Right i am not a builder but i will try and explain this as best i can, i went to look at a tank today and agreed a price, the tank is a 10 2 2 foot, excellent so far now here is my problem....... The place that i want to put the tank (the only place it will fit) the floor is a suspended chip board/ mdf construction, i thought it was concreat like my kitchen but it is not, the site is the far wall at the back of the house in the corner with the lenth running up the wall that seperates the neighbours, so the question is will the floor hold, what happens if it gets wet, as it most probably will during water changes ect.
300 gallon problem...........
- Thread starter carlj007
- Start date
Do you have any idea which way the joists underneath the MDF run? If they are running perpendicular to the way the tank will sit (making a T with the tank), then weight wise you should be ok. If they are running parallel with the tank, I'm not sure.
As far as the material under the tank. Is it going to be sitting directly on the MDF, or is there some type of flooring between the MDF and the tank?
You could always get a waterproof rug/blanket/shower pan liner cut just a little bigger than the tank is. Then you set the tank up on top of the liner, so that any water that drips or splashes out of the aquarium lands on this liner, giving you a chance to clean it up before it soaks into the wood subfloor.
As far as the material under the tank. Is it going to be sitting directly on the MDF, or is there some type of flooring between the MDF and the tank?
You could always get a waterproof rug/blanket/shower pan liner cut just a little bigger than the tank is. Then you set the tank up on top of the liner, so that any water that drips or splashes out of the aquarium lands on this liner, giving you a chance to clean it up before it soaks into the wood subfloor.
Is the tank against a wall that is supported? From what it sounds like you should be okay. If it is the wall that divides your unit from another unit I would think it would be a load bearing wall with support directly underneath he wall. I have a 240 8x2x2 and a 40 gallon sump in my living room against a wall that is directly on top of a supported lvl beam that runs across the length of my basement, and I have had no issues. My joists also run perpendicular to the tank which also helps. A little more info and we should be able to help you out.
You posted here and even bumped it, which means this is a real concern. I suggest laying a thick piece of plywood where the tank stand will be to help distribute the wieght. I used one (3/4" plywood) 4" larger than the stand's footprint. Then make or buy a short tub that the stand sit in or just contains (to catch inadvertant leakage, spills, and genral 'oopses'). Mine was internal (for looks) but an external basin would work better by catching more.
Thank you for the comnents it has put my mind at rest, the joists do run perpendicular which helds, the is a carpet inbetween the mdf and the tank, i will get some waterproof mat to sit under the tank, i will also get or use some of the waterproof bathroom paint i have got to cover the mdf under the carpet, with regards to this basin, do you have any pics so i cab understand it better i would also like it inside as it will look nicer.
Yes i was worried i thought i had got a dream tank for a bargin and wouldnt be able to use it!
Yes i was worried i thought i had got a dream tank for a bargin and wouldnt be able to use it!
Do you have access to the joists under the MDF subfloor? If so, what are the dimensions of the joists AND what is the distance from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist?
Any chance you can post a picture of the underside of the floor that will show what the joists are resting on, example - concrete wall or cement blocks.
Is the aquarium going to be on a stand or directly on the floor?
Any chance you can post a picture of the underside of the floor that will show what the joists are resting on, example - concrete wall or cement blocks.
Is the aquarium going to be on a stand or directly on the floor?
I dont have access to the joists, sorry, i spoke to my gf dad, his house and he said that they stand on a concrete base, he also didnt know the sixe of the joists but said they were chunky, sorry i couldnt be of any more help, i am currently looking around for a good price on somone building me a stant for it,