just a FYI thread on my upcoming upgrade/downgrade.

[smokinreefer]

so first off, i am moving this summer.

because i am lazy, and dont like hassles... i try to use a move as the perfect excuse to change a reef tank. it just makes the transfer so much easier to move the reef into a different tank, then to take everything out, move the tank and put everything back into the same tank.

same size~ thinking of buying another 180 and moving the reef into that, then using my current 180 as a FO in the future.

upgrade~ going to a 270 or a 225 6'x3'Wx2' or 6'x30"Wx2'

different size~ standard 120 or a 4'x3' or 30"Wx2'

downgrade~ entertaining sizes as small as a 40breeder.

one major issue is floorspace. i am moving into an old house. and although i will have a spare bedroom, it is kinda small and i would rather not have my tank tucked away in a little room, i want it out in the open for viewing.

problem 2. floor support. its an old house... and i will be on the main floor now. (renting out basement). i really dont know how to tell if the floor can support the weight structurally, hoping that when the guy comes to reno the kitchen that he will be able to tell me. i have no clue about joists, supporting walls etc. i'm fearing that this may force me to downgrade.

anyways, if you guys have any input to this, please feel free.

[LostMind]

I have an old house. Had an engineer friend come by and he said that my joists are overbuilt and the floor has a higher load bearing capacity then newer houses. Of course, you are currently on a cement pad so....

If the joists run perpendicular to your tank, you can have a bigger tank as the load will be spread out across more joists. If the tank sits paralell to the joists, you will only be distributing the weight across 2 joists or so... which is not good.

[smokinreefer]

i see... now i just gotta figure out how to tell where the joists are.

[smokinreefer]

from the floor flans it is noted that there are 2"x6" joists @ 16" o.c.

i guesstimate that my sytems weighs ~1500-2000 lbs as is.

[LostMind]

my 120g weighs over 2000lbs shao.

your 180 should be aroudn 3000?

[Aquattro]

Shao, your tank with just water in it is over 2000!

[smokinreefer]

heh. ok, lets say ~3000 lbs!

can anybody chime in about the joist info?

[powerboy]

the 2x6 is probably refering to the wall studs and a non load beaing joist (aka ceiling rafter of something)

i hope its a lot beefier than 2x6 for your sake.

as far as beefing them up, just add one to the existing joist.

ie if its a 2x8/10 (hopefully) then get another one the same length, and sandwitch it against the existing. i would use pl premium construction adhesive and a lot of nails, or better yet screws. you can do this for as many as you need to cover the area of the tank and maybe one more on either side.

this should do the trick for ya.

just make sure its also sitting on the concrete form/frame whathaveyou.

[smokinreefer]

ummm... you really lost me there...

as per the original floor plans...

2"x6" joist @16" o.c.
*joist to be doubled under all partitions running parallel to joist

what exactly does that mean?

when i am actually in the house, how would i verify the size of the joists? do i need to rip open a wall?

[mark]

I'm with powerboy, seems rather unsized if only 2"x6". Is it short spans?

If the basement ceiling is finished, to check the depth of the joists, just drill a small hole (1/8") either on the main floor (in a closet) or in the basement ceiling. Use something like a piece of coat hanger the measure the depth. If it's a 2"x6" you'll have some work to do.