Big tank on 2nd floor apartment.

[Brian W]

Thinking if putting a 100 gallon tank and 50 gallon sup in an upstairs apt. Any body ever have any issues putting a big tank on the second floor? Mainly falling through?

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

I wold locate the beam and ask before if your allowed

 

[Murica]

There are so many factors in play that no one would be able to give you a solid answer without a structural engineer going to check it out. A hundred gallon on new construction that's up to code is a lot different than a hundred gallons on a house with rotted wood or incorrect beam placement, etc

If you do place it try to get it next to a load bearing wall

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

I have a 90 gallon with 30 gallon sump on the second floor of an apt. No issues at all. It's level and I check and it has not moved.

It's placed against a wall by the kitchen.

 

[Brian W]

thanks. This apt was built in 1984

 

[cbb_70]

I had a 125 gallon and sump on the 2nd floor of an apartment no problems. The floor was concrete so that probably helped. The manager freaked out when she saw it a year later so I had to downsize.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

Mine seems like it was built in the 90s. I took out renters insurance from USAA which specifically covers my tank and water damage to the apt if it breaks and floods.

 

[Greybeard]

Ask first. Most apartment owners have a limit on size, and it usually has nothing to do with structural limitations. Tank blows out, overflows, whatever, and you've got a large volume of saltwater running amok.

Structurally, it's not as big a deal as some folks think it is. A 120g tank, figure 1500lbs, spread over 8 sq ft, that's 187lbs per square foot. So... if a 300 lb guy like myself isn't going to fall through the floor, it'd be fine.

 

[pecan2phat]

I have a 180g (6'x2') with a hefty stand/canopy and decent amount of rock on a 1st floor where I have basement access. Was going to reinforce the floor but got lazy when I saw that the joist where spanning every 12" vs the standard 16". I placed the tank perpendicular to the joists and also against an exterior load bearing wall.
10 years now but if I had to do it again, I'd probably limit the size to maybe 120g setup (still no sump) if I was not doing any kind of reinforcing of the floor. Reason being is that around the 5 year mark, I did notice that the floor directly in front of the tank started creaking when walked upon.