Tell me the floor will hold

[ajremington68]

I currently have a 75 gallon in my room and it was freshwater. Finnaly got rid of the last fish, and it’s time to shut it down. Now I have a 90 gal aqueon in my basement with a 30 gal sump that someone says they are gunna get but if they don’t thinking about setting it up. And if it does sell thinking about searching for a 6ft tank like a 125 gal. Do you think most modern house can hold those tanks on the 1st floor with a basement underneath? Not going to call a structural engineer to pay tons of money to check. Just thinking if I put it so it sits on the most amount of beams in the floor would be the best. What size tank is to much for the first floor in your opinion? Where would you draw the line?

 

[Jekyl]

I currently have a 75 gallon in my room and it was freshwater. Finnaly got rid of the last fish, and it’s time to shut it down. Now I have a 90 gal aqueon in my basement with a 30 gal sump that someone says they are gunna get but if they don’t thinking about setting it up. And if it does sell thinking about searching for a 6ft tank like a 125 gal. Do you think most modern house can hold those tanks on the 1st floor with a basement underneath? Not going to call a structural engineer to pay tons of money to check. Just thinking if I put it so it sits on the most amount of beams in the floor would be the best. What size tank is to much for the first floor in your opinion? Where would you draw the line?

As long as it's going across the joists there shouldn't be any issue. Bonus points for being located by a support beam. My 90g has been on top of 1 joist and hardwood flooring for 6 years without issue

 

[CO2TLEY]

I had a 150G on the first floor with a basement underneath. It was across the floor joist like stated above. And also against a load bearing wall

 

[ajremington68]

As long as it's going across the joists there shouldn't be any issue. Bonus points for being located by a support beam. My 90g has been on top of 1 joist and hardwood flooring for 6 years without issue

So there was just one of the 2x6 wood boards you tank was sitting on? That is on the ceiling in your basement?

 

[Serpentman2024]

As long as its perpendicular to the floor joists and near a load bearing wall, you'll be fine. In other words, I wouldn't suggest putting it in the middle of the room. The floor would still hold it but you might get some sag and/or "bounce".

 

[ajremington68]

As long as its perpendicular to the floor joists and near a load bearing wall, you'll be fine. In other words, I wouldn't suggest putting it in the middle of the room. The floor would still hold it but you might get some sag and/or "bounce".

Wow this is perfect. I plan on putting it in the corner of my room and it’s the corner of the house so it’s next 2 load bearing walls. Great news!!! Thought my dreams would be crushed but I guess I need to start searching for a new tank
Lol

 

[KrisReef]

Wow this is perfect. I plan on putting it in the corner of my room and it’s the corner of the house so it’s next 2 load bearing walls. Great news!!! Thought my dreams would be crushed but I guess I need to start searching for a new tank
Lol

I put a small pond in a place that I rented in Long Beach. I don’t think the floor sank but our Landlords faces sure did when they saw the thing sitting in the front room. We had lots of neighbors who bought friends over to see the attraction and the floor never gave up in spite of the loading.

Good luck tank shopping!

 

[Jekyl]

So there was just one of the 2x6 wood boards you tank was sitting on? That is on the ceiling in your basement?

Yup

 

[ajremington68]

I put a small pond in a place that I rented in Long Beach. I don’t think the floor sank but our Landlords faces sure did when they saw the thing sitting in the front room. We had lots of neighbors who bought friends over to see the attraction and the floor never gave up in spite of the loading.

Good luck tank shopping!

AHHHH what the heck A POND??? In an apartment or house or duplex?

 

[KrisReef]

AHHHH what the heck A POND??? In an apartment or house or duplex?

House, Pier and post foundation. Sorry, I don't have pictures.

 

[PharmrJohn]

My 90 was over a crawlspace, but the boards were parallel rather than perpendicular to the tank length. What I had going for me was that my tank was up against not one, but two koad bearing walls. Good thing too. Cause I didn't even THINK about it when i put the tank in. With my 120G going in the same place later on this year, I'm having someone come over to let me know if it'll work. And it'll be worth every cent. How embarrassing would it be if my new tank fell through the floor! I don't want THAT conversation with my wife.....

 

[littlefoxx]

I currently have a 75 gallon in my room and it was freshwater. Finnaly got rid of the last fish, and it’s time to shut it down. Now I have a 90 gal aqueon in my basement with a 30 gal sump that someone says they are gunna get but if they don’t thinking about setting it up. And if it does sell thinking about searching for a 6ft tank like a 125 gal. Do you think most modern house can hold those tanks on the 1st floor with a basement underneath? Not going to call a structural engineer to pay tons of money to check. Just thinking if I put it so it sits on the most amount of beams in the floor would be the best. What size tank is to much for the first floor in your opinion? Where would you draw the line?

I have a 125 six foot with a 40 gallon sump across joists and against a load bering wall. Also have a 70 gallon right next to it. No issues. This house is from the 70’s or 80’s

 

[ajremington68]

My 90 was over a crawlspace, but the boards were parallel rather than perpendicular to the tank length. What I had going for me was that my tank was up against not one, but two koad bearing walls. Good thing too. Cause I didn't even THINK about it when i put the tank in. With my 120G going in the same place later on this year, I'm having someone come over to let me know if it'll work. And it'll be worth every cent. How embarrassing would it be if my new tank fell through the floor! I don't want THAT conversation with my wife.....

Last tank you will have FOR SURE if that happened

 

[BrokenReefer]

The floor will hold.

 

[ajremington68]

Okay for all that have messaged and who want to message new questions.
QUESTION: will a 180 with I think 40gal sump hold?
Just bought this tank for a STEAL, and my father is stressed thinking that the floor wil for sure give out with a 180 and trying to make me put it in the basement. But I do not want to cuz it won’t get any love then. But the way my room is setup the only spot it’ll fit is the tank running parallel with the floor supports, so it’ll be sitting on 2 beams and on a load bearing wall at the edge of the house. What yours thoughts?

 

[michigan-reef]

I would place vertical supports under a 180 and 40 gallon sump.

 

[ajremington68]

I would place vertical supports under a 180 and 40 gallon sump.

You wouldn't place it with 2 boards running parallel? would you place it with the supports running perpendicular so there is like 6 or so under it?

 

[malacoda]

You wouldn't place it with 2 boards running parallel? would you place it with the supports running perpendicular so there is like 6 or so under it?

180g is really pushing it. Could it be fine? Maybe ... depending on the type of floor joist (2x, engineered wooden I-beam, wooden truss, etc.), the spacing of the floor joists, the span of the floor joists, the subfloor material, the floor materials, etc.

If you want to know for sure if you could simply put the tank up and get away with that much load ... regardless of whether its near a load-bearing wall ... without adding any additional support, the best bet is to have an engineer look at it and do the math.

The second option, if you don't want to pay an engineer, is to add non-flexible (e.g. metal, concrete, or cynderblock) supports in the basement beneath it.

If the ground in the basement is concrete or really solid stone, it could be as simple as setting up a pair of jack posts: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Akron-108-in-Adjustable-Jack-Post/3475337

If it's just a raw dirt floor, you'd have to pour concrete footers to place the jack posts on.

But some type of additional support under the joists would be a smart move.

The problem isn't the tank suddenly falling through the floor...

It's that the floor will begin to sag more and more over time. Furniture won't sit level. The floor may begin exhibit bounce as you walk on it. Stress at the base of the walls could cause cracks to appear in walls. Stress could begin to cause flooring materials to crack (leading to eventual failure issues). All of which will, of course, also devalue the home ... and, believe me, buyers will notice a sloped, saggy floor, bouncy floor the moment the walk on it.

This article contains great info and insight: https://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article28.html

This ReefDudes may be worth watching too: