if you were building a house....

[macyjo]

We are possibly looking to build a house and I want my tank to be the main attraction in the living room--flush with one of the walls--like a flat screen tv......Would you put a hobby room behind the tank or have the tank plumbed to a room in the basement?
I would like some input--I know some of you have tanks like this--pro/cons of either choice???
Thanks guys

 

[krunk]

quite a few people on this board have in-wall tanks. it will be easier for you too have a seperate rom for the sump and fuge. the room doesnt have too be big at all. i think it would be easier too have a little room behind the tank. you could put the water mixing container in there, your test kits, your salt buckets(or bags or boxes). aned everything else for the tank.

 

[rabid frog]

I am in the process of building a house and my builder told me he would charge me some where around 15000 to make a wall for me to put a tank in it, needless to say I didn't go for that.

 

[macyjo]

holy cow 15000!!!! i was thinking the tank would pretty much be on a "stand" behind a normal wall

 

[tiffster]

I personally would put a room behind it, basements are almost non-existent in Ga!!! On the serious side , it seems like a room behind it would be much easier and probably less expensive.

 

[macyjo]

I am leaning to the room behind rather than the basement--I just was thinking whatever the room....I would like to be able to not worry terribly about small water spills etc

 

[dsa_mom]

keep in mind that when you go into the wall like that, that you lose the ability for guests and such to look into the sides of the tank. I think that front view only is limiting. If I had unlimited funds, (ha) I think I would rather have a luxury base and canopy built.

 

[macyjo]

hmmm i hand't considered the loss of seeing the sides---i sit all of the timr looking in behind the rock work......this is exactally why i posted this thread--keep the suggestions coming

 

[newreefers]

if you are building and designing your house, have the tank oposite the laundry room. water access easy, and usually these are tile floors so spillage isn't a big problem. Have the builder plumb in a big slop sink. This is where I do the tank water and washing of parts, that way nothing in the kitchen sink.

 

[jarvis]

If I were to build a tank in a wall. (mabee some day) I would go with 6feet long slightly over 2 feet high and VERY DEEP. I would only make it viewable from one side and have a half moon stadium style rock work coming to a peak in the center and tapering off into the front corners. I would have absoulutly no powerheads in the tank.

 

[macyjo]

yes designing the house--you guys rock keep the suggestions coming

 

[snowbear]

...and the tank is going to be built into a wall with a utility room behind it for the sump/fuge/water supply, etc...
It will only have the front viewable to the outside, but most non-tank people don't care about the sides, anyway and if actual tank people want to see the rest, I can take them into the utility room

 

[krunk]

Originally posted by Snowbear
anyway and if actual tank people want to see the rest, I can take them into the utility room
real good point...

 

[krunk]

Originally posted by macyjo
---i sit all of the timr looking in behind the rock work......

well your going too be in the "utility room" quite a bit. Why dont you just check the rockwork in the room? Also this is why i want a inwall tank.... has anyone ever wondered what goes on at the back of your tank? you could check that out if it was inwall.

 

[richierich2000]

I am going to build a house in july hopefully. I have tought about it and I am going to cut the wall out so I can get behind the tank but the tank will still be in the room so you can see 3 sides and have a 8'x6' closet behind it.
the only thing about putting in the basment would be you would have a lot more room but you would need a bigger pump and that would take more cash and more power to run it
building a house is a pain in the A@@ but after it is done it will be great!! I have looked around and for the prices people want for old houses you can just about build a bigger one.
Good luck

 

[serpentine5]

The way I have designed my house is to have my large display tank on a stand in my office, which is adjacent to the living room and viewable through the wall into the living room. I am planning on plumbing water into the office, and everything will be in there. I will maintain my display and be able to view it from the office side. When I have company over,or whatever, I will place a black cover over the tank in my office so you cannot see through to my office from the living room.

 

[azeritis]

I would definately place the tank close to a laundry room ar a toilet. You need to have access to water easily. And you would not mind having stuff laid down there, plus you would not mind minor spills etc, In addition, I would not place equipment in a basement. I think It would be too much hussle running up and down, if I were alone...
Have you consider using a tintet glass where you would be able to see the fish from your desk, but not see the office from the living room? (I have no idea if this is possible, just a thouhgt)

 

[serpentine5]

Tinted Glass, HAH! Not a bad idea!

 

[kyaney]

When we had our house built, we had the sumps for the two first floor tanks put in the basement and the one upstairs in a room behind the tank. I like the basement sumps better because I don't have to worry about cooling the water. The basement is always around 65 degrees. That is the on,y advantage though. In my opinion, it really doesn't matter because if you are building a room especially for it, you put in what you need, whether its in the basement or in a laundry room. But none the less, a seperate room is great- plenty of room, all of the supplies, no climbing under anything.