weight concerning

[robert J]

I am thinking of getting a tank from 120 to 200 gallons plus 35 gallons refugium/sump. I live in a small appartment building and I am on the top floor. I don't know the floor can support this heavy weight or not. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

[parkinsn]

is it a wood frame building or cement floor

[hecks220]

You're looking at roughly 2500 lbs. of weight. First of all what type of structure are you living in? Is it concrete, steel, or wood?

[robert J]

I guess it is wood floor at the bottom with cement on the top layer

[robert J]

Just ask the counsilor of the building she said it's a wood structure building.

[Trigger Man]

You will have to find out which way the beams on the floor run. The more beams that your tank will go over the less each one has to support. You can also put a sheet of plywood down under your stand as to disperse more energy. If the apartment is newer then they probably use I-beams (silent floor), which hold a lot more weight, if it is an older unit then you may end up having the tank go through the floor at 200 gallons. I've got a 125ish gallon tank with a 33 gallon sump on the upper floor with no probs, but the house is newer and runs I-beams. Each I-beam should be able to take atleast 700 pounds, and I've got my tank overtop of atleast 3, and put a 3/4 inch thick sheet of plywood below the stand. I could have atleast gone up to 150g plus sump, without probs, but all that is in retrospect now.

[yeeg]

The floor is most likely gypcrete...why not spread out the weight by stacking a couple sheets of plywood on the floor??

[robert J]

Thanks for all of your helpful informations. I am much more confident and looking forward to plan a new tank now.

[hecks220]

It looks like this will dictate where your aquarium goes. like they said find the structural strength spots, and place the tank only in those areas.