Finding out if my floor will support a 135 gal

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elting44

elting44

Piranha
MFK Member
Oct 8, 2007
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Salina, KS
Recently I bought a 135 gal Oceanic with dual overflow boxes, 72" x 18" 25". The glass is 1/2". I plan to set it up with sand as the substrate and have a 30 gal Wet/Dry SUMP.

My plan is to put this tank on the first floor of my house.

I figure the total weight is going to be at or above 1500-1800 pounds, tank weighs 200 lbs, 1100 punds of water in the tank, 200 lbs of substrate, the stand will weigh a about 100 pounds, the sump is another 150-200.

I would like to know how many joists I am going to want to have under the 6ft tank and stand so that it does not end up in my basement!!
 
Most likely you will be fine as long as your basement is not all rotted out. But if you want to be safe, just double up the beams with 2x8 or 2x10 where the tank will be sitting. If you REALLY want to be safe, put a column jack in the middle of the beam where the tank will sit.
People put tanks bigger than this on second and 3rd floors with no problems
 
Well I just took a better look at the support of the room, I would be putting the tank across a joist, rather than perpendicular across many. The room is about 12ft wide. What do you guys think? Am I safer to just put it in my basement?
 
Got a 220 gal on my 1st floor-- check directions of your main beams in the basement where you are going to put the tank. If possible, place tank opposite the direction of the beams, will get more support. Good Luck!
 
elting44;3964296; said:
Well I just took a better look at the support of the room, I would be putting the tank across a joist, rather than perpendicular across many. The room is about 12ft wide. What do you guys think? Am I safer to just put it in my basement?
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so, one joist will carry the bulk of this load?

you might be better to put it in your basement.

its true that many people put 125/135's on upper floors, but most are perpendicular to the joists, meaning that the load is spread across usually 4 or 5 joists.
 
I should also mention that the right end of the tank will be about 3 ft away from a external wall, and it will . The house was built in the 80s.

The joists on the unfinished half of the basement are 2 x 10s. Like I said, the place that I want to put it will be going along a single joist (possibly 2 if I can, the tank is 18" wide), rather than across many. This is what worries me. That place is also above the finished half of my basement, so I can not get a good look at the joists/support beams.

I don't want to have a sagging floor in 5 years. or a huge expensive mess
 
you could try putting it on a piece of plywood for added safety it will bring your lbs per square foot down and save your carpet from water damage simple 4 x 8 should work fine then just throw a rug in between the wood and stand for looks if you want
 
EvilKid;3964480; said:
you could try putting it on a piece of plywood for added safety it will bring your lbs per square foot down and save your carpet from water damage simple 4 x 8 should work fine then just throw a rug in between the wood and stand for looks if you want
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The stand will have a runners down all 4 sides, with a plywood sheet on the bottom.

It will be in my dining room, which has laminate hardwood flooring.

"protect the carpet from water damage" - I want to avoid the water from spilling all over my house, not prepare for it to happen. :D
 
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