Bigger tank w/out reinforcing floors
- Thread starter boalgf
- Start date
boalgf
Member
Jr... That was not helpful. I'd sooner call in a contractor, which I might have to do, than TRY to track down any of the dozens of people who worked for a company 5 years ago that made/designed my house. Also, don't use my thread to propigate your "I go to school" statements.
For others, the tank will be set up on the 1st floor. There is no basement. If I have to get it reinforced, how much does it cost?
Don't worry, I won't yell at everyone that helps. lol Just kids who like giving out info on things they are ignorant of.
For others, the tank will be set up on the 1st floor. There is no basement. If I have to get it reinforced, how much does it cost?
Don't worry, I won't yell at everyone that helps. lol Just kids who like giving out info on things they are ignorant of.
dingo0722
Member
if a 300 gallon tank weight 2400lbs, and guessing that the floor space that it covers is a 2x8 or 16 square feet, that would produce a floor pressure of 150pounds per square foot. I see no reason why you house would have any problems with that load. Are you on a concrete slab or 2x10 joists? Either way you should be fine! I would still talk to a builder
dme
Member
You know boalgf, that is a tough one for some to answer for as well it would make all the difference to your floor strength and I would say if a person has a crawl space under the floor that they should place supports from a 65 gal tank and up for its not worth the risk for you tank to come crashing down.
My house has a crawl space and I even had extra supports put into place for with all honesty I rather have the extra support and sleep better with it :joy:
Would a 300 gallon tank need floor reinforcements?
There is no question about it.
The supports I had one person put into place, cost me a few hundred dollars for the whole thing and this was for three locations under the house.
My house has a crawl space and I even had extra supports put into place for with all honesty I rather have the extra support and sleep better with it :joy:
Would a 300 gallon tank need floor reinforcements?
There is no question about it.
The supports I had one person put into place, cost me a few hundred dollars for the whole thing and this was for three locations under the house.
boalgf
Member
So a contractor it is, even if just for him to give the ok on if it's strong enough. I suppose that is both good and bad. I'll have to pay for the work, but now I can get a tank bigger than 300 if I choose to.
If anyone else has further comments/testimonials, I'd still really appreciate hearing them.
If anyone else has further comments/testimonials, I'd still really appreciate hearing them.
boalgf
Member
Yea i have a 125 there now. I almost bought the 300 last weekend, but did all I could to keep the urge under control. I want to add a few triggers (clown, blue lined) and a sohol tang to my tank. Maybe a few butterfly fish or wrasses as well.
I got in to this hobby wanting a clown trigger from the beginning but the more I learned the more I discovered I need a larger system to improve my odds of it not mangling my other tankmates.
I got in to this hobby wanting a clown trigger from the beginning but the more I learned the more I discovered I need a larger system to improve my odds of it not mangling my other tankmates.
jhill5
Member
I would strongly suggest reinforcing the floor. I have a 180 and put supports in my basement to support my tank on the first floor. at 300 will way more than 2400 pounds if you have a fuge/sump. I spoke with a custom builder on this exact topic and they said most houses are built to hold 45-55 pounds per SF. To me that sounded very low. When I installed my granit countertops they mentioned the house could settle a little from that weight. I do not think the tank would ever crash through the floor, however over time with that much of a consistant weight the joist may start to sag causing the tank to be unlevel.
One other way to look at it. The cost of putting in supports is very small compared to all other aspects of a 300 gallon.
My suggestion on the floor and everything else, try not to skimp, the conseguences are not worth it.
Just my $0.02.
GL and post pics when it is up.
One other way to look at it. The cost of putting in supports is very small compared to all other aspects of a 300 gallon.
My suggestion on the floor and everything else, try not to skimp, the conseguences are not worth it.
Just my $0.02.
GL and post pics when it is up.
dingo0722
Member
What Jhill said about residential floors being designed to hold 45-50lbs per square foot is true but what that applied to is the total load carrying ability of the rooms floor. If you have a 20x20 room thats 400square feet. Multiply that by 45 and the floor can support 18000 pounds.
Think about this. If you are a 200lb person and you are standing on 1 foot, which is about 1/2 a square foot, that works out to 400 pounds per square foot of pressure. If the 45pounds per square foot was a local maximum for the floor, there would be alot of problems.
You should also consider the tanks location with respect to the direction that your joists are running. Ideally you would want them to be perpendicular to the length of the tank. This distributes the load uniformilly over more joists.
Think about this. If you are a 200lb person and you are standing on 1 foot, which is about 1/2 a square foot, that works out to 400 pounds per square foot of pressure. If the 45pounds per square foot was a local maximum for the floor, there would be alot of problems.
You should also consider the tanks location with respect to the direction that your joists are running. Ideally you would want them to be perpendicular to the length of the tank. This distributes the load uniformilly over more joists.
unleashed
Active Member
Originally Posted by boalgf
So a contractor it is, even if just for him to give the ok on if it's strong enough. I suppose that is both good and bad. I'll have to pay for the work, but now I can get a tank bigger than 300 if I choose to.
If anyone else has further comments/testimonials, I'd still really appreciate hearing them.
its going to vary depending on the type of home and structure and age of that home asking a contractor is def not a bad idea
So a contractor it is, even if just for him to give the ok on if it's strong enough. I suppose that is both good and bad. I'll have to pay for the work, but now I can get a tank bigger than 300 if I choose to.
If anyone else has further comments/testimonials, I'd still really appreciate hearing them.
its going to vary depending on the type of home and structure and age of that home asking a contractor is def not a bad idea
wrigley11
Member
If cost is the issue... you could actually put in a couple of concrete footings and floor jacks for $100 to $200 max. As for crashing through the floor - you would notice other issues long before the tank would crash through the floor. For example - huge cracks would develop in the drywall long before the flooring would give out.
As for your floor... if you have a crawl-space, get under the house and check the location that the tank is going to sit at. I can not even count the amount of time I have talked to people about this exact question. They swear that the floor is 2x10’s and then find out that they are 2x6’s or 2x8’s floors. I have actually since three houses in my time that had 2x4’s for the flooring, it couldn’t even support the weight of the refrigerator that was in the kitchen. If you have 2x10’s you should be okay as long as the tank is against the wall on an outside wall.
One more thing... what type of foundation do you have... if it's not concrete walls, all the above mentioned is thrown out the window.
As for your floor... if you have a crawl-space, get under the house and check the location that the tank is going to sit at. I can not even count the amount of time I have talked to people about this exact question. They swear that the floor is 2x10’s and then find out that they are 2x6’s or 2x8’s floors. I have actually since three houses in my time that had 2x4’s for the flooring, it couldn’t even support the weight of the refrigerator that was in the kitchen. If you have 2x10’s you should be okay as long as the tank is against the wall on an outside wall.
One more thing... what type of foundation do you have... if it's not concrete walls, all the above mentioned is thrown out the window.
ams153
Active Member
idk if its too smart of me or not but i have a 220g on the second floor of my house running perpendicular to the supports and it hasnt crashed through yet!!!!! and the second floor to my house is under 10 years old.. so far everything seems to be fine!! but if such a big tank can be on the second floor of a house idk why a 300 couldnt be ok on the first floor!
thangbom
Active Member
um.. just my .o2$ .. i am part of the house building people.. ( i do hvac) i am not the builder or contractor.. but i do see a lot of walls built.. anyhow.. a 300 gal on the 1st floor woulod be ok if it was set on the outer walls.. ( agin jmo) even tho the floor can handle the weight.. it wont hould it in the same exact place over a long period of time.. ( just climb your stairs and see if it moves.. then think about how much u weigh compared to the wood it is made from...) i say reinforce the floor if it's not going to be on the other walls of the house.. just go inder the house.. dig a few feet.. then pour concrete .. make it flat then add some joist.. it woulnt cost too much..
yimmy
Active Member
My 95 is on a 1st floor with a concrete slab below it...good or bad, now back to your thing. A person may be standing there for 5-10minutes verse a tank is going to be staying there for a BIT longer than that. IMO it would only make a difference to your house if the tank was taller in terms of pressure per sq ft, I think, I'm only in algebra but just guessing. I would ask a contractor...I would do it just in case depending on how much it would cost because 300gal of water would cost alot more and do alot more damage than it would cost to reinforce
