Large Steel Stand on Wood Floors

[Vanpire]

I am planning a large build (~300 gallons with a steel stand), and I have wood flooring on top of a concrete slab.

Do you guys have have your steel stand directly on the flooring or do you add plywood and/or foam between the floor and the stand?

 

[ADVRESOURCE]

This hobby is a commitment. Do what's needed for leveling but, plan on spillage.

 

[Mishri]

I guess what advresource is saying is, expect your flooring to become damaged?

you'll likely have about 3,000 lbs of weight on your flooring, it's going to be noticeable when you remove the tank no matter what you do the flooring will likely be effectively ruined. also, water on wood floor.. gotta get after that asap on any spills. many people put tile down or just put it directly on concrete.

 

[Vanpire]

Thanx for the input. I would imagine that the steel stand would crack the tiles, especially when you put down shims to level. I totally understand that the floor wood be wrecked though.

 

[dave.m]

Best is to strip it down to the concrete, build up a low dam, and then use levelling compound to true the floor. Then put your steel stand (I hope it's powder-coated to avoid rust) directly on the concrete. Use tile to trim around the stand to make a finished appearance.

Dave.M

 

[smokinreefer]

don't want to hijack, but this is related...

I'm also planning a 300G display with steel stand on engineered hardwood, but this is going on the main floor, so no concrete slab beneath...

any suggestions for me?! lol

 

[sfsuphysics]

buy a box (or 2) of replacement floor pieces to hopefully match the color/style. Downside is foot traffic is going to make the rest of the floor different even if you managed to get an exact match

 

[Vanpire]

don't want to hijack, but this is related...

I'm also planning a 300G display with steel stand on engineered hardwood, but this is going on the main floor, so no concrete slab beneath...

any suggestions for me?! lol

You're not hijacking. This is a great conversation.

 

[Vanpire]

buy a box (or 2) of replacement floor pieces to hopefully match the color/style. Downside is foot traffic is going to make the rest of the floor different even if you managed to get an exact match

Like the idea of a box or two of replacement flooring.

 

[dave.m]

For a wooden main floor you can still strip down to the sub-flooring and install tile. You will need to test for deflection in the floor first to ensure installation of the tank and the weight of all that water isn't going to create a disaster.

Dave.M

 

[smokinreefer]

For a wooden main floor you can still strip down to the sub-flooring and install tile. You will need to test for deflection in the floor first to ensure installation of the tank and the weight of all that water isn't going to create a disaster.

Dave.M

hmmm. that sounds feasible. or just skip the tile and just throw down plywood and a waterproof membrane on top, and stand on top of that?

a new beam is being installed underneath the tank, we're doing renos, which is why I'm able to set up my "dream" display!

 

[smokinreefer]

buy a box (or 2) of replacement floor pieces to hopefully match the color/style. Downside is foot traffic is going to make the rest of the floor different even if you managed to get an exact match

this.
regardless of which route any of us takes, this sounds like a must do.

 

[McPuff]

this.
regardless of which route any of us takes, this sounds like a must do.

Do you have a basement? If so, take the opportunity to put the tank downstairs and build your man cave around it!!

 

[tkeracer619]

My last 360 did not have a concrete pad under it. There was a crawlspace so I built a frame that matched the tank stand in the crawlspace and used floor jacks to support the tank. This took the load off the floor.

 

[smokinreefer]

Do you have a basement? If so, take the opportunity to put the tank downstairs and build your man cave around it!!

I thought of putting it in the basement, but then it would be against a wall.

this is gonna be my "final" tank, so I wanted it to be a focal point of the main living area. and this way I can set it up as a peninsula as well.

 

[pmrogers]

I recommend putting your stand on plastic or plastiwood risers.

Even powder coated steel won't resist rust indefinitely, especially if ever left to sit in salt water. And for me, at least, it is a guarantee that a flood or two will happen where water gets under the tank. Our 750 was on a powder coated steel stand that sat directly on the wood floor. Managed to go about 3 years without a spill, but eventually did have one and the stand started rusting within a year of that spill.