Moving 1000 liter tank

Hi
I'm looking for advice of moving a 1000 liter tank ith 12mm glass with stand and sump.

Tank is empty and will be new start up.

What is best way to transport it? As I was thinking of hiring a tailor bt scared the bumps in road might crack it.

 

@Hooks

If you using polystyrene under the tank on the stand, use that under the tank to transport

You can also use some flattened cardboard boxes with blankets on top of them
We transported a 3.6m that way with no problem
Make sure the tank cant move in the trailer and finally... the obvious.. drive slowly so you dont need to brake hard or any unexpected bumps on the road wont be so harsh on the tank

When tying down the tank make sure there is a piece of polystyrene or blanket between the rope and tank

Good luck

 

Keep us updated and post some pics. Thats a monster

 

These big tanks aren't as fragile as people think. Manpower is the answer. Once it's tied down properly nothing will happen. We use blankets to pull it into the bakkies or trailers and pull it out again onto the stand. The foam on the bottom is enough, you can foam the corners also. You also carry it on the stand so you and your guys can rest if the need comes, and it comes yes.

 

Just to add what Maria has said - make sure you tie it down VERY securely. Buy 4mm sheets of styrofoam - nothing thinner. !!! What i do is fold a small piece of thick cardboard over every section where the rope touches the glass - fold the cardboard 90 deg. to make like an envelope corner.
Put styrofoam between any think that touches each other, the stand, the canopy ... whatever.
You will need yourself and at least 5 'friends' to help you. If you want to take the tank off the stand and put on the floor remember to place a piece of styrofoam under it to allow yourself place to get your fingers under the tank when you want to lift it again - never flat on the floor.
JUST BE VERY CAREFUL to make sure the the pipe fitting that your bulkhead is attached to ( the small piece under the tank) does not hook on anything when you lifting it.
As long as you have the manpower - it's a relatively simple task - I did not say easy - just work slowly

 

Another thought... make sure there are no kids or animals walking around you when you move it at home
Serious accidents can happen if someone trips over the cat.. dog.. child

 

Thanks again for all the info. Very helpful.
I'm still looking at my options for placement outside.
Like what time the sun catches the tank and for how long.

Noticed I dont have all that level ground aswel. So now I'm thinking of what plans I can make. I attached a pic.

As I dont want to struggle with water level and overflow.

 

@Hooks,

That tank has to be level not only because of struggling with overflows and water levels but most importantly if not level the pressure is not evenly distributed and you will probably have it burst or spring a leak at one of the seams
It happens on small tanks, in that size tank.... its recipe for disaster

 

@Hooks, go to a crazy store and buy some cheap plywood coasters and use those to level the tank.

 

.... I use metal washers - big square ones that you buy in like packs of 10 from a hardware shop,for levelling. As MariA has said 100% LEVEL IT HAS TO BE !!!!
Also nobody must wear flip - flops shoes - soo easy to stumble with - esp the guys walking backwards !!

 

Under normal circumstances I would agree with you....

Looking at that floor... I would not take that chance.
Usually you use metal washers as @eros111 mentioned or small squares of a suitable material but when that is done, its on straight smooth concrete or tiles
where the floor is not completely level

That floor it totally uneven, not even those bricks are nice and flat
You put spacers over that and the slightest knock, even working on the tank, can make the leg of the stand or the spacer slip

I would first pour a concrete base over that and then put the tank on top and if necessary then use one or two spacers just to make sure its 100% level
I would not chance using anything on that floor as it is

But... that's just my 2 cents

 

That's why I suggested wooden spacers. I use them myself as my tile floor is also very uneven and the wood flexes making the tanks level themselves. BUT looking at the bricks I think there will be a problem with the weight making it sink in places as there is no concrete foundation. Maybe he can use planks or something to distribute the weight over a larger area.

I have a spot in my fishroom with such horrible tile work that I wrote it off for tank placement and use the space for my bbs hatchery rather. On the one tank the floor is also very bad so I used the wooden coasters and rubber coasters and the tank pulled level by it's shear weight. Luckily the foundation here is solid concrete but the tile work is terrible.

I think he'll have to test and see what happens there by him and then find a solution. I had to drain mine 3 times before the thing finally sat straight.

 

What if I place 4mm or 6mm plywood sheet on the floor. Or will the tank be to much pressure on the wood

 

Im not sure... I think I would be scared to...

But, its not difficult to lay a slab there and probably will work out to the same as the price of wood
You will probably need a bag of cement and two of sand
Make a frame with some pieces of wood, pour the concrete in and remove the wood two days later.. done.

 

Until you know where the feet will be standing, it is hard to say what is the best way to deal with the leveling issue - you can easily work over the bumps depending on the stand design.

So get the tank and stand .. place the stand where you want is. I would go with a 30cmx30cm or bigger concrete slab, get those level where the legs will stand then put your tank on this bigger footing. It is hard to say from the picture if that floor is just bricks with cement in between or how resistant to point load sagging it would be - hence the "BIG" blocks that will be over multiple bricks.

Think about a tank outside - ground moves when it rains, so try and avoid a leg on a single brick.

Later Ferdie

 

Ok. If I understand the words and pictures right this tank will be standing outside on brick paving. Firstly your looking at placing 1,5 to 2 tons, tank/stand/water/substrate etc, onto an area of max 600 square cm, 6 legs mac 10cm x 10cm. Paving doesn't have any foundation to hold it in place, only compacted dirt. Water does get under it, that paving would have been 99% level when laid, over time it settles and goes out of level.

To be 100% safe I would suggest removing the paving, size of stand + 30cm on all 4 sides. Do a concrete slab, not thinner than 20cm. This is a long and hard method of doing it but your tank will be safe as you will now have a solid foundation for the tank to stand on.

If you plan to do the concrete yourself don't buy the ready mix baggs, stone/sand/cement in 1 bag, as their ratio isn't good. You do get baggs that contain only sand and stone and buy cement seperately. Mix ratio 3:1 (sand/stone:cement) Leave it for at least 21 days for cement to cure properly before placing tank on it.

Hope this makes sence

 

So here is a pic of the stand.
The area of bricks are in spiral starting point. The bricks are cemented in. There is a roof structure over the area as it was just meant to be drive way and under cover parking area. So it's not all that level.

I was looking at those 300x300 slabs bt then I need 15 slabs and cheapest is R65 that will be R1k. Them I might aswel buy cement and will be more secure.

Really like the help and makes me aware of all the things i didnt noticed or thinks off.

 

@Hooks, as has been said... rather lay that slab of concrete

It will cost a fraction of what you will send on slabs and then the slabs will still not sit evenly
the cement, sand and stone will not cost you R500 if I go with the prices my hardware store charges

 

Will do that rather. Gonna do so in this week.

Would I be able to place the tank that's on polystyrene and plywoodbase on on wooden beams that 100mm wide and 40mm thick , placing beams flat in square shape to support the plywood. The beams is hard wood. Just till cement is dry and made sure stand is level and secure. So I can move plywood with polystyrene thats under tank to the stand.

 

@Hooks, do you mean laying those beams on the floor and placing the tank on top?

It should be ok providing the tank is empty and it doesnt wobble around too much and no one knocks it by accident
Maybe just tuck something on the edges of the beams if you see its a bit wobbly