Keeping a 6ft by 2ft by 2ft tank in an upstairs flat help

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Blackumbi said:
I have mine on the third floor what i did wad to secure the stand to the wall with 2x4 and4x4 so the weight is divided with the floor and wall
First located the stud then center of the studsView attachment 890785
Then place the first 2x4 to the studs with 4" screws View attachment 890783
The i place 4x4 on the 2x4 for my pipe View attachment 890786 then screw mine stand to the 4x4 and so far so good


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Yes the weight will be evenly spread across the cabinet not on just four legs and it will be against a wall.

What is the maximum live load a floor can have?

The calculations show it's only 450 litres/kg which I'm presuming is not that much over 7/8 joists considering many furnitures like sofas, wardrobes, beds and of course baths full weigh more.

17st per joist I'm sure it can handle
 
If it's an older type of house designed for 'wealthy' people to live in, I'm sure the floor would be strong enough to hold a grand piano in the middle of the floor. If you are spread across 7 joist, that's only 275 lbs each which probably wouldn't even shear a 2x4. Hell, I just talked myself into it too. Now how do I get a big tank up a spiral staircase???
 
Theoretically the joists themselves, provided they are not rotten, SHOULD be able to deal with the weight. Biggest problem you could have is whether the joists are soundly fixed into the wall. If money isn't an issue get someone in. Its alot of water if it goes wrong. Im getting a 6x2x2 in about 2 weeks to go downstairs and I took up the floor and put a load of breeze blocks under the joists to make sure. Securing to an external wall is a good idea too-never thought of that one!
 
Rhomadeas said:
If it's an older type of house designed for 'wealthy' people to live in, I'm sure the floor would be strong enough to hold a grand piano in the middle of the floor. If you are spread across 7 joist, that's only 275 lbs each which probably wouldn't even shear a 2x4. Hell, I just talked myself into it too. Now how do I get a big tank up a spiral staircase???
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I'm not going to lie and say it is when it was not haha, this is just an average persons house built but I do know its an older house.

Getting the tank upstairs won't be a problem I just want no problems in the future.

It will be spread across 7 joists but I've read websites that say you should only be having less than what this ways over a 6ft space.
 
Ian21777 said:
Theoretically the joists themselves, provided they are not rotten, SHOULD be able to deal with the weight. Biggest problem you could have is whether the joists are soundly fixed into the wall. If money isn't an issue get someone in. Its alot of water if it goes wrong. Im getting a 6x2x2 in about 2 weeks to go downstairs and I took up the floor and put a load of breeze blocks under the joists to make sure. Securing to an external wall is a good idea too-never thought of that one!
Click to expand...

According to websites a normal built joist should not be having this amount of weight on it, this is the problem I'm facing.

Whilst money is not an issue if I'm going to pay £££ for someone to come out collect data and then tell me I can't have it then what a waste of time (I guess this is the chance I'm going to have to risk in all honesty), I wouldn't want a tank this size going through the ceiling it could potentially and MORE than likely be very very bad and fatal.

According to websites I've browsed an average/normal house should only have 30 pound psf or 130kg psm which means this tank is over double the recommended weight.

What could be done if the joists are too weak to strengthen them as its upstairs so don't want the downstairs to have to stay in a hotel whilst work gets done (if they would that is but i dont want this route anywaus) is there any easy solution as obviously I cannot concrete it.

Accordingly to the websites I've read even a 4ft tank is too heavy, never mind a 6ft.
 
http://www.funqa.com/engineering/518-Engineering.html

This website says 40pound per square foot or 130 per square metre - the tank is weigh more than that! :(
 
A tank that big needs to go on the 1st level period! Why put yourself through the stress the hobby is suppose to releive you of? Either get a 100 gallon of more to first level.
 
I live in an upstairs flat spoke to a structural engineer about the very same thing my floor is a concrete block and beam floor with a screed top as standard these floors on domestics are put in to hold 1.25 kilo newtons per square meter of floor space"dead load" this is a weight that does not move. 680ltrs of water is just under 7 kilo newtons on its own. You do the math


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Allan01230 said:
A tank that big needs to go on the 1st level period! Why put yourself through the stress the hobby is suppose to releive you of? Either get a 100 gallon of more to first level.
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Think about them old heavy baths, water beds, pianos and bookcases for example.

The weight will be spread across eight joists and running across the joists parrelel.
 
Hart1985 said:
I live in an upstairs flat spoke to a structural engineer about the very same thing my floor is a concrete block and beam floor with a screed top as standard these floors on domestics are put in to hold 1.25 kilo newtons per square meter of floor space"dead load" this is a weight that does not move. 680ltrs of water is just under 7 kilo newtons on its own. You do the math


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So did the bloke advise against it?

I'm on just wood not concrete floor and the joists I'm assuming are just the normal 2 by 8 joists, what do you recommend me to do?

I really want this size tank. So frustrating because I'm unsure.
 
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