Moving my tank !! HELP

UnderCoverDork · 03/07/2007, 08:50 AM

So i decided i want to add a 10-15 gallon sump/refugium to my tank. the stand that it is on currently will not fit another tank under it (becaseu of the cross brace). My question is, i have a new stand that i would like to move the tank to. CAn i just pick it up?? Will the bottom bust out?? any ideas on how i can move my 20 T to a new stand?

any help or ideas would be great

FZ1Rider · 03/07/2007, 08:54 AM

I would empty at least half of the water and then (hopefully the stand is the same height) slide the tank over.

On a 20 gallon you can probably lift it after half the water is gone. I assume the bottom is tempered but on a 20 that may be a bad assumption. But sliding is probably the best solution. Keep in mind the bottom of the tank isn't actually supported directly anyway. It's all transfered to the sides.

Peter

maddmatt02 · 03/07/2007, 09:56 AM

I have a 20 tall freshwater, no rocks or anything on the bottom, but I emptied about 2/3 the water and carried it up 3 flights of stairs, with a couple second break at each landing. I did nothing to support the bottom and I was fine. on mine its basically suspended anyways, the outer black rim at the bottom is below the bottom glass just a bit, so even on the stand the glass doesnt touch anything.

UnderCoverDork · 03/07/2007, 10:32 AM

yeah, the glass on the bottom of mine is not touching the stand. I think i might try and empy alot of water then slide the tank.

Any more ideas or experiences?

maddmatt02, that is crazy that you did that, i jst moved my 20g t 10 miles..i broke down the whloe thing and set it back up....too funny that you were carring your tank up stairs ...ahah..im glad it worked for you

blackheart · 03/07/2007, 10:44 AM

drain/refill

maddmatt02 · 03/07/2007, 02:42 PM

I drove home about 1 hour with it 1/2 full in my back seat slow so it didnt splash, carried it up, then 6 months later had to drain it part way and carry it back down again, I am moving to the 2nd story now so I wont have to climb as far but it still sucks. I just kneel and rest it on my leg for a second or two at each landing.

jpd02 · 03/07/2007, 05:46 PM

I moved my 72 gallon a while back - I drained almost all of the water into buckets, removed the rock, and then carried it (with help) while it still had about 100 lbs of sand in it - it was fine. That being said, I would encourage you to get as much weight out of the tank as possible - less chance something will go wrong.

UnderCoverDork · 03/07/2007, 09:49 PM

i agree^

im planning on moving it tomorrow. Going to try and slide it if possible.

i think the new stand might be higher (getting it from my old man, not sure how tall it is). if it is i was going to lift my existing stand and have another person put wood blocks under it so it will be the same height as my new stand, thus allowing me to slide it !

wish me luck, ill let you know how it goes.

CCarlson8 · 03/08/2007, 01:05 PM

If you have not already moved the tank.... I would take much more caution!!!

I was modifying my stand to fit a 30g refugium and needed to move my tank to a steel stands I had laying around. I drained 2/3 of the water and even pulled out a lot of the live rock. My friend and I then lifted the tank onto the steel stand. The next day I noticed that the tank had started leaking very slowly. If the bottom of the tank is not supported evenly, it can twist a little and break the silicone seals on the bottome of the tank leading to slow leaks! My suggestion is just to empty as much out of the tank as possible (rubbermaid bins work great as a holding place)

Just thought I would share my experience with this. Just take your time with it. Good luck

UnderCoverDork · 03/08/2007, 01:20 PM

thanks for the help..hope it works out

03/07/2007, 08:50 AM	#1
UnderCoverDork Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 429	Moving my tank !! HELP So i decided i want to add a 10-15 gallon sump/refugium to my tank. the stand that it is on currently will not fit another tank under it (becaseu of the cross brace). My question is, i have a new stand that i would like to move the tank to. CAn i just pick it up?? Will the bottom bust out?? any ideas on how i can move my 20 T to a new stand? any help or ideas would be great

03/07/2007, 10:44 AM	#5
blackheart Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Daytona Beach Posts: 892	drain/refill __________________ I have been cycling my tank for a month now with 75lbs of live rock when do I add the salt???? click the red house to see pics of my old tank....the better pics are at the bottom :D Current Tank Info: Back to the drawing board!!

03/07/2007, 08:54 AM	#2
FZ1Rider Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alexandria Posts: 210	I would empty at least half of the water and then (hopefully the stand is the same height) slide the tank over. On a 20 gallon you can probably lift it after half the water is gone. I assume the bottom is tempered but on a 20 that may be a bad assumption. But sliding is probably the best solution. Keep in mind the bottom of the tank isn't actually supported directly anyway. It's all transfered to the sides. Peter

03/07/2007, 09:56 AM	#3
maddmatt02 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 38	I have a 20 tall freshwater, no rocks or anything on the bottom, but I emptied about 2/3 the water and carried it up 3 flights of stairs, with a couple second break at each landing. I did nothing to support the bottom and I was fine. on mine its basically suspended anyways, the outer black rim at the bottom is below the bottom glass just a bit, so even on the stand the glass doesnt touch anything.

03/07/2007, 10:32 AM	#4
UnderCoverDork Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 429	yeah, the glass on the bottom of mine is not touching the stand. I think i might try and empy alot of water then slide the tank. Any more ideas or experiences? maddmatt02, that is crazy that you did that, i jst moved my 20g t 10 miles..i broke down the whloe thing and set it back up....too funny that you were carring your tank up stairs ...ahah..im glad it worked for you

03/07/2007, 02:42 PM	#6
maddmatt02 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 38	I drove home about 1 hour with it 1/2 full in my back seat slow so it didnt splash, carried it up, then 6 months later had to drain it part way and carry it back down again, I am moving to the 2nd story now so I wont have to climb as far but it still sucks. I just kneel and rest it on my leg for a second or two at each landing.

03/07/2007, 05:46 PM	#7
jpd02 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 52	I moved my 72 gallon a while back - I drained almost all of the water into buckets, removed the rock, and then carried it (with help) while it still had about 100 lbs of sand in it - it was fine. That being said, I would encourage you to get as much weight out of the tank as possible - less chance something will go wrong.

03/07/2007, 09:49 PM	#8
UnderCoverDork Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 429	i agree^ im planning on moving it tomorrow. Going to try and slide it if possible. i think the new stand might be higher (getting it from my old man, not sure how tall it is). if it is i was going to lift my existing stand and have another person put wood blocks under it so it will be the same height as my new stand, thus allowing me to slide it ! wish me luck, ill let you know how it goes.

03/08/2007, 01:05 PM	#9
CCarlson8 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Orlando Posts: 75	If you have not already moved the tank.... I would take much more caution!!! I was modifying my stand to fit a 30g refugium and needed to move my tank to a steel stands I had laying around. I drained 2/3 of the water and even pulled out a lot of the live rock. My friend and I then lifted the tank onto the steel stand. The next day I noticed that the tank had started leaking very slowly. If the bottom of the tank is not supported evenly, it can twist a little and break the silicone seals on the bottome of the tank leading to slow leaks! My suggestion is just to empty as much out of the tank as possible (rubbermaid bins work great as a holding place) Just thought I would share my experience with this. Just take your time with it. Good luck

03/08/2007, 01:20 PM	#10
UnderCoverDork Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit Posts: 429	thanks for the help..hope it works out