Will my floor hold my tank?

[Jetdrvr]

A question for you guys with big tanks:

I currently have a 125 and am considering moving up to a 210 or 225 and I am wondering if you think Iwill have a problem with floor loading. My floor joists are 1 1/2 or 2 x 12" with a 1 1/2" hardwood floor on top of them. The tank will sit about 6-10" out from a load bearing wall. The house was built in 1955 before they started using 10" floor joists. Do you think I will be OK?

Thanks

Joe

 

[scbadiver]

Yes, as long as the tank runs across the joists.

 

[DOTZ]

I don't know that is like two cars sitting there.LOL I had a 125 in my house and it sagged one corner in my dinning room 1 inch before I could take it down. It was only set up for less than a year, so I would be scared about a 210 or 225. My house is built in 76 and has 8 inch floor joist with two 3/4 inch subfloors and 3/4 oak hardwood flooring. So I would be alittle worried. I don't think you'll have to worrie if you go under the house ans support it with blocks or beams though.

 

[DOTZ]

Mine ran across several floor truss and still sagged. If you support it though I don't think you'd have any worries.

 

[FFrankie]

The best thing to do is get an inspector over to evaluate the floor structure. You will need to know if the joists are on hangers or the footing of the house. Also there span matters a lot.

 

[Harleyguy]

If you tank was say 72x24x30 that's roughly 220 gallons and with everything in it (including tank that’s about 2500 pounds, heck round up to 3000 pounds that’s 250 pounds per square foot (about the weight of a laden bookcase.

 

[Jetdrvr]

The tank will sit perpendicular to the joists, and the joists are not hung and sit on the load bearing wall right behind the tank. I am thinking it will be fine, anyone else want to chime in here?

 

[dan10342]

use a steel girder to support your tank. then you wont have to worry, and you wont lose sleep. concrete blocks also work.

i have a 55 gallon in my house running perpandicular... and the floor now creeks like crazy. if salt gets to the joists... and the joists rot, your screwed.

 

[Jetdrvr]

That would be a great idea if there were a way to put a steel girder in my floor.
I think alot of us have had salt water spills and I have never heard that salt will rot wood any faster than fresh water will.........

 

[am3gross]

i am glad i have a conrete floor... good luck and here is a free bump for ya!

 

[adammreef]

ok what is the total span of the floor joists and are the set on 12 inch center 16 in. or 24 in. second is this on the second floor of the house or the first? and is there a full size basement?

 

[summer6]

When I moved from a 90 to my 200 (7') we put about 8 - 90 degree steel plates along the beam where the tank sits. I would strongly urge you to reinforce the floor, and have piece of mind.

 

[Jetdrvr]

The joists are 16" on center. 1 1/2" joists with 2 separte layers of hardwood floor 3/4" each on top of it. It is perpindicular to the joists, 6" out from a loadbearing wall and it will be spready over 5 joists with about 6" of overhang overhang on each side. Judging by the width of the room the total span of the floor joists are 15'.

Did that all make sense? It will replace a 125 and it will have approx 300lbs less weight due to the removal of all sand and about half of the LR. (going BB)

Thanks alot for the help

Oh and it is on the first floor right above a full basement.

 

[adammreef]

that is def a lot of weight for the floor joists to carry even though they are 2x12'S there not meant to carry weight like that normally a micro lamb would be used to carry excess weight like that. if it was me and it was my house i would def go into the basement and support the joists more maybe with a couple of 4x4 posts nailed to the floor joists and a couple of lolly columns on each end to support all the weight, the joists are 53 years old. it better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Jetdrvr]

The basement that it is over is finished so I really can't do that. The joists are really hard wood, when I finished the basement they were so hard that we couldn't drive nails into them by hand. The way I see this I am only raising my weight by about 400lbs because I am removing all sand and about half the rock. My sump and all equipment is in the basement so the only weight on the floor will be the tank with about 100-150lbs of LR in it.

 

[Jetdrvr]

By my figures, the 125 I have now weighs 172lbs per sq ft.
The new 210 will be 175lb/sq ft. This is not much of an increase.
This is in a room that is 12x18= 216sqft assuming a design load of min 40psf. The tank is along a load bearing wall. I really think this will be ok, right?

 

[adammreef]

i really think that is going to be a lot of weight for the floor to support. but if you insist on putting it there go for it. make sure that you don't notice any gaps in the hard wood floor after the tank is setup.

 

[adammreef]

and just because it next to a load bearing wall doesn't affect the strength of the floor joists a load bearing wall just supports the roof ridge and the weight of the roof.

 

[Jetdrvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11637525#post11637525 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by adammreef
and just because it next to a load bearing wall doesn't affect the strength of the floor joists a load bearing wall just supports the roof ridge and the weight of the roof.

Everything I have read has said that by putting it near a load bearing wall will assure max support for the joists since there are resting right on a block wall (the joists aren't on hangers). This as opposed to putting it in the middle of the floor where it could cause the floor to bow.

 

[adammreef]

this is true that the block will support more weight than a teco bracket will i totally agree with you. if your going to have it right up tight to the wall then it should be ok. like i said just make sure you hardwood floor doesn't buckle cause that would be the first sign of the floor joists failing.