Transporting a Large Glass Tank - Kindly help

hmm... i would suggest styrofoam and a big truck. i had my big tank just laying on a blanket, being held by someone and mine was about an hour and a half drive.... it was fine, but pack it heavily with styrofoam on the sides, blankets etc... even someone to help... and drive slow

As long as you have a pickup truck with a long enough bed that has been swept clean and a pliable bedlinen or carpet in the bed, some blankets to cover the tank and pillows for the front and back of the tank between the tailgate and cab, some tie down straps with locking cams taped over to protect the glass, you should be good to go.

The most dangerous part will be the loading and unloading of the tank. Any high spot or pressure point that comes in contact with the glass bottom like a stone, bolt, or uneven handling on the metal tailgate could cause a fracture. Also impatiens handling resiting in a velocity hit like pushing it over a door jam or drooping one corner could all spell disaster.

Previous owner rough handling during moving is what cracked the bottom on my used 72X24X31 tank and why I am currently replacing an entire 81 Lbs button panel and 35 Lbs end panel. So remember an ounce of care and patience will save you about 10 hours or repair work and $200 in DIY materials. I cant imagine what a repair shop would charge.

Personally I would pay the builder an additional $25 to deliver it an help carry it inside, that way there is mutual accountability and shared cost damage.

I agree with the blankets and pillows. Even better would be the styrofoam, but thick pillows that won't scratch the glass will be good enough.

Put the blankets(make sure it's pretty thick) in the bed of pickup truck, then ride in the back, or don't and just have the pillows tucked into the sides all the way, so there isn't any way for it to bang around.

I don't know what worse Styrofoam on glass or fingernails on chalkboards LOL.
Oh and don't tie down to the aquarium rather use the truck side tie points and run the straps over the top of thick quilts. Since the aquarium is 6.5 feet long you may have to leave the tailgate open so buy the super long tie down straps at Walmart and use at least 2 to tie down at the cab side and around the aquarium end at the tailgate so that the strap is pulling the aquarium into the truck. I don't recommend riding in the back with all that glass encase there is an accident you'd be cut to ribbons.

I understand your reasoning for not having someone ride in the back, but when I had someone ride in the back of mine, it was that one person who saved my tank from going onto the road and becoming nothing.

i just strapped my 240 gallon into the truck and had some blankets around, keep in mind this one is eight feet long, and i had a three hour haul up 495 and through some really sketchy back roads, now its in my basement unharmed by the entire ordeal. : )

just take it easy while driving and you wont have to worry about much at all. :thumbsup:


oh and it was mid winter hahaha

I am morbidly fascinated by this. I was nervous enough carrying a tiny 37g in my van, lol!

FOAM, BLANKETS, PILLOWS, AND TRY TO PACK IT AS TIGHTLY AS POSSIBLE. ETHIER TRAILER, PU WITH A 8 FOOT BED, OR TOW TRUCK THATS HOW I MOVED MY 4 TANKS

Put it in the bed of the truck with some blankets or foam under it. Strap it to the truck so it doesn't slide out.