For those of you moving large tanks.

[caferacermike]

UPS just delivered 4 of these to me. http://www.powrgrip.com/cgi-bin/powrgrip/N4000.html?page_class=glass

With the many tank moves this month and my impending 400g tank move I decided to purchase 4 of the Woods 8" suction tools. These are the ones many MAASTARDS RENT when the haul off a tank. I thought it would be nice to purchase them for the club to use. They will be available to any charter member with a refundable deposit. They cost me a lot of money I didn't have (notice I haven't been buying any frags lately?) and I just need to make sure they find their way home after each use.

Prof you are welcome to them when you move Steve's tank.

[cpreefguy]

Mighty nice of you Mike! Maybe I can borrow them if I need to move my 22g

[MattK]

No offence Mike, it was a very nice thought but those seem like an accident waiting to happen. I still think the best way to move a heavy tank is the MAAST cart and a bunch of hands.

[caferacermike]

Matt, I'm a construction hand, have been for 12 years. Trust me, these are the industry standard and are an absolute awesome purchase. I can attest that I've seen several maastards use them including a few of the local retailers. I believe that a bunch of hands and a cart are just waiting for an individual to get "snake bit". That's exactly I how I got my finger cut off 2 summers back. A heavy object, to many hands, not enough grab areas and a door jamb. It really sucked being in the hospital for 8 hours while the surgeon told me he was going to remove the tendons that attach my pinky all the way back to my wrist. I was fortunate enough to find one surgeon that would drive to Killeen to sew it back on and see if it went gang green before removing the last knuckle.

So Matt, if you don't want to use them that's fine, don't ask. For the rest of you, you are more then welcome to them. I got the idea to use them for my tank when I saw John from Kingfish using them in his shop. That's when I thought about getting them. I see guys use them everyday at work, why not like this? Mine are rated at 125lbs each but that's not including the fact that they are safety rated to 450lbs. But please don't give others the "false" idea that they would be dangerous just because you refuse to try them. If in fact you are so untrusting I must ask you, how do you think those glaziers get every single pane of glass into those skyscrapers and office buildings?

[jc]

Nice! When I got my 180 from alamo aquatics that is what they used to load it onto my truck.

[BIGBIRD123]

Nice purchase Mike and thanks for the offer. I will be looking forward to using them when I get my new tank. I see these used everyday, also. I'm a Construction Supt.

Steve

[MattK]

I said no offence. I know vacuum systems work, I didn't say they don't. And yes I know they use them for very large panes of glass on office buildings. The misunderstanding was that I didn't, and still don't, see where it said safety rated for 450lbs, not to say that it's not true. All I saw from the specs you provided was that the load capacity was 125lbs and I know some of the larger tank weigh more than 500lbs. So, sorry if I got you fired up, it wasn't my intentions. Unfortunately, I stick behind my original statement about using the cart.

[prof]

Mike, thanks. I will definitly use them.

I will also be using the Maast cart. I don't want to carry anything further than I have to.

More hands are always welcome. Did I mention pizza and beer in my tank move thread? :)

[tomanero]

Those look sweet.
Used to have a glazier next to me.
That's what they used to move some BIG panes,
Hey Mike, let me borrow those.
I want to put them on my hands and feet and sneak up on the wife like Spiderman. :skeezy

[thedude]

These are way safer than just using a big cart and a lot of guys as Mike stated earlier. When you try to cram 10 big guys around a tank and get everyones fingers under it, then out from under it, you know what the odds look like.

Ya'll are fortunate that Mike is offering these for your use in the club and I strongly encourage anyone with a big move to try them.

PS: Mike, those cost ALOT of money and I hope that everyone understands what you got for the club. Very, very cool.

[Bill S]

Having moved a couple of large tanks... Mike, they are a GREAT idea. I got fingers nicked moving Todd's - not bad, but still... And my wife - who lost a bit of 2 fingers in an anchor windlass - but that's another story - got nicked moving mine.

[murkywaters]

Mike, thanks. I will definitly use them.

I will also be using the Maast cart. I don't want to carry anything further than I have to.

More hands are always welcome. Did I mention pizza and beer in my tank move thread? :)exactly my thoughts lol

[murkywaters]

Thanks for the generous offer Caferacer

[DaBird47]

I also say thanks Mike, those cups are a lifesaver...

[Jolly]

Hi, I just purchased a 350 gall. L shaped used aquarium. Thou I haven't picked it up yet. I was planning on 4 or 5 guys being able to move it on my trailer. I am starting to get a little worried about people loosing their fingers. Is there anything I should be aware of? Tricks of the trade ? Thanks

[brewercm]

You're going to need more than 4 or 5 if it's 350 gallons. Have you figured in the getting it into the door part yet with it being L shaped? What are the dimensions of the tank, acrylic/glaass, if you have any pictures would be great also.
If you end up needing help put in a request here. I'm sure folks are more than willing to help out the new guy. Seems like we've been moving a lot of large tanks lately.

[ratboy]

my 400 gallon glass tank took 8 HUGE dudes to move and they used i think 8 of the commercial suction cups things like Mike got. How the heck do you think you can get a 2000# tank up igh enough to even get your fingers under it? And I wouldnt want to trust my 7 buddies that Im not the last one with my fingers under a massive tank... Also for final positioning they are a must!

BTW if you find you need more muscle try the day laborer sites around town. Pull up in a truck and tell them you need X of the biggest guys in there for heavy lifting...

[erikharrison]

that's so nice man. I need to pay my dues and buy a reaaaaaaalllllllll tank!

[thedude]

It all depends of the tank for instance:

4 suction cups and 8 guys later, we lifted a 350 gallon freshwater tank (glass) onto its 40" stand. The tank was 36" tall though and weighed right at 1000 lbs.

4 suction cups and 4 guys later, we lifted a 450 gallon saltwater tank (glass) onto its 36" stand. This tank was only 24" tall and weighed around 500 lbs.

Those suction cups can hold ALOT of weight.

[caferacermike]

Check out the new post.....

[Jolly]

Thanks fellows for all the advise, does anyone know where I can rent or buy these suction cups ? I am thinking that before I put her in her final spot I well need to have the filtering system redesigned. It is going to be great (I hope) Thank goodness I have an understanding girlfriend lol.I just purchased a 120 gal in Janurary with a sump filtering system and it appears to be doing great. The 350 has a weird type of filtering system that I am going to need to think about. Brewercm, it appears to be glass, 29 1/2" wide, 6' x 7' L shaped. Doors ???? Isn't that why God made chain saws ;)