Floor Help? Please

[pwoller]

I'm at my witts end with the floor in my fish room. We have a 1 story ranch that is on a crawlspace. I have already sistered the joists under the room but if I walk in front of my tank, it still wobbles, shifts, moves around a bit. Should I worry about this or jsut fill the tank? Its only a hundred gallons but its rimless. How should I go about fixing this, or do I even need to worry about it?

 

[ReefStuff]

In my opinion no tank and it's stand should wobble or move, especially when you walk near it.

I'd move it to a level spot or correct whatever situation that is causing this.


Ricky Soutas Jr.
-Soutas Saltwater & Reef Inc.-
www.ReefStuff.com

 

[pwoller]

Anyone have any ideas on fixing this problem.

 

[pwoller]

No one?

 

[KDDG]

OK. This is something I have wanted to know. Unfortunately, I can't answer your problem, but I'm tagging along to see what other people think. We are building our tank now and we are also on a conventional slab w/ a large crawl space underneath. pwoller, You did go underneath and support some how? If you are having problems I probably will, too. I'd like to know what you've done so far.

 

[pwoller]

I have sistered the joists that are under the room that the tanki is going in. We live in a house built in the 70's that has squeaky, bouncy floors. After sistering the joists the floor doesn't seem to bounce as much but if I walk in front of the tank it still bounces a bit. I can't figure out if it is the subflooring that is bouncing or the joists.

 

[on the spot]

Re: Floor Help? Please

Originally posted by pwoller
...We have a 1 story ranch that is on a crawlspace...if I walk in front of my tank, it still wobbles, shifts, moves around a bit...How should I go about fixing this?

By all means fix it first.

I would use a header and posts.

 

[pwoller]

Re: Re: Floor Help? Please

Re: Re: Floor Help? Please

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14691578#post14691578 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by on the spot
By all means fix it first.

I would use a header and posts.

Can you be more specific?

 

[OCRick]

No question you need to fix this before loading your tank, you will have a major disaster if you don't. That size tank will probably weigh around 1,500 lbs when it is totally loaded. Just curious, did you sister the full length of the existing joist? You can do what "on the spot" suggested but the posts will have to be on foundations that extend to wherever the frost line extends to in Indiana!!!

 

[Dweezle]

I think this is the thread.... http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1567664

As for me, I built a header out of 2x8's to make a center brace across the joists for the whole tank area. Supported with cinder blocks on concrete footings... just shimmed it up tight against the joist and it got rid of my bounce.

 

[maxima k2]

Go get 2 or 4 lolly columns from the local hardware store. Place under the sistered joists and be done. Make sure you do this before you put the tank and stand in place.

 

[maxima k2]

Go get 2 or 4 adjustable lolly columns from the local hardware store. Place under the sistered joists and be done. Make sure you do this before you put the tank and stand in place.

 

[Patrick12]

Sistering the joints may not be too helpful.....if I understand what you mean by sistering them?

Did you specifically go under the house, jack up the joist under the tank about 1/2 inch and and add more cinder blocks? Unless you either place the tank on a wall that is along the outside frame, place the tank directly over the under supports, or add support directly under the tank, you will be unlikely to fix your current problem. Granted a 100 gallon tank is right at my threshold for doing all this kind of stuff, but given that you are having issues and are not even full of water, yet......you might ought to consider finding someone with some experience in these matters to come out and physically have a look see.

 

[Emory Speight]

Sounds as if the joists could be twisting under the load. After sistering the joists, if you have not yet , I would recommend bracing or blocking in between the joists. The simplest way is with blocks cut from the same size joist material to fit snugly between the joists and toenailed in. Normally the blocking would be placed at midspan of the joists but in this case I would also use blocking closer to where the aquarium sits. Adding some construction adhesive to the tops and ends of the blocks before tapping them in to place will help also.

 

[davocean]

Really need pics for best advice.
What kinda floor as well?
A floating wood floor will have flex/bounce, and can easily bounce an empty tank.
Most likely shimming tank stand alone will solve problem, and a load will keep from bouncing/jostling.
Sistered joists alone don't do that much.
If underneath framing is rotted or damaged thats another issue, but really need pics of what you have going on.

 

[pwoller]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14692710#post14692710 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davocean
Really need pics for best advice.
What kinda floor as well?
A floating wood floor will have flex/bounce, and can easily bounce an empty tank.
Most likely shimming tank stand alone will solve problem, and a load will keep from bouncing/jostling.
Sistered joists alone don't do that much.
If underneath framing is rotted or damaged thats another issue, but really need pics of what you have going on.

There is no rotting or anything like that going on. Basically where the tank is sitting its in the middle of the span of the joists. At first I thought sistering, scabbing or what ever its called would help. I basically used the same sized lumber and ran them up against the existing joists sitting on the support that the joists sat on. Screwed them into the side of the existing joists and shimmed between the joists and the subfloor. The sub floor looks like plywood to me. I dont think its a question of strength at this point. The tank is on a inside wall running perpendicular with the joists. I can't get a picture now but moving the tank really isn't an option.

 

[davocean]

Unless there is something unusual going on, I can't see a problem that can't be fixed w/ just shimming the stand level.

 

[pwoller]

I have it shimmed and 1/3 full of water and it still seems to be getting some movement when I bounce around the front and side of the tank. Do you think it will go away when full?

 

[davocean]

what kinda floor?
Is it a floating wood floor?

 

[OwenInAZ]

As stated above, I'd feel verrrrry uncomfortable unless the load of the tank were transmitted straight down to the ground via posts and a solid footer.