Getting the tank in the door help

[yaktop]

whats the best ideas out there to bring in your tank up the front steps and through the front door?? this tank is 72x36x30, the door is 30.5, tank weighs 700 pounds. easy to carry with four guys till you get to the steps and the door part. any ingenious methods out there? the only thing I can think of is to make some type of roller system? I'd hate having to drop the balls or the tank trying to and I knwo its been done by many.

Thanks in advance, tank will be here in two weeks.

[T Man]

Set it on a peice of carpet and pull it through. That's how I moved my sump from on room to another. TinMan

[cioutlaw]

large suction cups used by window shops is the best way to hold onto it. Not sure if these are rented anywhere. I know Glasscages.com sells them

[ThaNgBOm321]

i think buy some 12' 2x6 or somthing of that nature. then them on tack them together somewhere so that it is somwhat like a 'h' but leaving the 12' on top.. set it by the steps.. carry the tank onto the 'h' and 2 guys keep it from knocking off the 'h' and 4 guyz carry it like a 'strecher'' two in from n 2 in back.. 1 on each side keeping it from topping.. once you get past the door.. it's all six on the tank again...

YzGyz

[ret25yo]

I hope you have other options for your stand though... unless going with a super short stand. I am still baffled on my stand fitting through a door

[46bfinGA]

You could lay the tank on some pieces of 2" pvc pipe cut to 30" and just roll the tank through the door.Just have to cover the tank well so that is doesnt get scratched doing it that way.Those glass suction cups are very handy to have as well.Worth taking the time to rent them.

[yaktop]

the sled was the one I was thinkin of. wat a b!tch though. There's a few stairs to a porch then another step through the front door. Suction cups can be used part of the way, then rest, maybe some slings to. any pics from anyone of a roller system?

[T Man]

Originally posted by yaktop
the sled was the one I was thinkin of. wat a b!tch though. There's a few stairs to a porch then another step through the front door. Suction cups can be used part of the way, then rest, maybe some slings to. any pics from anyone of a roller system?

Can you post a pic of the front door, I'll bet we could come up with something..........work smart, not hard. TinMan

[46bfinGA]

Furniture Dolly's would work also.

[yaktop]

Originally posted by 46bfinGA
Furniture Dolly's would work also.

the dolly wouldnt work due to the steps though. I'll get pics later in the week since I'm in Vegas this week. Its a typical entry door with a step and storm door, six foot porch then some more steps to the ground. I'll take the doors offs and latches etc.

[45commando]

Hi,when you say "steps",are you talking about 2 or more steps together,or a single step a few feet from another step?If it is the later,then the dolly would work.You may need to construct a small square frame to sit on top of the dolly to give you more clearance.I used to move pianos in the past using this method.
If you are dealing with multiple stairs,then you may be able to rent or make a piano sledge.It is basically a wooden board covered in heavy duty carpet,with securing straps.You could literally sit the tank on it,strap it down & drag it up & over the stairs.Again this is how we used to get baby grand pianos up & down stairs.HTH

[46bfinGA]

Originally posted by yaktop
the dolly wouldnt work due to the steps though. I'll get pics later in the week since I'm in Vegas this week. Its a typical entry door with a step and storm door, six foot porch then some more steps to the ground. I'll take the doors offs and latches etc.

Got ya,you may be best to take off the storm door and the front door to keep from scratching up the tank or the doors.Furniture dollys would still work ok,you would just need to put some wood on them tall enough to clear the steps and the threshold.then as you get the front of the tank through the door you could then take another dolly to catch the front.And work it though the door that way. I think if you get the suction cups you will soon realize that three guys in the front and three in the back can carry your tank through the door without a roller sytem or anything else.If you take the doors off you shouldnt have a problem.And it would be less prone to getting scratched on the dolly's.

[calciumbuf]

AHHH stop ya whinning and just pick it up and carry it in LOL sorry Ed had to bust ya a little seriously though Any time I'm in this situation with big cabinets and such a couple of moving blankets and a piece of berber carpet does wonders.

[yaktop]

LOL.....its not my back but it is my tank so better to gain ideas from those who had done this before.

thanks everyone......

[invincible569]

Here are some pics of how my tank was brought in...

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=1

[yaktop]

Invincible - what kind of lift is that in your picture. might come on handy for part of this move?

I wish I only had a little lip to go over. I got 5 stairs and landing and then a big step. the big steo is easy the five in a row without alot of side clearance will be a challenge.

[cloudjockey]

I contracted the carrying of my tank in. Not quite that big, 265 gallon. The guys showed up with the suction cup thing with handles. They made it look very easy. They carried it down 13 stairs. I would look for them.

[nyvp]

when I ordered my 120x36x30 tank i was very nice and bought my wife a new set of double doors for the front of my house. She loves those doors 8 ) 2 birds with one stone.

[ThaNgBOm321]

that blue lift look like a 'genie lift' i used it plenty of time when i was installing AC systems... you just crank the wench and she go up or down....

YzGyz

[opihi]

i just dealt with a similar situation.

We brought the tank to the door on a furniture dolly. We held the tank up while one person moved the dolly inside the house. We then put the leading end of the tank back down on the dolly, and pushed the rest of the tank in through the house.

in hindsight, i wish i had 2 dollies instead of just that one. it would have made things a little easier, (but not significantly).

Congrats on the new tank, GL w/ the move

Edit: just read that you have 5 steps to go... hope you can find a couple more helpers!

[yaktop]

the stairs, lack of space in the stairway, convinced me a crane with a knowledgeable guy was the way to go. the one step in the house is manageable but not the five. this is a 3/4 inch glass tank, wee heavier than a 1/2 inch of the same size.

thanks for the help. I'll post final pics.

[tentacles]

http://www.cvreefers.org/v/CVR_membe...ic+19.jpg.html this set up is basically like using furniture a furniture dolly, but I think it would be easier to move over door jams. You could always make a low angled ramp with 2x4s for the stairs and roll it in using a dolly too.

[pwhitby]

Heres what I would do:

Take a couple 2x4s and screw them down to two furniture dollies such that the ends stick out beyond the length of the tank.

Strap the 2x4s with the dollies to the tank with tie downs.

Roll the tank to the door. Now, using glass clamps on the tank and hands on the wood sticking out, lift and slide till the dollie sits on the top step and the tank is supported at the back by the wood touching the ground. Then lift and slide it from the back, rolling the front dollie into the house. If you need to rest, rest it on the lip of the door and the 2x4s. Slide it all the way in.....position it...job done.

heres my tank coming in the door, kind of the same idea: (middle of the page)

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...&pagenumber=14

Paul.

[yaktop]

single step piece of cake but someone show me a pic going up five sets of stairs with a dolly.....great ideas.

[pwhitby]

at the stair point you lift it.....the dollies just help either side of that.