180 gallon tank in a 2nd Floor Townhouse? Help!

[Estee]

I am the midst of installing an 180gallon acrylic tank, stand, lighting fixture that will weigh ~ 1800+ (max) when full. This will be placed on the 2nd floor (1st floor is garage area) of a 3 story townhouse in the dining area along a wall adjacent to the kitchen sink area. I've read online a lot about weight distribution in terms of pounds per square foot (psf) as well as joist supports and load bearing walls. I've even contact my home builder since my house is fairly new at 1.5 years old. Upon contact them, they referenced me building plans (depicted below). If you cannot tell, my fish tank (in yellow) occupies a small crevice in my dining area. I find out that 1) the house is designed for 33 psf dead weight and 40 psf live weight and 2)Unfortunately, my tank only sits over 2 floor joists accordingly. With this in mind, I researched the maker of my floor joist: iLevel TJI 560 in 14" size. When I look this up, on their website, http://www.ilevel.com/literature/TJ-4000.pdf , the joist seems to support a loaded weight of 148-169 psf (I calculated my tank psf to be ~150).

Can someone please comment on my assumptions, especially as pertaining to the 150 psf load specifications for the joists? Am I okay in terms of not causing significant deflection, especially with a wall at one side (sheer strength is much greater than deflection supposedly). Thanks for your help.

 

[cabrego]

Did you bounce your questions off your home builder? he seems like the perfect person for the question.

 

[cpl40475]

how much of a sump will you have and will it be on the same floor? That could shoot you over the rate that you joists will hold. water weighs roughly 8 1/2 per gallon so just in water alone your looking at 1530lbs add the weight of the tank estimated problably 3 to 400 lbs. Then 200 lbs of rock. thats over 2000lbs not including stand canopy lights and equipment.

 

[alovely]

how much of a sump will you have and will it be on the same floor? That could shoot you over the rate that you joists will hold. water weighs roughly 8 1/2 per gallon so just in water alone your looking at 1530lbs add the weight of the tank estimated problably 3 to 400 lbs. Then 200 lbs of rock. thats over 2000lbs not including stand canopy lights and equipment.

Not including your tank even though it is acrylic I am sure it probably weighs a good amount still. Even if you stuck w/ water alone the tank still wouldn't have 1530lbs of water because he has to have rock in it so you figure would be a little less than 1530lbs for strictly water... Also he pointed out a good point is the need for a sump I figure you will probably be using around a minimum of a 40 gallon sump right? if just the 40 gallon sump would be 340lbs it self... I don't think I would risk it to be honest.

 

[Estee]

Did you bounce your questions off your home builder? he seems like the perfect person for the question.

My home builder said "Maybe, but not recommended"....basically a CYA answer. :rolleye1:

how much of a sump will you have and will it be on the same floor? That could shoot you over the rate that you joists will hold. water weighs roughly 8 1/2 per gallon so just in water alone your looking at 1530lbs add the weight of the tank estimated problably 3 to 400 lbs. Then 200 lbs of rock. thats over 2000lbs not including stand canopy lights and equipment.

Good question. My sump is actually integrated into the back of the aquarium (it is one of those all-in-one kind of ordeal). These are my estimates so far:

Acrylic Tank = ~125lbs
Water of main tank area (72x18x24) = 135 gallons x 8.3 lbs/gallon = 1121 lbs
Water of "sump" tank area = 25 gallons x 8.3 lbs/gallon = 208 lbs
Tank stand = ~150lbs
Lighting fixture = ~50lbs
Substrate = 180lbs
Rock = 180lbs
Total = ~2024 lbs, so figure 2100 lbs for a 6'x2' area or 175 psf over 2 joists or 87.5 psf / joist

Interestingly enough, my last tank at 125 gallons was used at the same place. Since it is also an all-in-one kind of tank, I estimate the weight as:

Acrylic Tank = ~150lbs
Water of main tank area (60x12x24) = 75 gallons x 8.3 lbs/gallon = 622 lbs
Water of "sump" tank area = 21 gallons x 8.3 lbs/gallon = 175 lbs
Tank stand = ~75lbs
Lighting fixture = ~50lbs
Substrate = 125lbs
Rock = 125lbs
Total = ~1172 lbs, so figure 1200 lbs for 5'x2' area or 120 psf over 1 joist

I think I am okay, but if anyone can think anyone i'm missing or confusing, please let me know!

 

[bluestarfish]

Have you considered turining the tank so that it sits on more beams? I had to rearrange my 2nd floor living room so I could have mt 220g sitting on at least 4 of the beams.

 

[cpl40475]

I would think a acrylic aquarium thats 6x2x2 would weigh more than 125lbs. Ive never fooled with acrylc so I could be bigtime off. You can always put of 2 floor jacks in the garage underneath the tank are if the garage will allow it.Wife may get P.O.d about not being able to park in the garage if your tank takes over the garage.

 

[Pmoss]

The floor needs to be reinforced probably. What type of wood did they use? (That matters)

 

[discus510]

is ur garage a 1 or 2 car garage. if its 2 i would use one side of it as a fish room and put 4 support beam under instead of puttin the tank on there and voiding ur 10 yr warranty on the new house built

 

[Pmoss]

That's a good Idea too. If it were me and I had all the time and money .... I'd tear up the floor and add another joist and still build a fish room!

 

[Ian]

Take a look at JBNY's build thread and see what he did to reenforce his floor joists...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10119601&postcount=422