Changing cabinet and shifting tank without affecting the scape

**Jungle-mania** · 12th Oct 2014, 13:24

I am going to move my 4 feet by 1 feet tank onto a new cabinet as the old one got damaged. Does anyone know how I can move my tank without messing my scape.

I am planning to drain 90% of the water and then get 4 guys (including me) to move it onto the next cabinet by lifting it up, 2 other guys to pull the old cabinet out and place the new one under immediately.

The tricky part is at the corner of the room against the wall.

My worry is that the tank gets crack or my scape gets mess up. I have about 6kg of sand inside the tank.

Plants are crypts and needle leaf ferns

Fishes are 160 neons and 7 SAE and 1 puffer.

**sheng** · 12th Oct 2014, 13:38

I was think of this. Drag the old cabinate out & put the new cabinate in place. Then shift the tank over

**sheng** · 12th Oct 2014, 13:40

What is the thickness of your tank?

**Jungle-mania** · 12th Oct 2014, 14:01

It is 1cm thick.

**fstyle28** · 12th Oct 2014, 17:39

I attempted a similar operation last year.

Removed all the fishes and drain the tank of all water. Even 10% of water weighs a substantial amount.
Then the rest is up to the movers to practise caution when shifting.

**tureblue82** · 12th Oct 2014, 22:18

getting one more person to hold/support the middle of the tank is better?

**Shadow** · 13th Oct 2014, 10:45

Any hardscape inside? rocks or wood that can topple?

**mUAr_cHEe** · 13th Oct 2014, 11:02

First of all, I just want to say that I have not done this before. I am trying to give some suggestions here.

I think it would be easier if everyone first lifts the tank, put it somewhere else, change the cabinet out, then put the tank back on.

I think less physical effort would be used that way. Personally, I think the backs of everyone involved is more important than upsetting your aquascape.

1. My action plan will be to draw out 99% of the water. As much as you can.
2. Save the water for reuse or maybe do your regular water change at the same time.
3. Move tank to somewhere else safe.
4. Move out old cabinet. At the same time, clean out the floor, wall and do some general housekeeping. You will never get another chance to do this again unless you change cabinet again.
5. Move in the new cabinet and make adjustments to the placement. Make sure it is at the exact same spot without even 1mm of error since the cabinet is not weighted.
6. Move back the tank onto new cabinet.

When more people is involved, although clumsier and harder to manage, it will be lighter for everyone especially when lifting the tank. Although it seems bad but it is better for you to be supervisor/director when moving the tank back onto the new cabinet. So that there is less re-shifting if it is off. The guys exerting the physical effort would be appreciative to just exert once, rather than 10 times to get it right.

Since most of the water is out, it would be easier for you to rescape and mould your substrate back in place. Actually, if I were you, I might plan a new aquascape.

**boliaoguy** · 13th Oct 2014, 11:42

I would say remove all fishes, rocks and as much water as possible. Removing rocks is a MUST. You should not underestimate the potential damage a small rock may cause as its density in air is quite great, more than enough to break your tank. Even the master Takashi Amano had broke an ADA tank due to toppling of the rock in one of his youtube videos.

**boliaoguy** · 13th Oct 2014, 11:51

Forgot to add:

based on your 10% water, it equates to approximately 4.5cm depth which will easily contribute to about 24kg of weight. Plus your substrates, gravels, driftwood and rocks, we are talking about easily 30-50kg of weight. Definitely not an easy task, need a simple Risk Assessment if possible!

**1112** · 13th Oct 2014, 13:51

I tested on smaller tank, transfer from platform to platform.

try to move the new platform closest to the old (current platform), stake up which ever platform is shorter to the taller one. and drain as much water as you can.

Once both platform at the same height level (must be as level as you can achieve), the tank can be push (a bit of lifting force required) towards the new platform.

shift the new platform to the new location.

**1112** · 13th Oct 2014, 13:54

to add, 4ft cabinet with 10% water can be easily push to relocate, by gentle and gradual force.

**AQMS** · 13th Oct 2014, 17:40

4ft tank is big and heavy, the pressure on the base will be great with all the weight of the scape and water. ...
is the new cabinet the same height as the old one?
if do, it can be easily slide to the new cabinet with minimum force required rather than lifting it up..
Side note: i cracked my 2 ft doing that while trying to change stand years ago..

**Merviso** · 15th Oct 2014, 09:55

It is very dangerous to lift and move the tank with water, gravel and rocks inside... Think clean out everything, shift and re-scape will be the best option...