Floor Strength and Aquarium Weight?

Gwynhidwy · 08/16/2008, 02:21 PM

I'm wondering what the largest size aquarium that an average house floor can safely support is. I'm wanting to upgrade to a 240G after we move, but the house is a rental so we can't alter the floors. What I've been able to find out online is that bigger than a 125 is pretty risky, but I really want that bigger tank!

Does anyone know how to determine this? Is there anything I can do to support/distribute the weight safely without altering the structure of the house?

rsteckly · 08/16/2008, 02:27 PM

I put in a 125 with a 55g sump, and when I was researching it, they said longer tanks are better then deeper tanks, since a longer tank would hit more support beams across the floor. Mine is a 6ft long tank, and although I have only had it for about a month, I have had no problem's yet.

JustinReef · 08/16/2008, 02:36 PM

Personally I would never risk a standard 240 without proper support added under the floor. I wouldn't go any bigger than a standard 125. Unless its a custom tank. For example a 8'x2'x20" tall tank is around 200G but would most likely be no problem because the weight is distributed across much more of the floor and over many beams. Longer, shallower tanks are easier on the floor. The reason I mention those dimensions is because I am having that tank built right now

Gwynhidwy · 08/16/2008, 02:45 PM

Thanks for the replies, that's basically what I was thinking, just not necessarily what I wanted to hear. I'll probably stick with the smaller tank until we build our house. Don't want any catastrophes!

JustinReef · 08/16/2008, 02:46 PM

Probably a good idea and a 125 is not that small...

crvz · 08/16/2008, 03:38 PM

What floor do you have under the tank? We don't have basements here in texas, so I don't really have an issue with size in my one-story, but if it's not on the ground floor I would probably hesitate as well.

Gwynhidwy · 08/16/2008, 03:46 PM

No, a 125 isn't small, just too small for me to keep the fish I really love.

I am from Houston, so I'm used to the slab foundation, but where we are moving the house doesn't have that, I think it has a crawl space foundation, so not nearly as capable of supporting heavy fish tanks.

iceemn360 · 08/16/2008, 04:01 PM

crawl space foundation under my 125. had it looked at and they said it was great!

JustinReef · 08/16/2008, 04:06 PM

I would still worry about any more than a 125 though in standard sized tanks. Why not look into a custom tank that is bigger in volume but just not too tall? Longer.

Im still really, really worried about my new tank that is coming in a few months even though it is 8' long and only 20" tall. The water level will actually only be about 18.5". My condo is on a second floor, so thats why I worry. Its an all concrete and steel building, so I have been told it will be no problem at all and I could probably even go a bit bigger.

My point is that there is always some concern with so much water!

Gwynhidwy · 08/16/2008, 04:08 PM

That's good to know.

I think I will be going with the 125G and then get to look forward to a bigger upgrade when we get a place with a sturdy enough floor. I don't want to move a 240G or bigger anyway, I don't have enough strong friends for that!

JustinReef · 08/16/2008, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gwynhidwy
That's good to know. I think I will be going with the 125G and then get to look forward to a bigger upgrade when we get a place with a sturdy enough floor. I don't want to move a 240G or bigger anyway, I don't have enough strong friends for that!

Yeah a 240G is not something you want to set up and then move in a year or so. That would be a huge pain...I bet by the time you build your house and move in, you'll go bigger than a 240G anyways

If I was considering anything over a 210G, I would just go really big, maybe a 400G. My brother has a 600G FOWLR in the basement of my parents house (its a basement suite he rents) and its pretty amazing. I couldn't imagine paying for all the equipment and corals it would take to make it a reef though. He said he already pays about $200 a month in maintenance and electricity for the FOWLR. And there are only like 5 or 6 fish in it!

SeanT · 08/16/2008, 04:24 PM

I crawled under my house and used joist jacks, from Home Depot, to add extra support.

tkeracer619 · 08/16/2008, 04:52 PM

I have a 360 with a 125 sump on a wood floor. If you have a crawl space using floor jacks is a good way around the problem.

Gwynhidwy · 08/16/2008, 05:19 PM

The joist jacks are a great idea, thank you! I'll have to consider that.

Bigger may be likely once its our house, but no concrete plans on that anytime soon and I'm not very patient, so I thought the 240G would be a good compromise, possible to move, albeit not fun.

By the way, I really like your avatar Justinpsmith!

Nuuze · 08/16/2008, 06:10 PM

Here are the jacks I used. Doesn't permanently alter anything.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...7#post12084167

JustinReef · 08/16/2008, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nuuze
Here are the jacks I used. Doesn't permanently alter anything.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...7#post12084167

Those would be a good idea if you dont want to wait. And even if they did have to be permanent, I doubt any landlord would be upset that you reinforced the floor

Its kind of a good thing.

Nuuze · 08/16/2008, 07:10 PM

The jacks crank with a wrench so you can remove them as well.

broke1 · 08/16/2008, 07:20 PM

I actually had a problem with where I was going to put my 240g when I got it. The floor jacks were going to be an issue because they were going to be set in sand in the crawl space. I ended up putting it on a wall that had an I-beam under it with over lapping 2x12s over it and was still concerned. It has been there a year and all is well.

Nuuze · 08/16/2008, 07:30 PM

Here's another thread I also started that I found on floor reinforcing.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1

08/16/2008, 02:21 PM	#1
Gwynhidwy Meat Popsicle Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,511	Floor Strength and Aquarium Weight? I'm wondering what the largest size aquarium that an average house floor can safely support is. I'm wanting to upgrade to a 240G after we move, but the house is a rental so we can't alter the floors. What I've been able to find out online is that bigger than a 125 is pretty risky, but I really want that bigger tank! Does anyone know how to determine this? Is there anything I can do to support/distribute the weight safely without altering the structure of the house? __________________ -- He who learns must suffer, and, even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. -- Aeschylus

08/16/2008, 02:45 PM	#4
Gwynhidwy Meat Popsicle Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,511	Thanks for the replies, that's basically what I was thinking, just not necessarily what I wanted to hear. I'll probably stick with the smaller tank until we build our house. Don't want any catastrophes! __________________ -- He who learns must suffer, and, even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. -- Aeschylus

08/16/2008, 03:38 PM	#6
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	What floor do you have under the tank? We don't have basements here in texas, so I don't really have an issue with size in my one-story, but if it's not on the ground floor I would probably hesitate as well. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

08/16/2008, 03:46 PM	#7
Gwynhidwy Meat Popsicle Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,511	No, a 125 isn't small, just too small for me to keep the fish I really love. I am from Houston, so I'm used to the slab foundation, but where we are moving the house doesn't have that, I think it has a crawl space foundation, so not nearly as capable of supporting heavy fish tanks. __________________ -- He who learns must suffer, and, even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. -- Aeschylus

08/16/2008, 04:08 PM	#10
Gwynhidwy Meat Popsicle Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,511	That's good to know. I think I will be going with the 125G and then get to look forward to a bigger upgrade when we get a place with a sturdy enough floor. I don't want to move a 240G or bigger anyway, I don't have enough strong friends for that! __________________ -- He who learns must suffer, and, even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. -- Aeschylus

08/16/2008, 02:27 PM	#2
rsteckly Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 118	I put in a 125 with a 55g sump, and when I was researching it, they said longer tanks are better then deeper tanks, since a longer tank would hit more support beams across the floor. Mine is a 6ft long tank, and although I have only had it for about a month, I have had no problem's yet.

08/16/2008, 02:36 PM	#3
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	Personally I would never risk a standard 240 without proper support added under the floor. I wouldn't go any bigger than a standard 125. Unless its a custom tank. For example a 8'x2'x20" tall tank is around 200G but would most likely be no problem because the weight is distributed across much more of the floor and over many beams. Longer, shallower tanks are easier on the floor. The reason I mention those dimensions is because I am having that tank built right now

08/16/2008, 02:46 PM	#5
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	Probably a good idea and a 125 is not that small...

08/16/2008, 04:01 PM	#8
iceemn360 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CALIFORNIA Posts: 757	crawl space foundation under my 125. had it looked at and they said it was great!

08/16/2008, 04:06 PM	#9
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	I would still worry about any more than a 125 though in standard sized tanks. Why not look into a custom tank that is bigger in volume but just not too tall? Longer. Im still really, really worried about my new tank that is coming in a few months even though it is 8' long and only 20" tall. The water level will actually only be about 18.5". My condo is on a second floor, so thats why I worry. Its an all concrete and steel building, so I have been told it will be no problem at all and I could probably even go a bit bigger. My point is that there is always some concern with so much water!

08/16/2008, 04:24 PM	#12
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	I crawled under my house and used joist jacks, from Home Depot, to add extra support. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

08/16/2008, 04:52 PM	#13
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	I have a 360 with a 125 sump on a wood floor. If you have a crawl space using floor jacks is a good way around the problem. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

08/16/2008, 05:19 PM	#14
Gwynhidwy Meat Popsicle Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,511	The joist jacks are a great idea, thank you! I'll have to consider that. Bigger may be likely once its our house, but no concrete plans on that anytime soon and I'm not very patient, so I thought the 240G would be a good compromise, possible to move, albeit not fun. By the way, I really like your avatar Justinpsmith! __________________ -- He who learns must suffer, and, even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. -- Aeschylus

08/16/2008, 06:10 PM	#15
Nuuze Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NorCal, California Posts: 3,550	Here are the jacks I used. Doesn't permanently alter anything. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...7#post12084167

08/16/2008, 07:10 PM	#17
Nuuze Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NorCal, California Posts: 3,550	The jacks crank with a wrench so you can remove them as well.

08/16/2008, 07:20 PM	#18
broke1 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: IL Posts: 1,721	I actually had a problem with where I was going to put my 240g when I got it. The floor jacks were going to be an issue because they were going to be set in sand in the crawl space. I ended up putting it on a wall that had an I-beam under it with over lapping 2x12s over it and was still concerned. It has been there a year and all is well. __________________ Removed. Current Tank Info: Too big, yet too small

08/16/2008, 07:30 PM	#19
Nuuze Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NorCal, California Posts: 3,550	Here's another thread I also started that I found on floor reinforcing. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1