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55 Gallon on 2nd floor....?


Brizjuan

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I currently have a 29 gallon reef on the second floor of my home set up on a very stable heavy duty dresser... My tank has sprung a very slow leak in one of the bottom corners therefore I need to replace it... I would like to bump myself up to a 55 gallon to get the extra length but am worried about the extra weight going through the damn floor of my house... So my question is how many of you out there have 55 gallons on the 2nd floor of ur homes... If the 55 is too heavy I am also interested in a 40 breeder to achieve the extra width...

 

 

All thoughts and opinions are highly appreciated...

 

 

Brian

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Is it a "true" second floor or an attic or addition to the home? If it is a "true" second floor, then I would say go for it. The home should have enough support to hold the weight. Keep-in-mind that bedroom sets can be pretty heavy. :D

 

Go for it and enjoy the 55 gallon tank!!! :D

 

PS--I have a 75g AGA for sale and pickup only in the South Florida area. It would be a nice upgrade for a reasonable price. PM if interested. B)

Edited by xmen0075
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modularduck

well what you need to know is the structure of your houes/apt what have you. the reality is that water by itself weighs 8.3 lbs a gallon thats 440 or so lbs before LR and the rest of the stuff you need most 2nd floors in house these days would have no problem with the weigh given its put on a stand that will evenly distribute the weight but if you plan on adding a fuge and sup now your talking about more like close to 1000lbs if you have the plans for your house you can find the working load limit for the trussing in the floor then dived final weight by number of trusses it will cover and get your answer. just my 2 cents.

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i dont have a 2nd floor so I cant comment too much through experience. The weight of your new tank would be about 550 pounds. The floor can hold this weight no problem. The idea is not to concentrate that weight into too small of an area. The weight should be spread out onto at least two of the underneath floor joists. If you put that new tank on top of the dresser (i doubt) then you need to estimate the dresser weight and the tank weight for the culminative fllor weight. Also if on the dresser I would be cautious about wether the dresser can actually support 550 ponuds on top for long periods of time. Any experienced carpenders here want to chime in or architects?

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It's not really possible for anyone here to gauge if your floor is sturdy enough to support the weight. There are way too many unknowns.

 

Just keep in mind that a 55 gallon tank, when full, is going to weigh more than 450+ pounds. Your floor should be able to take it, but you would know better than me (or most anyone else here).

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lol good idea crazinezz978... I will keep that in mind... But thnx everyone for the quick replies... Ill have to figure out what my floor is capable of handling... its also in a corner of the the room to where there is the most support... but ya as a few of u stated its not just the 55 gallon i also have a 20 gallon sump underneath... My other option is to do a 40 gallon breeder because i like the extra width... or maybe its time to possibly bring the tank downstairs... anymore opinions are well appreciated... if a carpenter or home builder can chime in here that would be great... however u all have brought up valid points already... thnx

Edited by Brizjuan
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i think u will be fine. i dont think theres going to be much diffrence between 40b and 50r. fwiw i have a 350 lb cast iron tub with no problems. when its full of water and someone is in it its gotta be every bit of 500lbs. as long as u keep it close to the outside wall and run it a cross the joists u will be fine.

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Newer house aren't always stronger.

My girlfriends house is less than 30 years old and her second floor is very shaky. We originally had a 29 g and every step you took it would shake a little. This was set on a weight bearing wall as well.

Now They do have a queen size water bed on the second floor weighing close to 1000lbs but it's weight is distributed over a 6x8 foot area.

 

Even on the first floor where the 36g is, it shakes a little but only when you stand in front of it and bounce. All be it it's it's sitting on just one joist but is supported by a weight bearing joist and some 2x4 framing underneath in the basement.

 

My house would be able to support it. My house is 50+ years old. The floors are not joists and plywood like newer houses but rather 2x6 with tongue and groove 1x4s for flooring. My flooring is rock solid for being 50+ years old. I could probably have a 90g on my outside wall without problems.

 

i think u will be fine. i dont think theres going to be much diffrence between 40b and 50r. fwiw i have a 350 lb cast iron tub with no problems. when its full of water and someone is in it its gotta be every bit of 500lbs. as long as u keep it close to the outside wall and run it a cross the joists u will be fine.

 

 

Yes that area can support 500lbs, but they planned for it by adding extra support.

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Newer house aren't always stronger.

 

no they definately r not. much cheaper actually. :)

 

briz what kind of sub floor is down

is it ply or osb? what kind of floor? solid wood joist or the new (junk) kind?

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Deleted User 8530

ok, As I once asked about a 100 gallon tank on the second floor, someone told me that If a fully grown man at lets say 250 lbs to be "EXTRA safe" is able to tip toe across the floor without it bending inwards with 250 lbs per 3 square inches then 1500-2500 whatever lbs will be fine if its balanced over a large enough area. Also, on another thought, the windows and seams of 2 walls are suppose to be the most structurally sound places in a room

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I currently have a 29 gallon reef on the second floor of my home set up on a very stable heavy duty dresser... My tank has sprung a very slow leak in one of the bottom corners therefore I need to replace it... I would like to bump myself up to a 55 gallon to get the extra length but am worried about the extra weight going through the damn floor of my house... So my question is how many of you out there have 55 gallons on the 2nd floor of ur homes... If the 55 is too heavy I am also interested in a 40 breeder to achieve the extra width...

All thoughts and opinions are highly appreciated...

Brian

 

HEH, my roommate and I once had a 75 a 55 and a 35 all in our small dining room on the 3rd floor of an appt. The floor would sag when you jumped. You'll be fine!

 

(So were we... we've moved them since)

 

d

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It also depends on the compostion of the stand. Make sure it has no legs and the bottom sits directly on the floor with no gap. A 55 will spread the weight out over 4 feet. That should be fine. Make sure it is perfectly level though.

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the_anti_honda

If it has not been said yet just make sure its butted up against or as close as possible to the wall or in a corner. There is more support in those areas just from the way they build houses. My buddy Matt had his 150 on the second floor and it had not issues.

 

I would also go with the 40B its a nicer shape to aquascape with.

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If you're that concerned about it, have a structural engineer come by and check it out.

 

Or if you live in a tract home like most of us californians do, call the builder and ask them. they ought to know, because it's very likely they've been asked the same question more than once.

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If you're that worried about it make sure that the tank is running across the joists and not with the joists. If they're 16" on-center (which the probably are), then you're going to cover at least 3 of them and the house won't even flinch. Get 4 or 5 people to stand next to each other wherever you're thinking about putting it and if the floor doesn't noticably sag/groan you're cool. I've got a 46 bowfront on a second floor. It's got a 1 ft shorter footprint than a 55 and only 9 gallons less in weight. It also has about 80 pounds of rocks in it. A 55 will be fine up against a wall.

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  • 12 years later...
bbbrand2552

I have in my livingroom a 55 gallon under that I have two 10 gallon an in my bedroom two 20 gallon, 5 gallon beta breeder an 3 gallon gallon on my second floor garage apartment. I was little concerned about the weight to. Till I talk to my landlord an he said theres a steal beam. He said he doesnt want me to have 1000 gallons but do think of the weight. 

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Unless the building is literally caving in, It'll hold. I did time as a farming carpenter. If you're sketched out, just run the length of the tank perpendicular to the floor joists.

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