Protecting your carpet

Dave1NC · #1 12/31/2007, 10:02 PM

Okay all your reefers out there here's one for you. I am moving later this month to a rented townhouse. The 90 gallon tank is going from hardwood to carpet.

The question is what is the best thing to put under the tank? I was thinking a throw rug or possibly a foam pad from Lowes/Home Depot. Wife was also complaining about the water possibly spilling on the rug...

Does anyone else have any other ideas?

poppin_fresh · #2 12/31/2007, 10:25 PM

I have been dribbling SW on my berber carpet for a couple years with no ill effects. Unlike metal, polyester, doesn't oxidize. It will allow for the growth of mold though, so constant soaking is not recommended.

Misled · #3 12/31/2007, 10:31 PM

I would worry less about the carpet than the wood. That being said you could place a piece of 3/4 in plywood covered in a marine grade polyurathane under the stand. Just make it a little larger than your stand. Mine's been on carpet for years with no trouble.

Pmolan · #4 12/31/2007, 10:33 PM

They sell black mats at Sports Autority. Its meant to put your weight bench on to work out. Its very thick and doesnt look all that bad.

reef2 · #5 12/31/2007, 10:34 PM

i just pretend i dont see the water get on my carpet

jlyles · #6 12/31/2007, 11:08 PM

I lay an old blanket on the carpet when to catch any small spills when I do water changes or make any changes in the tank. I also use a large shallow rubbermaid container that I put in front of the tank to catch large spills. It has saved me more than once and makes my wife feel better.

jjmg · #7 12/31/2007, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reef2
i just pretend i dont see the water get on my carpet

This has always been my method also.

steve1963 · #8 12/31/2007, 11:34 PM

In 93 I moved from my old house into my present one.

I left four 1 inch squares in the carpet.

I think all you can do is bistle it after you remove it and pry up the flat spots.

Zestay · #9 12/31/2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reef2
i just pretend i dont see the water get on my carpet

i agree with this theroy as well.

ACBlinky · #10 01/01/2008, 01:07 AM

We went from parquet (wood tiles) flooring to high-traffic carpet when we moved. The previous tenants had a 45g tank that left temporary marks in the carpet, but it sprang back nicely so I didn't worry about my tank ruining the carpet from squashing it and therefore put nothing under the stand.

To protect the carpeted area in front of the tank, I spread out a plastic shower curtain like a drop-sheet before I do any maintenance work. Tiny spills (a few drops on the carpet from filling up the ATO, for instance) are easy to soak up with a paper towel; I tend not to worry about them much.

In our case, we've got high-traffic polyester carpeting in a dark colour, and it's laid over a cement floor - not much to damage, and it's a 20 year old carpet in a rented unit so it's seen better days. If you've got hardwood underneath a light-coloured, expensive new carpet you may want to consider placing something under and around the tank to protect the carpet in the event of a serious spill.

Reefdiver77 · #11 01/01/2008, 02:59 AM

I put a clear rubber floor runner on my carpet. It is several inches larger than the stand I then covered that with a cheap rug which is slightly larger than the runner. I have had a few overflows and the rubber runner saves the carpet. If the rug gets wet, I am able to prop it up and run a fan on it.

cpl40475 · #12 01/01/2008, 03:09 AM

use puppy pads when you change your water. you can get some that are quite large. If you have a sump HD or Lowes sells a shower pan liner that you can place inside your stand. Just make it large nuff to lay flat on the floor and silicone or staple it it to the insides of the stand walls.

demonsp · #13 01/01/2008, 08:21 AM

I have been in the carpet and water restoration field for almost 20 ys and in that time have only done 2 floods from aquariums. If your wood floor was left undamaged from the tank then i would have no worrys about the carpet.

But placeing anything over the carpet or under the tank would only make things worse. If you did have a spill this would only retard the drying time of the carpet and cause more damage. The pad below has a poruse membrain to allow air movement and speed srying time and covering this would not allow this exchange of air and rapid deteriation of the carpet backing and allowing mold growth.

tkeracer619 · #14 01/01/2008, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by demonsp
I have been in the carpet and water restoration field for almost 20 ys and in that time have only done 2 floods from aquariums. If your wood floor was left undamaged from the tank then i would have no worrys about the carpet.

But placeing anything over the carpet or under the tank would only make things worse. If you did have a spill this would only retard the drying time of the carpet and cause more damage. The pad below has a poruse membrain to allow air movement and speed srying time and covering this would not allow this exchange of air and rapid deteriation of the carpet backing and allowing mold growth.

Great Post!