Looking at putting a larger tank in a single wide. Is it even possible?

[Fishels]

I once moved a 200 out of a single wide that had been there for multiple years. They blocked it with jack stands under the trailer where the tank sat.

On another move I was asked to help move another tank, this was my old 7' Oceanic, softest ride ever

Lol and the floor was okay? Any idea how many Jacks? Dont worry guys I’m not thinking of a 200 just wondering

Great pic lol

 

[Fishels]

It depends on the age of the home (what codes were in effect when it was built). Typically a live load of 40 psf is the minimum design spec and most likely don't exceed that due to weight and cost.

As mentioned above, water is 8.33 pounds/gallon - rock, sand, and glass are heavier. So using 10 pounds/gallon will give you a safer estimate.
150 gallons would be roughly 1,500 pounds spread over ~15 square feet or ~100psf

The issue here (as mentioned above) is not typically going to be complete floor failure, but instead significant deflection and bouncing.


It depends on the foundation and climate (freeze thaw, etc.)
The load could be supported from underneath - (as mentioned above) this depends on the foundation. Is it on slab, on runners, on piers, etc.

on where in the home the tank is going.
The center of the room, against the wall, over the main beam, etc.

In general, bigger tanks are going to shake a good bit due to the lack of rigid structure.

As you have already surmised, it would be best to see the home first and get some details and then make a decision according to the data that you gather.

Thank you! Great points. Hopefully I will have a chance to look soon.

 

[Reefing102]

What would you say about a Red Sea 250? 65 gallon tank overall with a 54 gal display tank. 35.4 inches long. 20.8 high and 19.6 inches high. I understand you guys haven’t seen the property so I’m not trying to rub you like a genie lol but I did wanna ask about that model.

I love the couch analogy but as the tank gets bigger don’t you have to go away from that a little more? For example maybe my couch can hold 1200 pounds worth of people but can it hold that 24/7 365 days a year? That’s what makes me wonder esp since the Red Sea 250 is more of a tall tank rather than long.

Sorry your three wishes from this genie are up…lol jk jk


I was using the couch analogy only as an amount of weight on the floor perspective of 500lbs in one spot. As far as the Red Sea Reefer 250, the overall rounded dimensions are 36l x 21h x 20w or 5 square feet with a rough weight of 650lbs over that 5 square feet is about 130psf @BeanAnimal please correct me if my calculations are off. In this instance I would ensure it’s along either a steel beam or reinforced just to be on the safe side.

 

[BeanAnimal]

It is a higher weight per square foot, but less than half of the weight. I think the code also states that a point load of 200 psf must not cause more than 1/8” deflection. This does not mean that the live load can be that high, the 40 psf figure is meant to be a room distributed load. So a 10x10 room can have 4,000 pounds of live load and still meet deflection and safety specs. You are a 200 pound person walking, with .5 square foot shoes or a 300 pound dresser with 4 bun feet, etc.

 

[alton]

Lol and the floor was okay? Any idea how many Jacks? Dont worry guys I’m not thinking of a 200 just wondering

Great pic lol

Sorry I showed up and while moving someone ask the question. The trailer was skirted so I couldn't see underneath. Think of it like this you invite 6 of your buddies and they are my size 6 x 270 lbs = 1620 lbs. We are standing and shifting our weight back and forth while drinking. Are going to say hey guys can ya'll spread out because your adding too much weight per sqft to this one area? If you have metal frames supporting your trailer and your tank can span two different frames then put two jacks and each and call it good.