have less than one hour

This method is for local moves. Take a plastic bag, fill it with tank water. Use a fish net and try to catch the fish. After you’re done with catching, put them in a plastic bag. Also, consider going to a local pet store, and ask if they could fill the plastic begs with pure oxygen, so the fish can breathe. Once you’re done, place the begs in the cooler, and use some material as a protection during the transport.

One to seven hours

The best opinion for fish to travel during the relocation is in a six-gallon bucket. You should fill the buckets with water from the aquarium. Use the net to catch the fish, but separate the aggressive ones. After you’re done, seal the cap with tape to prevent spills.

Moves that last for few days

For longer trips, you should consult your local pet store about shipping them via airmail.

Steps to apply in order to move an aquarium successfully

If you were thinking about doing this alone, you should know that there is a lot of preparation to be done. That means that you need to drain aquarium, disassemble it and pack it in a proper way. It is very important to pay attention while doing this because you don’t want to damage your aquarium. If you were thinking about hiring professional movers, you should know that Zippy Shell Columbus provides great service. A lot of satisfied customers can confirm this fact.

The first step

Unplug all parts from the aquarium and let them cool down before you start with the next steps. Also, you need to take out plants, decorations, and filters. Take a five-gallon bucket, fill it with water from the tank and place all plants, if you want to keep them. After you’re done with that, take all the decorations, clean and dry them. Place them in a separate bag for protection. After you’re done with that, remove the light, heather, and filtration system. Once everything is packed, mark them fragile on the box, so that you know what’s inside.

The second step when you need to move an aquarium

Drain the water with a siphon hose since aquariums were not designed to be moved with water inside of them. The pressure would break the glass. After that, the next step is to pack the aquarium. In case of small to medium aquariums, remove the lid and wrap it separately. Find some big box where you could place the aquarium. Also, take a blanket to prevent any breaking. In the case of large aquariums, since it is going to be hard to find a proper box for a large aquarium, you should wrap the aquarium with a blanket. Also, secure it with packing tape.

The final step when you need to move an aquarium

Since it’s heavy and fragile, ask your friends if they could help you with loading your aquarium. Secure the aquarium with ropes to prevent repositioning.

Once your aquarium arrives safely at your new address, you can relax.

Once the aquarium arrives at your new destination, start unpacking it. Refill the water and set up the filtration system and all other things. Before you decide to add the fish, regulate the water and Ph balance. Go to a local pet store to test the water. After everything is done, the last step is to place the fish in the aquarium so that they can return in their natural habitat. In the end, it turns out that it takes a lot of time and a serious effort to move an aquarium. of course, there is always the option to hire a decent moving company experienced with specialty moves.