Polywise’s 300 glass reef with equipment room

[marekt]

thanks ,keeping as posted

[polywise]

got the walls finally painted. lights hung installed, siliconed the base board along top and bottom.

Will be painting the base boards and floor this evening. I will post some pictures tomorrow.

[polywise]

more pics

[polywise]

more

[polywise]

I am by no means a carpenter, and the odd shaped room with 7 walls was rather tricky.

This corner of the house suited my applicaton, due to being able to vent to minimaly visible areas under my porch. The only thing about the location, is that I will have a nice walk around area for my grow out tank.

[J.P.Reef]

A fellow Weschester res, tagging along. I just started my 300gal upgrade today and love the info on this forum.

[polywise]

got the floor and base boards epoxied...
stand to be installed over this up and coming weekend....

[albano]

Originally Posted by Jim Pereira

A fellow Weschester res, tagging along. I just started my 300gal upgrade today and love the info on this forum.

+1, Jim, my 450 upgrade is not going fast enough...when are you available????? looking good... Hope all is well, Happy Holidays! , Alfie

[polywise]

Hi Alfie,
It never seems to get done fast enough. I have been doing a little here, a little there. and am way past my filler-up date.

I have got to come over to your house to check out your system one of these days.
how about sometime in the next week?

[justshoe]

Coming along nicely none the less. Ive found projects always end up turning out much better when more time is put into it.

[albano]

Originally Posted by polywise

Hi Alfie,
I have got to come over to your house to check out your system one of these days.
how about sometime in the next week?

Anytime, Jim, I'll pm my cell # to you...opened up the wall today, so that I'll be able to put in some PVC this week (HOPEFULLY!)

[polywise]

one more step

I made a 4'x4' platform out of 2x6" to support the tank. Drilled 3 clearance holes for 2" drains and supply. got it up on stacked blocks.
Tank should be moved in the next day or so....

[Wrench]

I like your style so far. Tagging along for ideas.

[ebruce01]

The 280 that you are bringing in is it going on the 1st floor of the house not the basement? If so is there anything that has to be done as far as support for a tank of that size? Just wondering, I honestly have no idea how much the floor joists of home are designed to handle. Might come in handy for me at some point.

[polywise]

albano, I got your pm, and replied via pm. Thanks

ebruce01,
first floor living room is where the tank is going.
The tank will be perpendicular to the floor joists, and against a outside wall that is above the foundation. One wall of the equipment room walls is under the tank area. I can support the joists if needed. The house is 2.5 years old. I am planning on asking my brother in law who is a enineer that rebuilds bridges, just to be safe..

[ebruce01]

Sounds like you have a best case situation here. It would be interesting to hear what you brother in law has to say though. I havent heard a lot about the subject of weight on the flloor and that maybe because we are way under what the home will handle in most instances. Love the thread though please keep us informed on this build!

[kevins72chevy]

love it for what u have to work with

[MMERITT28]

Just following along.........

[polywise]

Question to brother in-law:
Hi John,
I have a fishie question for you.
I am going to be placing my fish tank in my living room.
when full with water, it will weigh 4,000 pounds. The foot print of the tank is 60"x36" (2,160square inches)
doing some math, that breaks down to 1.85 pounds / square inch sitting on the floor.

It will be against the wall that our christmas tree was on, and the floor joist run perpendicular to the 60" tank length.
Do you think I need to support from underneath?
Jim C.

Answer from brother in law:

Jim

Floor loading is usually designed for 50 lbs/sf
4000lb over a 5ft x 3ft area is 266.7 lbs/sf ( same as 1.85lbs/sq in x 144sq in's)
You definitely need structural support underneath. Does not matter what way the Fl jts are running. What is in your favor is that you are next to the main girder in the middle of the house
jm

my conclusion
I have to start investigating this before I put water in the tank in the living room.......

[swannking]

Originally Posted by polywise

.....Floor loading is usually designed for 50 lbs/sf.......

Where did you get that information from? I should have fallen through my floor millions times.

[polywise]

I don't know, but he came up with his answer. I quicky did a search, and found these (2) SUBG, and table 3
both seem to be in the area of poulds/ square foot that he is mentioning

got to think about this a bit, might have me changing location of tank from living room to basement....

Jim C.


+--------------------------------------SubG---------------------------------+
According to the 1991 Standard Building Code:


MINIMUM UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED LIVE LOADS

Occupancy or Use Live Load (psf)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Libraries:
Reading rooms 60
Stack rooms (books and shelving at 65 pcf) 125
Corridors, above first floor 80

Residential:
Multifamily houses;
Private apartments 40
Public rooms 100
Corridors 80

Dwellings:
Sleeping rooms 30
Attics with storage 30
Attics without storage 10
All other rooms 40





Table 3. Minimum Uniformly Distributed Live Loads (BOCA, Building Officials and Code Administrators)7
Occupancy or Use Live Load (psf)
Garages
Passenger Cars 50
Trucks and Buses 50
Manufacturing
Light 100
Heavy 150
Office Buildings
Offices 50
Lobbies 100
Residential
Attics 20
Dwelling units 40
Sleeping rooms 30
Sidewalks 250
Storage Areas
Light 125
Heavy 250
Yards and terraces, pedestrians 100

[Bax]

How about a micro lam beam and some lolly columns? If it is above the fish room, you may just have to move some gear to spot them. That said, nothing wrong with a cool reef tank in the basement!

[polywise]

BAX,
That is probably what I will end up doing. Tank is not directly above the newly constructed equipment room. The only down side is that columns will be in the middle of my already reduced space that I was allocating for my work room. Easy choice to make though, as I really want to see my reef tank daily without going out of the way to see it in the basement.

[albano]

Originally Posted by polywise

Floor loading is usually designed for 50 lbs/sf
4000lb over a 5ft x 3ft area is 266.7 lbs/sf ( same as 1.85lbs/sq in x 144sq in's)

Originally Posted by swannking

Where did you get that information from? I should have fallen through my floor millions times.

The information is CORRECT...with an explanation. The 50lbs/sf, is for the entire room...for example a 12' X15' room = 180sf = 9000 lbs...the floor is designed to support a TOTAL (distributed) weight of 9000 lbs. The problem with fish tanks is that ALL the weight is in a small area approx 10-12 sf. I have had a structural engineer to my home twice..for a 300g and a 450g install. Both required extra support, for the 450, I decided the basement was the best option. I believe, any tank/sump combo, over 200g, SHOULD be re-inforced, (not necessarily extra column support, maybe just doubling up on joists) better safe than sorry.

[polywise]

looking to err on the safe side...