How much does a 100 gallon Acrylic Aquarium Weigh?

MarineGirl411

MarineGirl411

New member
Well, I just thought I'd ask. I'd like to replace my 40 breeder in the same spot on the floor with the 100 gallon acrylic tank. I just wanted to make sure the floor could hold it. I'd love to know how much it weighs. Please let me know. ;-) TY
 
Depending on the thickness of acrylic used, once full you should plan on around 1000lbs. Thats without rock, stand, equipment, etc.
 
Do a search on Aquarium calculator, you will get a link to a web site. The calculator gives you weight, how much sand (in lbs) you will need to get your desire sand bed, wattage to heat the water volume, and some others.
 
The weight of the tank itself is nothing compared to the weight of the water, rocks, and sand. I've never understood why people choose acrylic on the basis that it's "lighter than glass." You'll never be able to move a full tank no matter what it's made out of.

As Hormigaquatica hinted at, you'll be pretty safe to estimate around 10 - 15lbs per gallon of tank capacity by the time it's all set up.
 
True. I was thinking about the sand, rock, and stand included. It would be more than 1000. Right now I am guessing the tank is around 450 pounds. Maybe more. So it would be quite a bit more. I do not see the Aquarium calculator. Is it on RC?
 
Yup. BF thought he was going to have to put some concrete down. =( :::sigh. So this probably won't happen for a while. I don't know. How could I make sure the floor could hold 1500 pounds? Open up the floor? It's not over a basement.
 
It depends on what type of subflooring support you have. I am assuming it is not a concrete slab as we have here in Calif.

If you have a crawl space, you can place the tank crosswise across where your supports run or beef them up. It may work out that where you want to put it, will be well supported.

Let us know more about your foundation, as many reefers have tanks in the 100+ gallon range successfully.

Joyce
 
i'VE HAD A SEACLEAR ACRYLIC AQUARIUM SINCE 1997, so for 20 years, it isn't scratched & it's always had fluorite in it. it looks as good as the day i paid way too much for it :) it will never burst on my floor, and I alone ( a girl) can lift it with one hand, when it is empty. it is only a 30 gallon long, but we are now having a 96 in long made in acrylic because me and my husband can carry it & we'll have no fear of leaks etc.
 
Acrylic tank isn't that heavy at all. Two asian guy can carry 250 gallon tank without any problem. The thing is consider is rock and sand.
 
seapug said:
The weight of the tank itself is nothing compared to the weight of the water, rocks, and sand. I've never understood why people choose acrylic on the basis that it's "lighter than glass." You'll never be able to move a full tank no matter what it's made out of.

As Hormigaquatica hinted at, you'll be pretty safe to estimate around 10 - 15lbs per gallon of tank capacity by the time it's all set up.
Click to expand...

I went with acrylic because it was lighter than glass. It's not about the water, sometimes getting a large glass tank in tight spaces is a challenge. I went with a 300G tank, I had winding stairs and odd gates and such to go through in my custom designed home. Glass would have been a nightmare to move and this is coming from a guy who benches/squats 400+ lbs; glass sometimes just isn't feasible to move into a certain space due to weight. So far I love my acrylic and if I scratch it, I just use the mighty magnets sanding kit and it looks better than ever.
 
didn't see where original poster said what flooring this will be on... if its on a concrete slab floor then its fine.

Separate question though... how much weight could a concrete slab hold before it starts cracking? I assume since cars can park in the garage with concrete floors the slab should be able to hold a large tank. Just wondering when I see people with the 500, 1000+ gallons tanks if they had to make a thicker slab or anything to hold it.
 
steallife904 said:
didn't see where original poster said what flooring this will be on... if its on a concrete slab floor then its fine.

Separate question though... how much weight could a concrete slab hold before it starts cracking? I assume since cars can park in the garage with concrete floors the slab should be able to hold a large tank. Just wondering when I see people with the 500, 1000+ gallons tanks if they had to make a thicker slab or anything to hold it.
Click to expand...

Can't standard floor joists hold 1000's++ of lbs?

If 1 gallon of water is 8.34 lbs and the tank is 150-200 the OP would be looking at around 10000-12000 lbs with live rock.

Now visualize an attic in some cruddy old home on the third floor with a nintendo Wii and 4-6 obese drunk college kids jumping around. If those standard floor joists can hold that, i'm sure a fish tank would hold just fine. :) When is the last time you saw someone fall through a floor?!
 
Brunzy said:
Honestly if you need to figure 4ft or 6ft for length. Weight distribution isn't bad at all when its spread over a distance.

If you factor a human takes up say 250lbs in a 1x1 area and your floor is fine. If you for example say a 2x2 area can hold 500 lbs and keep going up.

Floor joices are made to hold weight........you will be fine with 100lbs over a 4x2 area or a 6x2 whatever you choose
Click to expand...

The last time the op was on here was 06? I think she got it figured out
 
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