Floor paint or epoxy for fish room?

[Bakedpwn]

So im turning a spare room that is setup for growing plants into a fish room.
the room has a window AC, two dehumids and 3 or 4 20 amp circuits. Concrete slab floor painted with a cheap grey floor paint. its holding up fine just nothing fancy.
Im planning to paint the white walls black as the floor and then do white uv reactive specks for stars. Im not sure what would be able to achieve this between paint or epoxy. I know epoxy is a bit more steps but im open to it.

What floor paints or options have you used that you like?

 

[CasperOe]

If I read this correctly, i would definetly go for the epoxy!

I would also really like to follow this process

So im turning a spare room that is setup for growing plants into a fish room.
the room has a window AC, two dehumids and 3 or 4 20 amp circuits. Concrete slab floor painted with a cheap grey floor paint. its holding up fine just nothing fancy.
Im planning to paint the white walls black as the floor and then do white uv reactive specks for stars. Im not sure what would be able to achieve this between paint or epoxy. I know epoxy is a bit more steps but im open to it.

What floor paints or options have you used that you like?

 

[Troylee]

Stick with the paint! Here’s why lol… I had my garage floor epoxied and for one when it’s wet it’s slippery like crazy! Secondly I’m finding out now with my new salt mixing station the saltwater is eating away at the epoxy ugh… it’s pretty corrosive for some odd reason! I’ve spilled paint thinner and all sorts of stuff on my epoxy with no issues but where I get ro water or saltwater on it and it sits it starts to lift my flooring.

 

[rhitee93]

Yeah, I'd like to see your progress on this too.

The only reservation about putting epoxy on the floor is that it will only stick as well as the paint that is already on there. It may not be as durable as epoxy applied to bare concrete.

 

[JayM]

If it's already painted - painting will be by far the easiest and least expensive. Properly applied epoxy will be bare concrete that has been mechanically or chemically etched prior to application.

 

[ReefDreamz]

Swisstrax Ribtrax Pro flooring tiles.

 

[stoney7713]

Anyone ever use SaniTred? It can actually seal the concrete and is completely waterproof.

Years ago I remember reading about people using it on concrete aquariums to seal them.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

I have used various paints over the years as a painter/ decorator (here we go), floor paints for garage floors is.. generally a paint which is water based with a touch of vinyl/ rubber/plastic to make it water resistant to a certain degree like splashes or steam upon drying, basically a protective coat hence why people use it in bathroom kitchen areas

however... It's still a water based paint, so I'm assuming this is what you may have used for garage floor (cheap paint)

Just my thoughts but using this cheap water based paint has made your concrete floor to fail no matter what you may cover with, you could cover it in gold if you wish but it will still split/ peel up crack (we call it orange peel)


I would remove all paint from concrete (cheap grey stuff) use a damp seal on concrete floor then use an OIL based paint to cover/ multiple coats

Paint don't dry on concrete like with walls/ceilings. majority of the time it takes days (cold)

(Hence watching paint dry)

 

[Rick's Reviews]

You could use a clear coat or colours (oil based) , but the key is to ensure you have a properly prepared surface, dust/debris free

Your floor in my opinion will be the most important to get right.
It Will save you alot of trouble in 1 or 5 years later

Just my thoughts

 

[Gundy]

I believe you have to remove the paint before applying the epoxy to the floor. This may help you decide if you don’t want to remove the paint. In my research, the epoxy flooring will hold up very good to salt and this is what I will be putting on my concrete floor in my fish equipment room.

There are lots of choices for flooring if the painted floor prevents you from placing epoxy. My recommendation is chose a product that is low maintenance and still looks great after 10 years.

 

[workhz]

go to garagejournal and look at what people are doing, there's some good sealers out there if you get down to bare concrete that aren't epoxy. Epoxy, without anti slip, is an ice rink when wet.

 

[Bakedpwn]

Stick with the paint! Here’s why lol… I had my garage floor epoxied and for one when it’s wet it’s slippery like crazy! Secondly I’m finding out now with my new salt mixing station the saltwater is eating away at the epoxy ugh… it’s pretty corrosive for some odd reason! I’ve spilled paint thinner and all sorts of stuff on my epoxy with no issues but where I get ro water or saltwater on it and it sits it starts to lift my flooring.

oo thanks for the tip. ill consider this greatly. the epoxy i was looking at has traction powder or something. but i dont want to have to redo it cause of salt water corrosion so i may stick with paint.

 

[Bakedpwn]

I believe you have to remove the paint before applying the epoxy to the floor. This may help you decide if you don’t want to remove the paint. In my research, the epoxy flooring will hold up very good to salt and this is what I will be putting on my concrete floor in my fish equipment room.

There are lots of choices for flooring if the painted floor prevents you from placing epoxy. My recommendation is chose a product that is low maintenance and still looks great after 10 years.

yea i dont wanna do any sanding or prep of that caliber so good point. paint might be it.

 

[Bakedpwn]

I have used various paints over the years as a painter/ decorator (here we go), floor paints for garage floors is.. generally a paint which is water based with a touch of vinyl/ rubber/plastic to make it water resistant to a certain degree like splashes or steam upon drying, basically a protective coat hence why people use it in bathroom kitchen areas

however... It's still a water based paint, so I'm assuming this is what you may have used for garage floor (cheap paint)

Just my thoughts but using this cheap water based paint has made your concrete floor to fail no matter what you may cover with, you could cover it in gold if you wish but it will still split/ peel up crack (we call it orange peel)


I would remove all paint from concrete (cheap grey stuff) use a damp seal on concrete floor then use an OIL based paint to cover/ multiple coats

Paint don't dry on concrete like with walls/ceilings. majority of the time it takes days (cold)

(Hence watching paint dry)

im three years on this paint and its not chipping or anything.

Swisstrax Ribtrax Pro flooring tiles.

not waterproof at all but cool idea

 

[Bakedpwn]

so im still working on the 60 gallon. Got the frame for the stand built and caulked and wood filled. I need to get play wood for the top and bottom. I will also make a plywood divider for a rear electronics section.
i also built the frame for the second 15 gallon which im not sure what i will house.

the clownfish and bi color blenny are in the first 15 gallon and seem well. i need to get corals as its bland.

I also ordered a 135 gallon SCA 36x36x24tall rimless. It comes next week. couldnt resist a large cube tank for 68% this month.

So i have begun to design my fish room in the basement. I made a alpha layout and plan to do a space themed floor via black with some sort of speckles for "stars". So here it is the layout, im not a professional lol.

 

[Bakedpwn]

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

For a Room that Small I’d Tile it. First Weekend, Rent or Hire Someone to use a Buffer or Scabber, to cut into the old paint. No need to totally remove it. Next weekend Mapie Primer on Saturday, Mapie Leveling Compound on Sunday if needed. Tile the Floor the following weekend. BTW If you use Wood Look Tile Planks you can cut them with a Tile Scoring Tool, no Tile cutting Dust. If you put Epoxy over floor paint it won’t adhere correctly. I’ve seen plenty of Mechanical Rooms, that are a mess, when done over old paint.

 

[Bakedpwn]

Well i posted those pics and stuff in the wrong post haha. That was ment for the tank journal

 

[Harpo]

my basement will be getting epoxy floors because of my fish room

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

BTW, if you decide to tile, make sure you leave a 1/4” to a 1/2” gap between the Tile and Concrete Basement walls for expansion and contraction. I cleaned that area out of any mortar and grout, for a weep, to my sump pit.