Whos got the best Garage fishroom advice???

[dkeef]

Ok i think im going little extreme now cuz i now wanna use 1/3 or 1/2 of my 3 car garage for fishroom set up and use rest for workout/play area. maybe leave some space for 1 car to be in garage.
i need some help tho. i used to have multiple saltwater tanks in garage before but wanna design it right this time.

I plan on:
- Garage epoxy floor
- Paint wall
- Looking into Central AC duct connection to garage
- Looking for Garage Ventilation fan with heat and humidity controller.
- Plan on havign various freshwater fish like africans, south american cichlids, odd balls etc. (maybe Discus QT area also).
- Looking to get 1 300+ gal, 1-2 8' Long 240gal, 1-2 6' long 180-220gal. few 20-40gals stacked.

i do have plumbing outlet for water inside garage. so may also install utility sink.
there are no windows in garage but adding skyline tube may cost too much. i do have flourescent lights over whole garage and each tank will have T5 lights needed.
im still lost on how i should plumb filtration for these. central filtration sounds good but with different species, i should separate them all.
should i do drip auto water changer?

anyone whos been doing this well can give me some good advice? what equipment to get? who to hire to save labor???

[John_Nicholson]

Before I built the fish house I had enclosed my garage but I found it too small for me...LOL. I would suggest against a central system. I had drilled all of my tanks so it really made wc's easy. Make sure you get a really good dehumidifier. Also Figure out how many electrical outlets that you think you will need and then double it. I had 1/2 of my outlets out 5 or so feet up on the wall to serve the upper tanks.

-john

[dkeef]

John, why no on central AC?
How do u manage heat in summer and cold in winter?
i dont plan on running chiller in summer and most fish will need 75-78F.(except discus) in winter, i know i can do heaters but by heating whole garage may save more money vs multiple heaters.
also i really dont want individual siphon water change system in this set up. how should it be with overflow drains in all?

[MKD]

uh Dave, i like your upgrade and idea. you saw my set up, im 2nd don't like central sump.

[dkeef]

tony i was gonna ask u. what advice u got on multiple large show tanks in garage?
my main concerns are heat, electricity, humidity(mold) and then maintenance(water change mainly).

[Second Hand Pat]

Dave, they think you are referring to a central filtration system vs AC

[timmy82]

I have 60 tanks set up in part of my shed all tanks are individual and no central fitration incase of an issue in 1 tank wont affect the rest. I run auto water on an irrigation controler with over flow drains in each tank. I have just insulated the whole room to climate control at an air temp of aorund 85f, as I run mostly discus I will still have a heater in each tank to ensure the temp doen't drop too low with water changes ect but they should hardly cycle just their as a safe gaurd. I am moving soon and will be refining from what I have learnt with this build and going from town water to rain tank water supply I will put the over flow water back through the R/O.

[John_Nicholson]

In summer I had a window I left open....when it was really hot I would also leave the door open to the outside world...but of course I live out in the sticks. I like to heat individual tanks because different kinds of fish need different temps and I don't like to be fenced in.

-john

[Skip]

how much difference in water temp of tank and outside ambient room air heat..

since air temp will drop/rise faster than water in tanks..

[MKD]

I don't know much about humidity but you'll need at least roof vent, floor fan and mold resistent materials around the walls will help a lot. definately, won't recommand connect to house central system. My set up runs into 1 breaker using around 3000W without other little things and wash/dry machines but still have a little problem. totally recommand a professional for this job. I love summber that's when i can feel and smell humidity / tropical. If it gets too hot, you can crack the garage door with floor dry fans ($39 @ costco). I am afraid to put all eggs in 1 basket, that's why i don't like central system until im confortable or able to control deceases. Quick turn on / off ball valves and float valves water change system will help to keep you cool. In winter stick your hands in you'll be warm right away and summber you'll be cool right away.

HTH,

Tony


ps: My winter electric bill always 2x or more higher than summer. Also, you can do couple tanks into 1 sump, you'll have couple separate systems but i still don't like it.

[chaoslite]

I think what Dave is referring as far as the central AC and heating is the fact that in CA, summers inside without the air turned on can get up seriously up there. I speak from experience on this one since I do not normally have to use heaters in the summer, in my fish room. Mine got to 92 degrees. As far as winter goes, my house can drop down to 54.

Mishka

[dkeef]

yea i agree with u guys that i wanna avoid connecting tanks together to central filtration due to QT and disease transmission issues.
what im talking about is connecting garage to Central Air conditioned duct system for hot summers and also running more house heaters in garage vs relying solely on individual heaters. i would like to keep garage temp aroud 80-85 as well.
thats all more professional job. would i need professional electrical work done also?

does anyone have a good diaghram of Filtration system that dont mix together but individually does Auto water change ?
auto drain and fill system ideas?

also as far as maintenance cost of water and electricity, gas is concerned, what am i looking at?

[alcastro]

It's allot to think about, my breeders are all connected but I can isolate any one of them by turning a valve off and plug the heater lower water level, it depends on what you want to do, Chad from San Diego has a room that's all insulated and is heated with a mall gas heater, it's allot of work getting different syphon for all tanks, but I only have discus.
Think about the water and electric, I water my all my plants with my water.
AL

[timmy82]

I can get some pictures of mine when I get home. I don't have an auto drain in place yet but water is pysically remove before the auto fill is timed to go on and also in relation to where the fill comes in and over flow out are in opposite ends to in theory purge old water out with new. I still seem to maintain a grwoth of 3/4" - 1" a month with this system. I am lookin at in the new system to incorperate an auto drain but don't want to have the tanks drilled like swiss cheese either. Comfortably working with 6 pairs in cycle atm.

[Skip]

Insulating the tank with pink home depot foam.. and hood will retain alot more heat for ya.

I am going to see how my 10g tanks handle Texas heat.. adoornd what kind of heat swings I will see..

My garage is on 1st floor under sl2 more stories. ... . Between 2 other garages flanking it on each side.. heat will probably be greatest at garage door..I will insulate that