Tank weight

[Showjumper911]

I am looking at getting a bigger tank. I have a 220 gallon tank but my fish are in my bedroom on the second floor. I am worried about the weight of the tank crashing threw my floor. Does anyone know what size tank is to heavy for a second floor? Any advice would be amazing. Thanks

[Akili]

It all depends on how the house is constructed Use Tank Weight Calculator https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/...TankWeight.php

[Discus-n00b]

Agreed, depends on placement of the tank and house construction. Place the tank across multiple floor joists if you know which way they are running, and try to place it against a load bearing wall.

[Debow]

I have my 240 in my living room and I added 2 steal columns and added joist bracing under the tank and put the tank against the corner wall. I would not add a 220 on a second floor without support. And my house is a new construction build. I still worry about it from time to time.

[Discus-n00b]

Keep in mind, new construction isn't always stronger construction. In fact a lot of times it's weaker. Older houses are sometimes built using true measured lumber, back in the days where a 2x4 or 2x6 was actually a 2x4 or 2x6. They also used stronger old growth wood rather than soft quick farmed pine. I wouldn't discount it right away, if you have any contractor friends get them to come over and see what they can see. I wouldn't just throw it up there without checking if possible though.

I put my 100gal upstairs against a load bearing wall spanning joists, still makes me nervous but it's been there a few years now.

[Debow]

Regardless of the construction year get a contractor to assess the house and advise on the 1,840+lbs, it better insurance than having your floor crack and your tank brake or leak. Large amounts of weight and water is something not to under estimate last thing you want is damage to your house. Don't forget to add the weight of the stand, substrate, rocks, wood ext... My stand alone is 400 lbs. I have right around 3,000 lbs.

[Discus-n00b]

I'm still dreading having to get my 100gal back down the stairs when it's time to move it, took 4 people to get it upstairs to begin with. Tank itself was ridiculously heavy.

[Debow]

Drywall be ware lol, I will probably never buy a glass tank again for anything over a 55g. The acrylic is so nice to move even my 8x2x2 tank only takes 2 people to move with ease even though it scratches if you look at it to hard haha. I admire guys with big 300 gallon plus glass tanks when the move them.

[LizStreithorst]

Regardless of the construction year get a contractor to assess the house and advise on the 1,840+lbs, it better insurance than having your floor crack and your tank brake or leak. Large amounts of weight and water is something not to under estimate last thing you want is damage to your house. Don't forget to add the weight of the stand, substrate, rocks, wood ext... My stand alone is 400 lbs. I have right around 3,000 lbs.

I agree with this. You want a structural engineer or a very good contractor.

[SlimmSnake]

This is a great article on this subject.... http://www.african-cichlid.com/Structure.htm

For a 220 gallon tank, I'd definitely say you need to have support directly underneath it (wall or columns) that will transfer the loads all the way to the GROUND. (Even 1st floors in most homes are wood framed, same as the upper floors. If there isn't a support directly below that goes to a foundation footing, then you're relying on your wood floor joists to carry the loads for you.)

[Debow]

^^^That is the exact article I read and followed! I used the blocking method described along with support columns.

[Discus3anatic]

I'm still dreading having to get my 100gal back down the stairs when it's time to move it, took 4 people to get it upstairs to begin with. Tank itself was ridiculously heavy.

You 4 guys must be scrawny little boys then because a 100g 72 inch long tank is only 250 lbs.... my 120g corner bowfront which is alot more glass and thicker/wider and girthier took only me and my friend up the street to carry up two flights of stairs pretty quickly it weighs over 350 lbs.. I also was able to get it out of my Jeep by myself.. And this is an Older tank when glass used to be thicker. My suggestion is to maybe grab a 5 lb weight and do weight lifting and eat more meat LOL. Im only playing so dont take offense lol.. But yea my 120g took me and another guy fairly easily.

Now a 220g.. I can see taking 4 men..


Fyi guys, my 120g corner bow front, weighs with water almost as much as a 220g tank with water, and my tank is on the 3rd level in a 18 year old townhouse.. Granted being a corner tank is sits between two walls, but its weight is also more concentrated to a smaller area being a half circle tank.. A 72 inch long 220g tank is almost double the length of my tank so more weight will be spread out. A 220g tank will be fine as long as you put it in a corner in the direction the beams go in.. Look in your basement in the unfinish part find where the beams are position on the ceiling where the floor is.. And put your tank where the beams nail in length wise

with water my 120g tank weighs 1700 lbs. 350lbs empty. a 220g tank weighs 366lbs empty and 2100 lbs with water.. Why does my 120g weigh almost as much without water ? Because my 120g is girthy and has almost as surface area as 220g so it has just as much glass... But the 220g holds more water.

I weigh 280lbs.. Ive had a 240 lbs person standing next to me, i also have a 27g hexagon on the same wall, and a wood desk that weighs probably 150-200 lbs. So all that weight on one wall. Is more then a 220g tank. And i havent had one issue..

[mee]

Regardless of whether 2 people can lift a 250lb glass tank up a flight of stairs, the real question is should they. Just like, should anyone be a refrigerator delivery man... the short answer.. NO. Your back will let you know it was a bad idea later in life. I only do Acrylic on larger tanks, period, but then my back is already messed up from helping my parents move endless large antique pieces of wood furniture since I was very very young.

Regarding the weight, most houses built in the late 90's and especially first decade or so of the 2000's were built like poop. Many corners were cut during the "housing boom". My last place's floor boards were way too far apart (built around 2005), stairs we too small, along with many other code violations. A house from the early to mid 1900's (if still solid, and built to the standards of the time) could likely hold a 300 on the top floor........ BUT, it should still be checked by a pro as suggested. If memory serves me every 150 gallons ways about 1 ton (or was it two?). Think, car, smashed into a cube and sitting on a wooden stand..

[Discus-n00b]

My tank is also a custom rimless 100gal so it's using half inch glass. Not a dinky commercially built tank. I'd wager it's just as heavy as a larger tank built by someone like Aqeon. ANYWAY, as I've said before using men's weight is a bad comparison for aquarium weight. One is a live load one is a static load that you expect to stay for years, big difference.

Best idea is to get a contractor or someone with building knowledge to look at it especially if you are questioning it. In the end it's going to be cheaper to pay someone to look if need be and be sure than to have it crash your floors, water damage, etc (worst case scenario of course).

[Discus3anatic]

My tank is also a custom rimless 100gal so it's using half inch glass. Not a dinky commercially built tank. I'd wager it's just as heavy as a larger tank built by someone like Aqeon. ANYWAY, as I've said before using men's weight is a bad comparison for aquarium weight. One is a live load one is a static load that you expect to stay for years, big difference.

Best idea is to get a contractor or someone with building knowledge to look at it especially if you are questioning it. In the end it's going to be cheaper to pay someone to look if need be and be sure than to have it crash your floors, water damage, etc (worst case scenario of course).

I used mens weight as an example.. my 120g corner tank is also 1/2 inch think glass, but it still weighs more then a rectangle 1/2 thick 220g tank empty due to the amount of glass (there is more glass on a corner tank). My 120 corner garuntee will weigh about 50 lbs more then your 100g tank even if they use the same thickness in glass. Because my tank weighs as much a 220 so logic.

And when filled like i said its 1700 lbs, a 220 when filled is 2100.. 400 lbs more, thats alot yea, but again the 220 is a rectangle tank that will take 6 feet of wall to where my corner is well.. smooshed into a 1/4 cyclinder and more weight is in one spot vs being spread out.

Id be a tad worried of a 220g up stairs, but considering i have my 120 and a 27g hex next to eachother and my desk and bed in the same small tiny room ( a small childrens room) then i think it would be fine honestly, as long as you put it along a wall with the beams facing here. This is a pic i grabbed from google.. Put the tank length wise so its weigh is distributed along those beams. A 6 foot tank would be supported by 4-5 of those beams easily. My corner maybe 2 lol

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