• Load calculation

  • Craig7302

Has anyone calculated the load created by an aquarium, and has the foundation on which the aquarium stands been assessed accordingly? I'm concerned because I plan to set up an aquarium measuring 2x0.7x0.8 meters, which is a ton of weight, with an area of 1.5 square meters, meaning a load of 750 kg per meter. The calculated load for concrete floors is 800 kg/m. Will it collapse or not? However, the floor might flex, and the neighbors below could develop cracks. There is a load-bearing wall nearby to which we could additionally secure it... Has anyone encountered similar problems, and how can they be resolved?

Adrienne

If there is an opportunity to secure it, then you should secure it. Either break through the floor and create a load-distributing cushion.

Wanda666

Go to AvkaLogo. There is a thread by Boris Kramer, where he describes in detail how he solved this problem.

Melissa

Thank you very much for the prompt responses. Tomorrow, my husband will go to the institute to meet with the strength of materials teacher, and they will calculate all possible options.

James5103

Such a load will not create any problems, as it is applied not in the middle of the slab, but at the point of its connection (clamping) to the non-load-bearing wall. The wall is load-bearing for a reason - the ceiling panel rests on it, and the next wall is placed on top of the slab, which is clamped between the two walls, and usually, this is all tied together with reinforcement.

Mitchell7972

A year ago, I was thinking about the load on the floor, as I was placing an aquarium on a floor area of 0.9*0.9m, and the total weight was supposed to be over a ton. I was considering taking drastic measures to reinforce the floor, like Boris Kramer did, but then I remembered seeing stands with aquariums in apartments with reinforced concrete slabs and without any reinforcements. The aquarium will be a year old in May, and there is no deflection in the slabs, although I measured for deflection with a taut string during the first few months.

Joe

We decided to increase the size of the cabinet, i.e., the load will be on an area of 3m x 0.8m. The aquarium remains 2m x 0.7m x 0.8m (h). We will place it in the middle of the cabinet. We might attach the cabinet to the wall. The cabinet is made of square tubing 70x40 mm, with a tabletop consisting of a metal sheet + OSB board + foam.

Catherine

Wall mounting can create an additional bending moment in the wall for which it was clearly not designed.

Sarah5423

I'm also concerned about the weight. Maybe you can advise me. I want to set up several aquariums in a 17 m² room. The total weight of all the aquariums is about 6 tons. I'm always a bit scared, even though many aquarists dedicate one room in their apartment to aquariums. Will someone reassure me or, on the contrary, confuse me?