How to deal with the hardwood floor and saltwater tank?

[FreakShow]

Smiladon,

 

Listen to me, I live in a house with hardwood floors. Old hardwood. I have had a number of different tanks, over the years from 120g to75g to a 30H custom deal to my current 12 NC DX. No matter what you do, you will get water on the floor. Obviously you can shamwow up what you can find and reach. That helps greatly, but do not take the advice to put plastic under the tank stand. I thought I was on to something with that same idea but what I found happened was two things. For bigger spills like ATO malfunctions or when you leave the room while siphoning and get side tracked...that water will find its way under the plastic and then can not evaporate so it soaks in. Also condensation can form between the hardwood and the plastic, especially if you have a sump!. I royal fragged up a large section of hardwood this way. Open and airy is the way to go. Have a space under your tank stand, buy or manufacture one with legs so that you can get a small fan blowing under it where you can not reach with a towel. Spilling isn't bad, its the standing moisture that will swell the hardwood, expand the glue and mildew the wood. Its the long standing water that you won't even notice until you try to sell your house or your tank. When you move it your mouth will drop at the water damage you couldn't see. I know I spent a good bit of time apologizing and explaining to my wife how it might have happened.

 

I had also decided that if I ever do a large tank again, I will put a "drip pan" under it with a bulkhead that has a hose attached to a drain somewhere in the floor like they do for large AC units in the attic. I also though that some of those deep cargo mats for the back of SUVs might work as well. I would rather need to patch a 1" hole in the hardwood than a 10x6 section of warped floor.

 

For smaller tanks, legs on the stand are the way to go. I have a stand for the 12DX that give me a 4 in space to work with before the undertank cabinet area. It is very sturdy and looks great too.

 

Good luck!

[Primeval]

Umm....

 

PUT TOWELS DOWN FIRST.

thats it.

 

 

Agreed. We have hardwoods everywhere in the house and I constantly splash stuff on them. Just keep another small towel handy for a quick dry and you're fine.

 

I'd rather spill on hardwoods than carpet. Fish water smells like ass.