300 + Gallon tank Second Floor- Input -

[XsploveReefin]

Well i will just say hello. I have not posted in a pretty long time.

But i am back and i would like to up my tank size for the last time.
So i have a chance to buy a 340 gallon cube to replace my 75 gallon SPS reef tank. But i live on the second floor of a house. The house that is 22 years old which i think is to my advantage because the house seems to be stoutly built.

Well the place i would like to put it is were a preexisting wall used to sit about 2 years ago when we ripped it out when we were re modeling. Under this wall is a Very large beam that runs under the joist under the tank.

I am just wondering if i can do this or not safely i do not want my floor to fall on the spendy cars in teh garage.


Thanks for your input.....

[ruiny]

Usually if there is a beam in a house it is there for a reason. ie transfering weight from the roof. I would not count on the beam for support to the tank.
Now if the beam runs through the garage ceiling and the tank is right above it than puting a post under the tank on the beam to the garage floor my be enough.
Though you should get someone (who knows) to look at the situation first as sometimes info is lost in the wording.
and this is only an opionion.

[XsploveReefin]

Yeah i am just looking for critisism~

[tgranber]

I asked someone at the local fish store and they said that most apartments wont let you go past 125 SOOO... I would imagine a house is the same as that.

Tim

[XsploveReefin]

Yeah

The beam below the Tank is large~

[Gudwyn]

Would your tank be near the end of the beam or near the middle? If near the middle, you'll need posts for certain. If near the end, you'll need posts to feel secure at night.

[pennyguy23]

Well it would be like parking a honda civic or 4 snowmobiles on that beam. When you say beam. You mean metal correct? How is it in the walls. Does it sit on the top?, are the walls cement blocks? poured walls, 2x4, 2x6's? We need more info.

[XsploveReefin]

The beam looks like a 4 by 8. Below the floor with 2, 4 by 8 Wood beams going into concrete~

[ruiny]

The biggest concern with the beam is the span. Again I will say that the beam is there for a reason and if you want it to support the tank than you need to transfer the weight it is currently holding to the fondation of the house some other way.
Big beam means big load already there.

[mcegelsk]

This is not a wise idea...if you really need someone professionally to tell you that its not wise...call a local construction or building contractor. They may even be able to come to your house...but they will either tell you no...or tell you the massive amount of support you are going to have to put in place to even just support it. Otherwise you'll be giving your downstairs neighbor a saltwater bath. 340 GAL x ~8 lbs/gal = 2720 lbs...that's without rock, stand, more equipment. Do not do this, you need to be moving to a ground floor to do your tank. ~Matt

[mm949]

what are the dimensions of the floor joists.....i have my 300gl reef above my crawl...it is a new house with 2x12 engineered "I" beams....no problems other than my wife thought my 6yr old could pull down a 4000lb tank....bolted it to outside wall just to please her....i would consult a structural engineer to be safe..

[pennyguy23]

Well is the tank in the middle of the beam. What is the span? The treated beam that goes into the concrete will be a little stronger the regular. I will post pictures of what I have to do in mine in my thread.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=808292

[pennyguy23]

This shows that I have the back of the tank on my LVL joist but since its not in the middle of it I have to double up on 8 of my 2x12 I beams.

[XsploveReefin]

Thanks guys for all the info. I am going to post some pics up of the Floor from the bottom and show the beams and were the tank should sit.

Thanks again for all your imput.