Protecting Hardwood Floors: a massive Fish Tank Stand

[Beanie Seagus]

So i've now got plans to construct a massive fish tank stand using cinder blocks and 2x4"s.

The total footprint of the stand will be 32" by 8ft. It will ultimately house 8 or more tanks, as well as tons of gear.

Before I construct this beast though, I wanted to give one last consideration to trying to save the hardwood floor that will be underneath the colossal stand.

Obviously I don't want to use a rug or blanket that will simply capture water and hold it close to the wood for extended periods of time, as that would be even worse than merely mopping up spills when they happen.

What i'm considering is something like this uline waterhog: (see the link)

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...4-x-8-Charcoal?model=H-1282GR&RootChecked=yes

My thinking is that since this has a rubber lined bottom, captured water won't permeate through it onto the wood floor. Then I can just dry off the top carpet with a fan. But is this just wishful thinking? Will 4ft of width be enough of a lip around the stand to capture all water spillage? I'm a little afraid that even with this waterproof floor cover some water will eventually get underneath it, and then cause damage to the floor beneath, and never be discovered.

Should I just brave a bare hardwood floor, go with the Uline option shown above, or do any of you have any cheaper or more practical solutions?

Thanks!

 

[CSnyder00]

Lowes sells a plastic boards (like the ones that are on the bottom of the legs of that smoker I'm building for my friend) that you could cut to fit under the blocks. They make them in all kinds of shapes and sizes. This would protect the hardwood while giving you enough support under the blocks. You would have the hardwood under the tanks, but water cleanup would be just a towel away.

 

[Beanie Seagus]

Do you have pictures of these plastic boards or perhaps a link? I don't recall what they look like.

Also i was mainly concerned about protecting the hardwood from water, more than the cinder blocks. Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[Frank Cowherd]

I like the idea of raising the tank and stand on blocks or such so you can clean up or rather dry up any water that gets on the floor. You are going to get water on the floor. Tank maintenance almost requires you to get water on the floor sometime. Though you can lay down towels all over the floor prior to doing any tank maintenance. If you do that you can just use the stand as it is.

Raising the tank with plastic wood or any wood, even chunks of 2 by 4s will work to allow you to mop up any water under the tank. Plastic wood (1 by 6 by whatever length you want) is available at Lowe's and will not soak up any water making it easier to mop up any water. Towels will allow you to wick out most of the water that might get under the supports, though probably not all of it. Depending on the wood flooring you are trying to protect, you might just have to plan on replacing sections whenever the tank and stand are moved. But if the tank is going to be in place for years, the floor under the tank is going to look different than the rest of the floor any how.