Shrimpy's 2008 In-Wall Project

[Shrimpy]

Well I have a huge project planned for 2008 and I even got permission from the boss to do it.    Bought a new house (2.5 years old, but new to us) this summer and the first thing I noticed was a room in the basement I could turn into a fish tank room for an in-wall saltwater tank. My 10g nano just isn't doing it for me anymore.   The outside of the room is finished but the interior is not. It has no electrical or plumbing, however the ceiling isn't finished yet either so both will be easy to install. The floor in the room is bare to the concrete which is a great starting point too.

What I am planning to do is build a plywood tank that measures 72 x 30 x 28 (260 gallon)  with a Starphire glass viewing pane and a plywood sump 60 x 24 x 24 (150 gallon) and a possible separate low flow tank later on for seahorses (it may have to wait until 2009 LOL).  I wanted to go bigger with the main tank 72 x 36 x 36 (400g),  but I couldn't since the smallest doorway to the basement has a 29" opening and I'd also have to move the door in the fish tank room.

I have already sourced out most of the materials I will need for the tanks. I plan on running 3x400W MH's so I can have anything I want in the tank. I have to build a stand, run electrical outlets, a drain, water, etc...

Major things I have listed to buy so far (in no particular order) are...
HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator to control moisture in the house)
RO/DI unit
Drywall
Moisture proof Paint (some kind of bathroom paint or oilbased - this is for the walls)
Flooring (not sure, may just paint/epoxy the concrete. Of course drain holes will be drilled to prevent any type of flood. LOL)
Plywood
Misc. lumber
Epoxy Paint
Fiberglass
Glass
Skimmer
Metal Halides
Some type of T5 lighting to compliment the MH's
Pumps (1 for the sump, 1 for closed loop)
Some type of water motion device (i.e. sea swirls, oceans motions 8-way thingy, etc...)
Profilux system w/ dosing pumps, probes, etc...
Live Rock, Sand, Salt,
Plumbing stuff
Electrical sockets, wire, breakers, etc..
and many, many more parts and pieces. 

Of couse being a total newb, I will be seeking all the advice/help I can out of the saltwater folks here. It will be impossible for some mistakes to not be made, however with everyone's help they should be few and far between. This will be a long term project. I have to wait until late spring for the temperature to rise before I can even think of finishing the tanks. I'd rather take my time and do it right the first time than rush it and be disappointed. 

Here are some pics of the room. Oh I will be designing some time of shutters or doors to protect the tank when people are playing pool. The last think I need is a flying pool ball smashing through the tank and causing a super flood! LOL

Here is the outside wall I plan on putting the tank in...


Here is the inside of the room. It is storage for now until I start the project.


This will be a major DIY and I do plan on documenting as much as I can. So stick around for the ride!

[RoxyDog]

Good luck Firedude, it'll be great!   

[sdivell]

I can offer help and advice with the construction of the room, but I'm still a noob myself when it comes to saltwater tanks. 

I look forward to watching this project though.

[groupie02]

Sounds like you'll be having fun in 2008!

Just a couple things I learned the hard way when I did my in-wall.

a) There's never enough room at the top. Especially if your tank is deep. You want to be able to reach in to move stuff around.  Make sure that you can move your lighting out of the way for easy maintenance.

b) Make sure you keep enough room on the sides of the tank. In my case, I drilled the sides of my tank for a closed loop. When the time came to connect all of the plumbing, I had barely enough room for the spa-flex pipes and slip connectors.

c) Remember that you can't see what you're doing when working from the back. You will need the boss to help/guide you from the front of the tank.

Also, think about your water changes. Ensure that you can easily move the water to and from the tank/sump.

Cheers

[jeffd]

I would also highly recommend direct ventilation to the outdoors from your "tank-room". A good exhaust fan not a bathroom fan with a humidity control sensor if possible. For the inside walls of the tank-room, use bathroom grade(green in colour usually) drywall not the regular stuff. I have also heard of some people who will plastic vapour barrier the entire inside room including ceiling. Dealing with the moisture which will be mostly in your tank-room is #1 priority in my books. Failing to do so can and overtime will cause damage to your home, furnace, moisture rot, mold.

my 2 pennies

[sdivell]

A few things from the top of my head: 

I would make all new sill plates be pressure treated lumber and rest them on sill gasket. incase of leakage or spills do prevent any new walls from rotting.

Also you can get a fiberglass drywall - its basically drywall except instead of a paper sheet its fiberglass and will not allow mold to grow on it.  its 10% more expensive but a great option for the bottom 4' (1 sheet width) of the wall just incase of leaks and spills. 

Mold is the enemy they say. 

The HRV unit is a great idea.  Especially in the winter during those cold, dry months you'll be provided the house with warm moist air.  A high qaulity exhaust fan should also be used during the humid hot months not just for the protection of the home but for comfort in the home.  I know its hard to think about now but try and remember hot humid it gets here in August.

[Shrimpy]

Good luck Firedude, it'll be great!   

Thanks Roxy!

[Shrimpy]

Sounds like you'll be having fun in 2008!

Just a couple things I learned the hard way when I did my in-wall.

a) There's never enough room at the top. Especially if your tank is deep. You want to be able to reach in to move stuff around.  Make sure that you can move your lighting out of the way for easy maintenance.

b) Make sure you keep enough room on the sides of the tank. In my case, I drilled the sides of my tank for a closed loop. When the time came to connect all of the plumbing, I had barely enough room for the spa-flex pipes and slip connectors.

c) Remember that you can't see what you're doing when working from the back. You will need the boss to help/guide you from the front of the tank.

Also, think about your water changes. Ensure that you can easily move the water to and from the tank/sump.

Cheers

a)I will have some kind of rail/pulley system for the lights so I can raise/lower and move them.
b) I won't have much room on the sides, but I should be able to squeeze in there. 
c) Copy on the help from the boss! LOL
Water change won't be a problem as I have more room in the laudry room to store water bins which will have pump(s). Same with draining water.

[Shrimpy]

I would also highly recommend direct ventilation to the outdoors from your "tank-room". A good exhaust fan not a bathroom fan with a humidity control sensor if possible. For the inside walls of the tank-room, use bathroom grade(green in colour usually) drywall not the regular stuff. I have also heard of some people who will plastic vapour barrier the entire inside room including ceiling. Dealing with the moisture which will be mostly in your tank-room is #1 priority in my books. Failing to do so can and overtime will cause damage to your home, furnace, moisture rot, mold.

my 2 pennies

That is the main reason for the HRV. I will have the room vented to it so the excess moisture will be sucked to the outside and any humidity that escapes into the house will also be sucked out. Thanks for the tip on the drywall. I will be moisture barriering the whole room.

[Shrimpy]

The HRV unit is a great idea.  Especially in the winter during those cold, dry months you'll be provided the house with warm moist air.  A high qaulity exhaust fan should also be used during the humid hot months not just for the protection of the home but for comfort in the home.  I know its hard to think about now but try and remember hot humid it gets here in August.

Central Air conditioner plus the HRV will get rid of the humidity in the summer months.

[darkdep]

Fantastic, can't wait to see the progress.  Very interested to see how the plywood tank goes, might go that route in future projects

If you can, you may want to consider plumbing a T off from your pump output directly to a drain of some sort...that way you can do the output part of a water change just by turning a couple ball valves (this is what I'm planning for my new DIY tank).

[Tyler.L]

yeah im 100% into helping build this if you need the help...i want my parents to move so i can buy the house and build an in wall like that....but if you need help let me know...