300 gallons to BIG for an apartment?
- Thread starter Birdhawk23
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demonnite57
New member
Last year when I lived in an apartment on the 2nd floor, I had a 75g (w/ 30g Sump) and a 44g Tank. Every step I took shook the tanks. I didn't trust anything bigger than what I already had. One piece advice I was given was place the tanks on the perimeter walls as they will have more support there than any of the "divider" walls. I don't think your downstairs neighbors would like to have a SW tank in their place with a nice "skylight."
Not 100% true. A structure could be built that would distribute the load over a larger footprint, though such a structure would be far less effective than reinforcing the floor from below would.
ganjero
saiperchémibatteilcorazon
If you are renting most likely you won't be able to take the proper course of action to reinforce the floor. I would say be responsible and don't get the tank and actually check where you currently have your 150g. It’s not so much the material damages that you can cause but you have to remember there are people living below you, you can ruin their life and your life if that falls on a person.
Birdhawk23
New member
Thanks for all the info guys, but I guess I was more hopefully wishing to find somebody who had a little experience with an apartment. Here's the deal, on my west end wall I have my 150, 72, 20 sump, and a tub full of 25 gallons of water. ALL AGAINST THE WALL.
My apartment managements is perfectly fine with me having the fish tanks, the maintenance commonly comes by to take a look. Even had a leak once and he fixed it for me.
Here's the test for tonight, I'm already laughing about it..
I'm inviting ten of my friends over and to make it easy the average of our weights is around 200 or more. I am going to place a 2x10x7 board infront of the 150 I currently have. And simple enough we are going to stand on the board and see if we go for a nice ride or not. lol what do you guys think?
When it comes to my current setup I can be standing in between my 150 and 72 take a big jump and they barely move in the littlest bit...
I got to thinking about putting boards on top my floor, I don't see how that wouldn't work
If I place 8, 10'x2"x12"s on the floor covering a whole section of my apartment. And then place the tank 4 feet back on the wood. That will distribute the weight in a much less stressful way on the floor. Anybody know anything why that theories wrong?
When it comes to me not wanting to get a big BA tank because its a little heavy and hard work... I'm in college, i'm young, and best yet I'm in a fraternity. In about 15 minutes, and two cases of beer I can have about 35 guys here to help me out!
Nothings better than brotherhood, Proud to be a Phi Delt!
My apartment managements is perfectly fine with me having the fish tanks, the maintenance commonly comes by to take a look. Even had a leak once and he fixed it for me.
Here's the test for tonight, I'm already laughing about it..
I'm inviting ten of my friends over and to make it easy the average of our weights is around 200 or more. I am going to place a 2x10x7 board infront of the 150 I currently have. And simple enough we are going to stand on the board and see if we go for a nice ride or not. lol what do you guys think?
When it comes to my current setup I can be standing in between my 150 and 72 take a big jump and they barely move in the littlest bit...
I got to thinking about putting boards on top my floor, I don't see how that wouldn't work
If I place 8, 10'x2"x12"s on the floor covering a whole section of my apartment. And then place the tank 4 feet back on the wood. That will distribute the weight in a much less stressful way on the floor. Anybody know anything why that theories wrong?
When it comes to me not wanting to get a big BA tank because its a little heavy and hard work... I'm in college, i'm young, and best yet I'm in a fraternity. In about 15 minutes, and two cases of beer I can have about 35 guys here to help me out!
Nothings better than brotherhood, Proud to be a Phi Delt!
people standing there may NOT give you an answer...the problem is the weight sitting on the floor LOOONG term! The floor joists can fail/warp later, and being unlevel can crack the tank glass.
OHHH...that explains it!
BTW...in the floor does collapse,with all your friends on it, according to RC rules, you must change your screen name to BirdBrain!
It will distribute the weight better, but not much better. Distributing the weight only works so well and doesn't actually compare to proper structural reinforcement.
Do you mean you'd be laying them down flat or having them vertical with a platform on top? Laying them flat would do very little, as the majority of the downward force on the floor due to the weight of the tank would still be focused around the footprint of the tank on your stand. Wood is not so rigid as to distribute a force along it's entire surface evenly.
If it was as a platform, you'd need to make sure that you were running your 2x12s counter to the floor beams, or it could actually make things worse by focusing the weight on the flooring material between the beams. A built platform (essentially a 2nd floor structure) would be better than just laying the boards flat, but is still a band-aid solution.
Unless you have a proper way to measure deflection, this will not conclusively say it's okay. Deflection under that kind of long term load can be very bad and completely unnoticeable to the naked eye in a short term observation. It might only give 1/16" at the point furthest from the wall, but with the tank there the entire time it could give another 1/16" tomorrow, and another 1/16" the day after that until it just snaps.
Last edited:
Birdhawk23
New member
Albano, i hope you're not bashing Greek Life with that comment.
Also, I will make sure to videotape the event tonight to see if I can get a sweet youtube video of us going for a nice ride... lol
BLT the platform you described is exactly what I have drawn up, and I'd like to build it no matter what tank size I run.
Do you guys think a 210 would be a more suitable with a 7 foot, footprint?
I am contacting a structural engineer asap
Also, I will make sure to videotape the event tonight to see if I can get a sweet youtube video of us going for a nice ride... lol
BLT the platform you described is exactly what I have drawn up, and I'd like to build it no matter what tank size I run.
Do you guys think a 210 would be a more suitable with a 7 foot, footprint?
I am contacting a structural engineer asap
As mentioned, be careful. Improper placement could move the weight OFF of the existing floor supports and make things worse.
+1. That's the best, safest and most accurate way to find out if the floor can handle it.
No Sir...joined Sigma Alpha Mu...in 1969!!!!!!!! so I KNOW that "that explains it"!
Birdhawk23
New member
Glad to hear you can understand how helpful brothers can be 
Birdhawk23
New member
Well spoke to THE building contractor/engineer of my apartment complex and this is what he had to say..
When I told him my plans his reply was "Well first off, I think you should just use it as a hot tub instead of a fish tank" hahaha good old guy...
But this is what he told me, ideally the first floor apartment would have absolutely no issues holding this size aquarium if not doubled with the concrete poured floor..
Second off, and I quote "In my opinion, this shouldn't be an issue at all with the way we construct our houses and buildings"
We're looking at 2x12's with I beam Joists spread out 16 inches apart. He told me their shouldn't be any issue with it holding that amount of weight, but he would take into consideration of where the tank will be located. He obviously stated that 4000 pounds in the middle of a room, is a considerable amount of weight compared to being placed into support walls cornering the apartment where I am gaining the strength of two sets of floor joists.
However, he did advice me to try and obtain the "pounds per square inch of pressure" as well as the "breaking point of a 2x12"
After all this, I wish I could do a 210 with a 7 foot stretch, rather than a 265. But if the floor is going to be able to withstand a 265, especially being sold to me for a measly 300 dollars I will go that route...
Anybody have any feedback, anythings appreciated guys!! Thanks!
When I told him my plans his reply was "Well first off, I think you should just use it as a hot tub instead of a fish tank" hahaha good old guy...
But this is what he told me, ideally the first floor apartment would have absolutely no issues holding this size aquarium if not doubled with the concrete poured floor..
Second off, and I quote "In my opinion, this shouldn't be an issue at all with the way we construct our houses and buildings"
We're looking at 2x12's with I beam Joists spread out 16 inches apart. He told me their shouldn't be any issue with it holding that amount of weight, but he would take into consideration of where the tank will be located. He obviously stated that 4000 pounds in the middle of a room, is a considerable amount of weight compared to being placed into support walls cornering the apartment where I am gaining the strength of two sets of floor joists.
However, he did advice me to try and obtain the "pounds per square inch of pressure" as well as the "breaking point of a 2x12"
After all this, I wish I could do a 210 with a 7 foot stretch, rather than a 265. But if the floor is going to be able to withstand a 265, especially being sold to me for a measly 300 dollars I will go that route...
Anybody have any feedback, anythings appreciated guys!! Thanks!
Birdhawk23
New member
Okay if everything I've read is correct. Any building built before 2004 was constructed by 2x10's every sixteen inches. Anything after that 2x12's every 12 inches.
And my calculations to 2X10's every sixteen inches measuring the pound force per square inch, every square foot can withstand 1500 pounds of force. 4000 roughly, pounds spread out 7 feet, it should be fine...
And my calculations to 2X10's every sixteen inches measuring the pound force per square inch, every square foot can withstand 1500 pounds of force. 4000 roughly, pounds spread out 7 feet, it should be fine...
Should be no problem , especially if building contractor told you 2X12's w/I beam joists!
aday2remmbr
New member
i cant have more than a 75 gallon tank on my second floor in my house, fall right through haha
Birdhawk23
New member
Well really though depending on where you've placed your tanks you might be running into the same issue.. But I expect they're spread out right??
tnias
Member
The size of the joists or TJI's is irrelevant without understanding the span of those joists. Typically apartment floors are designed, by code, at 100 pounds per SF. That accounts for the dead load of the floor and the live load of people and furniture.
Certainly, the tank along the bearing edge of the joists helps with distributing the load compared to the middle of the room. However, you need to consider the potential of the joists deflecting which may not result in structural failure but enough creep to crack the ceilings in the apartment below or add significant pressure on the glass walls of the aquarium.
With size, spacing, and span of the joist a structural engineer should be able to answer the question in a couple minutes.
Good luck
Certainly, the tank along the bearing edge of the joists helps with distributing the load compared to the middle of the room. However, you need to consider the potential of the joists deflecting which may not result in structural failure but enough creep to crack the ceilings in the apartment below or add significant pressure on the glass walls of the aquarium.
With size, spacing, and span of the joist a structural engineer should be able to answer the question in a couple minutes.
Good luck
Gill_bucket
New member
Do it!!!
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