Things You'll Need:
- Plastic bags with rubber bands or plastic bottles with lids to hold most of the water from the tank
- An aquarium hose
- A cardboard box big enough for the tank
- An old toothbrush to scrub decorations
- A ziploc bag for filter cartridge
- Plastic bags with rubber bands to hold fish
- A bucket to hold filled fish bags upright
- At least one person to help you
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Step 1
If your tank has a heater, unplug it. Leave it in the tank for at least 15 minutes to allow it to cool down.
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Step 2
Unplug the filter and remove it from the tank. Clean it thoroughly. If your cartridge is filthy, throw it away. If not, place it in a ziploc bag with some tank water.
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Step 3
Begin siphoning water out of the tank and into your transportation containers.
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Step 4
When you've removed about 25% of the water, net the fish and place them in a fish bag(s) 1/2 full of water. Catch air in the bag and close it up with a rubber band.
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Step 5
Continue siphoning out water until there is just enough left to cover the gravel.
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Step 6
Remove any decorations and scrub off the algae.
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Step 7
Cut one of the short sides of the cardboard box so that it is only connected at the bottom like a draw bridge. Slide the tank into the box and tape up the side.
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Step 8
Moving Time! If you are moving locations, pack your stand, tank and fish in the car. Make sure the fish bags are secure and won't slosh around too much. If you are just moving rooms, move the stand first and then place the tank back on top.
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Step 9
Once the tank and stand are in place, begin pouring the water back in. Next, put the filter and cartridge back in and plug in the filter. Place the heater in the tank and wait 15 minutes before plugging it in.
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Step 10
Add decorations and fish.
