Weight Issue

[Guido]

OK. Here is my problem/dilemma. My room is the 3rd floor of my house (if you include basement) so in other words top floor. I want to put my whole setup in my room, since this is where i spend most to all of my time when I'm at home. My whole setup will include:

Stand
75g tank
29g sump/refug
100+lbs LR
70-100Lbs sand
Equipment (skimmer, lights, powerheads, overflow, etc)

The tank will span 48" long and that will sit exactly atop 4 joists. Each joist is a 2x12. I wasn't able to find the shear weight capacity of 2x12 so I do not know the exact weight that ONE can hold. The tank will be directly against the wall as well, so I am sure that will give it additional support.

My question to you is this....

Will the floor joists hold the weight?

[dakar]

Shot this to you via PM but figured I'd repost it here for all... especially since I see a possible patent application.

Provided the house is built to code it should disperse the load evenly and be fine. A couple of things to watch out for is to make sure the floor itself is level where you want to put the tank. Ensure the tank itself is level and plumb, once it's on the stand, set a few marbles or ball bearings in the center of the tank (dry of course) and if they stay still then you are level, if they run to a corner or side then you need to get it level so the the load is evenly distrubuted. This will help reduce deflection of the glass as well, imagine the trouble you be in for turning 75g of SW loose down three floors Smile If you have access to a laser level, laser pointer or something similar (a couple would be great, the cheap $2 laser pointers work great for this), attach them to the top of the tank (on opposite sides would be great), hot glue or something easily removed but hold the laser still. Now mark where the laser strikes on the opposite wall, fill the tank up and check the marks again and you'll have a great reference point for how well the load is being handled. If you are really paranoid leave the lasers in place and check them every now and again.

As far as supports go, the outside wall is the best, and spanning 4 2x12 joists should be just fine. Though if you have another location on the ouside wall that will be perpendicular to the joists and span across an interior wall that will increase the potential to dissipate the load by another 30-40%.

Now I'm no structual engineer, but a I like to think I'm better than most weekend hack carpenters. You are looking at around 1000lbs total weight, not light by any means, but across 4 joists that should be no problem.

Hope this helps! Actually I just thought up the 'laser pointer idea' as I was writing this... wonder if that's been done before...... never seen it written up anywhere, maybe I should look for a patent or something :?:

[jerryc]

I believe dakar is right you shooed have no problems my tank is on a
outside wall on 2 by 8 joists and has never moved