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is it safe to keep a 125 gal tank on a 2nd story floor?

Nick
"Impossumable- unable to play dead"

It's really going to depend on how old the building is, what the structure is made of, and where you are planning on putting it

First thing to think about in my opinion wouldn't be could it go on the second floor, but how on earth are you going to get it to the second floor If memory serves correctly empty it weighs close to 250/300 lbs...so not only is it awfully awkward, but it is heavy as fishy poo...I thought I was going to die carrying mine in, and I'm on the first floor...

Find out how old the place is, and then maybe we can tell you...i know the best place is going to be on one of the outer support walls heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Hi,
Along with what Heidi said, place the tank along a load
bearing wall not perpendicular to it. Keep the tank
across the floor joists not parallel with them.
Distribute the weight across the entire footprint of the
tank, don't use a stand that has just 4 corner support.

Lastly realize that the contents of the finished tank
(water, gravel, etc.) will weigh in at
10 x 125=1250 pounds, minimum not counting
tank and stand weight.

Frank


Last edited by FRANK at 13-Aug-2005 08:34

Last edited by FRANK at 13-Aug-2005 08:37

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swiftshark88

Yes you can providing the structure below is in good condition and designed to take the weight.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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Swift,

For all the reasons mentioned above, I am going to place my 125G in the basement on a concrete floor. Our building is from 1924, made of wood. My 29G, which is on the 2nd floor, is tilted from back to front ( and that&#8217;s only 12&#8221; ) by over 1/2 an inch.

based on All-Glass Aquariums, the AGA 125G is 206lbs empty and 1400lbs filled up, plus stand weight.

Hope this helps,

Ingo

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

my house is not very old, about 10 years, i plan on haveing a solid stand, and i was going to put it on an outer wall like my freshwater tank, which i know is supported well. i can check the floor joist, thanks guys, i think it will work out, the house is not old, getting it upstairs is no problem, im 17 and in shape, i can get my a friend or two to help me carry it. thanks for the imput heidi

Last edited by swiftshark88 at 13-Aug-2005 10:16

Nick
"Impossumable- unable to play dead"

I'm in a 3rd floor apartment with wood floors. After lots of research I added a 75g on the same wall with my 29, 20 and 2 10s.

[link=This]http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/aquarium_weight.php" style="COLOR: #FF9999[/link] is a good article; and I love the first pic in it

~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Great news everyone!, i found the floorplans for my house, and i did some checks. THe wall i want to put it on is perfect, it has a main support beam under it, the beam is a solid steel i-beam, so no worries. also the floor joist would be perpendicular to the tank. i guess its pretty safe!, thanks for the help everyone.-nick

Nick
"Impossumable- unable to play dead"

Oh thanks Ingo, now I feel like a total wimp I swear that tank was heavier

Swift, glad to hear you found the floor plans and that it's going to work out, but be on the safe side and get 3 buddies to help with it, ok Even at 17 and in good shape the tank is going to be heavy and awkward, very odd thing to carry, especially upstairs

As for the pictureI love it that is the true way to move a tank upstairs . Good luck and have fun setting it up, and enjoying it

heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

I will tell you now watch out for your shins!!!!!!!!!!!


We were taking only a 80 Gallon upstairs, about 10 steps and for those 10 steps I got a purple and black leg for about a month.


As your going up the stairs it gets really awkward it goes on a huge angle and you start to bash up your leg. So be carefull


I am 20 and the boyfriend is 22 and we had help from his 17 year old brother and his friend.


We still had a hard time up stairs.


Angel Eel


Good luck!