# Will my floor be able to handle a 120 Gallon Aquarium?



## Aquarium

Hi Everyone,

I am thinking of placing my 120 gallon aquarium on my main floor replacing my 60 gallon aquarium currently running there.

I am kind of nervous as the 120 gallon aquarium will weight over 1400 lbs when running with water, live rock, live sand and etc.

My house was built in 2004 and the builder used 2 x 8 studs spaced at 16" center.

Looking at the basement, the Aquarium will sit directly on two - three of these studs.

Do I need to reinforce the floor by putting supporting joists?

I have attached the pictures of where my aquarium will go, the aquarium I am planning to place there and the floor joist pic from the basement.

Your recommendation will greatly be apprecaited.


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## TBemba

You should be fine, people used to put water beds in their bedrooms and that also weighted a lot, it was distributed better though.

I would definitely make sure the tank is level. I have only ever had a 90 on second floor the 125 was in the basement


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## pyrrolin

modern house with standard floor joists, should be perfectly fine. I wouldn't worry at all


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## Aquarium

Thank you for your input. I am thinking if I can sell my 120 G, then I can just get a 90 G one. Also got to worry about the weight of the sump.


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## TBemba

Here is an article about your very question.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/aquarium_weight.php


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## mistersprinkles

I had a 55 gallon on the third floor of my old house and that's about as heavy as I would ever go on a wood supported floor. Concrete = reach for the stars though.


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## Aquarium

That you all for your input and for that great article.

I guess there is no real concrete answer. You have to basically make a calculated decision on many factors.

From what I gathered, I do not think I can put a 120 gallon where I wanted to as the floor beams will be horizontal to the tank. I do not think 2 joists will support 1400 pounds.

I will be buying a 90 gallon drilled tank and will place it where the left sofa is on my pic as the floor joists will be perpendicular to the thank and the supporting wall is there as well. I will also place extra joists in the basement just to top it off.

I am converting my 60 gallon tank into a sump and will place it in the basement directly below the 90 gallon tank. I will use mag-24 pump to pump the water to the second floor.

I will let you guys know how it goes. Thank you again for your input.


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## Car2n

You could add some support in the basement.


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## mistersprinkles

Is that Nutrafin food you're using for those Mbuna? Wrong food. All their food contains far too much protein.

You should be using Dainichi Veggie, Northfin Veggie, or New Life Spectrum.

Also, you should top your water level up to just past the top black trim of the tank. Your filters will oxygenate the water better that way.


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## Aquarium

That is what I am thinking of doing. (http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/framecarp/supplement/floor/joist1/raising.htm)

But I got too many things in the basement to move around . It is going to be a bigger project to figure this out than setting up the aquarium


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## Aquarium

I do not have Mbuna.

I am using New Life Spectrum Cichlid formula. I buy the 2 kg box. Those two white contain the NLS.


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## bob123

If you were to put the tank in the center of the room you may have a problem. By putting the tank perpendicular to the floor joists and close to a supporting or exterior wall you will be fine.


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## Aquarium

Yeah,

Right now where I want to place the new aquarium is in center of the room horizontal to the support beams. Which is not a good idea as there are only two beams under the tank.

What I am going to do is run two 2 x 6 support joists on two adjustable metal columns right underneath the main floor perpendicular the ceiling joists. I guess that will cover it and I should be able to put a 90 to 120 gallon aquarium with no problems.

Now another question is do you guys think a mag 24 would be enough to push the water up at a decent rate from the basement to the 1st floor and into the tank?

I appreciate all of the input I have received.


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## pyrrolin

if the 120 would be close to a wall that is on the outside or close to a wall that has a wall also un the floor below, I wouldn't worry about it.

On one of my tank racks, I have about 50 gallons supported by just 2 2x4.

Go ahead and get a 120. Would only be a possible problem if it was in the middle of the floor with no walls underneath nearby.

You should even be ok to go with a 180 gallon


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## bob123

Are the two metal columns going to be resting on the concrete floor, if that's what you are planning it's not a good idea. By doing that you are now transferring the weight on to a small area just the size of the column base and could crack your basement floor as there is no footing for the column to spend the weight out.


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