Moving a 400g acrylic aquarium

[FinsandFeathers]

Hello.
I was wondering if anyone had any tips on moving a large tank. I want to relocate a 400 gallon acrylic aquarium that's been sitting empty in my basement, to my first floor "cave" ( a converted 3 car garage with our aquariums, bird aviary, and terrariums).
I bought it last year, and was planning to make a second fish room in the basement, but the wife changed my mind. It was delivered by the LFS, so I didn't see how it was moved. I'm cheap, so I plan to move it myself with the aid of my son, my son-in-law, and a buddy, but am not quite sure how to go about it. I calculate the weight at about 400 lbs, so the weight won't be such a burden for 4 large guys, but the logistics . . .
So, if anyone has ever moved a tank this size, any advice would be appreciated.
The dimensions are 72"L, 28"D, 46"H.

 

[i3k]

I don't think there is much to it as far as logistics. Just figure out how you will maneuver it through the garage door and watch your step. Wrap it in bubble wrap just in case you guys bump it against something.

 

[Brookster123]

You should most def hire 4 able bodied humans and you should yell through a megaphone when they're about to smash it off something. Acrylic is soft and easily scratched. You may be cheap but.... I would pay someone to move it.

 

[FinsandFeathers]

Thanks, i3k and Brookster.
Hopefully, since it's only 28" front to back, and the basement walkout and door to the cave are both 36", it will go right through with plenty of room to spare. In hindsight, it would have been smart to have left one garage door, but we had them removed and replaced with a wall and walk-through door. So now, our cars reside in a carport, which does nothing to keep them warm in this frigid weather. We have a nice cave, though.
My son cam up with some portage straps, which will go under the tank and across the shoulders of all 4 of the guys carrying it, so that should make the walk around the house easier. My tiny wife will be there to yell at us if we screw up.

 

[i3k]

Any ideas what you'll be stocking the 400g with?

 

[FinsandFeathers]

Got it safely moved with the aid of cargo straps with body harnesses, 2 furniture trollies, and a 12 pack of Stella. And a bit of cussing, to be honest.
i3k, as of now, it sounds like the wife is making an executive decision on the stocking list, and it will be a Silver Arrowana, a Giraffe Catfish, a Managuense Cichlid, a pair of Green Texas Cichlids, a pair of Zebra Oscars, and possibly a Common Pleco. That will probably fill it up.
We'll probably try to breed guppies in a small tank, so we have a supply of feeders as treats, ans will order bulk crickets and earthworms online. We have several LFS in the area, so we're hoping to get most of the fish partly grown, as the tank will look silly with only 8 juvenile fish in it.
I picked up a Fluval Fx6 canister filter yesterday, that is rated for 925 gph, and I'm probably going to add a large hob filter. Once it's filled, I'll kick start it with some media from another tank, and some goldfish I plan to steal from my daughter's pond, and it will hopefully be ready to stock in a couple weeks.
With stand, tank, and canopy, it's 98" tall, and our cave ceiling is only 8 feet, so the stand won't be used. Also, the wife is only 5' tall, and said she prefers to look straight into the tank, rather than be staring upward like a child, so . . . Instead, we're going to build a platform from shaped natural stone landscaping blocks and maple sheet wood. Should look pretty cool when finished, and will fit with the natural look we're going for in the cave. With that, the cave should be complete. Now, if I can just talk her into building a heated, detached garage, so I don't have to get into a cold vehicle every time I go somewhere.

 

[i3k]

Sounds like you got a decent project coming up. Would love to see the finished setup. Hell, I'd love to see the process.