Apartment Tank Help and Insurance

[Schraufabagel]

I was looking at a Waterbox Frag 85.3 or 105.4 if renter's insurance covered property damage due to aquarium leaks. Allstate said that they find it unlikely that any renter's insurance would cover property damage, as they usually just cover your personal belongings (This assumes that apartment allows a 80-100 gallon system in the first place). I really would like a larger tank since It would be large enough for me to keep exploring the hobby until I get a house roughly 4-5 years from now.

If you were in my shoes, would you risk having a larger system without insurance to cover leaks? Or do you know of an insurance provider that covers property damage from water in an apartment?

IF I HAVE TO GO SMALLER...

I'm stuck between whether I should go AIO or sump. Specifically, I'm looking at Waterbox AIO 35.2, Waterbox Marine X 60.2, or an IM Fusion Lagoon 50. Ultimately, I am attracted to the more space offered by a sump allowing for refugiums, algae scrubbers, and media reactors. I'm just unsure that it wouldn't make sense for a tank that small.

Some questions I have:

• For a tank 35 gallons+, would you consider a sump to be beneficial enough to be worth it?
• How difficult is it to clean and maintain a 50 gallon AIO chamber?

 

[Zionas]

What floor is your apartment on? How many floors in total? Wooden floors, concrete floors or wooden floors but concrete underneath? Load bearing walls? Who’s living below you?

 

[reefer024]

Personally I wouldn't risk it. Imagine having to break that down when you move, it's not a easy task. That's a lot of weight and water. Your talking over a 1000 pounds with just the tank and water. Not including live rock and sand bed. I have a 60 gallon cube with hob that I grow a lot of different corals in with my t5s. If your willing to risk having to pay damages due to it leaking go for it, but personally I wouldn't.

 

[Schraufabagel]

What floor is your apartment on? How many floors in total? Wooden floors, concrete floors or wooden floors but concrete underneath? Load bearing walls? Who’s living below you?

Currently I am waiting until I move in a few months. That's why I haven't bought a tank yet. But all of the places I'm looking at are new buildings no older than 2010. Most are around 3-5 floors. They have wooden floors with concrete underneath. I would put the tank against one of the outside walls of the unit (load bearing). As far as floor, I have never had a preference, but I would be fine trying to get a first floor unit if that would make a difference.

 

[Schraufabagel]

Personally I wouldn't risk it. Imagine having to break that down when you move, it's not a easy task. That's a lot of weight and water. Your talking over a 1000 pounds with just the tank and water. Not including live rock and sand bed. I have a 60 gallon cube with hob that I grow a lot of different corals in with my t5s. If your willing to risk having to pay damages due to it leaking go for it, but personally I wouldn't.

Do you have insurance to cover your 60 gal cube?

 

[Zionas]

Try to get a first floor unit, but if the place is low rise, with the other traits you’ve mentioned, probably should be fine. I know a guy in Hong Kong who has a 120 gallon on a 10th floor apartment, a Singaporean guy with a 200 gallon (wall tank) on the 6th floor, and my apartment’s simolar to yours and I’m going for a 130.

 

[Schraufabagel]

Try to get a first floor unit, but if the place is low rise, with the other traits you’ve mentioned, probably should be fine. I know a guy in Hong Kong who has a 120 gallon on a 10th floor apartment, a Singaporean guy with a 200 gallon (wall tank) on the 6th floor, and my apartment’s simolar to yours and I’m going for a 130.

Do you have any insurance you would plan to use on your apartment?

 

[Tamberav]

I was looking at a Waterbox Frag 85.3 or 105.4 if renter's insurance covered property damage due to aquarium leaks. Allstate said that they find it unlikely that any renter's insurance would cover property damage, as they usually just cover your personal belongings (This assumes that apartment allows a 80-100 gallon system in the first place). I really would like a larger tank since It would be large enough for me to keep exploring the hobby until I get a house roughly 4-5 years from now.

If you were in my shoes, would you risk having a larger system without insurance to cover leaks? Or do you know of an insurance provider that covers property damage from water in an apartment?

IF I HAVE TO GO SMALLER...

I'm stuck between whether I should go AIO or sump. Specifically, I'm looking at Waterbox AIO 35.2, Waterbox Marine X 60.2, or an IM Fusion Lagoon 50. Ultimately, I am attracted to the more space offered by a sump allowing for refugiums, algae scrubbers, and media reactors. I'm just unsure that it wouldn't make sense for a tank that small.

Some questions I have:

• For a tank 35 gallons+, would you consider a sump to be beneficial enough to be worth it?
• How difficult is it to clean and maintain a 50 gallon AIO chamber?

You have to get it as a separate rider but finding an apartment that allows such a large tank more of the challenge.

AIO's are easier to clean then sumps, you just stick a hose down there and gravity siphon. Sponges and stuff end up growing there which help keep it clean.

I would only do a sump on a larger system that needs a large skimmer or such. I like AIO's and water changes for small systems.

I would not want you above me with such a large tank. Get the first floor... newer building doesn't mean anything to me, wood is cut smaller now, and you probably won't know which way the joists go. Most apartment complexes don't allow water beds for a reason.

 

[reefer024]

Do you have insurance to cover your 60 gal cube?

I've never really looked into if my insurance covers it. My renter's agreement already says nothing over 20 gallons. But tanks do leak sometimes just be willing to suffer the consequences.

 

[Schraufabagel]

You have to get it as a separate rider but finding an apartment that allows such a large tank more of the challenge.

AIO's are easier to clean then sumps, you just stick a hose down there and gravity siphon. Sponges and stuff end up growing there which help keep it clean.

I would only do a sump on a larger system that needs a large skimmer or such. I like AIO's and water changes for small systems.

In that case would you go with a 30 or 50 gallon AIO in my situation?

 

[Zionas]

My apartment (in China) so far doesn’t have any restrictions or insurance requirements, so lucky me haha.

 

[SliceGolfer]

This is a long time ago, but I had a 55 gallon reef tank in a second floor apartment. A pump malfunction caused 20 gallons of water to leak from the tank. Gravity lent a hand and dropped this on the apartment below me. The apartment complex told the renters below to claim the water damage on their renters insurance, not mine. Coverage and liability could be two different topics when it comes to insurance.

 

[Schraufabagel]

I've never really looked into if my insurance covers it. My renter's agreement already says nothing over 20 gallons. But tanks do leak sometimes just be willing to suffer the consequences.

I plan to take some minor measures to help, but I know that doesn't eliminate it. I was looking at having a water proof mat under and sealing the inside of a stand with caulk and waterproof membrane if it had a sump.

 

[Schraufabagel]

This is a long time ago, but I had a 55 gallon reef tank in a second floor apartment. A pump malfunction caused 20 gallons of water to leak from the tank. Gravity lent a hand and dropped this on the apartment below me. The apartment complex told the renters below to claim the water damage on their renters insurance, not mine. Coverage and liability could be two different topics when it comes to insurance.

Ultimately I'd just like to know that I wouldn't be stuck footing a bill for thousands of dollars if renter's didn't cover it

 

[Kellie in CA]

My renter's policy will cover damage to the condo, but not the tank or anything inside it. If the tank fails as a result of an earthquake... no coverage at all.

I prefer AIO's for rentals because there is less risk of a leak. The only thing that I think could possibly go wrong with mine is an ATO overflow. But I generally don't put more water in the reservoir than the tank could hold if that were to happen. As far as the back chambers... I don't have any issue there. I use floss at all times and have a high rate of flow through the return pump... so the chambers always stay clean.

 

[Schraufabagel]

My renter's policy will cover damage to the condo, but not the tank or anything inside it. If the tank fails as a result of an earthquake... no coverage at all.

May I ask who you are covered by? I'm in WI, so no earthquakes here haha

 

[Tamberav]

In that case would you go with a 30 or 50 gallon AIO in my situation?

That depends on what your apartment allows.

 

[Joe31415]

Someone else mentioned it, but I was thinking a rider as well. Get a rider specifically to cover what you need it to cover. For example, if you ask for one to cover 'water damage', that might only cover a burst pipe OR a flood OR sewage backing up, but not damage due to water you (or something owned by you) caused.

Another thing you can ask about is adding an umbrella policy to your current insurance. Umbrellas policies are kinda designed for these situations. That is, when you need insurance above and beyond what you already have. But, like all insurance, they come with limitations, but it's something worth checking into.

 

[Schraufabagel]

Someone else mentioned it, but I was thinking a rider as well. Get a rider specifically to cover what you need it to cover. For example, if you ask for one to cover 'water damage', that might only cover a burst pipe OR a flood OR sewage backing up, but not damage due to water you (or something owned by you) caused.

Another thing you can ask about is adding an umbrella policy to your current insurance. Umbrellas policies are kinda designed for these situations. That is, when you need insurance above and beyond what you already have. But, like all insurance, they come with limitations, but it's something worth checking into.

State Farm responded; that’s who I have renters through for my current apartment. They said that their renters insurance covers water damage and it doesn’t matter where it comes from.
I inquired about them providing me that in writing just in case too. So looks like I should be good as long as the apartment allows the tank size I would settle on

 

[aydemir]

I've never really looked into if my insurance covers it. My renter's agreement already says nothing over 20 gallons. But tanks do leak sometimes just be willing to suffer the consequences.

Haha is it considered staying under 20g if your display is 20g and then you have a 20g sump?
Or is it a strict 20g total volume in entire apartment type of rule?

edit: Check to see if your state/province/municipality has its own bylaws regarding pets. Where I live most rental agreements state that there are no pets allowed but it's actually illegal to enforce this if you're the landlord. Nothing specific stated with regards to aquarium volume/weight though.