Big tank/Office build

[Steve]

First off I have to thank Tony for remembering that I was looking for this size tank awhile back and getting a hold of me. You're a good guy Tony and I appreciate you holding onto the tank for me till I could get the money to ya after the holidays. Thanks

Well I've been waiting for my new tank to get here till I started this thread, now that it is here I figured I'd start a build thread for my latest project. I run a home based business building custom fly rods and since it has become a pretty successful business these last few years I have been wanting/needing to set up a home office for it. So I decided to build the office in the other side of the basement next to my workshop. Of course this meant adding a tank or else what sort of fish guy would I be?   So I decided since it's the basement I would not have to worry about weight on the floor so I could go BIG. So today the tank and stand were delivered by the guys I hired to pick it up and bring it downstairs for me. Since I'm not as young as I use to be, have a bad shoulder (rotator cuff) and as hard as it is to get enough friends together at the same time, plus a truck to haul the big tank & stand in, and the fact that carrying 450lbs downstairs is not something I was looking forward to doing....I think hiring the guys to do it was the smartest move I have made in quite awhile.

I started by cleaning out the area where the future office will be built. I wish I had remembered to take a pic before I started because with years and years of "stuff" being stuck in the basement it was literally floor to ceiling and wall to wall. I ended up hauling 92 bags of junk out of the basement and to the curb. This picture is actually after 4 soild 8-10hr days of cleaning if you can believe that!



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Then finally after about 2 weeks of work I had a clean slate to start with...
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Then finally after months of waiting, due to trying to get everything set up and one thing after another not going right, today the tank was finally delivered.

265 gallon 7ft long x 2ft wide x 31" tall. By far the biggest tank I have ever owned.
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Now the actual FUN stuff will be able to begin. Plans are to tear out the ceiling and install I nice new ceiling in the basement, then tear up and replace the floor. Then build a wall in front off the tank which the tank will be flush with the wall so it will be a built in tank where I can sit at my office desk in front of which will be nice. Plans also include drywalling the entire office and painting. Then if you guys remember either of my 55g tank builds with the 3D backgrounds I made and the cold cathode cave lighting I did? I plan to do a 7ft 3D background for this tank that also uses some cold cathode back lighting. Haven't decided "exactly" what style I plan to do yet, but I want it to hopefully blow away what I have done in the past is my hope. One twist I plan on doing which is a bit wild but if I pull it off right I think it will be pretty darn cool is this. Once I get the new wall erected where the tank will be built into, I plan on covering the entire wall with foam, shaping/drylocking/painting adding moss etc etc to it (think Batcave here lol). So basically the tank with it's rock background will be built flush into an entire wall that has the same rock background floor to ceiling.

I'll keep pics updated as I progress on this over the next couple months.

[NorthernAquatic]

Have fun, it looks like the hard part of cleaning up the room may have been the most work.

I like the wood walls in the room. Tongue and groove?

[Steve]

Yeah old Tongue and groove that was from when the house was originally built (mid-late 50's I think).

[danielratti]

There was actually a floor under there huh?

[Steve]

Yeah and the bonus is I think the tiles are actually asbestos (I'm only half kidding because I think they actually my be  )

[GrizzlysDad]

Yeah and the bonus is I think the tiles are actually asbestos (I'm only half kidding because I think they actually my be  )

If you have any doubts, just keep them all wet while tearing them out and discarding them.
You could always leave them in place. If there are broken tiles where it leaves an uneven surface you could apply a skim coat made to level the floor. Then just recover the floor however you planned.

[Steve]

I planed on wearing a mask but I will keep them wet as well Tony that's a good idea. Because I seriously am about 50/50 as thinking they could be asbestos. They are also original to the house (1950's) and they are about 1/4" kind'a brittle and seem different than any floor tile I have ever seen. Probably better safe than sorry.

[NorthernAquatic]

I was lucky enough to work with asbestos from 1984-1988. I am starting to pay for that pleasure now.

If you really suspect that it is asbestos, think about wearing a full bunny suit, and a respirator.

[Regalblue]

Great to see this is starting to come together for you.

[Stan M.]

If your tile is 9inx9in its a good chance is asbestos.I know this because iam a flooring installer.Most of the times its best to just gp over it.

[Steve]

You nailed that one Stan, I just went down and took a tape to it and they are exactly 9"x9". Since that's the case then I think maybe I will do as you suggested and just wash them down and then put the new floor over it. Last thing I want to do is start messing with asbestos

[Steve]

Question for you guys that maybe have built in wall tanks, or guys with fish rooms because I'm sure you might have had to deal with this issue before. While doing some measuring and figuring things out tonight about the wall I plan to build in front of the tank and such I got to thinking. With building the tank into a wall with the wall right up against it, even when I get some glass lids cut for it am I going to have any issues with the new wall (drywall wall) and humidity/moisture from the tank right up against the wall? Would sealing the back of the drywall be something to consider or am I worrying about something that won't even be an issue?

[NorthernAquatic]

If you can get rid of the drywall, I would. Otherwise if you can't, try painting it with a good kitchen/bathroom high humidity type of paint.

Humidity is a big problem for fish rooms. But since everyones fish room is different, we each need to handle it differently.

[Ron]

For drywall, "greenboard" is a moisture-resistant version that you could use near the tank instead of standard drywall.

An alternative would be cement board. This is also water resistant, though it's sold in different dimensions than normal drywall and might not paint over as nicely. I'm in the process of using it for a surround around my wood fireplace and will be covering it with either tile or rock rather than paint myself.

[Steve]

I actually used cement board to patch a spot in the ceiling when I redid the computer room last summer, found it a bit hard to work with and also to finish over as you mentioned. I have heard of greenboard but never used it, I'll check into that because that sounds like the best option for me.