Tanks on a wooden floor

[Ryan]

Hi everyone,

A couple questions...

I just moved into a small lake house that was built in the 40s. All the floors are wood. I know if you're going to put tanks on a hardwood floor, the sturdiest place is along a wall, which is where mine is set up. I checked it with a level and found that next to the wall the floor is almost perfectly level. It was slightly off, but not enough that I thought it would matter. I filled the tank and got it running.

The floor that the tank is on is carpeted, but under the carpet is the wood floor. There is no cement foundation under the house, and the house is raised off the ground. When I walk down the hallway or into my bedroom (where the tank is), the tank vibrates and shakes a little.

Is this a problem? Should I do something to correct this? My dad suggested anchoring the tank stand to the wall but I don't think that will keep the stand from vibrating when the floor is walked on. Do I need to put something under the stand, or between the tank and the stand, to absord vibration?

Any suggestions for using tanks on wood floors would be greatly appreciated, as I have more tanks to move and set up here in the next few weeks.

Ryan

[Jeff]

Its just the beams bouncing. If you want to stop it go under the house and reinforce them from the ground up. Where the tank sits. Usually a few cinder blocks will do the trick. ;)

Ryan.......

If the tank is 60 gals on up ???

Get under the house and reinforce the floor with some cinder blocks and shims.....

My 130gal tank was causing the floor to start sinking :o, I used treated 4x4's and cinder blocks....... no problems now ;)

If the tank is 55gals and smaller....... I'd use some type of insulation board to help absorb the vibration ;)

JMO........

Beth

[April]

heh Ryan mine did that. and mine had no cement either. when the dog ran across the floor the 90 gallon wiggled and jiggled. made me nervous it was a metal stand with 4 legs. i went and got a wooden stand with 6 legs and end of problem. so what kind of tank stand do you have??
is it running the same way as the floor boards? i was told thats what you need to do. go ahead and add the cinder blocks but you could also add two runner boards under the legs.....
but the most important thing of all for you to remember.......is.........
WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG CREEPY CRAWLY SPIDERS WHEN YOUR IN THAT CRAWL SPACE ADDING CINDER BLOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
for that matter........send your dad under there or one of your friends!!! LOL. you wouldnt catch me dead goin under there with those guys!!!
perhaps stick to the added runners or extra leg!!!

[Murphy]

Hi Ryan, I would say that it depends on which way the joist runs. It's better to have the tank were the end of the joists meet the wall. (stronger) Rather than have the tank parallel with the joist as the joist can sag.