Floor Load For Tank

[khoa.tran]

Hi, I'm about to move into the 3rd floor of a terrace home. The two bottom floors is one house, so the 3rd floor would be my first floor. I want to know if my 75 gallon tank would be ok on this floor. I'm reading about people saying that its too much load for the floor to take etc.. I don't want to cause any structural damage to the place. So does anyone know on average what the maximum floor load would be? I also don't know which way the support beams run etc. thanks

[PuffnStuff]

No way to know for sure. Even a structural engineer couldn't answer that without taking the floor apart to do tests. I have my 75g in my bedroom on an upper floor and so far so good...

[PuffnStuff]

Here's where I'm getting my info. http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article28.com

[khoa.tran]

Ya I've read that, however i dont know what kind of support i have under the floors.. I mean would any floor be able to hold up say a 40 gallon tank or a 50 gallon? I really don't want to go any smaller of a tank than a 40 or 50.. But i already have my 75 and dont really wanna sell it.. I hope it could work..

[coldmachineUK]

It's really difficult to say without knowing the structural design. I do know that the average joist can support the weight of five adult men so you could try positioning it directly above one...but to be honest, as has been said, there's really no way of knowing for sure.

[Myaj]

I look at it this way.. figure a 75 gallon tank is going to weigh 750-800 gallons.

Okay, that's the equilivent of what, four adult men? Do you think that four adult men standing close together anywhere in your home are in danger of falling through the floor?

Probably not, and if so, I'd look for a new place to live

[Dsmdan95]

Like everyone said. It depends of the type of floor/ building. If it's once of those 100 plus year old buildings where the floors are all crooked and it feels like your drunk when you walk on it. I probly wouldn't do it.