Ok Lets Get A General Consensus Here

[SJ2K]

So, on general terms here, using a bog standard, non-reinforced floor here, how much weight (we'll measure it in volume of water, US gallons) does everything believe an upstairs floor can take? If made with your average floor boards, nothing fancy

I appreciate each house is different etc etc but could we go for a rough idea?

All input welcome and appreciated

*Edit*

Madgaps made a fair point, we'll assume the tank is against a wall

 

[madgap]

It all depends where it is positioned and how the weight is dispersed.
For instance, I would imagine a tank would be more strain on the floorboards if it is in the centre of the room rather than at the edge of the room.
Much like holding weight at arms lenghth as opposed to close to the body.

 

[madgap]

If you are actually considering this endeavour, then I would disperse the weight with a big board beneath the tank's cabinet. Depending on tank size. I'll assume you're asking because you want to go large?
Also, the wall you choose to have the tank against, it would be wise to position against a structural wall rather than a room deviding stoothing wall

 

[SJ2K]

I think ive given off the wrong impression im not planning on a monster in my bedroom i was just curious as to whats the limits people recon they could go to upstairs the biggest I was thinking of was a 180l, nothing huge and this made me curious as to how much people believe an upstairs floor could actually take? Its ok to estimate Im not going to act on anything so no liabilities

 

[fall-apart-dave]

Think about your bath though - that holds more weight than a 180 litre tank especially with my fat rear sat in it!

 

[shroob]

I have a 180, 260 and 110 litre tanks in my bedroom, and I know of people with bigger, it all depends on the strenght of the floor, and where the tank is positioned.

The thing about baths, is that the builders reinforced the area where the bath would go, so saying a floor can hold a bath, so it must be able to hold a tank, is not entirely true.

 

[SJ2K]

Think about your bath though - that holds more weight than a 180 litre tank especially with my fat ass sat in it!

LMAO

Good point mate (not that your rear is fat i mean )...But im by no means a structual know-it-all so as far as i would know a bathroom may be re-inforced? lol, im totally open to all info in this area

So no one wants to be brave and be the first to guess the first size? Well I know andywg keeps a 6ft (100g) upstairs .

*Edit*

Just read shroobs post, thanks for the input.

 

[nurglespuss]

I would say 250 litres max on a non-reinforced floor, with the weight distributed across joists as evenly aspossible, along a supporting wall.

I say this because I used to have such a tank upstairs in my house.

 

[fall-apart-dave]

The problem is it all looks good until your floor gives way...

 

[Tolak]

http/badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article28.html

There is no standard floor. I've seen wooden floors in older residential structures that I wouldn't hesitate to put a 200 gallon tank on, others I've been nervous walking across they had so much spring to them. Building codes vary from area to area, two buildings built at the same time several miles apart may be built to vastly different codes.

 

[SJ2K]

Thanks for that if only I knew what sort of flooring we had in there etc lol, ill have to investigate

If anyone else wants to add there 2 cents feel free, even if its just saying 'Ive got my "g upstairs'

 

[fall-apart-dave]

I could probably work out an algorithm for this one mate. I'll have a word with the Father in law (a professional 35 year time served joiner). But the formlua will be something along the lines of joist size, spacing, distance from supporting wall and length of joists. Plus what else is in the room with it.

ALTERNATIVELY

If you are putting a tank upsrairs, you could always fit it in the wall and stick a lintle above it, as you would putting in a window or door. That'll be less work than replacing your floor!

 

[Tolak]

65 gallon in the living room, 55 y.o. house, give or take. 2x10 joists, 16" on center, 1/2"pine floorboards with 3/8" oak over that. Double brick structure.

I'm sure it will hold more than that, especially on an outside wall. I wouldn't hesitate to put something in the 180 gallon range on an outside wall spanning several joists, but I know my structure, and structures in the area built by the same builder.

I know of one local guy who has a pair of 240 gallons in his living room, similar construction. This does have quite a bit of floor deflection, this usually means a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[fall-apart-dave]

When the floor starts to bend thats when you need to add support.

 

[Tolak]

When the floor starts to bend thats when you need to add support.

Tell me about it. I certainly am not volunteering to crawl into the crawlspace under those tanks to jack in some posts.