Do You Keep Tanks On The Floor?

[K.J.]

Just curious. I think I've seen some members do it but I can't remember. My desk would only withstand another 2.5 gallons but I've devised a plan to keep two bettas in a divided 10G, BUT only if I can keep it on the floor. It's just a first story floor, but it has carpeting. Sooo.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

Well, since you have to keep the bucket lower than the tank when doing water changes... I don' think it would be possible if the tank was on the floor.

 

[matt295]

it could work if the tank was tall enough but i wouldnt reccomend it

 

[rdd1952]

As mentioned, syphoning water could be a problem. Also, if you get the flooring wet underneath it (and I dont know how you can do it without getting water on the floor) it could begin to rot the floor or subfloor. It would be better on wood or tile floors. Definitely wouldn't do it on carpet.

 

[GoldLenny]

For a 10G tank, which doesn't weigh very much when full, you could make a stand out of a few cinder blocks. Four of them with a 1"x12"x20" board on top would make a sturdy stand and you would have room under it for books, supplies, etc. You could even put 1"x4"x20" boards in the "holes" of the cinder block to make two more shelves under the stand.

 

[K.J.]

For a 10G tank, which doesn't weigh very much when full, you could make a stand out of a few cinder blocks. Four of them with a 1"x12"x20" board on top would make a sturdy stand and you would have room under it for books, supplies, etc. You could even put 1"x4"x20" boards in the "holes" of the cinder block to make two more shelves under the stand.

I could do what you said, although I think my dad would probably insist on buliding a tiny little foot-high stand instead. Or rather, my mom would make him since she'd be just oh so terrified at some substance of ugly in my room.

On another side, Could I just keep like a board underneath it, a piece of plywood cut to size with some rags? Syphoning isn't a problem, I'd just pour it out pitcher by pitcher which wouldn't be that hard..

 

[rdd1952]

If you use cinder blocks, make sure the holes in them are facing up. When you lay them on their side, they lose their structural integrity. I worked for about 20 years with a masonry contractor and another 4 with a cinder block manufacturer (God I'm old).

If you do put them on the floor with plywood or something under them, you need to have some way to prevent water from actually getting under the tank where it can begin to deteriorate the flooring.

 

[K.J.]

Old person

 

[piratedninja]

i think its best to just go to a local goodwill or yardsale and get a cheap end/coffee table and put the tank on there

i have my 10gallon on an endtable right beside the couch and it looks beautiful there

 

[K.J.]

It's not the problem of that, it's that the only place I have is on the floor below my desk.

 

[GoldLenny]

OOH.. ur in a room full of stuff so there is no more room. What about a wall shelf above your desk. It would have to be installed properly.. maybe with swag chains hanging down from eye-bolts screwed into ceiling joists to make sure the shelf is sturdy enough but it sounds like your dad could do this little project. Then there would be room for books and stuff on each side of the tank if the shelf is long enough.

With the tank on the floor, you would not be able to siphon the gravel unless you have a Python which would be power assisted by the flow of water from your faucet. I have also seen airline powered and battery powered little gravel vacuums but I've heard mostly bad things about them not working very well.

 

[K.J.]

OOH.. ur in a room full of stuff so there is no more room. What about a wall shelf above your desk. It would have to be installed properly.. maybe with swag chains hanging down from eye-bolts screwed into ceiling joists to make sure the shelf is sturdy enough but it sounds like your dad could do this little project. Then there would be room for books and stuff on each side of the tank if the shelf is long enough.

With the tank on the floor, you would not be able to siphon the gravel unless you have a Python which would be power assisted by the flow of water from your faucet. I have also seen airline powered and battery powered little gravel vacuums but I've heard mostly bad things about them not working very well.

I think he could do that, though it couldn't be too high since I'm fairly short and might have trouble getting up there to feed & such. But I was thinking I could fill it a couple inched below the top and then just have a bucket at standby and pitcher it out; wouldn't be too hard, I used to do it before...

 

[ryguy]

i woukd get a stand or at least a supportable dresser to hold the tank!

 

[piratedninja]

would it be possible to add a small extention to the desk with an extra support leg or two?

 

[Christine1014]

just doing a water change with the pitcher would work fine, but I think what Lenny is saying is that to properly clean the tank you have to vacuum the gravel -- which you can't do unless the end of your gravel vac (syphon) is below the water level of the tank, or unless it's battery operated or has some sort of external/indpendent syphoning power, like a phython.