380 gall on aquarium in mobile home

[jmccown]

Been on here a year and just found the large tank thread. Anyhow I want to post my thread here since I will probably get a good response. Here's my story...all started here...

Hey guys, I may have an opportunity to pick up a good deal on a huge tank with stand and canopy. 380 gallons to be exact. my dilemma is that I live in a mobile home, double wide. The tank is 8' long so weight will be spread out somewhat. Would a tank of this size and weight be okay in a mobile home? I know that the home has steel runners every 6-8' under it for support. Another option would be to put it in my garage (which is too large to heat). The aquarium is acrylic. Would it be okay through the winter? Just trying to look at my options before I commit to buying a beast of a tank. Later on down the road I may get a bigger house and I would have a nice display tank for the house. Any opinions or experiences with big tanks and mobile homes?

and then I committed to buying it...

OK guys, I've committed to buying this monster of a tank...380 gallons. It is 96x24x36. I am going to put it in the house and fit it to look like its built in the wall. Here is some pics of it currently where it is at. I am going to be picking it up next weekend in Indianapolis. Man you talk about butterflies in my stomach...I can't hardly wait..

I will probably use the stand and make a new canopy. For the finish I will use a nice grain wood covering and add some nice mouldings and top it off in a cherry stain. Ah yeah!!!!

New Question: what do you guys think about putting the display in the house and plumbing it under the house and out to my garage for the sump/filtration, etc? Keeping in mind that my garage is unheated. It would be about a 20 foot plumb job. What kind of return pump would I need to plumb a return also?

And now... the pics (hopefully they will work)


by jmccown1979


by jmccown1979



by jmccown1979


by jmccown1979


by jmccown1979


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Here is where the tank will be going. As you can see, the cabinets are coming out. The whole wall will be a tank wall. Will require some modification.


by jmccown1979

So what do you guys think?

 

[corivus]

pics didn't show up not sure about the integrity of the home tho

 

[jacob30]

Maybe it would help hold the home down during tornados with all that weight

JK. Good luck! I am not sure about the weight issue.

 

[John_Auberry]

I had a 420 in my singlewide. I put brick pillars under it for support

 

[crab0000]

Yeah I would just make sure to brace it really well. What size are the floor joists? I would not run the sump etc. in an unheated garage. You would end up spending major money in the winter trying to keep the sump from freezing. JMO

 

[Broreefr]

Mobile homes now-adays are mobile HOMES - they are normally built with good specifications, not many foundation homes are built to take a 70 mile an hour trip down the highway. Weight is normally the issue with Mobile Homes and storms.

You should have no problems, but I would definately reinforce the area underneath where the tank is going. Same steps I would take for any large tank going on a foundation that is not solid concrete. Remember with a 380 gallon, your talking tons, not pounds.

 

[jmccown]

let me try the pics again

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[reef_ky]

jmccown,
what part of ky are you in? I am in elizabethtown. I have a 315 (84*24*36) that I plumbed into the basement. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of room to access the tank if you are building it into the wall and a lot of floor support. I put 6-8" of sand in the bottom of my tank, and still can barely reach the bottom.
There is a club in Louisville with a lot of great people & knowledge. check this site out.
www.lmas.org
Jeremy