Tank placement

[shaheed]

Not sure if this is in the right place..

Finally got a place!  Conditional on home Inspection.. Can I find out through the inspector where I can place a tank based on weight and size of tank?  Or do I have to figure that out on my own...if so how?  Don't want to put a tank in the basement, but not sure what size or weight I can get away with upstairs...

Thanks!

[Dakotamay]

Congrats on the place!
How old is the home?  Where you are thinking of placing the tank can you possibly brace the floor from the basement?  If so that would open you up to pretty much any size tank you wanted.

[exv152]

I think asking the home inspector is a good idea. I looked into this a while back and ended up deciding on the basement for my tanks. A tank weighs 8.34 lbs for every gallon of water, so a 125 g tank would weigh 1042.5 lbs. Take a look at the floor joists in the basement. Where they span the shortest distance from one another, that's the strongest point of the floor, and vice versa is the weakest. Also, the floors are always strongest closest to an exterior wall, so theoretically smaller rooms have stronger floors. Ideally, like the previous poster said, you want your tank postioned perpendicular to the floor joists. So you maximize the amount of joists supporting your tank, and distribute the weight more evenly. Also, an aquarium cabinet that makes contact with the floor the length of the tank, can help distribute the weight better for the floor to support, compared to say a four legged metal stand. Some metal stands are stronger than wooden cabinets to support the weight of the tank but may not be as good for the floor.

[JetJumper]

How big of a tank are you thinking of putting in? 

[Hookup]

Having an educated discussion with him/her is a good idea.  Your lookin for spots to bear the load of 10lbs/gallon.   Places where floor joists run out from a wall are good as you are getting the most distribution across a number of joists.

It can only hurt of the inspector starts to put the paranoids in you talking about too much weight etc.  then again, the worst case there is over engineering. 

Once you find a spot, you might want to post up a few photos and a few hand drawn diagrams of the area and support for discussion here.  Chances are some here has encountered something similar.  There are a lot of knowledgable people on this form.

[Peekay]

Your inspector will be able to tell you which way the floor joists run on different floors and which walls are load bearing, which isn't obvious in a completely finished basement.  The assumption that close to a wall is better is only true of walls that bear weight all the way down to the slab through framing or steel beams or sitting on the exterior foundation walls,  NOT walls that simply partition rooms! 

Definitely ask!  Ours was willing to tell us some of these things when we let him know which walls we wanted to take out. 

[shaheed]

Congrats on the place!
How old is the home?  Where you are thinking of placing the tank can you possibly brace the floor from the basement?  If so that would open you up to pretty much any size tank you wanted.

Thanks!  And 1990.  Didn't think of bracing the floor.  Basement is 'pseudofinished' so not quite sure of the layout with respect to the rest of the house.., will keep it,in mind tho.

you want your tank postioned perpendicular to the floor joists. So you maximize the amount of joists supporting your tank, and distribute the weight more evenly. Also, an aquarium cabinet that makes contact with the floor the length of the tank, can help distribute the weight better for the floor to support, compared to say a four legged metal stand. Some metal stands are stronger than wooden cabinets to support the weight of the tank but may not be as good for the floor.

Perpendicular or parallel?  I didnt think about that for the stand, thanks!

How big of a tank are you thinking of putting in? 

Dang... Don't mean to be vague at all.. I have no idea..lol. I have a 40 g breeder that I'm ready to rt, and am comfortable to go sumpless.  But I would like to go bigger, and for that I could use the 40 as a sump.  Just to commit let's say smaller than 75 g...

Once you find a spot, you might want to post up a few photos and a few hand drawn diagrams of the area and support for discussion here.  Chances are some here has encountered something similar.  There are a lot of knowledgable people on this form.

That's a great idea, I'll post up some sort of illustration.

The assumption that close to a wall is better is only true of walls that bear weight all the way down to the slab through framing or steel beams or sitting on the exterior foundation walls,  NOT walls that simply partition rooms! 

Definitely ask!  Ours was willing to tell us some of these things when we let him know which walls we wanted to take out. 

Hmmm see I was totally assuming that about partition walls..lol thanks 


Thank you very much everyone.  Inspection is next week... Will get back to u all soon!

[touchofsky]

Personally, I don't think you will have a problem with a tank up to 75 gallons.  As the others have mentioned, place it close to an outside wall, and if you can find the perpendicular joists, that is all the better.  I have a 66 gallon on the second floor of our house that we built in the early 1990's, with no problems.  We checked with our building inspector before we put it in and he didn't see a problem with it, either.

When you think of it, people put all kinds of heavy things in houses; woodstoves & baby grand pianos, to name two!

[shaheed]

Personally, I don't think you will have a problem with a tank up to 75 gallons.  As the others have mentioned, place it close to an outside wall, and if you can find the perpendicular joists, that is all the better.  I have a 66 gallon on the second floor of our house that we built in the early 1990's, with no problems.  We checked with our building inspector before we put it in and he didn't see a problem with it, either.

When you think of it, people put all kinds of heavy things in houses; woodstoves & baby grand pianos, to name two!

I would much rather put the tank on the second floor -- planning on having a study/den there -- and thats where id spend most of my day admiring the tank... That or the living room I guess.. hmm.. thanks!

[Dakotamay]

I second or third maybe lol what others have said if you're only going with a 75g or smaller you won't have a problem putting it on the 2nd floor.   Now if you were going with a larger tank like some of us on here have us included with a 180g and 50g sump and 25g RO/DI reservoir then you'd need to be concerned lol.  I'd be afraid to know exactly what weight our tank and all works out to.  I'm guessing roughly somewhere around the 4000 pound mark.

[Hookup]

75 gal is likely no problem anywhere...  Older house maybe... But even still. It's just not that heavy...

A couch with three big football fans is,over 1000lbs and there are no warnings about that anywhere...  Lol

[shaheed]

75 gal is likely no problem anywhere...  Older house maybe... But even still. It's just not that heavy...

A couch with three big football fans is,over 1000lbs and there are no warnings about that anywhere...  Lol

Well said -- I'm just picturing this couch -- well .. the lack of a couch.. lol

I second or third maybe lol what others have said if you're only going with a 75g or smaller you won't have a problem putting it on the 2nd floor.   Now if you were going with a larger tank like some of us on here have us included with a 180g and 50g sump and 25g RO/DI reservoir then you'd need to be concerned lol.  I'd be afraid to know exactly what weight our tank and all works out to.  I'm guessing roughly somewhere around the 4000 pound mark.

yea one day id love to have the 180g and plus tanks... one day...!



Sooo thank you everyone.  Long story short -- you were all right... thanks!

Had the home inspection today -- was told I could put a 75g tank on any of the exterior walls as long as it was perpendicular to the floor joists...  -- There was a shared wall/partition that I was looking at -- but that would be parallel, and it wasn't exactly the ideal location for weight...  But yea so I realy have one location -- living room/dining area...  Gonna depend on how the wife wants to arrange the furniture -- whatever space 'I have left' I'll work with.

The basement was interesting.. He was saying we could use a few more vents to warm it during winter.  Not sure if a tank would be great down there in the winter -- depends on how cold it gets..  But there are some great spots with access to water drainage in the basement .. argh... lol -- And living room/dining area is carpeted -- so will have to put some sort of 'slab' of something as a base for the stand. 

Thanks again everyone.   

[bt]

The basement was interesting.. He was saying we could use a few more vents to warm it during winter.  Not sure if a tank would be great down there in the winter -- depends on how cold it gets..

I'd be more concerned about heat on other floors in the summer.  Basement will likely remain cooler in the summer, making your tank less likely to overheat (without having to crank the AC).

[shaheed]

I'd be more concerned about heat on other floors in the summer.  Basement will likely remain cooler in the summer, making your tank less likely to overheat (without having to crank the AC).

Really?  I mean i agree with the heat from the summer -- but a cold basement in the winter is not as much of an issue eh?  Will keep that in mind then, thanks

[Severum]

Take the best of both worlds. Have your tank on the main level and your sump in the basement. It will make maintenance and water changes so much easier.

[bt]

Really?  I mean i agree with the heat from the summer -- but a cold basement in the winter is not as much of an issue eh?  Will keep that in mind then, thanks

For Ottawa, I'd say it is.  Unless you've got a particularly drafty basement.  Heaters are cheaper and more efficient than chillers, or cranking up the AC *just* to keep the tank cool.  And most things we keep can handle a cold swing better than a hot swing (though you still want to keep it in the right range as much as possible).

Either way, both should be manageable.  So if you prefer one over the other for a different reason, go with that.

And to be honest, I find the temperature more stable in our basement, all times of the year.

[shaheed]

Take the best of both worlds. Have your tank on the main level and your sump in the basement. It will make maintenance and water changes so much easier.

I wish -- I'm the opposite of DIY/handy man -- for me to have a tank with a sump is a HUGE deal and something im still debating!!!  But you are right, that would be the best thing -- I've seen people with their sumps in the basement, and its amazing... frag tank right next to it, everything is just easier!

For Ottawa, I'd say it is.  Unless you've got a particularly drafty basement.  Heaters are cheaper and more efficient than chillers, or cranking up the AC *just* to keep the tank cool.  And most things we keep can handle a cold swing better than a hot swing (though you still want to keep it in the right range as much as possible).

Either way, both should be manageable.  So if you prefer one over the other for a different reason, go with that.

And to be honest, I find the temperature more stable in our basement, all times of the year.

totally makes sense -- its really going to 'boil' down to preference then -- as far as placement goes.  Thanks again!

[bt]

I wish -- I'm the opposite of DIY/handy man -- for me to have a tank with a sump is a HUGE deal and something im still debating!!!

Stop debating!  The only good reason to go without a sump is when it's not practical to have a sump!

And seriously consider a basement sump if you can, even if you need help to do the actual work.  It's not as clear-cut as sump vs sumpless, but it's definitely got its benefits.

[shaheed]

Stop debating!  The only good reason to go without a sump is when it's not practical to have a sump!

And seriously consider a basement sump if you can, even if you need help to do the actual work.  It's not as clear-cut as sump vs sumpless, but it's definitely got its benefits.

well -- that or when you are going with a 40g or less tank right?    -- a sump for me would mean paying to have tank drilled, sump made, pumps bought and then a mini 'system' to be created for water change/storage/brute-can-force.  Then I would definitely (imo) have to do the basement sump idea.  Or I can just stick a 40g on a stand and HOB everything....   Save money and have no reason to call on skills that I do not have... but I would only have a 40g... :S

[zoom111]

Have you thought about a DIY all-in-one ? Kinda like this :

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2131166

But implemented on a larger scale. That way your not worrying about an expensive pump to battle headway, possible leaks, power shut-off issues, and plumbing ? You could get creative with the placement of the false area to best suit your needs.