Tips for large tanks in basement

[sugartooth]

Hello,
I've been kicking around the idea for a large tank for the basement. It is a new construction house and the basement is not yet finished. I want to put the following areas in the basement:

- excercise
- home theatre/ gaming
- pool table/air hockey table
- full bath
- room that can be coverted to a bedroom later
- wet bar kictchen combo
- fish room (currently 2 sumps and nurseries are there)

So, I would like to ask people for advice on where the best place is to put a large tank is in the basement and things I need to be aware of....for example, I'm thinking it's probably not a good idea to put the pool table near the tank? (Although I would think it would look nice)

I'm guessing I'm going acrylic, but I was also considering doing the plywood-epoxy-glass front as well. Any thoughts on pros vs. cons?

The dimensions are also not set in stone, I would like at least 120" long and not sure about the height. What are people's experiences with height?

Am I limited to the width of the door going down into the basement? Anybody have tricks to get a wide tank into the basement? It is an english basement so going through the window would be the same as going through the door I imagine.


Is there a list of reliable tank builders and stand builders for large tanks anywhere? I live in IL close to the Wisconsin border.

Tips, pros and cons would be greatly appreciated!


EDIT: I forgot to mention that I would like it to be a mixed reef, however that may not be feasible seeing that I have a baby porc puffer, imperator, and heniochus....

 

[sugartooth]

Sorry, I also forgot to ask what is the general feeling of people that have gone big? What is the ideal size range before it tips the scales of being too much work? (maintenance, bills, etc)

Any regrets with going big?

What's the size you wish you got instead if you regret?

 

[ellisz]

I am doing a 180 that will have a sump room behind the wall the tank resides on. It will be in a sitting room with an electric fireplace and a bar area next to it. The home theater room is next to the bar area. We also have a workout room and a bedroom with a bathroom in the basement as well.

The tank is not running ye as I just finished the stand. I need to get the theater room fished too!

 

[dsandfort]

In our last house, the tank was at opposite ends from the home theater. Drove me nuts. I ended up watching the tank during the dark movie scenes in the reflection. New setup will be in an alcove next to the bar. I'll have to turn my head but at least no reflections in the TV.

As far as wood/fiberglass, that's where I'm headed. My build thread is back a few pages in this forum. It is very time consuming but I'm getting exactly what I want at about 1/4 the cost.

Since you are under construction, get a floor drain and plumbing in the fish room. Also have them put a subpanel in the room for electricity.

Regardless, make it a fun project and don't get bogged down with the worry.

 

[Nanook]

Is there a list of reliable tank builders and stand builders for large tanks anywhere? I live in IL close to the Wisconsin border

This question would best be asked in the Vendor Experience Forum.

Your basement sounds like a great place that I would love to live in one day....you need a gardener or something

Humidity is a big concern, so plan for fresh air intake and adequate ventilation for the winter months.

Also, electrical subpanels are nice, as well as a floor drain, water supply close to the tank and adequate space to put all of the equipment in a dedicated equipment room.

Have fun and keep asking questions!

 

[sugartooth]

Thank you for the responses so far.
You all make very good points, and I especially wouldn't have thought of the reflection of the tank while watching movies!

Nanook, would I also find HVAC, plumbing, and other services that understand large tanks in the vendor experiences? I will head over there shortly.....

What size tank does humidity start becoming a real problem that dehumidifiers cannot handle?

Does anybody find pump and overflow noise too loud if the entertainment area is near the fish room or tank?

 

[Volcano1]

I have a 300reef with 2 100 gal. sumps and 180 fowlr with a 70 gal. sump in the basement. You do need to manage the humidy issue. I am in Ill. also and we do get some humid conditions here. I have exhaust fans and a feed to the cold air return in the fishroom. It helps distribute humidity though out the house in the winter and use the ac to take some out during the summer. Spring and fall seem to be the worst, lots of humidity and heat and ac not used as much. Large tanks go though a lot of water and any thing you can do to avoid hauling buckets for water changes is a big plus. I have my change water in an elevated poly tank to gravity feed to the sump. I have a drain in the room for removal of tank water. This is a plus so I'd plan on having both. Temp seems to be a little better managed in the basement, being it's a little more stable.
Tank size can be an issue with getting the tank in the house and down the stairs. The 180 was not bad , 6 ft. tank. But the 300 , 8ft. was harder and alot heavier. Had movers bring the big tank along with my asssitance. If your going acrylic, weight will be less of a problem, but they still don't bend. Once you get over 8' the price does seem to really climb. Tryed to touch on some issues I found problematic, sure I missed som. Feel free to PM me if you have any others I can answer. I'm also about 70 miles south of Rockford if you would like to set my set-up. HTH.


Todd

 

[scott trierweiler]

sugartooth

I dont know the layout of your house but if it is already built it is going to be difficult to get in and down the stairs unless you have a stairwell coming in from the garage or outside. I have a one level home that is ranch style and I spent a lotng time trying to figure out a good way to get a 120" long tank down to its destination in the basement.

I came to the decision to get the tank built on site which would set me back a bit due to added cost but I did not see myself moving for a long time which I figured into it as well. I got Miracles in glass to build it on site. I was really happy I went that route. Even carrying single panes of that size was a job in itself. The stand was the hardest part even being built in two halves getting down the steps. The stairs had to be partially taken apart for this to be accomplished.

If you are going to go with a tank of this size I would dedicate a large area for a equipment room. You will need the space. Depending on the size of your basement you will more than likely not have enough room for the other things listed.

 

[sugartooth]

Yikes! Thanks for the input Scott. That is one big item that I was worried about, your point about getting the tank down the stairs.

How much more was it to build it on site? Double? Triple?
You went with all glass?

The basement is 2200 sq. feet, how much space do you think I need for the equipment? What size did you end up getting built?

Do you regret going so big?

Does anyone regret it, for example, 2 years later you got out of the hobby and it was a nightmare to get out?

Please keep your comments coming! Much appreciated.

 

[tom obrecht]

Here's a link to my basement build with pics of alot of things you asked about...pool table and all! Heck I even live close by in Wisconsin!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=989408

 

[scott trierweiler]

Sugartooth

I do not regret going as big as I did because I know I am not planning on moving anytime soon. I also do not have any other hobbies that involve spending much cash. So my main interest in life is fish. The only thing that I have noticed in this project so far that I did not expect is how long certain parts of the construction on my basement has taken. When I started it was my tank in a empty basement and building the rooms and so forth took alot of time. I have a 180 gallon reeftank down there already and the dust and debris from the contruction took a toll even though I had plastic from floor to ceiling. Looking back, I should have moved it upstairs. It has been about a year now and I am just getting ready to start the plumbing stage of the tank. It has had some ups and downs but I am having fun doing the project.

The tank 120 inches side to side. 60 inches front to back and 30 tall. I had a good idea on how much everything would cost being I had been planning this tank for three years but just like a lot of things, it cost more than I expected. I wouldnt have made this type of investment unless I wasnt as in to this hobby as I am. It is a big commitment to take on.

With the space issue you can get by on less space but I dedicated more than needed because of some frag tanks and refugiums. With a tank this size the equipment list and tanks or storage bins for salt water take up plenty of space. I have about 1500 square foot basement and about a quarter of it is fish room related. Good luck on your project. Building a new tank is a very exciting time.

 

[sugartooth]

Tom, your setup is absolutely hands down AMAZING!

pm sent

 

[sugartooth]

Thank you for your input Scott! You bring up some good things to think about.
I'm relatively new to the hobby, but have the bug really bad!
I'm also thinking about frag tanks, and nursery tanks....
I may have to downsize a little bit then to fit the fishroom and equipment. I wanted a 10 footer, but maybe 8 or 9 instead.

Anybody regret going so big? Anyone 5-10 years down the line have long term effects on their basement that I should be aware of?
Thanks!

 

[kraash]

I wish I could have went bigger, but the window I took out was only 38" tall and the 525 gallon that I moved in ( with 8 of my best buds) was 36" tall by 8ft long. One regret is that I wish I would have planned for more room behind the tank, I only went with 5ft instead of the 7 or 8 that would be nice for the ever accumulating equipment and toys. I installed a dehumidifier and a big bathroom vent and it seemed to help out with the humidity. I am planning to get a new and bigger ac unit installed with in the next few months and will definitely have a cold air return and a vent installed in the fish room. It is also very handy to have a drain and sink and I don't think you could ever have enough electrical outlets.

 

[gws294]

Sorry to hijack the thread briefly, but Scott... we must see some pictures of your build. I mean 1120G!!! Good grief!

Back to the thread.
Sugartooth, you've asked about people being disappointed or regreting doing a big tank. To me that seems to be the type of question that only you can answer. Do the planning like you've started, do the budget (if you dare), and then decide if this is what you want to do for the next period of years. It sounds as though you like this hobby... so go for it!

Good luck

Geoff