Potential damage to house?

[scrollerdon]

As I mentioned in another thread I have decided to build a 250-300 gal aquarium. I looked around but haven’t found any information anywhere about the effects of keeping a large amount of water in a house. So if anyone could shed some light on this subject it would greatly be appreciated. The tank may be going in the house and if so I would like to know of any potential damage it would do. If it doesn’t go in the house it will go in the church building we have next door that I am converting into a wood shop/ apartment area. (Neither buildings are mine but belong to my parents and I doubt they would allow me to continue this hobby if I ruin something).
1) Does having so much water in a house cause problems with mold or mildew from evaporation? Will running a dehumidifier be necessary? Does it give the house a fishy smell? Anything else that I may need to know about having a large tank inside please feel free to post that to. Thanks

 

[jimmie d wad]

read some of the tank builds in the diy section.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; Evaporation from a tank is going to occur and this can lead to mold or other problems associated with potentially excess moisture. Much will depend on the circumstances of the house. A house or building which already has a bit of moisture issues will likely be made worse. A house which is very tight and sealed will tend to trap more moisture. Do you have a wet/damp basement and so on?
I have been in fish shops in which he inside walls and windows were dripping during cool weather.
One house I lived in for many years had oil heat and the extra evaporation during the winter was not an issue as the heat was hot. The extra tank moisture was actually useful in keeping adequate moisture in the air during the winter.
My current house has a heat pump and the first winter I had some moisture issues. I ran a dehumidifier the next winter which nelped a great deal.
A tank can stink very badly. It will depend on how you run things. There was a thread recently were a young member was at the point of running the family out of the house with the tanks. Tanks that are not kept clean can stink. Overfeeding can lead to a sour tank. Live foods are often smelly. Frozen foods can produce smells if not handled properly. Some packaged foods have a strong smell.
On the other hand tanks can be kept with hardly any smell at all.
Two thing that you do not ask are the potential for damage from the tanks weight and water damage from possible leaks. A 300 gallon setup might weigh as much as 3600 pounds. A member recently started a thread describing ruined flooring from a tank leak.
Good luck.

 

[scrollerdon]

Thanks, If i put the tank in the basement of next door I already have a dehumidifier running for the moisture down there so the moisture can be controlled better there. As far as the floor goes we are starting working on taking the floor up to make repairs due to a beam or 2 being broken or sagging so I will be reinforcing the floor to hold any additional weight while I am down there.

 

[Kujiraya]

Very high chance to make house damage. If ripping up floors anyway, suggest turn fish tank space into HUGE laundry-like room, with tiled walls and floors, dehumidifier fan, sinks and taps, floor waste drains, etc. Also, plenty, plenty electricity outlets. Also, fridge and freezer for fish food, plenty shelves and cupboards.