What to put under my stand

[Gyerfat]

I have an oak wood floor. I'm putting a 4 foot tank and stand. Do you guys recommend putting anything under the stand to protect the floor. In my opinion by the time the tank gets removed 10+ years down the road the floor would need to be sanded and stained again anyway. Also between the stand and tank should I use something?

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I have an oak wood floor. I'm putting a 4 foot tank and stand. Do you guys recommend putting anything under the stand to protect the floor. In my opinion by the time the tank gets removed 10+ years down the road the floor would need to be sanded and stained again anyway. Also between the stand and tank should I use something?

I messed up a wood floor with my last 120g. If there is a way to be able to dry water via air movement under the stand that would be ideal.

 

[Gyerfat]

Good idea. I am putting my sump in the basement so I could cut a few holes in the bottom of the cabinet and put in a little fan

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Good idea. I am putting my sump in the basement so I could cut a few holes in the bottom of the cabinet and put in a little fan

Nice idea! No matter how hard we try we're going to have accidents! You could also drop a leak detector in there from your Apex controller or a stand alone device.

 

[Gyerfat]

More worried about the weight. Salt water destroys everything. Thought a rubber mat would maybe prevent indents in the wood.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

More worried about the weight. Salt water destroys everything. Thought a rubber mat would maybe prevent indents in the wood.

Honestly I didn't see that issue with my 120g. It was the water that got under the stand. I thought about a mat but thought that would hold water under it.

 

[Gyerfat]

And the structure can support the weight no problem just concerned (not to much to be honest) that the finished floor get destroyed beyond repair later on

 

[Big G]

I had much the same concerns. Brand new oak flooring. Built the stand so the sump area below could hold a bit of water if need be. Bought a yoga mat to roll out when I am doing something "drip-e". Used schedule 80 pipe and fittings on pump and return lines. Prepare for the worst; but hope for the best. Cheers!

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

Leave that floor covered for years and it will have to be serviced anyway. If the tank stand could be constructed / modified to direct leaky water elsewhere it would be worth the effort.

 

[revaltion131]

I'm seriously considering some sort of rubber matting or spray-on liner for the interior of my stand for my 300 gallon build but I'm honestly more worried about spills (by myself) onto the surrounding hardwood. I'll be exceptionally particular about having towels readily on hand and potentially using rubber floor mats to catch spills. Maybe a shoe tray so that the lip can control any run-off. I don't know that putting anything under the stand will help matters as the tank will be there for years and as was stated above, the floor will probably need refinishing by that point anyway.

 

[Big G]

I'm seriously considering some sort of rubber matting or spray-on liner for the interior of my stand for my 300 gallon build but I'm honestly more worried about spills (by myself) onto the surrounding hardwood. I'll be exceptionally particular about having towels readily on hand and potentially using rubber floor mats to catch spills. Maybe a shoe tray so that the lip can control any run-off. I don't know that putting anything under the stand will help matters as the tank will be there for years and as was stated above, the floor will probably need refinishing by that point anyway.

I coated the whole oak stand, inside and out, with marine spar varnish and put a bead of clear silicone caulking around the inside walls of the base. I made a 2" high wall as part of the base so if there was a small leak (sump overflow, etc.) there would be something there to catch the water. Yoga mats work great while working on the tank, water changes, testing, etc.

 

[Greybeard]

My old cube stand, I sealed and epoxy coated the inside. It'd hold about 20 gallons of water before anything hit the floor, and then I put a cheap battery powered water alarm in the bottom. When I sold that system, after 2 years or so, the carpet and sub-floor underneath it was in perfect condition.

My new system sits on a steel stand with a waterproof top. No equipment under the tank, the sump and all are in a closet behind the tank. Carpeted. I try and keep things off the floor, and I did toss my water alarm in there... thought about lining it with rubber sheet and putting in a drain line, but I didn't do it. More worried about humidity in the closet than I am about floors. I've got a portable dehumidifier in there... that works, as long as I keep the collector emptied.

 

[Paul B]

I keep this under my stand. No particular reason except I don't know what else to do with it. It is a cell phone camera from 1950.

 

[Greybeard]

This is what is going under my new stand... Eventually

 

[Dburr1014]

I put felt pads under the stand. I can push paper towels under if needed and in case of a real emergency I can actually move the whole tank/stand by sliding it across the floor by pushing with my legs. Just not to fast so you don't splash the water.