Floor support for Red Sea Reefer 250

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canadianeh

canadianeh

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Is there any structural engineer out here that can help with my question?

I am going to put up new Red Sea Reefer 250 in a formal room in the main floor. Basement is not finished. The tank will be vertical to the joists. On the manual of Red Sea Reefer, it says the tank and water will weigh about 800lbs. To be safe I guess I should be prepared for 1000 lbs.

Can my floor support it? See picture of the joists in the basement

BD87DF2E-0DB9-4B93-94D5-A04F651C8DA3.jpeg
 
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I'm not a structural engineer by any means, but it is only a 65 gal capacity tank. Cant imagine you would have any issues with that. I have always heard you don't really have to start worrying until the tank is like 120 gallons or more. Take that all with a grain of salt though and do your research. I don't see it being an issue though. If the stand it comes with is strong enough to hold the tank, i would imagine floors for a house can hold it up. The stand isn't even real wood and it still feels solid underneath my 250.
 
You could support it with a board perpendicular to the joist and some adjustable floor Jacks to be safe. You could always remove them later if desired.

If the thank spans over more than 1 joist I wouldn't worry to much about it.

Not 100% sure what you mean by vertical....

Are you going parallel with the joist or perpendicular?
 
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BeMoto said:
You could support it with a board perpendicular to the joist and some adjustable floor Jacks to be safe. You could always remove them later if desired.

If the thank spans over more than 1 joist I wouldn't worry to much about it.

Not 100% sure what you mean by vertical....

Are you going parallel with the joist or perpendicular?
Click to expand...

Parallel
 
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I think your fine but I always say if you can do it meaning you have the space down there, not to hard of a job and funds, etc... then do it just so it makes you sleep better. If not there's a chance every single day you will wonder if its going through the floor :). So if you can reinforce it just do it.
 
Agree that I wouldnt be at all concerned with a Reefer 250. Good that you thought to consider it but not enough weight to sweat it IMO.
 
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Those beams look really close together. I would say you are way above ok. A year ago or so someone on my local reefing forum put in a 180-200 gallon tank, put in jacks in crawl space but left enough space to slide a card between it so he could see how much floor deflection he would get. Got nothing even after letting sit for several weeks.
 
Sailingeric said:
Those beams look really close together. I would say you are way above ok. A year ago or so someone on my local reefing forum put in a 180-200 gallon tank, put in jacks in crawl space but left enough space to slide a card between it so he could see how much floor deflection he would get. Got nothing even after letting sit for several weeks.
Click to expand...

The beam height is 9” and the distance to the next beam is 16”
 
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Sailingeric said:
Those beams look really close together. I would say you are way above ok. A year ago or so someone on my local reefing forum put in a 180-200 gallon tank, put in jacks in crawl space but left enough space to slide a card between it so he could see how much floor deflection he would get. Got nothing even after letting sit for several weeks.
Click to expand...
Unless it was supported right underneath or the tank was along a wall if you put a 200 gallon tank which is over 2000 pounds on wood floor joists I have to say you will certainly get deflection. Wood deflects.
 
I was trying to find the post, but it was a long a wall. Would not want to do it in the middle of a floor
 
If you have, say, three 300lb men standing shoulder to shoulder talking about fishing (lol) ... ask yourself... would all three go thru your floor into basement? I extremely doubt it

16in off center joists with 3/4in subflooring can hold a TON of weight.

Now if the tank was in the middle of the floor, would your floor sag a 1/2in to 1inch over 5-10yrs? Probably.....

you can always tell if the baseboards are nailed to the wall, if gaps are showing up

I have a 6ft 180g sit along a wall with only one floor joist running in parallel along an EXTERIORwall... No sags since 2012.

Nags? Yes from my spouse. Sags? Nope
 
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BRS
skimjim said:
If you have, say, three 300lb men standing shoulder to shoulder talking about fishing (lol) ... ask yourself... would all three go thru your floor into basement? I extremely doubt it

16in off center joists with 3/4in subflooring can hold a TON of weight.

Now if the tank was in the middle of the floor, would your floor sag a 1/2in to 1inch over 5-10yrs? Probably.....

you can always tell if the baseboards are nailed to the wall, if gaps are showing up

I have a 6ft 180g sit along a wall with only one floor joist running in parallel along an EXTERIORwall... No sags since 2012.

Nags? Yes from my spouse. Sags? Nope
Click to expand...

It is a slim chance that three 300lbs man will huddle up on the same spot for days, months or years.

Anyway, do you guys who own Reefer 250 put support under the floor (in case of basement)?
 
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IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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