Moving large glass tank into house and onto stand?

[Oberst Hajj]

Mine should be an easy move. We will have one step up onto my concrete porch and then another step up as we go through the front door.

Then without having to even turn or rotate the tank, move it over to the wall with pictures on it behind the dinning room table (all that stuff is coming out and we are converting that room to a sitting room with the tank in it) in this pic:

That's the front door on the right of the photo.

 

[Uncle99]

I used 4 young strong men, one on each corner, this is where it was easiest to hold. It’s hard to get any leverage in other spots. It was heavy at 468lbs, but up 3 steps and onto the stand in 3 minutes.
We placed a corner on first and slowly slid it across.

 

[Skullring]

The more expensive the tank the more I would lean towards a properly insured moving company.

 

[SaltISlife]

IMO it would take between 10-12 men to move that tank both safely and comfortably.

I have a 60x36x24, all 1/2” glass, double glass panel bottom, top eurobracing and I had 9 guys(including me), but only took between 6-7 to help move it easily.

We didn’t use and suction cups. One good thing about enough people we were able to tip it easily and get under it. Once at the stand we positioned it correctly where nobody’s hands were in the way, and then we slid it on.

I dunno maybe all your friends were weaklings. Or im just strong lol

I have a little bit smaller tank. Its a 135 gallons. But its built in 1982 and uses thicker glass, the same 1.2 inch thick glass yours does vs a 3.8th thick (bout half as thick) 125. 72x18x24 1.2.

I got it up 3 flights of stairs. And onto my stand by myself.. tank weighed about 400 lbs

 

[vetteguy53081]

Mine came through patio door and over a counter

 

[DaneGer21]

I dunno maybe all your friends were weaklings. Or im just strong lol

I have a little bit smaller tank. Its a 135 gallons. But its built in 1982 and uses thicker glass, the same 1.2 inch thick glass yours does vs a 3.8th thick (bout half as thick) 125. 72x18x24 1.2.

I got it up 3 flights of stairs. And onto my stand by myself.. tank weighed about 400 lbs

There’s something between safety and stupidity here.

Maybe my friends are weak, but not dumb...

 

[SaltISlife]

There’s something between safety and stupidity here.

Maybe my friends are weak, but not dumb...

True but im just saying. I can deadlift 500 lbs the average dude can only deadlift 150lbs. Im as strong as 3 of your friends.

I didnt wanna do it by myself but my friend came drunk and i said go home lol. So i did it by myself.

 

[Thaxxx]

I had movers move a used Oceanic tank 84x24x24 from my driveway into the front door. They had all kinds of tools dollies ect. But they chose just to carry it in. Here's the kicker. There were just two guys. One was a 5'8" skinny guy. I looked at them and said..... Are you sure? They said no problem. They did it in literally 1 minute.
If you know about Oceanic tanks of old. They are thick glass heavy tanks.
We almost lost the skinny guy.

 

[SaltISlife]

I had movers move a used Oceanic tank 84x24x24 from my driveway into the front door. They had all kinds of tools dollies ect. But they chose just to carry it in. Here's the kicker. There were just two guys. One was a 5'8" skinny guy. I looked at them and said..... Are you sure? They said no problem. They did it in literally 1 minute.
If you know about Oceanic tanks of old. They are thick glass heavy tanks.
We almost lost the skinny guy.

Yea my 135 is an oceanic. The 72x18x24 uses glass double the thickness 125s today use.

The mover was just sttong from moving. Thats why i was able to lift my 135 by myself. I dead lift and im 300 lbs. I can lift a small car on one end off the ground.

 

[Thaxxx]

There’s something between safety and stupidity here.

Maybe my friends are weak, but not dumb...

I wouldn't even want to have 10 friends I was close enough with to ask.
Lol

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

We moved my 300 with 5 guys, out my garage, around the back yard and into the basement with no issues. Suction cups are a big help, most rental places will carry them.

 

[DaddyFish]

I have a 480-lb 215-gal coming soon and I'm not guaranteed the LFS is available to bring it in. The pathway into my house isn't too concerning, three steps up onto a deck and through double french doors into the room where the tank will reside. But my big concern is it's a peninsula setup and I'm planning to place a thin non-slip pad under the tank.

I'm thinking suction cups and four healthy people, or do you think there's room on a 72x25x30 for six?

 

[SaltISlife]

Man i dunno why but id have a paranoia of those cups not working and down the tank goes

 

[MichaelReefer]

When I moved my 525XL, I had four guys.

I bought two sets of these on Amazon, they helped A LOT

 

[FishTruck]

Moved by 1000 gallon glass with an army. The moving company I hired used pvc pipes and blankets to roll it down the hall.

If you go to lifetime aquariums - they give advice on how many cups and how many guys for the weight of the tank.

I provided suctions cups (which they didn't want to use but used anyway), and the suction cups made everything suddenly very easy.

Years ago, I moved a 7 foot acrylic tank (1.25 inches thick) in my house with six guys, no cups, and nearly lost it.

Moving it out recently, with just four guys - suction cups and cheap furniture dollys out of my house, into a garage, and then into a trailer - was easier than no cups with six guys. You can get the cups on AMAZON for pretty cheap - they really do make the difference.

 

[Talo’s Reef]

If you hire a moving company read what they will cover in case of damage carefully. In seattle most companies had a standard insurance which would hardly cover anything. They offered additional protection for an arm and a leg.

 

[Thaxxx]

Man i dunno why but id have a paranoia of those cups not working and down the tank gdoes

I'm the same way. If one of those let's go you have no warning. It's almost a guarenteed dropped tank. At least if your carrying it, you know if it's getting to be too much and can tell the others that are moving the tank you need to regroup.

 

[ca1ore]

What glass thickness? Makes a big difference. Back in 1999, one buddy and I moved a 180 - but we were both weightlifters, young and in retrospect stupid . In 2013, I hired three husky chaps off craigslist and the four of us lugged a 84" 265 into the house - 1/2" glass mostly though and a cool 400 pounds, though I was still relatively young. In 2017, I bought a 96" 450 that weighed 575 (acrylic not glass). Got four chaps from the local reef club to assist, but we also used a bunch of lift trucks and DiY plywood tables to get it onto the stand because I'm not young anymore. Had to turn the tank onto it's back to get through the door way since the tank is 36" but only 30" tall. Temporary tables make things a lot easier ..... and safer.

If I ever go bigger than this, it'll need to be built on site.

 

[DaddyFish]

Anyone have experience to recommend which style suction cup is better?

 

[minireef]

This might help. We use this to move our 210g.