QT/Propagation Room

[mcozad829]

This project has made enough progress I think it deserves its own thread. I started this in October when I had an ich outbreak. I didn't really have a good place for a quarantine tank so I began thinking and decided to convert the storage room in my garage into a fish room.

this is what it looked like when I began

The first thing that I had to address was that the room was not heated or cooled so I called the HVAC guy out and had the room tied into the houses HVAC system

After the AC was in I had to address electricity, the room was serviced by a 20 amp circuit with only two outlets. I installed 2 4-outlets boxes each on their own 20 amp breaker. So the room now has a total of 60 amps of service.

Following the electrical being done I placed some shelves that can hold the tanks and a utility sink in the fish room.

To make the sink functional I had to go through the wall to the laundry room in the house. I tapped into the drain and water and ran pac lines through the wall. I also added a connection for an RODI system.

Next came the installation of the RODI unit and the 65 gallon mixing station.

more to follow shortly

 

[sixpackgarage]

very nice and organized. I like how you have the outlets up high also.

 

[mcozad829]

very nice and organized. I like how you have the outlets up high also.

Thank you, I figured it would be easier to access above the shelves and water would be less likely to drip into them.

 

[mcozad829]

After air, water, and electricity were taken care of I was able to start working on the tanks. The first tank that went in was the fish QT system which had been sitting on my desk in my home office. I painted and sealed the shelves and put the fish QT on the bottom. It is a 20 long and uses a neb-therm heater, remora nano skimmer, rw4 wave maker, and a tune nano ATO. ATO reservoir for this tank and the invert QT is a 5 gallon bucket.

Next I got another 20 long for the Invert QT. This tank also has an rw4 wave maker, neo therm heater, and tunze ATO, but instead of a skimmer it has an aqua clear 50. I also ordered american DJ power strips and got cord management under control. Light is a coralife dual t-5 30"

Shortly there after I got my first order of corals for the QT. Purple frogspawn, green maze brain, ponape birds nest, green slime, and orange monti digitata.

After the QT systems were up and running I turned my attention to the frag system. The frag system will consist of 2 40 breeders and a shared sump. One will be for SPS, the other for LPS and softies with less light and less flow.
For the sump I went with the eschopps rs-200, skimmer is a reef octopus 150 classic, and return pump is an off brand 1000gph mag drive. I removed the filter socks and filled that section with dry rock.

Then came what I was waiting for, the petco dollar per gallon sale. And I got my 2 40 breeders.

yesterday I drilled the 40 breeders and installed the overflows in each one. I am still waiting on some parts to plumb the returns but plan on painting these tanks today and hopefully having them plumbed and filled by the end of the week.

while the silicone was drying I worked on organization and put another shelf in the fish room for storage. This is where I currently am after working on this for about 3 months. Compared to the first picture it has come a long way.

 

[Reefermatt3]

This is sweet I hope I can have a fish room when I get my own place after school.

 

[mcozad829]

Got two coats of paint on the frag tanks today

 

[WilRams]

Looks like a nice space. Good work!

 

[rburch203]

Following. Hoping to move by the end of the year.. still hoping for space to do something even half that size

 

[mnkykng77]

What kind of stands are you using? Where these one from a big box store?

 

[alexkharden]

Yes, I'd like to know about the stands too please. These look identical to the ones I have in the basement, but I never would have guessed they'd support the weight of aquariums. Mine have particle board shelves, did you replace the shelves with something sturdier?

 

[mcozad829]

What kind of stands are you using? Where these one from a big box store?

Yes, I'd like to know about the stands too please. These look identical to the ones I have in the basement, but I never would have guessed they'd support the weight of aquariums. Mine have particle board shelves, did you replace the shelves with something sturdier?

These are muscle rack shelves you can get at Walmart. The 36" shelf is rated for 4000 pounds so 800 pounds per shelf when evenly distributed. The 20 gallons weigh less then 250 lbs total so the shelves easily hold those. Now I was sure to paint and seal the shelves so they don't get wet and disintegrate. The 48" shelf is rated for 5000 lbs so 1000 lbs per shelf. The 40 breeders won't weigh more than 500 lbs. with the 40 breeders the depth of the tank is the same as the shelf so the weight is resting directly on the rail itself and the board is supporting little weight. The thing with these shelves is the stability, if a kid were to climb up the front when they were full if very well may tip over. So after everything is plumbed I will be using metal ties to anchor the shelves to the wall. You will also notice with the 40 breeder shelf I reinforced the middle wher the top and bottom sections meet, for this I used a piece of 1.5 inch angle steel and some bolts. I felt the weak part of this unit was the joint in the middle but after reinforcing I feel confident these shelves will support the weight without issue

 

[alexkharden]

Good to know, thanks!

 

[mcozad829]

This is where I reinforced the center joint

 

[rattler]

Well thought out and lots of room ! Great job! If I have learned anything in this hobby is what's behind the scenes is as important as the display tank.