# Heavy tank on 1st floor



## wiggywhitetrash (Sep 11, 2010)

Hi

Looking to buy a 5' X 2' X 2' 100 gallon tank in the new year. Ideally, I'd like to put it in my 1st floor living room - would the weight of the water be an issue? I could put it in my downstairs kitchen but I'm not keen on the idea. Your opinions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers


----------



## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

won't be a problem but just make sure you put it the right way across the floor boards if you want to be safe.

floors are designed to hold a lot of weight - even two fat people shagging - so a fish tank isn't going to put a hole in the floor... For comparrison, the weight you're looking at will probably be less than two adults sharing a bath.


----------



## Blurboy (Feb 9, 2007)

As per what was said above regarding the way the floorboards run but also try to use wide feet as that will disipate the weight better too. Most important though is make sure it's good and level as that will even any pressure points out ok. I would always want my best tank to be where I can view it best and the most. That's why I have my arboreal spiders in my living room as I can see them - and hear them when they're chasing food :mf_dribble:


----------



## Ruby Rue (Mar 21, 2008)

How old is the house? it's probably not a great plan as it's half a tone as 55g is about 250L=250kg roughly not inc stand or gravel which is more dence therefore sinkng. 

But each Liter of water=1Kg 

It may seem like an odd question but quite often the older houses have much bigger joists apposed to the throw up jobs of today, but equally the joist may have suffered over time.

I live in a victorian town house the joists are chunky and in good condition still, I've got my tank againts the load barring wall and in the corner too so the wieght is not in the middle of the joist. My tank is something like 57 odd gallons. 

60x24x24 = 124 uk gallons or 566
Quick Calculator for Aquariums

2 adults shagging your talking 2x 250kg people. 250kg=39.36 stone ...shagging on a spot the size of 5ft foot print?? 566kg = 89.12 ston. The answer is to check your floor boards, your joists run 90' to the boards and to not load the joist anymore than needed with weight in the middle that is a static weight. just my opinion.

I've taken up many floors for my job and trust me you cannot say just do it!! as in maida vale they had 70mm joists that were by no means capable of carrying such weight. It also depends on ageof building/builder as to the spacing of the joists as it changes all the time from 300 to the center of the joist to 400 to the centers and sometimes even more that is another variable you can't tell form behind a keyboard.


----------



## Scarlet_Rain (Jan 16, 2009)

Ruby Rue said:


> How old is the house? it's probably not a great plan as it's half a tone as 55g is about 250L=250kg roughly not inc stand or gravel which is more dence therefore sinkng.
> 
> But each Liter of water=1Kg
> 
> ...



This is by far the best answer!! couldn't of put it better myself!!


----------



## Ruby Rue (Mar 21, 2008)

sorry the joists were 70x50mm thats 3x2 inch you want to put money on it holding half a tone of water. 

forgot to give 2nd face of the joist

Also

I'm asuming the tank will be 10mm thick glass. well my old 4x1.5x1.5 ft tank was very heavy I would say 40kg plus as there was no way I could lift on my own and I've done the 2 water canisters when doing a water change holding 25liters each, but its a more compact wieght making it easier to lift.


----------



## miss_mystra (Jun 24, 2010)

aarrghh i'm having a similar dilemma (depsite reassurance that it'll be fine!) with my 180l tank... our livingroom is upstairs too (its a 1st floor flat with 2 floors)

its sitting there on its stand but i'm scared to fill the thing lol:lol2:


----------



## Ruby Rue (Mar 21, 2008)

180L I would say is alot safer and pretty much ok. it's more realistic for it to be comparable to two full grown men standing side by side. 
180/2=90kg
90kg=14 stone


----------



## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

This may make interesting reading... 
Fishtank on second floor with floorboards, can it take it? - Practical Fishkeeping Forum


----------



## AnythingWithAShell (Apr 14, 2009)

This too

how large an aquarium can my floor support


----------



## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I met a fishkeeper in Holland who kept Koi in Dustbins on his first floor.....until his ceiling collapsed.They are now outside :blush:


----------



## Ruby Rue (Mar 21, 2008)

Both those links are well worth a read and the second is especially good as it takes all the rubbish people come out with and gives a very sensible answer. A topic like this should go sticky as most fish keepers aspiar to keep a larger tank in the future. Keep going with the second one it is well worth the time.


----------



## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

Ruby Rue said:


> Both those links are well worth a read and the second is especially good as it takes all the rubbish people come out with and gives a very sensible answer. A topic like this should go sticky as most fish keepers aspiar to keep a larger tank in the future. Keep going with the second one it is well worth the time.


Yeah, good read. A bit depressing though :lol2:


----------



## AnythingWithAShell (Apr 14, 2009)

I know, realism hits :lol2: 

I found and bookmarked that link while trying to figure out if my floor can take my indoor pond without any help....


----------



## wiggywhitetrash (Sep 11, 2010)

Thanks for all the replys, I'm gonna get started on readin those articles now... was just gonna invite a bunch of salad dodgers round to go at it on my living room floor but thought I best be sensible about it. Probably gonna have to get some specialist builder out to inspect the construction. It's a fairly new building and therefore very cheaply thrown together so I don't have a lot of faith in the floor boards to be honest. I could just put it in my kitchen downstairs but as someone said above - I want it where I can enjoy it to it's full potential. Thanks again for the advice guys.


----------

