Can I put a 120 gallon upstairs without worrying?

[moppy]

I am going to be putting my 120 gallon tank upstairs and don't want it to go through the floor (or even bend the floor for that matter). Don't want the tank to crack due to shifting...

Is this safe??? It will be against the wall that goes to the bottom floor.

[Zoaelite]

How old is the house? Do you know anything about the structure and where your support beams are at? At 120g I'm almost positive you will be fine, what sort of flooring will it be sitting on?

[fishytime]

and sortta depends on how big of a sump your planning?....you want the tank to span across as many floor joists as possible(look in your mechanical room if your basement is finished)

[fishytime]

Originally Posted by fishytime

....you want the tank to span across as many floor joists as possible(look in your mechanical room if your basement is finished)

^^^

[toxic111]

FYI, current codes require the floor of a residential building to support 40psf live/ and 10-15psf dead load.

In most cases you will be ok with a 120gal on a modern house.

Running the tank accross more joists is always better.

[moppy]

I guess it sounds like it is good to go.

Again though, does anyone know how to tell where the floor joists are???

[riggs]

Here's a thread I found when planning my aquarium. It spells everthing out pretty thouroughly.

http://www.african-cichlid.com/Structure.htm

PS: Even though you can calculate the weight of an aquarium filled with water, don't forget all of the rock you will be putting into it, the stand, the sump, surrounding furniture,... every once in a while people passing by, taking a look...(maybe a few when you're having a party)... Alot more to consider than just the aquarium itself. Irregardless, most homes are built to the above MINIMUM standards. However, if you are planning on an aquarium which exceeds the minimum standards, then please refer to your household insurance for guidance. ;-)

Riggs.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by fishytime

look in your mechanical room if your basement is finished

You don't really want to know WHERE they are rather which direction they go.

[Delphinus]

What's the ceiling like under the spot? Drywall? You could try a stud finder but I'm not sure if you can get any that will read through stipple. If nothing else you can try the "tap tap thud" method. The empty spaces will have a deeper resonating sound, but will be a thinner thud sound where it's contacting the joists.

[moppy]

OK, thanks all...