Originally Posted by AW2
Well, you also gotta think...
You're talking 2244.16 gallons of water. At 8.5lbs, per gallon, that's 19075.36 pounds.
There are not too many houses, I dont care how new it is, that can support that weight. Even putting it on a solid, concrete slab...I'd bet money that you'll see the floor settle, crack and it'll jeopardize the structural stability of that tank, no matter if it's built with a steel frame or not.
That was my biggest fear in planning my "Big" tank for my new house. Luckily my father builds houses and has a bit of stats useful to those interested in this. In his houses, he pours a 6 inch slab. It is my understanding that this is fairly standard (I'm a lawyer not a builder - so what do I know). He said that a six inch slab will support about 3000 pound per square INCH. The concrete will support the weight - that isn't a problem. The problem is the "settling" of the house. Houses will often shift over the lifespan of the home. The factors of shift are determined by the ground it is built on, size of house (wieght) and other factors. Also a shift might not be that big of a deal - if it is uniform in the way it settles, the risk to the tank would be minimal (IMO) - so long as it stays level. He said shift probably wouldn't be a problem.
