will a 150 gallon need a re-enforced floor?

kien · #1 06-20-2009, 05:05 AM

Okay, so I have decided that I'd like to set up a 150 gallon. 72" long by 20" wide/deep by 24" tall. I'm not sure if I should worry about re-enforcing my floor or not. My basement is finished so I can't easily modify anything underneath. What I do know is that the tank will be running perpendicular to the floor beams.

Attached is a high detailed blueprint of what the floor support looks like. The red box is the aquarium.

Thanks!

subman · #2 06-20-2009, 05:11 AM

You should be fine if you know for sure it's running perpendicular.

banditpowdercoat · #3 06-20-2009, 05:17 AM

I have my 150 in a Mobile Home. Did not de-level the house at all. IN a good structure home, If its going across the joist's, no problem.

kien · #4 06-20-2009, 05:25 AM

Yes, I have access to a part of the floor via the furnace room which sits right in the centre of the basement so I can see which way the beams go and the tank will be running perpendicular to those beams.

Thanks!
K.

Pazil · #5 06-20-2009, 05:58 AM

How old is the house? What type of floor joists?

If they are "I" beams and the span is not more than 12' you should not have any problems. If you are in a newer home you could contact the builder for set of blue prints and figure out your live and dead load capsities from there... But I would at the very least build the stand with a 3/4" plywood base to spread out the load and ensure that it is sitting as per your drawings. With the tank that close to the beam below on your drawing I do not suspect you will have any issues.

Delphinus · #6 06-20-2009, 06:19 AM

Not really anything to do with your question, .. but have you considered making it 24" wide and 20" tall? The aquascaping possibilities are better with more depth and you can have the lights closer down.. And maybe the load spread will be a tiny little bit better?

fooser · #7 06-20-2009, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Not really anything to do with your question, .. but have you considered making it 24" wide and 20" tall? The aquascaping possibilities are better with more depth and you can have the lights closer down.. And maybe the load spread will be a tiny little bit better?

This is exactly what I was thinking, Tony! Great minds think alike

fragNplug · #8 06-20-2009, 02:08 PM

I agree with what everyone else has said too, and also would like to point out your stand has alot to do with it, if you have a stand that is totally flat on the bottom, eg, a piece of plywood, the weight is distributed more equally across the full area, unlike a stand with just rails or independent legs.

here is a very long artical about floors and load distribution.
http://www.ashireporter.org/articles...es.aspx?id=570

banditpowdercoat · #9 06-20-2009, 02:16 PM

The plywood thing is only for the floor itself, not the joists. If you have "rails" on the bottom of your stand, they will spread the load out over the joists. Plywood really does not carry any load when laid flat. It's strength is on edge.

fragNplug · #10 06-20-2009, 02:40 PM

i was suggesting plywood as a base, to ensure he was not using just 4 or 6 legs on direct points to the floor.