heap
New member
well...it's time to face facts. the original plan just isn't gonna work...
i'd picked up a 240g tank, nice stand, canopy, blah blah a while ago, with the intention to put it in a basement room (the only one on a concrete slab, it's a tri-level) and after getting it in the room it's occurring to me that it's just not gonna work. there is room for the tank, but there's no way to fit the accompanying goodies (sump, skimmer, bucket DSBs, fuge, etc) and not have it look like absolute poop. there's no good way to run the support elements to another room (as they're already in use by stuff i don't want to move, or above the level the tank is on)...and there's no way to fit it all in the stand.
most people, most hobbies...you'd realize you'd bitten off more than you could chew, and stop...but i think we all know it doesn't work that way in this hobby.
with this in mind, i've decided this big honkin' tank is going to go in the living room.
the wall i have in mind is on the other side of the attached garage, giving me two options....putting it in the living room, and running pipes thru the wall so the support elements will be in the garage...or hacking a 8'x2' hole in the wall as a viewing window and putting both the tank and support elements in the garage
this has led me to make the pros/cons list for each option, and i couldn't think of any other place to ask for additions and make use of other's experiences
in-wall
PROS
CONS
in room
PROS
essentially, i'm fishing for advice and experience from those that have gotten the large tank setups accomplished. if you went w/ one of these routes, was there anything you'd have done differently? anything you notice on either list that i'm mis-thinking - or additions to either?
i'd picked up a 240g tank, nice stand, canopy, blah blah a while ago, with the intention to put it in a basement room (the only one on a concrete slab, it's a tri-level) and after getting it in the room it's occurring to me that it's just not gonna work. there is room for the tank, but there's no way to fit the accompanying goodies (sump, skimmer, bucket DSBs, fuge, etc) and not have it look like absolute poop. there's no good way to run the support elements to another room (as they're already in use by stuff i don't want to move, or above the level the tank is on)...and there's no way to fit it all in the stand.
most people, most hobbies...you'd realize you'd bitten off more than you could chew, and stop...but i think we all know it doesn't work that way in this hobby.
with this in mind, i've decided this big honkin' tank is going to go in the living room.
the wall i have in mind is on the other side of the attached garage, giving me two options....putting it in the living room, and running pipes thru the wall so the support elements will be in the garage...or hacking a 8'x2' hole in the wall as a viewing window and putting both the tank and support elements in the garage
this has led me to make the pros/cons list for each option, and i couldn't think of any other place to ask for additions and make use of other's experiences
in-wall
PROS
- saved floor space - apprx 3'x8' more space in the living room
- looks pretty pimp in the examples i've seen
- would be quieter
- much better ventilation for the lights than will be available w/ a canopy
CONS
- it's a supporting wall...not sure what carpentry voodoo will be required to keep my house from collapsing
- would put the majority of the water volume out in the garage, increasing the cost/hassles involved in keeping the temperature stable (i live in indiana...0F to 100F are possibilities)
- the big hole in my wall when/if i decide to move
- due to the height involved and the placement of the garage-door rails, i'll either need to alter the garage door, or the lights will be too close to the tank (4x400w MHs would have to be about 5" above the tank if i don't change the rails)
- assuming i leave room for accessing the tank top for feeding thru the living room, i'm guessing i'd lose some of the effectiveness of the house climate control
in room
PROS
- would make use of the stand and canopy i already have
- making use of house climate control by virtue of having 2/3rds of the system water inside the house
- likely cheaper and easier than the other option, as i am the antithesis of a handyman...i'd be begging/borrowing/stealing favors from friends to get an in-wall accomplished
- loss of floor space, which for this room really isn't that big of a deal
- would require supporting the floor (4ft crawlspace under this portion of the floor) - as is, there is a 125 in this place, but 240 would be pushing it, i'd think
- noise - not that big of an issue as the overflows and two fairly quiet pumps running closed loop duty would be the only noisemakers inside
essentially, i'm fishing for advice and experience from those that have gotten the large tank setups accomplished. if you went w/ one of these routes, was there anything you'd have done differently? anything you notice on either list that i'm mis-thinking - or additions to either?
