How big until you need to reinforce?

[thomas_neil]

Hey everyone,

I'm in the market for a new house. My wife's starting to get frustrated with me because everything has to revolve around wanting to get a house that can one day support my dream tank.

My goal is to have between a 300–400-gallon display with a 100–150-gallon sump. I don't want to put it in the basement for a few reasons, one being how do you get something like that in the basement without having a walk out basement and my wife wants the basement to be a home gym/playroom for kids when we have them.

I'm curious if anyone has a tank like this on their main level with a basement and what kind of support you needed to put in. I'm pretty well rounded with supports and construction (commercial construction project manager) but I'm no engineer to know what kind of support needs to be added for a dead load like that.

Did you need to cut the slab to put a footing in with columns and beams, or can I just build something out of wood to support the floor joists?

The ideal house would have a basement with part of the house being slab on grade so I wouldn't even have to think about any of this.

This dream tank probably won't happen right away since I'm only 27, but this next house we buy we want it to be our last.

 

[PapaFishRocks]

Here’s a good resource on floor capacities (Live and Dead load) https://www.hunker.com/13400811/how-to-calculate-floor-load-capacity

 

[BZOFIQ]

You can use adjustable steel columns available at home depot to support a cross member holding your floor joists.

When all done, frame it as closet to hide them and use it to house your sump, water change station, control room, etc.

 

[o2manyfish]

Important point is the type of stand you design. If the stand sits on posts the Pressure at the posts/legs is significantly greater than if the stand is built with a continuous base that distributes the weight over a large expanse. While the overall weight is the same, the amount of pressure at a specific point drops dramatically.

Dave B

 

[Mschmidt]

I'd find the house that you like then call a local civil engineer to assess what is needed.