paulcoates
Member
I currently have a 55 on my 3rd floor and want to upgrade to a standard (72" long) 150 reef. How many floor joists will I have to span for it to hold that weight. Anyone?
Floor requirement for a 150 Reef
- Thread starter paulcoates
- Start date
anonome
Active Member
This really depends on how your house is built. Floor joists can be 16" all the way to 24" apart. What ever you do the weight of the tank will be substantial so make sure the tank is placed on a weight bearing wall. Not in the middle of the room. On an outside wall to give you more support. Maybe a carpenter on here can help you out more, with the specifics.
paulcoates
Member
Here is apicture of the room. Its kind of diificult to explain, but the roof line of the 3rd floor does not follow the roof line of the house
michaeltx
Moderator
I personally wouldnt trust it mainly because of weight you looking at 1200 pounds in just water no tank stand canopy, sand, rocks, or any equipment that will go along with it plus the weight of a sump if you choose to have a sump.
So I wouldnt on a 3rd floor way to much weight to chance it IMO
Mike
So I wouldnt on a 3rd floor way to much weight to chance it IMO
Mike
paulcoates
Member
To be honest, I think it is more of that. I was looking at a guide at the LFS today. A 150 filled with water with water, stand and canopy weighs 1800 lbs. Throw in 200 lbs of live rock and you are easily at 2000. Throw in a sump and a top off tank and I think I could be looking at nearly 2500 lbs.
I believe my joists are every 16 inches. So I believe a 72" tank would span 5 joists. I am not thinking that it is a load bearing wall. There are 2x4's behind there drywall, however I think they are probably only there to hang the drywall on. In fact I would say that the tanks will position it;s weight about 1/3 of the way down the joist
I believe my joists are every 16 inches. So I believe a 72" tank would span 5 joists. I am not thinking that it is a load bearing wall. There are 2x4's behind there drywall, however I think they are probably only there to hang the drywall on. In fact I would say that the tanks will position it;s weight about 1/3 of the way down the joist
paulcoates
Member
The house was built in 1998 by the way
michaeltx
Moderator
yeah its more than 1200 I was saying 1200 just in water!!
If you are determined to have it up there i would ask a structural engineer to come look at it and give you a structural inspection of where you want to put the tank. you are going to drop a pretty penny in this tank whats a couple hundred to make sure the floor will hold the weight.. just let them know how much its going to weigh and the exact size of it.
JMO
Mike
If you are determined to have it up there i would ask a structural engineer to come look at it and give you a structural inspection of where you want to put the tank. you are going to drop a pretty penny in this tank whats a couple hundred to make sure the floor will hold the weight.. just let them know how much its going to weigh and the exact size of it.
JMO
Mike
paulcoates
Member
ok, let me change the tank size. Let's look at this from a different perspective. I already have the following fish:
1)Yellow Tang
2)Hippo Tang
3)Longnose Hawwkfish
4)Pseudochromis
5)2 Percula's
6)Yellow Tail Damsel
I want to add:
1)Achilles Tang
2)Powder Blue Tang
3)Poddibly an Angel (need to research a little more - are any reef safe?)
1)Yellow Tang
2)Hippo Tang
3)Longnose Hawwkfish
4)Pseudochromis
5)2 Percula's
6)Yellow Tail Damsel
I want to add:
1)Achilles Tang
2)Powder Blue Tang
3)Poddibly an Angel (need to research a little more - are any reef safe?)
paulcoates
Member
would a 120 work?
startrfish
Member
Originally Posted by paulcoates
ok, let me change the tank size. Let's look at this from a different perspective. I already have the following fish:
1)Yellow Tang
2)Hippo Tang
3)Longnose Hawwkfish
4)Pseudochromis
5)2 Percula's
6)Yellow Tail Damsel
I want to add:
1)Achilles Tang
2)Powder Blue Tang
3)Poddibly an Angel (need to research a little more - are any reef safe?)
yes bi color angels are reef safe...there are a few more
ok, let me change the tank size. Let's look at this from a different perspective. I already have the following fish:
1)Yellow Tang
2)Hippo Tang
3)Longnose Hawwkfish
4)Pseudochromis
5)2 Percula's
6)Yellow Tail Damsel
I want to add:
1)Achilles Tang
2)Powder Blue Tang
3)Poddibly an Angel (need to research a little more - are any reef safe?)
yes bi color angels are reef safe...there are a few more
startrfish
Member
Originally Posted by acrylic51
BiColor angel is questionable as far as being reef safe.....
how so?....do they go after inverts?
BiColor angel is questionable as far as being reef safe.....
how so?....do they go after inverts?
acrylic51
Active Member
Originally Posted by startRfish
how so?....do they go after inverts?
Show me where Angels BiColors are safe???? I have a BiColor that if I'd drop in your tank he'd devour your GSP in a heart beat......Angels are iffy as being reef safe....Just like Coral Beautys'.....I have one and doesn't touch a thing, but my buddy and one of my customers have one and they had to ditch them.....it's a 50/50 chance with angels.....
how so?....do they go after inverts?
Show me where Angels BiColors are safe???? I have a BiColor that if I'd drop in your tank he'd devour your GSP in a heart beat......Angels are iffy as being reef safe....Just like Coral Beautys'.....I have one and doesn't touch a thing, but my buddy and one of my customers have one and they had to ditch them.....it's a 50/50 chance with angels.....
acrylic51
Active Member
I just happen to pull out my handy dandy Marine Fish guide by Scott W. Michael, and going through the angels here's what's said......
Flagfin Angel Not recommended
Indian Yellowtail Angel Some risk may nip at invertes, including stony and soft corals.
Cherub Angel Will occasionally nip at stony and some soft corals, and clam mantles.
Golden Angel Many nip at both large-polyped and small polyped stony corals....will not bother most soft corals with possible exception of Xenia.
Bicolor Angel ADD with CAUTION.....will often nip large-polyped stony corals, soft corals, zoanthids, and tridacnid clams.
Coral Beauty Will occasionally nip at large-polyped stony corals and clam mantles.
Eibl's Angel ADD with CAUTION.....may nip again like the Bicolor.......
Fisher's Angel May nip again.....
Lemonpeel Angel Notorious for nipping large-polyped stony corals, and tridancnid clam mantles. may east soft coral polyps, and nip zoanthids.
Herald's Angel May nip at large-polyped stony corals, zoanthids, and tridacnid lam mantles. May also eat some soft coral polyps.
Flame Angel May nip at large-polyped stony corals, zoanhids, and tridacnid clam mantles, may also eat soft coral polyps.....
Potter's Angel May attack some soft corals and nip at largeppolyped stony corals, zoanthids, and clam mantles.....
Keyhole Angel May attack some soft corals, and nip at large-polyped stony corals zoanthids, and tridacnid clam mantles.
There are a couple that look good though......
Lamarck's Angel
Blackspot Angel
Watanabe's Angel
Flagfin Angel Not recommended
Indian Yellowtail Angel Some risk may nip at invertes, including stony and soft corals.
Cherub Angel Will occasionally nip at stony and some soft corals, and clam mantles.
Golden Angel Many nip at both large-polyped and small polyped stony corals....will not bother most soft corals with possible exception of Xenia.
Bicolor Angel ADD with CAUTION.....will often nip large-polyped stony corals, soft corals, zoanthids, and tridacnid clams.
Coral Beauty Will occasionally nip at large-polyped stony corals and clam mantles.
Eibl's Angel ADD with CAUTION.....may nip again like the Bicolor.......
Fisher's Angel May nip again.....
Lemonpeel Angel Notorious for nipping large-polyped stony corals, and tridancnid clam mantles. may east soft coral polyps, and nip zoanthids.
Herald's Angel May nip at large-polyped stony corals, zoanthids, and tridacnid lam mantles. May also eat some soft coral polyps.
Flame Angel May nip at large-polyped stony corals, zoanhids, and tridacnid clam mantles, may also eat soft coral polyps.....
Potter's Angel May attack some soft corals and nip at largeppolyped stony corals, zoanthids, and clam mantles.....
Keyhole Angel May attack some soft corals, and nip at large-polyped stony corals zoanthids, and tridacnid clam mantles.
There are a couple that look good though......
Lamarck's Angel
Blackspot Angel
Watanabe's Angel
startrfish
Member
i think i should have been more accurate in my word choice for the bi color. Caution advised is what i should have thrown in. Ive seen these in several reef systems (they were juvies of course) but still in there. Too bad angels are not entirely a reef safe fish =(