How Do I Work This Out?

[rabbut]

I would think it is OK, but I'm not qualifyed and know only minimal ammounts about structure....

I have no idea about what a structural engineer would cost to get in and look..

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Truck]

thanks alot rabbut youve been a big help to me recently not to mention others.

thanks everyone for helping me out recently.

 

[shibby]

ive had a 180 litre and 125 litre upstairs no problem the 125 was running along with the floor boards and the 180 with joists still the 180 was perfectly fine with even the thinest of floorboards and lying across like 2 joists....

 

[rdd1952]

Unless there are structural issues related to something like termites or rot, any floor should be able to support it. After all, people used to have water beds in upstairs bedrooms and those were extremely heavy and probably not as well distributed as an aquarium. But as mentioned, the only way to be 100% certain is with an engineer.

 

[Jallen]

I have a 30g in my room in the UK. My house is 7 years old and I live on one of those estates where they have a big sign and the show homes and things when they are first made. The floor creaks when my dad stands next to it, but then the floor can creak in other places just by the weight of myself.

I would really be careful about the placing, I have worried about mine alot. You MUST MAKE SURE IT IS LEVEL. You should check every morning. My stand is on carpet and I wish it wasn't, when you step next to it the tank does shake a bit (only very slightly) and if I were to nudge it with a fairly small amount of force, it would spill, and possibly fall.

I have a 15g right next to it though, and it's all on a load bearing wall. I would think a 125 should be ok, just be careful, and don't even consider it if you do alot of running around, or if there are any small kids which will go in there, because if they lean against it, it will tip.

I make it sound very dodgy, but it's not all so bad. You just have to be careful.

By the way, a 25 stone man would weigh about 160kg, and a 20 stone man would weigh about 130kg.
Plus, when the man walks he is exerting a force higher than that of standing (force = mass*acceleration, so if a fat man jumps, his acceleration could actually make the force he applies to the floor twice as much as usual). So, keeping in mind that the floor has to be strong enough to support todays morbidly obese population, I would say it will be fine.
The weight IMO is not the problem the stability of the stand on carpet is. If you can place it on a solid metal frame stand (like the old ones) it will be fine. Mine is an elite stand:
http/www.seapets.co.uk/gallery/660260.jpg
As you see the base is smaller than the top, which is a ridiculous design choice, which means it can rock a bit if you push it or jump up and down next to it. When i say solid metal frame I mean:
http/www.aquariumlife.net/images/plywood.jpg
sort of like that, as it will be alot more stable (in fact i might make my own in the long term)

But it should be fine. Good luck with your new tank and stuff

 

[Truck]

well im 14 my sisters 11 and my rooms pretty quiet, i only appreciate the tanks at night when im lieing in bed. or on the computer/

should i put the stand on a peice of ply to be safe?

 

[rdd1952]

It really depends. If your room has carpet, a piece of plywood may help level it. On hardwood floors, that probably isn't an issue. The plywood will help distribute the weight over more area.

 

[Truck]

ill do that then

 

[dcarmor927]

i have a 55 gallon tank (over 200 L) in my bedroom...no ply wood under it and its on carpet...also i did place it along a load bearing wall, perpendicular to the floor supports...good luck with your project

 

[Truck]

cheers thanks

 

[JustKia]

Do you have a bath upstairs?
Is it bigger than your intended tank?
Do you feel safe filling the bath? And adding a person to it?
Do you feel the bath would be safe enough on your floor to leave full of water for a long period of time?
If you answered yes to all of the above I think you can be pretty safe with an aquarium =)

 

[Truck]

yes but with a bath, there is strucural reinforcment, and the wieght is not permanent

 

[JustKia]

There's no extra re-inforcement in our 1950's flat, nor was there in my grandmothers 1950's house. The bath is set across the joists.
Yes, the weight isn't permanent but would you feel safe to leave your bath filled with water (from a weight bearing point of view) - I would.

 

[Truck]

yes i would, but in our house its reinforced( i dont know about others), the mother wanted a corner bath

 

[JustKia]

the mother wanted a corner bath

Had one, hated it, got rid, got extra large, deep bath instead - bliss.
We also used to have an 18 stone neighbour in the flat directly above us, who had a serious keep-fit routine that included skipping... in his lounge.
It's not like your planning a particularly huge tank, people have huge furniture upstairs - water beds, loaded bureaus, heavy wooden beds, etc.