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View Full Version : 220 gallon tank require a slab home?


snowslide
06/11/2011, 03:23 PM
So my hobby is taking up so much space in our home that we need to either addon or buy a new home. We found a home that fits our needs perfectly, BUT it is not on a slab, it is on stilts with a crawl space under it.

This to me sounds unsafe given my hobby demands something that can support almost 2 tons with my 220gal tank alone... not to mention my other tanks...

Does anyone have this type of home with a 220 gal tank? If so, did you have to do anything special such as build reinforcement under your tank?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated as the costs of adding on to our current home far outweigh buying a bigger home, but are worth it to keep my 220!

Create
06/11/2011, 03:26 PM
So you are saying it does not have a concrete foundation at all? Most homes have a concrete foundation that the weight is transferred to.

snowslide
06/11/2011, 03:29 PM
Nope. Each of the supports are cemented in, but there is no continuous pouring of cement. It may be a central US thing, I'm not sure. I used to think it was only older homes, but this house was built in 2005! It's a cheaper way to build I know that much!

mwilliams62
06/11/2011, 03:35 PM
That house sounds like one that we use to live in Beaumont that is up on concrete blocks I think because it to had space underneath it to crawl under and if so then it does not have a concrete slab under the house for support. keep looking for a house that is built on a slab because the floors will give way eventully.

snowslide
06/11/2011, 05:50 PM
That's what I'm afraid of, even if I was to get someone to go under the crawl space and add additional supports where the tank would go.

Mike247
06/11/2011, 06:08 PM
if the house was built in 2005, it will have some sort of footer foundation. idk what the building codes are in that area, but i would still say unsafe.

muttley000
06/11/2011, 06:21 PM
I'd ask a structural engineer familiar with your area to be sure. If a large enough beam is between two properly footed pillars to take the weight then no problem. For the record if I lived in Ok I would want a basement to hide from tornadoes :strange:

LinkinReef
06/11/2011, 07:31 PM
my apartment has a crawl space and i just added 2 jack supports under the tank

peppie
06/11/2011, 08:43 PM
The house that is built in 2005 is more than safe and it will not have a floor issue, There are way to many building codes to permit anyone to build an unsafe home. If you choose to put in a 220 just go in the crawler and add some beams, posts, and set them on pier pads. Some here have given an opinion based on what they think they know.

tinnghe
06/11/2011, 08:48 PM
It really depends on the size of the tank. I used to have a 150 (4 footer) spread across 4 beams on the floor. The floor held it w o any problem. It might be heavy when u think about it but when it spread out to how many beams the weight gets distribute across.

peppie
06/11/2011, 10:10 PM
I have to jump in here and Lets call an apple an apple. Very Very few homes have a floor layed down on top of beams. Much older homes my have this system, but not today. The BEAMS set on POSTS. THE FLOOR JOIST set on the BEAMS. If you are going to give someone advice please use the proper terms.

RotaryGeek
06/12/2011, 04:09 AM
I have an older home with a crawl space too, and just finished setting up my 180 with a 40 breeder sump. It's holding it just fine. It's not quite as big as yours but if you fill it slowly and watch for problems you should be ok.

salty joe
06/12/2011, 08:12 AM
I assume the place has concrete block pillars. Each pillar will have a footer, so no problem there. If the tank placement is in the middle of a joist span, an additional couple footers with pillars and a short beam between them to stiffen the joists would do the trick.

tozzi
06/12/2011, 08:43 AM
Go underneath where the tank will sit , add some more floor joists in the middle of each existing one, put a beam under the new and old floor joists at each end. Dig a 36" deep by 12" in diameter hole under each end of the beams, 4 holes. Attach a long enough post under each end of beam to hang into the hole a foot or so. Fill holes with concrete. This will hold any size tank u want. Basically its the same as if u put the tank on a first floor of a home with a basement. You just need to beef up the area where the tanks gonna sit cause no home is built to hold 3000+ lbs on a 12sqft area

tkeracer619
06/12/2011, 10:04 AM
I have a wood floor with a 360g w/ 125g sump. A 50L anemone tank sits beside it.

As long as you reinforce the floor your fine. I made a frame that matched the base of the stand and put it underneath the floor with floor jacks under each corner. The joists are sandwiched between the stand and frame. Floor is 100% stable and just fine.

dlp211
06/12/2011, 11:12 AM
I'm going to threadjack here real quick.

I am doing a 180 with a 40 fuge and a 40 sump. My house was built in 2004 and has a basement. The tank will be on the first floor across 5 beams and next to a weight bearing wall. Is it possible that I will need to have this looked at and possibly reinforced?

/threadjack

muttley000
06/12/2011, 11:22 AM
I'm going to threadjack here real quick.

I am doing a 180 with a 40 fuge and a 40 sump. My house was built in 2004 and has a basement. The tank will be on the first floor across 5 beams and next to a weight bearing wall. Is it possible that I will need to have this looked at and possibly reinforced?

/threadjack

It depends on what your floor joists are (2 x 10 for example) how far they are spaced, and what span they cover

dlp211
06/12/2011, 12:39 PM
They are ~13' joists and are 2 x 10. They are spaced 18" outside to outside or 15" inside to inside.

SNAKEMANVET
06/12/2011, 12:46 PM
dlp211, This is just me but would support the floor any way.I have a 240 in a double wide,lucky where I wanted it there is a steel 12'' wide beam and the tank spands across 4 2x8 floor joist,been there for 9 months.

dlp211
06/12/2011, 12:53 PM
dlp211, This is just me but would support the floor any way.I have a 240 in a double wide,lucky where I wanted it there is a steel 12'' wide beam and the tank spands across 4 2x8 floor joist,been there for 9 months.


How do I support Joists that are 8' off the ground?

James77
06/12/2011, 02:00 PM
How do I support Joists that are 8' off the ground?

Multiple jackposts:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=jack+posts&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&oe=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=8970119781330408722&sa=X&ei=ohr1TaW-GcbDgQe2tLHhCw&ved=0CDkQ8wIwAQ#

Or a couple jack posts and a beam.

muttley000
06/12/2011, 03:38 PM
Or a couple jack posts and a beam.

this!

tozzi
06/12/2011, 07:38 PM
A "header" made of double 2x10 at each end and a post down from each corner of that. Very simple project

snowslide
06/12/2011, 10:53 PM
Wow, thanks guys! You have given the confidence I need to pursue purchasing this new home!!! I never would have considered floor jacks!