Tank weight problem...?

[camshaft]

yes you guys are right about the footprint of a waterbed vs fish tank.
however i believe my other suggestions to be valid.

 

[annka5]

Am really not trying to do people a disservice here, but when it comes to STRUCTURAL issues with your house, (probablly the most expensive thing you will ever own, and certainly the biggest debt you will ever have (i.e. the mortgage)) please, get professional advice from someone you can trust. The weight involved in a 250 gallon tank is huge, so you are right to be concerned. A fish tank going through the floor and sub-floor of your house is not going to be a cheap or easy thing to repair.
And I honestly don't think a DIY project recommended from the internet is soemthing you should try.

 

[andywg]

Just a quick point, while I agree with the above, a fish tank is not likely to go through the floor. More likely is that the floor will bend and make the tank crack and leak (which will be about as bad where 250 gallons is concerned...)

 

[camshaft]

yes by all means consult a professional if at all possible.

 

[Jules H-T]

Just a quick point, while I agree with the above, a fish tank is not likely to go through the floor. More likely is that the floor will bend and make the tank crack and leak (which will be about as bad where 250 gallons is concerned...)

Really? Only if it's directly on the floor I would have thought. Surely the rigidity of the surface the tank is actually directly resting on will decide whether the tank base will snap. Maybe I'm wrong!

 

[logan89]

Ok guys, thanks for all the replys. Sorry for such a late reply, but I had to be away for a couple days.

Anyways, I spoke with my dad about it (he used to be in construction, and is now in pool construction, so....) and he said my floor should be sturdy enough, but he said just as a safety precaution I should do as camshaft said before, pour a small concrete pad, then buy floor support jacks and run them up to the bottom of the joists. He said about 2-3 per joist through about 2-3 joists.

Oh, and it just so happens that the wall i'm putting the tank on willput the tank perpindicular to the joists...

So, all things are go! Thanks for all the advice guys....

I think I chose the best AND one of the cheapest solutions for my particular situation.

Thanks alot guys..and good advice from all of you, camshaft you were right on the money with your opinion, good job.



I'll get some pictures up of how the end result looks...it shouldn't be too hard to accomplish either. Maybe I could make a small guide if this works really well? Who knows....

Well, i'm off again...busy busy

Thanks again,

-Logan