Any pointers for moving a large and heavy tank into the basement?

[FishMann]

Hoping someone out there has some experience and can ease my anxiety.

I am hoping to purchase either a 240 gallon (82.7" x 30" x 21.7" 790lbs) or a 200 gallon (70.9" x 30" x 21.7" 590lbs) tank from Innovative Marine. I want this in my basement. I would also be purchasing vacuum handles but am hoping there is a trick somewhere to make going down the stairs easier.

Or is it just strength and hope that no one trips?

 

[wvned]

We carried mine around and came mine in the back. Took 7 people.

 

[griss]

Back early -80’s my parent bought a used Oceanic 200 (7’x2’x2’). We just got a bunch of manpower and moved it from a first floor apartment to the first floor of the house.

Fast forward to 1992, parents divorced, didn’t want the tank, Mrs griss and I were in our first house, got the tank and moved it to the basement…again, just manpower.

Recently bought a used 150 for an upgrade, 4 of us got it into the basement:

 

[FishMann]

How large of a tank took 7 people? Carrying on a "flat" surface is not my concern. Its going down the steps

 

[wvned]

an 8 foot 240
I brought a 6 foot 180 home from Ohio in my Subaru and Jill and I put it on the stand with mechanical helpers like furniture dollies and a lift table from Harbor Freight.

 

[Reefing102]

Typically because I’m short on manpower, I use a hand truck with a bar extension. There’s also appliance hand trucks that may be useful. You’ll still need some manpower to help brace it so it’s not banging as you go down stairs but that’s also assuming you have the necessary clearance

 

[wvned]

If you want a lesson watch a man move a piano by himself and 2 can take it up some steps. I found it quite amazing. Yes they were big guys.

To get the 180 out of the car I used some 2x6s. I slid it down onto some furniture movers. and then rolled it around until I had the stand made.

2 of these have been very handy several times in my life. Each is rated for 1000 pounds. I moved the stand from the garage to the basement by myself. Then the tank.
Simple machines like ramps and levers can multiply your strength several times.
Fish tanks are very strong. Even 2 people can tip a large tank on its side enough to get something under it.
Have some PVC pipe handy and never sit a large tank flat on the ground. 2 pipes under it gives you room to lift and move it.
At some point it has to be lifted onto the stand.
6 people or a lift table. 2 old people managed it by scooting it from the table to the stand.

The vacuum handles are nice but be careful. Each has a lift rating much lower than the total weight of the tank so you should always use all of them when lifting with them.

Stairs. I would side it down with 4 people if they are carpeted. If not I would cover them with cardboard taped down. When you get to the bottom you stand the tank on end and turn it in the direction you need to go and then lay it over to waiting hands again.
Moving heavy things is just another life skill you pick up.

 

[kfisc]

Any possible chance you could hire someone to build the tank in the basement? That is, buy the glass, and have it custom-built and installed?

 

[wvned]

and you can rent the vacuum handles from different places. The tank manufacturer rented me some.

 

[FishMann]

To me, 800lbs down narrow and steep stairs with not a lot of headroom is an invitation for injury to the bottom guy. I can't risk it. My hopes and dreams were crushed.
That is until the misses gave me permission to keep it upstairs! Bonus is that the basement can now be a fish room with a bunch of smaller tanks! I wonder what the largest I can get down there is

 

[Reefing102]

Easily a 75 or 125 I bet.

Could also plumb the sump to the basement (if you wanted).

 

[griss]

Nice on keeping it upstairs. I just remembered that @Nanook hired riggers to move his large tanks into his basement. Granted, he has a walk out basement.

 

[rrrrob]

Hoping someone out there has some experience and can ease my anxiety.

I am hoping to purchase either a 240 gallon (82.7" x 30" x 21.7" 790lbs) or a 200 gallon (70.9" x 30" x 21.7" 590lbs) tank from Innovative Marine. I want this in my basement. I would also be purchasing vacuum handles but am hoping there is a trick somewhere to make going down the stairs easier.

Or is it just strength and hope that no one trips?

two of us (both 50+ years old) moved a 120 gallon down a full flight of stairs. That was our limit and even that was scary.

To get rid of it, I plan to hire junk removers or smash it up and take it up in pieces.

How about acrylic? It's way lighter...

 

[wvned]

Jill and I could move a 180 down stairs. The weight on an incline is only a fraction of the total weight. I had no trouble getting it out of the car by myself.