[Floor support]Red Sea Reefer 300 XL too heavy?

[Redfruitz]

Hello, it's my very first post here.

I bought a Red Sea reefer 300XL to install in my apartment on second floor. I did not think of weight tho... I asked to my apartement complex manager if I can install a 1000lbs fish tank and they said its too heavy. I asked them what is the maximum and they said they would allow a 50 gallons about 600lbs.
I have read extensively about the subject and I wondering if what they said is true. The tank is supported by two 2x8 solid wood joist at 16" C/C. The joist span is about 10 feet long. The floor is about 25'x10'. Assuming its standard load design, it should be minimum 40psf uniformly on the entire floor. The building was built in the 70 I think. So 25*10*40=10 000lbs for the entire floor. 300" / 16" =18.75 joists, let say 18 joists. Each joists should be able to support 555lbs. So theoretically, the part supporting the tank should be able to support 1 110lbs safely. This is MINIMUM, going higher should not lead to collapse except if you have important joist deterioration. I don't know why they said 600lbs.

I called my home insurance and they said accidental water damage to building would be covered just like you let your bath fill and go out for an entire week.

What do you think?

Anyone here have a 1000lbs tank sitting on two 2x8?

 

[mb5322]

I'm not an attorney. That being said if you own the apartment I would say its up to you. If you rent, I would say you have a contract im assuming that you follow certain rules. So if they say only a certain size and you go over that size you risk eviction and or fines etc...

 

[Redfruitz]

I'm not an attorney. That being said if you own the apartment I would say its up to you. If you rent, I would say you have a contract im assuming that you follow certain rules. So if they say only a certain size and you go over that size you risk eviction and or fines etc...

There is nothing in the lease about fish tank or water container. I asked permission by e-mail. They forbid animals, but by looking at the windows, I would say that 100% of renters have cat, myself and the maintenance guy too.

 

[Weasel1960]

Having a little knowledge about building code I would caution you to follow apartment managers recommendation. The 40 PSF is max uniform loading of the floor as a whole, also being on second floor your weight must transfer down through the walls and floors below you typically second floor residential is only 30PSF. IMHO I would not do this on 2x8 or 2x10 floor joists without consulting a licensed structural engineer.

 

[mb5322]

There is nothing in the lease about fish tank or water container. I asked permission by e-mail. They forbid animals, but by looking at the windows, I would say that 100% of renters have cat, myself and the maintenance guy too.

Right they told you they would allow a fish tank up to a certain size. I'm just pointing out the fact that if you choose to go over that size you run the risk of penalties. God forbid something would happen like a joist snapping, don't think for one second that email isn't going to come up in court when they sue you for damages. It sucks, but really should have checked beforehand.

 

[mottomegl]

I have done it before no issues. Ihave the red sea 750 xl siting on 2x10 right now no issue

 

[Uncle99]

Hello, it's my very first post here.

I bought a Red Sea reefer 300XL to install in my apartment on second floor. I did not think of weight tho... I asked to my apartement complex manager if I can install a 1000lbs fish tank and they said its too heavy. I asked them what is the maximum and they said they would allow a 50 gallons about 600lbs.
I have read extensively about the subject and I wondering if what they said is true. The tank is supported by two 2x8 solid wood joist at 16" C/C. The joist span is about 10 feet long. The floor is about 25'x10'. Assuming its standard load design, it should be minimum 40psf uniformly on the entire floor. The building was built in the 70 I think. So 25*10*40=10 000lbs for the entire floor. 300" / 16" =18.75 joists, let say 18 joists. Each joists should be able to support 555lbs. So theoretically, the part supporting the tank should be able to support 1 110lbs safely. This is MINIMUM, going higher should not lead to collapse except if you have important joist deterioration. I don't know why they said 600lbs.

I called my home insurance and they said accidental water damage to building would be covered just like you let your bath fill and go out for an entire week.

What do you think?

Anyone here have a 1000lbs tank sitting on two 2x8?

are you not overstating your weight?
That’s a nice tank but I though the 300 was 80g?
It’s 65g of tank and 15 gallons of sump is it not
So 80g tank 20lbs rock, 60g volume x8 =480lbs + 60lbs stand +20lbs rock =460lbs, below the restriction weight of 600.
Maybe Inam missing something.

 

[mottomegl]

Right on gallons but i think the tank way slightly more cause of the glass

 

[gentlefish]

I used to have a 100 g all in one sitting parallel to joist support. That pretty much put 1/2 load on 1 16ft joist. It also held part if the kitchen. It worked, but I like to think I can do better now by putting 200g on 4 joist perpendicular.

 

[ZoWhat]

Hmmmm. I would check that Insurance Policy with your Insurance Agent..I highly doubt they would cover any damages to the personal belongings to the person living below.

Insurance company formula:

Take in as much policy money as possible while paying out as little claims as possible by finding any reason NOT to pay a claim.

A friends house burned to the ground, losing everything. State Farm wiggled out if nearly $50,000 worth of belongings to pay out because of loopholes. It also took her over a year to get money out of them to restart her life. Lived in an apartment and ate peanut butter for year waiting on State Farm to settle.

Practically EVERY Insurance Company is pure EVIL....tore up with Corporate greed


.

 

[Redfruitz]

are you not overstating your weight?
That’s a nice tank but I though the 300 was 80g?
It’s 65g of tank and 15 gallons of sump is it not
So 80g tank 20lbs rock, 60g volume x8 =480lbs + 60lbs stand +20lbs rock =460lbs, below the restriction weight of 600.
Maybe Inam missing something.

80gallon x 8.34lbs =667.2lbs
stand is about 100 lbs, glass is about 120lbs without sump glass. let say 240 lbs for the aquarium itself. I put 80lbs of sand and 55 lbs of rock.

 

[Redfruitz]

Hmmmm. I would check that Insurance Policy with your Insurance Agent..I highly doubt they would cover any damages to the personal belongings to the person living below.

Insurance company formula:

Take in as much policy money as possible while paying out as little claims as possible by finding any reason NOT to pay a claim.

A friends house burned to the ground, losing everything. State Farm wiggled out if nearly $50,000 worth of belongings to pay out because of loopholes. It also took her over a year to get money out of them to restart her life. Lived in an apartment and ate peanut butter for year waiting on State Farm to settle.

Practically EVERY Insurance Company is pure EVIL....tore up with Corporate greed


.

I asked them by email mentioning precisely the size of my tank and asking if they would cover water damage if there would be a leak or accident causing leak or break or unknown prior damage to the floor joist (like plumber cut a big notch in the joist).
They said they would cover all water damage for occasional and not recurrent events. except if a plumber cut a notch, it would be the worker professional insurance to paid.

 

[Redfruitz]

I used to have a 100 g all in one sitting parallel to joist support. That pretty much put 1/2 load on 1 16ft joist. It also held part if the kitchen.

wow that is risky. Are your joists 2x12? That would make sense.
Mine are just 2x8.

 

[ZoWhat]

I asked them by email mentioning precisely the size of my tank and asking if they would cover water damage if there would be a leak or accident causing leak or break or unknown prior damage to the floor joist (like plumber cut a big notch in the joist).
They said they would cover all water damage for occasional and not recurrent events. except if a plumber cut a notch, it would be the worker professional insurance to paid.

If it were me, I'd have an exclusive insurance rider on my policy stating that a tank is covered 100%. Google what a "rider" is

If damage happens and you resurrect this email, they'll laugh at you and say "Well, blah blah blah, excuse excuse excuse, that email is non-binding"

Its all lollipops and rainbows until you put in for a $75,000 claim.


.

 

[theMeat]

Depends on if the tank is parallel to joists or not. If it’s up against a support wall or not. If perpendicular, and against load barring wall would say with confidence it’s fine

 

[SR Reefing]

First, if you apartment management company have house rule related to installing aquarium or heavy object on the second floor, then they have the right to stop you, or penalties you. (usually in a co-op, or extremely well managed building )

Second, even if it could hold the weight, joist and sub floor might still deform or bent permanently. As the result , floor might be permanently uneven, or sloped. If you place your aquarium at the ends of the joist, it might be better. However, if this is not your concern , two perfect 2x8 should not be crushed or fail you with your reefer 350.

 

[Gtinnel]

My first apartment when I moved out of my parents house was on the second floor and didn't seem to be very well made, as in when you walked across the floor everything in that room would shake. I wouldn't be shocked if the joists were 2x6. I had a 75 gallon tank with sump on one wall and a 55 gallon tank on the opposite wall. They were beside load bearing walls and they were perpendicular to the joists and it never caused an issue.
I doubt it would cause any problems but I personally wouldn't do it since you asked specifically about that size tank and were told no.

 

[gentlefish]

wow that is risky. Are your joists 2x12? That would make sense.
Mine are just 2x8.

Sorry,I moved places in between, so I can not measure the dimension. I remember length. Risky? Depends on your preferences. I do not consider static to be of any importance when placing a tank. The ONLY reasoning I go by is what my wife tells me.