# Tank size safety



## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

Hey everyone I have the opportunity to purchase a 180 gallon fish tank with a a stand for only $750!!! The best thing is that this tanks seller lives less than 5 minutes away in the town 1 over from mine.  I am very excited about but there is a small dilemna. The only place I can put it is above my garage in a "bonus room" . For the most part the room is only supported from the sides save one colunm in the middle.

Is it safe structurally for me to put a 180 gallon fish tank upstairs in this room?? This would also mean carrying it up a large series of stairs which i am sure could be managed but still quite daunting.

I was thinking of placing the tank in the orner of the room to have the most support for it.

Any Ideas???


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## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

Does anyone have an opinion?


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## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

Would anyone reccomend or not reccomend this I am in a bit of a dliemna here.


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## D-007 (Jan 3, 2008)

I wouldn't do it. The weight of the tank, water and decor all together just sends shivers down my spine. Probably best to speak to a structural engineer that can look at where you want to put it and then go from there.


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## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

Allrighty thanks for the feedback


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## ksane (Mar 19, 2008)

I wouldn't do it either. Unless you can put vertical beams underneath where it's going to go. That might get in the way of your garage area though. Maybe some vertical support beams just along the side the tank will be on? Or put it in the livingroom right smack behind the couch. 6' tanks work great behind couchs and don't take up *that much room width wise.


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## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

Ahaha "that much room" well I suppose it could go there or just in my basement for the time being until I find a permanent space for it.

Now that I think about it getting a 6 foot long 2 foot wide tank up a flight of stairs may not be exacly a piece of cake either ahaha


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## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

Hey guys I was just checkin out the architectural plans of my house and apparently the coner this tank is goin in has a wall that runs down to the foundation which from what Im told gives added support. Is this correct?

Also it turns out the tank is really only 135 gallons

Will this work?


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## TrashmanNYC (Dec 10, 2007)

SamMag said:


> Also it turns out the tank is really only 135 gallons


empty...........
water weighs about 8-9lbs per gallon so at least 1440lbs with water plus substrate, rocks, etc...........


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## jtfields (Jun 24, 2004)

Even at "only 135 gallons" the water alone in your tank will weigh around 1 ton. That doesn't include the weight of the tank itself, stand and other contents (rocks, etc.). I wouldn't do it unless you were absolutely certain your floor could support it. And by "absolutely certain" I don't mean simply because someone in these forums tells you it will. I would either have an engineer or some other qualified person out to your home. Otherwise I wouldn't even attempt it.


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## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

How do you think a 90 gallon 75 gallon, or 50 gallon would fair

I keep going down in tank sizes but I really want a tank upstairs . :lol:


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## ksane (Mar 19, 2008)

I've got a 55 gal and a 45 gal upstairs in the loft against the walls that do fine. I'd probably do a 75 gal if I could get it up the steep loft steps.


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Do you have access to the "structural" members of the floor underneath? (I guess this is the ceiling of your garage...) If so, you can get some floor jacks from your favorite home improvement box store to put underneath and reinforce the floor.

Piece of mind for under $100. 

-Ryan


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## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

That actually sounds like a good idea

Thanks


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## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

I'm sure you'd be fine with a 75, or probably the 90 as well. I have a 90 in my dining room, and that's as much weight as I'm personally comfortable with on a wood floor. I'm sure you can put more weight, but it's not worth the risk for me. The 90 is parallel with the floor joists, which is sub optimal.

Do you have a bathroom upstairs? I have a tank in my bedroom, but no upstairs bathroom. That means either dragging a hose up and down the stairs or bucketing myself to death. I can't wait to take my upstairs aquarium down I'm tired of buckets. You just might want to consider what maint will be like on the upstairs aquarium. BT, DT.


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## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

I do have an upstairs bathroom so thats not an issue but thanks for the concern :thumb:


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

I think it would be fine. Here is a nice article on aquarium weight/load that is quite informative and an actual engineer perspective.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/a ... weight.php


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## SamMag (Aug 22, 2006)

Great article big help in my overall decision.(which is still undecided :lol: )

I will keep everyone updated as to my decision and possible pictures of the new tank which I have yet to get


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