Can my floor support a 100 gallon tank?

[ambrosius007]

I moved into a house that has wooden floor and a basement underneath. How can I find out if my wood floors on the main house can support a 100 gallon tank with a 55 gallon sump?

This is what I found underneath the area where I am planning on putting the aquarium. Looks like it is made of particle board I beams. The first picture from my actual house, the second picture is one from the web for reference. It looks like the i beam are around 10" top to bottom and about 18" apart.

 

[trido]

Those are an engineered joist. I forget the name. They are as strong or stronger than the 2x10 lumber they replicates and are 16" or 24"O.C. (16 or 24" inches apart). A 90G tank and sump will weigh about 1000 pounds and as long as you aren't setting the tank in the middle of the beam and put in near a support wall underneath it will be fine.

 

[ambrosius007]

Thank you for your advise.

It will be placed across the joists and next to a load bearing wall where the other side of the wall is exterior.

I was thinking of putting some floor jacks across the joists underneath for save measure or is this just over doing it?

Maybe something like this two feet away from the load bearing wall and spanning 5'.

 

[NeverlosT]

I think that you will be fine with no jacks, 1000 lbs is not so much for that kind of floor especially with the engineered lumber. I say have at it.

 

[JMSKI333]

I am a framer by trade and we use those floor joists all the time. They are ridiculously strong.

You will have no problem putting a tank in your home as long as it's near either the foundation wall or the steel beams in your basement. Like everyone said, just don't put it in an area that's in the middle of the span.

 

[ambrosius007]

Awesome!!!! Thank you everyone. Especial Jordan. Can't go wrong with the advise of a trade framer.

 

[skinz78]

Yep they are called TGI joists. I have them in my house, they are supposed to hold something ridiculous like 2,600 lbs per lineal foot... I have my almost 300g total water volume on an inside wall with no issues.