Do I need a structural engineer to evaluate if I can add a fish tank in my house ?
I often get requests from different clients about the impact of an added fish tank to their living room floor. Generally speaking a small tank may have negligible impact but often times people wants to add rather bigger size tank.
Evaluating the floor joists and floor ability to support such an additional weight is a wise decision to prevent sagging floor, even if you think your floor joists are currently healthy and don't have any sag.
I made a small example of how to calculate the weight and determine if your floor can support the weight or not. The bigger the area you distribute the weight over, the less of an impact on the floor and its supporting joists.
I hope you find the information valuable and helpful.
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Written by Firas Abdelahad, P.E.
Firas Abdelahad has been a practicing structural engineer since 2005, collaborating with a diverse range of professionals, including consultants, architects, investors, homeowners, contractors, and subcontractors. Together, they tackle the various challenges that can arise during the design and construction phases of projects.
The information and statements in this document are for information purposes only and do not comprise the professional advice of the author or create a professional relationship between reader and author.
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