Taking apart and rebuilding a large tank

[BigRed78]

Hello everyone! I have an opportunity I can’t really pass up. I can get a 200 gallon tank and most of the equipment for a few hundred dollars. The tank is 72 long by 24 wide by 27.5 high. Here’s my issue the tank is sort of an in wall tank except it is recessed behind a wall with window trim and Sheetrock covering the brace of the tank. The tank is too big to fit through the hole in the wall. There is a door to the room behind the tank but it’s 2 inches too narrow. I had the idea to just cut all the silicone out and rebuild it at my house. This would obviously make it much easier to transport. I was wondering if there was a way to get the braces off in one piece and how to get the thing apart. If anyone has done somthing like this before I would greatly appreciate it if they could tell me how hard it was. Thank you everyone. If I can get this out I’ll definitely be doing a build thread.

 

[shwareefer]

Depends on your energy level. Some people make it sound like it's the easiest thing ever. I've done 3 or 4 tanks over the years (nothing as big as yours) and I always find it a pain. Cutting apart is fairly easy. I find low E guitar string pulled between the panes works best. Prepping is the part I hate because you have to get every little scrap of silicone off or it won't reseal properly. Scrapers, elbow grease, acetone and I recommend magnifier of some sort to see it's fully clean. Re-assembly can be easy if you have a good plan or a complete mess if you don't. There's some decent YouTube videos on the subject.

 

[WVNed]

it would be easier to fix the wall than rebuild the tank

 

[Smarkow]

it would be easier to fix the wall than rebuild the tank

100% agree

 

[Cabinetman]

They are going to have to fix the hole in the wall anyway so just talk them into making it a bit bigger to get the tank out through it

 

[BigRed78]

Unfortunately even though it would be easier I don’t think opining up the wall is and option. It was already previously prepared from the fire damage we were working on so the wall just got all new sheet rock and everything. It’s not my house so it’s up to the homeowner I doubt they are going to want to pay to have the wall redone. They also moved out and had the house on the market before the fire happened. They are selling it as is and I doubt they would want to pay to get the wall re done.

 

[92Miata]

You're better off just buying a 240 or something than cutting this one apart and trying to put it back together. Its a huge job - and rebuilding a tank is much tougher than building one - because you have to worry about cleaning everything perfectly, and you have to worry about not breaking glass getting it apart.


Have you thought about pulling the door? Just pull the trim off, pull the whole door frame out, and then when you're done moving the tank, nail it all back up?