650G on grade slab is it OK

[Osama]

I am considering having a 650g. tank installed.I was cautioned to check that my flooor slab wil take the load from the glass tank. I was told the grade slab ( no basment) is probably 4 inches thick.
Has anybody checked a flooor slab outt? please advise
I now have a 180G on that same floor wiht no problem but adding on the other side of the room another 600 g?????
Tank dimensions would be 120"LX42"WX 30" High.... Appreciate any suggestions also on how to best spread the load on the grade slab

 

[Jeff Hood]

I just installed a 580 gallon tank on a slab.

It is in what was a garage. I don't know how thick my floor was poured but I thought of it this way.

I park my 6000 pound superduty truck on my driveway and I am sure its only 4 inches thick or so. I have also parked in the garage. The entire 6000 pounds is distributed over four contact patches with the tires and that is only 1/2 square foot each.

On your aquarium with 650 gallons it should weigh full around 6500 pounds. That will be spread out over 35 or so square feet depending on how you build your stand. So you will have around 185 pounds per square foot. If you make your stand bigger and spread the wieght out more then its less of an issue. If the stand is on perimeter bracing only then change your calculations accordingly.

My truck puts down around 3000 pounds per square foot depending on the actual size of the tire.

Jeff

[ March 24, 2002: Message edited by: Jeff Hood ]

[ March 24, 2002: Message edited by: Jeff Hood ]</p>

 

[imow]

I think the slab is probably 6" thick, I believe. If that is the case, I just had a garage built and they parked the foundation truck onto the slab...trust me, this truck was huge.

 

[boots]

I see tht ur in ILL, I know in the next state over Mi,your typical slab is 4'' and the state use 6'' for the streets

 

[nin1one7295]

formerly being in the construction industry and having worked at a hugh dam. (lots of concrete), If you want to know for sure the thickness of the slab. You can go to the county recorders office, the planning and zonning department will have the blueprint for your house on file. It might take a few weeks to locate, but if this is really an issue its worth the wait. Also there are three grades (strengths) of cement used for the foundation. Grade slab is on the lower end for strength. Planning and zoning will have the grade type of concrete used. The Ground under the slab should be of some consideration. If the ground is granite or other hard rock, the slab will crack from the weight of the load. An example of this is usually found in the garage since the floor is usually not covered. And there are only four contact points from the tires, so this will bow the concrete and crack it. I agree if you spread out the load you should be fine.
If were you live is soft soil they you should be o.k. I would love to see pictures when your done. Good luck and hope this helps.

 

[nin1one7295]

Oh about the distrubtion of the weight. If money is not an issue, I would suggest having a second "mini" slab poured over the first. Make the dementions of the second slab about a foot wider then the edges of the tank, this will cover more surface area and distribute the weight better. Also think of this. you already have a heavy load on one side of the room. and if you place another on the opposite it very well may crack the foundation depending on whats under it.

 

[Osama]

Thanks for all the ideas
2 years ago I had a driveway poured and they poured 6 inches.I am hoping the same would be under the house.
In Illinois the soil is mostly clay so I assume they excavate for the foundation and put down a gravel subbase of a couple of inches & pour the grade slab.
For a glass tank I am considering a steel frame to take carte of any distortions. to spreaad the load further I am considering a frame between the concret & steel made of 4X6 with 1 inch plywood over it. Your thoughts again arre most appreciated.

 

[Manofathousandpolyps]

My dad is having a slab puored under his new 1500 gallon hottub next weekend. He was advised by a contractor that 4 inches is recommended and 5 is more that enough. That should be a good comparison.

 

[Renae]

WOW can't wait to see pics when it is all up! I hope since you are considering glass you are looking at "Starphire" Glass.

We did a couple 200 gallon tanks in a home in Palm beach. They turned out beautiful I would highly recomend the Starphire Glass Tanks"

Good Luck!
Renae

 

[Osama]

Manofathousandpolyps: THANKS I think that is a good comparison a 1500 gallons tub and my 650 gallons tank .. I am anxious to go for it....

Renae; I will get pictures posted but it will be a while ... regarding starphire glass Mitch told me that this size tank cannot be made from starphire which comes in 1/2" max thickness..

 

[aakks]

Mitch told me on a tank quote that they can laminate the starphire glass. He was going to make a 540g tank with 1" thick starphire for me (2 1/2" sheets laminated together). I'd talk to him about it again if I were you.

Peter

 

[jamesw]

Hi, I'm a structural engineering type, so wanted to offer some advice.

Calculate the distributed load of your tank. If it's less than about 200 lbs/ft^2 you are ok. You could probably even go higher, but that is a conservative estimate.

Also, RE putting something under the tank to distribute the load further - keep in mind it has to be "stiffer" than the tank. If you put some "bendy" pieces of wood under the tank, they won't help too much. They will just bend and the load will go straight through to the slab.

HTH and good luck w/ your project!

Cheers
James Wiseman

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
Most regular glass thicker than 3/4 inch is very green, so if you are spending money on this tank, go with starphire. I believe John Rice have a web page in which he mentioned laminating glass panel together to get the desired thickness.

 

[Osama]

James:
I expect the tank will weight 1600lbs, Water about 6000 total about 7600lbs. Tell me if I amnot close ( Tank size is 120X30X42in^3). Load will be distributed along the tank edges of total lenght of 27 feet ( 120+120+42+42/12). Load per lineal foot= 282 lbs per foot. Do you think the slab will take this load? How would I spread the load further

aaks & seven ephors: I talked to Mitch; I am not sure I want a laminated glass I would be concerned about refraction between layers of glass.....

 

[jamesw]

You need to calculate the load in lbs/ft^2 It has nothing to do with lineal feet. Just multiply 120*42/144 = 35 ft^2

HTH
James

 

[aakks]

I haven't seen starphire laminated glass, but I would sure try to talk to some people that are using it before spending a lot of money on a big tank without it.

I can't imagine it looking worse than standard glass at that thickness..

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
I am sure you looked into acrylic already... but just want to make sure: Why not acrylic?

You can see thru several feet thick of acrylic, and things still look great...

 

[jamesw]

Yeah, until you get that itty bitty piece of corraline algae under your cleaning pad and scratch the *&(*&&(* out of it...

Cheers
James

 

[Anonymous]

hi.
I know about that disadvantage, but sometimes, you just have to live with it. A few scratches is better than looking at your reef tank thru a green beer bottle all the time

I never have coralline problem. They only seem to grow on the LR in my tanks... I guess I am one of the minority who don't keep the alk up... but the coral are doing OK.

 

[GCruz]

With the amount of money you wil invest in the tank, equipment, and livestock, why not spend a few hundred dollars and get a licensed structural engineer to verfiy that your concrete slab is adequate ?