How much weight can my basement take?

[Be102]

I’m looking to install a large tank in my basement and was wondering what type of weight I would be able to work with… I currently have a house that was built in the 70s and it sits on a 4 inch concrete slab. I do have some sumps in my basement for flooding as well as the walls sometimes seep in really bad rain but I think this would be the best place to build a room around a fish tank.

Do I need to even worry? Am I over thinking?

I’m envisioning a tank anywhere from 280 gallons and up… leaning towards a peninsula tank as of now.
Just gotta clean the basement out and add up some walls!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

You are over thinking it. Build away.

 

[Be102]

You are over thinking it. Build away.

Any recommendations with the space provided? I’d like to somewhat close to that little pvc pipe you can barely see in the bottom left of the pic as there is a sump located there and I could dispose of water through it.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Whiskey bar with a reef theme.

 

[homer1475]

4" concrete slab, your overthinking it. That would support just about any size tank you would want to put there.

 

[Be102]

Whiskey bar with a reef theme.

Def was thinking bar / tank / who knows what else…. I have an area double the size on the other side of the pic with all my basement stuff ( washer dryer water heater etc) that could also make room for more stuff!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Def was thinking bar / tank / who knows what else…. I have an area double the size on the other side of the pic with all my basement stuff ( washer dryer water heater etc) that could also make room for more stuff!

That laundry room would be a triple purpose sump/water room/ laundry room with the reef themed bar adjoining. But I’m just a Midwest kid who grew up with fish tanks in the basement; who now lives in Florida and hasn’t seen a basement in 20 years.

I’m fantasizing. I’m following along so that I can live vicariously through you. Do the right thing and make this a build thread . In the words of Craig, “ peer pressure’s a mother ******.”

 

[WVNed]

You divide the room with a wall.

You put what you want people to see on one side

and what you don't on the other

It's very helpful if you have access to plumbing so you can have a utility sink.

 

[Be102]

New question of the day… how large of tank fits through a standard door frame?!

 

[Hincapiej4]

New question of the day… how large of tank fits through a standard door frame?!

Take measurements, then go on manufacturer website and check their measurements.

 

[snorklr]

well that depends..."standard" doors are usually 30 0r 32...handicap accessible ones are 36...and can vary in size all over the house...the door stop molding takes up an inch, and the edge of the open door will be in the way unless you take it off the hinges...so the only one that knows the answer to that question is you and your tape measure....and you're going to have to address the water seeping through the walls first or wind up with a mold farm if you install wood and drywall over them

 

[Be102]

well that depends..."standard" doors are usually 30 0r 32...handicap accessible ones are 36...and can vary in size all over the house...the door stop molding takes up an inch, and the edge of the open door will be in the way unless you take it off the hinges...so the only one that knows the answer to that question is you and your tape measure....and you're going to have to address the water seeping through the walls first or wind up with a mold farm if you install wood and drywall over them

How do I go about fixing the walls? At the bottom they have like a lining at the bottom so moisture does go down the wall rather than accumulate on the floor if that makes sense… would I have to attempt to seal the walls first?

it’s not much moisture at all but I can see how it could lead to problems… next thing is to just not even put walls up and start the project the basement the way it is….

 

[jimk60]

One thing to consider with a basement tank that large is humidity. Don't know where you live but it can be a real problem. Might need a larger dehumidifier.

 

[Be102]

One thing to consider with a basement tank that large is humidity. Don't know where you live but it can be a real problem. Might need a larger dehumidifier.

I’m up in Mass. it’s not too bad throughout the year I wouldn’t say. My basement also stays really cold despite all the heat in the summer. I also have two windows somewhat visible in the picture.
I’ve had a tank 3 floors up in my bedroom for a couple years and it’s been going alright. The reason I want to bring everything to the basement is because I can get a larger tank as well as not have to worry about water spills or anything else as it is cement.
We still sometimes get some floors down there but only if the sump fails or something weird happens.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Leave the walls, and build a small climate controlled room around the tank. A room inside of a room i guess..some people do it for other things but you can put a fish tank in there your gunna need a huge dehumidifier and possibly a/c big tanks =big mods

 

[FishGeist]

Air in a basement can get stale, think of a way of getting fresh air down there, it will help with your PH. Opening a couple of windows is sometimes not enough.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Air in a basement can get stale, think of a way of getting fresh air down there, it will help with your PH.

Get a few giant air pumps with long hoses. Put the pump "outside" air stones in the room and protein skimmer air line outside too.idk......

 

[Be102]

Leave the walls, and build a small climate controlled room around the tank. A room inside of a room i guess..some people do it for other things but you can put a fish tank in there your gunna need a huge dehumidifier and possibly a/c big tanks =big mods

So the thing is.. that this is just about a third of the actual basement. I wasn’t really planning on finishing the whole basement.. just sorta building a wall within the basement and then finishing the room that I showed above.

I really have endless opportunities I feel with the space… as long as a tank fits down as well as I can figure out all the leaking / water / fresh air problems.

this is the thing we installed earlier on to help mitigate the water from the walls and whatnot.
At the base of the wall…

 

[Be102]

So I guess my dad assured me that there is only one section of concrete that ever emits moisture… and it’s not even like a visible drop but just you can feel it being wet. He thinks it wouldn’t be a problem but suggested I look into sealing that one spot. Any advice on this? Should I just say forget it and leave the walls as is and just build a wall separating my basement? Or just overall just leave everything as is and just keep it unfinished?

 

[Msteven1]

New question of the day… how large of tank fits through a standard door frame?!

Don’t let a door frame stop you. Support ceiling and rip out the wall as needed.
Perhaps hire a professional.