75 gallon reef on 2nd floor. Safe??

[Carey1465]

I'm starting up my 2nd tank which is a 75 gallon tank and I'm thinking about putting it in the kitchen which is on the 2nd floor. I figured out the weight and I'm just curious to see if anyone else has place a large tank on a 2nd floor. My 110 tank is on the first floor and I was able to get in the crawl space and brace it but I'm unable to get under the kitchen of course. What are your thoughts???

[Soggytoes]

Really depends on the structure of your house. Types of joists, span between beams and load bearing walls, pillars. No way to really know without seeing it.

Make sure the length of the tank is perpendicular to the joists and as close to a load bearing wall as possible and you should be fine.

[sjnovakovich]

I don't really think you'll have a problem. That weight is distributed over 6 sq. feet. Just doing some quick calculations you will have aboutn 125 pounds per square foot. Your floor should handle that with no problem. BUTTTTTTT I am not an engineer so make your own decision. As for me, I'd do it without thinking twice.

[bb]

really depends on the structure of your house. Types of joists, span between beams and load bearing walls, pillars. No way to really know without seeing it.

Make sure the length of the tank is perpendicular to the joists and as close to a load bearing wall as possible and you should be fine.

+1

[cakemanPA]

I kept a 120 with no reinforcing on the 2nd floor. Perpendicular to the joists and up against a load bearing wall. I never had any issues. I also did a 240 on my 2nd floor, but I did some major support work.

[Carey1465]

The area where my tank is going will sit along 1 joist instead of 3-4. The house was built in 1989 so its not a newer house. My other option is to put it in my sons room downstairs and thats concrete. If I go with that route, should I put some type of vent for the room? I've heard fellow reefers talking about adding a exhaust fan to their rooms.

[dan-in-gr]

Hi, I have had a 180 gal on second floor and know another person with a 240 on second floor. When a student a zillion years ago, I had a king size water bed in some crappy student housing on second floor and no problems.

[RobinsonFam1]

paralell to joists absolutely no. perpendicular maybe.....
depending on lots of variables like how many holes of what size and where are cut in the joists.
most floors are set up for (IIRC) 40# PSF dead load. so youre almost 4X that by the time you put in sand, rocks, stand, canopy, sump.

you more than likely have 2x10 joists, you will also need to know the span from supporting wall to supporting wall. if it lands on an open doorway below, what is that material made of? lots of things to take into consideration.

kids bedroom needing a vent:
id say no as long as there is a cold air return and an air supply duct in there. if you had a propogation system or likes then id say yes but a std set up no.

[smbsocal]

I kept a 120 with no reinforcing on the 2nd floor. Perpendicular to the joists and up against a load bearing wall. I never had any issues.

I too had a 120 on the second floor without reinforcement this was back when I lived in California. The only issue I had was a couple of big earthquakes rocked the tank a bit too much for my comfort. :eek: