How to Move a Fish Tank Safely, Across the Room or to a New House

Unplug every appliance, then let the heater cool

Fluval, an aquarium equipment maker, says in its AquaClear filter manual: “Always unplug or disconnect all appliances in the aquarium from electricity supply before placing hands in water, before putting on or taking off parts and while the equipment is being installed, maintained or handled.” Aqueon: “To begin, unplug the heater and allow it to cool for 30 minutes before removing it from the aquarium.” Follow your heater’s manual (table below); with none, or where a maker’s own pages differ as Hydor’s do, our reading is the longest wait there: at least 30 minutes. Everything stays unplugged until step 13.

Take out the heater and filter, and keep the media wet

Aqueon: “Remove filtration equipment and circulation pumps. Keep biological media wet by placing it in aged aquarium water or a sealed container.” Maidenhead adds a battery air pump to the media bag when “the journey is over an hour or so”, and says: “Filter media should not be exposed to extremes of temperature, so pack somewhere sensible.”

Siphon the water you are keeping into lidded containers

Aqueon says “about 75% to 80% of the tank water is best”, and of tubs: “make sure they are sturdy and you can pick them up when they’re filled.”

Take out the decor and plants

Aqueon: “Inspect décor to make sure no fish are hiding in a cavity or crevice.” Aqueon packs live plants in water or wet paper in sealed containers.

Catch the fish and pack them in tank water

Maidenhead: “ensure that you cover the net with your other hand, as fish can jump.” Aqueon: “If using fish bags, fill 1/3 with water and 2/3 air, or 50% water and 50% pure oxygen.” And: “Never blow into a fish bag to inflate it.” “Small to medium-sized fish can be transported in fish bags placed in coolers or Styrofoam shipping containers to maintain proper temperature. Large fish and other creatures should be transported in buckets, tubs or coolers.” And: “It’s best to double bag to prevent punctures, and lay bags on their sides to increase swimming space and surface exposure to the air or oxygen inside the bag.” Aqueon: “Do not place rocks or heavy objects in containers that will house fish or other livestock, as they may shift and injure your animals.” Aqueon: “Use battery operated air pumps in containers with large fish, moves over long distances or in hot weather.” Maidenhead: “Wherever possible, most fish should be bagged separately as some species exude toxins when stressed, and this could kill your other fish.” It lists which can share and which always go alone.

Drain the rest and scoop out the substrate

Aqueon: “Once all livestock has been removed and packed, drain and discard the last 20 – 25% of the water. Remove gravel or sand using a net, wire strainer or colander and pack in buckets or water-tight containers. Gravel should be kept wet to keep important nitrifying bacteria alive.” Maidenhead splits the heavy, wet substrate across several containers and says: “Do not be tempted to wash your filter or gravel as this will remove or kill your useful bacteria.”

Lift the empty tank from underneath

Tetra: “NEVER lift an aquarium with wet hands.” “ALWAYS carry an aquarium from underneath, supporting the bottom at all times.”

Pack it for the trip

Aqueon wraps the tank in blankets, notes covers and lights can go inside it, and sets the water and gravel containers around it to stabilize it. It adds: “Don’t leave containers with fish or other livestock in direct sunlight as it may cause the water to overheat.” Maidenhead: “Heaters should be wrapped carefully to avoid breakages”.

Level the stand, then set the tank on it

Aqueon: “Place the stand in its new location and use shims to level it, if necessary. Make sure it’s stable and doesn’t wobble.” Tetra: “Pick a flat, level surface near an electrical outlet. An aquarium stand is recommended.” Then, as Aqueon does, add the substrate and decor. Our set-up guide covers each setup step.

Fit the heater and filter unplugged, put the saved media back, then half fill

Maidenhead: “Re-assemble your filters”. Aqueon: “Install power strips, heater and filter(s) but don’t plug them in yet. Fill the aquarium approximately halfway with “old” water, pouring it onto a plate or shallow bowl to avoid disturbing the gravel.” Replant live plants now.

Add the rest of the saved water, then the fish

Aqueon: “Add remaining “old” water and gently introduce the fish and other livestock.” Our guide to adding new fish covers acclimation. Tetra says the temperatures in the bag and the tank “must be equalized first” (FAQ below). Maidenhead and Aquacadabra, a UK aquatics retailer, switch the equipment on before the fish; Aquacadabra’s reason is the heater: “ensure enough time is passed before adding the fish to bring the water up to the ideal temperature”. The sources differ and we follow Aqueon’s order, the tank maker’s. In either order, our reading is to unplug everything before your hands go in (step 1) and plug back in as in step 13.

Top off with conditioned new water, plugging nothing in yet

Aqueon: “Finally, top off the aquarium with “new” conditioned water and plug in filters, circulation pumps and heater.” For that water (freshwater tanks): “Always treat tap water with a water conditioner to neutralize chlorine and ammonia before adding it to the aquarium.” “Replacement water should be the same temperature as the aquarium water.” Do the top-off now and leave the plug-in to step 13, which adds the filter prime and the heater wait.

Prime the filter and plug it in, then the heater after its wait

Follow your filter’s manual. Aqueon’s setup guide: “Prime the filter and plug it in using a drip loop.” Fluval’s AquaClear manual: “Fill filter case completely with water.” And: “Do not allow filter pump to run dry.” Check the heater and its cord first; Hydor, a heater maker: “Do not use if either the cable or the heater are damaged.” And: “Do not connect the heater to the power supply when it is not submerged in water.” Its support page: “The Heater can ONLY then be turned back on when the Aquarium is full and the heater is completely submerged.” Follow your manual’s wait; with none, or where a maker’s pages differ, our reading is the longest switch-on wait in the table: at least 20 minutes, counted from when the water covers the heater up to its minimum mark.

Feed lightly and test the water in the days after

Aqueon: “Do not feed fish for 24 hours after a move.” It says a moved tank “will most likely experience “New Tank Syndrome”” (see our cycling guide), and: “Test for ammonia and nitrite 3 to 5 days after the move and take appropriate action if levels are elevated.” Maidenhead watches ammonia and nitrite “For a month or so”, feeds “only if the levels are at zero”, every other day for the first two weeks, and adds no new fish then. Aqueon checks the temperature daily at first (ranges by fish type: our tank temperature guide); to adjust the heater, our reading is to unplug everything first (step 1) and plug back in after.