blainep
Jan 11th 2009, 11:55 AM
Building a fishroom
A voice of experience.
A fishroom can be several joys in life all rolled into one. With the completion of my second fishroom in sight, I thought I would share some of the lessons that I have learned.
I will tend to ramble on about some things, but important thoughts come and they should be written in.
There are a couple of rants in this article, but if you read them, their reasoning will become obvious. Most of what you will read is based upon my own experiences.
Building a fishroom is not a project for the faint of heart or for the mechanically inept. You will need some basic woodworking, plumbing and electrical skills. Just because you have some very cool tools does not mean you can take on a project of this size !
Be sure to check your local building codes and find out if you will need any building permits for your fishroom project. It may seem like time wasted, but better than tearing it apart later so an inspector can check your work.
Whenever possible, get and follow the advice of experienced trades people. Often they will know several tricks and tips that can save lots of grief. Don't worry about looking like a fool, better to look like one than be one.
Most important ! Give yourself lots of time to complete this project, a rushed job will only bring future frustration !
Planning – The single most important thing to do first is plan your fishroom.
Important first step questions.
What types of fish do you plan to keep ? The fish you keep will dictate tank sizes and the amount of space your fishroom will need. Also, happy healthy fish breed, where will the babies go?
Is there access to water and sewer ? No matter how much you love your fish, packing 30 or 40 buckets of water every week gets old fast.
Weight : Water is heavy, really heavy !
Humidity : Are you in a dry or damp climate ? Are there mold concerns ?
Temperature control : Will you heat the room or the tanks ?
Electrical : Are outlets available ? Will they handle the added load of a fishroom ? Are they GFCI protected ?
Is there a floor drain near ? Hopefully the answer to why is obvious.
Can I afford to build a fishroom ? No matter how you look at it, a fishroom is expensive.
Where ever possible, I recommend putting your fishroom in an unfinished area of your basement. The reasons, first weight concerns, a concrete slab will handle the weight of a fishroom much better than a wood floor or subfloor. Next, bare concrete can easily be sealed with paint or epoxy that contain anti-mildew agents, also there is no wallboard for mold to hide behind. Don't worry about how you will get electricity to your tanks with bare concrete walls, use materials meant for outdoor use. Ie – PVC conduit, outdoor boxes and outlets. They can be attached to the concrete in a variety of ways.
Always consider function over pretty. Pretty will be in the tanks when the job is done.
Always follow the instructions on whatever paint or epoxy you use on the walls and floor of your fishroom, improper use can lead to mold growth between the concrete and paint. A quick FYI as well, beyond the health concerns of mold, another important reason to inhibit the growth of mold is because it weakens concrete, I've seen flooded basements where mold has grown and the concrete under the mold crumbles, not a good thing for your house !
If you need to build walls around your fishroom, use materials meant for use in damp environments, instead of drywall, use wetboard, commonly used in bathrooms. If possible use steel studs instead of wood. Treat any wood used with some kind of anti-mold/mildew paint or coating. Anything that can be exposed to water should be treated. After, let your fishroom air out for a month, yes, a month. It will take 30 days for most of the volatile organic compounds to dissipate.
Not to worry, you can still do lots of fishroom construction during that time.
Plumbing and electrical.
Plan your fishroom to be as maintenance free as possible. A little creative plumbing can mean a lot more time enjoying your fish and a lot less time cleaning.
Simple drain and fill systems can mean the end to buckets of water. It can also allow water conditioning/aging systems to be added as well as freshwater drip systems.
For any water going into the fish tanks always use pipe and hose meant for potable water systems. For waste water, common ABS pipe can be used. Be sure any sealants used are given plenty of time to cure before water flows. It is also a good idea to flush water thru piping and hoses before it is used on the fish tanks. This will clean out any debris before your fish try to taste test it.
Any connections made to your house sewer pipes MUST have backflow prevention valves and P traps installed. Don't ask why, just do it.
If you know an experienced plumber, it's a good idea to have them look at your plumbing. Even if your ideas will work, often a plumber can give valuable insight and ideas for improvements.
Another important consideration is debris in your tank plumbing. Plant bits and snails can plug hoses very effectively. There is nothing like the joy of standing in ankle deep water trying to shake a snail out of a tank drain hose .....
Always cover tank drain pipes with some kind of strainer and make cleaning the strainer part of your regular maintenance.
What is GFCI and why do you care. GFCI stands for 'Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter'. It's job is to monitor and detect any variance in electrical flow between the positive and ground side of a circuit and break the circuit if any variance is detected. There appears to be some confusion for some people, a GFCI does not monitor electrical load, only the balance of the load. It is the job of fuses and circuit breakers to monitor electrical load and cut power if the load becomes to high.
So why monitor the balance of an electrical load ? If more electricity is heading out the positive side of a circuit than is returning thru the ground side, that means there is electrical leakage in the circuit.
So where is that leaking electricity going ? Got any tanks with apparently healthy dead fish ?
The single most important thing to remember with any aquarium : water + electricity = death !
This can mean your death, your fishes death or possibly the death of a loved one. Imagine the joy of lying on your fishroom floor with your freshly stopped heart, feeling good you saved that twenty bucks by not buying that GFCI outlet !
Fishroom floods are a given, not a maybe. Your fishroom will flood, soon. Water will be everywhere !
All circuts related to your fishroom NEED GFCI protection.
Any electrical work that you do or needs to get done must be checked by a certified electrician. If this means hiring and paying someone to check your work, do it. If you have friend that can check your work, make sure they actually check your work and don't just drink your beer. Again, better to look like a fool than explain to the nice fireman why you are a fool.
Heat and Humidity.
Part of the reason for choosing the basement as a good place for a fishroom is temperature control. Most of the time, the temperature of a basement is fairly consistent, helping to avoid large swings in temperature from summer to winter. Making the choice as to heat a room or heat aquariums is yours to make.
Personally I prefer to heat individual aquariums and insulate the aquariums with styrofoam insulation. If you choose to heat the fishroom instead, you may want to consider insulating the walls of the fishroom to prevent heat loss.
This gets into other considerations as well, including the use of vapour barriers to prevent condensation. I can't comment much these topics as I simply don't have enough experience.
If you live in an extremely dry climate as I do, the added humidity from a fishroom is welcomed, especially during the winter months. In a humid climate, to help avoid mold and mildew, you will want to find a way to control the humidity.
There are many things that can be done, first, ensure all of your aquariums have tight fitting lids. This alone will make a dramatic reduction in humidity. From there, keeping air moving thru the fishroom is part of the key to success. A fan vented outside is very effective. A humidistat can be added to turn the fan off on as needed.
Another option is a de-humidifier. There are many different makes and models available, although, they can be rather expensive.
Costs and measures.
A fishroom is going to cost money. Money to build it, money to maintain it and money to pay the electricity and water bills.
No matter how you shake and dance, this is going to cost WAY more than you thought it would.
Save money where you can. There is nothing wrong with using used aquariums. If they look old and well used, take the time to clean and reseal them. If you can build a fishroom, you can reseal a few tanks.
Join local aquarium forums and clubs, aquarium keepers always have extra equipment hanging around that you buy/trade for.
Spend money where you need to. No matter how cheap they are, don't use the stack of two by fours that have been sitting in your neighbors back yard for five years to build your aquarium shelves. Even if they really don't look that rotten !
Really, I'm serious. There is absolutely no point to going to all this work just so you can do it all again when it starts to fall apart three months from now. Overbuild anything that needs to handle weight or pressure. Ten years from now, you'll be glad you did.
This project is going to take a lot of time, so spread the costs out over that period of time. No need to burn up the credit card to get all the stuff now.
Measure twice, cut once. The famous old saying. If you're like me, somehow you'll always have a board come out short once in a while. Don't worry, you're human, it's going to happen, plan for it.
Take the time to do things right. In my first fishroom I wanted the water flowing....NOW.
That was my biggest mistake ! Three large floods, more small ones than I care to remember. Popping overloaded circuit breakers. Endless buckets of water. My dream was turning into a nightmare.
I've been working on my new fishroom for over a year now. Bit by bit. The results are worth it !
Nearly fifty tanks of assorted sizes, requiring about two or three hours of maintenance weekly.
No buckets, no popping circuit breakers, no fishroom floods. Did I mention, no buckets ......
Random afterthoughts.
If you have a spouse or significant other, get their seal of approval before you start construction. Just a thought.
Did you read the part about GFCI protection, if not, do it now.
Used building supply stores are great place to get cheap kitchen cabinets to mount in your fishroom to keep your fish supplies in.
A laundry tub sink is a great addition to a fishroom if you have the space for it.
Follow the building of my fishroom here - http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4172
Your thoughts are welcome, did I forget something ?
A voice of experience.
A fishroom can be several joys in life all rolled into one. With the completion of my second fishroom in sight, I thought I would share some of the lessons that I have learned.
I will tend to ramble on about some things, but important thoughts come and they should be written in.
There are a couple of rants in this article, but if you read them, their reasoning will become obvious. Most of what you will read is based upon my own experiences.
Building a fishroom is not a project for the faint of heart or for the mechanically inept. You will need some basic woodworking, plumbing and electrical skills. Just because you have some very cool tools does not mean you can take on a project of this size !
Be sure to check your local building codes and find out if you will need any building permits for your fishroom project. It may seem like time wasted, but better than tearing it apart later so an inspector can check your work.
Whenever possible, get and follow the advice of experienced trades people. Often they will know several tricks and tips that can save lots of grief. Don't worry about looking like a fool, better to look like one than be one.
Most important ! Give yourself lots of time to complete this project, a rushed job will only bring future frustration !
Planning – The single most important thing to do first is plan your fishroom.
Important first step questions.
What types of fish do you plan to keep ? The fish you keep will dictate tank sizes and the amount of space your fishroom will need. Also, happy healthy fish breed, where will the babies go?
Is there access to water and sewer ? No matter how much you love your fish, packing 30 or 40 buckets of water every week gets old fast.
Weight : Water is heavy, really heavy !
Humidity : Are you in a dry or damp climate ? Are there mold concerns ?
Temperature control : Will you heat the room or the tanks ?
Electrical : Are outlets available ? Will they handle the added load of a fishroom ? Are they GFCI protected ?
Is there a floor drain near ? Hopefully the answer to why is obvious.
Can I afford to build a fishroom ? No matter how you look at it, a fishroom is expensive.
Where ever possible, I recommend putting your fishroom in an unfinished area of your basement. The reasons, first weight concerns, a concrete slab will handle the weight of a fishroom much better than a wood floor or subfloor. Next, bare concrete can easily be sealed with paint or epoxy that contain anti-mildew agents, also there is no wallboard for mold to hide behind. Don't worry about how you will get electricity to your tanks with bare concrete walls, use materials meant for outdoor use. Ie – PVC conduit, outdoor boxes and outlets. They can be attached to the concrete in a variety of ways.
Always consider function over pretty. Pretty will be in the tanks when the job is done.
Always follow the instructions on whatever paint or epoxy you use on the walls and floor of your fishroom, improper use can lead to mold growth between the concrete and paint. A quick FYI as well, beyond the health concerns of mold, another important reason to inhibit the growth of mold is because it weakens concrete, I've seen flooded basements where mold has grown and the concrete under the mold crumbles, not a good thing for your house !
If you need to build walls around your fishroom, use materials meant for use in damp environments, instead of drywall, use wetboard, commonly used in bathrooms. If possible use steel studs instead of wood. Treat any wood used with some kind of anti-mold/mildew paint or coating. Anything that can be exposed to water should be treated. After, let your fishroom air out for a month, yes, a month. It will take 30 days for most of the volatile organic compounds to dissipate.
Not to worry, you can still do lots of fishroom construction during that time.
Plumbing and electrical.
Plan your fishroom to be as maintenance free as possible. A little creative plumbing can mean a lot more time enjoying your fish and a lot less time cleaning.
Simple drain and fill systems can mean the end to buckets of water. It can also allow water conditioning/aging systems to be added as well as freshwater drip systems.
For any water going into the fish tanks always use pipe and hose meant for potable water systems. For waste water, common ABS pipe can be used. Be sure any sealants used are given plenty of time to cure before water flows. It is also a good idea to flush water thru piping and hoses before it is used on the fish tanks. This will clean out any debris before your fish try to taste test it.
Any connections made to your house sewer pipes MUST have backflow prevention valves and P traps installed. Don't ask why, just do it.
If you know an experienced plumber, it's a good idea to have them look at your plumbing. Even if your ideas will work, often a plumber can give valuable insight and ideas for improvements.
Another important consideration is debris in your tank plumbing. Plant bits and snails can plug hoses very effectively. There is nothing like the joy of standing in ankle deep water trying to shake a snail out of a tank drain hose .....
Always cover tank drain pipes with some kind of strainer and make cleaning the strainer part of your regular maintenance.
What is GFCI and why do you care. GFCI stands for 'Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter'. It's job is to monitor and detect any variance in electrical flow between the positive and ground side of a circuit and break the circuit if any variance is detected. There appears to be some confusion for some people, a GFCI does not monitor electrical load, only the balance of the load. It is the job of fuses and circuit breakers to monitor electrical load and cut power if the load becomes to high.
So why monitor the balance of an electrical load ? If more electricity is heading out the positive side of a circuit than is returning thru the ground side, that means there is electrical leakage in the circuit.
So where is that leaking electricity going ? Got any tanks with apparently healthy dead fish ?
The single most important thing to remember with any aquarium : water + electricity = death !
This can mean your death, your fishes death or possibly the death of a loved one. Imagine the joy of lying on your fishroom floor with your freshly stopped heart, feeling good you saved that twenty bucks by not buying that GFCI outlet !
Fishroom floods are a given, not a maybe. Your fishroom will flood, soon. Water will be everywhere !
All circuts related to your fishroom NEED GFCI protection.
Any electrical work that you do or needs to get done must be checked by a certified electrician. If this means hiring and paying someone to check your work, do it. If you have friend that can check your work, make sure they actually check your work and don't just drink your beer. Again, better to look like a fool than explain to the nice fireman why you are a fool.
Heat and Humidity.
Part of the reason for choosing the basement as a good place for a fishroom is temperature control. Most of the time, the temperature of a basement is fairly consistent, helping to avoid large swings in temperature from summer to winter. Making the choice as to heat a room or heat aquariums is yours to make.
Personally I prefer to heat individual aquariums and insulate the aquariums with styrofoam insulation. If you choose to heat the fishroom instead, you may want to consider insulating the walls of the fishroom to prevent heat loss.
This gets into other considerations as well, including the use of vapour barriers to prevent condensation. I can't comment much these topics as I simply don't have enough experience.
If you live in an extremely dry climate as I do, the added humidity from a fishroom is welcomed, especially during the winter months. In a humid climate, to help avoid mold and mildew, you will want to find a way to control the humidity.
There are many things that can be done, first, ensure all of your aquariums have tight fitting lids. This alone will make a dramatic reduction in humidity. From there, keeping air moving thru the fishroom is part of the key to success. A fan vented outside is very effective. A humidistat can be added to turn the fan off on as needed.
Another option is a de-humidifier. There are many different makes and models available, although, they can be rather expensive.
Costs and measures.
A fishroom is going to cost money. Money to build it, money to maintain it and money to pay the electricity and water bills.
No matter how you shake and dance, this is going to cost WAY more than you thought it would.
Save money where you can. There is nothing wrong with using used aquariums. If they look old and well used, take the time to clean and reseal them. If you can build a fishroom, you can reseal a few tanks.
Join local aquarium forums and clubs, aquarium keepers always have extra equipment hanging around that you buy/trade for.
Spend money where you need to. No matter how cheap they are, don't use the stack of two by fours that have been sitting in your neighbors back yard for five years to build your aquarium shelves. Even if they really don't look that rotten !
Really, I'm serious. There is absolutely no point to going to all this work just so you can do it all again when it starts to fall apart three months from now. Overbuild anything that needs to handle weight or pressure. Ten years from now, you'll be glad you did.
This project is going to take a lot of time, so spread the costs out over that period of time. No need to burn up the credit card to get all the stuff now.
Measure twice, cut once. The famous old saying. If you're like me, somehow you'll always have a board come out short once in a while. Don't worry, you're human, it's going to happen, plan for it.
Take the time to do things right. In my first fishroom I wanted the water flowing....NOW.
That was my biggest mistake ! Three large floods, more small ones than I care to remember. Popping overloaded circuit breakers. Endless buckets of water. My dream was turning into a nightmare.
I've been working on my new fishroom for over a year now. Bit by bit. The results are worth it !
Nearly fifty tanks of assorted sizes, requiring about two or three hours of maintenance weekly.
No buckets, no popping circuit breakers, no fishroom floods. Did I mention, no buckets ......
Random afterthoughts.
If you have a spouse or significant other, get their seal of approval before you start construction. Just a thought.
Did you read the part about GFCI protection, if not, do it now.
Used building supply stores are great place to get cheap kitchen cabinets to mount in your fishroom to keep your fish supplies in.
A laundry tub sink is a great addition to a fishroom if you have the space for it.
Follow the building of my fishroom here - http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4172
Your thoughts are welcome, did I forget something ?