600 gal display/900+ gal build thread in the Chicago 'burbs.

[wmilas]

Shake it off Gedas, shake it off!

In number two goes.

Its hard to see here but we've got a bunch of the guys in the truck trying to figure out if we can lift the crate to get it out. Or at least slide it part way to the liftgate. UPS, in their infinite wisdom put a palate jack in the back of the truck but the tank is so long its sandwiched between the front wall and the tank crate so its useless to us.

I'm trying to figure out what to do. We decide to partially uncrate it to lighten it up a bit. No one wants to be the first with the pry bar because of the potential damage.

We put a piece of carpet down figuring maybe we can completely uncrate it and slide it off onto the liftgate.

I start pulling out the suction cups. Thats 10 pair of cups, 20 in all.

 

[wmilas]

We start to rip off pieces of the crate and haul them away.

Look! suction cups!

The Landing pad awaits...but can we get there?

One of teh construction guys is asking me if I've gone plum loco ordering something this big.

We get the crate open to find a massive bubble wrapped tank. We pulled out and disassembled the pallates that held the stands hoping we can slide the pallate over that holds the tank to the middle of the truck. It STILL wont budge and Mike is NOT happy.

"Maybe if we take MORE of the crate apart we can move it!"

 

[EBOLII]

Dammit…..DajaVu' yeah?

fine ready?.....

Up.........little steps..little steps..little steps..little steps..little steps..little steps..down.........and breath

ready?

Up.........little steps..little steps..little steps..little steps..little steps..little steps..down.........and breath

 

[joe1584]

This is nuts Thanks God i worked and didnt help move this tank.

 

[wmilas]

We decide to try and gut it out and slide the tank, and whats left of the crate out onto the liftgate. We start clearing the cups and I'm starting to worry at this point.

More crate debris

We get the tank partially out onto the liftgate and have to take a rest.

"I think we we pull it out most of the way and balance the back end on the liftgate it'll be easy as pie to just lower it down. With the back on the gate it can't be THAT heavy? Right?"

Oh god was I wrong. At this point I'm in the middle anchoring the back part. I'm seeing stars at this point and trying desperately to keep my back straight. Gedas just blew his right nut.

The liftgate is on the move down. Thanks UPS guy!

 

[miztic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12493311#post12493311 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by joe1584
This is nuts Thanks God i worked and didnt help move this tank.

It wasn't all that bad, those construction guys were a huge help.. just wait for the tank on the stand shots, that'll make it all worth it

(I'm the guy in the black shirt who hasn't done anything so far )

Edit: the shots came out great! nice work..

 

[Imanz0]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12179647#post12179647 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcliffy2
Awesome to see this system being built nearby, I'm subscribing.

I really like that you are going all T5 - your system dwarfs my new build (238g display, 360 total) which I'm going all T5 on, but you are welcome to come by and check it out once it is up and running (hopefully) in the next few weeks.

He has the sexsiest girl alive!!!! Man she looks so goooooooooood!!!!!

 

[H20ENG]

Hmm, red Xs for me.

 

[wmilas]

The tank is down. Part one is accomplished.

Everyone standing around the tank wondering "HOW the HELL are we going move this thing?"

"Lets try and slide it off the liftgate!"

"Oh God it BURNS!"

Its off! Another rest break.

UPS man starts to pack things up... His job is done. Thanks UPS man!

 

[wmilas]

More crate debris and packing is pulled out. Just how much is there?

YES! The first view I have of the tank! I'm dumbfounded. Its gorgeous.

It feels so nice!

Whats the back look like? Are the overflows ok?!?

Looks great. At this point I can't believe how THICK the panes are.

We start to pepper every surface with suction cups. We peel one of the static cling wraps all the way around to get a good suction surface.

 

[couchpotato300]

wow that tank is absolutly huge. im so following this build all they way. it is amazing already. wish i lived in the area to be able to help and look at it.

 

[wmilas]

Suction cups ahoy!

"So, you think the cups will hold if we try and lift the thing?

"There is a board with lots of SHARP nails sticking out of it!"

Nail removal. A scratch at this point would be heart breaking.

"Ok lets lift it. WAIT! Why are there only 3 people on my side?!?"

Notice my side is drooping. I can't feel my arm at this point and I'm still trying, unsuccessfully to keep my back straight

 

[wmilas]

Rounding the corner.. we can see the window... whats left of it.

Line it up. I measured it before I ordered it.. we should have 1 inch of clearance.

Looks like an inch.

At this point I'm inside with a few guys measuring making sure we can clear it. It looks good.

Miztic wont let go of the cups. I think hes excited.

UPS man makes his getaway when no one is looking.

 

[wmilas]

We are getting ready to slide it in. We have carpet draped over the limestone footer so we should be good to go.

"Oh crap! its stuck!" We just bounced it off the brick. #@%#$%#$!

Everyone looks concerned as I check the tank for damage from the basement. Luckily we didn't do any damage. I shudder to think what would have happened if it had been glass. Yet ANOTHER reason why Acrylic rocks on a large tank!

We try again

We don't bounce and we realize with the carpet under it its not going to make it.. its just too tight.

We take a break and try and figure out what to do.

 

[wmilas]

We measure again without the carpet. We decide that a roll of duct tape can fix ANYTHING. We duct tape the whole limestone footer and the steel header so as to not scratch the tank.

Now it gets dicey. There are no shots of it but the tank is entering the basement at about 6 feet high. There is just BARELY enough room.. much closer than i though.. You can see on this outside shot we are sliding it in and there is about 1/8" of an inch as it slides through.

What you aren't seeing is some of us inside with arms locked trying to hold this thing over are heads. People are racing in running down the stairs before we give out.

Because of the clearance the tank has to be perfectly parallel with the sill. Sliding it, and keeping it parallel withing 1/2" was.. lets just say, HARD.

Keep sliding....

3/4th in.. at this point 3 are outside, 9 are inside.

The angle starts to go out of kilter as it gets heavier and heavier inside. We are now getting stuck and if it falls much more we run the risk of breaking the top joints by crushing them.

Farther in, we are now counting to 3 repeatedly and heaving upwards to try and keep it level inside. I have my arms locked as do others and we are pumping with our legs.

 

[EBOLII]

well....bet you wish you had your wheaties yeah?

 

[wmilas]

The carpet has been sucked in and the tank is nearly wedged at this point and the last three guys are pushing with all they have trying to get it through. Debris is falling down from around from the frame.

Just another foot! I'm losing hope at this point. I cant feel my shoulders now.

2 guys left. Its inches. Inside two guys have climbed the wall on either side of the tank, with their feet on the concrete and hands on the suction cups trying to pop the tank into the room. The short, really muscular guy us directly under the tank bracing it kind of like Atlas as the rest of us continue pumping and heaving upwards. Its been about 4 or 5 minutes since we started pushing it through the opening.

Here is a nice shot of it mid pop being sucked into the room.

Here it cleared the header and part is resting on the footer. we are trying to tug the rest into the room and not lose our balance as it comes in.

Its in! I think Mike is the happiest out of all of us. We are all ringing wet with sweat at this point.

 

[EBOLII]

Ooop constructiom flaw.....lets send it back

Any damage to report?

 

[wmilas]

We start inspecting for damage. Amazingly enough, we can't Find any! The bottom has a few paper tears but no scratches and no gouges. The top and sides are untouched. Duct Tape. Amazing stuff.

Now we are talking about, to a man, its most likely the heaviest thing we've ever lifted over our heads.

Debris pile

Here we have the tank rolled over on its front face and we are taking the protective tape and plastic wrappy stuff off the bottom pane.

Getting to roll it over onto its top.

My lovely wife and I next to an upside down tank

 

[Ed Reef]

Congratulations - great updates.... this tank is HUGE