220 on the third floor? Possible?

fe342185 · #1 03/30/2006, 10:51 PM

Hi all,
I am purchasing a home(Condo) and it has a loft that is located on the third floor. I was wondering if a 220 gal with 300lbs of live rock and 4" of live sand can be supported. Dimensions of the tank is 6'x2'x30". I think the total weight over the 6x2 area will be close to 4000lbs. Thank all.

jjj1100 · #2 04/03/2006, 08:34 PM

I would say not even close, the average floor holds 50 to 75lbs per square foot...you are WAAAAYYY over

Fiziksgeek · #3 04/04/2006, 09:14 AM

Lets see...

I wear a size 14 shoe, which happens to be 14 inches long. If I put my feet together, its about 10 inches from the outside edge of my left foot to the outside edge of my right foot. This give me a foot print of .97 square feet. I weight about 250 lbs. That means I apply 257.7 lbs per square foot, assuming my weight is even distributed across my feet. Though I feel like I put more weight on my heels!

Remind me never to visit jjj1100's place...I will fall right through the floor! Unless I can get down to 72 lbs. Then I am safe (assuming his floor can hold 75 lbs/sqft.

Fiziksgeek · #4 04/04/2006, 09:23 AM

This article may help

ruiny · #5 04/04/2006, 09:30 AM

jjj1100 has a bit of the right idea

and I assume Fiziksgeek is being very sarcastic, because his argument is very wrong.

Are you going to own all the house or just the loft appartment?
If is the house than the floor could be made to hold the tank but it will require some extra work.
In short, you need to spread the weight to the load bearing points of the house (not just over more of the floor)
If this is something that you are really wanting to do than a lot more info is needed.
Hope this helps

Fiziksgeek · #6 04/04/2006, 09:47 AM

Yes I was being sarcastic. No offense meant toward anyone.

But, my argument is very correct (except for some rounding error which I didn't think anyone would mind)....if you take jjj1100's info literally.

fe342185 · #7 04/04/2006, 10:12 AM

ruiny - I will own the loft (3 floor) and the 2nd floor. Someone lives on the first floor. I can probably put extra support on the below on the second floor but the first floor is not mine so cannot do anything there.
The questions is if I support the second floor and not the first, will it be enough and the weight would be distributed out or do I need to do the first floor also?
What kind of wood and size are load bearing walls made of? It was built on 1989.
My idea was to get 2 10ft long I beams as the base to distribute the weight over a few of the cross beams on the floor. Will this work?

ruiny · #8 04/04/2006, 01:25 PM

fe342185
Based on what you just stated you will need to get an engineer to look at your situation.
I feel it would be very difficult to do but anything is possible.
Your exterior wall are most likley 2x6. Is this a row unit?
If so the dividing walls between units may be concrete. This would help alot.

alien9168 · #9 04/04/2006, 02:39 PM

I'm no engeneer, but I do know a tad about structure.

Dont put a tank this large and heavy on a thid story of a building, withought designing the structure to meet such structural demands. THere is no way this will work. Something that weighs over 2 tons should not be put on the third floor, unless the floor is designed by an engineer to meet the load reqirements.

THINK: There is no way that a builder or planner would build a condo with the thought in there mind that "lets reinforce a structure to such an extent that sombody would be able to put a 4000 pound object on the third story." I'm not mocking you. Just saying that if you think about it, most builders will not want to spend the extra money to put that much support into a house.

For most common aplications it would not be necisary.

Dont do this. I'm telling you, it would be a dissaster.

-alien

foob · #10 04/04/2006, 10:58 PM

I've done a 160g on my third floor apartment. I placed it close to a load bearing beam and the tank is only 15" in height.

I probably won't do it again.

Red Rose Ramble · #11 04/05/2006, 04:56 AM

Hang on a minute......!

i reckon your best bet is to let a local builder or structural engineer have a look mate......!

No one has even bothered to ask you what the floor is constructed of......? Timber or Concrete

But they are all so quick to give advice..........?

mmmmm scary on such a delicate matter these dudes could learn you a expensive lesson......!

Seek Professioanl Advice when it is needed. Surley if you are willing to spend money on that kind of set up. You must have enough money for a structual survey......!

you wouldn't want to go crashing through the floor just because some Joker on a web site says "Yeah That's Cool Man"

Good Luck....!

alien9168 · #12 04/05/2006, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Red Rose Ramble
Hang on a minute......!

i reckon your best bet is to let a local builder or structural engineer have a look mate......!

No one has even bothered to ask you what the floor is constructed of......? Timber or Concrete

But they are all so quick to give advice..........?

mmmmm scary on such a delicate matter these dudes could learn you a expensive lesson......!

Seek Professioanl Advice when it is needed. Surley if you are willing to spend money on that kind of set up. You must have enough money for a structual survey......!

you wouldn't want to go crashing through the floor just because some Joker on a web site says "Yeah That's Cool Man"

Good Luck....!

Look... I;m deffinatly not saying ""yeh thats cool man" !
All I'm saying is, unless your floor and home is made of excessive structural steel and concrete dont even attempt this.

Are you actually saying that it is necisayr to contact an engineer for this. Just look at the blueprints for your row house.

Most probably your house isnt made of concreete and steel (thick)

Ok. Steel and concrete are expensive...most builders wont use it excessivly. Just think....this is a 4000lb object!

I dont understand how anyone could endorse that!