fishnchips Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Hey everyone! I have a question here.I'm thinking about setting up a 180 gal tank in my living room.Would it be safe to set it up against the centre wall that is above the main support beam for the house?This is a bungalow that was built in 1965,so it's all Fir wood and built strong.The centre support has two 2"x6" sandwiched lenghtway(full length of house) with 2"x6" every 16" vertical support,and 2"x10" horizontal every 16".I figure a total weight of 2300lbs for complete setup.Hope this makes sense!lol! Experienced help will be ever so appreciated! Thankyou Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmullin Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 was there some sort of cross joist bracing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnchips Posted June 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Nope,but my floor joists look way stronger than yours.No chipboard,solid Fir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 If you're running it across the joists AND along the main support beam, you should have no problems. If you can try to put each end of your tank directly over a joist, it'd be even better. (null) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quetzalcoatl Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 I have 2, 230 gallon tanks in my living room. I placed a support bean and a column, in the basement, along the boards under the tank. So far it has been holding ok for almost 2 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremoose Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Nope,but my floor joists look way stronger than yours.No chipboard,solid Fir. An I-joist floor with that sort of cross-bracing is about as strong as you can get for a floor system, there's a reason I-joists are now the industry standard. That being said, your floor should be fine for a 180g tank weighing in at 2200 pounds assuming you have no rot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnchips Posted June 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Thanks guys.I greatly appreciate the info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmullin Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 (edited) take a look and bring a pen pick and jam it in hard to the joists to see how solid. (especially around the sil) if nothing thats great. I would still suggest cross bracing of some sort if not the x bracing, block brace it. think tho of the king size waterbeds people use to have, you could throw them in anywhere in the house with no problem. Edited June 25, 2012 by ckmullin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgd Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 You should measure floor to ceiling in the basement and check for levelness before and after you fill the tank, and after a few months. If the floor sags I would invest in some jacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmullin Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 (edited) You should measure floor to ceiling in the basement and check for levelness before and after you fill the tank, and after a few months. If the floor sags I would invest in some jacks. did that then I poured my cement countertops...with those i-joists and bracing...notta/nothing for movement. The member can also use this sort of setup: throw in a nail/staple @ the bottom one of those joists...wrap a length of thread and tie off. (make sure this is secure and will not move) Let the string go to the floor and then @ the bottom tie off on plumb bob (screw, nail etc) Adjust it so the plumb bob just touches the floor...just above whatever you want for point of reference. Fill the tank and look @ the setup and see if the measurement has changed. You can get a quite precise reading by doing it this way. Edited June 25, 2012 by ckmullin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgd Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 How much to concrete counter tops weigh? I have them, and my landlord poured them in the garage and carried them in later. Haha, just saying I'm not sure that it's a fair comparison. Those i-joists look flimsy, but they most certainly are not. Engineered beams... they don't mess around. I challenge anyone to try and snap a 1' by 10' particle board when it's standing on end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmullin Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 At least 1500 pds for three sections and not something to be carried. Had to make frames and pour in place. The whole process was quite fun actually. I had skimped out and just gotten high psi concrete than the typical low weight concrete used for these applications. Had remembered yours, always like to see people using cement as countertops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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