# Total weight of tank?



## YellowSno (Apr 2, 2008)

i was curious as to how much a 30 gallon long tank with 2 bags of 20 lbs of eco complete and 1 bag of 15 lbs of sand + water + the actually tank itself would weigh? is there a way to check without putting all that on to a scale?... im trying to figure out if the rack system i have will be able to carry all that weight (rated for 350 lbs)


----------



## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

This is a rough estimate but I guess around 300 lbs. Figure this: The tank is roughly 40 lbs. Your total substrate is going to be 55lbs if you use all that you've listed (I'm not sure why you want to mix sand with ECO but that's your choice). Water is 8 lbs per gallon and you figure 25 gallons since you'll be dispacing some with your substrate (total 200 lbs water). Add that together and it equals 290lbs. Add your light and a filter and you're just over 300 lbs.


----------



## YellowSno (Apr 2, 2008)

ohh the sand is not actually for the plants the sand is just for asteics u know like ummm a path into the back of hte tank... anywayz great that sounds good to me plus light + filter is gonna be on another stand so it wont be added to the total


----------



## Jeff.:P:. (Nov 20, 2007)

Here's a calculator to help you...
http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/planted_tank_wizard.php


----------



## YellowSno (Apr 2, 2008)

i tried it out it says total is 300lbs but i tried to change the amount of substrate cuz it says 30 and i got at least 40 maybe more but it wont compensate for the change...


----------



## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

It's going to be very close. Is there somewhere else it can go?


----------



## Adragontattoo (Jun 3, 2007)

use dry weights and averages

water + tank + lights +substrate +filter +plants and fish

my 50br is plate glass and heavy as hell, averaging eights out means my 50br stocked weighs 

50br = 60lbs (guessed not weighed)
substrate = 40lbs (soil + T grade)
rocks = approx 75 lbs
water 35 gallons @ 8lbs per gallon (35 to acount for displacement) = 280
lights = 15lbs
filtration =10 lbs (water + canister)

485 lbs approx.

and it is sitting on a credenza with a 30br full next to it.


----------



## xspy (Mar 29, 2008)

30 gallon tank with water is 348 lbs. 40lbs of eco complete and 15lbs of sand brings your total to 403lbs. That dosn't cover everything that Adragontattoo included.


----------



## TWood (Dec 9, 2004)

Most engineered systems have a minimum 2 or 2.5 safety factor. So if the stand is "rated" at 350 pounds, it won't start to fail until loaded at 700 or more pounds.


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

TWood said:


> Most engineered systems have a minimum 2 or 2.5 safety factor. So if the stand is "rated" at 350 pounds, it won't start to fail until loaded at 700 or more pounds.


That is assuming the stand was assembled correctly, all the joints are still in good shape, and you haven't cut holes anywhere to weaken it. Just from looking at them I would say the average LFS stand has a safety factor of 1.000001 - how they even hold up an empty tank seems to be a matter of good luck.


----------



## TWood (Dec 9, 2004)

Nah, the lawyers have already forced them to go to at least 1.000002. Jeez, man, haven't you been paying attention? ;-)


----------



## ranchwest (Jul 17, 2005)

Actually, water is 8.345 pounds per gallon.


----------



## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

ranchwest is right about the water weight -- but the water weight by itself is not important. You need to consider the total weight. Weight of tank + water + gravel + decorations + heaters + lighting (if not hung from above) etc.... also depends on whether your filter is internal/external, etc..... anything else on the ledge. 

Anyway, about 10 pounds per gallon is the figure most people seem to use to estimate the total weight. If you use this calculation and you're close to the maximum weight rating for your shelf or whatever, then you need to consider the possibility that it's actually more than that. It's expensive to set up a tank like that, and it would truly be a horrible experience to think, oh it's close enough... only to wake up in the middle of the night to find the tank shattered on the floor. 

You have to clean it out once in awhile... what if you happened to lean on it a little bit while cleaning it out? Are kids in the house? If so, what if they hung from the shelf? Would it be able to support all that weight? 

"Are you *certain* the shelf could take all that weight?" is the question. If you aren't certain, it should go someplace else.


----------

