Newbie here!

[zoomzoom81]

Hey all!

I'm new to reef aquariums, had a 90g saltwater aquarium through college but just now, 10 years later, settling down and in a financial place to take the next step to a full-blown reef.

I'm looking at getting a large (200-250g) rimless peninsula-style tank as a room divider, but that brings me to my first question which is WEIGHT:

It would have to go on the second floor (house is on a hillside, living areas on 1st floor, bedrooms in "basement"). Would any of you be able to recommend a contractor that would be able to assess the weight-bearing capacity of my floors?

Thanks, more to come, hope to use this forum a lot as I get this project up and running.

[FreshSaltH2o]

Welcome!

[OhioStreetz]

Hit up Daveocean on the boards here he is a contractor and a reefer so he will know

[seareef]

WELCOME to SDR ZOOM!

[fijisrfr]

Hit up Daveocean on the boards here he is a contractor and a reefer so he will know

Plus one!!!!!
Dave knows his schizsnit!


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[sushi]

Welcome! One good thing about growing up is having money to buy things we wanted when we were poor kids. That tank, stand, sand, rock, water and sump will probably weigh over a ton, that is a good idea to make sure you won't collapse your house.

It reminds me of that scene in ninja turtles when one of them says something like "Structurally speaking, I don't think this is such a good time for your friends to drop in" and all the ninjas jump in anyway and the floor collapses.

[lotus457]

Welcome to SD reefs.

@reefraaf

[zoomzoom81]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! I will definitely hit up Dave for the consultation! I requested a quote from ReefSavvy for a tank with the dimensions I want but haven't received a response yet, is there an LFS that works with them that might expedite the quote? Or are there any other brands that are known for their higher-quality rimless tanks?

@sushi HAHA, I kinda miss those poor kid days though in a way, no mortgage, responsibilities hehe. Yeah, a floor collapse would probably be a relationship-ender and financial disaster of epic proportions... though if it does happen I'll make sure to try and get it on video, maybe be infamous enough to start a GoFundMe campaign LoL.

[davocean]

Replied to PM, and thanks to those w/ kind words!
Welcome and good luck, get me pics or floor plan if you can, that size starts getting weird on a 2nd story, not that I fear the floor will collapse, we just don't want any deflection of joists that could sag over time causing other things to fail, or an unlevel support for new tank.

I think reef savy is probably your best bet for that size tank rimless, I think leemar is now crystal dynamics, probably 2nd to RS
I like SCA but I don't think they go that big, but worth a call.
I know it's hard, but try not to rush, make it right.

[zoomzoom81]

Sooo... after some doing some digging turns out my original tank location is not going to work. So on to Plan B. Getting quotes from Crystal Dynamics in Oceanside, anyone work with them before? Also, is a chiller necessary here in San Diego? We don't have AC, but fans have been more than sufficient to keep things cool and comfortable. I've never measured with a thermometer but how warm does it have to get inside your house before starting to heat your tank?

[dizzyjay]

I’m near the beach and don’t use a chiller. The best advice I got was to get an AC for the room instead... it keeps everything cool instead of just the tank (and adding heat to the room)- also fans pointed at the water go a long way; they will increase evaporation but cool the water a couple degrees. Last summer the tank saw 81 a couple times and I adjusted my photo period to keep from adding more heat. If I was further inland, I’d probably use a chiller.

[pellikan]

Welcome to SDR. Just ignore the creaks and groans of your house, that's just California moving around a bit.

Seriously though, I'm glad to hear you're taking steps to deal with the weight issue.

As for the heat, I see you're in PB so it won't be too bad. Aim a fan across the water's surface and you'll probably be fine. It's not like reefs in the wild never experience temperature swings. East county is another story...

[zoomzoom81]

Yeah, trying to take my time and do it right. It's going to be tough once they tank arrives though, much easier when everything is just in the planning stages haha.

[Drama D]

Welcome

[davocean]

As long as you research and get efficient gear(watts equal heat) and since you live in PB most likely you can get by w/out a chiller, I don't run one on my 120g.

Crystal dynamics used to be Leemar, which was one of the best, still a very desireable option.

[zoomzoom81]

Got a quote from Crystal Dynamics... wondering how they compare to Red Sea Reefer systems?

Also, is it okay to put a tank on carpet as long as it’s level or is that a big no-no... if it’s not allowed, the possible locations for a large tank in my house is rapidly dwindling to zero... :(

[Kris]

Carpet is great to mop up overflows, (which is why my reef is in the garage.lol)
If you don't spill it doesn't matter, but if you do you will end up with a difficult clean-up job and possibly a crusty carpet. If the room stays damp, (and you are near the ocean) it could get musty over time with just routine slops. Most bathrooms don't have carpet for this same reason. so it's not a deal killer, but with my aim I would not put a tank over carpet. My PIF $.02

On a related location topic, lots of folks place there tanks in spots where it is easy to do water changes. With a large tank, even a %5 change can be more than a 5 gallon bucket. Mixing and moving water around can get to be quite laborious. So, some folks plumb their filters and mixing stations into a remote room like maybe the garage or enclosed porch/sink area. Something else to think about beforehand.

[davocean]

Many a reefer have had their tanks on carpet, including myself.
It's not my preference, but I would not let it stop me.
A properly designed tank should have no issues, perhaps lay something down when doing WC's and maintenance.
I have not seen the red sea's but some people rave about them.
Don't forget SCA for anything 180g and below, they make a nice tank too and custom overflows, great CS, somewhat local(Rancho cucamunga I think?)