Putting Large Tank On Tile Floor

cmulawka · 02/19/2006, 08:52 PM

I ripped up the carpet in the room I am putting the tank in. I am planning on putting a tile floor in will the weight of my 540 gallon tank crack the tile/grout.What should I do or can I do.

artful-dodger · 02/19/2006, 09:23 PM

I think I'd avoid putting tile under the tank. Can you perhaps set the tank onto a sheet of plywood the thickness of the tile and then tile up to the edge? It would probably mean re-tiling if/when you sell the house, but a buyer would probably have a problem with the tiled area anyway.

Nanook · 02/19/2006, 10:47 PM

My wife tiled our basement and I just put 3/4" horsemat under the tank stand...the stuff is made of rubber and acts as a leveling material and is impervious to water spills.

nanook

capt. insano · 02/19/2006, 10:55 PM

ceramic tile is extremely pressure strong......I have my 240 on tile and love it....easy clean up when I have a mishap or get water around when doing water changes

cmulawka · 02/20/2006, 09:08 AM

The sub floor is wood and there is a crawl space below. So I was thinking there is more chance for cracking.

cmulawka · 02/20/2006, 09:15 AM

The tank is also 540 gallons and the tank and stand weight about 1000 lbs

NaClH20NMYVEIN · 02/20/2006, 03:30 PM

I have both of my 300g tanks on tile but I'm not too sure of your wood subfloor.

Ocicat · 02/20/2006, 03:37 PM

Wow, I'd think you might want some extra support under the floor in the crawlspace? I was worried about possibly needing extra support in the basement beneath my 180; the engineer from our home builder told me 2000 lbs will be fine without supplemental support... but you're looking at a MUCH heavier load than that!

Wryknow · 02/21/2006, 10:33 AM

I have a 215 on a tile floor and it works just fine. You are correct to be worried about the sub-floor in this instance though I believe. Even if you brace the joists in seems likely that there will be a little bit of flex in the floor when you fill the tank. If that happens at all then the tile will most likely crack wherever the floor sags.

dgasmd · 02/22/2006, 08:47 PM

750g (120"x48"x30"). No padding or anything below it. Concrete slab below it. Any questions?

02/19/2006, 08:52 PM	#1
cmulawka Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: North Carolina Posts: 770	Putting Large Tank On Tile Floor I ripped up the carpet in the room I am putting the tank in. I am planning on putting a tile floor in will the weight of my 540 gallon tank crack the tile/grout.What should I do or can I do.

02/19/2006, 09:23 PM	#2
artful-dodger Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Highlands Ranch, Colorado Posts: 3,011	I think I'd avoid putting tile under the tank. Can you perhaps set the tank onto a sheet of plywood the thickness of the tile and then tile up to the edge? It would probably mean re-tiling if/when you sell the house, but a buyer would probably have a problem with the tiled area anyway. __________________ "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." -- Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 140g RR Oceanic "Ultimate" mixed reef, 37g softies, 40g RBTA tank, 65g FOWLR, 40g breeder frag, and (of course) a 29g QT! ...next up is a 240g! (Gotta go to K-Mart and buy a life...)

02/19/2006, 10:47 PM	#3
Nanook Ancient Eskimo Legend Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Saint Louis, MO Posts: 41,852 Blog Entries: 11	My wife tiled our basement and I just put 3/4" horsemat under the tank stand...the stuff is made of rubber and acts as a leveling material and is impervious to water spills. nanook __________________ The wind blew, the chit flew, and then they came two by two. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Tank Info: 375g Tanganyikan Tank & 470g mixed reef

02/19/2006, 10:55 PM	#4
capt. insano Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Whats the matter w/ KS? Posts: 1,279	ceramic tile is extremely pressure strong......I have my 240 on tile and love it....easy clean up when I have a mishap or get water around when doing water changes __________________ "I pity the fool" "You're talking a whole lotta Jibba-Jabba." Current Tank Info: 240 Gallon FOWLR

02/20/2006, 03:30 PM	#7
NaClH20NMYVEIN Red Dragons! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 5,897	I have both of my 300g tanks on tile but I'm not too sure of your wood subfloor. __________________ The planet needs a 50% water change. Current Tank Info: Pacific Ocean

02/20/2006, 09:08 AM	#5
cmulawka Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: North Carolina Posts: 770	The sub floor is wood and there is a crawl space below. So I was thinking there is more chance for cracking.

02/20/2006, 09:15 AM	#6
cmulawka Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: North Carolina Posts: 770	The tank is also 540 gallons and the tank and stand weight about 1000 lbs

02/20/2006, 03:37 PM	#8
Ocicat Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: St. Louis, Mo Posts: 1,049	Wow, I'd think you might want some extra support under the floor in the crawlspace? I was worried about possibly needing extra support in the basement beneath my 180; the engineer from our home builder told me 2000 lbs will be fine without supplemental support... but you're looking at a MUCH heavier load than that! __________________ Everything floats down here. Current Tank Info: Entirely hypothetical

02/21/2006, 10:33 AM	#9
Wryknow Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,203	I have a 215 on a tile floor and it works just fine. You are correct to be worried about the sub-floor in this instance though I believe. Even if you brace the joists in seems likely that there will be a little bit of flex in the floor when you fill the tank. If that happens at all then the tile will most likely crack wherever the floor sags. __________________ You cannot use reason to change the opinion of a person that did not use reason to form their opinion in the first place. Current Tank Info: 65 G RR, w/ 50 G sump/refugium, DIY LED lighting, AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer, Tunze 1073.050 return

02/22/2006, 08:47 PM	#10
dgasmd Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: US Posts: 3,402	750g (120"x48"x30"). No padding or anything below it. Concrete slab below it. Any questions? __________________ Arguing with ignorant people is an exercise in futility. They will bring you down to their level and once there they will beat you with their overwhelming experience. Current Tank Info: Currently out of the hobby, but considering a Comeback V 2.1!