Moving Plywood Tanks

TheSinisterSOB

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 10, 2011
522
3
18
A little place called C At Hell
Hello,

Was wondering if anyone has ever moved their plywood tank, and what precautions were taken during the journey? And "lessons learned"?

I've been planning two plywood tanks for a while now:
12' x 2' x 2' and 8' x 4' x 3'

The finances are in place to build them both, but my wife is really pushing to find a new house within the next year or two. I've been dreaming of these tanks for years now, and would hate to build them only to have to move them in a year or so, and then find out that the move stressed the seams of the plywood/fiberglass/epoxy/window and flushed it all down the drain.

Has anyone ever moved their large plywood tanks?
 

TheSinisterSOB

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 10, 2011
522
3
18
A little place called C At Hell
haha, yeah I'm really hoping someone has had experience moving a plywood tank without any damage. The 12' tank will really be my biggest concern because it'll have 2 6' windows with a middle brace, that would seem to me is the biggest weak spot for twisting and stress during a move.

If I have any doubts on moving these tanks, I might just have to wait to build them or bite the bullet and buy my pbass tank with the money.
 

DIDYSIS

Mantilla Stingray
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2012
5,542
307
1,946
West Jordan Utah
The tank I got was throw in a pickup and moved about 65 miles, from one basement to the next, no issues, Build it well and its like any other tank
 

TheSinisterSOB

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 10, 2011
522
3
18
A little place called C At Hell
Thank you for the assurance, DIDYSIS. I plan on fiber glassing the inside and out of both tanks so strength shouldn't be an issue.

Do you remember if any dolly's were used during the move, or was it just pure muscle and leverage?
 

DIDYSIS

Mantilla Stingray
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2012
5,542
307
1,946
West Jordan Utah
I have a 4 wheel dolly use it for allot but i cant remember if we used it at all, didnt have to far to go, I mean once they are built they are very strong.
 

ITHURTZ

Piranha
MFK Member
Apr 11, 2007
1,841
30
81
Antioch IL
I used to move with a 330gal, 3rd house it wouldnt fit through the doorway. I got lucky at the others that they had sliding doors, my fault for making it with those dimensions anyway.

Moving with my 4x4 300gal in a few weeks, I built that with a plan and just tip it sideways through the door way.
 

TheSinisterSOB

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 10, 2011
522
3
18
A little place called C At Hell
I used to move with a 330gal, 3rd house it wouldnt fit through the doorway. I got lucky at the others that they had sliding doors, my fault for making it with those dimensions anyway.

Moving with my 4x4 300gal in a few weeks, I built that with a plan and just tip it sideways through the door way.
You've never had issues with the frame tweaking and twisting during the move?
 

ITHURTZ

Piranha
MFK Member
Apr 11, 2007
1,841
30
81
Antioch IL
I line the tanks with pond liner so no problem there, structure wise nope never had a problem. The 330 I had acrylic windows bolted to the tank so it would be impossible to move.
 

TheSinisterSOB

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 10, 2011
522
3
18
A little place called C At Hell
Wow, that sounds more like an Abrams than an aquarium!
 
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