From the picture it didn't look like the fuge was very far below the bottom of the overflows. I wasn't sure if the water could flow to the fuge. If it's lower then yes, you could have the main drain feed the fuge. But where in would you actually run the plumbing? It would be much simpler to have the fuge/sump under the main tank, I would think.
New House with custom fish room - 180 in-wall
- Thread starter TTrout
- Start date
8BALL_99
New member
I know you talked about changing the sheetrock out to green board, But you might also want to consider just covering the sheetrock all together.. I have a 180 and a Equipment room. When I did mine I put Epoxy on the floor and covered all the walls with FRP. I also took the time to silicone around all the joints and install PVC Base boards and Case molding. I also siliconed around all that. Basicly its a water proof fish bowl 
execpt the door of course.. Even that is a insulated door to keep the moisture in the fish room.. I also installed a Intake and Exhaust fan on a thermostat. I'm not sure how much water you will have. Mine has a 180, 92, two 40 gallon frag tanks a 40 gallon sump and a 75 gallon sump. I had TONS of moisture in that room intill I installed the fans. There is still alot of moisture in the room, But it doesn't knock you down like it use to lol. It has its own Ac and most of the moisture stays in the Equipment room and not the house!. Look in my Gallery if you want to see some pictures of mine. Mine doesn't have a bathroom though 
execpt the door of course.. Even that is a insulated door to keep the moisture in the fish room.. I also installed a Intake and Exhaust fan on a thermostat. I'm not sure how much water you will have. Mine has a 180, 92, two 40 gallon frag tanks a 40 gallon sump and a 75 gallon sump. I had TONS of moisture in that room intill I installed the fans. There is still alot of moisture in the room, But it doesn't knock you down like it use to lol. It has its own Ac and most of the moisture stays in the Equipment room and not the house!. Look in my Gallery if you want to see some pictures of mine. Mine doesn't have a bathroom though So, maybe something smaller. So, if my calculations are correct, I shouldn't be pushing anything more than 900GPH; is that right?
Return Pump Options:
Little Giant - 4-MDQX-SC: 145W,1080gph@6ft head
Iwaki MD40RLXT: 140W,1200gph@4ft head
Pan World 100PX-X: 130W,1200gph@4ft head
Gen-X PCX55HP (High Pressure): 170W,1080gph@4ft head
Why 2 bulkheads for CL drain? For redundancy? This will be going out to a OM 4-way, so definately 4 returns. I am wanting to create a rack system similar to how Steve Weast setup his tank; although my aquascaping will be, of course, a bit different.
I have received all of my quotes back and Glasscages is the cheapest. I have also read bad and very good things about them, so I don't know what to think. So far all of the good ones have been fairly recent and all of the bad ones were older posts. So, maybe they have changed? However, I am now debating again whether I want Glass or Acrylic. Mainly because of the price I got back from Premium Acuatics and the builder they go through. I think I would have more flexibility with the "features" I want with acrylic than I would with glass. It is a little bit more expensive though, but not much. So, if I go with glass it will be glasscages, if I go with acrylic it will probably be IPI through Premium Aquatics.
Thank you,
Very interesting, thank you for posting!<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9539725#post9539725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 8BALL_99
I know you talked about changing the sheetrock out to green board, But you might also want to consider just covering the sheetrock all together.. I have a 180 and a Equipment room. When I did mine I put Epoxy on the floor and covered all the walls with FRP. I also took the time to silicone around all the joints and install PVC Base boards and Case molding. I also siliconed around all that. Basicly its a water proof fish bowl
The humidity is one of my larger concerns. I am planing on installing a humidity controller and exaust fan that BigReef suggested back on the first page. Do you have an exaust fan and a seperate A/C in the room then? What kind of A/C is it? Why do you have an A/C, just to keep the room cooler? Or to help with Humidity? or both?Thank you,
8BALL_99
New member
Np. Hope it helps give you idea's. Your setup is alot like mine. Well I started out with just a Window AC. I cut a hole in the wall and mounted it above my sink. If you look in the picutures you can see it.. Its a 6000 BTU AC from lowes.. Cost all of about 125.00 lol.. ALOT cheaper then a chiller! The plan for the AC was just to keep the tanks cool. Plus I figured keeping the room cool without having the moisture going into my houses Central ac would be nice. It also takes moisture out of the air. Lots of it.. It said something like a pint per hour on the box. But I made the room somewhat water proof so that was just a + I found out in the winter time that I still needed some cooling in the room, But it seemed stupid to run the AC when it was cold outside.. I tried a air exchanger for a while it didn't keep the room cool enough. So I ended up with 2 inline exhaust fans made by fantech.. One pulls are from outside the other Exhausts air outside. I sorta rigged them to a household Thermostat so they would cut on at whater ever tempiture I set. So far this has worked great.. I have a humastat that I might wire into the mix so in the summer they will come on if the humity gets above a certain %. But like I said I built the room to withstand moisture so thats not my main issue.
There are several ways of doing a vent.. I just used a Relay, 24volt transformer and a L cheap O house hold thermostat. I also have a humastat made by fantech that is just a switch.. It has a dial with a moisture reading.. You set the humidity level and it either opens or closes a circuit when the level is reached. Hook it to a relay and it does Pretty much the same as what the premade device on the first page does. Just cheaper
I also have Oceans Motions wave makers on both my tanks.. love them. I have two intakes for both systems as well.. It helps cut down on the suction of the intakes. I have two drains for the sump in my overflow aswell.. There is nothing wrong with Backups.. Infact I think they are common since!! Just be sure to keep your intakes on your CL low enough not to suck air but high enough so they aren't a PITA to clean.. Mine are 6" down and I ended up having to put 90s on them so they wouldn't suck air Should have went 7 or 8 I guess....You will love the External overflow. It makes the tank look so much cleaner. Mine isn't as large as yours. Mines only 24"wide by 20" tall by about 6". Works great though. That is where I dose most of my additives including my CA reactor output.
There are several ways of doing a vent.. I just used a Relay, 24volt transformer and a L cheap O house hold thermostat. I also have a humastat made by fantech that is just a switch.. It has a dial with a moisture reading.. You set the humidity level and it either opens or closes a circuit when the level is reached. Hook it to a relay and it does Pretty much the same as what the premade device on the first page does. Just cheaper
I also have Oceans Motions wave makers on both my tanks.. love them. I have two intakes for both systems as well.. It helps cut down on the suction of the intakes. I have two drains for the sump in my overflow aswell.. There is nothing wrong with Backups.. Infact I think they are common since!! Just be sure to keep your intakes on your CL low enough not to suck air but high enough so they aren't a PITA to clean.. Mine are 6" down and I ended up having to put 90s on them so they wouldn't suck air
Should have went 7 or 8 I guess....You will love the External overflow. It makes the tank look so much cleaner. Mine isn't as large as yours. Mines only 24"wide by 20" tall by about 6". Works great though. That is where I dose most of my additives including my CA reactor output.
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Been a while...
Been a while...
Well, it's been a while, but I am back at it and starting to get my fishroom setup. I am currently trying to figure out how I am going to build the stand for the in-wall 180.
Since, I know everyone likes pics I have created a few conceptual drawings of what I would like to do. However, I am no engineer by any means, so if you see something wrong, please chime in and say so. Also, any ideas to do it differently are also welcome
Basically, I have a pre-built opening for the tank built by builder (photos earlier in the thread). The top part of the stand will bolt in to the wall. Two 4x4's will be notched out so that the frame will rest within 4x4 notches and then screwed in. Will this be enough support? I am open to anything, although my goal is to keep the front open.
Thank you,
Been a while...
Well, it's been a while, but I am back at it and starting to get my fishroom setup. I am currently trying to figure out how I am going to build the stand for the in-wall 180.
Since, I know everyone likes pics
I have created a few conceptual drawings of what I would like to do. However, I am no engineer by any means, so if you see something wrong, please chime in and say so. Also, any ideas to do it differently are also welcome
Basically, I have a pre-built opening for the tank built by builder (photos earlier in the thread). The top part of the stand will bolt in to the wall. Two 4x4's will be notched out so that the frame will rest within 4x4 notches and then screwed in. Will this be enough support? I am open to anything, although my goal is to keep the front open.
Thank you,
customcolor
New member
personaly i would go with a gen x but not the 55hp. i would do the mak 4. less watts and still great flow and fairly quiet. do a dart on the closed loop or a dalphin amp master(quiet, i have one hooked to a super squirt)
I would recommend looking at an HRV unit. Kinda pricy, but they usually have built in humidity control and won't drive up your heating/cooling costs.
Usually the installation is the expensive part, but you have an external wall right there so it doesn't need to be worked into the houses duct system.
Usually the installation is the expensive part, but you have an external wall right there so it doesn't need to be worked into the houses duct system.
Thank you, the HRV is very interesting. I will definately look in to them when I get to that point. The only thing that concerns me though with pulling air from outside in to the room is that I am in a new housing area surrounded by farms. I would hate to pull something in to the room that was just recently sprayed (weed killer and pesticides, etc.).
reef / aholic
New member
Do you have an aquarium, it has been 5 months???
Re: Been a while...
Re: Been a while...
Any ideas on this?
Thank you,
Re: Been a while...
...BUMP...<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10583148#post10583148 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TTrout
Well, it's been a while, but I am back at it and starting to get my fishroom setup. I am currently trying to figure out how I am going to build the stand for the in-wall 180.
Since, I know everyone likes pics
Basically, I have a pre-built opening for the tank built by builder (photos earlier in the thread). The top part of the stand will bolt in to the wall. Two 4x4's will be notched out so that the frame will rest within 4x4 notches and then screwed in. Will this be enough support? I am open to anything, although my goal is to keep the front open.
Thank you,
Any ideas on this?
Thank you,
A suggestion for your walls in your fish room. FRP panels (fiberglass reinforced plastic). I comes in 4X8 sheets and is glued directly to the drywall. It it used in restaurant kitchens and bathrooms. Fairly inexpensive when compared to ceramic tile and is very tough and completely immune to moisture. It is sold at most home improvement centers.
My fish room walls are painted concrete block. But all of my restaurants use frp in the back of the house. It looks new years later. You are correct about the liquid nails. There are Sleeves to cover the joints where one sheet meets the next and for corners (inside and out)
