Freshwater

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Part I: Aquarium Basics
Checking floors and walls
Make sure the stand is on a solid surface. Check the floor carefully so that
your new aquarium doesn’t end up decorating the downstairs neighbor’s
apartment. Remember that a 100-gallon tank weighs somewhere in the neighborhood
of 1,000 pounds fully loaded!
Do not place the stand directly against a wall. You need room back there for
hanging equipment.
Looking for power
When determining where you want to place your aquarium, keep in mind that
your system requires a few electrical outlets in order to run. A friend of ours
once set up a complete aquarium system — water and all — and then realized
that there was no electrical outlet anywhere near the tank! (He was a
couple sandwiches short of a mental picnic anyway.)
Use an electrical outlet that is not connected to a wall switch. You don’t want
anyone to hit the switch and unknowingly shut off your aquarium equipment.
Moving an Aquarium
Never try to move an aquarium all by yourself, no matter how small it is. Any
aquarium should always be lifted by a minimum of two people. You can cause
yourself physical injury, and damage the silicone and frame of the tank if you
attempt to haul your tank around by yourself.
(A good way to get help moving an aquarium is to put on a dirty apron, throw
some flour on yourself, call your couch potato neighbors, and tell them you
want them to try out an exciting new recipe. When they arrive, tell them that
your aquarium is blocking the way to the food supply. Works every time.)
When you’re ready to move your tank, make sure to unplug all equipment
and then remove it from the aquarium. Don’t remove the heater until 15 minutes
have passed to avoid shattering it. Fill a plastic bucket with water from
the aquarium and place the fish in the bucket. Drain the rest of the water.
Before you lift the aquarium, remove any large rocks or other heavy decorations,
which can shift positions and break the glass.
Never lift your tank by grabbing the top of the frame. Lifting an aquarium by
its top frame can damage and break the sealer or glass, eventually causing
water leaks. The proper way to lift an aquarium is to place your hands (and
your hungry neighbors’ hands) beneath the bottom corners of the tank.