hard wood floor

[snowmansnow]

I'm thinking of relocating my tank to a room with hard wood floors. The good part is that it would go behind a corner and knock out a LOT of family room noise AND be in it's own area

how many of you have a tank on flooring like this?

Pros..? (if any )
cons...?

Thanks

B

 

[hawk]

SnowManSnow;676669 wrote: I'm thinking of relocating my tank to a room with hard wood floors. The good part is that it would go behind a corner and knock out a LOT of family room noise AND be in it's own area

how many of you have a tank on flooring like this?

Pros..? (if any )
cons...?

Thanks

B

As long as you don't have a leak it's ok . My sump busted it's seal and water was everywhere and it has buckled the wood. I'd much rather have tile but I guess it's better then carpet .. Just make sure you never leave water even drips of water because it will tear the wood up. I have real hard wood... Hope that helps

 

[rasbora]

Gotta worry about potential spills on the hard wood. With carpet you can just pull it up if need be easily.

 

[siavashv]

I have my tank on hardwood and right up against a $10,000 Persian Rug.. Bad decision. I should have put it on top of something and then the hardwood. Even with no leaks, there is the occasional drip here and there. I got a couple of bath mats to put around it to protect the hardwood from the water and salt dripping here and there. But what I should have done and you should definitely consider is getting some sort of area rug that accents the tank nicely to protect the floor. I'm still wondering how in the world I can slip something under the tank.. Suggestions welcome!

 

[snowmansnow]

siavashv;676702 wrote: I have my tank on hardwood and right up against a $10,000 Persian Rug.. Bad decision. I should have put it on top of something and then the hardwood. Even with no leaks, there is the occasional drip here and there. I got a couple of bath mats to put around it to protect the hardwood from the water and salt dripping here and there. But what I should have done and you should definitely consider is getting some sort of area rug that accents the tank nicely to protect the floor. I'm still wondering how in the world I can slip something under the tank.. Suggestions welcome!

Thats not a bad idea. I could make a ply wood subfloor to go between the tank and the floor (that extends out a foot or so on all sides).. then put a rug on THAT .. then the tank. I started to say TILE, but tile wouldn't exactly stop water from dripping off it

 

[darcurr]

I have my tanks on engineered hardwood. I don't have anything under the first one, but I put a rug under the second. Only way to go.

 

[rjrgroup]

One year on solid hardwood and no problems. I just clean up the drips...

 

[holabird]

I have mine on hardwood but I put a rug under the stand first, just to give it something to set on. I also have a pond liner in the cabinet to catch any major issues. A few drops here and there but no issues.

 

[grouper therapy]

I think rugs on top of hardwood floors under an aquarium is a bad idea. If there is any significant water does get under the stand ,the rug just wicks more and stays wet ,then you will absolutely ruin the floors underneath. I'd much rather give the water an oppurtunity to evaporate instead of a wet rug underneath the stand

 

[coolsurf]

I think solid hardwood gives you a lot better chance of recovery versus laminate hardwood. If laminate gets wet, it's all over.

 

[rjrgroup]

:yes:

grouper therapy;676741 wrote: I think rugs on top of hardwood floors under an aquarium is a bad idea. If there is any significant water does get under the stand ,the rug just wicks more and stays wet ,then you will absolutely ruin the floors underneath. I'd much rather give the water an oppurtunity to evaporate instead of a wet rug underneath the stand

 

[gmpolan]

Brand new hard wood flloors and ive had the entire tank on it. Bowing, gaps between the pieces etc, it happens. I actually put down a piece of rubber mat that is larger than the aquarium itself and it seems to do great. Now if the tanks would just hold ha...

 

[darcurr]

grouper therapy;676741 wrote: I think rugs on top of hardwood floors under an aquarium is a bad idea. If there is any significant water does get under the stand ,the rug just wicks more and stays wet ,then you will absolutely ruin the floors underneath. I'd much rather give the water an oppurtunity to evaporate instead of a wet rug underneath the stand

Mine has a rubber bottom:up:

 

[holabird]

Mine is a rug with a rubber bottom that will stop any water from going through it to the floor. But, whatever works for you.

grouper therapy;676741 wrote: I think rugs on top of hardwood floors under an aquarium is a bad idea. If there is any significant water does get under the stand ,the rug just wicks more and stays wet ,then you will absolutely ruin the floors underneath. I'd much rather give the water an oppurtunity to evaporate instead of a wet rug underneath the stand

 

[grouper therapy]

A rubber bottom would be better for the floors but doesn't do much for the stand that is sitting on the wet carpet wicking the moisture which in turn could either delaminate the stand and/or start a decaying process. It is never a good plan to have something that holds moisture in contact with wood.

 

[snowmansnow]

so.. to protect the floor.. what would be the problem of using polyied ply (with some protection underneath) underneath a rug that extends out around the edges of the tank a foot or so....provided I could make it look sharp... actually with the rug it wouldn't really be very visible anyway.

In reading what I wrote I guess the issue would be having an area to stand and do maintenance... IF it were too thin a parameter around the tank. On the other hand if it were fairly thin I don't see it as much of a problem.

b

 

[hhughes]

If you could put down a plastic tarp or somesuch under the rug beneath your stand, that would probably be max protection for the floor. BUT you'll want to avoid leaks anyway; get too much water in that rug and it will be nasty fast, with a great heavy thing on it to keep you from replacing.

What about.... plastic under all, with a *border* of carpet that *looks* like it goes under the tank but in reality is only there to wick up any water that escapes?

 

[dan3949]

Putting a tank on hardwood floors is just simply not a good idea. It would almost be a certainty that between daily maintenance and the occasional equipment malfunction, you will end up damaging the floor. You would have to have access beneth the tank and stand to promptly cleanup any and all water that finds it way to the floor. Water trapped beneath the stand (with or without carpet) will eventually damage the floor.

 

[grouper therapy]

Putting an aquarium on hardwoods is fine if you throw down a towel before doing any maintenance on the tank. I've had one on hardwoods for four years without issue.

 

[project1004]

coolsurf;676742 wrote: I think solid hardwood gives you a lot better chance of recovery versus laminate hardwood. If laminate gets wet, it's all over.

Actually I have laminate floor and from the "floor decor" (store in Kennesaw) and they told me that laminate floors are better at in case of water spill becasue it pushes the water out instead of absorbing the water between the panels....

so far I had one real flood in the living room from leaving RD/DI running and didnt know til downstair neighbor came and told me water is leaking to his house.... thru concrete floor (there was some cracks on the base when I took out all the carpet to put the laminate wood from the begaining I guess) :yuk: No ill effect on the floor... :yes: