How big of an aquarium in a concrete apartment building?

Joemartini · Post by **Joemartini** » 09 Oct 2012, 06:35

I'm hoping to put a 120g and stand in my concrete apartment, I've tried looking it up online and looks like I'll be clearing it with the building manager just in case there are rules against it but just wanted to see if anyone was knowledgeable and had some info as to placement and maybe any unforeseen issues that could arise?
Cheers

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 09 Oct 2012, 08:01

Personally, I would start with the rules for building houses and apartments. Most likely the floors are supposed to be able to carry say 300 kg a square meter - I can't put that in pouds and feet - and than you could put the tank without any doubt

120 gallon, I expect US gallon is less then 500 liters. 500 liters is not much in my eyes

However, if floors carrying sayt 100 kg a square meter are allowed, I'd be carefull: don't expect builders to build better than needed: They would lose money without ground.

I would not inform the owner. In many cases owners don't have any rules forbidding you to keep fishes, but if you warn them, they could produce new rules easily

Viktor Jarikov · Post by **Viktor Jarikov** » 09 Oct 2012, 15:21

My 120 gal stood in my kitchennette (with two 27 gal hexes by its sides). The house was a standard colonial, wood structure. Below the kitchennette was the basement. I have not had any issues but I did very carefully shim it so all 4 corners and 2 mid points in between would carry equal load. Also, carpets can mask the lack of level so one has to be very careful.

IDK about the legalities when one rents.

m1ke715m · Post by **m1ke715m** » 09 Oct 2012, 15:32

check the floor joists from under where you are going to put the tank.. as long as it runs across a few joists you are fine.. idk what you mean by concrete apartment.. even if the outside is concrete the interior is surely wood joists no? if your floor is concrete you can put run tanks floor to ceiling packed in like a storage unit and itd be fine.

Narwhal72 · Post by **Narwhal72** » 09 Oct 2012, 15:52

I am guessing that when you say that you live in a concrete apartment that you mean it has poured concrete floors. If it does you should not have any problem keeping an aquarium up to 500 gallons or more on a floor of that construction simply because the weight of the concrete is so heavy that the walls and steel floor support are designed many times stronger than a traditional wood framed building to compensate.

Now whether that is acceptable to the landlord is another story.

Andy

Joemartini · Post by **Joemartini** » 09 Oct 2012, 20:04

It's a poured concrete floor from what I have been told by the building manager, I'm assuming I'll be ok but wanted to be sure. Good thinking about the new rules thing, I'll be careful when I chat with the manager, maybe ask her what the weight limit is per square ft and say I have alot of furniture, lol.

I believe a gallon is about 8.5 pounds? Making the tank approximately 1000pds plus the stand and the accessories?

Viktor Jarikov · Post by **Viktor Jarikov** » 09 Oct 2012, 22:43

Joemartini wrote:I believe a gallon is about 8.5 pounds? Making the tank approximately 1000pds plus the stand and the accessories?

yes

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 10 Oct 2012, 07:41

I'd add some 50 % for safety - thus 1 liter weights 1 kilo, but assume it is 1.5

How big of an aquarium in a concrete apartment building?

How big of an aquarium in a concrete apartment building?

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