keeping a 55 gallon upstairs

[skirrby]

im hoping to get my girlfriend a 55 gallon thats for sale with a stand around me.. her room is upstairs. would a 55 gallon be able to be set up in her room without any worries about the floor giving way lol. the house is brand new they have only lived in it for about 5 months. i honestly dont think there would be a problem.. but her mom says it will collapse. if you all can give me faith that its safe and all, and i can talk her mom into letting me.. im going to get it for her for her bday

 

[sebae0]

its perfectly fine, i think the floor can handle it ok.

 

[jedininja]

Just think, if a bath tub full of water and lets say a 200 pound guy won't collapse through the floor, a 55 gallon wont be a problem

 

[kelkoolaid]

i just got a 120, I was worried about my floor, my father builds houses and he told me as long as it was on an outside wall, I was totally ok. So I don't know her floor plan but I would suggest and outside wall the closer to a corner the more strength (cross-beams) Hope this helps.:yes:

 

[harlequinnut]

I think it's perfectly fine for a brand new house. Wouldn't go over a 55 though. Good luck on convincing your GF's mother, they can be really stubborn sometimes.:yes:

 

[harlequinnut]

Originally posted by jedininja
Just think, if a bath tub full of water and lets say a 200 pound guy won't collapse through the floor, a 55 gallon wont be a problem
Didn't think of that one, you're absolutely right on that!

 

[skirrby]

yeah well she told her that it wont fall through the floor and her new excuse was... that it might shatter and spill all the water out. i guess she thinks that her brothers 10 gallon wont ever shatter and spill its water..i think a 9 year old kid is way more likley to end up shattering his tank than a 17 year old girl.

 

[clownfishy]

tank should be fine i got my 46 up stairs in my room and the house i live in is over 70 years old.
P.S if you know what is good for ya you will do your bes to keep ur GF friends mom happy.

 

[jedininja]

Agreed on keeping GF mom happy!!! It'll make your life so much easier in the long run. Go smaller if that''l make her happy.

 

[elfdoctors]

A 120 gallon tank upstairs can be very iffy. That is easily over 1000 pounds. I agree that being against an outside wall would be safer but you should also ensure that the cross beams in the floor are going perpendicular to the tank - otherwise all that weight will be on one or two beams and that could cause a disaster.
Every contractor is aware of the weight of bathtubs so the floors there are always specially reinforced. You cannot simply put a bathtub anywhere in a house.
I was recommended not to even have a 75 gallon tank upstairs without checking with a contractor as serious accidents have happened with tanks this size.
Be careful with floods also. Most newbies will have at least one flood setting up a tank and it could cause some damage with a tank that large. Remember that flood damage may not be covered by your homeowner's insurance. You probably need to have your Mom check into that also.

 

[harlequinnut]

I agree with clownfishy, better keep GF's mom happy. Who knows, she may be your inlaw someday!

 

[tobruk]

Originally posted by Harlequinnut
I agree with clownfishy, better keep GF's mom happy. Who knows, she may be your inlaw someday!
Happens to the best of us:help:

 

[mouse03245]

I live on the second floor of an apartment and have a 100 gal.As long as its on an outside wall you should be ok.My apartment is old and we have no problem....good luck and Happy New Year!

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by elfdoctors
Be careful with floods also. Most newbies will have at least one flood setting up a tank and it could cause some damage with a tank that large. Remember that flood damage may not be covered by your homeowner's insurance. You probably need to have your Mom check into that also.
Oh Yah, THIS will help convince the Gf's Mom... :scared:
How much room you got in the basement...next to the sump pump ???

 

[dreeves]

The weight load of a floor in a later home is I believe something like 500 pounds per SF...
Also something to consider...how many people have kept waterbeds in their bedrooms? Imagine what a waterbed weighs...
Seems like the mother isnt too concerned with a 10 gallon...just tell her you decided against the 55 and got a 20 gallon instead...then just put the 55 in and claim it is a 20...

 

[cprdnick]

Originally posted by dreeves
Seems like the mother isnt too concerned with a 10 gallon...just tell her you decided against the 55 and got a 20 gallon instead...then just put the 55 in and claim it is a 20...
LOL, OMG, she may be a mom, but I doubt she's been driven to the point of believing that one yet. LOL. Dude, kiss some booty. Here is what I have found fool proof. Agree with the mom 1/2 the time and agree with the G/f half the time. Agree with the dad all the time, unless it is about cars or football.