buying a Big tank

[JeninOK]

We have a 100 year old house, with 100 year old floors. That combined with big tanks scares me more than a little.

We have a 55 and a 90 gallon which are doing great, but we really would like to upgrade and buy something in the 125-200 range. More than likely it will be a clown loach tank with a few friends and then the 90 will hold something manly that eats other fish for breakfast...more than likely an Oscar but if we can get something big enough He would like a Tiger shovelnose or similar.

To be safe we spread the 90 and 55 onto different load bearing walls and put a couple of cinder blocks under the house beneath the 90. I also have those industrial rugs with heavy duty rubber backing under both tanks to protect against spills and wood rot from water damage.


What size tank can be safely kept on floors with no concrete slab underneath?
and is there anything besides reinforcing the joists under the house we could do to help support the weight?


Filtering and plumbing also change to being much more complicated in a setup over 150 gallons with very large fish, So I am still doing research in all of that But I think a sump would be the way to go, maybe. LOL

 

[oscarluvr]

check your floor joist, in ahouse that old the lumber will be real size meaning a 2x6 will actually be 2 in x 6 in. my house was built in 1927 and i have not had any problems, i have a 4500 lb organ in the middle of the room not close to any load bearing walls, but than i am a structural engineer so things like will it hold the weight dont always bother me like some people, if you are worried add some cinder blocks under the joists where the tank is going to be, spaced every 4 foot

 

[JeninOK]

good to know, the house is built like a tank, and there is very little creaking or give to the floors even now, my biggest concern is that they are not full sealed, having been oiled and waxed for years so resealing them with a urethane would be a real hassle!!

My 90 seems so much bigger than the 55, I'm having a hard time imagining how big and how much room there would be in 150-200!

 

[Hawaii Predator]

if your still worried, clean out the garage and put it in there on the cement.

 

[IKeepPacu]

personally, i would sooner trust an old house to hold larger ammounts of weight than a new house.

way back when, they used REAL wood, no plywood or pressboard crap. the nails and screws were real metal, everything was overbuilt and made to last you several lifetimes over.

 

[invisyblegypsey]

check your floor joist, in ahouse that old the lumber will be real size meaning a 2x6 will actually be 2 in x 6 in. my house was built in 1927 and i have not had any problems, i have a 4500 lb organ in the middle of the room not close to any load bearing walls, but than i am a structural engineer so things like will it hold the weight dont always bother me like some people, if you are worried add some cinder blocks under the joists where the tank is going to be, spaced every 4 foot

^^ right i had a place on the lousiana coast. built in 1935 and the building was massive. in it i had a 2000 gal' indoor pond 13 feet off the ground never a problem actualy the pond was what got the house sold you should be fine
check in the attic or crawl space and look at the timber used to build it