# How much can my floor hold?



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Anyone in the building trade can give me some opinion? Here is my question.

I live in a semi, and I have a third floor suite about 12' x 18'. I have a rack (footprint is 36"x18") from HD that holds 3 x 20G tank, each shelf is rated at 500lb, and there are 5 shelves in total and I only have three tanks, so I think the rack is far from overloaded. But can my floor handle this kind of weight?

Also, about 10' away I'm thinking about setting up another two tier steel stand, and thinking about 2 x 21G on the upper tier and a 35G breeder tank in the lower tier. Again, should I be concerned about the floor load?

Any general guideline on the floor load limit?


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

It all depends on the location of the tanks in relation to the room, against the wall or in the centre of the room. Also whether the tanks are positioned parellel to the floor joists or at right angles. If you put the tanks against the wall you should be okay.


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## sudz (Dec 13, 2010)

I know when making Datacentres, Buildings have a Pounds per Square foot rating.

It depends on a ton of factors.

At my previous employer, they had an older building (70's) and when they went to put our datacenter in, it required a retrofit with steel beams in order to allow us to put 200 pounds per square foot. 

You then also have a single point maximum weight, kind of like a "crushing" weight for a cardboard box. If you have 800 pounds on a caster, Sitting on nothing but plywood with 12-18 inches (so 6-9 inches away from a floor beam) will it puncture through the flooring material?

There are a LOT of considerations.

I personally feel "safer" when putting the tanks against a wall, Less chance for floor sagging. Also, most more modern houses use joist "Hangers" which are much stronger than just driving a screw into a floor joist from the frame of the house. 

8 pounds a gallon (roughly) x60 gallons total (3X20) 480 pounds. I would think you would be OK with that. However, a stand that distributes the weight evenly (rather than 4 legs) would be better for anything heavier.

There are a ton of people (me included) that have had 75 gallon or 120 gallon tanks on straight steel tube stands without an issue. In my folks place, the floor sagged just from my 45 gallon. IN my concrete floored apartment, No sagging from a 75 gallon. Depends on how your place is built!

HTH...


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Hmm...I'm a bit worried. The other tanks are on hold until I figure out.

The 3 x 20G is about 500lb, adding the rack itself I say less than 600lb. Four legs are on two pieces of 3"x3' wood. I though it was okay because I imagined 3 big guys standing in my room and didn't think they would go through the floor. If those two pieces of wood are holding up I didn't think the floor beneath would be damaged. I think it should be fine but I might relocate them. Need to think about it.

And yes, this rack is against a wall, the planned 80G was going to be against the other side of the wall but I'm not sure I'm doing that now. Might just move everything down to the basement for the peace of mind.


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## sudz (Dec 13, 2010)

if its against the other wall and not on this rack, you should be fine.

also, by putting int on 3x3 inch pads, you've reduced the "point" pressure by 10fold (assuming it had a 1inch contact area of a castor or simple steel tube leg before)

Which, when you think of it, would be less than a 150 pound woman in high heels. (which would have a quarter inch contact area)

Unless you doubt the build quality of your home, I'd say you're ok. There are tons of people who have multiple 75 gallons in a non-basement room.

if you start hearing loud ticks and the plaster cracks - THEN maybe reconsider 

Edit

I just found this great article: Some of it proves me wrong, some proves me right 

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article28.html


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

sudz said:


> if its against the other wall and not on this rack, you should be fine.
> 
> also, by putting int on 3x3 inch pads, you've reduced the "point" pressure by 10fold (assuming it had a 1inch contact area of a castor or simple steel tube leg before)
> 
> ...


I really appreciate your input and the link. I didn't sleep well last night ;-)

I just finished reading the article, I have to say I can't be sure about where my bearing wall is in the house, but I'll reduce the 3 x 20G rack to 2 x 20G.

In the conclusion of that report, it says "aquariums up to 55 gallons can be placed almost anywhere without much worry at all. ", I guess 40G will be fine where I place the rack. And yes, the other 40G stand is on a different wall, I'll also move it further away from the rack and close to the corner of the room where the structure should be stronger.

This is a great conversation and most of us diehard hobbyists should give it some thoughts.


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## splur (May 11, 2011)

Is this an old house?


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Mine? Not particularly old, it was built in 2001. But from that article, the older houses actually are stronger due to the wood used.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

The basement would be my preference for a few reasons. The availability of a floor drain to drain tanks to is just to much convenience to give up. As well, any disaster with a major leak would be far less consequential in the basement.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

BillD said:


> The basement would be my preference for a few reasons. The availability of a floor drain to drain tanks to is just to much convenience to give up. As well, any disaster with a major leak would be far less consequential in the basement.


The problem is it gets too cold in the winter, especially at night. My shrimps don't need high temperature but even then, the water temp can drop to 15 degree. I am still debating to leave the tanks on the 3rd floor or move them to the basement though, yes, for the ease of mind I should move them and just spend some money on heat/hydro bill....


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## getochkn (Jul 10, 2011)

I live on the 3rd floor of a 80+year old triplex that I own. I have a 120gal turtle tank (about 90gals full, space at the top) and another 90 gallons spread out amongst 6 other tanks along that wall. They are all right against the wall, going perpendicular to the joists and the wall is about 20 feet long that they are spread out against. So far so good. I periodically check the level of the tank knowing where it was at when I set it up and no dipping or slanting.

I have contemplated putting the shrimp tanks in the basement but same thing, its gets cold down where I have space and there is no heating vent even there. Then it means tank heaters which is always a risk of overheating, shorting out, etc. Plus I like looking at my shrimp and being in the basement I know I wouldn't be watching them near as much as I do and keeping an eye on who's berried, who's new, who died, etc.

So for now, everything stays. In the future, it may change if it seems like my floor is suffering.

I think the advantage is being spread out across 20feet, an old house with big far joists back when a 2x6 was a real 2x6 and not 1.75 x 5.5 or solid wood and it's against the lengthwise wall of the house. Also, underneath my place, there is 3 rooms and a hallway divided up by partition walls that add support in 4 directions for my floor above. My 90gals worth of turtle tank are also in the corner from the front of the house along the length of the front part of the house.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I have changed my mind three times today, moving them to be basement or move the two systems apart and add better support on the base (not the floor)....

The link  says anything under 55G should be okay pretty much anywhere, but should I just listen to that or move everything down to the basement.... hard decision.

I do have vents in the basement where I can have the tanks. I put some water down there this morning and opened the vents to see how cold it gets. Before I opened the vents though, the water temp is 15 degree ;-(


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## sudz (Dec 13, 2010)

If your floor isn't sagging with 60 gallons, just leave it - 5 gallons is really only 40 pounds, I'm sure its fine.

How long has it been set up like this?


What is right below this room currently? can you see the floorboards (basement) or is it a finished room (main floor?)

A picture is wortha thousand words


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Floor is not sagging, this setup has only been there for 2 months.

It's on the third floor and right underneath is a wall but probably just a partition wall between a washroom and a bedroom. 

Anyway, I've made up my mind, basement they go. May leave two x 20 G in the third floor for a bit longer so I can just transfer the shrimps to basement tanks when they are cycled.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

Think of this: how heavy is a waterbed. With two big people in it. It could weight almost a ton, sitting in the middle of the floor. That's what your house was built to hold.

You'll see major warpage in your floor long before anything caves in anyways. 

Sent from my HTC Magic using Tapatalk


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

50seven said:


> Think of this: how heavy is a waterbed. With two big people in it. It could weight almost a ton, sitting in the middle of the floor. That's what your house was built to hold.
> 
> You'll see major warpage in your floor long before anything caves in anyways.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Magic using Tapatalk


I do think I should be fine if they stay on the 3rd floor, especially after reading that article in the link (the 55G conclusion), the author seems to know his stuff having been in the trade for a few decades. The water bed comparison doesn't necessarily apply, you can read that article. For me, they go to my finished basement, closer to the living room anyways and it will never get too hot for my shrimps in the summer, also, I can sleep better ;-)

At least the 35G isn't set up yet so it's easier to move, and only 1 out of the three tanks in the rack has shrimps.


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