Should I be concerned?

[olsenshouse]

I just set up a 125 gallon tank with a 40 gallon sump yesterday. I woke up this morning and I have a squeak on my floor about 2 feet in front of the tank. Is this expected with all the weight or should I be concerned my tank is going to go through the floor?

 

[mfinn]

Can you see the water line in the tank?
Is it perfectly level?

What's under the floor and which way are the floor joists running?
Parallel with the lenght of the tank or at a 90degree angle to the lenght?

 

[mcoomer]

Yeah, tell us a bit about what you have under the floor. 125 gallons of saltwater is about 1000lbs. Depending on what you've got under your floor you may need to brace it. When I put my 180 in I found that I had three floor joists running perpendicular to the tank so I simply braced those with pier blocks, adjustable brackets and 4X4's...about $50 total and now I know the floor is rock solid.

Mike

 

[olsenshouse]

That's another issue. I have no way under my house to see which way they are going. Did you brace it with the tank already up or before you set up the tank?

 

[olsenshouse]

Also, the water level is slightly off to the left. My 55 gallon was the same way though.

 

[mcoomer]

I braced the floor after the old tank was out and before the new tank went in.

 

[olsenshouse]

I got the new tank up already. Not sure if I should be worried or not. My bathroom floor makes noises all the time! lol

 

[returnofsid]

If your water line isn't level, with your tank, you need to be concerned. This will cause uneven strain, on your silicone seals, and is just asking for a seal failure.

Drain almost all of the water, so that the water line is just above the bottom plastic tank trim. Use shims, under the stand, to get the water line level. You can even measure, up from the trip, to the water line, all around the tank, to help you.

 

[mfinn]

That's another issue. I have no way under my house to see which way they are going.

I would think there has to be. I know in certain areas there is a minimum clearance and access code.

Floors will squeek, but when you have that much weight....
I seriously doubt it will bust through the floor, but sometimes it's what you don't see that gets you.

Got children?

 

[olsenshouse]

I got kids, why?

 

[mfinn]

I got kids, why?

I'd be concerned with the tip over hazard, unless it isn't.

 

[Dalbery]

I think sunken living rooms are cool :-( You have to have some way of getting under your house. Like already said that's code. I doubt you are in any real danger. I would find a way under your house to shore it up.

 

[olsenshouse]

Anybody know any body that would do it for some $$$?

 

[olsenshouse]

I'd be concerned with the tip over hazard, unless it isn't.

Kids are old enough to know not to climb on the fish tank.

 

[mfinn]

Kids are old enough to know not to climb on the fish tank.

Well, you are the one that brought up the subject.
New bigger tank, squeaky floor and not completely level.
I'd want to look to make sure the joists are in good condition if I heard the squeak where it wasn't before, only as a precaution to make sure what you can't see,, is normal.
Under normal circumstances, I'd say you should be fine. But I'd want to look.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

talk to trido he has done some for some houses I read before he is a little far north of puyallup but for some money I think he may make the trip.

 

[capdippe]

I asked Trido (Duane) to come up and check out my floor 2 weeks ago. He was great, it's worth the peace of mind.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Mike Bell lives in Bonney Lake near Puyallup (Saltybell)
He is another skilled carpenter and often has some free time to schedule a visit.
Most houses have a crawl space and the access door is often hidden in a closet floor.
Look for a square cut in the floor of closets and you will find the access.

Is the tank against the inside of an outside wall?

 

[jrgilles]

I had to drain and level out my tank after I filled it. Well worth the peace of mind though.

If you just have a crawl space, should be easy to make the floor rock solid.