Pedrofisk fishroom build journal

[pedrofisk]

I am getting ready to start my fishroom build in the house we moved into about a year ago. In all honesty it is for now really going to be a rack and it is in the laundry room but I am putting in a lot of the infrastructure and have plans on how it will expand in the future. to start off I have shot a video on a custom overflow solution that was designed and suggested to my by @Dean’s Fishroom. It's an exciting option that will make servicing my 10 gallons super easy.

I'll be following this post in the thread with photos of the current space, drafted plans of the rack and systems and then progress on the build.

 

[Andy's Fish Den]

I like this overflow idea. I have seen before where someone had the overflow inside the tank and would rotate the pipe to drain water for water changes etc, but I like this better because you don't have to reach in the tank then, just turn a valve. I would just make sure to put a strainer on the inside of tank or a piece of foam so no small fish gets into the overflow.

[pedrofisk]

1 hour ago, Andy's Fish Den said:

I would just make sure to put a strainer on the inside of tank or a piece of foam so no small fish gets into the overflow.

Yes I agree. My plan is to use either a low profile strainer behind a maten filter or a regular strainer with an A.C. small fter sping on it lime this.

 

[Dean’s Fishroom]

Very nice @pedrofisk!

Now here is one more thing to imagine.

Instead of the ball valve install an inline sprinkler control valve hooked up to a Bluetooth controller. Then from your computer, phone, tablet, iPad, etc you can open or close any valve with a simple touch. This will be in my next fishroom.

 

@Cory, this is somewhat how I want to do the tubs in your new indoor fish farm.

[pedrofisk]

33 minutes ago, Dean’s Fishroom said:

Very nice @pedrofisk!

Now here is one more thing to imagine.

Instead of the ball valve install an inline sprinkler control valve hooked up to a Bluetooth controller. Then from your computer, phone, tablet, iPad, etc you can open or close any valve with a simple touch. This will be in my next fishroom.

 

@Cory, this is somewhat how I want to do the tubs in your new indoor fish farm.

Oh that is a most excellent idea. I'll start researching that as the access to the ball valve is going to be very tight with the low ceiling I have to work with in my basement. Thanks Dean!

[pedrofisk]

Ok per @Dean’s Fishroom I have been researching bluetooth/wifi inline valves to drain my aquariums. So far i see two options, 1) a sprinkler system control panel with bluetooth/wifi controlled at the panel or with an app that is then hardwired to traditional sprinkler inline solenoid valves or 2) bluetooth/wifi enabled garden hose timers that are controlled with an app. Within one manufacturer it may be possible to do both, I think the Orbit system can. That would be the best to have one system for both fill and drain. The trick is the number of valves to be used for daining. The sprinkler controllers generally have limits at 6, 8 or 12 so that is too few for the average fishroom. They make sense on the fill side as zones but not individual drains.

So far the Orbit  B-hyve looks to be the best option for the drain lines but averages $40 retail. The other downside is you can't throttle the valve for a slower drain although I guess you could rig a pressure reducer on the outflow that would slow it some. These could also be used as the solinod valve for your fill potentially. I will have to contact the manufacturer to get clear on what is doable. Either way it'll probably be too expensive for me to implement now but I can design the system to upgrade.

[Dean’s Fishroom]

On 9/14/2020 at 7:34 AM, pedrofisk said:

Ok per @Dean’s Fishroom I have been researching bluetooth/wifi inline valves to drain my aquariums. So far i see two options, 1) a sprinkler system control panel with bluetooth/wifi controlled at the panel or with an app that is then hardwired to traditional sprinkler inline solenoid valves or 2) bluetooth/wifi enabled garden hose timers that are controlled with an app. Within one manufacturer it may be possible to do both, I think the Orbit system can. That would be the best to have one system for both fill and drain. The trick is the number of valves to be used for daining. The sprinkler controllers generally have limits at 6, 8 or 12 so that is too few for the average fishroom. They make sense on the fill side as zones but not individual drains.

So far the Orbit  B-hyve looks to be the best option for the drain lines but averages $40 retail. The other downside is you can't throttle the valve for a slower drain although I guess you could rig a pressure reducer on the outflow that would slow it some. These could also be used as the solinod valve for your fill potentially. I will have to contact the manufacturer to get clear on what is doable. Either way it'll probably be too expensive for me to implement now but I can design the system to upgrade.

I'd plumb it with upgrading in mind for the future. It's only a matter of time before an affordable bluetooth solution will come to the market.

[pedrofisk]

4 hours ago, Dean’s Fishroom said:

I'd plumb it with upgrading in mind for the future. It's only a matter of time before an affordable bluetooth solution will come to the market.

I agree. I also just read the Orbit app is not working well with multiple units of the garden hose valves but they are working on an upgrade to resolve those issues. If you only need one for something it's already a great way to go Given another 12-24 months I think think the programing and maybe price will be where the smart plugs are now.

What's fun is the apps all follow the weather in order to not water your lawn when it is raining. I wonder if they could be hacked to automatically water change when a storm comes in to encourage spawning?

[Jeremy B]

I think this Bluetooth stuff is a fantastic idea.. could we crowdsource it? I know there are devices to sniff out Bluetooth packets pretty cheap. adafruit.com/product/2269 is a good example. There is also the Raspberry PI which is really cheap ($35) and comes with Bluetooth, so we'd just need to fund a programmer? Or maybe there's a few who'd want something similar for their own fishroom on here?

[pedrofisk]

The shell build out has begun after some false starts. One wall in the laundry/future fishroom in our 100 year old house is a hodge podge of framing, plaster and lathe. Today I got the drywall up and seams plastered.

Before:

After:

[pedrofisk]

 I finished drywall, caulking, painting the walls, painting the ceiling, painting the floor and adding a vinyl baseboard. The walls/ceiling are a semi-gloss anti-mildew paint and the concrete floor is an epoxy paint. I am going to put a seal on the floor too as it is still easy to scratch as it is so rough and uneven.

[pedrofisk]

Fishroom design Part 1, layout and elevations:

I've finished the design drafting for the fishroom and I am starting to order supplies. Here is part 1 with the floor plan and elevations of each wall. Keep in mind this is also our basement laundry room in a 100 year old NYC townhouse so not a lot of space. I am trying to super optimize one rack with a fill system, drain system and air system. The good news is on the opposite side of the wall with the rack I may be able to build a second rack eventually or perhaps have one 150g+ aquarium. I've got one shot to get this right so I am always open to constructive criticism and suggestions!

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by pedrofisk

[pedrofisk]

Fishroom design Part 2, Water conditioning and fill system:

Here is a rough Photoshop layout of the water conditioning and fill system I have designed using photos of the actual parts. Please note none of this is in scale relative to each part. The plumbing is so crazy in this room that I am just going to take the hot and cold as a split from the outlets for the washing machine. I can always tap into the copper later if I want to. this is what is outlined in elevation 1 of may drawings but slightly revised for the space available.

The system is 3/4" PVC to 1/4" RO hose. The sequence is:

1 - Hot/cold to thermostatic mixing valve

2 - sediment/carbon filter

3 - water pressure and temp gauges

4 - fill manifold with pressure reducers to 1/4" hose; drain to sink; outlet for hose

[pedrofisk]

Picked up my new fish rack and plumbing today. Some assembly required.

[pedrofisk]

Fishroom design Part 3, Shelf Design:

Due to my room constraints I have to go with a custom wood shelf system. I got started on the cut list Sunday and hope to begin assembly over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Please excuse the cartoonish speed square, I can't find my good one.

 

[pedrofisk]

Starting to get the shelving and drain system installed.

 

[pedrofisk]

Well it's a rough assemble but I am not entirely happy with it. I'd probably go with a manufactured shelf if I had to do it again and just live with fewer aquariums. I still might, we'll see. I still have to add the carriage bolts that will hold the real weight, paint and so forth. The unit is also tied to the wall with joist hangers.

Edited December 7, 2020 by pedrofisk

[pedrofisk]

Finished painting, installed the electrical, making the 2" drain pipes now.

[Struggle]

Looking good!!!

[pedrofisk]

Not very sexy but I finished getting the drain line rigged to the 5g bucket that holds the sump pump. Now I'm starting the run from the pump back to the sink drain.

[DanPlanted]

Love the progress updates! I always think I need some giant fishroom, but honestly one this size is way more manageable and should be easier to focus on the individual tanks more.

[pedrofisk]

11 hours ago, DanPlanted said:

Love the progress updates! I always think I need some giant fishroom, but honestly one this size is way more manageable and should be easier to focus on the individual tanks more.

I have learned a lot that would apply to a larger fish room too. One reason I am adding in a version of all the systems. That and I really need them for 16 tanks.

[pedrofisk]

Step by step progress. I am trying to do a big push during this, the slowest week of the year. Yesterday I got the fill system mostly done from the thermostatic valve, through the filter to the manifold. The thermostatic mixing valve is on a temp mount I need to redo. I need to finish gluing the mainfold and add more support brackets. The OXO meat thermometer is reading the water as 3-4 degrees hotter than my infrared thermometer does so I'll have to figure that out. The pressure gauge works great and was only $3.45. I also finished the drain sump pump with a fancier check valve and got it all glued up.

[Bill Smith]

Very nicely laid out!

Question: What's the purpose of a check valve in the bucket? You're not expecting a vertical backflow there, are you?

[pedrofisk]

1 hour ago, Bill Smith said:

Very nicely laid out!

Question: What's the purpose of a check valve in the bucket? You're not expecting a vertical backflow there, are you?

Thanks! The sump pump manufacturer strongly recommends it so I figure I better for warranty reasons. There does seem to be standing water in the vertical section of the pipe once it shuts off. I think the check valve will help keep it from turning on/off repeatedly. The path from the pump to the sink is a highly sub-optimal so it is what it is.