Refinishing floors by Fish Tank

[rinconmike]

I have a 150 gallon FOWLR tank.

I currently have a carpet in the room the tank is in. We are removing the carpet and refinishing the oak floor below it.

The tank is on a wood stand. We are going to cut the carpet around the tank by around 3/8 to 1/2". Then we will put oak trim to match the floor around it to cover the carpet on the sides and front.

The process requires sanding then floor down. It is a dustless system, but it will generate dust. The sanding should take no more than an hour.

During the sanding, I plan on shutting off the tank and have only a air stone running and then wrapping the tank in plastic. I assume it will be like this for two hours.

Then there is treating the floor with a water based finish that takes around 2 hours to dry. I was going to pull the plastic off and start the tank after the sanding and cleanup and before the finishing.

Anyone think I will have an issue? If so, any ideas?

I assume the tank will be fine shut off for two to three hours with the air stone running.

thanks,

Mike

[BigCountry74]

So your going to leave the carpet under the tank? Heck man move the tank and do the entire room with the oak floors! Then move the tank back. Unless I am reading this wrong? Just syphon the tank into a large container on the floor in another room or something and store the fish there.

[rinconmike]

yes. I am leaving the carpet there. I do not want to take apart the tank. I just did if for a 29 gallon and that was a lot of work and really did not go back the same.

Mike

[BigCountry74]

man that's ghetto do it right. what happens when you sell the house? or decide not to have the tank anymore? it's very hard ($) to match oak flooring (since it fades over time). just my .02

[rinconmike]

redo the floors again. Not a huge cost.

[julie180]

Is there anyway you can just wrap the tank and leave it running? You did not say how large, but one air stone isn't going to be much aeration.

[rinconmike]

The tank is 150 Gallon. I have one of those Hurricane 5 units I leave running all the time. The airstone is around 6" or 8" long around 3/4" to 1" in diameter.

I have probably gone up to an hour in the past doing maintenance. In the 4 years I have had it, I do not think I ever went more than an hour. Even when we lost power for several days (hooked up a generator).

I could probably leave it running, I was just concerned of the heat build up. I do need to take my chiller offline and get it off the floor. I plan on keeping the house cooler. I wrap the tank to the wall so plastic will be on three sides and then using masking tape, seal it to the wall on all three sides.

I do have a neptune controller and I guess I can shut the pump off it if is getting too warm.

Not sure if wrapping with plastic has any effect with the air as well.

thanks,

Mike

[davocean]

Is this existing oak floor under the carpet?
I think so if reading correct, and agree, not a big deal to hit that after, flooring is still there.
I would do just as you plan, get fans going after finish is dry enough, open all windows, do it on a nice day if you can, shouldn't be that big of a deal.
Maybe run carbon after to be safe.

[rinconmike]

Yes it it.