Do I Need Floor Supporting?!?

[OlafsReef]

I need advice, my ability to move my tank to my new home is stuck.

I have reached out to 5 structural engineers in the Seattle area and only 1 has responded. They want $500 just to look at the project with a potential of costing double that much to do the calculations. This quote seems extremely high to me to assess the placement of a tank. Anyone have input on how much this should, cost?

Outside of this one engineer I cant get anyone to assess placement of a 4' 100gallon tank parallel to the joists on the main floor of our new home.

Additionally, if anyone is around Seattle and has recommendations that would be greatly appreciated. Right now Im looking at having to put my new tank dry in my garage...

 

[SeaJay]

In a well built home, I don’t think I’d lose any sleep over a 100 gallon tank. That’s a couch with 2-3 dudes sitting on it or a half full bathtub with 1-2 adults in it (maybe 3 if that’s your thing, I don’t judge).

 

[SeaJay]

In a well built home, I don’t think I’d lose any sleep over a 100 gallon tank. That’s a couch with 2-3 dudes sitting on it or a half full bathtub with 1-2 adults in it (maybe 3 if that’s your thing, I don’t judge).

 

[KrisReef]

In a well built home, I don’t think I’d lose any sleep over a 100 gallon tank. That’s a couch with 2-3 dudes sitting on it or a half full bathtub with 1-2 adults in it (maybe 3 if that’s your thing, I don’t judge).

PM sent.

;Drool

 

[SeaJay]

PM sent.

;Drool

Reported for unnecessary sexiness.

 

[OlafsReef]

In a well built home, I don’t think I’d lose any sleep over a 100 gallon tank. That’s a couch with 2-3 dudes sitting on it or a half full bathtub with 1-2 adults in it (maybe 3 if that’s your thing, I don’t judge).

To be honest, in my last 30 years of fish tanks I never would have even thought about it... that is until reading this thread.

However I'm a little concerned as the location I have available is on a second story (main floor of split level) of a 1980's built home and parallel to the floor joists (though near an external wall) over a concrete foundation.

 

[YNRA]

Does anyone know how to get the blue prints of your home? I've tried reaching out to the architects that built the condo units that I live in but haven't heard any response in a couple days.

 

[Justin_Reef]

Looking for advice. I currently have a 72"x24"x18" 130G rimless tank (very heavy tank) with 40G sump on a 2x4 / plywood stand. It's been on the second floor of a townhouse for about a year. Floor doesn't bounce or anything. I am upgrading to a 190G which is 84"x30"x18" although it will have a water level more around 16-17" which might make it closer to 170G in the end. Acrylic tank, so half the weight of my current tank. Aluminum stand.

The tank is above my garage and I have no good way to add additional support. It is perpendicular to the floor joists and close to an LVL beam. I have always been sketched out by the fact that the joists are tied into the beam with hangers.... just feels like all the weight is held by nails. I have attached a pic of the hangers in case this makes a difference.

Right now the tank crosses 5 joists but it will cross 6 with the additional length, so that seems good. I know that math doesn't add up if you divide 84" x 16" but there is one extra joist.

I wish I could remember what size the joists and LVL beam are but if I remember right, it's 2x8 joists and a 12" beam. I believe the beam is 22' across the garage. There is no blocking between the joists.

Here is a drawing of the location in case this helps. The walls to the right and left of the tank are the walls between my place and my neighbors, they are structural. If that makes any difference.

 

[kalare]

I personally would not work about it if your current tank is fine. The added square footage and length of the new tank and the fact that it loads your joists close to a support looks good. Don't work about hangers... Those things are rated for 500 to 1000 pounds a piece or more if installed correctly.

 

[Justin_Reef]

Yeah current tank is fine but I also worry about long term sagging. I guess that is just something I have to keep an eye on? What is the best way to catch this early if it was going to happen?

I sort of assume a floor bounce, maybe baseboard gaps? Cracks in drywall? Stuff like that? Would I see cracks in the garage ceiling drywall?

 

[Bthomas]

Question: I have a 150 gallon tank sitting over a crawl space. It is on an exterior wall and perpendicular to the floor joists. The floor does have some bounce to it tho, which has always worried me. The tank has been set up for 3 years now. Should i be worried about the floor? Is some bounce normal?

 

[rioreef]

I have a similar setup. 90g, joists perpendicular along outside wall over crawl space. Joists ran 20ft before supported by main I-beam of house. I had the bounce but went and added the short wall in the crawl space. I have a concrete floor in ther so it was easy to add the wall. When I put it in i located it about a foot further out from where the front of the tank sits. Thought process was it would help to minimize vibrations from any floor bounce on the other side of the room where the joists still span about 17ft. That was sixteen years ago and I never had a worry since.

 

[Brian_68]

Friend set up a 150 and after a period of time noticed a large gap that had formed over time under the baseboard and the tank leaned left to right perhaps an inch. Sure you could say all his flooring was designed to code, and meets the requirements but placement has a lot to do with it with respect to load bearing walls and direction of floor joists. He took the tank down to avoid the potential risk of doing $10k plus in damages to a newer home. I put mine along a load bearing wall.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

If you have some bounce and the access isn't terribly I would reinforce it. Take a two or 2x8, nail and glue them together and span between the closest floor joists that are outside the footprint of your tank. Then support the ends of this with two Jack posts. You are looking at like 2 hours of work and $100.

 

[Staghorn]

I agree, if you have any concerns especially in the Crawl spaces. You can get jack posts pretty cheap and they are very(very) easy to install.

 

[N.Sreefer]

Very good write up makes me a little concerned about having a 150 gal display 50 sump and 55 gallon cichlid tank all in the same room. Its backed up against a fire wall so brick and a metal i beam but I don't think the big tank sits directly above that. Guess Ill be climbing around my basement after work.

 

[JonCherba]

So how does this work in a mobile home with the 2x joists and the steel beams going perpendicular to the joists the full length of the house, and the concrete blocking under the house. the only location i can put my dual 40 breeder setup (40 breeder display and 40 breeder sump) on a steel stand is up against a wall parallel to the joists. should i add blocking in the area my tank will be in and / or add some cement blocking under the tank to support the vertical loading on that area as well?

 

[Not_Eeyore]

As a second story renter, I am a fan of wheeled wire racks and mid-sized acrylic tanks because they are easier to move. I worried about the wheels concentrating the weight on fewer joists than a solid bottom. My solution was engineered 3/4" sub floor on a 1" square steel pipe welded square that is the same size as the rack. I measure the distance between the top of the racks and the wall plus check the tanks with a level every 6 months. So far so good @ just under 3 years. Tank sizes left to right...
1st rack 23 x 23 x11 or 58.42 x 58.42 x 27.94 = 25.19G or 95.36L
and 54 x 20 x 14 or 137.16 x 50.8 x 35.56 = 65.45G or 247.77L
2nd rack 60 x 18 x16 or 152.4 x 45.72 x 40.62 = 74.81G or 283.17L
3rd rack 48 x 24 x 12 or 121.92 x 60.96 x 30.48 = 59.84G or 226.53L

 

[Not_Eeyore]

Could not figure out how to add these pics to my comment but thought they would be helpful. My living room bows a bit in the middle so I had to shim the steel frame base.

 

[RipVanWinkle]

If you have some bounce and the access isn't terribly I would reinforce it. Take a two or 2x8, nail and glue them together and span between the closest floor joists that are outside the footprint of your tank. Then support the ends of this with two Jack posts. You are looking at like 2 hours of work and $100.

I think I'll do this today. I have a 150 gallon freshwater with 30 gallon sump with heavy stand and canopy set up, house built in the 50's. I haven't had true peace of mind since it's been there.