What to use on concrete floor in fish room

Ldagger

Ldagger

New member
Hey Guys, I am going to use my garage concrete floor for my fish room. One tank will be 500 gallons. Can you tell me the best floor covering to use on the concrete? I like the white expoxy 2 part paint, but i am told the weight will crack it and it's hard to fix. Someone suggested the cement paint and a clear coat over that. Anyone have experience this? Yes my tools will be in a different location so they won't rust. Thanks!
 
You can use the RustOleum 2 part for garage floors. The stuff is great. They aslo have two outher types for that are more wear and chemical resistant but they are more expensive.
 
Thanks Jim. I was looking at that, but heard it is only good for 3 to 5 years.
i don't want to be redoing the floor in 3 years : )
sounds like unless you go with the real expensive commercal expoxy perhaps the cement paint is the way to go...i hear it's easier to repair, then having to buy another 2 part kit... i don't know..
 
I have had the rust oleum product on my garage floor for 10 years and it still looks like the day I applied it. It has survived auto ramps sliding out from under cars hydraulic floor jacks sliding sideways on it and every tool known to man sliding across it.It still has not chipped. The trick is to acid wash the concrete (included in the paint box) and get the floor absolutly clean. If there is any dirt or oil on the floor it wont stick well. Incidently I tried concrete paint on my basement, it did not last very long so I wound up doing that with the epoxy also.
 
oh ok cool. thank you for the info. heck i asked 3 different people at sherwin williams and got 3 answers. i was going to go with expoxy to begin with : )
 
Good luck, I would put the tank on something to keep it off the floor no matter what, but what ever you decide get the concrete super clean and dry and I would bet you wont have a problem.
 
Thanks again, yeah it's a steel stand with an edge all the way around the bottom, so i will have to think about that. nice boat BTW
 
Another one for Rust Oleum 2 part. I've had it on my fish room floor for 10 years as well. The first 4 or 5 the room was used for storing garden tools before I built my fish monsters, lol, and the floor looks just like the day I did it. As said above, take the time to clean, acid wash and slowly do the floor and you will have no problem.
 
2 part epoxies are the way to go. Though for a floor I'd choose a color other than white ;)
 
I used a high solids epoxy, it goes on way thicker than the big box stuff. I used sherwin Williams hs 1000. I am very pleased with the result but, it was a lot of prep work and the fumes were lethal.
 
When I finished off my basement level, I decided against tile, carpet or wood, and instead elected to have the concrete slab stained and sealed. My wife elected a brown color, and the finished product looks a little like the pattern on an old leather jacket. It looks great, and with professional installation costs about $1.00 psf. My tanks are in the basement, and the floor holds up extreme let well to spills and foot traffic, especially from my dogs nails.

I had the floor of my garage finished with an industrial epoxy, again, professionally installed. One of the problems with DIY products is surface preparation. If your concrete surface is very clean and properly prepped (read surface ground, sealer removed), DIY products can be very long lasting and durable.

With older concrete, especially garage floors, they are often stained from oil and fuel, and unless the surface is properly prepared, even industrial products will fail to adhere.

Either stained or epoxy will work well for you, just make sure the surface is properly prepped, and that means all oil and fuel stains completely removed as well as all sealers ground off.
 
You can see the stained concrete floor in this photo:

DSC_0011_zps01309902.jpg
 
Past house I had the floor painted with some sort of concrete specific paint. Yuck never again. If I was to do this again I would tile it with slip resistant ceramic or one of the industrial rubberized floor coverings.
 
I have installed many concrete overlays, epoxy floors, and painted concrete. Simply put, not all slabs are equal and coatings are not an option on a few slabs, especially if there is hydrostatic pressure, sealers, or stains.

If you drip water around the slab does it bead up in any spots(bad)? You want it to soak in. Are there any white or moist areas in the slab? How about after it rains?

Here are some common problems with epoxy floors (layman) : http://www.todayshomeowner.com/problems-with-epoxy-garage-floor-coating-peeling/
http://epoxyandepoxyflooring.com/epoxyarticles/articles.html


Here is so more info on hydro static pressure (high likelihood of failure with epoxy): http://www.concretenetwork.com/doug_bannister/efflorescence.htm

There are many factors involved when determine if a slab is a good candidate for coatings. Be especially concerned if it is below grade, or the grade slopes towards the slab. The calcium chloride test will give you a lot if insight. If these fail, think grinding the super durable coating off the entire slab with diamond grinders and those can't grind up against a wall.

Polyaspartic coatings are the best if you can afford them. That is what they use in aircraft hangers and to line chemical tanks since it is highly chemical resistant. Probably overkill here.

I am not saying it can't be done. I am just saying, do you homework, it is impossible to say over the internet if your floor is a good candidate. I could tell you yes or no if I was there. I would hate to hear that your flooring started failing and you were faced with that disaster because you got your flooring advice on a reef forum. Don't be discouraged many slabs are excellent candidates and it is inspiring to know that when you are applying the floor.

Here is some info on the standards for surface prep: http://www.concretenetwork.com/concrete/surface_preparation/standards_you_should_know.htm

This may be too much info but will answer just about every question as it is part if the industry standards on epoxy flooring: http://bpesol.com/bachphuong/media/images/book/503r_93.pdf

Good luck, and prep the heck out of it, super duper clean.
 
Thanks Guys for all the insightful comments. I did not even think of getting shocked : ) I am going to order the rubber mats they use in kitchens on the floor so my feet won't hate me, and i will not get shocked by anything i hope.
I used the rustoleum this weekend and it looks nice. I cleaned the heck out of the floor first, it was really dirty and i threw everything i had at it. Someone had painted it with i assume concrete paint which was half gone. the floor was so dirty i did not really notice it before. So we will see how it holds up. Thanks again!
 
Two part epoxies but not the water based water based epoxies as they will crack. I used water based epoxy in my workshop and I am not thrilled but as a construction electrician in Manhattan we always painted the floors of battery rooms with 2 part commercial epoxy and batteries weigh many thousands of pounds, much more than any fish tank and they are on metal stands similar to aquarium stands. Those types of coverings will last forever and are impervious to everything even acid which is the reason they are used.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
New installation / No a new Hobbits
Replies
14
Views
197
Pump_Guy
P
F
MY 1000 GALLON TANK NEEDS CASTER WHEELS ON TANK STAND THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP MOVE THE TANK TO WITHOUT WATER TO A FLATBED TRAILER
Replies
7
Views
788
Vinny Kreyling
Vinny Kreyling
F
New Reef - Need recommendations
Replies
13
Views
2K
Cdentata
C
JustSalty
New tank setup… slate for canopy? Too heavy?
Replies
7
Views
1K
JustSalty
JustSalty
LClay
Turning rusty water collector into outdoor pond
Replies
14
Views
2K
SantaMonica
S
Back
Top