I'm going to be moving my 55 gallon into another room in the house. The plan is to drain about half the water into some rubbermaid tubs. Then, I will move my livestock into the tubs and put a powerhead in each for circulation. After that, I will need to drain the rest of the water, some to another tub, and some to get rid of. I'll be due for a water change anyway. Then I can remove my rock. Here's my queston...

Should I remove the sand before moving the tank and stand? I have about 120 lbs in there and I'm afraid it will compromise the integrity of the tank if I don't remove it. On the other hand, since the sand bed has been established for about 7 months or so, would it mess things up by removing it? I'd hate to have to start all over with new sand, but I heard that would be a good option.

Any input would be appreciated because I plan to make the move sometime in the next 2 weeks.