Reef tank on 2nd floor of home..maximum size ?

[Reefrock]

Hello...I would like to setup a small reef tank on second floor of my house...home is 15yrs old..typical construction. I was wondering what a safe size, if any would be. I would use it as a quarantine tank most likely in my home office in a 2nd fallout bedroom converted. I was thinking around 30gl max...is that safe?...

Any opinions and experience is much appreciated ,, thanks

 

[Alex114]

A 30 gallon tank will be completely fine. 30 gallons of water will weigh around 250 pounds, probably 400-500 pounds after you include the weight of the rock, stand, the glass tank, etc. It sounds like a lot but if you have 3 adults standing in one spot that could easily be 400-500 pounds. The floor should be completely fine

 

[billdogg]

It will depend on where. If it's in the middle of a large room it would need to be fairly small. If it's on a load bearing wall perpendicular to the floor joists you could manage a relatively large tank without issue.

The devil is in the details......

 

[Sk8r]

Depends on your floor, depends on where your loadbearing walls are. I have a 90- something in a corner next to a loadbearing wall, along with a piano, a tv entertainment unit, and a 50 gallon. The subfloor is completely exposed in the adjacent unfinished half of the basement and there are no issues. Floor is 2x6's, by rough estimate. But I would not like that load against an ordinary wall or on a weaker floor.

 

[A Aaron]

My house is from 1920 and I have a 100 gal plus 50 gal sump. Been fine for years. It’s where we all hang out and watch tv. Each house is different but that’s my experience

 

[marinemanohio]

Totally a hose-by-house basis. and a room-by-room. Something towards outside walls or center beam is different that a wide span between the two. I've had 120 and 180 gallon tanks with sumps, etc sitting on outside walls for many, many years with no issue.