Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Via tender, my BIL and I each scored a 12,000 litre tank on a 5 metre plus high steel stand from a school. Not for AP use but for use on our own properties.

My question is, how to safely remove the tank from atop of the stand without access to a crane. Step 1, drain the water. Step 2, .....

In the country, I've seen so many tanks up on high stands and I can only guess they got there without cranes. So how did they do it and how do I get them down?

Your thoughts please.
cheers
Derek

They may have created a ramp and slid it up there...
12kl would have a couple of metre Diameter base right?
Is it one piece or panels bolted together?

Ask an Egyptian,,,they got big rocks up the top of those Pyramids:)
I don't think they had cranes


You do actually have access toa crane of sorts,,,,you need either a tripod type stand above,,,then use rope and pulleys,,,,or a counter-weighted single arm manual crane.

Cranes only cost $125 per hour here in Kalgoorlie, surely that is the best way to go?

Just an update. The tanks are 1,200gal so thats 5,000lt.

I think we are going to strap the tank to the stand and fashion up a hinge for the stand legs then lower the whole unit using a winch and truck as an anchor.

A crane had been cosidered but the nearest one is 1 hour away, so thats $250 in travel time. Maybe as a last resort if we cant make a hinge. My BIL put his 10,000lt tank up using a ramp.

cheers
Derek

That makes sense then

5 metres is rather a great height so a ramp may be a bit difficult...5,000litre tank wouldn't be a great weight once empty so its a matter of getting it over the side of the stand and lowering it by some means

Removing the taps and threading a long rope through the hole and tying one end to the ute - push the tank over the opposite side, then reverse the ute to lower the tank to the ground...might be a bit dangerous though, being up so high and levering the tank over...you could try using a crane

I'm assuming it's a four legged stand. If it's 3 that's even better. I think if you can secure one side to a large truck via a winch you could lift that side a little, then cut the other leg(s) off and lower the tank to the ground with the winch. It it's just resting on the stand you might have to rope it to the stand so it doesn't fall off in the lowering process.