floor question

[jjclark22]

Ok im buying a brand new modular home on a private lake and wonder if anyone knew anything about there flooring i have a 55g FW and working on a 30g long reef tank and wondered if the floor could withstand all the weight of a couple tanks it has a full unfinished basement but i would like to atleast have the 30g in the upstairs living room. my current tank is in the basement of a town home. i havent had to worrry about it falling through a floor. if you look up in the basement it sits on big steel i beams i just havent been able to find out the load rating /ft. Thx in advance for any help.

[MEC]

No problem . All newer homes should be able to take this with no problem. Evan a 200 gal tank should be fine as long as its close to a load bearing wall....Mike

[DaveC]

a 55 gallon tank would be like 3 guys sitting on a couch....if the floor would not hold that, you got ripped..

DaveC

[pr4mncplus]

LOL, good post DaveC. Actually, based on water weighing in around 8 lbs (or so) per gallon, you'd have around 440lbs on the 55 and about 240lbs on the 30. My entire home theatre weighs more than that! You should have NO problems with the loads on your floor. Good luck.

[jjclark22]

thnx for the replies i had my 55 on the middle level of the town home we are in and everytime someone would walk past it would shake it. just being overly cautious i guess LOL.

[zatamzaf]

Your floor will be fine. The biggest problem you will have is settling over time. I am not sure what kind of home you have. I would talk to the seller and get the design info.

Most homes are designed for 30 lbs per square foot. A 55 with LS and LR and water will put a load of about 95 lb/sf. Thats tripple the design load.

With people, they are always moving and the floors will deflect up and down. With a tank, its always in the same spot. A good test is to walk into you tank room and hop gently up and down. See you tank shaking...thats the floor deflecting.

Now you will not have a catastrophic failure and the tank will not fall through the floor. However, if not supported properly the floor deflection will put undue strain on the glass tank. It may break if the tank is not on a flat surface.

Just my thoughts. I had to brace my floor under my 125g.

[jjclark22]

so the fact that when my tank was on the middle level of my townhome and it wobbled a bit when people walked past puts a strain on the glass? im guessin since this place we are buying has steel I beams im hoping that the load rating would be a bit higher than say a 2x8.

[mandktod]

I went to the local lumber yard and bought a floor jack for $25.00 and placed a piece of 2x12 doubled across the 2 floor joist under my tank and snugged it up so that is didn't cause any undue pressure but it stopped the wobbling of the tank and floor around it, works great and I have a little more peace of mind.

[mandktod]

Oh I forgot in case you were wondering I have a full basement with concrete floor.

[jjclark22]

well im debating on buying the 92gallon reef ready corner tank from oceanic and if i do it will make me feel a little better since it will be in a corner along a load bearing wall but i might go out and buy one of those floor jacks since the basement isnt finished anyways. i guess it would put my mind at ease

[mandktod]

It was the best $25.00 I have spent in a long time, it always bothered me when it wobbled, especially since I have a couple friends that are good sized (in excess of 300) and they always want to hang out at the tank and I could feel the pain of the floor now it doesn't budge. I didn't want to offend them and ask them to stay back 100 ft so I came up with a better solution.

[jjclark22]

yeah i know the feeling my 55 gallon wobbled when the dog walked past lol

[zatamzaf]

Originally posted by jjclark22
so the fact that when my tank was on the middle level of my townhome and it wobbled a bit when people walked past puts a strain on the glass? im guessin since this place we are buying has steel I beams im hoping that the load rating would be a bit higher than say a 2x8.

You can install the tank and test it. You can always brace it later. Like I said, the floor will not totally collapse so you have time.

[The Grim Reefer]

I have a 55 gallon and a 125 in my livingroom and they are very steady but I have a manufactured home on a foundation. If yours is an actual modular home that is delivered on a trailer the flooring might not be as strong. Mine has steel cross joists under the 2x6 floor joists so it is built like a brick outhouse.