125 Gallon in Upstairs Apartment. Weight Issue?

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WestTex

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jun 15, 2008
135
0
16
New Braunfels, Texas
Hey guys,

A friend of mine wants to sell me a 125 gallon with all the equipment for 200 bucks. The tank and equipment are in great shape, so I feel the price is right. My main concern with purchasing the tank is the fact that I live on the second story of an apartment. These apartments were built in the 1970's. I worry that the 1300 pounds of fish tank, once its filled and stocked, will be too much weight. He's anxious to get rid of it, and I would like to have it, but I don't want to risk it causing problems with the floor.

Do you guys think that a 125 gallon tank fully stocked and set up would be too much for a pier and beam floor? Only have a day or two before he posts it on craigs list.

Thanks for your advice.
 
As has been concluded on other discussions
The weight of 1400lbs on a 6'x2' = 12 squarefootprint
is less than a 200lb man on a 1'x1' = 1 squarefootprint

If you would not have a party of
more than 10 people in your apt
for fear that the floor would collapse
no aquarium for you
 
ar0wan;4545155; said:
As has been concluded on other discussions
The weight of 1400lbs on a 6'x2' = 12 squarefootprint
is less than a 200lb man on a 1'x1' = 1 squarefootprint

If you would not have a party of
more than 10 people in your apt
for fear that the floor would collapse
no aquarium for you
Click to expand...

we need to be careful with info here. there are some errors in this.

the full weight of the aquarium is not spread out over the full footprint surface area of the tank (ie not over a 12 sqr. foot area for example). it is only spread out over the contact area of the stand to the floor, which in most cases is not very much. Most stands are perimeter only, some only have legs.

secondly, as far as the analogy of the party of 10, keep in mind that the party of 10 people move around. the aquarium stays put and doesn't move for years and years and the weight is in one small area of the room for the whole time.

I'm not saying that a 125g won't be fine, just pointing out that we need to be very careful with analogies because they often do not hold any revelance to the actual real world situation.

aquariums are a static weight and do not move ever, its not the same as having a couple of friends stand in one area for a few minutes.
 
What if you ever plan on moving?! I lived in an upstair apartment and had a 55gal. I had to move and that was hard enough to transfer, I cant imagine if the tank had been larger!
Great price though, that would be hard to pass up.
 
I had a 135g upstairs in my room before above the garage and it held fine. I'm a risk taker so it didn't bother me that much.
 
How about get it, fill it half way and make a riparium? Then when you move into a house or ground floor apartment you can fill it all the way up.
 
Are you sure you can even keep an aquarium that large in your apartment?

I'm slightly worried about the 65 + 20 I have in my apartment on the 1st floor, just due to policy & whatnot.

other than...I wouldn't do it just on the premise of not wanting to deal with getting a 125G tank to the second floor of an apartment building. Can you buy it now, store it somewhere (parents house??) and set it up when you get a house?
 
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