weight???????????

[SeaFish]

anyone know how much a 20 gallon glass tank weight at full load. full load means full tank water with filter and power heads with about 20lb of live rock? also how much live rock in a 20 gallon tank is sufficent to provide natural filteration?

[tonkadawg]

I've got close to 30 lbs and ammonia, nitrite are at 0 and nitrate is about 5ppm. Took about 3 weeks to cycle.

[SeaFish]

is it possible that a 20 gallon tank is over 200lb?

[tonkadawg]

I wouldn't think so, right now my 20 is on the floor - yeah I know!!! Waiting for the new dresser to come. I had to move it the other day, and was able the easily slide over about a foot or two on the hardwood floor. I would guess that the thing weighs about 100-150lbs - I forget the formula to calculate the weight of a gallon of water...

[Salim]

I can't remember where I got this list from maybe it was about.com, I'm not sure.

 

Hope it helps

 

2 1/2 gallon 12" x 6" x 8" 27 lbs

5 gallon 16" x 8" x 10" 62 lbs

10 gallon L 20" x 10" x 12" 111 lbs

15 gallon 20" x 12" x 12" 170 lbs

15 gallon H 20" x 10" x 18" 170 lbs

20 gallon H 24" x 12" x 16" 225 lbs

20 gallon L 30" x 12" x 12" 225 lbs

25 gallon 24" x 12" x 20" 282 lbs

29 gallon 30" x 12" x 18" 330 lbs

30 gallon Breeder 36" x 8" x 12" 348 lbs

40 gallon Breeder 36" x 8" x 16" 458 lbs

40 gallon Long 48" x 12" x 16" 455 lbs

 

 

And just for kicks.

 

180 Gallon 72" x 24" x 25" 2100 lbs

 

A gallon of water is right around 8.5 pounds.

 

Salim

[~_~]

One US gallon weighs probably around 9 pounds for saltwater.

 

A empty 20 gallon tank weighs 25 pounds.

 

With everything else thrown in, it would probably weigh around 250 pounds.

[tonkadawg]

it sure doesn't feel like that much, but then again, all I was doing was sliding it along the floor...

[MrGuyPerson]

You also have to take into account that those weights are simply the tank with the theoretical full amount of water. That is to say, EXACTLY 20 gallons in the 20 gallon tank. When one figures that the tank itself really isn't exactly 20 gallons and has lots of other things in it displacing water volume, this changes the weight.

 

FWIW, water is 8.2 pounds per gallon.

[tonkadawg]

Originally posted by MrGuyPerson

 

FWIW, water is 8.2 pounds per gallon.

 

good info - thanks!!!

[Salim]

That is to say, EXACTLY 20 gallons in the 20 gallon tank. When one figures that the tank itself really isn't exactly 20 gallons and has lots of other things in it displacing water volume, this changes the weight.

 

Exactly, that 40 lbs of liverock and 20 lbs of sand you got in there displace the lighter water.

 

Salim

[sjpresley]

For what it is worth:

 

1 gallon of pure water = 8.0 pounds

 

1 ounce of water = 1 ounce of mass

 

thus 1 cup of water = 1/2 pound

 

and 16 cups = 1 gallon = 8 pounds

 

Although, English measures are silly and inconvenient at least they were smart enough to use water as the standard to convert volume to mass just like the metric system.

[Satchmo]

I saw a rule of thumb somewhere. According to it, a fully loaded tank (rock, water, and sand) weighs about 10lbs per gal. Obviously that varies, but it seems like a reasonable estimate.

[BCOrchidGuy]

So in reply to your question, yes it is possible for a 20 gallon tank fully set up to weigh more than 200.

[SeaFish]

thank you guys for all the info. it is very helpful. ok...i have decided not to place a 20 gallon tank ontop of a stand that can only hold about 320lb. i rather be safe then sorry. =)

[MrGuyPerson]

Actually, after checking on water.com, it turns out that water is 8.34 pounds per gallon. Not that that really matters all that much, but oh well.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Depends on the Specific Gravity, pure un adulterated tap water is 8.25ish... salt water is 8.35ish..... Dead Sea water..... well.. heavier... ... lol.. .

 

I would always go way over on the stand like you say taking a chance on that isn't a gamble worth taking.

[Strife]

HmMmmmMm

 

gallon of water = 8.35 lbs , 3785 grams, or 3.8kg

1 ounce equals 0.0078125 grams

1 lb = 16 ounces

1 gallon of water (freshwater) = 128 ounces ( X specific gravity, if salt is added)

20 gallon aquarium from AGA tall and long weighs 25lbs

 

 

rocks and sand will displace the water, so you can probably do a rough estimate:

so a 20 gallon glass tank with 20 lbs of live rock, without live sand has a guestimated weight of:

 

20 x 8.35 x 1.023 + 25= 195 ( tank volume x water weight with salt + tank weight)

195 x 16 = 3120 (weight of tank and water converted to ounces)

20 x 16 = 320 (weight of rock converted to ounces.."highest estimate"

can displace less water, depending on how pourous your rock is)

3120 - 320 = 2800 (water and tank weight minus displaced ounces by rocks)

 

2800 ounces = 175 lbs

 

so there ya have it...your tank weight is around 175 lbs without sand..

so yeah..when fully stocked it can weigh about 200 lbs..

it can also be .000000025 lbs heavier..if you keep the salinity up higher to 1.025 or something..

 

and of course..if you ever find out how to convert liquid to solid and solid to liquid mass ratio, then we would be able to find out the exact weight of your tank.