New 180 gallon...worried about weight

aargh · 05/31/2010, 07:22 PM

Hello everyone, I am a long-time reader, and this is my first post. I've been in the hobby for 20 years, and have never worried about the weight of a tank, but this one will be my biggest yet, and I want to double-check.

The tank is a room-divider, with dimensions 36" high, 63" long, and 20" wide. I'm estimating 2,500 pounds with water, sand and rock. The tank will be a custom build, using 19mm PPG Starphire on 3 sides.

The footprint of the stand will be about 10 square feet, resting on a hardwood floor above 2 joists in the basement below. The house is 12 years old.

The sump will be in the basement. No extra weight in the stand.

I'm a huge fan of Reef Central, and will document my tank build if anyone is interested. Love to know what the collective wisdom has to say about whether my floor should be able to support the weight.

thanks,
Brian

cpl40475 · 05/31/2010, 08:19 PM

I'd contact the builder of the house and see what type joists he used. You cn always (if area allows it) put additional floor supports in the basement like floor jacks or something.

thenewone · 05/31/2010, 08:24 PM

is it goin to be upstairs that you are consern

noobtothereef · 05/31/2010, 08:24 PM

2500 lbs is too much for 2 floor joists to handle, unless its a very short span, but an average of 12' with 2x10 joists it wont work, now if it was 16" engineered floor joists thats a different story, which i doubt they are, my 120 with 50 in the sump is against the wall and runs across 3 joists and still sagged the floor, had to add 2 basement jacks with a 4x6 on top of them to level the tank back out, i wouldnt chance it, nothing like a tank size hole in your floor...............

HulaMom · 06/01/2010, 11:19 AM

I have a 180 sitting parallel on two 2x6 floor joists 2' on center. My floor didn't sag a bit, but you have to do some bracing underneath. As long as you have room to brace, no problem.

05/31/2010, 07:22 PM	#1
aargh Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 17	New 180 gallon...worried about weight Hello everyone, I am a long-time reader, and this is my first post. I've been in the hobby for 20 years, and have never worried about the weight of a tank, but this one will be my biggest yet, and I want to double-check. The tank is a room-divider, with dimensions 36" high, 63" long, and 20" wide. I'm estimating 2,500 pounds with water, sand and rock. The tank will be a custom build, using 19mm PPG Starphire on 3 sides. The footprint of the stand will be about 10 square feet, resting on a hardwood floor above 2 joists in the basement below. The house is 12 years old. The sump will be in the basement. No extra weight in the stand. I'm a huge fan of Reef Central, and will document my tank build if anyone is interested. Love to know what the collective wisdom has to say about whether my floor should be able to support the weight. thanks, Brian

05/31/2010, 08:19 PM	#2
cpl40475 Just hanging out Join Date: May 2007 Location: ky Posts: 786	I'd contact the builder of the house and see what type joists he used. You cn always (if area allows it) put additional floor supports in the basement like floor jacks or something. __________________ Im just a redneck in a city slickers lifestyle Current Tank Info: WORKING ON IT

05/31/2010, 08:24 PM	#3
thenewone Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: houston tx Posts: 105	is it goin to be upstairs that you are consern __________________ whats another thing, please i promise it will be the last.... sike Current Tank Info: 90 gallon

05/31/2010, 08:24 PM	#4
noobtothereef Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: council bluffs iowa Posts: 1,530	2500 lbs is too much for 2 floor joists to handle, unless its a very short span, but an average of 12' with 2x10 joists it wont work, now if it was 16" engineered floor joists thats a different story, which i doubt they are, my 120 with 50 in the sump is against the wall and runs across 3 joists and still sagged the floor, had to add 2 basement jacks with a 4x6 on top of them to level the tank back out, i wouldnt chance it, nothing like a tank size hole in your floor............... __________________ 120g custom acrylic, dart return, dart closed loop, 2-evo-1400's, RKE, xtreme 200, 80g sump/fuge, 240lbs rock, ssb, 2-250w mh, 2x54 t5, ato Current Tank Info: 120gallon 2-darts, 2-evo 1400's...piles of flow.. RKE with an easy button

06/01/2010, 11:19 AM	#5
HulaMom Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC Posts: 6	I have a 180 sitting parallel on two 2x6 floor joists 2' on center. My floor didn't sag a bit, but you have to do some bracing underneath. As long as you have room to brace, no problem. __________________ 180 gallon reef tank 29 Gallon FOWLR 10 Gallon Non-Photosynthetic

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
180 gallon plumbing - starting from scratch	oscar.millan	Large Reef Tanks	2	12/13/2009 04:18 PM
180 gallon weight	Necsones	Large Reef Tanks	8	04/03/2009 06:14 PM
180 Gallon Weight	singold	New to the Hobby	13	02/03/2009 10:57 PM
180 gallon too much weight for the floor?	jimi thing	Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment	6	08/07/2006 12:55 AM
150 vs 180 in terms of weight distribution	anjhof	Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment	8	05/02/2006 05:36 PM