my first marine tank build thread ...

[dipan]

I figured I might as well start one of these. Here's a drawing of what I plan to do in the next several weeks.



The main tank (blue) is going to be about 45"W x 28"D x 30"H. I'll know better measurements after the construction is finished. I was waiting for a way to "customize" our new home so that we feel it really is ours. This didn't happen for me in our old house until I had "fixed it up" to our liking after a few years. The display tank will be visible on only one side. I'm not sure yet whether or not I'll have a "window" visible on the left (top of blue rectangle in picture) side. That's the dining room on that side with the front pointing to my bedroom and main entry/foyer. There's a relatively shallow "art niche" there right now where I want to put the tank. The closet in the dining room will be sacrificed and the door will serve as an entry to my "fish room" where all the equipment will be. The room will be about 8' x 6' and will house the sump, my old freshwater tank converted into a propagation tank & refugium, and a utility sink! The return pump will prob be there under the sink. I always wanted a fish room ever since I was struck by this aquarium hobby ...

[hobogato]

looks like a good starting plan, it will be nice to have a room for everything. dont forget to plan for extra electrical outlets on at least two circuits. also, dont forget to plan for your RODI - supply line and drain line.

[dipan]

looks like a good starting plan, it will be nice to have a room for everything. dont forget to plan for extra electrical outlets on at least two circuits. also, dont forget to plan for your RODI - supply line and drain line.

I was thinking one 20 amp circuit, but maybe you're right ... I'll have two. GFCI every 6" !!!

I've already contacted buckeyefieldsupply and have plans for an RO/DI with two or maybe three 55 gallon storage barrels outside the fish room ...

[Troutmasters02]

Looks like a sweet build, take lots of photos and yell if you want some help.

[dipan]

Looks like a sweet build, take lots of photos and yell if you want some help.

Thanks for the offer! If I can't convince a builder to do it for me (time issues) I might just do it myself. I've built a 1000 sqft basement before so this shouldn't be too big a deal ...

Anyone have any recommendations for flooring? I was thinking either concrete (slab) maybe stained, or tiling the slab ...

[brewercm]

Those would be my choices. I originally had carpet in my house and eventually ripped it all out and tile put in.

[sharkboy]

definitely no carpet...it would be great if you could have a built in drain since you are likely to have a water spill at some point!

[dipan]

definitely no carpet...it would be great if you could have a built in drain since you are likely to have a water spill at some point!

Yeah, that would be ideal, but I'd have to tear apart the concrete slab to do it. I don't even know if there are any drains in the slab that I could tee into in that area either. Just a little more work than I'm willing to do and I don't want any contractors to take a jackhammer to my house just yet I'm at least happy that there will be a nice large utility sink in there. And if I leave a fish net or some pump parts in there or something, its OKAY!!! Hehe ...

[ReefCube]

just by the drawing i can tell this will be great

[allan]

As far as the eventual spill (I've been thinking about this since the 10 gallon saltwater rinse I gave my living room (fortunately I have a tiled first floor)) this is what I was considering for my in wall system.

The other side of my potential wall is a large pantry. I was thinking about placing a shallow plastic basin beneath the build. My washer/dryer is upstairs and the washer sits in a shallow metal basin to capture spilled water. Basically a floor made of plastic that extends about a foot further than your setup's footprint with a two inch lip.

Would something like that work for your fish room? A simple sensor is needed that when it becomes wet it will shut off your pumps and sound an alarm... or perhaps the latter and leave the former for you. I'm thinking if you aren't home though...