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Remodeling my fish room

55K views 113 replies 38 participants last post by  DiabloCanine 
#1 · (Edited)
This will be a journal of the progress setting up my fish room. The room I have been issued is only 11.5 x 7 and also serves as the utility room (wish I had a basement). Currently in the utility room are the hot water heater, HVAC, water softener, brine tank, and my water storage unit (http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/37957-ro-water-system.html). I will attempt to shoehorn 14 tanks totaling 255 gallons into this room. I have purchased 2 gorilla racks, (rack 1) a 72” x 30” and (rack 2) a 48” x 17”. The 72” x 30” is installed around my water storage unit and will house five 20 gallon long tanks. The 48” x 17” rack will be installed across from rack 1 and will house four drilled 20 gallon high tanks, a 55 gallon sump, and four 5 gallon hex tanks. I believe this setup will take a few months to complete so I will update this post often. I will start with rack 1, once it is up and running I will be able to transfer tanks/fish and install rack 2.

I needed to move the RO unit for access and to make room for tanks.

From



To



Next step was making cross braces for the rack to help support the tanks. The cross braces will fit within the rails.



Dave (davrkw) came over to help make the 38 cross braces I needed for both racks. The cross braces look like this.



They are notched on each end to fit within the rails of the gorilla rack.





Close up



This is how the cross braces fit in the rails.



Closeup





A piece of 3/4" plywood will sit atop the cross braces.

I will update this thread with posts as I complete steps.
 
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#5 ·
Cannot get the whole room on one picture, here are some pictures taken before the remodel though......DC

Looking right through garage entry door where rack 1 is going.



Where rack 2 is going

 
#9 ·
A little progress today.

Put the cross braces in the stand.



Lined them up to be under the frames of the tanks.



Ran the electrical for the water storage unit.



Placed the 3/4" plywood down, put one row of screws in and test fitted a tank









Next step is shimming the cross braces and figuring out the tank accessory (lights, CO2 manifold http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/37626-pvc-co2-manifold.html, airlines, electrical, etc.) mounting......DC
 
#13 ·
Hey DC, what is going in the tanks? I just wonder becasue only the short side of the tanks will be viewable, with the long side facing the other tanks on the shelves, so I assume it won't be for sacpes, or will it? Will this be for breeding something? farming plants? Whats the plan?
 
#14 ·
This rack will be plant farms with 1 or 2 Galaxy Rasbora tanks, 1 or 2 RCS colonies, will transfer my 3 strains of Endler's and hoping to have a couple of Apisto harems. I know once I get it set up and going rmc will help me stock with fish and I will have several more tanks to farm plants.

Already have the filtration and CO2 identified, trying to figure out what lighting I want to use. So far I am looking at:
IceCap 60 inch VHO Retrofit Kit - 3 Lamps - Marine Depot - Marine and Reef Aquarium Super Store
I have these retros on 4 tanks and really like them. I bought a couple of these to try out EFI's Online Store for Lights of America | LOA Fluorex™ Flood Light and plan to use them on rack 2 over the 20H tanks. It is going to be tight getting everything in there to support the tanks. I am trying to figure out how to shoehorn it all in there now........DC
 
#15 ·
Few Questions,

Did you buy just the frames for the gorilla racks? If so where, if not what did you do just take the shelf part out and keep the frame from it?

I really like the floodlight, that's a great price! I'm not too sure I would buy the IceCaps though, It seems like you are paying a lot of money for what you're getting, but I haven't used them personally and know you have so thats a personal choice. I think the shoplights from HomeDepot or Lowes are fine generally... But that's a personal opinion.

What plants are you going to be farming? That would mean the difference in lighting to me. I'm figuring that your going to be growing some highlight weeds so you're probably going to want the IceCaps, but for that much money can't you get some T5s?

It looks really nice so far!

-Andrew
 
#16 ·
Yea, I bought just the frames at Menards. BUY THE PART if you call the phone number on that page they will tell you where to get them in your area. Will be farming high light plants w/pressurized CO2, have the list on my home PC. I do not think T5s are available in 60" (five 20 long tanks side-by-side are 62.5").....DC
 
#20 ·
That is the current challenge, trying to shoehorn all the equipment in there and still be able to service the tank. I'm gonna pick the brains of some locals for ideas. I was thinking of making a light enclosure that rides on closet tracks but do not know if it will give enough clearance. May need to design a lifting lid system or something like that. I am thinking the back 4 - 6 inches of each tank will be equipment, i.e., sponge filters, heater, powerhead, CO2 diffuser, etc. I know I will have two 1" pvc manifolds, one for CO2 and one for air to drive sponge filters that run the length of the stand. Also need to consider power distribution. I have plenty of time to think it out and listen to ideas, really need to get my 46 drilled so I can get the rest of my Discus outta RMCs hair.....DC
 
#22 ·
I spent the morning putting tanks in the stand to try some things out. I need to get these tanks going to move fish around.



I am thinking those 65 watt 6500K floodlights might be the ticket. They seem bright enough.



I like the way they fit into the top frame of the tank.



I think using these lights will work and not take up much room, I sure can use the extra clearance.



Yup, think I will order 3 more of those floodlights, if they do not provide enough light I can always double them up. Looks like I have the lighting clearance problem solved.



These tanks will be stable enough to move fish into and I will concentrate on plumbing the air and CO2 next......DC

 
#24 ·
Yup they move back and forth so I can get in the whole tank if need be....DC
 
#25 ·
Did some electrical work today. I mounted power strips above the tanks on some of the cross braces we made. I used 4 power strips.

2 of these are installed for the lights and heater. It has a digital timer that controls one bank and the other bank is constant power. If you have a Target in your area, hurry down they are on clearance for $9.99.





I use a fire shield power strip on every one of my tanks. One is installed on this rack and is used as the distribution point for the other power strips.





Here is one of the digital timers being used to control 2 lights and 2 heaters.



On the right is a digital timer strip, on the left is the fire shield. It has 3 power strips, the air pump, and the Diatom connected to it. (The Diatom is temporary, currently cleaning tanks.)



This is the air pump that will power the 10 sponge filters, I got it at JEHMCO Main . The last tank (#5) will be installed in this opening.



The first power strip from this angle is just a regular power strip with an 8-foot cord to reach the fire shield strip. This power strip will control the powerheads, I want to turn them all off during water changes. This is the easiest way to do that, can turn them all off at once with one switch.



I have an old air manifold temporarily connected to 6 sponge filters until I can get a new one made. I have eco in the middle tank where the Galaxy Rasboras and a RCS colony will go. The 2 right tanks have red soilmaster select (what's in my Heckel tank); one tank will be a Apistogramma agassizii harem, one tank will be a Apistogramma cacatuoides 'triple red' harem. The 2 left tanks will have a charcoal/onyx sand mix and may contain different strains of Endler's and Shrimp colonies. More to come.......DC
 
#27 ·
#33 ·
I added an outlet for this rack, it is connected to an existing branch that includes the garage......DC
 
#37 ·
Yeah I worry about oveloading the circuit with the tank I am putting together in my family room, since I have a large oil filled electric heater that runs down there. The tank is probably going to have 1000W of heaters in it along with 500-800 watts of lighting during the days peak, along with all the other stuff. I cant run a new line to the tank, so I may have to figure out if there is two circuits in the room and divy up the load or not use the electric space heater at all.
 
#38 ·
Toyed around all week with light mounting. Leaving them on top of the tank was heating the water up too much and a good spread of light was not getting into the tank. Decided I would somehow mount the lights above the tank, keeping them mobile allowing access into the tanks. After much thought and playing around with ideas all week I decided to KISS and mount the lights onto the existing cross braces.





Each light rotates up and out of the way allowing access to the tank.





I used pipe straps to hold the lights to the cross braces.



I just completed the air/CO2 manifold.



Each tank has a needle valve/bubble counter and 2 air valves for sponge filters.



The CO2 comes in on the bottom manifold at the right side.



The air comes in on the top manifold left side.



Top of the rack.





Next I will connect the CO2 and get sliding glass tops cut/installed.....DC
 
#39 ·
Great job on the fish room! I like the lights you used... I may end up using them on a few of my 20 Gal. tanks.

I have a Q about using the Air powered sponge filters, & CO2... Wouldn't you lose some of the CO2 you are trying to supply to your tanks by running air to them? How do you keep the out gassing of CO2 to a Minimum? Couldn't you just use powerheads to run the sponge filters, this way you won't lose any CO2 from running air & CO2? (I know you already said you have powerheads on these tanks too.)

I had thought about building something similar. Although I was thinking of using some Heavy Duty draw slides. This way I would be able to access all of the tank just by pulling out the tank on the "Draw". They make them strong enough to hold up to 500 pounds! I'm sure they aren't that cheap though... But, I work in a machine shop where I have Access to "Old Cabinets" that these slides are in. They throw away these "old cabinets" once in a while, I just have to let them know I want them & I would have them for FREE! Which I know isn't an option with some people... But, if you were looking into getting something like them, I think they go for around $30.00 or so... Not sure, seeing I can get them for FREE, I didn't waste my time looking to buy them...
 
#40 ·
I'm sure the CO2 will outgas, how much is unknown right now. CO2 is cheap and I really want the air being injected into the water to prevent "gasping" since these tanks are also breeders, would really be a bummer if too much CO2 killed fish/shrimp (have already killed hundreds of shrimp and scores of fish). I was able to get the welding supply company I use for CO2 to price match new cylinders with the beverage factory so I got a couple of 10 pounders from them. I have the CO2 connected to 3 tanks, need a couple of more diffusers for the other 2. I put some plants in 2 of the tanks.

Apistogramma agassizii harem



Apistogramma cacatuoides Triple Red harem



I plan on using drawer slides at each end of rack 2 due to access doorways in the room. I'm only putting 5 gallon hex tanks on them though. That would be neat to have bigger tanks on drawer slides, definitely would make access easier, would need an elaborate anchor to prevent tipping of big tanks I would think.......DC
 
#41 ·
What I have thought of doing was in a basement at my current appartment. Seeing I live on the bottom floor which is basicaly the basement. I would anchor the same type of "Racks" into the concrete floor. Then I would have the draw slides mounted to the "legs" of the rack. In my case it wouldn't be too costly, but, for someone without access to the drawslides for free, it would get costly real quick! I'm waiting to do anything else to my tanks till I move. I hope to buy a house before the end of this year... Gives me almost a whole year to look for something I really want & can afford!... LOL!

As I said before, Great Job! It's coming out Awesome! I like how you are keeping everything pretty neat & organized.

Steve X.
 
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