180g Tank Placement

The argument that appeals to me is that while the floor is rated to hold the weight, the constant pressure of a fish tank is much different than having all your neighbors over for a party and having 3000 lbs of people in the room for a couple of hours. If you continue to to apply that pressure I assume the wood will go beyond its elastic point and once this happens even if you remove the weight it will not return to its original shape.

The basement is a steel reinforced concrete slab directly over the ground. I won't have to worry about that. Plus, as one poster said, its cooler down there anyway. The only worry I have will be lack of direct sunlight, but a tank light with a timer to keep the light on and off at regular intervals should take care of that.

Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions.

The only worry I have will be lack of direct sunlight...

That would most likely encourage algae growth, anyway. It's generally not a good idea to keep a tank in direct sunlight.

That would most likely encourage algae growth, anyway. It's generally not a good idea to keep a tank in direct sunlight.

Not quite true. If you have no plants in the tank, sure, you'll get algae. But for a planted tank, there is nothing like direct sun! I've kept a number of tanks outside growing aquatics for that very reason.