would you, could you on HARDWOOD Floors?

brad1968

brad1968

Member
I'm getting ready to setup a 72 gal bowfront reef/fish tank and I'm contemplating where to put the tank. The best place is in a room with hardwood floors. Would it be plain stupid to put the tank in a room with hardwood floors? With water changes, skimmer changes, etc, I don't want to damage or ruin the floors? Or can I put some sort of waterproof mat - like those that are in bathrooms? (it's in our living room so it's can't look tacky!)
Any experience or advice on the subject would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
 
maryd

maryd

Member
When you do water changes, etc put old blankets around the tank so you don't drip all over the beautiful floors. Old towels work too. I think the tank would look great on hardwood floors. If you put any type of rug under it, you can't get the rug up to launder it, but you could put a washable rug in front of it.
 
hot883

hot883

Active Member
I agree with MaryD. I just put down towels from the bath that are in the laundry room. You never know if you will spill doing normal maintenance. I would be concerned though if a leak occured and went un-noticed. I have a full basement underneath mine so not to worried as the water would seep through the small gaps.
 
maryd

maryd

Member
Last weekend I did a partial water change, I removed the skimmer box to clean it before syphoning out the water and the sump pump overflowed. The carpet was soaked around the tank and a lot of water seeped into the basement. So now I know to syphon the water FIRST then remove the skimmer box. This saltwater fish hobby is a lot of learning and some misfortunes happen along the way.
 
drf0524

drf0524

Member
I have my whole set up on my hard wood floors.... Never have a problem. I just put down towels in the path that I am going or going to go... GOOD LUCK
 
fishy7

fishy7

Active Member
I would reconsider before placing a tank on hardwoods. :thinking: Saltwater will destroy the floor if you have a major leak of any type. The water will seap between the planks and it will slowly dry the wood. I am not sure on laminants? This is what I was told when I had my HW's installed.
I know if you get water on them it just wipes up with 0 problems.
I had a hose come off in the middle of the night and dump 15 gallons on the floor. I am on tile, so it wiped up with 0 issues. If it was on HW, then the tank would need to be moved to get the water under the stand.... Major PITA.
(I run a 215.major project) :mad: It is near impossible not to get water under the stand even with towles and blankets.
Food for thought.... :thinking:
Good luck. I know it would look awsome on HW though....
 
boalgf

boalgf

Member
Originally Posted by FISHY7
I would reconsider before placing a tank on hardwoods. :thinking: Saltwater will destroy the floor if you have a major leak of any type. The water will seap between the planks and it will slowly dry the wood. I am not sure on laminants? This is what I was told when I had my HW's installed.
I know if you get water on them it just wipes up with 0 problems.
I had a hose come off in the middle of the night and dump 15 gallons on the floor. I am on tile, so it wiped up with 0 issues. If it was on HW, then the tank would need to be moved to get the water under the stand.... Major PITA.
(I run a 215.major project) :mad: It is near impossible not to get water under the stand even with towles and blankets.
Food for thought.... :thinking:
Good luck. I know it would look awsome on HW though....
My thoughts exactly. I've moved my tanks a few times over the years. Every time I move them the floor underneath is crusty with saltwater residue. I can only imagine what that must do to a hardwood floor. That is assuming nothing crazy like a leak, a hose shooting water, or a water change gone bad happens.
If you try it though, maybe you should get a large, thick area rug. Like a shag carpet that can suck up the moisture before it hits the floor and put the tank on that.
 
rusting

rusting

Member
I would not use carpet under the stand, if it gets wet it will hold the moisture, an you will have a mold problem. you could go to Hd. or Lowes and get a sheet liner for a shower stall basen. I think it's about $10.00 afoot, and it's 5 ft. wide.
 
boalgf

boalgf

Member
Originally Posted by rusting
I would not use carpet under the stand, if it gets wet it will hold the moisture, an you will have a mold problem. you could go to Hd. or Lowes and get a sheet liner for a shower stall basen. I think it's about $10.00 afoot, and it's 5 ft. wide.
Each metod has it's potential draw backs. If you put a liner like that over a hardwood floor for a long period of time there is a good chance it will strip the finish when it's removed.
 
forcrz6

forcrz6

Member
I had the same issue. But I solved it by #1 putting it in a corner. That is the strogest par of the house and the Main beams always run there. #2 I found a cheep carpet at 1 of the thrift stors and put that under the stand for spligage but not be for I used Plastic on the bottom side of the carpet to protect the floor.
 
murph

murph

Active Member
Ceramic tile is the fish rooms best friend. I have even seen some set up with a drain in the floor.
So with that said I would try to find a different location for the tank. The set up and maintenance, especially for those new to the hobby is enough to think about. The added distraction of constantly being worried about some water reaching the floor is just going to make it worse, and believe me some water is going to reach the floor no matter what you cover it with.
I install floor covering in many upscale homes here in south Florida. The latest fad is a media room with large screen TVs surround sound, windowless and a raised level for the couch to watch the TV.
I always thought if it were me, ceramic tile would go into one of these rooms with a nice size SW setup in place of the TV and I could plop down on the couch on the raised level to actually enjoy my tank.
Now all I have to do is win the Lotto.
 
brad1968

brad1968

Member
Okay, okay, I think I'm reconsidering. Some great ideas. If I do place it there, I think I'm going to go with the rubber mat -- hopefully with some tall edge around it, and towels for changes. MaryD, What happened with your skimmer? --
And does anyone have any other advice when it comes tragic water mishaps? Especially when messing with sumps and skimmers, water changes, etc.
thanks,
 
maryd

maryd

Member
If I had gotten some water out of the tank first, the sump pump would not have overflowed according to the LFS. I lost the syphon when I took the skimmer box out and the tube for it. Next time, I remove water then the skimmer box so the water can't go down to the filter and sump and thus over flow.
 
j-bird

j-bird

Member
I have two tanks on HW floors in my livingroom, they are however both smaller tanks (30g and 40g) and they are both on steel stands with all filters and skimmers are HOB. So if anything gets on the floor, it is very easily cleaned up. Also had a 55g on tile in the old house (now on carpet) and when we moved about a year ago, after we took apart tank, there was some old smelly moldy water underneith, don't know how long it had been there, I would deffinitely suggest putting rug or mat under stand and not place directly on HW.
 
badoleross

badoleross

Member
I have a 110 on hardwood floors and it wasn't an issue unitl my sump developed a small trickle that went un-noticed...for a couple of days it seems. Now, I have a section of hardwood that is slightly buckled. Up until then, it was not an issue. I plan on leaving my tank right where it is but I have added an alarm system to the floor to detect even the slightest amout of water. I picked it up at Lowes in their sump pump section for about $13.00 at put one at each of my tanks and in my "water room"
 
fraggle_a

fraggle_a

Member
I wouldnt be so conserned about a wood floor as I would about a carpet floor.
Water doesnt soak into wood as fast as it does carpet.
Just dont spill any chemicals on it.... LOL
 
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