How big of an aquarium can I have in my bedroom?

[toi_ss]

Hi, I was originally going to build my tank in the garage so that I could have a large tank but im wondering what the largest size tank I could have in my bedroom would be. The tank would be placed perpendicular to joists (45cm/18inches spacing) and both of the walls in the corner are load bearing. It is a bedroom and i'm in new zealand so the standard weight capacity for a bedroom is 1.5kpa or 150kg/m2. The house is a condo/townhouse built in 1989 and my bedroom is on the top floor of the house (4th floor) excluding the attic. The stand will be made of aluminium as it is light weight and the tank will not be deeper then 38cm/15inches because I like the shallow look and it also reduces pressure on singular points on the floor due to the weight being spread out more. Also the sump will be offset so that helps.

 

[PicassoClown04]

I would be really careful doing a large tank on the 4th floor of any house, especially one that's as old as yours. Luckily, since you like the shallow look, a smaller tank looks big. I have the waterbox 45 gallon lagoon and it fits a TON of coral I love it. Also, keep in mind that you will have to haul water for water changes and that gets really overwhelming and heavy really fast. Good luck!

 

[toi_ss]

I would be really careful doing a large tank on the 4th floor of any house, especially one that's as old as yours. Luckily, since you like the shallow look, a smaller tank looks big. I have the waterbox 45 gallon lagoon and it fits a TON of coral I love it. Also, keep in mind that you will have to haul water for water changes and that gets really overwhelming and heavy really fast. Good luck!

I dont think the house is that old, the floors have also been renovated twice after the house has been built. There is an rodi in the attic and I can have that line run into a mixing station somewhere.

 

[toi_ss]

bump

 

[steveschuerger]

I live on the third floor in a building way older than yours and I have a 90 in the living room with no problems. I don’t foresee any issues honestly as long it’s not in the middle of the floor.

 

[toi_ss]

I live on the third floor in a building way older than yours and I have a 90 in the living room with no problems. I don’t foresee any issues honestly as long it’s not in the middle of the floor.

Do you think a 125 would be safe upstairs ish if i put it in the corner of two load bearing walls, have an offset sump and also have it span across at least 4 joists?

 

[Ballyhoo]

If the tank is in your bedroom where you sleep, how much water would and equipment would you feel comfortable being in the same room you sleep in ? I am asking the same question for my bedroom and I have a medium sized bedroom. I am wondering about tank noise and evaporation-humidity plus ambient sound. Maybe others can post experiences about tanks in their bedrooms. I am thinking 65 gall system is max I would want in the room I sleep in.

 

[19Mateo83]

I have a 50g tank in my second floor bedroom. When I was younger I had a 120 in a second floor room no issues either. Moisture can be an issue if you dont have good circulation, I run acrylic lids to help keep evaporation down.

 

[ZoWhat]

Send pics when the 4th floor aquarium becomes the basement aquarium in like 5secs

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hi, I was originally going to build my tank in the garage so that I could have a large tank but im wondering what the largest size tank I could have in my bedroom would be. The tank would be placed perpendicular to joists (45cm/18inches spacing) and both of the walls in the corner are load bearing. It is a bedroom and i'm in new zealand so the standard weight capacity for a bedroom is 1.5kpa or 150kg/m2. The house is a condo/townhouse built in 1989 and my bedroom is on the top floor of the house (4th floor) excluding the attic. The stand will be made of aluminium as it is light weight and the tank will not be deeper then 38cm/15inches because I like the shallow look and it also reduces pressure on singular points on the floor due to the weight being spread out more. Also the sump will be offset so that helps.

You realise that any answers you get here are worth exactly what you paid for them?

As you're raising the issue here, it sounds like you are unsure if it would be wise.

The only way to get an answer that an insurance company would accept if there was a catastrophic failure is to engage a professional structural engineer and ask for their opinion.

You should also consider how you are going to get water to and from the tank on weekly basis, noise which may affect your sleep, and evaporation which can make things very mouldy fast in a hot and humid summer.

FWIW, I wouldn't put any aquarium in a bedroom, especially not a reef tank with all the work it entails.

 

[toi_ss]

You realise that any answers you get here are worth exactly what you paid for them?

As you're raising the issue here, it sounds like you are unsure if it would be wise.

The only way to get an answer that an insurance company would accept if there was a catastrophic failure is to engage a professional structural engineer and ask for their opinion.

You should also consider how you are going to get water to and from the tank on weekly basis, noise which may affect your sleep, and evaporation which can make things very mouldy fast in a hot and humid summer.

FWIW, I wouldn't put any aquarium in a bedroom, especially not a reef tank with all the work it entails.

I don't have anywhere else to put my aquarium apart from my garage which frequently has a car parked in it so bedroom is probably the best place for me. The living room is also on the 2nd floor so that would be the same. Humidity isn't an issue, where I live it is quite frequently over 100%, its 83% right now and it hasn't rained since last week. I have planned multiple things to keep the aquarium quiet. I have reached out to several structural engineers but they haven't got back to me so I might try to talk to a general contractor.

 

[toi_ss]

Send pics when the 4th floor aquarium becomes the basement aquarium in like 5secs

Was this necessary? This doesn't add anything and is just negativity so if you don't have anything to add just leave it, no reason to be like this.

 

[Doctorgori]

Send pics when the 4th floor aquarium becomes the basement aquarium in like 5secs

…….don’t jinx things

noise which may affect your sleep

….a huge factor

 

[toi_ss]

I have a 50g tank in my second floor bedroom. When I was younger I had a 120 in a second floor room no issues either. Moisture can be an issue if you dont have good circulation, I run acrylic lids to help keep evaporation down.

I don't think it will be too much of an issue, as where I live it is very humid (80-100%) and there are multiple dehumidifiers in my house as well as air ventilation. I'm a bit worried about ph issues when its winter and all the windows are shut but I guess I could maybe run the skimmer air intake outside somehow.

 

[Doctorgori]

Was this necessary? This doesn't add anything and is just negativity so if you don't have anything to add just leave it, no reason to be like this.

wow…we were actually posting almost at the same time

 

[toi_ss]

….a huge factor

As im planning the aquarium im choosing the quietest equipment I can find, I think I will also have an enclosed sump cabinet that is sound insulated to quiet down the skimmer but with a small moisture resistant fan to keep air circulation going.

 

[Ballyhoo]

I have a 50g tank in my second floor bedroom. When I was younger I had a 120 in a second floor room no issues either. Moisture can be an issue if you dont have good circulation, I run acrylic lids to help keep evaporation down.

like a krakken lid?
i've been mowing over getting the red sea 250 in my medium size bedroom. Of course I'm freaked out because I'm renting now in about a year or two I'll be buying the have to move the 250 and the G200 that's in the living room. but I can't be sure. the market here in San Diego so weird.

 

[randomfishdude]

If the tank is in your bedroom where you sleep, how much water would and equipment would you feel comfortable being in the same room you sleep in ? I am asking the same question for my bedroom and I have a medium sized bedroom. I am wondering about tank noise and evaporation-humidity plus ambient sound. Maybe others can post experiences about tanks in their bedrooms. I am thinking 65 gall system is max I would want in the room I sleep in.

It's not bad. I have a 90 in my room. It took a while to get it dialed in to be silent. I don't mind it much when it's making noise.

 

[19Mateo83]

like a krakken lid?
i've been mowing over getting the red sea 250 in my medium size bedroom. Of course I'm freaked out because I'm renting now in about a year or two I'll be buying the have to move the 250 and the G200 that's in the living room. but I can't be sure. the market here in San Diego so weird.

I made them myself, 1/4” acrylic sheets with cut outs for cords and returns along with cutouts to reduce condensation.