Poomba's Fish Cave

Poomba · 09/08/2011, 03:51 PM

As I plan on making this into a tank journal, I feel like I should give a little back ground to this plan.

I am in the military and have a job where I deploy pretty much every year. Its not nice for the money, but not nice for having a salt water aquarium. However, I have an amazing wife who has learned how to take care of the tank, and as a result, I can keep it.

She and I however, want to automate it as much as possible. We had originally planned on moving into an apartment, where I would have had a 4 foot by 4 foot closet to fit all of my automation equipment in. Now however, we are blessed to be moving into a home all of our own. At first I thought I could use a closet or two to store water tanks for auto water exchanges, maybe even a refrigerated auto feeder like RC "tank of the month" winner Uhuru.

Then I saw this room,

While it might be hard to tell from the pictures, that is a single car garage that was closed in and finished, with water hook ups in the back.

PERFECT for a fish room I said to myself.
So using the excuse of keeping the "Weed growing lights" as my wife refers to them, out of the living area; and automating the system better, I got the ok to turn that room into a Man-Fish Cave!

The plan is right now: to move my 75 softy reef in there, put in large RO/DI and saltwater vats, add two qt tanks, install a stock tank for a massive sump, and add both a frag tank and a 60 gallon-ish SPS tank to the system.

The auto water exchange is pretty much figured out. I am going to put a y valve on the washer hookup, and then run the water into my RO/DI, then pump it in to the next tank over where it will be made up into saltwater for the tank. Then a litermeter will pump it into the sump, and the remote pump module will then pump the old tank water down the washer waste water hook up. Still need to figure out how to plumb that part though... probably will just tap the waste water pipe and thread a john guest fitting onto it for the litermeter tubing.

Im looking at using this for water storage:
http://www.plastic-mart.com/item.aspx?id=456 165 gallon water tank

The whole system is going to be controlled by an Apex that I already have, but am waiting for the move to hook up.

This question I have right now, is what to replace the carpeting with. Its on top of a foam pad, on top of the original concrete flooring. I want something that looks nice, as I dont want to do anything that will make my wife question her sanity for letting me do this. What about doing a laminate wood floor product or a vinyl flooring product through someone like lumber liquidators?
I was looking at this Tranquility 4mm St Cloud Mahogany Click Resilient Vinyl. My main concerns is how the product deals with water damage.

In the next week or two I will take better pictures of the equipment and area, and most of the stuff should be up with in the month.

Thanks for reading!

Ozcha · 09/08/2011, 04:05 PM

Project sounds really cool!
Looking forward to read some updates.

tagging along...

Oz

peppie · 09/08/2011, 06:34 PM

You LUCKY SOB!!!!
Please keep us posted on your thoughts and progress

Gandolfe · 09/09/2011, 07:08 AM

you can get good deals on laminate, it's fairly easy to install, and for what i've read on it pretty water proof, if it does get wet it won't warp like hardwood

TheFishMan65 · 09/09/2011, 08:12 AM

You might consider some the of garage flooring out there. I think they are epoxy. You would not have to worry as much with spills.

Poomba · 09/09/2011, 03:12 PM

Was thinking of doing rubber garage floor panels, but it has to look good, which they dont. Apparently that vinyl product is water proof, and if I run it directly on a rubber pad on the concrete floor, or straight on the concrete floor I shouldnt have much of an issue if any of the water gets between them, as its glued directly down.

Will also be running a dehumidifier 24/7 to deal with any of the issues that might arise with a large amount of water being in the room and being located in the South.

Should be tearing up the carpet this weekend, and then painting, installing flooring, and rigging up the plumbing this coming week and the week after.

It would be 155 to have those two tanks delivered, or I can drive 3 hours one way to pick them up, and then also stop in Atlanta and probably pick up some choice corals to stock the coming frag tank with.

Poomba · 10/01/2011, 03:09 PM

Quick update:

Decided on just leaving the carpet, because it might as well soak up any spills. Either way its going to be destroyed.

The tanks arrived and are in position. Ill be plumbing in the water change system this weekend.

Here are the tanks, 165 gallons each.

The plumbing, pre-modification.

Poomba · 10/01/2011, 07:31 PM

I was approaching the pluming in a complicated manner that was all wrong.
Yeesh. Instead of cutting and drilling and tapping, Im just going to Y off the existing the washer connection with a brass fitting, and then the waste outlet is going to be zip tied and snaked down the waste pipe.

Went to go get a pump from RC member ReefWaters, and ended up leaving with a pump, ice cap ballast, a box of random goodies, and the piece de resistance: glass to make two 58X19X12 frag tanks

Probably going to build one into a frag tank, and the other into a refugium or not reef safe tank. So pumped.

peppie · 10/01/2011, 11:40 PM

Poomba,
IMO you should have gotten rid of that carpet. I think in the future you will be sorry.
If it is not to late, it will be much easier to do now than later when every thing is built on top of it.
You will be kicking your self in the butt later.
Dude this is a big investment in time and money. Please take your time and do what NEEDS to be done.

Girly Gears · 10/02/2011, 08:50 AM

Poomba, trust me the garage floor paint thing is the way to go. If you can get the kind with an anti-slip texture media. (Ask me how I know about that, no wait, don't.) Can't tell you all the awful things I have spilled on it working on cars and it just comes right up. If you are into doing some mods to the floor sink a floor drain there. Wish I had one lol.

Poomba · 10/02/2011, 09:06 AM

How hard is it to sink a floor drain? Ill probably get a few buddies to help me rip up the floors this week. Maybe just get drunk and do it tonight.

jhentr · 10/02/2011, 09:20 AM

Do remove the carpet. I'll get spills, stink and also turn whiteish because of the salt that is left after evaporation. You are luck if it's concrete underneath - just epoxy it and be done with it. Add some nice rug over the non-water parts and you'll be good to go.

I epoxy mines and it's better than bare concrete. Spills wipes up easily since it just sits there instead of soaking into the concrete and causing water marks.

09/08/2011, 03:51 PM	#1
Poomba Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 164	Poomba's Fish Cave As I plan on making this into a tank journal, I feel like I should give a little back ground to this plan. I am in the military and have a job where I deploy pretty much every year. Its not nice for the money, but not nice for having a salt water aquarium. However, I have an amazing wife who has learned how to take care of the tank, and as a result, I can keep it. She and I however, want to automate it as much as possible. We had originally planned on moving into an apartment, where I would have had a 4 foot by 4 foot closet to fit all of my automation equipment in. Now however, we are blessed to be moving into a home all of our own. At first I thought I could use a closet or two to store water tanks for auto water exchanges, maybe even a refrigerated auto feeder like RC "tank of the month" winner Uhuru. Then I saw this room, While it might be hard to tell from the pictures, that is a single car garage that was closed in and finished, with water hook ups in the back. PERFECT for a fish room I said to myself. So using the excuse of keeping the "Weed growing lights" as my wife refers to them, out of the living area; and automating the system better, I got the ok to turn that room into a *Man-Fish Cave! The plan is right now: to move my 75 softy reef in there, put in large RO/DI and saltwater vats, add two qt tanks, install a stock tank for a massive sump, and add both a frag tank and a 60 gallon-ish SPS tank to the system. The auto water exchange is pretty much figured out. I am going to put a y valve on the washer hookup, and then run the water into my RO/DI, then pump it in to the next tank over where it will be made up into saltwater for the tank. Then a litermeter will pump it into the sump, and the remote pump module will then pump the old tank water down the washer waste water hook up. Still need to figure out how to plumb that part though... probably will just tap the waste water pipe and thread a john guest fitting onto it for the litermeter tubing. Im looking at using this for water storage: http://www.plastic-mart.com/item.aspx?id=456 165 gallon water tank The whole system is going to be controlled by an Apex that I already have, but am waiting for the move to hook up. This question I have right now, is what to replace the carpeting with. Its on top of a foam pad, on top of the original concrete flooring. I want something that looks nice, as I dont want to do anything that will make my wife question her sanity for letting me do this. What about doing a laminate wood floor product or a vinyl flooring product through someone like lumber liquidators? I was looking at this Tranquility 4mm St Cloud Mahogany Click Resilient Vinyl. My main concerns is how the product deals with water damage. In the next week or two I will take better pictures of the equipment and area, and most of the stuff should be up with in the month. Thanks for reading! Last edited by Poomba; 09/08/2011 at 03:59 PM. Reason: grammar*

09/09/2011, 08:12 AM	#5
TheFishMan65 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,618	You might consider some the of garage flooring out there. I think they are epoxy. You would not have to worry as much with spills. __________________ Click my home page for Thread Summaries Current Tank Info: 75 gallon lps and fish

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09/08/2011, 04:05 PM	#2
Ozcha Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 29	Project sounds really cool! Looking forward to read some updates. tagging along... Oz

09/08/2011, 06:34 PM	#3
peppie Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,883	You LUCKY SOB!!!! Please keep us posted on your thoughts and progress

09/09/2011, 07:08 AM	#4
Gandolfe Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: New Port Richey,Florida Posts: 849	you can get good deals on laminate, it's fairly easy to install, and for what i've read on it pretty water proof, if it does get wet it won't warp like hardwood

09/09/2011, 03:12 PM	#6
Poomba Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 164	Was thinking of doing rubber garage floor panels, but it has to look good, which they dont. Apparently that vinyl product is water proof, and if I run it directly on a rubber pad on the concrete floor, or straight on the concrete floor I shouldnt have much of an issue if any of the water gets between them, as its glued directly down. Will also be running a dehumidifier 24/7 to deal with any of the issues that might arise with a large amount of water being in the room and being located in the South. Should be tearing up the carpet this weekend, and then painting, installing flooring, and rigging up the plumbing this coming week and the week after. It would be 155 to have those two tanks delivered, or I can drive 3 hours one way to pick them up, and then also stop in Atlanta and probably pick up some choice corals to stock the coming frag tank with.

10/01/2011, 03:09 PM	#7
Poomba Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 164	Quick update: Decided on just leaving the carpet, because it might as well soak up any spills. Either way its going to be destroyed. The tanks arrived and are in position. Ill be plumbing in the water change system this weekend. Here are the tanks, 165 gallons each. The plumbing, pre-modification.

10/01/2011, 07:31 PM	#8
Poomba Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 164	I was approaching the pluming in a complicated manner that was all wrong. Yeesh. Instead of cutting and drilling and tapping, Im just going to Y off the existing the washer connection with a brass fitting, and then the waste outlet is going to be zip tied and snaked down the waste pipe. Went to go get a pump from RC member ReefWaters, and ended up leaving with a pump, ice cap ballast, a box of random goodies, and the piece de resistance: glass to make two 58X19X12 frag tanks Probably going to build one into a frag tank, and the other into a refugium or not reef safe tank. So pumped.

10/01/2011, 11:40 PM	#9
peppie Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,883	Poomba, IMO you should have gotten rid of that carpet. I think in the future you will be sorry. If it is not to late, it will be much easier to do now than later when every thing is built on top of it. You will be kicking your self in the butt later. Dude this is a big investment in time and money. Please take your time and do what NEEDS to be done.

10/02/2011, 08:50 AM	#10
Girly Gears Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Deland, Fl Posts: 121	Poomba, trust me the garage floor paint thing is the way to go. If you can get the kind with an anti-slip texture media. (Ask me how I know about that, no wait, don't.) Can't tell you all the awful things I have spilled on it working on cars and it just comes right up. If you are into doing some mods to the floor sink a floor drain there. Wish I had one lol.

10/02/2011, 09:06 AM	#11
Poomba Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 164	How hard is it to sink a floor drain? Ill probably get a few buddies to help me rip up the floors this week. Maybe just get drunk and do it tonight.

10/02/2011, 09:20 AM	#12
jhentr Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Inland Empire, Ca Posts: 559	Do remove the carpet. I'll get spills, stink and also turn whiteish because of the salt that is left after evaporation. You are luck if it's concrete underneath - just epoxy it and be done with it. Add some nice rug over the non-water parts and you'll be good to go. I epoxy mines and it's better than bare concrete. Spills wipes up easily since it just sits there instead of soaking into the concrete and causing water marks.