How many gallons is safe for 2nd floor apartment?

[reefrottie]

We live in an apartment building on the 2nd floor that was built in 2006. We are looking at getting a 180 but how do I know if it is safe? I keep hearing it is from different people but I'm just not sure yet.

 

[Wrx5803]

I had a 150 on a 2nd floor of alot older house and its fine. I did make sure it was an outside wall

 

[cdness]

I have a 125 with 40 sump on a second floor and it is fine...

With that said, I had a 75 on a third floor apartment. It was an old apartment with this floor joists. When walking through the roof the doors on the stand would shake. Needless to say I anchored the stand to the wall with lagbolts and metal strapping...

It really depends on the building. Do you plan to place it by a load bearing wall? Make sure the tank is perpendicular to the floor joists. Make friends with those below you so if you spill the just tell you you're an idiot rather than call management

 

[reefrottie]

I am planning on using a load bearing wall (I think?) It is the wall between the two apartments and I am assuming this is a loadbearing wall. I just don't want anything to fall through the floor!! OOOPPSS!!!

 

[JMSKI333]

You will be fine. I am a framer for a living and your home will have no problem holding the weight. The best location for a tank would be perpendicular to your floor joists and placed on an exterior wall. All that weight goes right to the foundation.

 

[reefrottie]

You will be fine. I am a framer for a living and your home will have no problem holding the weight. The best location for a tank would be perpendicular to your floor joists and placed on an exterior wall. All that weight goes right to the foundation.

I can't do an exterior wall, that is why I'm "hoping" that the wall between the apartments is load bearing? That is the only place to put it.

 

[JMSKI333]

If the apartment below you has a wall in the same place, and then in the basement there is either a wall or a beam in the same place then your are surely good. You just don't want to have your tank sitting in the middle of a long spanned floor joist. That wouldn't be ideal for any level of the house. Have you been in the basement or 1st floor apartment by any chance?

 

[reefrottie]

The apartment below is exactly the same as ours. We don't have basements in Texas though.

 

[JMSKI333]

Aren't you guys on concrete slabs in texas? No crawlspace either right?

 

[reefrottie]

Yes, no crawl space.

 

[JMSKI333]

Then I would say you are fine. Sorry for all the questions, I just wanted to make sure I had all the information before giving you my advice.

Chances are your floor joists run perpendicular to this load bearing wall that you want to put your tank on. If your building codes are anything like NYS's, than you have at least 2"x8" floor joists or most likely 2"x10" which can hold an insane amount of weight. 1st floor, 2nd floor, third floor... whatever, those conditions could hold an elephant.

 

[reefrottie]

Awesome! Then I will be starting an awesome upgrade in January!

 

[JMSKI333]

Great! I can't wait for the build thread! I guess I should add the disclaimer that you should have it looked at by a local professional to make sure your floor can support the weight. I am sure it's fine, but the saying "A penny wise and a pound foolish" comes to mind if something terrible ever happened.

 

[grozier]

Look how the building setup. Most floor joists run from front to back of a structure with a beam running the length of the structure, usually right down the middle. You might be able to run a magnet on the floor to find a joist then go 16" one way or the other and you should find the other joist.

 

[Im_Tanked]

Best thing to do is ask the front desk. If it's a newer building they are mostly concrete, older building have wood in the floors. Both carry way different loads.

Atleast that's what the guy told me when I had my 65 gallon at my old apartment

 

[redfishbluefish]

I was given the same advice you are seeing in this thread, when I went to upgrade to a 90DT with a 40 sump. But before I get into that story, I’d highly recommend you take a close look at your lease agreement and/or inquire about putting ANY fish tank in your apartment.

Anyway, I upgraded to a 90DT in 2008 and was told by many, just like you have been told here, that it’s not a problem. This tank was going on an outside wall, parallel to the joists below. To be on the safe side, I sister-ed the first two joists with a second beam:

Just recently I was along the side of the tank and noticed a difference in the distance to the wall of the stand verses the canopy. The tank was leaning forward into the room. When I got a level and put it on the floor, the floor deflected more than a ¼ inch in the 19 inch width of the stand. This was measured by putting a drill bit on the 19 inch mark of a level (the width of the stand) until it showed it was level.

I’m now working with an engineer to put in a cross beam to straighten out the floor (and level the tank).

 

[reefrottie]

Thanks. I'll take your story into consideration. We have had a tank in our apartment since we moved in 2 years ago and they have never said anything about it.

 

[Im_Tanked]

Oh and good point most apartments don't let you have bigger than a certain size tank ^ I was made to get flood insurance, but I wouldn't think they would cover a fish tank spilling but the complex insisted!

But going back, if it's concrete you'll be completely good. Wood is a whole other story

 

[grozier]

I'm lucky my laundry room is under my 125 so there is 2 walls under each side of my tank. My joist run with my tank so only 2 joist are under tank. I got lucky I'm the wall aspect, but good luck with your tank upgrade.

 

[Venmous03]

most ive had on a second floor is a 90, my buddy had a 180 on a second floor with out issues.