Moving Large Aquarium

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karaim

New member
I have a 94x24x31 glass aquarium. Weighs 525 pounds!!!!!!!!! I have to get it down a flight of stairs into the basement. Due to the layout of my condo, we can't just carry it down (see attached picture) - it has to be brought in directly from the top.

Again, this weights 525 pounds and it is practically impossible to carry it down due to the weight and the constriction of the stairway to fit more than 2 guys.

No moving company will take the job. Any thoughts on how to get it down there?
 

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karaim said:
I have a 94x24x31 glass aquarium. Weighs 525 pounds!!!!!!!!! I have to get it down a flight of stairs into the basement. Due to the layout of my condo, we can't just carry it down (see attached picture) - it has to be brought in directly from the top.

Again, this weights 525 pounds and it is practically impossible to carry it down due to the weight and the constriction of the stairway to fit more than 2 guys.

No moving company will take the job. Any thoughts on how to get it down there?
Click to expand...

throught the window? I know my friend's 300G had to be lifted up outside and through his patio since the stairway was too narrow up to his apt.

How'd you get it in there the first time?
 
NICE aquarium, who made it?

Regretfully, you just can't beat physics - If it can't fit through the stairwell you're going to have to hold out for teleportation technology to go mainstream.
 
Build a box frame above the stairwell... wrap the tank with straps and then use a chainfall to lower it down...

i got a 6000 lb bridgeport milling machine down same type of stairs by myself

joe
 
It DOES fit down the stairs. The tank is 24" wide, but the staircase is 32" wide. However, it is too heavy to carry down in such narrow confines.
 
DeathMagnetic said:
Build a box frame above the stairwell... wrap the tank with straps and then use a chainfall to lower it down...

i got a 6000 lb bridgeport milling machine down same type of stairs by myself

joe
Click to expand...

Sounds interesting. Although wouldn't the pressure from the straps (since it is being applied in 1 spot) break the glass?
 
If you moved the tank standing up to the landing at the top you could slide one end down the stairs and have the rest fallow. I have had to do this with alot of couches and tight corner/stairwells. You can also get lifting straps for your shoulders, I have read other people moving large tanks, I think they got them at harbor freight if you have one near you.
 
DeathMagnetic said:
Build a box frame above the stairwell... wrap the tank with straps and then use a chainfall to lower it down...

i got a 6000 lb bridgeport milling machine down same type of stairs by myself

joe
Click to expand...


This is what I would do as well, but to add to it, build a very sturdy frame, have at least 2 guys waiting down at the bottom of the stairs, have plenty of padding and/or pillows on the staircase and lower it down slowly. As you start lowering it down and it gets to the padding just have the two guys start guiding it down the stairs, sliding on the pads.
 
picture a rectangle made of wood larger than the stair opening.. made of 2 x 4's then aframes across both long sides of the box with a 4 x 4 between the tops of the 2 aframes thats where the chainfall would be attached like a swingset
 
Last edited:
DeathMagnetic is right. I have moved very heavy objects this way. The furniture dolly thing is asking for someone to get hurt or worse.

The tank is worth the cost of building the scaffold and renting the chainfall. As for pressure, put a piece of 3/4" plywood under it the same size as the bottom, it will distribute the pressure from the straps.
 
Just another option although I like the strap idea. I had to move a 500lb tank down stairs and we could only fit one guy at each end of the tank because of the width of the stairwell. We put one guy under the tank (me because it was my tank). Crawling backward. You'd be amazed at how strong your back is. When we got to the bottom of the stairs I had a couple more guys to get the tank off my back.
 
DeathMagnetic said:
Build a box frame above the stairwell... wrap the tank with straps and then use a chainfall to lower it down...

i got a 6000 lb bridgeport milling machine down same type of stairs by myself

joe
Click to expand...

jeeze how big was this mill? I've got a series 1, its only about a ton.


I've had to cut holes in floors to get stuff down into basements. its not alot of fun, but it always a option.
 
Wow you need a banister around those stairs, someone could fall down them..
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You should look harder for movers. Look for companies that move appliances, or pianos, or equipment.

Last time I was at the tool rental place several guys offered to come help move my mill up a stairway. You could make a right angle holder to support the tank by an end and its bottom while it sits on an appliance hand truck. Appliance hand trucks have tracks on their back side so the tracks run smoothly down stairs. They also have a strap system to hole the 'appliance' onto the handtruck. Once you have this you rope the top handle of the truck to a bunch of muscles. Put someone below, work it over to the stairs and then let it down slowly with the rope and the lower guy(s).
 
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