New here...hello! Might need some insight.

[eels_R_us]

i completely agree with wbeavers go for the largest of the 4 ft footprint over the smaller sizes to start alot of people (myself included ) start off small but in the long run get the hobby bug and upgrade so they are able to keep more stock or larger species.smaller tanks do limit the species of the most popular fish species,I myself started off with a 125 6 ft tank but still found myself going to extremes and wanting bigger fish larger corals ect now im up to 7 tanks lol smallest being 50 gal largest being 300.its addictive i tell ya.lol

[Test_Engineer]

Biggest reason I don't want to go to big is weight. This tank would be on the first floor in a library. Parking a half ton of water, sand, rock, tank , and stand is not something I want to try!

[Mike]

I have done it (as far as weight) as have several others. If you have the tank perpendicular to the joist it tends to be OK. Others (I have done this too) will use a 2X8-2X10 and floor jacks to give piece of mind.

I am going to go out on a limb here though and state something I think is obvious.... Unless I am mistaken you hold some sort of degree in Engineering and I am sure there are some basic principles that all engineers are taught? Bottom line is if you're not comfortable and want to error on the side of caution then that is what you do. It is not me that needs to worry about an aquarium going through the floor into my basement

[wbeavers]

The figure I normally hear is that a tank weighs anywhere from 12-15 pounds per gallon. A gallon of saltwater weighs over 8 pounds. The 110 gallons(w/sump) you want to nearly exceed your 1000 pound limit. By going to the 24" width you spread the weight over 1/3 more floor space. The 120 will have about the same lbs per square foot as the 90. If you have the 120 weight evenly distributed to the floor it will be a little less than 1.6 pounds per square inch using the 15 pounds per gallon from above. The same psi figure you get for the 90. If you are worried place the tank on an outside wall or over a beam.

[Test_Engineer]

Originally Posted by wbeavers

The figure I normally hear is that a tank weighs anywhere from 12-15 pounds per gallon. A gallon of saltwater weighs over 8 pounds. The 110 gallons(w/sump) you want to nearly exceed your 1000 pound limit. By going to the 24" width you spread the weight over 1/3 more floor space. The 120 will have about the same lbs per square foot as the 90. If you have the 120 weight evenly distributed to the floor it will be a little less than 1.6 pounds per square inch using the 15 pounds per gallon from above. The same psi figure you get for the 90. If you are worried place the tank on an outside wall or over a beam.

But no stands are a big flat surface on the bottom, so those figures are totally bogus. It gets point loaded at the legs and other parts that actually touch the flooring. And if you start getting over 100G, it just becomes alot more work. If this was in the basement next to the utility room for mixing water and such...I'd go bigger.

[wbeavers]

All you need to do is place the stand on a sheet of thick plywood to evenly distibute the weight. I'm not an engineer; just trying to make sure you are seeing all the options.

[Mike]

are you having the stand built Bro or buying a stock stand?

[Test_Engineer]

Originally Posted by Mike

are you having the stand built Bro or buying a stock stand?

I'm not sure. Depends if something cheap comes up that is being sold.

[Test_Engineer]

The other thing I am thinking about is moving this tank later (4 or 5 years down the road) when we build our "dream home". So that would be another reason for size restraints and such. If I really get into the hobby, that would be the best time to plan ahead and upgrade.

And if I remember correctly, the floor joists will run perpendicular tot eh length of the tank, so that should be all cool. I might engineer a little truss system just for piece of mind.

[Test_Engineer]

OK, You guys were right.

I looked at the foot print for the 90 (48x18) and after you take away 4" from all sides for good flow around the tank you are left with only a 10" strip of sand to deal with.

24" Wide gets you 16" to play with!!!!!

So I went searching the net for 100 gallon tanks and it seems that 48x24x20 is not a very common size. All I am finding is 72" or 60"(LONG)tanks or 48x18X30(tall).

So who makes the 100G wide? Or, anyone got one for cheap?

[Mike]

For teh cost you're better off with a 120. A custom tank will cost you more than teh standard 120 will

[Test_Engineer]

Originally Posted by Mike

For teh cost you're better off with a 120. A custom tank will cost you more than teh standard 120 will

This tank is growing by the day....... Maybe I'll just wait until the basement is finished.

[wbeavers]

I have seen 48x24x20" 100 gallon tamks in stock at the Fish Doctors. I don't think they have one presently, but they can get it. The 120 will not be much more though. Their number is 734 434-1030.

[webduece]

Special promo running at all fish doctors on all glass tanks, call the closest one for details.
Win

[Test_Engineer]

Originally Posted by webduece

Special promo running at all fish doctors on all glass tanks, call the closest one for details.
Win

Acrylic seems like the way to go. More clear, less coloration, lighter, more durable. Yeah, they are more expensive and scratch a bit easy, but I'm willing to deal with that. One wrong slip with a rock in a glass tank and I got 120 gallons of water in my wife's library.