Impulsed so hard this weekend - Stability question

[shroomdizzle]

So long story short i've been looking at getting into reefing for quite some time now, and finally pulled the trigger.

I ended up picking up a pretty decent deal on Kijiji for 350 cad$

90 Gallon Tank
Cherry Oak Stand
30 Gallon Sump
2 Pumps (1 for sump, 1 for transfer)
T5 Lighting
Plumbing for the unit (need to replace 1 hose)

I actually didn't plan on going so large but the deal was real and everyone says I'll upgrade eventually anyway.

The issue I am running into is obviously I am not putitng this on the second floor due to the age of my house so basement it is. The problem is that I have quite a bit of rug in the basement and I was thinking of using patio slabs with a mat over them and I wanted to know what people's thoughts on this were. Will a tank this size be safe on the pads or is there a better solution? I think I would feel more comfortable with the slabs rather than some shims.

Thanks in advance! Really excited to be in the hobby.

 

[jem454]

Age of house? Usually the older built houses are sturdier than newer from what I have seen.

 

[lockdown52]

I think you would be ok in doing so. Carpet/rugs won't offer you much in the ability to get your tank level. For my preference, I would probably look at using a sheet of 3/4 inch plywood(cut to fit). Build a 1-2" border all around using same or similar material (making it a tray). Then seal it using flex seal or some other waterproof paint. Any minor leaks will be contained inside the tray. Major leaks...OOPS!

 

[Ron Reefman]

+1 to what lockdown52 offered as a suggestion! Maybe rather than flexseal I'd coat it with fiberglass resin. You could even give it a color by painting it with gelcoat. Think of doing the opposite of a boat. The boat hull is keeping the water out, your tray would be keeping the water in and allow you to level it.

 

[A sea K]

I put a piece of 3/4 ply cut large enough to provide a 2"-3" border around the stand base and shimmed between the stand base and plywood. Did this on both my current 80 gal and my previous 210.

 

[shroomdizzle]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!

You think a sheet of 3/4" or even 1" plywood would be enough to "hold" the tank? If my math is correct this thing is clocking in around 1000+ lbs.

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[Sk8r]

agree with tray: blocks sitting on carpet would be an invitation to gather mold in carpet from spillage.

 

[A sea K]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!

You think a sheet of 3/4" or even 1" plywood would be enough to "hold" the tank? If my math is correct this thing is clocking in around 1000+ lbs.

Thanks again for all the help!

The actual flooring under the carpet will support the weight. The plywood just spreads out the unevenness of the carpet and gives a firm surface to shim with.
I did my 210 gal (+400lbs of LR not to mention sand) this way and I'm sure it has far more weight than your 90 gal. It was setup for around 8 years with no issues.

 

[fishgate]

The most important thing is to have the surface where the tank sits to be level. Do this with plywood and shims under the plywood or if it is bad, some sort of self leveling compound. The plywood can easily hold the weight of that tank. 3/4" is perfect. Like others said, waterproof the plywood as well as you can. Any water spilled under the tank onto the rug will result in mold/mildew most likely. The block idea is a good one for the base layer.

 

[shroomdizzle]

Thanks for all the help guys. I am currently soaking the tank in vinegar/water solution to clear as much as the old coraline off the tank as I can. I have it sitting on a piece of wood now but I am going to pickup a new piece and treat it for waterproofing before I finalize the location. Very reassuring to hear about the wood as I was up in the air about it.

A secondary question if someone could help, best way to clean out the vinegar water after I scrape the tank down? Should I pump it out / bail it out and than rinse with a quarter fill of regular water and do the same?

Thanks again guys.