Too much weight?

[Kieranuk]

The problem is there is nowhere downstairs to put that size tank so I am going to have to put it there . It will be quite cool if it does all work as it will be in my bedroom. I am not sure when I am getting it as I am waiting to see about a plot of land and then I would move house. The house what would be build on it could have a room on the 1st floor designed around the tank which would be cool. The only thing is it might be along time untill I get it if I do move :-( but I would probably prefer not to have the risk of the tank on the 2nd floor.

 

[vzgoth]

This is exactly why I asked you guys.
When in doubt ask the experts.

My floor joists are the new wood composite 2X10 I-beams set 14" on center.
They are supposed to be stronger than a traditional 2X10.

I was looking at a 150 or 200g.

 

[sleepyflight]

I don't think any of us truly knows....I've built and helped build houses....I know how flooring is layed out. It all comes down to who has the bigger stones to find out what the biggest size (wgt/sq.ft.) holds until something gives. Then comes the question of sagging/warping over time. New composite wood?? Personally I don't trust things that are composite....might be stronger but more brittle. If we really want to find out someone will have to pay to have an engineer do stress analysis on 2x10's per foot with say 500lb increments. We would also have to know how much or atleast the rate that sagging would occur. I think up to a 150gal, 6ft. footprint sounds feasible but honestly I wouldnt' go another fifty gal. unless I had atleast 2 more ft.

We've also not really dicussed footprint with respect to depth (front to back). A 55gal isn't exactly huge so I did go ahead and run it with the joists because thats the wall I wanted it on. Now, we could probably say that a 55 might get up to about 500lbs. This tank is enough to give almost a 1/4in. sag....closer to an 1/8in. This being said, I suggest being careful of depth of tank and state that it would be imparative that anything larger than a 55gal. be placed against the wall perpendicular to the floor joists. If you don't know which way they run, generally consider that it will run the length of the shortest dimension..... eg. If the house is 20 by 40ft, you would run them 20 feet long.

Here's the simplest solution.... Put some support beams in starting from the foundation to the floor of placement. Some nice things can be done with 6x6's or 8x8's to dress them up for the floors they go through. You can also get steel tube pilars that will work but I don't think look as nice.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

 

[Meniscus]

I have my 120 on the 2nd floor. I can't put it in the finished basement because that is my roommates area. I didn't spend a couple of thousand on a fish set up so he could enjoy it. I run along the beams, the tank spans 2 beams. However the back beam is 4 2x10's. There is an open stairwell behind the tank, and the 4 2x10's run along it. So I figure running along the 4 2x10's at the back of the tank, and the 1 2x10 at the front it should be ok. The tank will only be there for about a year since I am hoping to buy a new house by then. I have my fingers crossed for no problems...

 

[sleepyflight]

That sounds fine also if you have enough running with the tank....Generally you won't find that much bracing to run parallel with the tank. The 120 is 6ft. right?? This dude wants to more than double that and only add 2 ft. of length to spread the wght out. So far the general concensus accepts 120-150 gal. but no more really.....