Fish room suggestions/recommendations:

preston_brown · #1 05/05/2004, 06:03 PM

Hello everyone:

I'm embarking on a renovation of my house. Part of the renovation involves moving my 200 gal reef tank (empty for a year plus, since an ice storm) into its own dedicated fish room, with a view of the front pane through the wall into my office. This will be a large walk in closet type room. Some of the things I have already thought of:

1. Tile the floor, and extend it up the wall a foot or so. Make it like a large shower floor. Gently slope towards the center, and put a drain in the middle.

2. large utility type sink with drawers and shelves on one side of the room. Does anyone have suggestions on cabinets and/or cabinet hardware that would be acceptable for the humid salty environment?

3. Lots of power

4. No hood over the tank, but suspended metal halide pendants. I plan on trying to re-use my PFO ballasts and Spiderlight reflectors. Anyone have an idea on the best way to retrofit these as pendants?

5. I've been having lots of thoughts on humidity and heat control. In the old location (my living room), the tank evaporated so much water, and the air was considerably salty, that the brass floor registers quickly corroded, and the return air grill in the next room over RUSTED. We don't need those kinds of things occurring again. I'm thinking this means that ventilation to the room must absolutely include negative air pressure, i.e. any air flowing goes in, not out. How have others handled this in the past?

6. Should I build an open stand out of thick wood, or have one made from steel, powder-coated or something like that for rust resistance? I'm thinking that it might be able to be more open, with no center bracing, thus allowing better under-tank access.

Any other suggestions? The size of the room is fairly fixed, but construction on it has not yet started. I need to nail this down in the next week or so though, so I'm looking to get as much input as possible quickly.

trueblood · #2 05/05/2004, 10:51 PM

Hey welcome to RC....

I replied to your email ncfrag.

I am in the same situation right now, designing a 'fish room'
You should get lots of ideas and suggestions.

niko5 · #3 05/06/2004, 07:43 AM

Make it bigger than your planning.. however big that it

Any cabinets will work just paint them with a good quality epoxy paint and as far as hardware if you cant find stainless steel hinges (not sure if they are made) then just replace them every few months hehe. I personally went with a bunch of rubbermaid plastic drawers in my room.

Iv got a central air vent in my room (great idea) and iv also got a small vent I put in above my door with a fan in it that is always running to help keep the air moving in and out of the room.

If at all passable make it so you can get to all sides of your sump/plumbing maze.

I think wood would be fine for your tank unless you have the money and just want to go with metal then its a good idea to powercoat.

I'm not sure what you meen by lots of power but I would run atlesat 2 dedicated circuits in the room and if you want a chiller it may be a good idea to run in 3.

well thats all I can think of

Good Luck

1234 · #4 05/06/2004, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by preston_brown
Hello everyone:

1. Tile the floor, and extend it up the wall a foot or so. Make it like a large shower floor. Gently slope towards the center, and put a drain in the middle.
or use vinyl and have it "coved"

2. large utility type sink with drawers and shelves on one side of the room. Does anyone have suggestions on cabinets and/or cabinet hardware that would be acceptable for the humid salty environment?
laundry tub and you could get those plastic drawers if need be

3. Lots of power
as mentioned, several 20 amp circuits and don't forget the GFI's

4. No hood over the tank, but suspended metal halide pendants. I plan on trying to re-use my PFO ballasts and Spiderlight reflectors. Anyone have an idea on the best way to retrofit these as pendants?
just make a frame out of aluminum with cross braces where you want the lights to be. you can pop rivet it all together and put it on a rail system to slide it out of the way when you work on the tank.

5. I've been having lots of thoughts on humidity and heat control. In the old location (my living room), the tank evaporated so much water, and the air was considerably salty, that the brass floor registers quickly corroded, and the return air grill in the next room over RUSTED. We don't need those kinds of things occurring again. I'm thinking this means that ventilation to the room must absolutely include negative air pressure, i.e. any air flowing goes in, not out. How have others handled this in the past?
I would have a vent fan, just like the kitchen type to vent OUT. you don't want to keep the heat in

6. Should I build an open stand out of thick wood, or have one made from steel, powder-coated or something like that for rust resistance? I'm thinking that it might be able to be more open, with no center bracing, thus allowing better under-tank access.
as mentioned, wood frame will work, no reason for a metal frame, save the $$ for corals

Any other suggestions? The size of the room is fairly fixed, but construction on it has not yet started. I need to nail this down in the next week or so though, so I'm looking to get as much input as possible quickly.