How to Transport a Saltwater Aquarium

Moving a saltwater aquarium is logistically challenging. The clock is ticking not only for your expensive fish and invertebrates, but for the beneficial bacteria that break down fish waste and make the tank inhabitable. Additionally, such a move can be physical taxing. A 5-gallon bucket of tropical saltwater weighs more than 40 lbs. And the aquarium itself is not only heavy, but easily chipped and cracked. Still, with a thought-out plan and possibly a few friends who owe you a favor, it is possible to move a saltwater aquarium.

Things You'll Need

  • 5-gallon buckets with lids or cooler
  • Heat packs (hand-warmers)
  • Battery-powered air pumps
  • Airstones/airline tubing
  • Blankets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Deactivate all electric aquarium components, including pumps, filters, heaters, lights, protein skimmers, ozone reactors and electronic thermometers 15 minutes before starting to disassemble the tank. This prevents heaters from cracking when removed and pumps from overheating as the water level drops. You may need to disconnect the return tube of your wet/dry filter to prevent back-siphoning and flooding.

    • 2

      Fill a 5-gallon bucket for the fish. Place at least one piece of live-rock from the tank into each bucket for biological filtration. For large fish, or a large number of fish, use multiple buckets as needed. If there is extreme hot or cold en route, use a cooler for transport, and possibly heat packs.

    • 3

      Install battery-powered air pumps with airstones in each bucket to oxygenate the water during transit.

    • 4

      Place all fish and live-rock into buckets. Keep the lids off until the buckets are ready to be loaded.

    • 5

      Drain the aquarium. If possible (considering the weight of water and the tank itself), leave the sandbed intact with a small amount of water to keep the beneficial bacteria in it alive. If this is too heavy, store the sand in 5-gallon buckets.

    • 6

      Disassemble aquarium accessories for the move. Try to keep filter media wet and keep the components as assembled as you can. This will speed reassembly.

    • 7

      Load the tank and all components into the vehicle for moving.

    • 8

      Wrap blankets around the buckets or coolers for insulation. If necessary, tape heat packs to the top lids of the containers. Load the buckets for transport.

    • 9

      Set up the stand, sump and aquarium as soon as you reach the new location. Fill with saltwater of the proper temperature three quarters of the way full. Make certain all of the components are working after the move.

    • 10

      Reassemble live-rock and sessile invertebrates (coral, anemones). It is easier to do this while the fish are not in the tank to avoid inadvertently crushing them.

    • 11

      Acclimate the fish. To do this, pour off excess water from the transport buckets containing fish. Slowly refill with water from the tank over a one-hour period, either by a drip or adding a cup of tank water every 5 to 10 minutes. At the end of this time, either net or scoop the fish up and add them to the aquarium.

    • 12

      Completely fill the tank.