500lb of people doesn't equal 500lb of water

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TheRealAndyCook

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 26, 2010
708
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Canada
Sorry but this really bugs me.

tankpeople.png


I understand its just a way to show that you can put your tank in somehwere but...common.

500lb of people will be spread out in about a foot by foot space.

500lb of water will be spread out in about 4 feet by 2 feet space.


Each person puts out: 250 / (12 * 12) = 1.73611111 PSI

The tank puts out: 500 / ((12 * 4) * (12 * 2)) = 0.434027778 PSI


500 sheets A4 paper weights 20lb, 20 / (8.5 X 11) = 0.213903743 PSI
So 2 packs of paper should be about 0.42 PSI



I'm sure you see where I'm going with this...
 
I see what you're getting at but 500lbs is only a 60g give or take a few pounds. So to have any reasonable equations for monster tanks and floor support you need to be looking at at minimum 1000lbs
 
well a gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds so that would make my 75 gallon tank weigh 625.5 pounds of just water alone. after you include the tank and stand it comes out to a little more. it would take about 4 people my size to equal that amount of pounds and we'd take up about the same amount of floor space as my 75 gallon tank if we stood toe to heel in front of each other.

just sayin.
 
Most common tank with a 4'x2' footprint is 120g, a setup will weigh approx. 1200 lbs. You may want to recalculate for a 55g with a footprint of 4'x1'to get a more realistic calculation. Though none of this has any worth when figuring load bearing for where you would like to place a aquarium.
 
smpage;4613326; said:
well a gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds so that would make my 75 gallon tank weigh 625.5 pounds of just water alone. after you include the tank and stand it comes out to a little more. it would take about 4 people my size to equal that amount of pounds and we'd take up about the same amount of floor space as my 75 gallon tank if we stood toe to heel in front of each other.

just sayin.
Click to expand...


Just pointing out....Your tank probably doesn't hold exactly 75 gallons. Its probably more around 60 with the displacement of fish/decorations/substrate..
 
Bderick67;4613345; said:
Most common tank with a 4'x2' footprint is 120g, a setup will weigh approx. 1200 lbs. You may want to recalculate for a 55g with a footprint of 4'x1'to get a more realistic calculation. Though none of this has any worth when figuring load bearing for where you would like to place a aquarium.
Click to expand...

1 200 / ((4 * 12) * (2 * 12)) = 1.04166667

and the 55

(55 * 9) / ((4 * 12) * (1 * 12)) = 0.859375


Still less then a persons pressure. Not that it doesn't give you a good idea of if the BEAMS can hold it...but its not accurate.
 
Then make all your people stand on one piece of stiff plywood. All better. :D

Also realize that almost no stands are flat on the bottom, so you're actually transferring all the weight onto a one inch strip of lumber more or less.
 
knifegill;4613368; said:
Then make all your people stand on one piece of stiff plywood. All better. :D

Also realize that almost no stands are flat on the bottom, so you're actually transferring all the weight onto a one inch strip of lumber more or less.
Click to expand...

yeah thats a good point too...

a 4 by 2 tank, with a 1inch boarder that makes contact with the ground is a massive

1 200 / (((4 * 12) * 2) + ((2 * 12) * 2)) = 8.33333333 PSI


(unless my math is wrong)
 
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