I want to go big, atleast 125g, is this safe for my second floor apartment? does anyone out there have their large tank upstairs? thanks in advance.
largest tank safe for second floor of my home?
- Thread starter ChrisG23
- Start date
When I had my 80 gallon in my bed room upstairs, I just made sure I put it on an outside wall. Besides that, think about how heavy a king size water bed is. If your not sure, get 5 or 6 people to stand where you want your tank and see if they fall through, but, make sure you stand back, I dont want you to get hurt if they do.
you can put as large of tank as you want that you can fit up the stairs or through a window, the pressure that is applied to the floor since its so spread out from the stand is very minimal, if it can hold you it can hold a tank no problem. show me someone that has had a tank go through the floor with a large tank.
my friend has a 150g tank with 200lbs of substrate and 35lbs of drif wood in his second floor home, plus the weight of the water. the tank weigh about 250lbs and stand weigh about the same. total weight, 8lbs per gallon times 150=1,200lbs + gravel=1,500 + stand and glass= a little over 2,000lbs( that is 1 ton!) that doesn't incluld the weight of the 2 peices of drift wood.
Grand total: 2,035-2,040lbs
Remmeber he also had other stuff like his bed tv+bigh stand and freinds up there all the time.
Grand total: 2,035-2,040lbs
Remmeber he also had other stuff like his bed tv+bigh stand and freinds up there all the time.
To do that, you need to know these things:
1. The size of the floor joists
2. The spacing of the floor joists
3. The spacies of wood of the floor joists
4. The span of the floor jpoists
5. The exact location of the fish tank
6. The manner by which the load of the tank is transferred to the floor...ie: four legs, or panels on two sides or four sides
7 If the tank will be near the end of the joists, and the joists are supported by a beam at that end, then you will also have to check the beam for its ability to carry the additional load also.
It's always touch and go with large fish tanks up stairs I have always had my ones down stairs and normally in the extension or living room all have concrete floors..
For big tanks, try to place the tank perpendicular to the floor joists (so that the weight is distributed over multiple joists). Placing your tank near a load bearing wall is also safer than placing in the middle of your floor.
An un-level tank places stress in the wrong places, increasing the odds of having the tank break make sure the tanks is spot on.It is
1. The size of the floor joists
2. The spacing of the floor joists
3. The spacies of wood of the floor joists
4. The span of the floor jpoists
5. The exact location of the fish tank
6. The manner by which the load of the tank is transferred to the floor...ie: four legs, or panels on two sides or four sides
7 If the tank will be near the end of the joists, and the joists are supported by a beam at that end, then you will also have to check the beam for its ability to carry the additional load also.
It's always touch and go with large fish tanks up stairs I have always had my ones down stairs and normally in the extension or living room all have concrete floors..
For big tanks, try to place the tank perpendicular to the floor joists (so that the weight is distributed over multiple joists). Placing your tank near a load bearing wall is also safer than placing in the middle of your floor.
An un-level tank places stress in the wrong places, increasing the odds of having the tank break make sure the tanks is spot on.It is
What does your lease say about tank size?Also be sure to have renters insurance that will
cover any damage-Anne
cover any damage-Anne
I total agree with STOTTY you must know which way the joists are running and width and make sure you get your tank on as many as you can hit . if joists are running left to right tank must be running opposite way .
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sorry bad picture but the best i could when i cant draw it the more joists you hit the better . it tank was running same way as the joist you would probably ony be on 2 or 3 if you run the tank like the picture i made you are on 7 joists . much better than 2or 3
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sorry bad picture but the best i could when i cant draw it the more joists you hit the better . it tank was running same way as the joist you would probably ony be on 2 or 3 if you run the tank like the picture i made you are on 7 joists . much better than 2or 3
i know whtch way the floor joyces go, and will be sure to spread the weight across as many as the tank will allow, but i was thinking to use the tank as a sort of divider between two rooms. This would land the tank dead center in the middle of the house, but it would also be sittling on a wall that is just beneath it on the first floor, so i believe the weight would be distributed between the joyces of the second and first floor. does that make sence the way i described it? does anyone understand and agree or disagree? thanx for all help and opinions.....chris