any structual engineers (fish tank weight on floor)

craggs

I know this cant be answered completely,,but as an idea i live in a first floor flat that is purpose built,,im upgrading my fish tank

the weight from it is around 500kg,,and i have block and bean concrete flooring anf will be putting it against the putside supporting wall

should i be worried about the weight..

so its really views and advice and or experiances im after..

thanks peeps

phead

craggs wrote: »

I know this cant be answered completely,,but as an idea i live in a first floor flat that is purpose built,,im upgrading my fish tank

the weight from it is around 500kg,,and i have block and bean concrete flooring anf will be putting it against the putside supporting wall

should i be worried about the weight..

so its really views and advice and or experiances im after..

thanks peeps

I'm not expert but I had a 450Kg tank on a normal wooden floorboard and joist first floor for several years without problems, just make sure its across the beams and not along them.

If you don't get a more qualified response here then you may want to try the building forum at diynot.

ic

How heavy is a standard bath with somebody in it? If a floor can hold that, I'm sure a fish tank won't be a problem.

robv_3

500 litre tank sound big. A little more than the 250 litres used by most baths.

robv_3

forgot to add two things. Now days extra support is normally required under baths to meet building regs and minimum loadings per meter sq of a floor is also covered by building regs for new builds. You could look it up!

Wig

Not a structural engineer.

As it will be placed against a wall and across the beams, not along the length of one or 2 beams. You will certainly be minimising any load (bending moment) on the beams. You should consider what is supporting it. 4 legs = 125 Kg per leg and each pair of legs = 250kg. Which will put 250 kg directly onto one beam or worse, the blocks in between the beams. So you should definately look at trying to spread the load across the beams, by having either a purpose made cabinet with a large footprint or two very strurdy bits of timber that the legs will stand on.


I would have thought the building was designed to be safe with 10 or more people in the room, these people would be in the centre of the room, which would put a much greater strain on the beams than your fish tank would at the edge of the room.

I'd say yes you will be safe, but start getting concerned if you subsequently begin to have parties with 10 or more people in addition to your aquatic friends.

craggs

Thanks peeps

the stand/cabnet im building myself as done a fair few woodwork is my game but structual is not

the stand is going to have an at least 18mm board on the base to spread the load and no parties from now on.

only problem ive got is which way the beams go (with the plaser skim).3 builders think its the wall im going to set it against but 2 the other way

one way it will go across 2 beams and the other 3

im looking at bolting it to the wall at the back aswell for atability

ive heard the theory with the bath but as said they are sometime more stronger (maybe i remove the bath and put it there )

the tank has a 3ftx2ft foot print aswell which is worse,,i would be so bad with a 4ftx1.5ft print more spread out.

craggs

phead wrote: »

If you don't get a more qualified response here then you may want to try the building forum at diynot.

thanks just registed:T