Large aquariums

[Darbex]

Does anyone know what the largest aquarium you could have on a floor higher than ground level? I know that large aquariums can weigh a considerable amount and obviously in an wood built home or apartment there will be a limit on weight that a floor can hold. I want to know what is the largest I could have.

Thanks
Brian

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Large aquariums

Wish it was that simple
First you need to contact the building permit issuer for your area and find out what the building code for your area was the year the building was built or you can go directly to the builder and ask them.  You should get a load rating in #/sqft - then all you need to do is multiply gallons x the weight of water to get weight and then divide by the footprint in sqft.

Any Archetect students or civil / structural engineers ?

[armthehomeless]

Re: Large aquariums

That is a very difficult question to answer.... there are way to many variables to give this a good answer. For example:

How old is the house/apt?
Where are the beams located?
What condition is everything in?
What are the dimensions of the tank? (this would change the weight per square inch)

My recommendation: put the large ones on ground floor! And if you are in an apartment, think about it for the next time you move. :wink:


I've had several 55's and 80's on the second floor with no problems. This in no way means that is all the floor would hold at your place, or that your floor would even hold that...

[wvgdiscus]

Re: Large aquariums

All I can say is I live in a pier/beam house. I have 180 in one room 125 in another room & my fish room has 9 29's, 3 40's & 6 20's. So far never had a problem.

[Anonapersona]

Re: Large aquariums

And, if you are in an apartment, there may be something in the leaseing contract that limits tank size, or perhaps you will be required to carry renters insurance in case the tank leaks and damages the property or the contents of the apartment below.

[Darbex]

Re: Large aquariums

I know that in the lease it requires us to have renters insurance but doesnt state the size limit I need to ask them again about weight limits because the leasing agent didnt really know and sounded like she didnt know why I was asking.

[Hanson77]

Re: Large aquariums

You also need to check with your renter's insurance agent.  State Farm doesn't cover damage to your apartment if your tank breaks or leaks.  They told me that they cover damage to my neighbor's place but but not mine.  You also need to consider what you can carry up however many flights of stairs you have.  I have a 75, 55, 40 and two 30's in my 3rd story apartment but they are for the most part spread out.  How old is the place that you are living in?  I have heard of people trying to fill up a 55 and the floor started buckling....so be careful.  And also remember....about 9 lbs per gallon of water and that's not counting substrate or the actual weight of the aquarium itself.

[Zulaab]

Re: Large aquariums

1 gallon of water equals 8.33 lbs.

The average 55G will weigh about 650 lbs when full with about 4.16 SQ FT = 156.25 lbs/sq ft.  (About 200 lbs tank weight, subtract, rocks and other non-water items)

The average 125G will weight about 1300 lbs when full with about 7.5 SQ FT = 173.33 lbs/sq ft.  (About 300 lbs tank weight, subtract, rocks and other non-water items)  

You decide... "I am nuts and I want to put a 240G in my apartment" (like Hanson77, on the third floor)..

The average 240G will weight about 2600 lbs when full with about 16 SQ FT = 162.5 lbs/sq ft.  (About 600 lbs tank weight, subtract, rocks and other non-water items)

-- As you can see in most cases the size of the aquarium is usually not the issue..  they tend to stay about the same when it comes to pressure on the floor.  From 55G to 240G there is not much difference in sq ft floor pressure, but over all weight there is ofcource a bit of difference.

PS a piece of advice...  I would stick to no more than 125G in an apartment...  lease a house if you want bigger / or better yet.. buy one and get some enjoyment of not needing to move each year you get PO'd with the management.

[Darbex]

Re: Large aquariums

I want to put anywhere from a 90 - 125G tank in my new apartment that I am moving to because I am PO'd at management

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Large aquariums

Yeah living in Apartments does have its issues.  One thing I have learned is...do your own maintenance and always keep a lot of friends for moving times.

And No.1 Golden Rule...Always get Downstairs apartment no matter what or else,...

The worst part of the move from upstairs is not really the tanks, its moving the bagged fish, and all the #*$*!0 rocks  

[sproett]

Re: Large aquariums


...been there...too many times to count.  We're moving next May and I am NOT looking forward to moving my fishy friends.

[Zulaab]

Re: Large aquariums

Like geoff_tropheus said have LOTS of friends to help you move.  Now I am so happy I have a house and I dont have to worry about that for a while :)

[Hanson77]

Re: Large aquariums

Thanks Zulaab for the weight calculations.  That is really nice to know how the distribution of weight works the larger you go in tank size.  I think I am going to build a stand that will handle my 55 and 75 with one on top of the other.....LOL.  And then get another tank to go where the 75 was.....OR MAYBE EVEN TWO!!!!  

My g/f really wanted to get into a two bedroom but I told her we should wait and get a house next year so I didn't have to move my 5 tanks...LOL.

My biggest problem like I said before is getting that big of a tank up three flights of stairs.  Being so new in this addiction, I didn't know enough people to help me get a tank much larger than my 75 up the dang stairs.

[AK-71]

Re: Large aquariums

 I have heard of people trying to fill up a 55 and the floor started buckling....so be careful.  

Doubt that.   Wouldn't it seriously discriminate a lot of potential residents here in Houston?  

[wvgdiscus]

Re: Large aquariums

 I have heard of people trying to fill up a 55 and the floor started buckling....so be careful.  

Doubt that.   Wouldn't it seriously discriminate a lot of potential residents here in Houston?  

HAHAHAHA good one.
Wait are you trying to say we have FAT people here in Houston? 8O