Any chance my 180g could fall through the ceiling?

[Pprice01]

Hello All,

I've seen several threads here on this topic with varied opinion, but want one last sanity check before I get started.

I'm going for a 72" 180g tank, so I guess it will be over 2000 pounds by the time it's finished. I plan on putting the tank upstairs against an exterior wall, but it will run parallel to the joists since I don't have the space to run it perpendicular to them.

My house was built in 2006, and uses engineered joists, like the ones pictured below:

Do you think that this will be strong enough to hold the tank?

Thanks Everyone.

Paul

 

[huskerreef]

I am pretty confident you will be fine. If you want to sleep a little easier at night see if you could double up the beams under the tank by adding another one or two right next the existing beam. I had them do that where my 240 sits when they were building my house althought the builder didn't think it needed it.

 

[Pprice01]

I would like to do that, but it's all closed up and would be a significant undertaking. I'm hoping that since it's going up against an exterior wall that it will provide the necessary additional support.

 

[dave.m]

The exterior wall is not a factor. The amount of weight spread over the number of joists and the length of the unsupported portion of those joists is what counts. No-one here can give any guarantees or tell you what you want to hear. If you want to be sure hire a buildings engineer to inspect your house and do the calculations for you. Take his recommendations seriously.

djm

 

[baumgardner]

i am a general contractor and how long is the span between support walls? im looking to see it the joist may sag and the tank may lean forward. the joist next to the wall not so much but the 2nd. Also how many joist are under your stand ?

 

[Pprice01]

I feel so ridiculous. I just went out to my garage and in the low light with the basic bulbs in the ceiling I can see the shadows of the joists running in the ceiling - and they are perpendicular to the ones in my house! That means that the tank will NOT be parallel to the joists, but in fact it will run perpendicular and could catch 3 joists if I position it right!
(they are 24" on center).

There is a support beam separating the garage and the third car space (the tank is on the exterior wall over the third car garage), the span between the exterior wall and the beam is 10'.

So to recap - the tank will be against an exterior wall and run across 2, possibly three joists that run a 10' span from the wall to the support beam. What do you all think?

 

[dave.m]

That still depends on the size of the joists. Someone has already cut corners going with 24" on center, i.e. they have already tried to max out the capacity of the joists to save money rather than build a stronger floor.

I would suggest sistering plywood pieces down either side of the center supports of the joists, wide enough to fill the void on either side of the center support - glued, screwed and tattooed for strength. Then cross-brace between the joists for added rigidity. Paint everything to seal it. Some of the laminated products can fall apart if they get soaked.

Having an engineer check it and make recommendations is still your safest bet, and better for your home insurance, too.

Dave.M

 

[laf-reef]

I agree with Dave. M on this.... have it checked by an engineer

 

[keith20]

If you live in a small town, go visit your building inspector. He'll probably have the answers off the top of his head. Otherwise do some more research for maximum spans and supporting weights. Don't plan on using leveler feet on it either. You need to spread the weight over the most floor area you can. Leveling feet will just concentrate it. Water beds are also very heavy but they spread the weight out.

 

[Pprice01]

Thanks Everyone.

I plan to build my own stand and use the popular template here on RC (rocketengineer) that has the weight spread across the entire base of the stand.

Maybe I'll just make a couple 2x6 framed walls underneath since it's over my gargage and turn it into a cabinet for water storage.

 

[sbeason]

I had a similar situation and got this info: if you have 2x12 floor joints perpendicular to your tank, with less than 12 feet span from footer to main steel support beam or another footer, they can handle 6,000 pounds. I still would suggest going under the floor joints if you can and put a support wall about two feet away from the back wall, which would allow you to hold much more weight than your tank might be anyway.
I have a 210g tank and the span from the outside footer is 10 feet. I did put a support wall in the basement for piece of mind. Thanks, Steve

 

[Pprice01]

Thanks Steve.

If I put a support wall in, I would like it to occupy as little space as possible. Would you think that a 8' beam across the studs directly under the tank, of say 4x6, would be enough to add the necessary support? Provided I run 4x6 posts down from each corner to the concrete floor with the appropriate anchors?

 

[sbeason]

We used the standard framing for the support wall underneath...it became the front wall of a closet in the basement...2x4 framing with a double 2x4 on top and then on top of the wall, I bolted two 2x10's 10 feet long together and put them on top of the framed wall. The 2x4's were made on 16" centers...

This wall is 4 feet out from the concrete footer in our basement, which is about 1 foot to the front of where the 210 sits on the floor above.

It passed the building code inspection, so I am not worried.

Thanks, steve

 

[dave.m]

It passed the building code inspection, so I am not worried.

This is significant. Don't hotdog it. Get it inspected and passed.

Dave.M

 

[jmoney]

I would still have someone come out there and take a look at it, the house i live in now passed all the inspections, and I can't think of a single thing that hasn't broken or never should have passed in the first place, which is why we are moving in may. I don't trust those people, and I think you should find someone to come out there and give you a written guarantee of their decision.