Those with tanks on a second floor....

[eder10986]

Right now we have a 95 gal system upstairs. Our den is upstairs and love it there thus want to keep tank there if we upgrade.

Looking at 150-200 gal. House is 3 years old so assuming strong floor.

Do y'all think we can pull this off or is it too much? Anyway to reinforce?


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[BlackTip]

Right now we have a 95 gal system upstairs. Our den is upstairs and love it there thus want to keep tank there if we upgrade.

Looking at 150-200 gal. House is 3 years old so assuming strong floor.

Do y'all think we can pull this off or is it too much? Anyway to reinforce?


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No way.

150 gal is about 1500 lbs + the weight of the tank, sump, and stand. It easily exceeds 2300 lbs. Your floor is engineered for 40 lb per sqf (IIRC).

 

[lagatbezan]

is there anyway you can put support beams under where the tank goes?

 

[eder10986]

There isn't a crawl space or anything at all actually. So no....

Hmmm. House is in a concrete slab with wooden flooors. Anyway to reinforce those If we keep it downstairs.

Any other opinions about upstairs?


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[eder10986]

Thinking of full bathtubs and waterbeds etc. I know it's a larger surface area but he same concept. And floors hold them....


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[BlackTip]

There isn't a crawl space or anything at all actually. So no....

Hmmm. House is in a concrete slab with wooden flooors. Anyway to reinforce those If we keep it downstairs.

Any other opinions about upstairs?


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If the house is on slab, I don't think reinforcement is needed. I never lived in a house on a slab. I imagine your hardwood floors or carpeted floors are right on top of the slap. In this case, nothing is needed.

 

[Pittsburgh]

40 lbs per square foot doesn't mean much in this case. The formula takes into account the length of floor joists and the width of the tank. For example, your tank is 3ft wide and the floor joists span 12ft (very typical in modern construction). Then the safe load for that area is 3 x 12 x 40PSF = 1440 lbs. And that's assuming that you are going to put your tank along the direction of the joists. A 150g tank would be pretty close to that number (assuming it's 3ft wide). Perpendicular arrangement would take the length of the tank into account. A 6ft tank perpendicular to 12ft joists would give you 6 x 12 x 40 = 2880lbs safe load.

 

[ReefTankHunter]

I had a 180 RR with 40 breeder sump, 150 lb of live rock, on floor that had 2x10 floor joist on 16" center. Installed a brace, and left a 1/8 cap.After filling tank and adding every thing. Still had a 1/8 cap. So I took out brace .If you place it against a. outside wall, with the tank running across the joist you should be fine, as long as the floor joist are proper size and installed correctly

 

[eder10986]

I had a 180 RR with 40 breeder sump, 150 lb of live rock, on floor that had 2x10 floor joist on 16" center. Installed a brace, and left a 1/8 cap.After filling tank and adding every thing. Still had a 1/8 cap. So I took out brace .If you place it against a. outside wall, with the tank running across the joist you should be fine, as long as the floor joist are proper size and installed correctly

I'm trying to follow here but for some reason cannot. Are you saying you did have one on the second story or not? I can try to pull up my building plan and such but how do I know where the joints are and where to install a brace etc....I'm getting a 50/50 consensus. FYI I may purchase the tank from user crayola(something) from the classifieds for reference.

All your input is really appreciated.


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[eder10986]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2603384

 

[ReefTankHunter]

I'm trying to follow here but for some reason cannot. Are you saying you did have one on the second story or not? I can try to pull up my building plan and such but how do I know where the joints are and where to install a brace etc....I'm getting a 50/50 consensus. FYI I may purchase the tank from user crayola(something) from the classifieds for reference.

All your input is really appreciated.


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It was first floor, but with a crawl space. And I did not need a brace.
If your second floor has 2x10 floor joist, and you place your tank against the wall where your floor joist run parallel to the tank.(In another words ,the tank laying over as many joist as possible.

 

[JohnnyBoyPerth]

You may or may not need additional reinforcement for a tank of that size.

I would recommend you engage a structural engineer to assess your house. They may find that you can only put the tank in a certain spot without additional reinforcement or not at all. Plus if you ever have an accident, I’m sure the insurance company will want to know that it was installed in a structurally suitable area.

A few hundred dollars will be well worth it for peace of mind

 

[LXXero]

my 120g 4x2x2 is on the 2nd floor. It's perpendicular to the joists, and on an outside wall. An outside corner wall none the less. not sure i'd go much bigger than that, though i've heard of 125/180s on the 2nd floor occasionally. the extra length would be spread over more joists, a 125 i wouldn't bat an eye at if the structure is sound.

my house is also only like 10-11 yrs old and built with wooden i-beams. I'm less concerned about the structure, probably more concerned about the fact the house is kind of crooked (yay, colorado expansive soils) we shimmed the tank to level it out, but it's been filled since july and so far so good.

a 180g isn't a huge stretch over that, but here's something to consider, is the 95 gal a 4ft tank, and you'll be going to a 6ft tank? If so the extra weight will be spread over another joist or two. Take that into account and keep the weight/length ratio about the same and I would think you should be fine.

 

[eder10986]

my 120g 4x2x2 is on the 2nd floor. It's perpendicular to the joists, and on an outside wall. An outside corner wall none the less. not sure i'd go much bigger than that, though i've heard of 125/180s on the 2nd floor occasionally. the extra length would be spread over more joists, a 125 i wouldn't bat an eye at if the structure is sound.

my house is also only like 10-11 yrs old and built with wooden i-beams. I'm less concerned about the structure, probably more concerned about the fact the house is kind of crooked (yay, colorado expansive soils) we shimmed the tank to level it out, but it's been filled since july and so far so good.

a 180g isn't a huge stretch over that, but here's something to consider, is the 95 gal a 4ft tank, and you'll be going to a 6ft tank? If so the extra weight will be spread over another joist or two. Take that into account and keep the weight/length ratio about the same and I would think you should be fine.

That's my train of thought. Just have to figure out how my joists run. Can't seem to find a blueprint and j haven't received a message back from my builder yet.


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[ReefTankHunter]

my 120g 4x2x2 is on the 2nd floor. It's perpendicular to the joists, and on an outside wall. An outside corner wall none the less. not sure i'd go much bigger than that, though i've heard of 125/180s on the 2nd floor occasionally. the extra length would be spread over more joists, a 125 i wouldn't bat an eye at if the structure is sound.

my house is also only like 10-11 yrs old and built with wooden i-beams. I'm less concerned about the structure, probably more concerned about the fact the house is kind of crooked (yay, colorado expansive soils) we shimmed the tank to level it out, but it's been filled since july and so far so good.

a 180g isn't a huge stretch over that, but here's something to consider, is the 95 gal a 4ft tank, and you'll be going to a 6ft tank? If so the extra weight will be spread over another joist or two. Take that into account and keep the weight/length ratio about the same and I would think you should be fine.

This is what i was trying to say. LOL.

 

[ericarenee]

I am a Contractor and its what i do for a living.

There is no way anyone can answer this question without being on site and checking out the construction.
The things to look at in consideration on weight it can hold.
1. Construction materials
2. Joist spacing
3. Length span of joist between walls and center beam in the house.
4.Is the center beam in the house actually a support wall and does it carry to the basement
5. size of support beam.
6. Bridging. and how much of it.. is it wood bridging or metal . This is VERY often over looked and if done properly a 2x6 joist floor can support more weight then a 2x12 joist floor without proper bridging..
7. Sub floor thickness and type of material.. Say Strand board will not be as strong as say plywood. plywood is not as strong as 1x
8. knowing what to look for....
with all the above unless you have floor trusses and the tank is on a outside wall spanning across multiple joist you should be ok..Floor trusses and Manufactured joist are stronger then 2x dimensional lumber with a bad side effect they have more bounce and give. of course this does not apply to full dimensional laminated beams but of course lam-beams are to expensive to be used for floor joist .

anyway take advice from nobody only they are standing in your house with the floor open to asses what you actually have...

Good Luck.

 

[kevin_e]

Hire a structural engineer. no way I would risk my tank, my house and my family with a tank that size without doing do. Once you get the opinion of one, hire and 2nd and a 3rd. Then make your decision.