The "Jools' new fishroom post"

[Jools]

Well, I thought I should start this thread as it's gotten off the drawing board and is slowly becoming a reality. Here's a pic taken today of the new fishroom as it stands.



What you are looking at is the outside wall standing in the new living room. The oblong cut out that looks suspiciously like the size of a large tank is a cut-out that will back onto the fishroom behind. The window on the back is my existing fishroom which will extend into the space behind the wood.

I will post in the topic from time to time with updates.

Jools

[Jools]

Here's another pic that gives the size of the project from the side of the house. That timber on the roof is the outline of the new roof.



It's a lot new rooms so I can justify a new fishroom!

Jools

[Shane]

Bro,
Keep us updated. Can't wait to hang out in there and drink coffee in the morning (after a tasty Clare made bacon sandwich).
-Shane

[Jools]

Bro,
Keep us updated. Can't wait to hang out in there and drink coffee in the morning (after a tasty Clare made bacon sandwich).
-Shane

Will do, work has stopped now until the 3rd of January, what happens in January is the room gets properly formed and all the current tanks need moved out...

I shall have a bacon sandwich in your honour this weekend. Brown sauce all round!

Jools

[Marc van Arc]

It's becoming quite a place. Looking good

(after a tasty Clare made bacon sandwich)

Due to a rather short night I had to read the above sentence 3 times before I understood that it says Clare-made instead of tasty Clare

[Shane]

Clare-made instead of tasty Clare

Are you sure that was what I meant?
-Shane

[Jools]

Well, I agree on both points.

Dragging us back to the fishroom, I'm currently thinking about drainage. The plan being that there will be open gutters along the front of tanks to take waste water away. I'm also hoping to collect rainwater from the roof and pipe it directly into the room - I'll run a goldfish tank off it for several months though to make sure it's safe.

Jools

[Shane]

Drainage will be key. One option would be to just have a drain installed in the center of the room that has a removable grate. That way during water changes you could just pop up the grate and drain all the water away without carrying buckets.
I realize water is not an issue where you are, but another option would be to install a sink with the drainage just connected to a long piece of PVC with holes buried about 6 inches deep in the yard. That would give you a sink to work in and water the lawn with all the wastewater every week.

A rainwater idea...
http://www.gardeners.com/Downspout-Dive ... C=XNET8035

Just run this to a storage tank in the fishroom. The float will stop overflows yet always keep the collection barrel full.
Another option.
http://www.gardenwatersaver.com/

Available in the UK and cheap. Just buy a longer piece of hose.
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Window-Door-Re ... idZ2QQtZkm
-Shane

[Jools]

There is a central floor drain designed in but it's for unplanned spills as opposed to removing water on a regular basis. The right hand side (where the black lancer tank is currently) will have a sink with a drain. The tank racking will have pipes or gutters attached so I can just siphon out of a tank or sump into them and it will drain away to under the sink. I prefer gutters as if I siphon out that prize dwarf banjo by mistake, I've got a better chance of retrieving him!

The big problem I've got with rainwater is that it's so dam cold. I was going to just have it flow 100% into the fishroom from the roof downpipe and overflow into the drain. However, if it rains for days, that means the rainwater store in the fishroom is going to get really cold and even drop the room temperature but most worryingly will evaporate like nuts unless it's into some sort of sealed container. I can't guarantee I'm going to be around to modify the flow.

However, collection of as much rainwater as possible removes a lot of need for other water processing.

Some work on the drawing board required!

Jools

[Bas Pels, posts: 1922]

As you are afraid of too much watervapour in the room (I think it will become a lot anyway) you could use a sealed container in the room, with an overflow for those days it rains too much

as the container is in the room, it will gradully get warm, and a tap can be made in the container to use the rainwater

This system can work with a 20 liter container, but also with a 1000 liter container - depending on roof size

Talking of roofs - I think you will have to pay much attention to the stuff the roof is made of. If the materials used are safe, your testgoldfish will be safe too

[Shane]

The big problem I've got with rainwater is that it's so dam cold. I was going to just have it flow 100% into the fishroom from the roof downpipe and overflow into the drain. However, if it rains for days, that means the rainwater store in the fishroom is going to get really cold and even drop the room temperature but most worryingly will evaporate like nuts unless it's into some sort of sealed container. I can't guarantee I'm going to be around to modify the flow.

Agreed, that is why you need a system like one of the above where it does not take in any additional rainwater when full. Once full, the additional rainwater just bypasses th system. This should give it time to warm to room temp. A low wattage heater in the "rain barrel" is another option. Your water is already so soft, I am not sure how much additional rainwater you will need on hand to cut the tap water with.

This model is sealed
http://www.gardenwatersaver.com/
and looks to hold 50-55 gallons of rainwater. It has a tap that you could connect a house to and then just let gravity do the rest. If you need more than 50-55 gallons, the rain barrel could be put on a stand with another 55 gallon trash can (with lid) below it for additional storage. 100 gals of rainwater would go far, esp considering how often it rains up there.

Making additional barrels
http://www.gardenwatersaver.com/9.html
Linking barrels
http://www.gardenwatersaver.com/30.html
-Shane

[grokefish, posts: 1531]

Looks cool Jools.
The only thing that worked really well in my last, failed attempt at a fish room was the drainage. It was so much easier than buckets.

Shane- surely attaching a house to it is going a bit too far.

It has a tap that you could connect a house to and then just let gravity do the rest. If you need more than 50-55 gallons, the rain barrel could be put on a stand with another 55 gallon trash can (with lid) below it for additional storage. 100 gals of rainwater would go far, esp considering how often it rains up there.

Matt

[KnaveTO, posts: 23]

If you are going to be collecting rainwater run off from your roof what sort of roofing material are you installing?

[Jools]

If you are going to be collecting rainwater run off from your roof what sort of roofing material are you installing?

Slate.

Jools

[Richard B, posts: 6307]

I'm so glad you said brown sauce all round & not tommy sauce which is a spoiler of many a good bacon sarnie IMHO!!!

In fishy matters, i'm really interested to see how this develops - nice one Jools!

[chonhzilla, posts: 9]

woah! ....nice work!

[Jools]

The only thing that worked really well in my last, failed attempt at a fish room was the drainage. It was so much easier than buckets.

Matt,

In summary what were the big failures? Keen to get them out in the open so I can avoid any similar pitfalls!

Jools

[L260, posts: 15]

Im so jealous Jools...ya jammy bugger..........You seen Robs new tank yet?.he has a 7-2-2 in the living room now

[Jools]

You seen Robs new tank yet?.he has a 7-2-2 in the living room now

Nope, I'd like to see that!

Jools


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Listening to: U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
via FoxyTunes

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Listening to: U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
via FoxyTunes

[CFC, posts: 123]

The biggest downfall in my fish house is ventilation verses heating, if i open the vents wide enough to release all the moisture from the room then my heater almost doubles its on time to compensate, if i close the vents up to save heat then i get beads of water forming on the ceiling and running down the walls.
If running costs are not the main issue then a de humidifier would help somewhat (and the collected water can be used like R/O or rainwater) but they are fairly energy intensive and will push the rooms running costs up.

I've seen reptile rooms set up with the drainage you plan to use, many reptile keepers have automatic spraying systems on their vivariums and have guttering below the tank for excess water to drain out of the viv via a hole drilled in the base, the system appears to work very well. I wonder if the waste water could be recycled by running it through carbon and a veggie filter to remove nitrates and toxins?