125 gallon in 2 fl oorapartment

[asifgy]

Need some advice: I'm thinking about getting a125gal tank, but I live in a 2nd floor apartment, I know the flooring is plywood with 2x4 wooden beams 16 inch apart.

Do u think it will hold the weight => 125 x 10lbs = 1250 lbs. Does anyone have this setup??

Thanks in advance.

[Sean Buehrle]

Your floor joists are bigger than a 2x4 , probably a 2x10.

yes your floor will hold it, go for it.

I always love seeing this question asked.

When buildings are built and stocked with drywall, the drywall is usually stood up in stacks along walls.

I've seen stacks of over a hundred a million times, so you are talking 5000 pounds, sometimes 7500 of its 5/8 thick.

A 125 fish tank is heavy, lets say 1500 pounds. Would you get worried if you had a party and 10people were standing in that room and the weight was 2000 pounds? No.

Go for it and don't worry about it.

[Stag]

Just make sure you don't leak to much!

[ericatdallas]

I don't like absolutes because there is ALWAYS an exception. I think it's fine to do it, but you should always be ready for the risks.

I found this a while back... "Residential Wood Framed Floors and Aquarium Weights" at http://www.african-cichlid.com/Structure.htm

It provides some good information.

The guy claims to be a structural engineer, so with that in mind, he's paid to be cautious about these things as well.

From "Eric's for-what-it's-worth" logic, I would probably not worry about too much (about your floor supporting it), BUT I would take these things into consideration:

1) Can the flooring material handle it. So the floor can support the weight, but what about the tile? The wood? How is your stand distributing the weight. If you have a wrough iron stand putting on the pressure on a vinyl tiling....would that hold up?

2) What does your landlord think about this? If they aren't okay with this, you might have a problem.

3) Termites and water damage can ruin any "ideal" and theoretical calculations.

Also, from "Eric's for-what-it's-worth" experience:

1) I've personally stepped on spots in the floor that gave in (I'm not a heavy guy --- my entire life, I've weighed less than 190lbs, 250lbs max w/ load).

2) I've slept next to a kitchen where the air conditioning unit on the roof above me collapsed into the kitchen, then from that impact, collapsed into the kitchen of the apartment below.

With that said, you're probably okay, and the risks are PROBABLY minimal. But you have to consider what it's worth to you.

[asifgy]

Thanks so much for the advice, I will confirm the beam size. Awesome guys!!!


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[Discus-n00b]

People standing at a party is much different then the equal weight of a tank sitting there. You are talking about 2 very different load types. A live load would be people, they move, they adjust its not bearing down on one part of the floor constantly. A static or dead load, an aquarium, sits there for X number of days and is bearing down in a single spot. Its MUCH different.

Placement is key. Place it perpendicular to the floor joists, on a load bearing wall if possible. And use a stand with a full length bottom rather then 4 legs like one of those iron stands. It evenly distributes the weight to the floor better.

Eric's last sentence is a good one. And that length is a good one.

[zchauvin]

If your apartment floor doesn't hold a tank move...

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[Darrell Ward]

If your apartment floor doesn't hold a tank move...

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LOL! Good advice. A floor in a modern building should have no problem supporting a 125 gal. unless the building has severe termite damage or something. Eric, what were you doing messing around in run down buildings?

[Discus-n00b]

Even the older buildings, when a 2x6 used actually meant you got 2" x 6" not 1.5" x 5.5". Older buildings are surprisingly strong because of this in most cases.

[ericatdallas]

LOL! Good advice. A floor in a modern building should have no problem supporting a 125 gal. unless the building has severe termite damage or something. Eric, what were you doing messing around in run down buildings?

I'm poor, or cheap, and at times in my life, both

[Coffee1stLife2nd]

im getting ready to set up a 180 gal in my 3rd floor apartment. bought renters ins yesterday, more worried about the tank someday busting and water everywhere... hopefully can sneak it in so the people below me dont freak out...LOL...

[DonMD]

I put a 125 gallon tank on the second floor of my home. The floor joists are 2 x 8, but they run parallel with the tank. So, I opened the ceiling below and added an additional floor joist. I've worked construction all my life, so it was no big deal, but I don't think that's an option in an apartment. If you can determine whether the joists run perpendicular to, or parallel with the length of the tank, and if you have any choice, I would advise you to have the floor joists perpendicular. You'll get better weight distribution across more joists that way. Good luck.

[ericatdallas]

Wow, I can't imagine bringing up a 180G up three floors. I had problems bringing up groceries when I was on the third floor.

I complain about moving the 75G up/down stairs.

[Darrell Ward]

Yeah, I have a 300 gal. and a 240 gal. 1/2" thick glass tanks, with glass bracing in the top, and on the bottom. These tanks have to weigh several hundred pounds each. It was an absolute nightmare moving them in, and up on to the stands. I told the wife if we ever move, I may just either leave them, or bust them up with a hammer and sweep up the pieces to avoid having to move them again. LOL!

[ericatdallas]

yeah, right now I'm debating about moving two of my 75G up the stairs to drill them outside or make a mess in the basement to clean.

I've never drilled, so not sure what the mess will be from just the holes and what the mess will be from screwing up. It's a finished basement...

I can carry a 75G by myself... whether I can do it safely is a whole different story. I certainly can't do it comfortably.