A noob's first question: how big is too big?

Linkblaze · 08/23/2007, 04:46 PM

Hi all, my first post here after lurking for awhile. Terrific site and I really look forward to getting started in reef keeping and being a part of the community here.

Anyways, my first question is how big is too big? Specifically when it comes to floor support. I know the standard answer, when in doubt get a professional but I'm just looking for some general ideas for now. I mean, when do you get to a tank size that you need to seriously plan out extra floor support. I know that a 100g tank is over half a ton in weight, but is that a lot (sure it's a lot for me to lift, but is it a lot for a floor to holdup)? Take my example:

I'm looking to setup a standard aquarium on a stand on the ground floor of Craftsman/California bungalow style fourplex (anybody in Southern California should be familiar with the style, they are all over the place). The wall that it will be sitting flush against gives me about 7.5 feet of space to work with for length. Unfortunaly, I'll be perpendicular to the main load bearing wall as well as the floor joists (as best I can tell...was difficult to see down in the crawl space). However, they made these old places pretty well...I mean these walls are not cheap drywall and my unit has to hold up the unit above it. Also, I'm thinking of going acrylic and drilling through the wall to a closest just on the other side to house my sump so that should drop a few hundred pounds.

I know this really isn't enough info to work with, but just trying to get a ballpark idea to direct my thinking.

Thanks for your help.

P.S. Anybody have any horror stories of aquariums crashing through floors?

kirkland · 08/23/2007, 04:52 PM

We live in a condo that was built in the 80's. For almost 5 years, we had a 100g acrylic tank on a solid wood cabinet stand with a solid wood canopy. Never once thought about the floor support issue and now we have a 92g glass tank on a wood stand with a 30g sump underneath in that same spot.

Linkblaze · 08/23/2007, 05:04 PM

Thanks, also I'm doing absolutly nothing but I see that duplicates of my post keep showing up on the main page. It seems I'm up to three posts now! Anybody know why that's happening?

Thinslis · 08/23/2007, 05:12 PM

You clicked submit 3 times when you composed your message? My friend has a 90g tank with some sort of sump in the attic of his house with no speical considerations for floor support.

08/23/2007, 04:46 PM	#1
Linkblaze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 327	A noob's first question: how big is too big? Hi all, my first post here after lurking for awhile. Terrific site and I really look forward to getting started in reef keeping and being a part of the community here. Anyways, my first question is how big is too big? Specifically when it comes to floor support. I know the standard answer, when in doubt get a professional but I'm just looking for some general ideas for now. I mean, when do you get to a tank size that you need to seriously plan out extra floor support. I know that a 100g tank is over half a ton in weight, but is that a lot (sure it's a lot for me to lift, but is it a lot for a floor to holdup)? Take my example: I'm looking to setup a standard aquarium on a stand on the ground floor of Craftsman/California bungalow style fourplex (anybody in Southern California should be familiar with the style, they are all over the place). The wall that it will be sitting flush against gives me about 7.5 feet of space to work with for length. Unfortunaly, I'll be perpendicular to the main load bearing wall as well as the floor joists (as best I can tell...was difficult to see down in the crawl space). However, they made these old places pretty well...I mean these walls are not cheap drywall and my unit has to hold up the unit above it. Also, I'm thinking of going acrylic and drilling through the wall to a closest just on the other side to house my sump so that should drop a few hundred pounds. I know this really isn't enough info to work with, but just trying to get a ballpark idea to direct my thinking. Thanks for your help. P.S. Anybody have any horror stories of aquariums crashing through floors?

08/23/2007, 05:12 PM	#4
Thinslis Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Madison, Ohio Posts: 1,658	You clicked submit 3 times when you composed your message? My friend has a 90g tank with some sort of sump in the attic of his house with no speical considerations for floor support. __________________ -B Current Tank Info: 40g breeder, ER-RS80, MP40w, 250w + 2xT5

08/23/2007, 04:52 PM	#2
kirkland Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle Area Posts: 79	We live in a condo that was built in the 80's. For almost 5 years, we had a 100g acrylic tank on a solid wood cabinet stand with a solid wood canopy. Never once thought about the floor support issue and now we have a 92g glass tank on a wood stand with a 30g sump underneath in that same spot.

08/23/2007, 05:04 PM	#3
Linkblaze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 327	Thanks, also I'm doing absolutly nothing but I see that duplicates of my post keep showing up on the main page. It seems I'm up to three posts now! Anybody know why that's happening?