# Weight Bearing Question



## zimmy (Aug 30, 2010)

I know this question has been asked and answered many times before but I feel compelled to ask anyway. I live in an apartment building built in the 80s. The floor is concrete. I'm planning on setting up a 125 gallon tank near a weight bearing wall. Does this seem safe?

Thanks.


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## Cowboy (Aug 19, 2010)

Yes i would think so just about anywhere in that style of APT. The thing that i am not so sure of is the covering of that floor, if it tile maybe your might want to set up a "sub Floor" underneath the stand, or at least the corners to help distribute the weight.

Good luck!


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

Might want to check with the landlord if you're even allowed to have a tank that size in your building. Otherwise, I don't see why it wouldn't hold....


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

I am NOT a contractor nor structual engineer but I have looked into pouring concrete before for a greenhouse I've yet to erect before it got put on the back burner of things to do.

From my research before it is either 1000PSI or 2000PSI for concretes strength. I'd go with 1000PSI on the conservative side. 

A 125gal with gravel is approx. 10lbs per gal (8lb per gal for just H20) as the general rule I've read all around and that seems to be used often. So... that would be 1250lbs. If just going with my info I've got above as long as you're not putting that 1250lbs in 1inch area you should be ok. 

I would wait for 50seven to chime in here as he is a contractor by trade and could shed more info and light on this. 

12in = 1ft = 12,000psi @ 1000psi rating


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

You gotta realize that if you live in an apartment or condo built in the last 30 or so years, the steel-reinforced concrete is strong enough to park a car on. Remember what was all the rage back in the 80's? Waterbeds! Yep, a few hundred gallons of water in the *middle* of your floor!

I wouldn't think twice about putting even a 250 gallon tank in an apartment like that, especially if it's right beside a load-bearing wall. The only thing you should worry about is protecting the flooring surface (i.e. hardwood) from water damage, as an aquarium is a constant source of drips and small spills.


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## zimmy (Aug 30, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the responses. That's the reassurance I was looking for.


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## zimmy (Aug 30, 2010)

50seven said:


> The only thing you should worry about is protecting the flooring surface (i.e. hardwood) from water damage, as an aquarium is a constant source of drips and small spills.


I'm setting up a couple of water alarms (one by the tank and one by the canister) but these will only offer help if I'm home and if the leak is significant.

Sounds like you're talking more about the routine drips and spills that inevitably happen. Any suggestions for what to use to protect against these?


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## waj8 (Jun 30, 2010)

You guys are just guessing. You have no idea of the structure of the building. Most commercial buildings are designed for 100 pounds per cubic foot live load but there is a very large safety factor built in to the calculations. You can actually park a car on that but not a truck. A 2' tall tank puts 130 pounds per cubic foot load on the floor. You have to ask permission to do this. If some fluke thing goes wrong you are liable if you are exceeding the design load. Even if you asked an engineer he wouldn't OK it in writing. He would tell you privately that it's fine but wouldn't stick his neck out. A water bed is about 50 pounds per cubic foot.


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## zimmy (Aug 30, 2010)

waj8 said:


> Most commercial buildings are designed for 100 pounds per cubic foot live load but there is a very large safety factor built in to the calculations. You can actually park a car on that but not a truck. A 2' tall tank puts 130 pounds per cubic foot load on the floor.


Thanks for your input Wayne. In terms of the load capacity you're outlining, wouldn't a bookshelf strain the limits? In another room in my apartment I have an 8 foot long bookshelf that is about 7 feet tall (five rows of hardcover books with more books stacked on top of those ones to fill up any available space). I'm guessing that this would exceed 130 lbs of pressure per square foot. The shelf is also not against a load bearing wall and has been there for about seven years. I'm not an expert on this subject so I really want feedback.

Also, based on what you're saying about the 2' tall tank, would a 45 gallon tank that is 2' tall cause the same problem? Forgive me if these are dumb questions...like I said structural engineering is not my area of expertise.

Thanks.


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## goffebeans (Jul 23, 2007)

gucci17 said:


> Might want to check with the landlord if you're even allowed to have a tank that size in your building.


+1 First things first. Check if it's permitted by the landlord and/or building.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

+1 
Regardless of structural issues; if you rent and are found to be doing something against your building's rules, you could be screwed anyway. Get permission so that you don't find yourself having to "relocate" your new aquarium. Though I doubt it will be a problem.



zimmy said:


> Sounds like you're talking more about the routine drips and spills that inevitably happen. Any suggestions for what to use to protect against these?


Yep, like every time you stick your hands in the tank. Old towels are your friend here...


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

50seven said:


> You gotta realize that if you live in an apartment or condo built in the last 30 or so years, the steel-reinforced concrete is strong enough to park a car on. Remember what was all the rage back in the 80's? Waterbeds! Yep, a few hundred gallons of water in the *middle* of your floor!
> 
> I wouldn't think twice about putting even a 250 gallon tank in an apartment like that, especially if it's right beside a load-bearing wall. The only thing you should worry about is protecting the flooring surface (i.e. hardwood) from water damage, as an aquarium is a constant source of drips and small spills.


How can you tell if it is a load bearing wall? What do you look for to ID it as such?


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## zimmy (Aug 30, 2010)

AquaNekoMobile said:


> How can you tell if it is a load bearing wall? What do you look for to ID it as such?


It's a brick wall that runs from the side of the balcony into the unit, separating my unit from the adjacent one. When you knock on that wall it sounds solid, unlike the partition walls within the unit. I also asked my father (who is a retired engineer, for what that's worth) and he said it's a load bearing wall.


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## zimmy (Aug 30, 2010)

I reread this very helpful article at the link below (for anyone else who is interested in the subject):

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

I've also decided to go with a smaller tank.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.


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## zimmy (Aug 30, 2010)

goffebeans said:


> +1 First things first. Check if it's permitted by the landlord and/or building.


Good advice. I did check with the building's management and they okayed the tank.


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## Used_Stuff (Nov 5, 2010)

hi,
i guess it already goes without saying but i will say it anyways.
i am not an engineer, a city inspector, etc.. etc....
if you got the "permission seeking" out of the way, here are my 2 cents.

1) if you are using a metal stand. i will try to "skirt" it and try my best to distribute the weight over a larger area of the floor.
if at 1,400 lbs with just the tank and water, imagine the additional weight plus your gravel and lid, canopy, light, heater, fish, rocks, etc... ( i know the weight of the heater is a non-issue but i am simply demonstrating additional weight ) even if your building can hold 2,000 pounds on a 72" x 18" but the weight is only being divided by 4 pieces of 1" x 1" metal stand footing, that is about 500 pounds per 1 square inch on your wood or parquet flooring.
I would find a piece of lumber that i can place immediately under the 2nd tier of the metal stand that touches the floor on all 4 sides so that the tank to floor contact would be 176 square inches, which would give you a floor load of 11 pounds per square inch.

2) if you have a cabinet type stand, whether DIY or from an LFS, there would be approximately 1,296 square inches of weight spread...using the 2,000 pound sample. that would be 1.5 pounds per square inch load on your floor....you can actually sleep at night.

3) i would suggest for your placement the following:
a) if you can chose a corner spot where both walls are external walls (meaning the other side of the wall is actually outside of the building and not simply dividing your living room from the bedroom or your apartment from the neighbour's apartment) that would be the strongest areas in your abode.
b) if nothing like this is ideal, at least go for 1 external wall.
c) if this is still not a possibility, go for the wall directly alongside your bath tub. When houses are designed, the bathtub area is re-inforced better than the rest of the house in anticipation of a 350 pound person taking a bubble bath where the filled up tub would already be around 400 - 500 pounds (give or take)
d) if none of these are a possibility ask your super which internal walls are load bearing wall and go with that.

I would stay away from walls near the electrical panel because chances are, the electrical panel of the tennants under you are located on the same side of that wall and if there is any flooding due to a leaky tank, you wouldn't want it seeping to the neighbour's electrical panel.

if the only reason you are staying away from the strong walls of your apartment is because of window, sunshine, heating vents etc...i think the weight issue deserves more attention than moss growth. it's easy to tint or shade or cover a window and/or to deactivate one of the baseboard heaters in the house than compromising by placing the tank on a less suitable area.

i have actually seen a lot of ginormous tanks in apartment buildings with no issues.

i think there are also some issues other than weight bearing that you should consider if you do decide to place a tank in your apartment.
- is it allowed by your building
- should the tank leak or crack does your insurance cover your and your neighbour's damages? (a little bit on this in a moment)
- for normal spills that comes with fish care during water changes, etc... are you prepared to replace some of the parquet flooring (or any other wood flooring you may have)

I went home one time to a flooded apartment wherein my 60 gallon hex tank decided to spring a leak from one of the seams. by the time i saw it the water was already a quarter empty and the tank emitted water like it was a cherub statue on a fountain, spitting the water about 4 feet from the stand.
the neighbour's downstairs got most of the water damage and i had to replace the parquet flooring because they all popped out of the floor. as for the neighbours downstairs, their ceiling needed to be scrapped and replaced, re-popcorned and repainted, their floor needed replacing and some of their furniture and appliances were replaced as well. the water did not go through from my floor to their ceiling as it was concrete separating us and not just hollow floors with wooden joists but the water seeped through anyhow via the walls (????? don't know how it really got there ??????????)

my insurance covered the damages but my landlord never said anything about NOT having tanks in the building.

whatever you decide, i wish you luck.

all pertinent fine print goes here 
this is merely for information purposes, you should consult a licensed engineer and have the permission of your landlord and neighbours and your insurance company before proceeding. should you decide to act on what has been mentioned on this post, you do so at your own risk and you will hold gtaaquaria.com, and all of its members free from any liabilities and damages as we represent no warranty whether expressed or implied, unless otherwise stated, none of us are experts and/or licensed to provide professional advice blah blah blah lawyer speak 

Enjoy your hobby!

CIAO! =)


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

For what it is worth, I was in an apartment a few years ago, where the entire living/dining room and one bedroom where filled (as in not really room for any more) with large tanks (100+gals), and there were no collapses. Still, better to err on the side of caution, and though the floors are concrete, they are built to a certain standard, as mentioned, and it is not the same as a slab poured on the ground.


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## zimmy (Aug 30, 2010)

BillD said:


> For what it is worth, I was in an apartment a few years ago, where the entire living/dining room and one bedroom where filled (as in not really room for any more) with large tanks (100+gals), and there were no collapses.


That must have been an amazing experience. I imagine the maintenance was almost a full-time job though.


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