Upstairs aquarium advice - builders especially in here please!

King85 · 5 Mar 2010 at 11:17

My new tank (an aquareef 200) has arrived and its heavy. The note inside said it could weigh upto 600kg full, now I was planning to put it in my room but while i'm sure it'd be okay there's a niggling in the back of my mind making me think that may be too heavy for a bedroom.

Anyone else keep a similar or larger tank upstairs?

Any builders on here know how much a first floor floor can hold?

I'm sure 600kg is a manufacturer over estimation and the bathtub has never fallen through the ceiling but I really don't want upstairs to become downstairs at any point.

I've done a quick estimation and the weight works out at 338kg base on:

200kg water
100kg tank
22kg sand
16kg rock

These are all over estimations btw

Thanks,

Marc

apatia77 · 5 Mar 2010 at 12:53

Fish forums such as ultimatereef.net would be better to ask this sort of questions imo.

danza · 5 Mar 2010 at 13:22

I think you need someone to actually look at and assess the structure of your flooring rather than say 'yeah, should be fine' over the internet. 600kg is easily double the weight of a full bath + person.

Westyfield2 · 5 Mar 2010 at 13:26

danza said:
I think you need someone to actually look at and assess the structure of your flooring rather than say 'yeah, should be fine' over the internet.

This, definitely.

My house I'd get a structural engineer in to check first, but some an office building I'd say is fine - you need someone who knows what they're on about in to check.

Amp34 · 5 Mar 2010 at 13:35

I can't see it being anywhere near 600kg TBH. It's a similar size to the standard 3ft tanks everyone has. Unless you live in a really old house and have to creep around for fear of falling through the floor you'll be fine.

I had my 3ft tank on a heavy real wood chest of draws that probably weighed 200kg and that was fine for a few years (upstairs). The tank is now on a shelf on the wall.

If you are really paranoid you could get a survey done but it will cost you a few hundred £.

As for what a first floor can hold, well a tonne would maybe start pushing it but that would depend on how good the beams were. There was a similar question on a fish forum a few months ago with a much larger tank and I pointed out that a heavy bed with two heavy people in could easily be around 600kg and you never hear of anyone falling through the celing.

Aero · 5 Mar 2010 at 16:36

How long is a peice of string?

Seriously, get a survey done. I imagine that you probably won't, so as a generalisation take a look which way you beams (not your floorboards) run and try and site it (perpendicularly) over as many as possible and close to a supporting wall.

SoSolid · 12 Mar 2010 at 13:55

what is the volume of the tank?

Stupot_ · 12 Mar 2010 at 14:03

Amp34 said:
I pointed out that a heavy bed with two heavy people in could easily be around 600kg and you never hear of anyone falling through the celing.

But you failed to point out that a double bed takes up a much greater surface area compared to a fish tank :rolleyes:

OP, where are you putting it? Next to an external wall would be ideal as the weight will be transferring directly in to the wall rather than the center of the building. Whilst putting it the center might be fine, you may notice paint/plaster cracking on the ceiling below over time.

What type/age of house is it? Pull up a floorboard where you're putting the tank and take a look at the joists. Make sure theres not loads of cable runs etc going through them for example. Electricians have a habit of drilling the **** out of floor structure everytime they replace light fittings and not bothering to remove the old stuff - Depends on the age of the property.

Bar · 12 Mar 2010 at 14:15

Aero said:
How long is a peice of string?

Twice the distance from the middle to one end.

King85 · 12 Mar 2010 at 14:25

Stupot_ said:
But you failed to point out that a double bed takes up a much greater surface area compared to a fish tank

OP, where are you putting it? Next to an external wall would be ideal as the weight will be transferring directly in to the wall rather than the center of the building. Whilst putting it the center might be fine, you may notice paint/plaster cracking on the ceiling below over time.

What type/age of house is it? Pull up a floorboard where you're putting the tank and take a look at the joists. Make sure theres not loads of cable runs etc going through them for example. Electricians have a habit of drilling the **** out of floor structure everytime they replace light fittings and not bothering to remove the old stuff - Depends on the age of the property.

Floor is a mid 70's detatched, it's going against an external wall. I've decided to get the builders in to reinforce the flooring to be on the safe side either way.

Thanks for the replys people!

King85 · 12 Mar 2010 at 14:26

SoSolid said:
what is the volume of the tank?

It's a 200 litre Aquareef 200.

lookitsjonno · 12 Mar 2010 at 14:28

i had a 200 litre tank upstairs for 3 years and had the same worry initially and found a site where an expert did a full written article about it, i can't find it now though.

if it's a newish house then they are built to withstand 1000's of lbs so you should be fine.

King85 · 12 Mar 2010 at 14:34

jonno.co.uk said:
i had a 200 litre tank upstairs for 3 years and had the same worry initially and found a site where an expert did a full written article about it, i can't find it now though.

if it's a newish house then they are built to withstand 1000's of lbs so you should be fine.

I think i've read it mate but can't find it now either, it's better to be safe than sorry I guess, the only think is that I now have a tank sat here and all the stuff and i'm itching to get going

Stupot_ · 12 Mar 2010 at 14:42

Actually, just googled the tank... its not that big! I don't think you need to worry.

I get around · 12 Mar 2010 at 14:50

If you've got those crappy chipboard floors in newer builds, get a builder in to assess it.

Solid wood, you'll be fine, no doubt.

Firestar_3x · 12 Mar 2010 at 14:54

I get around said:
If you've got those crappy chipboard floors in newer builds, get a builder in to assess it.

Solid wood, you'll be fine, no doubt.

Whats that got to do with anything, its the joists which take the weight of the floor, thats unless the fishtank is balancing on one point, which is won't be...... The weight will be spread over an area either the same or larger than the base of the tank.

Amp34 · 12 Mar 2010 at 15:58

Stupot_ said:
But you failed to point out that a double bed takes up a much greater surface area compared to a fish tank

Yes, however it would be over a similar number of beams, and as it would weigh less the weight per sq m would be similar.

As someone else mentioned floors are designed to take a huge weight, unless the floor is damaged in some way you would be VERY unlucky to have any problems. Having said that new houses are build as cheap as possible so...

Malt_Vinegar · 12 Mar 2010 at 16:31

No worries with a tank of that size...

If paranoid, make sure you put it over a number of the supports below the floorboards, not along them.

However, a tank of that size is not that big really. I run a 190litre at home, on the first floor.

panthro · 12 Mar 2010 at 16:41

Ive had 3 tanks this size in one room upstairs. Dont worry about it, just place them in the corners so they are running along the beams. No way is an Aquareef 200 600kg when full.

I get around · 12 Mar 2010 at 17:24

Firestar_3x said:
Whats that got to do with anything, its the joists which take the weight of the floor, thats unless the fishtank is balancing on one point, which is won't be...... The weight will be spread over an area either the same or larger than the base of the tank.

Old fashioned wooden floors are built much stronger in general, including the joists. I wouldn't hesitate to stick something heavy on one.

The crappy chipboard ones I don't trust.