Platform bw stand and hardwood floors?

[jeremy1420]

Hi,

I'm moving myself, all my stuff, and my 75 gallon reef tank to a house a short distance from where I currently live.

The house is a 1920's house and gives me three worries pertaining to my aquarium - wood floors, weight load, electrical load.

My worry about the electrical load is easy since I am having an electrician come in to check all outlets and to install a dedicated circuit.

My other worry about the floor's ability to bear the 1000 pounds or so in 6 square feet also has been mitigated since we have found a good spot to place the aquarium next to a load bearing wall and I plan to further shore the joists below with 4X4 pressure treated posts.

My main concern is the old hardwood floors. The floors are in decent condition and I was wondering what I should put down between the aquarium and wood floors to distribute the weight and to let air flow through so no wood rots.

My ideas so far are just a rubber floor mat used as weight room floors. This is cheap and easy and should protect the floors but will not allow for air flow to evaporate any water. That means the saltwater can just sit there and eat away my floors.
Another idea is to frame up a short little platform out of 2X2 joists and maybe an MDF deck or something like that. This should allow for air circulation below, be fairly cheap and easy, and is nice because it only raises my tank about 3" higher off the ground.

I think putting just carpet or even astroturf would be a bad idea.

What do you have under your aquarium stand to protect your floors below?

Thanks. Email your reply also if possible.

Jeremy

 

[mr_X]

in the bedroom we have a small tank (40 gallons TV), and we purchased that plastic carpet runner, for heavily traveled areas, and cut it in two. laid it side by side,and placed the tank on it. whenever we are fuddling with the tank and some water is spilled(nothing major), we can wipe it right up and the hardwood floors are untouched.

the big tank is on a concrete floor(basement) so i can't help you with that.

 

[Mthompson]

You should also look into some of the food service industry mats (the kind used in kitchens that allow for water and stuff to drain underneath like this: http://www.allmats.com/site/439205/page/512121). There are several kinds in different thicknesses that are 12"x12" modular squares, so you can buy a pack or more and make a mat the size you need.

 

[mr_X]

i think he's looking to protect his hardwood floors by shielding them from water.

 

[jeremy1420]

Well, I have two goals here.

Protect the woodfloors from water sitting on the floors and damaging them long term.

Protect the woodfloors from physical damage from the weight of the aquarium.

The rubber restaraunt pads with holes are nice. Not too great looking but they will give air circulation and spread the load some.

Any other ideas?

 

[Anonymous]

I have nothing. And it looks like i have to do a bit of 'creative' sanding and finishing before I leave my current apartment.

There's some kind of matt someone was using that sucked up water and wicked it into the foam. away from both surfaces if I recall.

B

 

[das75]

Current tank is built in but on my old 75g just sat the leveling feet on the stand direct on floor.

Thought was if I did spill I would be trapping water between the floor and whatever I could have used as a underlay. With the stand sitting on the legs I could get a cloth under to wipe and rest could evaporate.

When I moved after the tank beening set up for close to 3 years all I could see was 4 very, very slight indents fr the leveling feet.

 

[Anonymous]

Go to your local HVAC contractor and have him build a metal pan slightly larger than your stand. He can also sell you a pan with a drain so you can direct any water. Finally, if you want real safety, they make alarms for such pans. They use the pans and alarms in attic installations for air conditining to handle condensate without out damage to the areas below.

You can have them made any depth you want and can paint the outside so it doesn't look out of place. It will cost less than $200.

 

[SnowManSnow]

it should cost a LOT less than $200

<--- dad has always owned an AC business

b

 

[jeremy1420]

Not really sure what you're referring to as a pan.

Would the pan also hold the full weight of the aquarium? What I'm picturing is sheet metal made into a rectangle/cube about the size of my 75 gallon, a little bigger than the 48" X 18" X 2-3 inches needed of height for drainage.

Where would the drain go and how would I explain what I'm looking for him to make? And would I be able to get a fan in there somehow? And who exactly should I call, just a local guy who does residential AC systems?

Its a good idea, I just need more info. Thanks

jeremy

 

[kenko]

Here is what I did and had the tank (90g) in place for about 5 years.
There are feet you can buy that allow you to slide furniture. you can actually slide your tank, complete, with these. My floors were about 70 year old oak hardwood and the only spot was a small spot in the corner that I had never checked. The feet need to be the large ones able to slide 1000lbs or so, the package should list the weight.

Hope it helps,
Karl