# Large (ish) tanks in condo buildings



## reefMetallurgist (Feb 28, 2014)

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with large tanks in condo buildings. I live in a pretty typical Toronto "glass box in the sky". Floors and walls are of course all concrete. Hardwood over my concrete floor. Will likely be living in this sort of situation for the next few years at least and am also contemplating an upgrade from my current 50g +18g sump, which I've had in downtown condo's for a few years now with no issues. 

I'm thinking of something along the lines of 120g-180g + sump. There is no mention at all of rules against aquariums or "water containing furniture" in our condo association rules. I see no reason there would be a load bearing issue with concrete floors. 

Anyone living in a condo with a relatively large tank who could share their experience ?


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I know quite a few people with tanks 90g and larger that live in condos and the only problem I've heard they have is where to store water for water changes. Having a 20g storage bin and ro/di hooked up usually is a pain unless you can figure out how to hide it


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## blunthead (Jan 24, 2011)

I know a guy who has many large tanks in his condo at yonge n eglington
220g
150g
and a few 4 footers so im sure its fine


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## reefMetallurgist (Feb 28, 2014)

Good to hear about others who have done this...

I've got my RO/DI mounted in the laundry closet. Jealous of all you guys with houses and fish rooms and slop sinks! 

It is absolutely correct that storing water for the water changes is a PITA. I normally will put a Rubbermaid out and make the water the day before I do a change but it's not ideal having that bin sitting around. Have been contemplating some kind of a cabinet where I would keep everything. 

I wonder if my insurance would cover a catastrophic event


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

I live downtown in a condo and have a 100g display + 30g sump as my main tank - along with a few other tanks. The first thing to check was with the condo board and the insurance. I asked the condo board if there were any limits to having a fish tank (without mentioning the size), and the same with the insurance. Insurance said it's ok to have, and that they would cover any resultant damages if the fish tank leaked, provided I wasn't moving it whilst full of water (I could try I suppose, but it's not going to budge).

Like mentioned, the biggest PITA is water storage. I typically fill 6 5g buckets an have them here and there - it's not a great solution, but in 600 sqft of living space, and no room in the closets to hide it, it kind hangs around here and there. I've been contemplating getting a water tank to hide under the desk adjacent to the tank, but haven't gotten around to it yet 

The only big thing besides that is making sure that the electrical in your unit can handle the load of the tank. I think there's only a few circuits handling all the electrical outlets in my unit, and the one the tank is on I had to make sure it could handle everything running at once (lights, pumps, heaters, etc). I got an electrician in to try to put the outlet that the tank would run on onto a separate circuit, but the conduit in the wall could barely accommodate another wire for a new circuit, and we also found that in one of the walls the conduit wasn't placed properly so he couldn't get the wire brought through from the ceiling down into the wall, so it couldn't be done.

Besides the space issue, big tank in a condo is totally ok


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## dc_addict (Mar 14, 2013)

Check out my tank build thread, I have a 150 gallon plus a 45 gallon sump. If you plan it wellit can be done. I purchased uline blue water storage tanks, iI had one behind my couch which you couldn't even see the other I kept in the closest that had my washer and dryer that is also where my RO system was. This was in an 800 sq ft condo. 
Now I am in just over 1100 soft and I have a large closet dedicated to my water and it is definitely a bit easier than before. 

Good luck


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

I know condo living can be tough on storage for aquarium related goods, especially RO/DI storage. You can get custom PE storage tanks made but will be a pretty penny. A wall mountable 20gal PE storage tank will run you about $100-175 range.


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## Lumind (Mar 6, 2014)

Sorry, I know this is a somewhat old thread but I'm going through the same issue. I'd like to add a 125g and 40g sump in my condo. It's concrete floor and I'd be placing it beside a concrete wall that runs to the exterior of the building, which I assume is a load bearing wall. Has anyone had experience with this? Or purchased extra insurance coverage?


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