Never Moved Tanks Before........Help!

[Aqualung]

I remember there being threads on this in the past, but I couldn't find them using the search.

I am in the process of moving, and I have a 40 gallon BR and a 29 gallon tank that are coming with me. I'm not moving far, it's only about a half hour drive. I plan to remove the fish and transport them in rubbermaid tubs. It's cold here, but I don't think I'll have to worry too much about temp change or oxygen with such a short trip (?) The tubs will have about 6 gallons of water in them.

My main concern is that both tanks are planted. The 29 is only lightly planted at the moment - plants include floaters, java moss, java fern, a melted crypt, and rotala that hasn't rooted yet. In this tank I could remove everything if I really had to, but I would prefer to leave the substrate and plants in it. Rocks and driftwood will definitely be removed. The 40 gallon is fairly heavily planted, and the plants are well established. It would kill me to have to
uproot all the plants and remove the substrate.

So my question is.......assuming I am able to move the tanks with the gravel and plants still in the tanks, would this put too much stress on the glass? My biggest fear is cracking the glass during the moving process. Both tanks have between 2 and 3" of substrate, and being wet will add some weight.

 

[OrionGirl]

The 29 is probably the only tank I would move without emptying everything, and I'd be pretty hesitant about that. Sorry--I have a 40 breeder, and I would worry that it will twist and stress the glass. Bummer, I know, but I'd rather tear a tank apart to move it than have to clean up a mess and replace it in an emergency.

 

[Aqualung]

Not what I wanted to hear, but it's good to know. I don't want to risk ruining my aquariums.

This complicates matters a bit.......the fish will have to stay in the tubs while I get the tanks set up again. This will likely take a couple of days....planting kicks up sediment from the flourite, so I can just imagine what removing all of it and replacing it will be like. I guess putting the heaters and filters on the tubs will work temporarily. Or I could use this as an excuse to pick up a couple of bare ten gallon tanks......hmmm.

I plan to keep the fish in their current tank water during the moving process. Also I plan to bring at least 20 gallons (probably more) of fresh water to use for water changes. I don't want to stress them more than I need to, so I hope to slowly acclimate them to the new water once they are situated again.

Any tips or advice will be appreciated!