Clevengergl's 475+ Gallon In-Wall System & Fish Room Build!!!

clevengergl

clevengergl

New member
Hello all!!!

My wife and I just recently sold our home and will be closing on our new home this Friday!!! I unfortunately had to tear down my 220g mixed reef during the move, but now will be able to build it back up in it's own space without worrying about the confines of aesthetics or space within a stand!

The project is just in the planning phase right now (like I said, we haven't closed yet), but I wanted to lay out the framework here and put some feelers out to see what the large-system experts would recommend! :D

System will be an in-wall 220g display with approximately 250 gallons of additional system volume (sumps, frag tanks, etc). The entire system will be located in the garage with the in-wall display bordering the front entryway of the house.

EQUIPMENT (What I currently have; don't have to use it all):
220g glass tank with center 1" overflow (72"W x 24"D x 30"H)
12 x 80w T5 Retrofit Light Fixture w/ Workhorse ballasts
2 x 160w VHO Super actinincs on IceCap 460 ballast
4 x MJ1200 pumps w/ 2000+GPH SureFlow mods
Reef Fanatic Wave Creator
Blueline Velocity T4 return pump
MSX-300 Protein Skimmer w/ 2 mesh-modded Sicce pumps
2 x 100g Rubbermaid stock tanks
55g Clarity Plus acrylic sump (48"W x 15"D x 16"H)
50g acrylic sump (36"W x 18"D x 18"H)
275g reservoir (used for mixing saltwater or ATO?)
2 x 30g Brute trashcans
GE Merlin 700GPD RO System
BRS Dual DI Add-on kit
Reef Fanatic pH/Temp Monitor
Several pumps and miscellaneous items

EQUIPMENT TO BUY:
New heaters (threw my old glass ones out with the move) - Recommendations?
Chiller (looking at a C-0500 1/2 HP Pacific Coast chiller that a local reefer is selling)
Several fans ( nice big clip-ons; don't have to hide them in a canopy now! :) )
Large bulkheads and PVC piping for connecting sumps
Reliable auto top-off unit - Recommendations?
Auto shut-off and float switch for RO/DI unit
Lumber (for building stand and reinforcing display opening)
Vertically-adjustable cable hanging kit for light (considering using 4 of these)
 
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I know quite a few other reefers have built fish-rooms in their garages, and I'd love to get some links to other sources so I can study up on their designs.

Obviously, with a large in-wall system in an enclosed space, I've got the following concerns:

Temperature control (Indiana weather goes to both extremes)
Adequate ventilation
Humidity/moisture issues
Cutting, framing & dry-walling the display opening!
Building the stand

TEMPERATURE CONTROL:
*Garage door is insulated
*1.5 walls already insulated; Will be insulating/finishing the other 1.5 walls
*Will be running several fans
*3 or 4 200w heaters (maybe Stealths?)
*Will be running a chiller (Most likely a C-0500 Pacific Coast 1/2 HP chiller with a Panworld 200PS pump) $500 from local reefer - This a good deal?

VENTILATION & HUMIDITY CONTROL:
*Considering running a bathroom-style vent fan controlled by a humidistat with ductwork running across the ceiling of the garage and venting outside via the exterior-facing wall of the garage.
*Dehumdifier
*Larger standing fan(s) to circulate air in garage
*Currently no AC running to garage. Will this be a problem?

MOISTURE/MOLD/MILDEW CONTROL:
*Wanting to cover walls, ceiling and stand in several coats of good-quality primer/sealer to help prevent any mold/mildew build-up. Recommendations? Oil-based or water-based? Considered Kilz Premium or even potentially marine-grade paint used on boat hulls? Overkill? The condition is I can have the set-up, but it can't compromise our ability to sell the house 15-20 years down the road! :D
*What type of drywall to use? Mold/mildew-resistant necessary or just regular type and then seal it as mentioned above?
*Also plan to cover the garage floor with epoxy to help with spills

CUTTING & FRAMING THE OPENING:
*Studs are 18" apart
*Wanting 60" wide opening
*Planning to cut out 3 studs wide
*Supporting with double-stacked 2x4s laying flat on top and bottom with double 2x4s standing vertically in between on either side of the opening. Don't believe this is a load-bearing wall, but would rather overdo it.
*Was planning to fasten with counter-sunk construction screws or would framing nailer do the trick?

BUILDING STAND:
*Considering copying this design for the frame. It's in a fish room, so I won't need the fancy wrap. Just need a solid frame. Does this look good? Anyone have any designs/plans they could share?
*Use foam to level the tank on the stand or no?
*Use 2x4s or 2x6s?
*Wanting to make the standa foot longer in the back and on each side for easier access to the tank. Any problems with this?
*Planning on mounting retrofit light fixture to a 2x4 frame suspended by 4 Sundial cable hanging kits (link in post above). Any problems with this?

Once again, I'm basically staring over from scratch on this, so I want to do it right. This will be my third set-up, but the largest by far, so any and all advice is appreciated!!!

Thanks in advance!!!
Gary
 
On the frame, let me point out a few things. I'm not a professional wood worker, but I putz around with it hobby wise. So take what I have to say with a grain of salt.

1) I read the link you posted. Its a solid stand built. The key point to remember is you want the load on the corners (and if you use a center brace) to be on the vertical segments. The horizontal segments on top should not carry any load, just distribute load to the vertical.

2) If you use 2x4's double them up for the vertical posts. That wil lgive you a 3x3.5 in real measurements. Its cheaper than going with a 4x4 post, and its really the same thing (almost). Glue and screw them together so they don't warp. The glue is the important part, the screws are just there to keep everything snug.

3) I would personally use a single 2x6 for the horizontal runs, although doubled up 2x4's or even a single 2x4 is probably adequate.

4) In most stand builds I see people use butt joints and use screws into the end grain of one of the pieces of wood. Although this might be acceptable for making a shelf in the garage, it gives me the willies under this much weight. That joint WILL eventually fail if there is any torque on the stand. There shouldn't be, but if there is, either from settling, vibration, ect the joint will fail. If I were going to butt joint I would use pocket screws. Its a much better joint. Maybe consider a lap joint, although pocket holes on a butt joint are probably good enough. when you cut the pockets make sure your pockets are going with the long grain into the side grain of the board you are attaching to. This is a much better joint then a blind butt joint where you take a normal screw and screw through the long grain into the end grain (like that link shows).

I know its overkill because the horizontal pieces should be supported at all times by a vertical piece, but heh, a good joint is a good joint :)
 
Thanks so much for the response, wmilas!!! That helps a lot! I'm no professional either, and me putzing around be myself with this project could lead to disaster, so that's why I wanted to post out here and get some build advice from the experts! :) Did you build the stand for your 600g? Do you happen to have any pics or design plans so I can put some visual context with your recommendations above? Thanks again for the help.

Anyone else have any responses? Equipment recommendations, humidity/temp/moisture concerns, glaring inadequacies within the plan??? Never done this large of a build, so I want to have everything covered before I start.

Please share your experiences with me!!! :D

Gary
 
I did not build my stand. I wanted a steel stand because of the size (120x36x30). Sorry I dont have any plans to share :(
 
No problem! :) A steel stand would be nice, but with smaller size of my display I'm thinking a strudy wood stand will suffice.

Anyone else have any advice or experience running a large system in a garage?

Any comments about the issues listed above: temp, ventilation, humidity/moisture control, etc.?

Any additional equipment you'd recommend/concerns about current equipment?

Thanks!
Gary
 
Talk to Melev as he is running a 280 quasi from his garage. He has sectioned off an area and operates his 280 from that room.

Venting and climate control in the garage will be a issue that you'll want to pay alot of attention to due to the fact that moisture helps mold and none of us want that. You detailed most of this in your previous statements.

I have read alot about the reeflo skimmers and for my next build it is on my list. The more I hear and see of the Vortech powerhead the more I like them

I'd consider a steel stand but that is just me due to the ease and strength of building a strong structure.

Im no expert I'm still playing in the kiddie pools.

Thought about livestock yet?
 
Thanks for the leads, guys!!! As far as livestock, I know I want to get another Desjardineii Sailfin Tang. Had to sell both my larger tangs to an LFS when I broke the tank down to move! :( My other inhabitants are being kept by a buddy right now and they include: Yellow-headed Sleeper Goby, Cleaner Wrasse, Mandarin Dragonette, Lawnmower Blenny and lots of different softies and LPS & a green BTA. All the fish are pretty small, and with the larger system volume I'd definitely like to get 3-4 tangs in there. Desjardineii, Yellow and maybe a Sohal and a Purple. Not sure about the Desjardineii, Yellow and Purple together, though, as they're all three Zebrasoma and may not get along. Also would like to get some of the smaller clownfish (maybe percs or skunks, but no more Clarkii, Tomato or Maroon - they're just too mean! :D )
 
As far as steel stands go, I'm definitely intrigued. Do most people DIY or do they have them built? I've got a buddy who's a welder, but not sure where one gets the correct type of steel for building a stand. Any resources you can point me toward?

Also, the Reeflo skimmers are definitely nice units but for less than half the cost and similar performance to a Reeflo 250, I think the MSX-300 should do the job nicely!
 
Also, most of the build threads I've seen include framing and finishing an actual "room within a room". Anyone see any problems with just leaving the area open out in the garage as long as all the walls and garage door are insulated?
 
So I'm really considering going with a steel stand covered with Herculiner truck bed liner. I've done some rough designs in Google Sketch-up (awesome once you figure it out!) and this is what I've come up with thus far.

The display will be visible from the entryway of the house, but everything will actually be located in the garage. There is a narrow step along the base of the wall which is why the bottom of the front panel is raised about 5". The design has the depth of the stand at 36", while the depth of the actual tank is only 24". I did this to allow for a large Rubbermaid stock tank to be placed under the tank going through the side of the stand. The design doesn't show the braces for the two back corners of the tank, but I was considering bolting them in to make them removable in case I need to remove the sump for any reason.

The plan was to build this out of 1.5" x 1.5" 0.125 thickness square steel pipe. Looking for some input, though, on ways to minimize the amount of steel used in the stand, if possible. Steel prices here in Indy are around $3/foot, so the current design is using around $350 in steel alone! All opinions would be appreciated. This is my first time using Sketch-up and some of the shapes went a little screwy, so know that the vertical supports will go between the top and bottom frames (even though some sides don't look right! )

Tankwv2stand.jpg


SideView.jpg


BackView.jpg
 
I got plans from www.garf.org to build my stand. I tripled up every leg for extra support on my stand.

With all my spilss i am sooooo glad my stuff is in the garage. That is the biggest beneifit IMO. Space for other but I love the fact I can tinker ansd spill and not worry. I have my stuff open in my garage and I am getting anop\yed with surface rust on my tolls. I have a 150 sump and a 150 fuge and a 30 tank for filter socks. I live in FL and the humidty is rough. I am going to start with a exhaust fan in there and see what happens with that for the humidity. For temp insulate the garage roof and doors and then hook up some fans to blow on my sump and I will see if that will cut it. I dont want to spend any more money on electric. i just hooked up my other 2 Mh so I will see how it goes.

Take your time and plan everything out including plumbing. I did and still changes it a few times.

Congrats on your new system and keep the pics coming.....
 
Well, things have been moving slower than I would have liked, but I'm getting there! :) Here's the design I've come up with so far for my fish room:

Garage_FishRoom3_Labeled.jpg
 
Progress made so far:
-Garage floor epoxied
-Garage insulated
-Drywall hung
-Water line & Drain run to Garage
-Garage sink installed
-RO/DI unit installed

Projects Remaining:
-Tape and finish drywall
-prime and paint walls
-Build stand
-Cut & finish display hole (yikes!!!)
-Set up System!

I'll try to snap some pics tonight when I get home.
 
Why not elevate your water top-off reservoir? Water pressure through the RODI unit will put the water up there, then you can use gravity to deliver it down to your sump. You can also then use gravity to feed it to your SW mix chamber.

If you are concerned about using only a float to control your evap replacement, you can put a solenoid in line as a failsafe.

Water pressure and gravity are still free...might as well take advantage of them!
 
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