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Author Topic: 90gal in wall build  (Read 1383 times)

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Offline Matt Graybill

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90gal in wall build
« on: October 17, 2020, 10:51:13 »
I plan to add a 90gal reef tank into a basement renovation project.  I want to put it on the corner of a new wall and will have service space behind the wall.  Adding an RODI unit nearby to run a water line into a drum for top offs and changes. Does anyone have any suggestions on how much space to allow in the service space (since I can pretty much design that as I want), or any other thoughts?  Thinking of a 36X24X25 tank too given where it will be located.  Comments on dimensions welcome too.  Thanks!!

Offline dbowman

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Re: 90gal in wall build
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2020, 12:57:37 »
how tall is the space?
does it have exposed floor joists or finished ceiling?
what dimensions are you thinking of for mixing station?
are you thinking of any tanks in the service space besides sump?
are you doing quarantine?
what kind of cover on the 90 were you thinking?
what type of lighting?
since in-wall, how much will be extended from the wall?
are you going to cover the rear glass or be able to see through from/to the service space?
is there a floor drain in the service space or basement?
will there be drainage through the wall on the floor or will it be sealed?
are you putting the utilities or any other house functions into the service space or is it strictly for the aquarium?
will there be air flow capability in the service space?
is the basement wall insulated?
these considerations might help you plan the space/wall have fun, SW is not for the decision averse type. modeling the processes that will take place will help you decide how you want things to be arranged. experience in doll house or farming play are an asset here.


Offline Matt Graybill

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Re: 90gal in wall build
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2020, 14:03:55 »
So the space is unfinished basement space with concrete floor, 8' high with exposed floor joist above.  Did not have a particular idea in mind for mixing station and would like suggestions.  Had intended to place sump below the tank.  The tank support will be constructed vs purchased.  I was not thinking of additional tanks, or quarantine beyond sump but I have practically as much "service" space as I want so don't want to be short sighted.  I also don't want to overlook quarantine although the two shops I have talked with suggest that is not an essential these days.  I would like the tank (both long and short sides since I would like to put it on a corner) to be flush with the wall but don't know what I am not thinking about that would bear on that.  Figured I would cover the rear glass.  Unfortunately no floor drain.  The service space will be in current unfinished space so I may just want to not enclose it to allow for air circulation and growth of service area needs. 
Am also thinking about what height I want the tank to be.  It will sit in a wall that will be perpendicular to and about 3 feet away from a bar I am having built at the same time and am thinking that having the aquarium bottom at the same height as the bar top might produce the best look (also would make sump easier to get to).  Always hated to have to stoop down to get a good look at an aquarium.  Comments and suggestions welcome!!!

Offline dbowman

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Re: 90gal in wall build
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2020, 16:41:55 »
What you describe sounds very cool. with the tank that high you would have plenty of room for the sump below it.
 i guess i am visualizing your tank wall perpendicular to the basement wall with the last 36 inches to the corner cut out then the hole going away from the bar 24 inches with the side wall showing from that side. If that is right, how far from the basement wall would the tank hole be?
  with no floor drain i would build up the floor to allow a small containment basin around the tank and mixing station. this would slope slightly to a sump with a pump in it plumbed to whatever drain you do have. in addition i would want some kind of utility sink for the water change waste, cleaning water, and the RODI waste to go into. if the wall is standard stud construction i would consider  how the lights would hang and whether the part inside of the wall is shadowed. i would protect the hole in the wall from splash or other moisture and make sure it is sealed so that wall debris does not fall into the tank. the quarantine question was in reference to concerns i had read about that suggested aerosol contamination of the qt/dt/sump if the qt was closer than 6 feet from the system.
which mine is, lol. if you are going to have a DT in-wall having the wall open to the room seems counter to the presentation: noise/light/clutter.
depending on what size water changes you are considering, i would want SW storage of twice that. I have 100 gal system. i change 15 gal at a time. i have 30-32 gal drums one for FW, one for SW. I can make up 2 changes at a time, use one, and have enough spare water to do another or make adds if the salinity drops. i am going with the economy version til i see how much water i actually need. having everything in one area saves the need to hard plumb everything, yet gives me the opportunity to add sophistication at a later time as i learn. one thing you might consider is the ability to feed from the front in case you want to show someone the feeding behavior of your animals.

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: 90gal in wall build
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2020, 23:36:56 »
My thoughts on a corner tank would be either to find a used 90g bowfront corner tank or corner a 4x2x2 120g so your main viewing angle isn't a hard edge and you'll get more length for your fish to swim. I have my 120 cornered and thankfully have a coat closet on the back side that I cut a hole in the wall for easy access. Other options that would be on my must have short list if possible would be an external overflow and a sump that was not under the stand.

Offline ohioreef

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Re: 90gal in wall build
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2020, 23:55:26 »
Good luck finding a 90g corner tank. I’ve been looking and can’t find one!

Offline Matt Graybill

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Re: 90gal in wall build
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2020, 07:00:29 »
So length is a good question.  Do you think a 36x24x25 is too boxy, not long enough?  I do have flexibility on that and in part I want to wait until I get the drawings from my remodeling contractor to decide on length from an aesthetic point of view.  I do want to stick with a rectangular DT. 
I will have a sinks in both the bar and bathroom, both of which will be 10 feet away.  My sump pump will also be about 10 feet away and I guess I could plumb a line to carry waste water up to the ceiling and across to the sump pump well or a sink drain line.
Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions!

Offline dbowman

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Re: 90gal in wall build
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2020, 08:54:48 »
go to the home page and look at the tank size/weight tab. you will find the standard dimensions and volumes of tanks. these are standard sizes because they work for most situations. you can have a custom built tank to your specs but i would guess pricey. there are also fish that you may want that do better with longer straight line swim distances. when you are looking at lighting 24 inch multiples seem to be the standard. when deciding think about how you will be doing maintenance. what type of overflow system will you be using. how will you reach the various areas and pieces of plumbing/equipment if they need attention. 


  As far as the drain, i would consider sneaking along the wall if possible rather than up 8 feet, you will get better flow. i expect that isn't an option because the plumbing is on the opposite side of the room.
   When i was looking at a 48x18x21 75 gal for my dining room the skimmer i chose that would fit into the cabinet created a problem. i set up a test system in the basement. i was doing some DIY design and wanted to test the items in a model prior to final set up. i measured the height of the 75 and the dimensions of the stand cabinet. i built a stand for a bowfront that i bought that would hold it at the same tank lip height as the 75 and set the baffles in a sump to sit behind it on the floor. this would let me test the return pump and the DIY overflow that i found on youtube. they worked well by the way. but the protein skimmer would not run sitting on the floor of the sump. it needed 4 inches of platform to keep from bubbling over. this would not fit in the cabinet.
  I talked it over with some people and really liked the idea of not having the sump in the dining room with the tank. i thought about going through the floor and having the sump in the basement with the mixing station and deep sink, it is not a living/entertaining space like yours.
  the problem i had is that where i wanted the tank to be was directly above the  water heater and furnace/AC. i almost abandoned the idea because what i would have to do would be drop through the floor and elbow over in the basement ceiling then down to a sump. that would put all that water above expensive equipment and create plumbing issues that i didn't consider wise. I realized that across the dining room was a corner that i had a 55 gal FW in. below it in the basement was just a shelf unit. DAMN!! i really like the result so far.
  i said all that to illustrate that if you have options on placement look at what you want to accomplish and move the pieces around to see if there is an optimal fit that accomplishes your goals. if passive drainage is not an option i would consider a floor alarm for spills and a wet/dry vac on hand for housekeeping.  for water changes, hoses that you can run to the bar or toilet when you need them might be a better option than overhead plumbing as a start.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2020, 09:40:02 by dbowman »

 

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