| TCMAS Twin Cities Marine Aquarium Society Club Forum |
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
10-26-2003, 09:45 AM
|
#1
|
|
King Squid
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Apple Valley, MN and Houston, TX
Posts: 1,548
|
Need a Structural Engineer...
Anyone here a Structural Engineer? I need to know where my joists lie and how much weight they can handle. I know for a fact that the joists lie parallel to the tank, but I need to know exactly where...
As most people know, my townhome is an upper level townhome. I will begin building my larger tank soon and need some consultation.
Greg
|
|
|
|
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
|
|
|
|
|
10-26-2003, 01:59 PM
|
#2
|
|
I have no life, just fish
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Burnsville
Posts: 398
|
You may be able to find that out with one of those stud finders they sell at home depot.
|
|
|
|
|
10-26-2003, 02:27 PM
|
#3
|
|
Land Shark
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: USA
Posts: 5,946
|
Re: Need a Structural Engineer...
Quote:
Originally posted by geshields
[BI will begin building my larger tank soon and need some consultation. [/b]
|
So how big are you going to go?!? I was wondering how long until you did something like this. 
Derek
__________________
Come check out our club website!
www.tcmas.org
|
|
|
|
|
10-26-2003, 10:25 PM
|
#4
|
|
King Squid
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Apple Valley, MN and Houston, TX
Posts: 1,548
|
I think I will keep it to a 90 Gallon. 36"L X 24" Deep X 24" Tall.
Greg
|
|
|
|
|
10-26-2003, 10:35 PM
|
#5
|
|
Land Shark
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: USA
Posts: 5,946
|
Are you going to build it yourself? Tell me what your timeframe is and where you plan on putting the tank. If you'll need it, I'll then work extra hard to try and get some baby-sitting space cleared up for ya. 
I actually got the overflows siliconed in...
Derek
__________________
Come check out our club website!
www.tcmas.org
|
|
|
|
|
10-26-2003, 11:08 PM
|
#6
|
|
Bring it.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: MN
Posts: 930
|
I don't have much time to go into depth but my quick opinion is don't worry about it. A 90 gallon should top-out at about 850 lbs -maybe 1000 lbs max. That is about the same as 4 big men standing side by each. You had a lot more than that standing by your tank at the meeting.
__________________
People who do things that count - Never stop to count them.
|
|
|
|
|
10-26-2003, 11:42 PM
|
#7
|
|
Anti-Acan Activist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 2,578
|
Yeah, I wouldn't sweat it either. I have a friend that has standard 90 in an old crikitty house...upstairs. No problems... Also like Energy said, at most you are looking at 1000lbs. Think of it maybe as 6 people that weigh about 167lbs each all standing scrunched together. I'm thinkin you should maybe even go a little bigger at 48" wide (48" x 24" x 24") that will aactually not really have much of an impact on lbs p/sq in. Although at some point space itself becomes a factor.
__________________
Come to our .org if you want to live....
|
|
|
|
|
10-27-2003, 04:15 AM
|
#8
|
|
Nothing to See Here
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Plainview, Minnesota
Posts: 398
|
Trodder, I believe he wants the 24" width for better aquascaping options!!! Believe me it is nice to have the width!
24" is much better than 18"
|
|
|
|
|
10-27-2003, 09:38 AM
|
#9
|
|
King Squid
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Apple Valley, MN and Houston, TX
Posts: 1,548
|
I am going larger because there are more options with a deeper tank. I want to stay with the 36" length because I absolutely love the color of my 2 400W halides (10K & 20K) together and do not want to deal with finding another solution as far as lighting is concerned.
Best of all, my wife is the one that brought up the subject.
Greg
p.s. I have no idea of timeframe other than soon but I have to clear my backlog of sumps before I start on any acrylic projects of my own.
|
|
|
|
|
10-27-2003, 12:31 PM
|
#10
|
|
Kingpin
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Woodbury, MN
Posts: 260
|
The first thing I would look at is there support below. Is there a structural wall below the tank area, then there would be no problem, say to 180, since you have newer construction. If the floor truss is unsupported where the tank is I would be apprehensive. If there is a wall below you should be fine.
|
|
|
|
|
10-27-2003, 02:53 PM
|
#11
|
|
Anti-Acan Activist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 2,578
|
Hey Stoney, I think you read my post wrong. I am all for 24" wide and deep tanks. I was just thinking that make it 48" long instead of 36" long.
__________________
Come to our .org if you want to live....
|
|
|
|
|
10-28-2003, 12:35 AM
|
#12
|
|
TCMAS Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Brooklyn Center, MN
Posts: 5,665
|
Like Stan mentions. Shouldn't be an issue for that size tank. Also going wider and not longer also works in your favor to spread the load over at least 2.
Another nice thing you will have more room to spread VHOS out a little more. That is if you still using VHOs.....
|
|
|
|
|
