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-   -   How to move 1000lb glass tank alone - one man job (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2660385)

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:42 PM

How to move 1000lb glass tank alone - one man job
 
So I was on a deadline and needed to move my built in tank over the weekend. It's a monster 380gal 96" x 34" x 27" and weighs about 1000lbs. It was a bad weekend to ask for help - everyone was busy.

But I had to do it and I got some good advice from a local reef friend who's moved monster tanks before. I wish this was posted somewhere, so this thread is to document my experience in the hopes of helping someone else who's looking to do this.

I strongly suggest you have at least 2 people, but it IS POSSIBLE with one.

The basic idea is to use heavy duty jacks to raise the tank from the stand and then use PVC pipe to roll it. I rolled it only a secondary stand with wheels (that I had to build over the weekend), but you could roll it onto a stack of wood and slowly remove the wood stacks to lower it.

with pictures:

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:43 PM

Here's the basic concept:

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/22AD1D6D-DF11-4A73-98BF-EAE55AA6C6D7_zpsyptdzvlm.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/22AD1D6D-DF11-4A73-98BF-EAE55AA6C6D7_zpsyptdzvlm.png" border="0" alt=" photo 22AD1D6D-DF11-4A73-98BF-EAE55AA6C6D7_zpsyptdzvlm.png"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/9B64426E-31FE-4B2E-A4E9-528C1A0A9616_zpsujj8u3pv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/9B64426E-31FE-4B2E-A4E9-528C1A0A9616_zpsujj8u3pv.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 9B64426E-31FE-4B2E-A4E9-528C1A0A9616_zpsujj8u3pv.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/0FB8E99E-BA81-45EA-8F11-973A53EBFD58_zpsvcw5jevz.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/0FB8E99E-BA81-45EA-8F11-973A53EBFD58_zpsvcw5jevz.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 0FB8E99E-BA81-45EA-8F11-973A53EBFD58_zpsvcw5jevz.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:45 PM

1500lb steel caster wheels:
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/2D13A87C-1582-45B8-A425-81FF5EAA1648_zps1epbipvb.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/2D13A87C-1582-45B8-A425-81FF5EAA1648_zps1epbipvb.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2D13A87C-1582-45B8-A425-81FF5EAA1648_zps1epbipvb.jpg"/></a>

I built a pallet out of 2x4s and a 3/4" plywood sheet...

On top of that is the top of the stand built with 2x6s and a 3/4" sheet

and on top of that is the base of the stand built with just 2x4s.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/4B3D79D3-3CA8-463E-80E5-A156AE93107B_zpstfoccyox.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/4B3D79D3-3CA8-463E-80E5-A156AE93107B_zpstfoccyox.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 4B3D79D3-3CA8-463E-80E5-A156AE93107B_zpstfoccyox.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:46 PM

I used 3" deck screws for all of it.

I used plywood sides to make sure everything was right angled and built the 2x4 interior frame

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/4A5A3D72-EF5B-4C4A-B309-4955984253B2_zpskobk7sed.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/4A5A3D72-EF5B-4C4A-B309-4955984253B2_zpskobk7sed.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 4A5A3D72-EF5B-4C4A-B309-4955984253B2_zpskobk7sed.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:48 PM

and assembled the top

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/B3F27B22-AE3E-4F58-B1F1-2C2A4C185E4A_zps15slvgqj.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/B3F27B22-AE3E-4F58-B1F1-2C2A4C185E4A_zps15slvgqj.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo B3F27B22-AE3E-4F58-B1F1-2C2A4C185E4A_zps15slvgqj.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/14BBC76F-A732-4493-BE1A-085D53D1D12D_zpshgouthm2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/14BBC76F-A732-4493-BE1A-085D53D1D12D_zpshgouthm2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 14BBC76F-A732-4493-BE1A-085D53D1D12D_zpshgouthm2.jpg"/></a>

then came the heavy duty wheel legs. These were 2x6s and 2x4s horizontally and then two plates for the top and bottom from 2x6s.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/5C0E654B-B535-4BF1-AD79-4AECF2FAC2EF_zps6q5okosw.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/5C0E654B-B535-4BF1-AD79-4AECF2FAC2EF_zps6q5okosw.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5C0E654B-B535-4BF1-AD79-4AECF2FAC2EF_zps6q5okosw.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:49 PM

finally the wheels

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/44AD03EF-BC96-422A-A0E7-835EE6A92664_zps2rqur5hc.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/44AD03EF-BC96-422A-A0E7-835EE6A92664_zps2rqur5hc.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 44AD03EF-BC96-422A-A0E7-835EE6A92664_zps2rqur5hc.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/AC38ED5D-9F6F-4084-83A2-8F1756E576BD_zps6wtt0mib.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/AC38ED5D-9F6F-4084-83A2-8F1756E576BD_zps6wtt0mib.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo AC38ED5D-9F6F-4084-83A2-8F1756E576BD_zps6wtt0mib.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/E556E641-EABB-43F2-AD80-DA8A2658DEAC_zpsgfpumkic.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/E556E641-EABB-43F2-AD80-DA8A2658DEAC_zpsgfpumkic.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo E556E641-EABB-43F2-AD80-DA8A2658DEAC_zpsgfpumkic.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:51 PM

standing on wheels..

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/7FFF6FB8-5D12-46D8-A56E-BFE474B51A4A_zps84xuufwd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/7FFF6FB8-5D12-46D8-A56E-BFE474B51A4A_zps84xuufwd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 7FFF6FB8-5D12-46D8-A56E-BFE474B51A4A_zps84xuufwd.jpg"/></a>

and then the heavy duty 3ton jacks

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/FCDDF159-5397-4EA4-A4F1-2204E95E8F61_zpsyobjk2pe.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/FCDDF159-5397-4EA4-A4F1-2204E95E8F61_zpsyobjk2pe.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo FCDDF159-5397-4EA4-A4F1-2204E95E8F61_zpsyobjk2pe.jpg"/></a>

I cut out aligned jack access slots in both the pallet and the stand so the jacks can access the tank directly.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/02612A63-CA1A-4243-AC85-FCD1676BBD9D_zpschlalsj5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/02612A63-CA1A-4243-AC85-FCD1676BBD9D_zpschlalsj5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 02612A63-CA1A-4243-AC85-FCD1676BBD9D_zpschlalsj5.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:51 PM

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/F3CECD50-49B2-4F5E-BAD3-A1140592A414_zpspn2gl55k.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/F3CECD50-49B2-4F5E-BAD3-A1140592A414_zpspn2gl55k.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo F3CECD50-49B2-4F5E-BAD3-A1140592A414_zpspn2gl55k.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/26DCC544-18E9-4635-AEEB-394B947853E9_zpsmtirksrs.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/26DCC544-18E9-4635-AEEB-394B947853E9_zpsmtirksrs.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 26DCC544-18E9-4635-AEEB-394B947853E9_zpsmtirksrs.jpg"/></a>

done...

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/6C7F9A58-AF27-4962-A127-A0345FCF44F6_zpsitcq9hvh.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/6C7F9A58-AF27-4962-A127-A0345FCF44F6_zpsitcq9hvh.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6C7F9A58-AF27-4962-A127-A0345FCF44F6_zpsitcq9hvh.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:52 PM

I removed the plywood sides and front since they're basically decorative at this point. They can be put back on for additional support, but not needed for the tank move.

and strapped the new stand to the old stand.

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/A342E9ED-F0B5-4029-8212-8A5EB213AC68_zpsv5qob524.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/A342E9ED-F0B5-4029-8212-8A5EB213AC68_zpsv5qob524.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo A342E9ED-F0B5-4029-8212-8A5EB213AC68_zpsv5qob524.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:54 PM

added retaining studs to the back to stop the tank from rolling off. Given the height difference, I wish I had used 2x6s

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/56554ECF-E720-4B2F-87B2-B2EECE861B9F_zpsl3yavupy.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/56554ECF-E720-4B2F-87B2-B2EECE861B9F_zpsl3yavupy.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 56554ECF-E720-4B2F-87B2-B2EECE861B9F_zpsl3yavupy.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:55 PM

the hardest part was cutting the old stand holes to create access for the jacks to lift the tank. I burned up my dremel hand saw :( but it got the job done (mostly)

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/DFA3942F-F069-4F7B-93F5-4281600C8199_zps9q7zmk5p.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/DFA3942F-F069-4F7B-93F5-4281600C8199_zps9q7zmk5p.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DFA3942F-F069-4F7B-93F5-4281600C8199_zps9q7zmk5p.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:56 PM

and then made T frames for the jacks to push up against the tank bottom

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/98285C8A-B1BD-485E-8F4F-827183885E60_zpsmnam2tm5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/98285C8A-B1BD-485E-8F4F-827183885E60_zpsmnam2tm5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 98285C8A-B1BD-485E-8F4F-827183885E60_zpsmnam2tm5.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/00EB9AA9-C607-4FC8-BF8A-2642ECDA7813_zpseswevgkl.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/00EB9AA9-C607-4FC8-BF8A-2642ECDA7813_zpseswevgkl.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 00EB9AA9-C607-4FC8-BF8A-2642ECDA7813_zpseswevgkl.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/83D4E1C5-C165-4B0A-8883-94FD55119A80_zps14qepgwt.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/83D4E1C5-C165-4B0A-8883-94FD55119A80_zps14qepgwt.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 83D4E1C5-C165-4B0A-8883-94FD55119A80_zps14qepgwt.jpg"/></a>

I might have been able to get by with just one, but I felt two jacks was safer

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:58 PM

and then, very slowly.. liftoff

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/B825EF80-AEB2-413F-8DF8-C7A83EF07808_zpsj92aiqfh.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/B825EF80-AEB2-413F-8DF8-C7A83EF07808_zpsj92aiqfh.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo B825EF80-AEB2-413F-8DF8-C7A83EF07808_zpsj92aiqfh.jpg"/></a>

I'll skip over the painful part of removing the styrofoam but basically I raised it enough to tear it up and remove it.. so I can add rollers

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/DED1C2F6-F640-4338-9027-FDFA11732C5F_zpsexkitgtz.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/DED1C2F6-F640-4338-9027-FDFA11732C5F_zpsexkitgtz.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DED1C2F6-F640-4338-9027-FDFA11732C5F_zpsexkitgtz.jpg"/></a>

Once it got rolling, I needed to raise it more to add rollers on the new stand

and then needed to jack it up on the new stand to remove the rolling PVC

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/F2B6D26B-8530-43C0-8EB2-17578AE4FB86_zpsoxlkmc6v.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/F2B6D26B-8530-43C0-8EB2-17578AE4FB86_zpsoxlkmc6v.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo F2B6D26B-8530-43C0-8EB2-17578AE4FB86_zpsoxlkmc6v.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 01:59 PM

the wheels had brakes and the brakes were obviously on for the duration of the move.

took the brakes down and rolled it away

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/D21A22F9-34B1-49B5-8294-9694E7ADC4BF_zpspddjk05u.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/D21A22F9-34B1-49B5-8294-9694E7ADC4BF_zpspddjk05u.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo D21A22F9-34B1-49B5-8294-9694E7ADC4BF_zpspddjk05u.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/1CE61F13-93DD-4AC5-9A70-C745B8D9F317_zpsiwdibwxa.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/1CE61F13-93DD-4AC5-9A70-C745B8D9F317_zpsiwdibwxa.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 1CE61F13-93DD-4AC5-9A70-C745B8D9F317_zpsiwdibwxa.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/91275200-AA52-4145-BF23-6A81B63F2D1B_zpsm9hs7unp.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/91275200-AA52-4145-BF23-6A81B63F2D1B_zpsm9hs7unp.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 91275200-AA52-4145-BF23-6A81B63F2D1B_zpsm9hs7unp.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/F30D8740-DB25-4107-B044-FFA17FF48F13_zpsfzebjak0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/F30D8740-DB25-4107-B044-FFA17FF48F13_zpsfzebjak0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo F30D8740-DB25-4107-B044-FFA17FF48F13_zpsfzebjak0.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 02:00 PM

and clean up

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/71986B45-394D-409F-A98E-FBF49E27AB27_zpsbujgy5yd.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/71986B45-394D-409F-A98E-FBF49E27AB27_zpsbujgy5yd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 71986B45-394D-409F-A98E-FBF49E27AB27_zpsbujgy5yd.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/2D3B7E1E-CA8A-48BC-9F62-EBF3B6C4E9ED_zps0upf9ozp.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/2D3B7E1E-CA8A-48BC-9F62-EBF3B6C4E9ED_zps0upf9ozp.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2D3B7E1E-CA8A-48BC-9F62-EBF3B6C4E9ED_zps0upf9ozp.jpg"/></a>

karimwassef 12/04/2017 02:01 PM

this was a mildly painful surge event and strained-strengthened the marital bonds :)

But all good. I hope this helps anyone who was struggling with something like this. Good luck.

BE SAFE

liverock 12/04/2017 02:07 PM

awesome!
 
You are a talented BRAVE man...good job!:spin1:

Webmanny 12/04/2017 02:25 PM

Very nice share. You obviously have better luck than me. That had all the signs of disaster for me. Good job!

karimwassef 12/04/2017 03:47 PM

My wife did alternate between cursing and praying... :D

Misled 12/04/2017 06:23 PM

Piece of cake!!! :)

fijisrfr 12/04/2017 06:59 PM

Wow great job, I’m starting to think maybe men did build the pyramids.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Scrubber_steve 12/04/2017 07:32 PM

well done Karim. Good carpentry skills too.

karimwassef 12/04/2017 09:09 PM

I am an Egyptian American :)

Thanks guys

hottuna 12/05/2017 04:44 AM

why did u need to move it stat ?

karimwassef 12/05/2017 07:54 AM

We took the house off the market while we made some renovations. One of the fixes was removing the tank and closing up the wall. With holiday schedules for the workers, we were jammed up to get everything done so we could relist asap. Also, we didn't want construction work during the holidays even if we could get someone to work then.

Basically - wife said so :)


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