How big a fish tank for a 2nd-floor apartment?

[NTB]

I'm thinking about setting up an aquarium in my apartment, but I'm wondering what size I could get away with. It's a small apartment, so a huge tank would look out of place. But since I'm on the 2nd floor, I'm thinking that weight would be a limiting factor before physical size (height, width, and depth) would.

for example, a 50-gallon tank is only 36"Lx15"Dx20"H. But at about 8lb/gallon, the tank would weigh around 400lbs once it was set up

Nathan

 

[olds]

Go for it.

 

[Safeway]

I'd get a 200 gallon tank to be on the safe side.

 

[Rubycon]

Lots of folks have furniture heavier than that.

When you get up to 150 gallons you need to worry. Not about the floor supporting it but the people below if there is leak. Tanks seldom leak but check valves fail.

 

[lokiju]

Are you worried about the floor caving in or something?

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Safeway
I'd get a 200 gallon tank to be on the safe side.

Why? How much can the floor hold?
My water bed never crashed through my floor when I lived in an upstairs apartment.
Two men standing side by side can equal 400 pounds.
:roll:

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

you need to make sure your lease doesn't prohibit large tanks.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
Lots of folks have furniture heavier than that.

When you get up to 150 gallons you need to worry. Not about the floor supporting it but the people below if there is leak. Tanks seldom leak but check valves fail.

I agree with whatever she says.

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
Lots of folks have furniture heavier than that.

When you get up to 150 gallons you need to worry. Not about the floor supporting it but the people below if there is leak. Tanks seldom leak but check valves fail.

And sometimes canister filters don't seal quite right... Fortunately, that was in the basement of my parent's house, and it was my dad's tank, not mine

Nate

 

[spidey07]

That's nothing. Don't worry about it. Even a decent stand on a 200-300 gallon tank will distribute the load to not even flinch. If you're worried put it next to a load bearing wall.

 

[her209]

1 gallon of water weighs approximately 8 lbs.

EDIT: Didn't see it was already posted in teh OP.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: her209
1 gallon of water weighs approximately 8 lbs.

Incorrect. 1 Liter = 1 Kg.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

btw, make sure your renters insurance covers it. It is probably an addon to your policy (for instance, flooding from a waterbed is not normally covered, you have to specifically ask for it and pay about a dollar more per month).

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: her209
1 gallon of water weighs approximately 8 lbs.

Incorrect. 1 Liter = 1 Kg.

For fresh water. For marine multiply by 1.0245 at 25°C.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: her209
1 gallon of water weighs approximately 8 lbs.

Incorrect. 1 Liter = 1 Kg.

I said approximately.

1 US gallon = 3.7854118 liters = 3.7854118 kilograms

1 kilogram = 2.20462262 pounds

3.7854118 kilograms/gallon x 2.20462262 pounds/kilogram = 8.345404480294916 pounds/gallon

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: her209
1 gallon of water weighs approximately 8 lbs.

Incorrect. 1 Liter = 1 Kg.

1 US gallon = 3.7854118 liters
3.7854118 liters = 3.7854118Kg
3.7854118 kilograms = 8.34540449 pounds

The OP needs to look at the amount of pressure that water will exert on the floor. The 50 gallon tank would put 111.27206 lb/ft² of pressure on your floor, which *is* not too bad at all.

Edit: Grammar

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
Lots of folks have furniture heavier than that.

When you get up to 150 gallons you need to worry. Not about the floor supporting it but the people below if there is leak. Tanks seldom leak but check valves fail.

Exactly. My parents had a waterbed in their bedroom, and beneath that was a basement. That's going to have just a wee bit heavier than a fish tank.

Even at 400lbs, with a size of 36 x 15 inches is less than 1psi. If you stand on the floor, you're at more risk of falling through than the tank, unless your feet are larger than Big Bird's.

 

[Kaido]

I had a 20 gallon and it was just fine. I probably wouldn't go much bigger just in case the tank broke or leaked :Q

 

[GagHalfrunt]

The key is to spread the weight out well. 1000 pounds on a base that's 50sq feet is far better than 500 pounds on a base that's 15sq feet.

 

[Rubycon]

Also a "fish tank" never holds exactly the amount of water as its "popular size" just as a "two by four" doesn't measure two by four inches.

Then your decorations (gravel, beer cans, shipwrecks, bubbly divers, etc.) displace a certain amount. The tank itself will have some weight as will the stand and accessories if it's a cabinet type.

The wrought iron types exert the most pressure as they often meet the floor with angle iron!

Any "tank" that a normal person would have should not present a problem. If you're paranoid, make sure the stand is running perpendicular to the floor support stringers (joists). This will distribute the load the best.

Like I said before the biggest risk is a spillover.

Most modern all glass aquariums are made of tempered glass. A properly tossed hard object striking the corner or edge of a pane can cause a sudden release of temper resulting in an explosion style release. This will make you and your neighbors below quite unhappy as even 50 gallons of water will make it quite far going downhill through all the places it will go in a building.

EDIT: This is a non-issue with an acrylic tank. They look better but require more gentle care as they scratch extremely easy.

 

[Doodoo]

Originally posted by: spidey07
That's nothing. Don't worry about it. Even a decent stand on a 200-300 gallon tank will distribute the load to not even flinch. If you're worried put it next to a load bearing wall.

I would never put a 200 or 300 gallon tank on a second floor without some extra bracing. Sure the floor isn't going to come crashing down, but over the years I can almost guarantee that the floor will start to sag. At the very least put it over a load bearing wall going against the joists. And once you get to larger tanks...the tanks themselves are heavy!!

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Doodoo

Originally posted by: spidey07
That's nothing. Don't worry about it. Even a decent stand on a 200-300 gallon tank will distribute the load to not even flinch. If you're worried put it next to a load bearing wall.

I would never put a 200 or 300 gallon tank on a second floor without some extra bracing. Sure the floor isn't going to come crashing down, but over the years I can almost guarantee that the floor will start to sag. At the very least put it over a load bearing wall going against the joists. And once you get to larger tanks...the tanks themselves are heavy!!

meh, I'm planning my 220. Then again it's my house and if it sags so be it. If the floor can't hold a fish tank then, well that leaves something to be said about the quality of work on the house.

Piano anyone?

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Piano anyone?

A loaded 220g reef system will weigh more than two Yamaha concert grands - with Billy Joel and John Elton on the benches. Do you have these kinds of things going on in your living room.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Rubycon
Most modern all glass aquariums are made of tempered glass. A properly tossed hard object striking the corner or edge of a pane can cause a sudden release of temper resulting in an explosion style release. This will make you and your neighbors below quite unhappy as even 50 gallons of water will make it quite far going downhill through all the places it will go in a building.

In that event, for best results, have a videocamera ready, and upload to Youtube for all to enjoy. Bonus points for using a high speed camera.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: her209
1 gallon of water weighs approximately 8 lbs.

Incorrect. 1 Liter = 1 Kg.

How is he incorrect? 1 gallon of water DOES weigh approximately 8 lbs.