How much weight can a floor hold?

[bkvreef]

I presently have my 220g tank on the main floor of my house (which has a basement underneath it).  I have talked to the builder and he has assured me this is not too much weight given where it is sitting.

Here's my problem:  I will be moving soon (hopefully).  I have been looking at a house that also has a basement and I would like to set it up in the family room on the main floor.  Is there any way for me to tell how much weight the floor can easily hold?

[UD Flyer]

The best and most accurate way to tell how much a floor can hold is by getting an Architect do it for you. Their not cheap. A lot of things go into consideration like the joists, the foundation, the length of the joists, age of the house, material used and so forth.

A cheaper sure-proof way to make sure your floor can hold it is to reinforce it from the bottom. If the basement is not finished, or you have nothing planned to go directly under where the tank will be you can easily reinforce it. Depending on how the floor joists run with relation to the tank you could use one or two lam boards (or basic 2X10) with two steel floor jack's or four floor jacks if you need more than one lam board. this could be temporary or permanent and is the easiest way to reinforce the floor to reassure no sagging.

heres a link to the jacks: http://www.lowes.com/pd_210140-46417-C84_0_?productId=3024275&Ntt=adjustable%20floor%20jack&Ntk=i_products&Ns=p_product_quantity_sold|0&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?newSearch=true$Ntt=adjustable%20floor%20jack$y=0$x=0



 

[~reefchik~]

Sort of along the lines of what he said...

Take a look at the basement ceiling and check out where the floor jacks and steel I-beams are (assuming it's not an ancient old house) and see if you can place your tank over that I-beam running perpendicular to the floor joists. 

We didn't have that option with this house when we were deciding on where to put this tank last summer, so we picked a wall that could be supported from underneath and did place the tank running perpendicular to the joists.  That way you spread the load out over several support structures.  Plus we put in two 4 x 4s to provide further support.

[slandis3]

The best and most accurate way to tell how much a floor can hold is by getting an Architect do it for you. Their not cheap. A lot of things go into consideration like the joists, the foundation, the length of the joists, age of the house, material used and so forth.

A cheaper sure-proof way to make sure your floor can hold it is to reinforce it from the bottom. If the basement is not finished, or you have nothing planned to go directly under where the tank will be you can easily reinforce it. Depending on how the floor joists run with relation to the tank you could use one or two lam boards (or basic 2X10) with two steel floor jack's or four floor jacks if you need more than one lam board. this could be temporary or permanent and is the easiest way to reinforce the floor to reassure no sagging.

heres a link to the jacks: http://www.lowes.com/pd_210140-46417-C84_0_?productId=3024275&Ntt=adjustable%20floor%20jack&Ntk=i_products&Ns=p_product_quantity_sold|0&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?newSearch=true$Ntt=adjustable%20floor%20jack$y=0$x=0



 

Menards carry’s in stock actual laminated boards and the floor jacks. Not sure on the price but I have seen them there.

[UD Flyer]

Menards carry’s in stock actual laminated boards and the floor jacks. Not sure on the price but I have seen them there.

And they'll probably be the cheapest with a better chance of it being American made.

[larrynews]

you are braver than i, if there was any doubt i wont do it, you only get one chance if it fails....but good luck

[bkvreef]

you are braver than i, if there was any doubt i wont do it, you only get one chance if it fails....but good luck

I agree!
So if I'm hesitant what size tank would be fine for the average floor?

[larrynews]

I think the water is 8 lbs a gallon plus rock stand but id check the weight of the water.  Or get a dog

[HUNGER]

i have over a ton of weight on a slab

[UDJustin]

if it falls think of how cool of a look down tank it would be

[Riderc82]

I would just use the jacks and call it a day.  I would trust four floor jacks vs any builder or Architect.   

[UD Flyer]

I would just use the jacks and call it a day.  I would trust four floor jacks vs any builder or Architect.   

And by far the cheapest!

[chromiumlux]

Jack it and be glad you did

[METZCOOL]

I have 265 gallon tank with 75 gallon sump and all equipment sitting perpindicular to the joist with two treated 4 x 4 post under the joist running perpindicular and 4 screw jacks under the post spaced evenly apart and I have no sagging or bouncing of the floor going on. If your tank sits parralell with your joist then this could be more of a problem. Putting your tank on an outside wall will give you more support also since you are up against the foundation and not in the middle of the joist span. When I set mine up I searched threads on Reef Central and could not find any threads about tanks crashing through floors, so I think this is more a fear than a reality unless you are doing something really stupid.