Can I change my stand?

[Shagsbeard]

I'm betting the answer is no, but if I could I probably would. The stand I have would look great in a '70s studio appartment, but really doesn't do the tank justice. It also doesn't look too earthquake proof, though it did make it through one on Saturday. It also could use about 4-6" more headroom.

I figure I could drain most of the water (saving it), somehow pick it up (jacks or something), slide the old stand out and a new stand underneath.

Is this folly? Has anyone attempted this?

[kraze3]

I changed the stand on my 75. I was using one of the old iron stand and I switched it with a nice one I built myself. I went to Kmart and got 3 32 gallon bins. I started to siphon water into one as I took my rock out and placed it int he bin with water. When it was full I did the same thing with the next bin and thenthe third. When the water was low I caught all my fish and they waited in a 10 gallon tank. My tank had 2 inches of sand and a little bit of water left. I carefully moved it to the floor switched stand and put it back. Then reverse the whole process and you got yourself a new stand. Be prepared with plumbing and everything this could be an all day task. Good luck an dlet us know how it worked out.

[frogguy1]

good luck with that venture! With even a little water and all you rock and sand it will be extremely heavy. The Jacks idea scares me because you will be pointed pressure on specific spots instead of distributing the pressure to the whole tank. If you do it, do it right and jsut setup up some rubber maid containers, move the rock and livestock and make the switch. JMO

[Shagsbeard]

K3's method seems reasonable. With only the sand and a little water, my tank should be manhandleable (if that's a word). But this is a project for a later day... maybe Christmas or something. I just wanted to know if it was something worth thinking about.

[kraze3]

With the sand and very little water your stand will be moveable. You want to keep it as level as possible though. You dont want to disturb the sand and you dont want to much pressure in one area. Thats why i thought it was best to just place it ont he floor, move the old stand out, new stand in, and put it back. Its not hard just time consuming

[SirSmapty]

If you have someone to help, just drain the tank as much as you can, remove the rocks put the new stand close and pick it up and move it to the new stand. Move the old stand and pick up the tank/stand and move it. Moving it to the floor is a bad idea, in that lifting somehting that big and heavy from the floor can be a real pain.

I had to do this with a 105 gallon tank with about 3-4 inches of sand.

[Randall_James]

aww how big is the tank you are trying to do this with?