What is the largest tank you would put in an upstairs room?
- Thread starter CanadianKeeper
- Start date
IME I try to put my tanks on the outside perimeter of the house. These are typically load bearing walls. Most houses have joists made from 2x8's or 2X10's which is quite substantial and every 16". I have set up 75g's on the second floor of the house in the past with no problems at all. Technically you could put even more weight than that IMO. If you want to hire an engineer go for it, but I think it's safe for a 75g on the second floor. Just keep an eye on your tank when refilling it during a water change! Lol.
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I’d just like to point out for anybody reading this that let’s say 1,000 pounds of tank and 10 100 pound people standing together are in no way the same. The 10 people will only be there for a short time then the load is taken off of the floor, the tank does not move so over time the floor either continues to hold it or it slowly sags or breaks under the weight. Think about it, you might be able to put a semi head in your house for a minute but that doesn’t mean the floor will hold it for years.
That depends on what the floor is made of and the walls/beams supporting it.
In South Africa and Dubai and the fishy people I have had the opportunity to meet who live in apts/keep tanks upstairs, space seems to be more a limit than weight. The most memorable here in Dubai was one guy who I sold my Jardini Aro to a year or two ago had 2 x tanks each one with dimensions of 2m x 90cm x 90cm , and one standard 180gal (180cm x 60cm x 60cm) and he lived in a one bed apt, on the 3rd floor. I asked him if it ever worried him (because thats alot of water), and he said the thought never occurred to him. He just always did this.
Maybe this is largely due to the fact that in SA houses are brick/concrete and in Dubai its all cement/concrete. Reinforced concrete beams and solid walls (supports).
I have never been to the US before, but it seems like most upstairs areas are made of wood?
In South Africa and Dubai and the fishy people I have had the opportunity to meet who live in apts/keep tanks upstairs, space seems to be more a limit than weight. The most memorable here in Dubai was one guy who I sold my Jardini Aro to a year or two ago had 2 x tanks each one with dimensions of 2m x 90cm x 90cm , and one standard 180gal (180cm x 60cm x 60cm) and he lived in a one bed apt, on the 3rd floor. I asked him if it ever worried him (because thats alot of water), and he said the thought never occurred to him. He just always did this.
Maybe this is largely due to the fact that in SA houses are brick/concrete and in Dubai its all cement/concrete. Reinforced concrete beams and solid walls (supports).
I have never been to the US before, but it seems like most upstairs areas are made of wood?
Most houses and apartments are of wood construction. Concrete and metal construction is more limited to taller big city buildings.
Really depends on what part of the city you are talking about. What state can play a role as well. California has special regulations in regards to earthquakes, more North you live more regulations on amount of insulation. But typically houses are wood frame. Apartments in the suburbs are typically 3 stories or less of wood frame construction. When talking bigger cities you will start seeing more 5 story or taller buildings of concrete and steel.
The thing of it is most Apartments won't allow fish tanks greater that 50gal. It's part of the lease you signed, if caught with a bigger one you can be evicted on the spot.
The thing of it is most Apartments won't allow fish tanks greater that 50gal. It's part of the lease you signed, if caught with a bigger one you can be evicted on the spot.
This speaks absolute volumes to me. The companies who rent out these apartments put that 50g figure there for a very good reason. Maybe these owners have sought advice from structural engineers and it was the engineers themselves who've come up with this 50g figure. Even a 50g tank with water and stand weighs on a bit, and as
fishhead0103666
alluded to in an earlier post, these tanks have a relatively small footprint and are there 24/7 pressing down down down on the joists. It is this incessant long term pressure that scares people to death, hence the crazy amount of threads we see regarding acceptable and safe tank sizes on upper floors.The variables are astonishing. Where you are in the world, building regulations, materials used, quality of work etc etc etc. The only place I would feel safe putting a heavy fish tank that was going to be sitting in the same spot long term, is on the ground floor on a concrete base, and that's exactly where my tanks are.
Whether the floor is going to give way is not a concern in the least for me, it's if or when my tanks give way that scares me to death, lol.
Hello; One of the reasons I asked about ownership back a few posts was about liability. If the OP owns the property then he/she is accepting the risk. If he/she rents then the damage, if any, will be on some else's property. In addition to structural risk from weight there is flooding risk from leaks. If the OP is a renter there are two things to do. One is to get permission from the owner. The other is to get some renters insurance which has aquarium coverage. I do not know which sort of damage will cost more to repair.
If possible watch some of the Mike Holmes shows about house repairs. So much depends on how the place was built and taken care of. In some of his shows houses only a few years old have bad issues, not just old houses. In my current house some floor joists were notched to install garage openers. After I bought it I spent a few weeks removing the garage door openers and sistering in new joists to add strength. Then had to replace the garage door openers.
Maybe look up some "home inspection nightmares" . People do dumb things to a house. Bottom line is someone with experience needs to have a look see at the actual condition of the structure.
If possible watch some of the Mike Holmes shows about house repairs. So much depends on how the place was built and taken care of. In some of his shows houses only a few years old have bad issues, not just old houses. In my current house some floor joists were notched to install garage openers. After I bought it I spent a few weeks removing the garage door openers and sistering in new joists to add strength. Then had to replace the garage door openers.
Maybe look up some "home inspection nightmares" . People do dumb things to a house. Bottom line is someone with experience needs to have a look see at the actual condition of the structure.
