In wall aquarium questions

[eidillitih]

I'm about to have a house built and I going to a tank in the wall. I want to know what are some things I need to look out for with in wall tanks? Anything the room needs to be suppied with beside outlet, light, and air vent? Anyone has had problems with in wall tank? The aquarium that is going in wall is going to be 60LX25LX30W.

Thanks for you input in advance,
Carl

 

[yannicksjh]

I'd say, if the house layout allows it, some plumbing would be nice for having an RO unit in the room as well as a drain for water changes. I see alot of fish rooms with a laundry tub as well. You would be surprised on how much you would use it (clean pumps, skimmer, filter socks, hands before putting hands in tank etc) Plus this way everything "fish" related is out of the wifes sight. Later

 

[Creade]

A laundry tub or some sort of work station with a sink is a huge help.
A tile floor for easy cleanup helps a ton.
I would not build the surrounding wall from standard drywall, use greenboard, mold resistant armour whatever its called (sorry its been a while since I built mine.


You mentioned outlets. Dedicated circuit for the fish room is always a plus. GFI is a must.

The drain idea, RO, etc that was previously mentioned are great ideas as well.

Anything that you can think of that you might use for the tank, add to the room. The less you need to trek through the house with on the way to the fish room, the happier the family will be!! (My wife hates "stinky" fish stuff coming through the house) A fridge for your frozen foods, etc is a great idea as well.
Oh, and lots of shelving/organization so it doesnt become a mess!!

As for problems- I find that reaching from the back of the tank to the bottom front of the tank is a pain in the butt. If I were to redo mine, I would consider finding a way to access the tank from the front as well. Granted, mine is 32" tall, so it makes it a little more of a reach.

Thats about all I can think of off the top of my head quick.

 

[drummereef]

I agree with the plumbing fixtures. A laundry/utility sink and a place to tap into your cold water line for your RO/DI would be ideal. A floor drain would be a nice backup in case of emergency and handy for water changes. I'd also have the HVAC contractor put a supply and return in the room as well. This way there will be air circulation not just air removal from the exhaust fan. Newer homes are built much tighter these days. It's easy to get into a "negative pressure" situation if you are exhausting more air than you are making up. This can make for a bad situation if you have combustion exhaust re-entering the house from your flues. I have fresh-air intake on my HVAC as well so I'm always circulating new fresh air from the outside.

 

[maroun.c]

Having my house built currently and things I'm considering:
-Plumbing from tank to house drain to ease waterchanges.
-As RO is in another room plumbing will go from Ro to ATO in walls or under tiling. As well as from RO to salt mixing containers in another room or maybe in the cave where'water will be mixed then tubing from the to the tank in walls.
-still considering venting tubing blowing hot and humid air from canopy and stand to outside the house.
-Underground or inwall tubing to chiller placed outside the hosue or in a well ventilated room where noise is not an issue...

 

[salty joe]

Make sure the floor will support the load. Add an extra footer and/or beam if neccessary.

 

[eidillitih]

Thanks for the suggestion guys. I've taken notes and will see if I can have these items added.

 

[drummereef]

Thought of something else that hasn't been covered....

If you have an equipment list together of what you are planning on running on your tank, add up the total amperage and allow for extra circuits in the sump room. I would plan on at least two 20 amp circuits dedicated to the sump room if it were me.

 

[Spartanman22]

One thing I would change about mine would be to leave more room above the tank to work on it from the front.

 

[eidillitih]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14876316#post14876316 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Thought of something else that hasn't been covered....

If you have an equipment list together of what you are planning on running on your tank, add up the total amperage and allow for extra circuits in the sump room. I would plan on at least two 20 amp circuits dedicated to the sump room if it were me.

Actually, that is the first thing I told the builder when I mention the in-wall to him . Two GFI outlets with designated circuites.

 

[Alberta-newb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14876391#post14876391 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spartanman22
One thing I would change about mine would be to leave more room above the tank to work on it from the front.

+1

When planning my in-wall, this was one point I came across numerous times so I built an access door on the display side and boy am I glad I did! I think it would be near impossible to target feed, catch fish, aquascape, etc.. without one. I also plumbed my area behind with a small lab sink and a water tap. Makes for bucketless water changes and I can wash out my skimmer cup right there. Has saved my floors from a lot of spills

 

[amstar]

I have two in the wall tanks. One without front access and one with. I would never go without a front access again.

the only problem I still did not leave enough room at the top of the tank and the ceiling to allow myself to "really get into the tank" and work.

things I have found very useful:
drain in the floor
GFI breakers (half the equipement on each breaker)
laundry tub
Ro/DI unit plumbed into the house plumbing already
air vent
tile floor

 

[Paul B]

This picture is of the in wall tank with the front open. You need an easily accesable front which stays open. I also painted wood preserver on all wood surfaces in this closet before I installed the tank over 30 years ago. So far there is no wood damage but the stand is rusty on one corner where water splashes from the skimmer.
I do use an exhaust fan which exhausts outside.

 

[LoneRanger]

put a drain and fresh water in before they pour the slab, 2 dedicated 20amp breakers- mix up your equipment on each line- if one trips be sure "some" of your pumps will still be on and running from the other breaker. have access from both sides of the tank at least on the top side- be sure you have room for a future skimmer upgrade, as well as reactors (height wise)

my wife and I built our house and have a 315 gallon inwall between the masterbedroom and the living room. ditto above with using water resistant drywall, as well as sealing the floor and wall cavity.

I have an exhaust fan to take out hot moist air, and an AC duct to bring in dry cool air. (into the wall cavity) I am running a 125 gallon sump with about 60 gallons set aside for a refuge- all this fits below the display tank. made the stand myself, I didnt trust the contractor to do that.

plan plan plan ahead- and you'll probably still miss something!

L.R.

 

[aalhait]

I would recommend the following since it's early in the planning phase:

Plan to have a skylight or 2 (one of the tubes) from the roof to the top of the tank (in addition to your normal lighting.

Plan your plumbing carefully and you cannot go wrong with extra hoses and wires (to the top and to the bottom of the tank)

I added 2 extra lines for everything and by the 1st year all were used up one way or another.

I mean if you want to push electric wire from the bottom to the top, and you think you need one wire... Add 3 wires! Same goes for Plumbing! I starting with 3/4 PVC pipe and I added 2 extra 3/4 lines flexible pipe! I used it all!

Here's my tank pictures up to a few months ago.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aalhait/FishTank?authkey=ijLVk-5G7cU#

 

[aalhait]

It's also wise to plan a water changing and filtration system as well as a drainage system up front! This will make water changes much easier to handle! And cut back on problems since the easier it is, the more you do it!

 

[maroun.c]

Small update to my previous post after I finalized things I\m having added to house construction for the tank:

-2 Circuit brakers from house mains to tank with thicker wires (4mm)
-1 additional line going to attick where UPS will be, returning to main electrical board then going to tank (will have backup return pump, skimmer, heater, circulation pump and 1 set of T5s connected to it.
- Drain line from behind tank to drain water while doing waterchages.
- 3 1 inch pipes from sump to attick where chiller, frag tank and refugium will be.
- 2 exhaust tubes one from stand and another from canopy venting outside.
- Water connection from house mains to attick where RO will be.
will have a barrel to mix freshwater in and whenever I want to do a WC I just turn on hte pump draining water out then turn on the pump taking freshwater from barrel to the system.
-drain from attick floor in case of flooding.
-upgrade on exhaust of the attick to avoid heat and humidity.

 

[sanababit]

this is what i did and the only thing i will do different is have an acces on the front

sana

 

[eidillitih]

Man, this is awesome!!! Thanks for the information and pictures guys. I'll keep you guys updated.

 

[edandsandy]

We also have a in-wall, when we built the stand, we built a platform to stand on behind the tank.... works great for me!
Oh, have your lights on some kind of a track to move them out ouf the way for maintainance. and 1 more thing, if you do put your lights on a rail, have some kind of light fixture built into the ceiling so you will have some kind of light on the tank.
just a few pics..... I still don't have the white balance set correctly ugh!
front view, the sides trim open out and the top lifts ups!

light rack

platform for me to stand on

Best of luck!