150gal on Main floor- structural expertise needed

vtminter · 04/26/2012, 03:31 PM

I want to put my 150gal tank on the main floor of my townhouse. It will be up against the wall that separates my home from the one next to me. The floor joists are webbed trusses. The tank is 5'x2'. It will be plumbed to the basement so no extra weight from the sump will be upstairs. Do you think this will be safe for my floor?

If not what are some suggestions for extra support from the basement?

sasharotty · 04/26/2012, 05:21 PM

Do a search on it. 100's of threads on this topic. Im personally setting up a 180 in my 1st floor den. I had a structural engineer come in and give me his thoughts. I was told to "sister" the joists and reinforce joists with posts. My tank weighs 400 #'s dry, add in water, rock, sand, canopy and stand im close to 2100#s. Is the tank perpendicular or parallel on the joists? How old is the home and condition of joists and flooring? Whats the spread on the joists? Is it going to be on a load bearing wall? My suggestion is to get someone in there that can take a peek at it and have them give you their professional advice.

tkeracer619 · 04/26/2012, 05:25 PM

As long as you are going perpendicular to the trusses its not an issue.

They do have a bit more bounce so you might find that you need to support them to remove the bounce.

vtminter · 04/28/2012, 07:57 AM

Thanks for the advice. I am going to try and get someone in here to look at it.

It will be perpendicular to the joists. My only real concern is the I don't know the strength of webbed trusses. I also have no idea how you sister webbed trusses. That is what I would ultimately like to do. The house was built in '93. The wall it's going up against is the wall that separates the two townhomes. I am assuming this has to be a load bearing wall.

jerpa · 04/28/2012, 09:35 AM

Here is a good read on floors and aquariums:http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article28.html

04/26/2012, 03:31 PM	#1
vtminter Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 297	150gal on Main floor- structural expertise needed I want to put my 150gal tank on the main floor of my townhouse. It will be up against the wall that separates my home from the one next to me. The floor joists are webbed trusses. The tank is 5'x2'. It will be plumbed to the basement so no extra weight from the sump will be upstairs. Do you think this will be safe for my floor? If not what are some suggestions for extra support from the basement? __________________ "The sea, once it casts it's spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."-Jacques Cousteau Current Tank Info: 150gal mixed reef

04/26/2012, 05:21 PM	#2
sasharotty Moved on to my couch Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: se michigan Posts: 1,074	Do a search on it. 100's of threads on this topic. Im personally setting up a 180 in my 1st floor den. I had a structural engineer come in and give me his thoughts. I was told to "sister" the joists and reinforce joists with posts. My tank weighs 400 #'s dry, add in water, rock, sand, canopy and stand im close to 2100#s. Is the tank perpendicular or parallel on the joists? How old is the home and condition of joists and flooring? Whats the spread on the joists? Is it going to be on a load bearing wall? My suggestion is to get someone in there that can take a peek at it and have them give you their professional advice. __________________ Go big or go home!!!! Current Tank Info: Just loungin

04/26/2012, 05:25 PM	#3
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Golden, CO Posts: 11,535	As long as you are going perpendicular to the trusses its not an issue. They do have a bit more bounce so you might find that you need to support them to remove the bounce. __________________ Hobby Experience: 8200ish gallons, 23 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tanks: Vortech Powered 360G Mixed reef w/120g Sump. PM Bullet XL-1 Skimmer w/Askoll 1500. ReefAngel. Radium 20k MH, Blue+ T5, Super Actinic VHO. 360G Only Rock & Water w/50g Sump. Octopus DDNW250 Skimmer.

04/28/2012, 07:57 AM	#4
vtminter Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 297	Thanks for the advice. I am going to try and get someone in here to look at it. It will be perpendicular to the joists. My only real concern is the I don't know the strength of webbed trusses. I also have no idea how you sister webbed trusses. That is what I would ultimately like to do. The house was built in '93. The wall it's going up against is the wall that separates the two townhomes. I am assuming this has to be a load bearing wall. __________________ "The sea, once it casts it's spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."-Jacques Cousteau Current Tank Info: 150gal mixed reef

04/28/2012, 09:35 AM	#5
jerpa Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 1,715	Here is a good read on floors and aquariums:http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article28.html