Will this tank destroy my floor? (And me)

[Zaros]

So someone in my community is selling their 500 gallon reef tank (96x30x36), made with 1 inch thick (starphire?) glass. I've always wanted a huge tank like this and I currently have a 100 gallon, a 60 gallon, and a 50 gallon frag tank. They're getting rid of it + all the rock and equipment for $1k, so I think I'm getting quite the deal and opportunity here.

The biggest challenge is just moving it. That much glass weighs something like 1200 pounds empty, short of finding around 15 strong guys, does anyone have advice on moving a monster tank like this?

A secondary question that my wife has brought up in concern is our flooring, we have simple pergo flooring on a concrete slab, this tank will weigh something like 6000 pounds when full, does anyone have experience or know if something this heavy would crush the flooring? I was thinking of installing some sort of foam pad underneath a 1 inch thick piece of plywood and then sit the stand on top of the plywood to help evenly distribute the weight, but would that even help?

I appreciate any insight and knowledge from those more experienced! As well as any general tips for getting into a monster tank like this.

Thank you!

 

[KrisReef]

There must be a local moving company or a Home Depot where you can find labor to help you move the tank.

A slab floor will hold up the tank and if the pergo fails under the tank you will not notice that until you move from the house.

Get your dream tank and enjoy your dream at home with your family and friends. This is life!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

idk but following and wishing you the best!

 

[Gundy]

KrisReef is correct about the floor. My guess is that the legs of the stand will dent and damage the flooring. Putting some plywood underneath will definitely distribute the weight. A lot of reefers hire a moving company to move the tank.

 

[PapaFishRocks]

Slab will handle the weight.

Search for a mover. Trust me, your sanity and your back will thank you. LOL

 

[Zaros]

Thanks for the suggestion about a mover, I never thought you could just have a company do that. I'll call around and see what I can find!

The current plan was to use some 1000 lb hydraulic tables to move it around lol

 

[PapaFishRocks]

Thanks for the suggestion about a mover, I never thought you could just have a company do that. I'll call around and see what I can find!

The current plan was to use some 1000 lb hydraulic tables to move it around lol

If I did move it myself, those hydraulic tables would be the way to go. That’s what the guys that moved my 250g used.

 

[Jimbo327]

Congrats. You found a deal of a lifetime.

Hire movers. And your concrete slab will handle that weight.

 

[McPuff]

First thing is just buy it. That's a terrific deal. The glass panels alone are worth more than that. Definitely create a thread to document for us!

 

[Extremeengineer]

Some of the moving companies near me would have no idea what to do with that weight. If you have any gun stores locally that sell good safes, call them. My safes are both over 1200lb. each and they had this crawler thing that could even go up steps.

 

[bakbay]

We've just moved the same size tank (96x36x30), 3/4" glass, and metal bracing this past weekend. It was super easy for me -- just pay the guys! lol

It took 7 STRONG guys to move and lots of equipment. They used multiple suction cups, furniture dollies, and a long, custom-made, pry-level bar to raise the tank. Oh -- definitely need some plywood to protect the floor if you're on expensive stone floorings. Our tank was somehow attached to the plywood & stand due to sheer weight. Therefore, the guys ended up strapping together and moved both! They made it look easy. For 1" thick glass, I think that it will be a lot heavier!

Good luck with the move and congrats!

 

[bakbay]

The guys used the U-Haul Utility Trailer with Ramp to load the tank

U-Haul Equipment specifications: 6' x 12' Utility Trailer With Ramp

The EZ Load Ramp is great for dollies or wheelbarrows!

www.uhaul.com

Unless you’ve done this before, I would suggest getting pros to move. It’s dangerous to do this on your own. Oh btw: moving cost might be more than the tank? lol

 

[ED3]

I've been looking into the best way to move a 238gallon CADE tank and everything has pointed me to hiring a company. Several people suggested reaching out to glass companies to see if they'll move it, a few have suggested piano movers to me. I just started making calls today and have had more than one rejection.

I'm thinking these larger tanks are a little beyond the scope of friends helping you move for pizza and beer haha

 

[danreef55]

I ran it through Chatgpt and it says it is about 1700#
Here is the info
96x30x36 tank with 1" glass hoow heavy is it


To calculate the weight of a glass aquarium, you can use the following steps:

Calculation:​

1. Determine the Volume of Glass Used:
   • Tank Dimensions: 96 inches (length) x 30 inches (width) x 36 inches (height)
   • Glass Thickness: 1 inch
2. Calculate the Surface Area:
   • Front and Back Panels: 2 panels of 96 inches x 36 inches = 6,912 square inches each = 13,824 square inches total
   • Side Panels: 2 panels of 30 inches x 36 inches = 1,080 square inches each = 2,160 square inches total
   • Bottom Panel: 96 inches x 30 inches = 2,880 square inches
   • Top Bracing (if applicable): This varies, so we’ll exclude it for simplicity.
     Total Surface Area = 13,824 + 2,160 + 2,880 = 18,864 square inches
3. Calculate the Volume of Glass:
   • Volume = Surface Area x Thickness
   • Volume = 18,864 square inches x 1 inch = 18,864 cubic inches
4. Convert Volume to Cubic Feet:
   • 1 cubic foot = 1,728 cubic inches
   • Volume in Cubic Feet = 18,864 / 1,728 ≈ 10.92 cubic feet
5. Calculate the Weight of the Glass:
   • Glass weighs approximately 157 lbs per cubic foot.
   • Weight = 10.92 cubic feet x 157 lbs/cubic foot ≈ 1,713 lbs

Final Weight Estimate:​

The estimated weight of a 96x30x36 tank with 1-inch thick glass is approximately 1,713 pounds.
This estimate only includes the glass and does not account for additional weight from water, substrate, or other components of the tank setup.

 

[Zaros]

First thing is just buy it. That's a terrific deal. The glass panels alone are worth more than that. Definitely create a thread to document for us!

Got my deposit on it, now just to work out the logistics to get it. Excited to document the whole process in getting it set up.

 

[Zaros]

Some of the moving companies near me would have no idea what to do with that weight. If you have any gun stores locally that sell good safes, call them. My safes are both over 1200lb. each and they had this crawler thing that could even go up steps.

Interesting idea I'll try calling around. Might be too big compared to a gun safe

 

[Zaros]

The guys used the U-Haul Utility Trailer with Ramp to load the tank

U-Haul Equipment specifications: 6' x 12' Utility Trailer With Ramp

The EZ Load Ramp is great for dollies or wheelbarrows!

www.uhaul.com

Unless you’ve done this before, I would suggest getting pros to move. It’s dangerous to do this on your own. Oh btw: moving cost might be more than the tank? lol

Thanks for the trailer recommendation. If I have to move this myself I'll be renting this. Honestly biggest issue is just finding a moving company that wants to deal with it. Called about 8 places today but they all either didn't have the manpower or it was too much weight.

 

[Zaros]

I ran it through Chatgpt and it says it is about 1700#
Here is the info
96x30x36 tank with 1" glass hoow heavy is it


To calculate the weight of a glass aquarium, you can use the following steps:

Calculation:​

1. Determine the Volume of Glass Used:
   • Tank Dimensions: 96 inches (length) x 30 inches (width) x 36 inches (height)
   • Glass Thickness: 1 inch
2. Calculate the Surface Area:
   • Front and Back Panels: 2 panels of 96 inches x 36 inches = 6,912 square inches each = 13,824 square inches total
   • Side Panels: 2 panels of 30 inches x 36 inches = 1,080 square inches each = 2,160 square inches total
   • Bottom Panel: 96 inches x 30 inches = 2,880 square inches
   • Top Bracing (if applicable): This varies, so we’ll exclude it for simplicity.
     Total Surface Area = 13,824 + 2,160 + 2,880 = 18,864 square inches
3. Calculate the Volume of Glass:
   • Volume = Surface Area x Thickness
   • Volume = 18,864 square inches x 1 inch = 18,864 cubic inches
4. Convert Volume to Cubic Feet:
   • 1 cubic foot = 1,728 cubic inches
   • Volume in Cubic Feet = 18,864 / 1,728 ≈ 10.92 cubic feet
5. Calculate the Weight of the Glass:
   • Glass weighs approximately 157 lbs per cubic foot.
   • Weight = 10.92 cubic feet x 157 lbs/cubic foot ≈ 1,713 lbs

Final Weight Estimate:​

The estimated weight of a 96x30x36 tank with 1-inch thick glass is approximately 1,713 pounds.
This estimate only includes the glass and does not account for additional weight from water, substrate, or other components of the tank setup.

If it's right I'm now a bit scared about only using 2, 1000 pound hydraulic tables to carry it. Thanks for the input though!

 

[danreef55]

Take the reply with a grain of salt. There are far more qualified members on this site that can probably give you a better idea.

 

[exnisstech]

People give away pianos and pool tables just to get them out of the house why not big reef tanks