Fish tank in condo

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by phi delt reefer

is the 40lb rating for an "unsupported" span? I weight 230lbs and could stand in a space that one foot square with no flex in my floor but i have joists every 16 or 24" (whatever minimum code is).

I would also apply a sheet of 3/4" plywood to the bottom of the stand to distribute the wieight over the entire footprint vs. contact points of the legs. You could also oversize the stand (ie. make it 6" bigger on all sides of the tank) to reduce the lbs/sqft.

The 40lbs/sqft is based on room size and the total weight a given size room has to handle at a minimum. I also believe it's based on dead weight and not live weight.

If you have a solid floor the plywood isn't needed, but if you have tile or carpet it can be a good idea however it could make it harder to level. Typically I usually go with an extruded perimeter on the base which essentially does the same thing but it'll be more stable and easier to level.