Creating a strong bulwark: Did you consider floor support for your reef tank?

[Peace River]

Creating a strong bulwark: Did you consider floor support for your reef tank?

It is important to have a good foundation for your reef. While that statement applies to having a good foundation of knowledge, foundation for your aquascape, and foundation of knowledge, what I am getting at right now is where your tank is sitting. The floor where your tank is placed is an important consideration and similarly it may also be important to consider the need for potential floor support. When you set up your aquarium – especially if it was a big tank – did you consider floor support for your reef tank? Please share any tips to think about as well as any steps that you took if you added floor support.

Photo by @Striike

If you are unsure of whether you need floor support, please take a look at the R2R article entitled: “Do I need floor supporting?!?”.

This QOTD is sponsored by: www.tckcorals.com

 

[exnisstech]

Better safe than sorry

 

[Doctorgori]

Better safe than sorry

perhaps not ideal but thinking that looks better than a fish tank through your ceiling … rock on

 

[Rp8]

One story house now, voted no focus.

Although when I had a basement in Omaha, I did the calculations lol

 

[Dburr1014]

Yup, I only want the sump in the basement.

 

[exnisstech]

perhaps not ideal but thinking that looks better than a fish tank through your ceiling … rock on

It's not as bad as it looks. The basement is unfinished except that area. Its just used for storage now that the kids are gone.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I mean, my tank sits on the house foundation, so no need for additional support. I did consider whether or not the tank was likely to damage my flooring.

 

[MoshJosh]

Luck for me, my tanks are all sitting on the concrete foundation!

 

[dank.reefer]

Luck for me, my tanks are all sitting on the concrete foundation!

Mine too.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Didn’t want to find out later that I needed it.

 

[Signalhead]

Concrete foundation with tile

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

tank will be in my basement so no

 

[KrisReef]

I had to calculate if my basement would hold all of the water if the tank broke and if my ceiling would hold the weigh of the light fixture. Turns out I don't have a basement so I put the tank in the garage.

Who else voted other?

 

[AKReefing]

I added floor support, but since my floor joists are strong enough to support the weight by themselves, I just added a 4x6 crossbeam between the joists, supported by two metal supports capable of 5000 pounds each. That's 3 times the weight of the tank. All that's needed is enough support to prevent any deflection caused by the tank above. Most people over-engineer things, but it can't hurt.

 

[New&no clue]

I was told I’d be fine… but better safe than sorry. The post go through the drop ceiling and to the beams above

 

[mtfish]

I am also on a cement slab foundation and am lucky enough to see the house built from the ground up. They did add extra rebar in the room that the tank sits in. I have probably 500 gallons plus the weight of the tank (3/4 inch glass) and metal stand.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Many 4x4 posts. Old house

 

[vetteguy53081]

My new house is concrete

 

[LPS Bum]

I have 4 floor joists running perpendicular to my Reefer 625 and another 4 joists running perpendicular to my 240 gal FOWLR. Both with some seriously thick steel I beams nearby.

So far, no issues. Never have really worried about it, but I do worry about tank seams.

 

[ca1ore]

Would be foolish to not consider it for a big tank. Doesn’t mean any mitigation is required of course. It is also not just whether the floor can hold the weight, but whether deflection or floor ‘bounce’ could put strain on the tank seams. Two jack posts under my 120.