How are you guys moving large glass tanks?

[Etoimos]

I'm wondering how you guys that have big glass tanks getting them into your house and onto the stand? I have a 270g (84x30x25) glass tank on order and am trying to work out the logistics of getting it on the stand.

I know it is going to take a lot of guys to move it, but how many have you guys found to be the correct number? Do I need to buy a bunch of those glass suction cup holders or would it be better to build kind of a wooden stretcher out of 2x4s and plywood and hand holds to set the tank on and then carry it in on that? I could also build a rolling table to set that on once inside so that it could be rolled over to the stand (that would only be about 10 feet from the front door) and slid from it the stand.

The rolling stand seems like it might be over kill, but it would make it easier to transfer the tank off of the stretcher and onto the stand since the weight would be supported.

What are your thoughts on all of this?

 

[SynDen]

3-4 guys could easily handle that size tank with no issue. Suction cups do make the job so much easier, but they are not required, as long as you got a few strong backs. You can rent the big suction cups from many of our sponsors like Aquatic Art, or some of our members might also have their own they could loan too

 

[Etoimos]

3-4 guys could easily handle that size tank with no issue. Suction cups do make the job so much easier, but they are not required, as long as you got a few strong backs. You can rent the big suction cups from many of our sponsors like Aquatic Art, or some of our members might also have their own they could loan too

Thanks, the store I bought the tank through does not have any of the suction cups, so I'll check some of the other places. I've bought several things from Aquatic Art, but they are about an hour away from my house.

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

@Andrew_bram used to have a rolling cart that could support about 1000 pounds. It was super helpful with his monster tank. I'd say 4-6 strong guys....more towards 6.

 

[Andrew_bram]

I also have the sled for the stairs

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[Etoimos]

I also have the sled for the stairs

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Do you have any pics of the rolling cart you used? I thought about something like that for moving it around once we got it in side, but that would probably work and make it easier to move it outside and up the two steps into the house.

But I might be just over complicating this... I do that from time to time

Here is a few shots of the front of the house. You can see the step up onto the porch and then the step up into the house through the front door:

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Once inside, it is a straight move over to the wall it will be against. The white door on the right of the photo is the front door and the wall with the family photos is where the tank is going.

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What do you guys think, should I mess with all that stuff or just get 8 dudes to move it inside and put it on the stand?

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

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[TheRealChrisBrown]

The cart itself is pretty similar to this:
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@Andrew_bram has a thread on it here: https://www.marinecolorado.org/threads/1000-pound-hydraulic-lift-cart-for-club-use.27596/

 

[neil82]

You can do it with 8 people. 6 people carrying the tank. Have the other 2 waiting inside the front door. The two people carrying front end of tank will 'peel off' at the doorway. Then the two waiting inside front door will grab the front end. If you have a cart to set it on, this is the place to use it. It'll help pass through the doorway. Getting it onto the stand shouldn't be too bad. Congrats on your new tank!

 

[SynDen]

LOL 6-8 people for a 270g tank?.. 4 could do it fairly easily I think. Only took 6, or 7, for that 400+g in the pic and that thing was extra beefy.
The cart and suction cups did make it a lot easier though

 

[neil82]

LOL 6-8 people for a 270g tank?.. 4 could do it fairly easily I think. Only took 6, or 7, for that 400+g in the pic and that thing was extra beefy.
The cart and suction cups did make it a lot easier though

You're right, 4 strong individuals could move this tank. No flights of stairs involved so it should be pretty easy. I always over think this type of stuff LOL.

 

[JodiI]

Do you have a shoulder dolly? We moved my big glass tank using that. Put two people in the dolly on either long end, and it puts most of the weight on your shoulders/back/legs. Much better than trying to do all arm strength. Then the people on the side are assisting in holding weight and maneuvering. Really helps make this easier.


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[JodiI]

Shoulder Dolly Moving Straps - Lifting Strap for 2 Movers - Move, Lift, Carry, And Secure Furniture, Appliances, Heavy, Bulky Objects Safely, Efficiently, More Easily Like The Pros - Essential Moving Supplies - LD1000 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00022749...abc_VPKYFN73QNXRSNX0P5X8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


We use it all the time. Fish tanks, stands, furniture, washing machines, etc.


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[Etoimos]

Thanks everyone. I think I'm just going get some friends to just pick it up and move it. With no stairs or real turns, it should be pretty easy.

Do you have a shoulder dolly? We moved my big glass tank using that. Put two people in the dolly on either long end, and it puts most of the weight on your shoulders/back/legs. Much better than trying to do all arm strength. Then the people on the side are assisting in holding weight and maneuvering. Really helps make this easier.

That looks pretty cool. So you are saying to just use one of those going under the tank lengthwise? No concerns about all the weight of the tank being placed on just the short bottom seams?

 

[JodiI]

Thanks everyone. I think I'm just going get some friends to just pick it up and move it. With no stairs or real turns, it should be pretty easy.



That looks pretty cool. So you are saying to just use one of those going under the tank lengthwise? No concerns about all the weight of the tank being placed on just the short bottom seams?

We ran it under my 6 foot 3/4” glass tank lengthwise. Two people could lift it alone with this, though we still needed people on the sides to stabilize and help lift it onto the stand. The strap pulls tight the whole way under the tank, so I’m not sure it’s really putting any pressure on the seams. Seems like if anything, it would be equivalent to just hands holding it.

Then again, I’m not an engineer of any sort. Just have used it for 3 tanks at this point, plus all the other random heavy things.


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[Etoimos]

We ran it under my 6 foot 3/4” glass tank lengthwise. Two people could lift it alone with this, though we still needed people on the sides to stabilize and help lift it onto the stand. The strap pulls tight the whole way under the tank, so I’m not sure it’s really putting any pressure on the seams. Seems like if anything, it would be equivalent to just hands holding it.

Then again, I’m not an engineer of any sort. Just have used it for 3 tanks at this point, plus all the other random heavy things.

Thanks for the additional info. I think I'll pick one of these up.