Can the floor support 180?

ichthyogeek · 09/05/2017, 12:28 PM

My parents want to upgrade from our 55 gallon to a 180 gallon tank eventually, but are worried about the ground floor being able to support it. The house has hardwood floors and a "wooden crawl space", and was built in Arkansas in the 80's/90's. Can anybody help me figure out if the 180 is going to bring the house down?

karimwassef · 09/05/2017, 12:43 PM

Needs more detail on the floor. Beam, joist, stud sizes and spacing. What is it anchored to?

Clowning_Around · 09/05/2017, 03:46 PM

Pics help, most likely it will be fine unless you have some shotty work, even moreso than the norm. But without more info the question is just to vague and can only be speculated at.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

dutch27 · 09/06/2017, 02:00 PM

When in doubt, hire a local engineer to look at it.

The American Wood Council (AWC) publishes free span tables that show max loads at given deflections based on the size, type, span, and spacing of the joists. Might be a good place to start.

Most likely you'll be okay if the tank is running perpendicular to the joists, and are near an exterior wall.

smoothmove · 09/11/2017, 06:38 AM

At minimum, reinforce the floor from underneath. Also, are the floor joist 16" dead on center or 24" ?

I would not trust 1600+ pounds on a floor without bracing it. JMHO.

Windy2 · 09/12/2017, 10:17 AM

I am a retired engineer and would be able to help it you had more info.

Windy2 · 09/12/2017, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoothmove

at minimum, reinforce the floor from underneath. Also, are the floor joist 16" dead on center or 24" ?

I would not trust 1600+ pounds on a floor without bracing it. Jmho.

why?

mcgyvr · 09/12/2017, 04:17 PM

A quick maximum ballpark is take room square footage and multiply by 40 ..

I would trust 1600lbs on most floors without bracing easily.. so long as its spread out over a couple square feet..

smoothmove · 09/12/2017, 09:19 PM

I was thinking for the long term and just in case they are only catching support two beams. And by bracing, I was talking about a couple of simple 2x6's underneath, nothing elaborate.

It won't bring the house down. And with tank, stand, rock, water, lights sand, filter, etc- probably about 2000 lbs.

Caveat, I have only had houses on slabs.

ca1ore · 09/13/2017, 08:39 AM

OP appears to have lost interest ....

BTW, the bigger problem is floor deflection. Some years ago, in the process of filling a larger tank, the weight put a tank that had been level empty, out of level when full.

ichthyogeek · 09/14/2017, 07:55 PM

OP hasn't lost interest...just has absolutely no idea how to proceed. Like I said, the house lies on top of a wooden crawl space, and I have absolutely no idea what most of those things y'all are talking about are. Thus I've just been googling things left right and center. The proposed space is by a partitioning wall (?) that separates the kitchen from the living room (where the tank would be), and said wall is right next to an exterior wall with bricks like so:
(bricks) | OUTSIDE (bricks here)
kitchen |---------------------------------(wall)
kitchen | living room area
kitchen | (proposed tank area)

smoothmove · 09/15/2017, 02:58 AM

What I was referring to is:

Go into the crawl space and go underneath exactly where the tank is going to go.

A 180 gallon tank is 24" from front to back and 72 inches from left to right.

You will need to have that tank resting over several support beams from left to right 72". below is what you DONT want

-------------|-----72" wide------tank------------------|------------support beam (tank only resting full weight on one)

------------------------------------------------------------ support beam

When I said 16 or 24 dead on center, I was referring to the measurement in inches between the middle of one support beam to the middle of the next support beam.

If you are lost, call a contractor or engineer or aquarium maintenance company to give you an pro opinion. Should not cost much for a consult. My recommendation

smoothmove · 09/15/2017, 02:59 AM

double post

mcgyvr · 09/15/2017, 12:24 PM

yep.. this forum jacks up pasted ascii art..
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Its only a 180g tank.. Its fine..

smoothmove · 09/15/2017, 01:22 PM

Lol.

09/05/2017, 12:28 PM	#1
ichthyogeek Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Arkansas Posts: 742	Can the floor support 180? My parents want to upgrade from our 55 gallon to a 180 gallon tank eventually, but are worried about the ground floor being able to support it. The house has hardwood floors and a "wooden crawl space", and was built in Arkansas in the 80's/90's. Can anybody help me figure out if the 180 is going to bring the house down? __________________ So many fish/corals/inverts to keep/breed, not enough aquaria Back after a 5 year hiatus.

09/05/2017, 12:43 PM	#2
karimwassef Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 11,033	Needs more detail on the floor. Beam, joist, stud sizes and spacing. What is it anchored to? __________________ Failure isn't an option It's a requirement. 660g 380inwall+280smp/surge S/L/Soft/Maxima/RBTA/Clown/Chromis/Anthias/Tang/Mandarin/Jawfish/Goby/Wrasse/D'back. DIY 12' Skimmer ActuatedSurge ConcreteScape

09/05/2017, 03:46 PM	#3
Clowning_Around Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 527	Pics help, most likely it will be fine unless you have some shotty work, even moreso than the norm. But without more info the question is just to vague and can only be speculated at. Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk __________________ Build http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2638892 Parameters: Temp 77-79degF, Specific Gravity 1.023-1.024, PH 8.1-8.4, Alk 8-12, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, Phosphate <.2, Calc 3 Current Tank Info: Custom Oak Stand \| 75G FO Display \| 40G Breeder Sump \| MarinePure Ceramic Media Plate \| Eshopps x-120 skimmer \| Mag9 Return \| Aqua Ultraviolet Advantage 2000+ 15w

09/11/2017, 06:38 AM	#5
smoothmove Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: RockWall, Texas Posts: 464	At minimum, reinforce the floor from underneath. Also, are the floor joist 16" dead on center or 24" ? I would not trust 1600+ pounds on a floor without bracing it. JMHO. __________________ 80 gallon Deep Blue Rimless, 5 Kessil A160's Tuna Blues, Converted AquaC EV 400 w/ Sedra 15000, Jebao 36 watt UV, Jebao DCT12000, 75 gallon sump

09/12/2017, 04:17 PM	#8
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	A quick maximum ballpark is take room square footage and multiply by 40 .. I would trust 1600lbs on most floors without bracing easily.. so long as its spread out over a couple square feet.. __________________ Who me?

09/06/2017, 02:00 PM	#4
dutch27 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 135	When in doubt, hire a local engineer to look at it. The American Wood Council (AWC) publishes free span tables that show max loads at given deflections based on the size, type, span, and spacing of the joists. Might be a good place to start. Most likely you'll be okay if the tank is running perpendicular to the joists, and are near an exterior wall.

09/12/2017, 10:17 AM	#6
Windy2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Washington Posts: 257	I am a retired engineer and would be able to help it you had more info.

09/12/2017, 09:19 PM	#9
smoothmove Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: RockWall, Texas Posts: 464	I was thinking for the long term and just in case they are only catching support two beams. And by bracing, I was talking about a couple of simple 2x6's underneath, nothing elaborate. It won't bring the house down. And with tank, stand, rock, water, lights sand, filter, etc- probably about 2000 lbs. Caveat, I have only had houses on slabs. __________________ 80 gallon Deep Blue Rimless, 5 Kessil A160's Tuna Blues, Converted AquaC EV 400 w/ Sedra 15000, Jebao 36 watt UV, Jebao DCT12000, 75 gallon sump Last edited by smoothmove; 09/12/2017 at 09:28 PM. Reason: spelling

09/13/2017, 08:39 AM	#10
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	OP appears to have lost interest .... BTW, the bigger problem is floor deflection. Some years ago, in the process of filling a larger tank, the weight put a tank that had been level empty, out of level when full. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs Last edited by ca1ore; 09/13/2017 at 02:49 PM.

09/14/2017, 07:55 PM	#11
ichthyogeek Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Arkansas Posts: 742	OP hasn't lost interest...just has absolutely no idea how to proceed. Like I said, the house lies on top of a wooden crawl space, and I have absolutely no idea what most of those things y'all are talking about are. Thus I've just been googling things left right and center. The proposed space is by a partitioning wall (?) that separates the kitchen from the living room (where the tank would be), and said wall is right next to an exterior wall with bricks like so: (bricks) \| OUTSIDE (bricks here) kitchen \|---------------------------------(wall) kitchen \| living room area kitchen \| (proposed tank area) __________________ So many fish/corals/inverts to keep/breed, not enough aquaria Back after a 5 year hiatus.

09/15/2017, 02:58 AM	#12
smoothmove Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: RockWall, Texas Posts: 464	What I was referring to is: Go into the crawl space and go underneath exactly where the tank is going to go. A 180 gallon tank is 24" from front to back and 72 inches from left to right. You will need to have that tank resting over several support beams from left to right 72". below is what you DONT want -------------\|-----72" wide------tank------------------\|------------support beam (tank only resting full weight on one) ------------------------------------------------------------ support beam When I said 16 or 24 dead on center, I was referring to the measurement in inches between the middle of one support beam to the middle of the next support beam. If you are lost, call a contractor or engineer or aquarium maintenance company to give you an pro opinion. Should not cost much for a consult. My recommendation __________________ 80 gallon Deep Blue Rimless, 5 Kessil A160's Tuna Blues, Converted AquaC EV 400 w/ Sedra 15000, Jebao 36 watt UV, Jebao DCT12000, 75 gallon sump Last edited by smoothmove; 09/15/2017 at 03:06 AM.

09/15/2017, 02:59 AM	#13
smoothmove Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: RockWall, Texas Posts: 464	double post __________________ 80 gallon Deep Blue Rimless, 5 Kessil A160's Tuna Blues, Converted AquaC EV 400 w/ Sedra 15000, Jebao 36 watt UV, Jebao DCT12000, 75 gallon sump

09/15/2017, 12:24 PM	#14
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	yep.. this forum jacks up pasted ascii art.. ,.---. ,,,, / _ `. \\\\ / \ ) \|\|\|\| /\/``-.__\/ ::::/\/_ {{`-.__.-'(`(^^(^^^(^ 9 `.=========' {{{{{{ { ( ( ( ( (-----:= {{.-'~~'-.(,(,,(,,,(__6_.'=========. ::::\/\ \|\|\|\| \/\ ,-'/\ //// \ `` _/ ) '''' \ ` / `---'' Its only a 180g tank.. Its fine.. __________________ Who me?

09/15/2017, 01:22 PM	#15
smoothmove Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: RockWall, Texas Posts: 464	Lol. __________________ 80 gallon Deep Blue Rimless, 5 Kessil A160's Tuna Blues, Converted AquaC EV 400 w/ Sedra 15000, Jebao 36 watt UV, Jebao DCT12000, 75 gallon sump