93G Cube build. Do I need to brace my floor system??

hambone_smith · 12/06/2015, 12:42 PM

I am in the build process of a 93 gallon rimless Marineland cube. I have kept a 125 gallon before but it was in the basement on a concrete floor. The 93 will be on my living floor which is a 3/4" plywood subfloor on top of 2x8" floor joists 16" on center. Does anyone know if those joists will be OK? I'm pretty sure they will but a second opinion never hurts! Oh and the sump will be underneath in the basement so there won't be any more water weight to be considered. Thank you!

Sapelo · 12/06/2015, 05:40 PM

Honestly, we had an engineer look at our house before we put up the new tank. Yes, it's a 300 gallon so there's a little difference, but it was worth the money for the piece of mind.

hambone_smith · 12/06/2015, 07:25 PM

Good point. What did the engineer determine? Do you know what you have for a floor system?

Bogue Chitto · 12/06/2015, 08:34 PM

It depends on how long the joists are. If they are like 10 or more feet between pillars, you may need to add some more support.

Lessgo · 12/06/2015, 08:56 PM

Install X bracing in between your floor joists. To help stabilize the joist incase there is any flexing.
But what is the foot print of the tank?
How many joists will it be sitting on?
Is the tank close to any teleposts, or outside cement wall?

hambone_smith · 12/07/2015, 08:39 PM

The tank stand is about 32"x32" and it will be sitting on two joists for sure. The tank will be close to the front wall of the house where the joists are on a load bearing wall framed off of the foundation.

Bogue Chitto · 12/08/2015, 05:41 PM

I would think that would support it.

Sandnukka15 · 12/09/2015, 12:09 AM

I have a 220 and a 300 on the second floor of my house ..... i just added 3 floor jacks under each tank...... you should have no problems with a 93 but for ur piece of mind u could always get a 2x4 and a floor jack underneath

hambone_smith · 12/09/2015, 09:58 PM

Thanks for the advice guys!!

Lessgo · 12/11/2015, 10:03 AM

With just 2 joists i would advise x braces on the joists.
I'd personally brace 6 joists.
I have a 45g up stairs with 12" spacings and I braced 6

hambone_smith · 12/18/2015, 11:48 AM

I understand what you mean by x bracing but that won't help carry the load itself will it? If I had room I would put a a couple jackposts/vertical braces underneath the Joists with a beam spanning under the joists but my garage door is right there so I can't. I'll throw some xnbrwces in regardless. Thanks for your input!

hambone_smith · 12/29/2015, 08:09 AM

Update on the 93 cube: I am returning the tank and stand to my LFS not only because of bubbles in the silicone but because of the horrendous build quality of the stand. I only bought it to maintain the tank's warranty. I knew it wasn't gonna be built like a tank like most DIY stands are but Jesus all it had was 1/2" cheap particle board that was stapled together. I could see maybe using the 3/4" cheap plywood or particle board but 1/2" is crazy on a 93 gallon aquarium. When the tank was filled up, the stand would sway so much that water would almost spill over the edges. An associate at Marineland said that they are designed to do that and have play because of earthquakes and ground disturbance. Are you kidding me? I live in Iowa, I'll take my chances with a stand that doesn't shake when you walk by it. What an cheap piece of you know what. Well I wouldn't say cheap it was like $230.

shyerdj · 12/29/2015, 07:10 PM

yeah, that doesnt sound secure at all.

12/06/2015, 12:42 PM	#1
hambone_smith Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Iowa Posts: 41	93G Cube build. Do I need to brace my floor system?? I am in the build process of a 93 gallon rimless Marineland cube. I have kept a 125 gallon before but it was in the basement on a concrete floor. The 93 will be on my living floor which is a 3/4" plywood subfloor on top of 2x8" floor joists 16" on center. Does anyone know if those joists will be OK? I'm pretty sure they will but a second opinion never hurts! Oh and the sump will be underneath in the basement so there won't be any more water weight to be considered. Thank you!

12/06/2015, 05:40 PM	#2
Sapelo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: North Georgia Posts: 869	Honestly, we had an engineer look at our house before we put up the new tank. Yes, it's a 300 gallon so there's a little difference, but it was worth the money for the piece of mind.

12/06/2015, 07:25 PM	#3
hambone_smith Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Iowa Posts: 41	Good point. What did the engineer determine? Do you know what you have for a floor system?

12/06/2015, 08:34 PM	#4
Bogue Chitto Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 960	It depends on how long the joists are. If they are like 10 or more feet between pillars, you may need to add some more support.

12/06/2015, 08:56 PM	#5
Lessgo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Mundare Ab Posts: 6	Install X bracing in between your floor joists. To help stabilize the joist incase there is any flexing. But what is the foot print of the tank? How many joists will it be sitting on? Is the tank close to any teleposts, or outside cement wall?

12/07/2015, 08:39 PM	#6
hambone_smith Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Iowa Posts: 41	The tank stand is about 32"x32" and it will be sitting on two joists for sure. The tank will be close to the front wall of the house where the joists are on a load bearing wall framed off of the foundation.

12/08/2015, 05:41 PM	#7
Bogue Chitto Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 960	I would think that would support it.

12/09/2015, 12:09 AM	#8
Sandnukka15 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 152	I have a 220 and a 300 on the second floor of my house ..... i just added 3 floor jacks under each tank...... you should have no problems with a 93 but for ur piece of mind u could always get a 2x4 and a floor jack underneath

12/09/2015, 09:58 PM	#9
hambone_smith Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Iowa Posts: 41	Thanks for the advice guys!!

12/11/2015, 10:03 AM	#10
Lessgo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Mundare Ab Posts: 6	With just 2 joists i would advise x braces on the joists. I'd personally brace 6 joists. I have a 45g up stairs with 12" spacings and I braced 6

12/18/2015, 11:48 AM	#11
hambone_smith Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Iowa Posts: 41	I understand what you mean by x bracing but that won't help carry the load itself will it? If I had room I would put a a couple jackposts/vertical braces underneath the Joists with a beam spanning under the joists but my garage door is right there so I can't. I'll throw some xnbrwces in regardless. Thanks for your input!

12/29/2015, 08:09 AM	#12
hambone_smith Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Iowa Posts: 41	Update on the 93 cube: I am returning the tank and stand to my LFS not only because of bubbles in the silicone but because of the horrendous build quality of the stand. I only bought it to maintain the tank's warranty. I knew it wasn't gonna be built like a tank like most DIY stands are but Jesus all it had was 1/2" cheap particle board that was stapled together. I could see maybe using the 3/4" cheap plywood or particle board but 1/2" is crazy on a 93 gallon aquarium. When the tank was filled up, the stand would sway so much that water would almost spill over the edges. An associate at Marineland said that they are designed to do that and have play because of earthquakes and ground disturbance. Are you kidding me? I live in Iowa, I'll take my chances with a stand that doesn't shake when you walk by it. What an cheap piece of you know what. Well I wouldn't say cheap it was like $230.

12/29/2015, 07:10 PM	#13
shyerdj Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 70	yeah, that doesnt sound secure at all.