Moving soon, could use some advice on relocating tank.

[Rave]

I am moving to a new Apartment in September and will need to move my aquarium into the new place. I havn't done this before and could use some tips.

Heavily planted tank
plenty of fish

My basic plan is to
remove driftwood (java moss attached)
Bag the fish
bag most plants
Drain the tank as much as possible (while still keeping substrate wet, inch of water or so)
move tank into new place
set up
refill (treat water)
add fish/plants

all in all it should take 2-3 hours
any tips?

[Lady Hobbs]

Throw everything in totes. You need not save any water and even your filters will stay wet that long. Everything must come out of the tank.

When you refill the tank where you are going, let the filters run about an hour to gass off the new water. Add fish and leave the lights off. Drop an airstone in the tote with fish in it when you reach your destination so it will give you time to set the tank back up. Done! Not hard at all nor complicated.

[sheamurai]

How far are you moving the tank, and what size is it?

Keeping substrate in the tank for a drive is not really a good idea. The shifting about will strain the seals. It may not leak right away, but may wear them enough that the tank will leak down the road.

Room to room, I would keep the substrate in there; for carrying out to a vehicle, driving, then carrying into new place, and all that shifting around - I'd remove the substrate as well...a smaller tank that's easy to change out in an emergency I might leave - but a larger tank I would not risk.