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Big tank build in a block wall


dread240

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Hey guys,

Just wondering if anybody has done this or would have any information. I'm looking at putting a 6-10' tank in my basement and want to divide 2 rooms with it and make it 2 sided visible. The wall it's going into is a block wall, so I have to get the lintel and all installed to open it up. The main issue is that the floor is going to have to get redone (concrete floor but it's 2 different levels on each side of the wall).

I was thinking 2 options here. Use the concrete block on one side of the 'table' that the tank will sit on and build out with wood to the other side, or cut and pour a new pad next to it to bring the level up even and just use block to get it up to the right levels. I do not need access under this at all as I'm going to put a penninsula style overflow on it there and filtration will be in it's own seperate room. 

Any tips or builds you know of that may be similar? I'm looking to get started on this asap. Also is anybody here capable of doing block work and stuff like that? If not I'll be hiring a contractor for it. 

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I'm by no means an expert on this but my gut says it would be easier to go with option 1, build a table on the other side to match the height of the cut out block wall. I would suggest having the top of the table extra thick and having it cantilever over the block just so you have one consistent smooth surface for the tank.

 

I think building a wood table instead of another block wall will also give you more workable space under/around the tank for running plumping, electrical and other things.

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I actually don't need space under this tank in the slightest. All filtration will be a seperate room, and other then a small access door to get to the fittings on the one end of the tank I won't need to get anywhere else on it.

 

Has always been kind of a dream build of mine and finally moving into a home I plan on staying there long enough to do it. 

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My suggestion would be to build the base out of steel or wood. My reasoning is that steel or wood does not create as much of a permanent structure. Think "Murphy's law", if you ever want to replace the tank or move to a new home, chances are that the base for the dream tank today is not going to work with the new dream tank 10 years from now and if the home is sold, the new owners won't want to have to deal with a block of concrete in their new homes basement. Plus having to remove concrete that was poured in your basement 10-15 years prior, would be quite the undertaking; steel and wood, not so much.

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  • 4 weeks later...

My suggestion would be to build the base out of steel or wood. My reasoning is that steel or wood does not create as much of a permanent structure. Think "Murphy's law", if you ever want to replace the tank or move to a new home, chances are that the base for the dream tank today is not going to work with the new dream tank 10 years from now and if the home is sold, the new owners won't want to have to deal with a block of concrete in their new homes basement. Plus having to remove concrete that was poured in your basement 10-15 years prior, would be quite the undertaking; steel and wood, not so much.

 

Excellent point!

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Ok you do NOT want to just level out one side of the concrete floor by an inch or two or even three. What should happen (maybe a month or maybe a year down the road) is this "extra" concrete poured over the existing will not "fuse" together properly causing the extra tank weight to possible crack or deform the "new" concrete. You would have to dig/chip out an inch or more of the existing concrete and pour the new floor into that so it has a "hold" in the old floor and not just floating on top. This of course depends on how much weight you are supporting on the new concrete.

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