Wood flooring under tank?

slider162 · 03/14/2008, 11:08 AM

We will be doing a remodel on the kitchen/living room this spring and my wife wants to put wood down instead of tile. I'm not talking laminate, but possibly something like bamboo. I'm looking at upgrading to a 120-150G tank at the same time. Can this be done without damaging the floor?

NewFish3 · 03/14/2008, 11:22 AM

IMO...I would put a thin felt liner under so you dont scratch the new floor. Cut it just a tad smaller then the stand so you cant see it. Also see if you can get it in a color that is something close in color of the stand or floor

Aquarist007 · 03/14/2008, 11:24 AM

the floor is great--but what flooring do you want the tank to sit on?

besl · 03/14/2008, 11:25 AM

I think you have two considerations before you do this:
1. Will the floor support the weight (somewhere beetween 1200 - 1700 pounds - are the joist perpendicular to the tank - will the tank be near a load bearing wall, etc
2. water changes - will the system be designed to avoid water spillage on floor - just putting your hand in and out of the tank will end up with water droplets on the floor.
Good luck with whatever you end up doing - BTW, I have a 125 gallon and think this is a nice manageable size tank.

Shaummy · 03/14/2008, 11:38 AM

FWIW, I have my tank on standard "real" oak hardwood floor. Its the kind with the factory applied polyurethane, tongue and groove etc..

Along with checking the joists etc that you would do on any location for a tank, the only other precaution I put down was some thick cork (like an 1/8 inch or something) on the contact points on the stand to keep it from scratching.

I don't know how this has worked however, since I haven't moved my 90gal in 10 years. I have no idea on whether the cork has helped or harmed.

I have had no problems just wiping up any drips/spills and not harming the floor boards.

Just thought I'd share.

besl · 03/14/2008, 11:47 AM

Careful with what you put under the stand, especially one that spans 6 feet. Any shimming effect may put uneven pressure on the tank and weaken the silicon joints or worse, crack the glass - in fact I saw the results of the last phoenomena happen at a lfs - it wasn't pretty.

Aquarist007 · 03/14/2008, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shaummy
FWIW, I have my tank on standard "real" oak hardwood floor. Its the kind with the factory applied polyurethane, tongue and groove etc..

Along with checking the joists etc that you would do on any location for a tank, the only other precaution I put down was some thick cork (like an 1/8 inch or something) on the contact points on the stand to keep it from scratching.

I don't know how this has worked however, since I haven't moved my 90gal in 10 years. I have no idea on whether the cork has helped or harmed.

I have had no problems just wiping up any drips/spills and not harming the floor boards.

Just thought I'd share.

I had a reefer friend who had his 120 gal directly on hard wood.After two major water spills/floods they had to replace the floor. They put the tank down on 1/8 plywood, layed a two food tile flooring around the tank and then the harwood--it looks very nice and natural that way

rbursek · 03/14/2008, 11:49 AM

A small Oriental style runner rug in front for the drips.

slider162 · 03/14/2008, 12:02 PM

Kitchen is on the concrete slab, so no joists to worry about. The 2000lbs total weight, hopfully divided by at least six feet, would b 333lbs resting on each plank. Flooding is the other consideration. I was looking at the "floating" (not nailed) engineered bamboo planks. I think I have gotten over my newbie floods, but accidents happen. The "flood plane" idea with the tile might be a thought.

Aquarist007 · 03/14/2008, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rbursek
A small Oriental style runner rug in front for the drips.

I have that for the little drips--but they always mess the rug up

Roy G. Biv · 03/14/2008, 02:22 PM

I have my 6 ft tank on an oak hardwood floor. The floor is 30 years old and I had it refinished when I moved in. When setting up my tank, I went through 3 major floods with it. So much water that it came through the ceiling below 3 times. My floor is far from perfect right now, but little tricks kike running a dehumidifier and running a fan across the floor help it bounce back into shape. By the way, I redid the ceiling myself

I guess the point is that you should learn all of the home remedies of repairing hardwood floors anyway.

Curve · 03/14/2008, 02:57 PM

I wouldn't put anything under the stand. Once you put it down it weighs 2000lbs so it is not going to move. If you put something under it that may caus the shimming as mentioned earlier and that could be bad. I have a 6 ft. 150 and a 6 ft. 135 both sitting directly on hardwood flooring in a slab house and I have mo problems at all. The 150 has 200lbs of sand and 265 lbs. of rock so it weighs in well over 2000 lbs. You will be fine with the hardwood you just need to be carefull during water changes and such.

03/14/2008, 11:08 AM	#1
slider162 Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Orange City, FL Posts: 346	Wood flooring under tank? We will be doing a remodel on the kitchen/living room this spring and my wife wants to put wood down instead of tile. I'm not talking laminate, but possibly something like bamboo. I'm looking at upgrading to a 120-150G tank at the same time. Can this be done without damaging the floor?

03/14/2008, 11:22 AM	#2
NewFish3 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,096	IMO...I would put a thin felt liner under so you dont scratch the new floor. Cut it just a tad smaller then the stand so you cant see it. Also see if you can get it in a color that is something close in color of the stand or floor __________________ On a scuba dive in the Cayman Islands, I kept thinking.........Why is that Fish getting bigger.........Then it hit me Current Tank Info: 7 years saltwater.. Setting up a 120 gal reef. Office BioCube 14...1 perc clown, 1 royal gramma, 1 six line wrasse, fire shrimp, cleaner shrimp, green stripe, brown shrooms, coco worm, purple leather, Misc CUC

03/14/2008, 11:24 AM	#3
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	the floor is great--but what flooring do you want the tank to sit on? __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

03/14/2008, 11:25 AM	#4
besl Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boston-burb, MA Posts: 800	I think you have two considerations before you do this: 1. Will the floor support the weight (somewhere beetween 1200 - 1700 pounds - are the joist perpendicular to the tank - will the tank be near a load bearing wall, etc 2. water changes - will the system be designed to avoid water spillage on floor - just putting your hand in and out of the tank will end up with water droplets on the floor. Good luck with whatever you end up doing - BTW, I have a 125 gallon and think this is a nice manageable size tank. __________________ Why did kamakazi pilots wear helmets? Current Tank Info: 55 Gal, 260W CF, 60 lbs LR, CC base, 7 fish, 10 corals, Aquafuge - chaetomorpha & grape

03/14/2008, 11:38 AM	#5
Shaummy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Chicago burbs Posts: 857	FWIW, I have my tank on standard "real" oak hardwood floor. Its the kind with the factory applied polyurethane, tongue and groove etc.. Along with checking the joists etc that you would do on any location for a tank, the only other precaution I put down was some thick cork (like an 1/8 inch or something) on the contact points on the stand to keep it from scratching. I don't know how this has worked however, since I haven't moved my 90gal in 10 years. I have no idea on whether the cork has helped or harmed. I have had no problems just wiping up any drips/spills and not harming the floor boards. Just thought I'd share. __________________ Shaummy Current Tank Info: Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, hermits, snails,Lyretail Anthias,Orange back Fairy Wrasse,Blue Reef Chromis,small blue tang, Flame Hawk, Royal Gramma

03/14/2008, 11:47 AM	#6
besl Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boston-burb, MA Posts: 800	Careful with what you put under the stand, especially one that spans 6 feet. Any shimming effect may put uneven pressure on the tank and weaken the silicon joints or worse, crack the glass - in fact I saw the results of the last phoenomena happen at a lfs - it wasn't pretty. __________________ Why did kamakazi pilots wear helmets? Current Tank Info: 55 Gal, 260W CF, 60 lbs LR, CC base, 7 fish, 10 corals, Aquafuge - chaetomorpha & grape

03/14/2008, 11:49 AM	#8
rbursek Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: germantown,wi Posts: 2,339	A small Oriental style runner rug in front for the drips.

03/14/2008, 12:02 PM	#9
slider162 Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Orange City, FL Posts: 346	Kitchen is on the concrete slab, so no joists to worry about. The 2000lbs total weight, hopfully divided by at least six feet, would b 333lbs resting on each plank. Flooding is the other consideration. I was looking at the "floating" (not nailed) engineered bamboo planks. I think I have gotten over my newbie floods, but accidents happen. The "flood plane" idea with the tile might be a thought.

03/14/2008, 02:22 PM	#11
Roy G. Biv Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3,646	I have my 6 ft tank on an oak hardwood floor. The floor is 30 years old and I had it refinished when I moved in. When setting up my tank, I went through 3 major floods with it. So much water that it came through the ceiling below 3 times. My floor is far from perfect right now, but little tricks kike running a dehumidifier and running a fan across the floor help it bounce back into shape. By the way, I redid the ceiling myself I guess the point is that you should learn all of the home remedies of repairing hardwood floors anyway.

03/14/2008, 02:57 PM	#12
Curve Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Farmerville, Louisiana Posts: 652	I wouldn't put anything under the stand. Once you put it down it weighs 2000lbs so it is not going to move. If you put something under it that may caus the shimming as mentioned earlier and that could be bad. I have a 6 ft. 150 and a 6 ft. 135 both sitting directly on hardwood flooring in a slab house and I have mo problems at all. The 150 has 200lbs of sand and 265 lbs. of rock so it weighs in well over 2000 lbs. You will be fine with the hardwood you just need to be carefull during water changes and such. __________________ If you don't take some meds, you're going to burn out of this hobby everytime a shrimp farts. Current Tank Info: 210 aggresive, 3 gallon led build