Fish room setup questions

[Loon36cf]

Ok this is a question about fish rooms when creating stands and spaces for tanks is it about maximizing the amount of tanks or making it to where everything is more visible I just noticed its hard to see the bottom tanks on say a 3 tier stand but then again you would lose uite a bit of room. Does anyone really care when they go to someone's fish room and have a hard time seeing certain thugs or is it more of the overall visual of the multiple tanks and fish that are in them?

[Regalblue]

It all depends on if you want (or have) to maximize space or not.
 For instance - I have to maximize space so my tanks are sideways.  But, I wish I had the room to do as Josh (jcunningham) has & have all my tanks display worthy.

[Loon36cf]

That makes sense now would you create the racks based on why you have or what you want ?

[Regalblue]

My racks were left for me by the previous inhabitants.  So I worked around them.

As far as the bottom tanks not being veiwable - Yes I cannot stand it. I usually stock them with the species that I don't care to study everyday. 

[Loon36cf]

Maybe I could do a bunch of ten gallons on the bottom racks for fry? Or would that be a bad idea? But I guess lets say I have 9 tanks 10 gallon up to a 90 I'm going to probably use all of those in the fish room and get a couple 6 foot tanks for show tanks should I map out what I have first and go from there or what I would like to have and stick to that plan? Mainly because we all know how it goes we may not need lets say a 55 gallon but if its a great deal we won't pass it up.

[lilscoots]

I planned for what I wanted to get, waited for a $1 per gallon sale, some nice finds on craigslist and filled the racks as I got the tanks, sold off my tanks that didn't fit the design I wanted as soon as I was able to get other tanks to move the fish into.  I had a lot of wall space so I set up my tanks in display orientation.  I wish my ceilings were just a little bit taller so I could get 8" between top rim and bottom of next shelf instead of  the 6" I had to go with.  going with 10 gallons on the bottom isn't a bad idea.

[jamarini]

A couple other considerations...

Depending up on how your room is heated, you may have temperature stratification in the room in which case the tanks on the low rows will be cooler than those above.  Putting fry in the low rack will mean they will grow more slowly than if they were in tanks on the top row.  The same principle applies for spawners; they will spawn earlier and more often generally speaking if they are warmer than cooler.

Also, it'll be much more efficient and visually pleasing if your racks are constructed with tanks of the same dimensions, especially in each row.  It'll be easier to do maintenance and if you have a leak or other need to remove a tank, it's always better to have a clean, ready-to-go spare tank to plug right in of the same size and not have to find other arrangements for the fish involved.

[djlamonica]

Defiantly plan for what you want draw some scetches then purchase the tanks needed for the way you actually want it.  Then sell the tanks you don't use or didn't fit.

[RichE]

Learn from all my Mishaps

[Ron]

As far as the bottom tanks not being veiwable - Yes I cannot stand it. I usually stock them with the species that I don't care to study everyday.

x2! Tanks near the floor are hard to see, hard to siphon, and are only used when I have nothing higher available.

The only trick I've found is to put tall tanks on the lowest level. I like my 5' 120 22"+ tall and sits 6" off the floor. I hate my 10s and 20Ls that sit 4" off the floor. My 18" tall tanks sitting 4" off the floors I teeter on the brink.

[Loon36cf]

Ya that's my thing I was wondering on opinions of the bottom tanks cause I like seeing people's fish rooms and looking at all the fish but I don't want to jump on my knees and start crawling around te floor haha. But thank you guys for all the great advice I have a lot to think about and figure out. I move in to my new house in September which is perfect timing since it will e getting cold soon after so I will have plenty of time to construct everything. So I want to start planning how I want my basement situated. Awesome awesome advice everyone thank you.

Any other advice or mishaps that you have had that I can possible learn from or tricks you have figured out would be greatly appreciated.

[djlamonica]

Yes if I was to redo my fish room I would have lowered the uper racks and raise my tanks from the floor.  I was really concerened about arm room to work in the tanks but I way over estimated what you actually need.  Also even with a floor drain draining tanks on the floor take forever.