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RicoJ
01/14/2014, 08:35 PM
I moved into a house that has a finished basement. How can I find out if my floor can support a 100 gallon tank with a 55 gallon sump?

Thank you.

davocean
01/14/2014, 09:05 PM
Unless something is wrong w/ framing, it shouldn't be an issue.
Preferably span lengthwise across joists, and against a load bearing wall.
Never a bad idea to get someone in the know to actually look at framing and make sure it is sound to be certain, but I personally wouldn't sweat it.

GroktheCube
01/14/2014, 09:38 PM
Yes, it can. Put it over as many joists as possible, and you'll be fine.

If it's in the basement, as in over carpeted concrete, you could place just about any sized tank you want.

PirateToast
01/14/2014, 10:16 PM
Yeah, if its in the basement you could have as big a tank as the room can fit!

PirateToast
01/14/2014, 10:17 PM
Also, a finished basement supports the same amount of weight as an unfinished basement :)

RicoJ
01/14/2014, 10:38 PM
Lol. I should have clarified. It will not be going in the basement. It will go on the Mai floor above the basement.

lrs183
01/14/2014, 10:54 PM
This could be a poor way to base the theory but a 100 gallon tank with sand and rock will weigh 1000-1100 pounds, roughly. That would probably include the sump/fuge. Even if you throw a love seat down and put 2 grown adults on it a pretty singular area of the floor has no problem holding 700+ pounds. I'd say I wouldn't sweat it. Your biggest concern in my opinion is whether it's level or not.

Redman88
01/14/2014, 11:14 PM
what kind of ceiling is in the finished basement dry wall or drop?

Spyderturbo007
01/15/2014, 08:05 AM
This could be a poor way to base the theory but a 100 gallon tank with sand and rock will weigh 1000-1100 pounds, roughly. That would probably include the sump/fuge. Even if you throw a love seat down and put 2 grown adults on it a pretty singular area of the floor has no problem holding 700+ pounds. I'd say I wouldn't sweat it. Your biggest concern in my opinion is whether it's level or not.

That is actually a myth.

This website (http://www.african-cichlid.com/Structure.htm) is a very good read regarding aquarium weights and floors written by a structural engineer with over 40 years of experience.

You would probably be fine, but the only way to be sure is to hire a structural engineer.

nickandMK
01/15/2014, 09:18 AM
Great info just make sure your tank above a load baring wall or beam

PirateToast
01/15/2014, 09:23 AM
what kind of ceiling is in the finished basement dry wall or drop?

Why? It has no effect on the load bearing abilities of the structure.

Art13
01/15/2014, 10:43 AM
Why? It has no effect on the load bearing abilities of the structure.

He's probably asking because if he can pull a panel on the ceiling, he can see the supports and what they look like, if its drywall, he would have to knock a hole in the ceiling and patch it to find out what supports are used.

Cdiggy
01/15/2014, 10:52 AM
Even if he has to cut an exploratory hole on Sheetrock it is a pretty easy job to patch and paint. Not a real big deal.

RicoJ
01/15/2014, 11:42 AM
Great responses everyone. When I get home I am going to take a picture of the supports under where the aquarium will go and post it on this thread. The floor seems very sturdy.

foundnemo11
01/15/2014, 05:41 PM
If it can't get a new house

RicoJ
01/18/2014, 02:00 PM
ok finally got a chance to go to the basement. This is what I found underneath the area where I am planning on putting the aquarium. Looks like it is made of particle board I beams. The first picture from my actual house, the second picture is one from the web for reference. It looks like the i beam are around 10" top to bottom and about 18" apart.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzcaFqjMviuJMDI1azBmbFZJTUpSd0M0Yk1mem4ybU9DVWhj/edit?usp=sharing




http://www.housatonicrr.com/images/IBeamPics/BeamDone.jpg

GroktheCube
01/18/2014, 02:07 PM
That is what your floor joists look like? I was under the impression that joists were always dimensional lumber.

RicoJ
01/18/2014, 02:15 PM
yup that is what it looks like underneath. Looks like it is a common building material.

http://www.oakworthtimberengineering.co.uk/images/BCI-Joists-The-Range.png

http://ecowarm.net/images/ibeam_floors_laying.gif

http://www.woodsolutions.com.au/fwpa/images/engineered-wood-products/osb/1_84AnimageofanI-BeamthatusesOSBforitsweb.jpg

http://www.dynea.com/files/dynea/solutions/solutions_i-beams.jpg

Redman88
01/18/2014, 02:53 PM
ok finally got a chance to go to the basement. This is what I found underneath the area where I am planning on putting the aquarium. Looks like it is made of particle board I beams. The first picture from my actual house, the second picture is one from the web for reference. It looks like the i beam are around 10" top to bottom and about 18" apart.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzcaFqjMviuJMDI1azBmbFZJTUpSd0M0Yk1mem4ybU9DVWhj/edit?usp=sharing




http://www.housatonicrr.com/images/IBeamPics/BeamDone.jpg

that beam doesn't look right to me. the other pics you posted are of a style i have seen before. but that one you say is in your house doesn't look right

RicoJ
01/18/2014, 03:25 PM
Maybe it is the angle so the picture I took but I can assure it is the same thing. Maybe the insulation is making it look differently. Anyways does anyone think that this kind of support will hold up my 100 gallon?

It will be placed across the joists and next to a load bearing wall where the other side of the wall is exterior.

lrs183
01/18/2014, 04:39 PM
That is actually a myth.

This website (http://www.african-cichlid.com/Structure.htm) is a very good read regarding aquarium weights and floors written by a structural engineer with over 40 years of experience.

You would probably be fine, but the only way to be sure is to hire a structural engineer.

A myth, how so? Not that my example was amazing to begin with, the same general principle applies. If you have a group of friends stand in a tight circle equating to 1500 pounds and nothing happens, in theory that would be more intense in a single location than a wider distribution from an aquarium.

I'm not an architect nor am I doubting you full heatedly. I just dont see how numbers lie in that respect

Spyderturbo007
01/20/2014, 06:59 AM
A myth, how so? Not that my example was amazing to begin with, the same general principle applies. If you have a group of friends stand in a tight circle equating to 1500 pounds and nothing happens, in theory that would be more intense in a single location than a wider distribution from an aquarium.

I'm not an architect nor am I doubting you full heatedly. I just dont see how numbers lie in that respect

I'm not a structural engineer, nor do I play one on TV, but they guy that wrote that website has been for over 35 years.

He is a similar statement on his website to what you wrote:

Myth #10a (male version): "I weigh 250 pounds and can stand on one foot anywhere on the floor without crashing through the floor. My foot is about 36 square inches (0.25 sq ft) so that is 1000 psf. Therefore Kevin's 40 psf makes no sense."


Like I said above, the subfloor is very strong in punching shear. And an isolated bearing pressure of 1000 psf on the subfloor has nothing at all to do with a uniform floor design load of 40 psf on the floor joists. The floor joists must be able to support the 250 lb man not the 1000 psf foot pressure. The subfloor easily supports the 1000 psf in punching shear and carries the 250 lb weight to the floor joists.


Myth #11: "My two brothers and I weigh 800 lbs together and we jumped off the sofa onto my floor and it didn't break, so I know that the floor can safely hold more than a 800 lb aquarium."

Yes, the dropped weight exerted a force greater than 800 pounds, but it was a short term impact load. If your 800 lb aquarium stays in the same spot for 10 years it might just cause the collapse that the jumping brothers didn't.

Then there is the misunderstood subject of stiffness and strength. The amount of flexing, or bowing or bending that occurs is a function of the elasticity of the material and the shape of the material in the direction of the load. Everyone knows that their fiberglas (or graphite?) fishing rod bends alot without breaking. But a wooden stick with the same diameter might bend a lot less and still break under less load. The wood stick is stiffer but weaker. So why does everyone in a second floor apartment constructed with a concrete floor assume that their floor is stronger than the wood floor at their friends house? They assume that their floor is stronger because it is less "bouncy." But this conclusion is not necessarily true since they are comparing two different materials with a much different shape spanning a different distance.

davocean
01/20/2014, 09:44 AM
We call those glue lams or micro lams, and they are supposed to be really strong, but yours looks odd, never seen one made of ply and not OSB, and it's fabricated a little different than typical ones like your stock pics show.
I still "think" you are fine, but this is one where you should check w/ someone in your area and might have more knowledge on that particular beam.
To the people that always say have 8 friends stand in an area, the real deal is have them all stand in that same spot for a year or so, and THEN see what happens w/ that continuous dead load in one area over a length of time.