Michigan Cichlid Association
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: JeffroM on March 29, 2012, 01:26:11 PM
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THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS!
So if money wasn't a concern how would you design your basement fishroom? Please share your thoughts / ideas on what should be included in the design!
Floor:
Concrete - Level where tanks are located. Slight slope to floor drains in isle ways
Floor drains as required
Non-slip colored concrete sealant / topping
Walls:
2x4 studded walls w/ insulation
Install a vapor barrier???????????
1/2 plywood sheeting to cover walls
Ceiling:
Insulation between joists
Install a vapor barrier???????????
Lighting:
Heating:
Seperate furnace with its own make up air.
Ducted supply vents near the floor and proper returns.
Huge exhaust fan to be turned on as needed.
Plumbing:
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Plumbing ...
No plumbing? Just fill'r up?! :P
A huge dehumidifier and/or air exchanger is one critical thing I think is missing from the list ATM.
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A drop ceiling is a must!! Heat will rise quickly and a drop ceiling will help keep it in the basement.
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Souds like some good things so far...
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Add a circulating fan (to limit temperature stratification) and waterproofing to the walls and you can (dare I say it...) RULE THE WORLD!
Mike
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If I had my perfect fishroom, it wouldn't be in my basement. I would have it attached to my garage so it was on the first floor. That way, I could have a "fire wall" that would separate it from the rest of the house to eliminate the potential for moisture problems.
For a basement fishroom, I would recommend the following substitutions or additions to what you have listed:
I think I would go with greenboard (moisture resistant drywall like you would use in a bathroom) as opposed to plywood. Mostly because once whatever you paint it with to seal it is breached, you'll see the plywood start swelling up like crazy.
I would also drywall the ceiling as well to help keep in moisture. Insulating the walls and ceiling are a good investment in keeping heat in the room.
I agree with Ron, an air exchanger is a good way to bring in fresh air, lower humidity, and keep most of your heated air.
For electrical, I would run conduit and boxes as opposed to in wall plugs (again, to help keep the room sealed up better).
LED lighting the length of each aisle.
For plumbing, I would have a tankless hot water heater.
I would also have each of my tanks drilled, with a central drainage system to eliminate having to carry buckets or pump water. For filling tanks, I would have a piping system around the room where there would be a fill pipe for each tank. All you would have to do is turn a valve and the tank would fill to either the top of a standpipe or bulkhead. I would also have a way of determining the temperature of the clean water (either some type of mixing valve or automated temp sensor) to ensure the water is the correct temp when refilling.
A sink and work table with good lighting is a must.
A stereo system is another excellent addition. My fish spawn like crazy to 80's hair bands and Metallica :P
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I think it's pretty much nailed. Like Marty, mine would be ideally in a heated garage (watch me build it after I win the lotto). lol
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If I had my perfect fishroom, it wouldn't be in my basement. I would have it attached to my garage so it was on the first floor. That way, I could have a "fire wall" that would separate it from the rest of the house to eliminate the potential for moisture problems.
For a basement fishroom, I would recommend the following substitutions or additions to what you have listed:
I think I would go with greenboard (moisture resistant drywall like you would use in a bathroom) as opposed to plywood. Mostly because once whatever you paint it with to seal it is breached, you'll see the plywood start swelling up like crazy.
I would also drywall the ceiling as well to help keep in moisture. Insulating the walls and ceiling are a good investment in keeping heat in the room.
I agree with Ron, an air exchanger is a good way to bring in fresh air, lower humidity, and keep most of your heated air.
For electrical, I would run conduit and boxes as opposed to in wall plugs (again, to help keep the room sealed up better).
LED lighting the length of each aisle.
For plumbing, I would have a tankless hot water heater.
I would also have each of my tanks drilled, with a central drainage system to eliminate having to carry buckets or pump water. For filling tanks, I would have a piping system around the room where there would be a fill pipe for each tank. All you would have to do is turn a valve and the tank would fill to either the top of a standpipe or bulkhead. I would also have a way of determining the temperature of the clean water (either some type of mixing valve or automated temp sensor) to ensure the water is the correct temp when refilling.
A sink and work table with good lighting is a must.
A stereo system is another excellent addition. My fish spawn like crazy to 80's hair bands and Metallica :P
Hmmm i may have to copy and paste this to an e-mail and apply every thing here. Since i have the OK to build a room like that off the back side of my garage. I just don't have the money right now. But hopefully soon enough. Maybe just after I win the lotto. 8) 8) 8) 8)
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Why, do you think the thread is going to disappear?
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Nahh nothing like that. I would just probly forget all of that stuff you just listed. Then again, just a simple hmm what do i do post on here and i would be all set im sure... 8)
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Plumbing ...
No plumbing? Just fill'r up?! :P
A huge dehumidifier and/or air exchanger is one critical thing I think is missing from the list ATM.
I didn't think a dehumidifier or air exchanger would be needed if the room had a seperate furnace with its own make up air. After thinking about it, some sort of dehumidification would be needed during the summer months when the furnace isn't active much.
A drop ceiling is a must!! Heat will rise quickly and a drop ceiling will help keep it in the basement.
I assumed a finished ceiling of some kind, but it can't drop too much unless the its 15' high.
Add a circulating fan (to limit temperature stratification) and waterproofing to the walls and you can (dare I say it...) RULE THE WORLD!
Mike
During winter months when the furnace is frequently active - if the air distribution and air returns are designed properly there should be a need to circulate it any more. Correct? In summer months when the furnace doesn't activate much then yes it probably would be needed.
Regarding the walls I'm debating between green board finished with gas station bathroom wall material or plywood with a water proof paint. I like the idea of plywood only because I like to mount things in periodic locations without having to worry about stud location. (How much you want to bet Blair uses the last sentence as his signature now?) Probably leaning towards green board.
If I had my perfect fishroom, it wouldn't be in my basement. I would have it attached to my garage so it was on the first floor. That way, I could have a "fire wall" that would separate it from the rest of the house to eliminate the potential for moisture problems.
For a basement fishroom, I would recommend the following substitutions or additions to what you have listed:
I think I would go with greenboard (moisture resistant drywall like you would use in a bathroom) as opposed to plywood. Mostly because once whatever you paint it with to seal it is breached, you'll see the plywood start swelling up like crazy.
I would also drywall the ceiling as well to help keep in moisture. Insulating the walls and ceiling are a good investment in keeping heat in the room.
I agree with Ron, an air exchanger is a good way to bring in fresh air, lower humidity, and keep most of your heated air.
For electrical, I would run conduit and boxes as opposed to in wall plugs (again, to help keep the room sealed up better).
LED lighting the length of each aisle.
For plumbing, I would have a tankless hot water heater.
I would also have each of my tanks drilled, with a central drainage system to eliminate having to carry buckets or pump water. For filling tanks, I would have a piping system around the room where there would be a fill pipe for each tank. All you would have to do is turn a valve and the tank would fill to either the top of a standpipe or bulkhead. I would also have a way of determining the temperature of the clean water (either some type of mixing valve or automated temp sensor) to ensure the water is the correct temp when refilling.
A sink and work table with good lighting is a must.
A stereo system is another excellent addition. My fish spawn like crazy to 80's hair bands and Metallica :P
I don't want to have to go outside to get to my fishroom. I would end up neglecting them too much. An addition to the house is a possibility on the right house - most of the time it doesn't seem realistic though. This is way I'm looking at the basement fishroom.
I agree with your concerns on the plywood, which has me re-thinking that on the walls.
I planned on a finished ceiling, just haven't gotten the time to fill that part in.
When you say " I would run conduit and boxes as opposed to in wall plugs" are you referring to running the conduit and mounting the boxes on the surface of the walls and ceilings? This is for limiting air transfer through the wall?
Why LED lighting? Benefits, etc.?
I agree auto water changing is a must! Not sure of the best method though. Constant drip to all tanks? Water change controlled with sprinkler system controls? Supply water temp issues?
Sink, bench / desk, storage cabinets, and refrig / freezer are must haves as well.
Stereo would need to be for Liza and Barry though! LOL.
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Lol yes Jeff I WAS gonna use that as a new signature... until you said I would.
I'll just let Ryan grab it ;)
My dream fishroom would be an updated version of the belle isle aquarium. The same structure/ building with all new state of the art equipment
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great thread!
I'm going to be doing a new fish room soon at our new house.
separate room in the basement, all green board, an air exchanger for the winter, a dehumidifier for the summer, drip systems on all the tanks, etc
the only thing I'm stuck on is the ceiling. with all the lights, outlets, and air exchanger hanging from the ceiling its gonna be a pain in the arse
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I would also have each of my tanks drilled, with a central drainage system to eliminate having to carry buckets or pump water. For filling tanks, I would have a piping system around the room where there would be a fill pipe for each tank. All you would have to do is turn a valve and the tank would fill to either the top of a standpipe or bulkhead. I would also have a way of determining the temperature of the clean water (either some type of mixing valve or automated temp sensor) to ensure the water is the correct temp when refilling.
I've seen a couple times when people use a drip line in each tank and have it adjusted for about a 5% water change every day. Each tank would have an over flow of some kind from being drilled...as mentioned. but would also be drilled in the sump so as the water trickles in and raises the water level it slowly drains out at the same level. Long as you are using water right out of the tap anyways it would work great...I guess thats one of the benefits of having good well water where im at.
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Another idea for walls and ceiling (since money is no object). Use durarock (cement board) covered with the glazed sheeting you see in gas station bathrooms.
I stopped by to visit my brother at work (he's a commercial carpenter and he's building out a CVS about two miles from me). I actually got the idea from him when I asked him about the drywall they use in the bathrooms (it's purple as opposed to greenboard, but it's essentially the same thing). He indicated the sheeting is pretty expensive at about $30.00 an 8' sheet, but it will last forever.
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In a perfect room I would use Huge tanks and have them split up with dividers and have my water change set ups on a toilet flush system (or sump pump float valve) so you merely have to flip your float valve in the tanks and the water change would drain and refill on its on, And agree with the thankless water heater and central drain set up, The reason I would do this over a drip is cost of water. Just a little more effort in the water change set up but will use lots less water.
If it was in the basement I would use a floor boiler and use radiant heat that way the room is always perfect.
Agree with the durarock sheets every where you can and to make it ever more water proof I would use those vinyl sheets or tar paper rolls (like you do in home made ponds or roofs, boats for the winter) and heat seal the seam so the cycling would be 100% water proof and do the same with the walls, You could potential if the humidity was left to high have it rain in the room.
because of it being super water sealed you would need to do something of a air exchange or dehumidifier, I would look into doing a commercial condenser of some sort to extract the air but I would have the tanks set up with super sealed lids to prevent as much as you can.
My lighting would be set up on led's (timmer moon lights to help increase the breeding) with a control board at the entrance for each section, row or how ever i decided to split it up. To prevent cords of sort I might try and look out new technology that may have a power mat strip through out the walls that way to set up the lights you could use a conductor and touch it to a point on the strip even though the strip is 100% sealed behind the walls and don't have to make direct contact (some very high end places are starting to explore this technology). Not sure if were there yet and you could even do this yet but I would have to do more research to see how fare along we are on it... Or try and make the room 100% wireless powered some way or another, I wouldn't want to compromise the sealed room with outlet boxes or wires running around that are not pleasant to see.
But of course this would be money is not an issue lol... If only I hit the lotto :(
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I've been wanting to update the original post. Just been REALLY busy. I haven't let this thread die though.
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I've been wanting to update the original post. Just been REALLY busy. I haven't let this thread die though.
Two months later and I have the same excuse. LOL.