1 Room, many tanks!

[cucci67]

I am thinking about creating a "Fish Room" in my basement. The room is about 20'x15'. If I were to make this I would have to clear out the room as it is being used for storage now. I haven't asked my parents about it yet, I first must research it.

I would have in there:

55 gallon
15 White Clouds, 2 Blue Rams, 4 Otos, 6 Cories
29 gallon
2 Convicts
10 gallon brackish
1 Figure Eight Puffer
10 gallon
Undecided
5 gallon
Ghost Shrimp
25 gallon (maybe)
Couple small African Cichlids

What do you guys think about the idea and the fish. If it isn't worth it I will not do it. I would be breeding most of the fish, and maybe the shrimp.

[solar-ton]

sounds good.do you have a place to empty the water from water changes?

[cucci67]

Thats my only problem! I realized that after I posted this. I have no plumbing in my basement, and that just might riun the plans. Although if I were to jsut walk uo the steps I have a bathroom located right next to the basement door. I usually dump water in the toilet, but to fill 5 gallon containers I would need to go upstaris again to the 2nd floor to the tub.

[cucci67]

Or, I just thought about using a gravel vac. Place the fat end under the sink spout, and let the water run to a 5 gallon. Maybe I could convince them to put plumbing in the wall and a laundry tub in that room. I'm sure my parents aren't going to like this idea.

[icp]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...&N=2004+113164 <--- clik

[mlefev]

I know that not all basements are built this way, but does your basement have a sump-pump to drain water that might leak into the basement during the rainy season? If so, that would be a good start of how to drain tanks. As far as getting water to them....there's always the choice of a very clean hose and a sink attachment, depending on how far the basement is from either a kitchen sink, or an outdoor faucet.

If not, I can tell you that in a lot of houses (especially older ones) it is a royal pain in the backside to get any kind of plumbing set up. A lot of them have brick behind the apparent walls, or the walls are just brick. If there's a crawl space to get under the rest of the house in there, or if there are visible pipes, you might be able to get a valve installed for a hose.

[solar-ton]

lol my basement has a sink like 2' away from the tanks.i think if you got a long enough siphon you could pump it out or you could alyaws do the self-sustaining planted tank,or if you have a window you could pump it out there.

[cucci67]

My basement does not get flooded ever. It is finished just like the rest of the house. Drywall painted, carpet, ceiling. My house is modern (15 years old), and if I were to think o this before it would be easier since we just got an addition.

[fishboy]

your lucky to even have any hope, i was dying to turn my basement into a fishroom and i think my parents would have let me if we didn't have a summer home in jerey and the tanks didn't have to be move every year, if not i would have...i'd say at east 5-10 free/cheap tanks running (i have a knack for getting stuff free or for a very low price). If your dad is a good handyman i bet he could run a water line for you

[Damon]

The idea is good, but you will have a few problems. If you plan on breeding, you will need many more tanks, (if you're going to do it right). You will need fry tanks, and depending on the species you will be breeding, you may want to seperate sexes. Other than that and the minor ideas others have mentioned, go for it! You'll will also want to get backup heaters, filters, and maybe a 100gpd R.O. unit.

[cucci67]

I have found a great deal for 3 10g tanks for $10. I will probably pick up those tanks as breeders if I follow through with the idea. I will get some cheap sponge filters for th efry tanks. I will be selling the fry to my LFS as they get a little older.

[mlefev]

Well obviously, you'd have to have the proper shelving, etc. to support the weight of the tanks. Many shelves installed in homes can be re-enforced by simple metal brackets mounted to the shelf and studs in the wall. This can be done quite easily with a stud-finder and an electric drill. Also, if your parents have the blueprints of the house, with a little research, it's usually possible to figure out where the water piping is in the house. Some blueprints actually spell it out for you. If your home is part of a housing development, sometimes you can find them at the county offices. I'm just saying this, because I don't think your parents would like chopping holes in the ceiling of the basement to look for the water lines.

As was mentioned before, if you have windows at the top of your basement, you may be able to just run a clean hose through there and fill up buckets as necessary. Any materials you would use to get it set up would be paid for relatively quickly by selling the fish to a fish store as long as you kept breeding them consistently.

Personally, I think it sounds like a great idea. If I had a room to spare for fish, I would be doing the same thing. If you explain it all to your parents, and have all the details figured out before hand, you have a better chance of getting them to go along with it. Plus, I'm sure they would rather have you at home working on your fish tanks, instead of a lot of other things teenagers can get into trouble doing. Of course, I don't know your parents, but mine generally would help me out with projects as long as they were reasonable, and they didn't end up having to do ALL of the work.

[mr.dark-saint]

There was a good old school how to books out years ago "For What it's worth Vol. 1&2" from FAMA (Fresh And Marine Aquariums)

First thing you'll need to do it to paint the whole room with gloss paint for the tanks will evaporate the water and mildew will ensue what once was a dry room. A Vent. System will be a nice add on help with the humidity.

Easiest way of moving water out of the basement without a sink is a 55 Gallon garbage can (or there about size) with wheels and a water pump with a hose long enough to go up a flight of stairs or window. The wheeled trash can is used to do water changes from tank to tank and you place the water pump and hose to move the water that is filling the trash can up and out. Also if you have city water with chlorines you can de-chlore before putting it to the tank by filling in the trash can first (as stated before wheels are nice). For the sump pump some are oil filled which I'd pass on then you can pick up a Mag-Drive Sealed type with large enough water moving capabilities (there's usually a chart on the box that will tell you how much they can push the water up so many feet per hour). No drilling or cutting here.

As for stands I like 2X4's and 4X4's. The metal bracets on studs will usually pull out from the weight. A circular saw and a weekend you can convert the basement to a Oasis of Calm.

Also, if you're going into an opperation I'd get a 1/4 or 1/2 horse power air pump instead of all those too small (yet multitudes) of air pumps. For the 1/4 & 1/2 all you need are PVC tubes and fittings to make it one line does it all. You'll need metal valves ('cos the plastic ones will not last) to adjust the air flow to the water and you can add fittings as your room grows.

Add the cost for paint (and gear to do the job), Trash Can with Wheels, Hose and Water pump will get you started. Circular saw to make the stand can be done and had at later time as well as the larger air pump. Unless you want to build the stand then sell off the old stands to recoupe some cost.

[unthinkable90]

Hi ! YOU HAVE ALOT of fish tanks..can i have the 55 gallon ..lol j/k i only have 6 gall and 10 gallon..2 guppies,1pleco,1cherrybarb Which im happy with! Soon to have babies! did ur 55 gallon cost alot?

[cucci67]

This sounds like its going to be hard. I will have to look into the cost of gloss paint. My mom might be happy, cause that room needs to be repainted . I asked my dad where the water pipes were in the basement, and he said they were all running in that room . Better yet that is the only room in the house that has no ceiling, so I see water pipes. My dad could run a line for me if it was neccissary, hes good at all that stuff. I can pick up some wood and build my own stands, for the smaller tanks, I will not trust myself building something to hold up over 600lbs for a 55 gallon tank. Once I get a final plan I will present it to my paerents. I forgot to tell you theres a pool table in the middle. I have atleast 5' on each side of the pool table, most 3 sides have about 7'. Unless I could convince then to move the pool table to another part of the basement I am going to have a very cramped Fish Room.