180 Gallon Tank

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meek13

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Dec 16, 2009
Messages
4
Location
Fairport, NY
Hi:
My husband and I want to buy a 180 gallon fish tank. The dilemma is where to put it. He seems think that we have to put it in the basement becuase it will weigh 2000 pounds once it is full. I want to put it in the family room where it can be enjoyed. Can we put this tank in our family room without the floor caving in??

Thanks!! :)
 
You would need to have your floor looked at and possibly have extra braces added. The safest route is on a concrete floor but I've seen 300g+ aquariums on top floors that were braced correctly.
 
Well the basement is underneath the family room. So poles and joists hold the floor up. Underneath the rug is tile and ply wood.

Thanks for the reply! :p
 
Mudfrog:

Do you need a professional to do the bracing? Sorry but what is bracing or how is it done.
Thanks for your reply!!
 
I would definitely hire a contractor to come out and look it over.

Bracing would essentially be adding more joists and cross braces, maybe a pole, it all depends on your current setup. I'm not a contractor so I'm sure someone else could chime in with a little more knowledge.
 
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alot of it will also depend on how the joists are laid out. you want to put the tank opposite the way the joists are laying so you spread the weight across several joists, rather than along one or two of them.
 
Water weighs 8.35 pounds per gallon, so a 180-gallon tank will weigh about 1,503 pounds, not including the weight of the tank itself and the stand. By all means have a contractor check the supporting joists and beams of the floor where you want the tank placed. A large sheet of plywood under the stand will help distribute the weight over a larger area, but by all means check the strength of the flooring!
 
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