Max comfortable weight on 2nd floor

[The Deaf Reefer]

Hi

Noticed alot of people asked if their tank can be supported by their 2nd floor.

I have not bought a tank yet and was wondering without assistance from a structural engineer... what would be a max comfortable weight you guys would put on the 2nd floor of your house?

 

[TX_REEF]

I wouldn't go bigger than a 55 gallon personally, and I'd make sure to place it lengthwise across the studs preferably adjacent to a load-bearing wall.

 

[The Deaf Reefer]

I wouldn't go bigger than a 55 gallon personally, and I'd make sure to place it lengthwise across the studs preferably adjacent to a load-bearing wall.

Alright cool...good to know

 

[albano]

Every house is different, have the floor checked by a professional!

 

[Gtinnel]

If I knew I was putting the tank on floors that were in good shape structurally, near a load bearing wall, and perpendicular to the joists I wouldn’t worry at all about 100g or a little larger.

I once had a 75g tank in a crappy old apartment. The floors of the apartment would shake a lot just from someone walking across the room. Looking back at it I was young and stupid and probably shouldn’t have had that much weight on those floors. Plus there was a 55g on the opposite side of the room. So I guess how much weight I’m comfortable with depends on the condition of the floors.

 

[deafasa]

Every floor is different, but if there is a basement, is there a big difference between the first floor and the second for the size of the tank? I'm not talking about it being easier to add bracing if you have a basement, just what the floor joists will support.
For me I was fine putting a 55 gallon tank on the 1st floor of our house, but I would only allow my son to put a 20 gallon in his room on the second floor.
If the floors shake when you walk across them I would be very nervous. You tank becomes a dynamic load, not a static load, if the moving floor causes the tank to move.
Jeff