Thoughts on moving a BIG tank

T

Tecdiverfl

Member
looking at buying a 300 gallon glass tank 96 24 by 30 and wondering how the hell I am going to move this monster. Good for thought on anyone as crazy as me to buy one this big. How many guys does is take to move one??

My wife has informed me she is going away for the weekend when this gets moved in as she does not want to hear me *****ing and complaning.
 
6 able guys, a full set of suction cups, lots of beer and pizza after the move.

Your better half is going to hate me...
 
I'd think about building a dolly to fit it. Two by fours and a couple of wheels are pretty cheap. I learned from moving my 300 more people is not necessarily better than stronger quality people.
 
Use boxes or PVC to simulate the dimensions of the tank. Find out how less than 30 lbs. of that will fit through the house to its destination and make the tank move nice and smooth. I helped a guy move a 210 with a total of 5 guys. There were typically 3 guys on the tank with 1-2 holding doors or repositioning and everything went smoothly. Single doorways were tight, though.

Conversely, add up the cost of fuel, tools, pizza, etc., and get a quote from a mover that has insurance that will replace the tank if it gets damaged.
 
4 of us moved my 210 aga tank. I would think 6 average build guys could handle a 300. The key is to keep the tank at waist height if at all possible (huge difference between moving a tank kept at waist height and putting one down on the ground and then picking it back up)
 
My only concern with using a dolly is that you better distribute weight well. That is an 8 foot monster.
 
Make sure you take the water out first.

One trick when moving stand, using 2x4s.

Took four of us to move 265 glass.

 
I moved my 265 with just me and a buddy, wasn't down or up any stairs, wasn't to difficult. I put it up on the stand myself. Don't think you need six people.
 
OceanLandlord said:
I'd think about building a dolly to fit it. Two by fours and a couple of wheels are pretty cheap. I learned from moving my 300 more people is not necessarily better than stronger quality people.
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yes I built a platform with 2x4's and some ply wood with dollys underneath. up the ramp onto the trailer tank is 84" with 1" thick bottom and eurobracing top and bottom so its super heavy.

This part not everyone can do. I sell hospital gurneys so we slid the tank on top of one off the back of the trailer and wheeled it inside. pumped it up to the height of the stand and slid it off. tear down and moving the rock was actually a lot more work.
 
Shoot for 6 people. It'll be a lot easier. The easiest method is to whip out your wallet and pay a lfs or insured service company :)
 
I work part time for a junk/specialty hauler. I would use a piano dolly and straps and pre wrap at least the corners in double cardboard. You didn't say anything about stairs. That is the 800 pound gorilla. I would not have used 2x4's as pictured. I would have used moving straps. But looks like they had the luxury of space and manpower. Don't be afraid to rent equipment. The guys in those places can give helpful advice. They will have refrigerator dolly's and other equipment to help you past stairs.
 
No stairs just the one step at my front door. Anyone know of anyone in this area that moved tanks. It maybe 12 miles from my house
 
we used around 10 guys to move my 540 from the place it was at to my house and it went as smooth as a baby's bottom......makes it easier to move with the more man power 4 guys could move this with ease 6 would be better ....either just use some suction cups or some moving straps and it really shouldn't be that big of a deal ...it really isn't that hard ......
 
heatdissipation said:
I moved my 265 with just me and a buddy, wasn't down or up any stairs, wasn't to difficult. I put it up on the stand myself. Don't think you need six people.
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ARE YOU SERIOUS?! YOU MUsT BE Super Man. I think the heaviest tank i can dead lift by myself is 75gal :rolleye1: 265gal, 6 foot long?
 
I moved a 800gal and 12+ people was NOT enough. I had to get enough epople around the perimeter to dead lift the tank. We ended up rolling the thing Egyptian Style on 4" diameter PVCs. That was fun!
 
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