The day before
Stop feeding. Gather buckets with lids, fish bags, a battery air pump if you have one, towels, and a plan for heat — summer moves in Australia can cook a bagged fish in a parked car.
Move day
- Save tank water in clean buckets if the trip is short — it helps the new fill match chemistry.
- Net fish into bags with tank water; keep them dark and cool.
- Lift filter media into a bucket of tank water so it stays wet and oxygenated.
- Drain the tank enough to carry. Never lift a full tank — the seams are not designed for that.
- At the new home, set the tank, add saved water plus dechlorinated tap to temperature, restart filter, then acclimate fish as you would new arrivals.
The week after
Test ammonia if you can. Feed lightly. If you had to rinse media in tap water, watch for a mini-cycle and be ready for extra water changes.
Large marine systems and very old tanks may need a professional move. This is hobbyist guidance, not a removal service manual.