Structural engineers, Would this be safe?

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

My home was built last year. I have a 125g display tank on the 2nd floor of my house. Would it be ok to put a 40g sump below my 125g tank, and would it be safe or cause problems?

Approx Water volume: 105g
Sand: 120lbs
Rock: 100lbs
Tank weight without water guessing 200lbs?
Stand: about 40lbs?
Tank dimensions: L 72" x W 18" x H 22"
Plus, again wanting to add a 40g sump.

What are your thoughts?

This is where the tank is on the 2nd floor. The little tank is 10g Quarantine/Hospital.

This is where the tank sits, viewing below from the first floor.

Btw, The bathtub is behind the fishtank on the 2nd floor.

 

[Saltyreef]

If the joists are perpendicular to the wall, you should be ok. 40 more gallons isnt much more.
And if theres a tub on the other side of the wall you should be extra supported even.

Disclaimer:
My badge at work does say stationary engineer plant maintenance.....lol.

But all i do is deliver paper and water the office ficus so please take my advice with a grain of salt.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

My first thoughts were, you already have the display tank there so what’s a half empty 40g sump gonna do? I’m no structural engineer tho so my opinion should weigh as much as a grain of salt as well haha

 

[Weasel1960]

Architectural Technician by trade. I see 2 concerns. Which way are the joists running and is that archway a load bearing wall.

Might consder having a structural engineer take a look. Get a copy of plans from the builder, a couple hours, about $200.

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

If the joists are perpendicular to the wall, you should be ok. 40 more gallons isnt much more.
And if theres a tub on the other side of the wall you should be extra supported even.

Disclaimer:
My badge at work does say stationary engineer plant maintenance.....lol.

But all i do is deliver paper and water the office ficus so please take my advice with a grain of salt.

Xd ok

 

[DrZoidburg]

Kind of just a guess but the different shape of the two rooms attached with an arch in that spot makes me think it is load bearing. I figure about 1750lbs not including stand and other item weight.

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Architectural Technician by trade. I see 2 concerns. Which way are the joists running and is that archway a load bearing wall.

Might consder having a structural engineer take a look. Get a copy of plans from the builder, a couple hours, about $200.

Update... this is what I have found out. the attic *Joists* run this way...

And I see the hardwood floors run across the tank from side to side, are hardwood floors layed to go across the *joists* like a bridge?

And yes it's a load bearing wall. Runs all the way into basement.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Kind of just a guess but the different shape of the two rooms attached with an arch in that spot makes me think it is load bearing. I figure about 1750lbs not including stand and other item weight.

I’m really curious, Is that 1750 lbs figure after or before accounting for the weight already loaded on from the floor and ceiling/roof above?

 

[DrZoidburg]

I’m really curious, Is that 1750 lbs figure after or before accounting for the weight already loaded on from the floor and ceiling above?

8.66 lbs/gal sea water, 105-115+ 36 gal + 120 sand +100 rock +300 tanks not including anything else. All before anything else just aquarium weight. Tub gallons unknown, furniture unknown. Obviously it would be much more than that with everything considered. Just a guess that it is load bearing wall.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

8.66 lbs/gal sea water, 105-115+ 36 gal + 120 sand +100 rock +300 tanks not including anything else. All before anything else just aquarium weight. Tub gallons unknown, furniture unknown. Obviously it would be much more than that with everything considered. Just a guess that it is load bearing wall.

I was curious about the weight of construction, assuming it is a load bearing wall that can handle 1750lbs, is that 1750 after accounting for the weight of construction material in use above the wall?

 

[Saltyreef]

Update... this is what I have found out. the attic *Joists* run this way...

And I see the hardwood floors run across the tank from side to side, are hardwood floors layed to go across the *joists* like a bridge?

And yes it's a load bearing wall. Runs all the way into basement.

The flooring doesnt quite work that way since it looks like you have laminate but i might. Just depends how they decided to lay it out.
If you have a really strong magnet you may be able to find the nails from the plywood subfloor and get an idea from that...
Find the long rows

 

[DrZoidburg]

I was curious about the weight of construction, assuming it is a load bearing wall that can handle 1750lbs, is that 1750 after accounting for the weight of construction material in use above the wall?

I cant say anything for sure. 1750 just the tank approximately after. Spread out over its sq ft. Would have to know the weight of the of the roof, floors etc. By code in my state a floor has to hold 160lbs+/- per square ft aside from building materials think.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I cant say anything for sure. 1750 just the tank approximately after. Spread out over its sq ft. Would have to know the weight of the of the roof, floors etc. By code in my state a floor has to hold 160lbs+/- per square ft aside from building materials think.

Thank you

 

[DrZoidburg]

Ok so disregard 160lbs, its 40lbs per sq. Had to dig up some blue prints for a current job.

 

[DrZoidburg]

That would be 40 minimum as an example, but current job in my case requires that. Adding flooring/plywood makes it closer to 100 lbs/sq. Thinking after though its kind of pushing the limit including tub behind other wall without knowing what codes, or materials they used.

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

The flooring doesnt quite work that way since it looks like you have laminate but i might. Just depends how they decided to lay it out.
If you have a really strong magnet you may be able to find the nails from the plywood subfloor and get an idea from that...
Find the long rows

It's hardwood with a waterproof coating XD

 

[kpoj9]

That’s a lot of weight for 2nd floor. I’d call a pro and have it looked at.

Here’s a good calculator…

Tank Weight Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Calculate both the full and empty weights for various shapes and sizes of aquariums.

www.hamzasreef.com

 

[Saltyreef]

It's hardwood with a waterproof coating XD

In that case......

 

[mjh712]

If that’s where the tank sits, you’re going to want to find out what you have running over the doorway. That’ll be the determining factor. It’s probably a beam, but you’ll want to know what size & how the floor joists are connected. (On both sides bc of the tub)

also, in response to a few of the comments above: First, the construction weight is part of the dead weight in load bearing calculations, it’s not really worth it to calculate it here bc wood isn’t too heavy & the formula for design loads is =1.2*Dead + 1.6*Live^2. So with an estimated 2000lb tank setup, the dead load is a small part of it. Second, the wall and floors above will be carried by the beam above & down through the columns. For this calculation you’d only use the weight of the wall on the beam & the floor loads in its tributary area.

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

If that’s where the tank sits, you’re going to want to find out what you have running over the doorway. That’ll be the determining factor. It’s probably a beam, but you’ll want to know what size & how the floor joists are connected. (On both sides bc of the tub)

also, in response to a few of the comments above: First, the construction weight is part of the dead weight in load bearing calculations, it’s not really worth it to calculate it here bc wood isn’t too heavy & the formula for design loads is =1.2*Dead + 1.6*Live^2. So with an estimated 2000lb tank setup, the dead load is a small part of it. Second, the wall and floors above will be carried by the beam above & down through the columns. For this calculation you’d only use the weight of the wall on the beam & the floor loads in its tributary area.

Thank you! This is very much appreciated. Will update when I get more info!