Do I need to reenforce my ground floor for new 180g fishtank and how

[marcus melbourne]

Hi I'm proposing to reenforce my floor under my new 180g (5x2x2.5ft with sump) tank. I've identified and measured where floor joists ect are (see photos and diagram. I need to run it parralel but the middle of the tank is over a concrete support beam that the main beam and then joists are connected too. Because the space is small, its hard to get into to sister the back joists. but other options i can do are
1. put solid spacers between the joists that are under the tank in (glue and nail gun)
2. put in small floor jacks /acro-props under each joist under tank, onto a concrete paver given ground is pretty solid
3. run solid wood beam across back two joists close to the side corners to provide joist support
4. place tank on large foam and plyboard wood, to even pressure and move load weight over the another at the front of the tank

welcome advice on whether I am on the right track, and if people think the floorjack/spacer/ply and foam/ combo is enough in this situation?

Placement is hard to move as it doesn't really work anywhere else. Would be again the wall to the upstairs level of the house. COnsition of wood seems alright underneath its close but not on the load bearing wall, which is the back wall to the outside deck (renoed in). Main challenge is I have to half squeeze under the support beam to get to the back area where the joist support is weakest (25-40mm space to joists), so don't mind spending money but hard to get in there and do proper work (like put a concrete base down). You can see green and red wire hanging down, which will mark the edge pf the tank.

 

[KrisReef]

That tank isn't going anywhere sitting on top of that beam unless you have a massive earthquake that slides the tank across the room and through the wall or out the door, depending on the direction of motion in the ground thrust.

The floor is designed to sit on top of the pier which carries the weight to the earth. The pier is the most stable portion of the floor and that tank, sitting flat on top of it would have to jump up to start moving. That isn't going to happen unless someone plants a bomb under the building or an earthquake that is so massive your extra preparations are not going to make any difference in the final out come.

Fill that tank today and get it cycling! Modern floors are designed to distribute and carry a lot of weight without failure. IF the floor is flexing and bowing when you walk across it, then forget everything I have posted.

 

[coralnutz]

I'd personally be fine with putting that tank there. But if I was concerned I'd ask an engineer to check it out vs asking the interwebs what they think. Just my $0.02

 

[KrisReef]

I'd personally be fine with putting that tank there. But if I was concerned I'd ask an engineer to check it out vs asking the interwebs what they think. Just my $0.02

You doubt me?

Me too!

The point I didn't make is anecdotal: How many times this week have you read an account of an aquarium or a piano accelerating through the floor of a modern home or office building? In contrast, how many posts have you read about a tank leak, seam failure, or similar issue. If tanks were jumping through floors we'd know and the webs would have cool videos.

Note to OP: Please put a webcam on this tank so we can see it jump through the floor as you fill it. That will be fun, for us!

And yes, an engineer is going to be a more reliable asset than me, but if that building didn't have an engineer I think the floors will be wobbly as I mentioned in the first crazy post I made. Peace, It will handle the load.

 

[twentyleagues]

I am not an engineer.
If you are truly worried i'd get one to check it out.
I think you are fine.
For peace of mind you could do a 4x4 parallel to the center support on either end of the tank supported by house jacks. Most likely not needed but you know.

 

[marcus melbourne]

Hi I'm proposing to reenforce my floor under my new 180g (5x2x2.5ft with sump) tank. I've identified and measured where floor joists ect are (see photos and diagram. I need to run it parralel but the middle of the tank is over a concrete support beam that the main beam and then joists are connected too. Because the space is small, its hard to get into to sister the back joists. but other options i can do are
1. put solid spacers between the joists that are under the tank in (glue and nail gun)
2. put in small floor jacks /acro-props under each joist under tank, onto a concrete paver given ground is pretty solid
3. run solid wood beam across back two joists close to the side corners to provide joist support
4. place tank on large foam and plyboard wood, to even pressure and move load weight over the another at the front of the tank

welcome advice on whether I am on the right track, and if people think the floorjack/spacer/ply and foam/ combo is enough in this situation?

Placement is hard to move as it doesn't really work anywhere else. Would be again the wall to the upstairs level of the house. COnsition of wood seems alright underneath its close but not on the load bearing wall, which is the back wall to the outside deck (renoed in). Main challenge is I have to half squeeze under the support beam to get to the back area where the joist support is weakest (25-40mm space to joists), so don't mind spending money but hard to get in there and do proper work (like put a concrete base down). You can see green and red wire hanging down, which will mark the edge pf the tank.

 

[marcus melbourne]

Just wanted to say a huge thanks to this community. Convincing wifey that an extra almost tonne of weight onto a small area of our floor will be fine is a hard sell, but reckon she’ll be fine once it’s set up. I’ve liked over and reckon I might do some basic reenforcwment based on comments below, but not go crazy. It’s a crappy shuffle under the house to get underneath the location with lots of unfriendly Aussie spiders. So reckon I’ll just do this basic safety install I got elsewhere then get into tank set up.

“Excavate the ground in the crawlspace until a large cement block or brick will fit between the joist and the ground. You will probably end up with a small gap so use two shims on opposite sides, facing and overlapping each other, to make up that gap by tapping them together until they're snug. I'd probably use four supports on the two joists that run under the aquarium spot, one on each end directly under the tank; maybe another pair on that other joist that is very close near by as it can't hurt. Wear a respirator when excavating down there cause it'll be very dry and dusty!”

 

[Mikeltee]

My 130g+30g sump went in level about 8 years ago. I recently had to reseal it. I had to level it from the weight bowing the floor over time. It's located near the wall as well. If you have the means, get down there with some foundation blocks and some jack studs. It ain't going to hurt and it's a simple enough job. Here's my tank location and I have confirmed damage from a tank smaller than yours with arguably better constructed beams (engineered beams). As you can see, its not in the middle of the floor and you can also see the shims i needed to put in to make it level. It could have used another 1/8" but i was okay with where I was at as I used up the whole shim, it was what I had onhand, and I didn't want to use 2. My next tank will sit on concrete.

 

[jda]

Normally I see no reason to reinforce a floor for a tank that size, but those are not floor joists like I am used to seeing - those are more like 2x4s on 24 inch centers. Level the dirt. Put in a concrete pad in the 12x12 or 16x16 range and put a pillar, stacked wood or floor jacking posts under there.

I would probably just cut 2x material and stack them up, but they also make jacks with threads.

 

[mike89t]

This video may help: