Keeping a 6ft by 2ft by 2ft tank in an upstairs flat help

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Vincentaquarium said:
So did the bloke advise against it?

I'm on just wood not concrete floor and the joists I'm assuming are just the normal 2 by 8 joists, what do you recommend me to do?

I really want this size tank. So frustrating because I'm unsure.
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Yes he said it was miles to heavy. I'm unsure what you can do I would say a concrete block and beam floor would hold more than a timber joist floor. I'd say you have no chance unless your willing to get a builder in


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Hart1985 said:
Yes he said it was miles to heavy. I'm unsure what you can do I would say a concrete block and beam floor would hold more than a timber joist floor. I'd say you have no chance unless your willing to get a builder in


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Click to expand...

I'm willing to get a builder/structural engineer in to tell me, no problem.

But is it actually possible to strengthen joists I'm just curious because many sites claim it'll be no problem due to the cabinet supports the tank all the way and is spread evenly across 7-8 joists.

No doubt every house is different I understand this but the "average" one is only designed to support less than half of what I'm after according to that website I posted, it even says a 4ft tank is too heavy. :/!
 
The way I look at it is if you say the average person weighs 80kg... its the same as having 10 people standing in the corner... you wouldnt be worried about that would you?

I have a 6x2x2 in my second floor flat and has been fine for ages, I also just yesterday had 12 BIG people round for dinner and they were all standing up against the tank peering in no problems.

All flats are different but mine is ok?
 
sam_everist said:
The way I look at it is if you say the average person weighs 80kg... its the same as having 10 people standing in the corner... you wouldnt be worried about that would you?

I have a 6x2x2 in my second floor flat and has been fine for ages, I also just yesterday had 12 BIG people round for dinner and they were all standing up against the tank peering in no problems.

All flats are different but mine is ok?
Click to expand...

Do you know anything about your flat regarding the structure and so on?

Did you not do anything in order to make sure you was actually okay putting that size tank in an upstairs flat?

6ft tanks weigh the same amount as say 10 people but the thing is the tank is sitting there all the time where as people are not.

If you go by that definition, what is the actual limit before it is too heavy and the floor could not cope?

I do know that the tank will be going parallel and against a wall and the cabinet is not a four leg support one but the better one that supports the whole tank.

Structural engineers I've read can cost £££ which is not really the issue but this person might just tell me what in already reading as by some sites definitions of what the floor can hold even a 4ft tank is too heavy like I've said yet I know a few people who have this size upstairs in houses a flats.

130kg per square foot is what a floor should hold yet a 6ft tank will be in the region of 700-900kg, there is a big big difference as you can evidently see.
 
sam_everist said:
The way I look at it is if you say the average person weighs 80kg... its the same as having 10 people standing in the corner... you wouldnt be worried about that would you?

I have a 6x2x2 in my second floor flat and has been fine for ages, I also just yesterday had 12 BIG people round for dinner and they were all standing up against the tank peering in no problems.

All flats are different but mine is ok?
Click to expand...

It is completely different your talking of live loads and dead loads the whole point is it probably will hold the weight maybe for years but at the end of the day the dead load will be too much stress on the building in the end and give way


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If what you say is true and 130kg/square foot is the load limit of the floor then you should be fine... a 6x2x2 tank has a footprint of 12 square feet. Theoretically then, just over 1.5 tonnes over that area would be the limit?
 
Vincentaquarium said:
Do you know anything about your flat regarding the structure and so on?

Did you not do anything in order to make sure you was actually okay putting that size tank in an upstairs flat?

6ft tanks weigh the same amount as say 10 people but the thing is the tank is sitting there all the time where as people are not.

If you go by that definition, what is the actual limit before it is too heavy and the floor could not cope?

I do know that the tank will be going parallel and against a wall and the cabinet is not a four leg support one but the better one that supports the whole tank.

Structural engineers I've read can cost £££ which is not really the issue but this person might just tell me what in already reading as by some sites definitions of what the floor can hold even a 4ft tank is too heavy like I've said yet I know a few people who have this size upstairs in houses a flats.

130kg per square foot is what a floor should hold yet a 6ft tank will be in the region of 700-900kg, there is a big big difference as you can evidently see.
Click to expand...

Ring an engineer see what they can tell you over the phone


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Ian21777 said:
If what you say is true and 130kg/square foot is the load limit of the floor then you should be fine... a 6x2x2 tank has a footprint of 12 square feet. Theoretically then, just over 1.5 tonnes over that area would be the limit?
Click to expand...
I've been told by on engineer domestic floors are 1.25 kilo newtons per square meter a tonne is 10 kilo newtons so a tonne needs spreading over 8m2 so 1.5 tonnes needs to be spread over 12m2 not feet


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