Tile Under Tank

[Warriorz]

I would like to put ceramic tile on my basement floor, and then put my 150 gallon tank on top of it. Can someone confirm that they have done this without having the tiles crack from the weight?

Figuring the weight of the tank goes around 1,500 pounds, but the stand has a base all around the bottom (not just sitting on 4 legs).

Thanks for your help!
Chris

 

[MojoDex]

i still think it would break it mate i suppose only thing u could do would be to sit the tank on something say rug of somekind then if it did break any tiles u wouldnt see it at least! but having said that if they break and start to disintigrate which is very possible with that weight on them then you will be shafted good and proper

maybe not worth the risk buddy

 

[ox5477]

Im not sure if it would crack it. If its supported by a full base, not just four legs then I think that they may just support it. It all depends on what kind of subfloor. Because if the subfloor allows bending (as if it were say a raised wooden floor off the concrete) then that would put a tensile stress on the tiles as the floor bends under the weight of the tank, and ceramics will not be able to handle any pressure that way. But under just compression (placed basically right on the concrete, with only mortar and a moisture barrier between the tiles and the concrete) then they might be fine. I would consult a tile manufacturer and they should have someone to tell you whether their tiles can handle large loads. They might even have done tests like this with a large weight over a certain area and seen how well the tiles hold up. Never hurts to ask

Good luck on your hunt for info

 

[tmack]

Hi. Is the base flat on the bottom of the tank stand or are the 4 sides of the base raised up a bit? If it's flat, I'd think that would distribute the weight evenly across the area of the bottom, meaning less lbs/sq. inch (or less kg/cm). If it's not a flat base on the tank stand, you might put a good thickness piece of plywood on the floor to evenly distribute the load. In any event, I'd let the tile & adhesive & grout sufficiently set up before putting anything like that on it or you might have the tiles popping up. just my opinion.