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I have a Juwel Rekord 120 in my bedroom, it was level when i set it up 1.5 years ago but its now uneven sloping to the left so that the water level is about 1cm different each end of the tank. I think it is because the water has got to the cabinet and caused the wood to warp on the left side(juwel stand!).

I am going to build a new cabinet out of high density MDF however when i come to move the tank, (re position it in the same spot as the old one re leveling it) if i remove all the water and fish would it be ok:

1) to move it with the gravel inside still?

2) if i brought a larger tank would it be ok to place all the fish and orginal tank water back into a new tank with new gravel using the old filter media and not feeding the fish for a few days?

Thank you in advance for any advice or help.

Paul

Some comments on cabinet making:
Make sure you varnish the new cabinet with a good quality "boat varnish" (polyurethane varnish, of the marine quality. Beware that this is not "play varnish", so read the warning label and do it outside if at all possible).

I would also use a framework of 2x3" wood inside the MDF, because it's much less likely to warp than any chipboard/MDF. Make sure the top part is one solid piece, covering the top edge of the lower parts.

Better yet is to use marine plywood instead of MDF. You'll probably pay a little bit more for marine ply, but it's both prettier (looks like WOOD) and a bit more resistant to wet, should water get to it [which there's some chances of when you have 120 liter of it, and probly shifting a few buckets every week].

Now for your actual questions:
1. I would remove MOST of the gravel, to avoid stress on the bottom of the tank. Wet gravel tends to weigh a lot ...

2. Yes, you should be able to transfer the fish, water and filter media to another tank and keep the bacteria alive. I don't know if "not feeding" is necessary, I would probably skip one feeding to cover the stress of moving, but other than that, you should be fine.

Best of luck.

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Mats

The Juwel tanks aren't available here in the US. Can you please give me some idea of the size of this tank? Is it 120 liters? Sometimes with tanks over a certain size, a support panel at the half-way point is a good idea.

Yes, the Rekord 120 is 120 liter (~30 g), and measures 101 x 31 x 46 cm (l x w x h), or around 40" x 12" x 15". [Yes, I looked it up, I'm not that much of a tank-geek].

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Mats

Paul,
A piece of plastic sheeting(the kind that is used for disposable "drop cloths", available at hardware stores) can also help eliminate a little of the long-term warping that comes from water that spills over. Place this down first, under your new tank stand. The size should be about 6" larger than the tank stand all around. This can help protect the floor. Every once in a while, say after a water change, it's good to take a towel and wipe up around the plastic sheeting. Just a thought.
Amanda