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| ARTICLE INFORMATION: Author: Bill Shenefelt Title: Cold Water Fish Room Summary: Bill wanted a cold water fish room to supplement his warm water indoor room, so he converted his house's integral single car garage. Photo and details of equipment. Contact for editing purposes: email: william.shenefelt@verizon.net Date first published: October 2002 Publication: Finformation: Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society Inc. See also: Bill's website: http://sheneskillies.com Reprinted from Aquarticles: |
ARTICLE USE: Internet publication (club or non-profit web site): 1. Credit author, original publication, and Aquarticles. 2. Link to http://www.aquarticles.com and original website if applicable. 3. Advise Aquarticles Printed publication: Mail one printed copy to each of: Bill Shenefelt, c/o Greater Pittsburgh Aquarium Society, Inc., PO Box 22452, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-0452 And: Aquarticles.com |
Cold Water Fish Room by Bill Shenefelt I wanted to expand my fish room (to let me see the fish and to have both cold and warmer water species of killies), so I took over the integral single car garage and built a real one outside. Was not big enough for a car anyway. I had three objectives: (1) cold water room, (2) front view and eye level – so as not to have to lie on the floor), and (3) ease of maintenance.
To allow temperature control, I insulated the room on the outside wall with blue board Styrofoam, and installed a thick insulated garage door. I installed an 8 k BTU/hr air conditioner in the cellar window. Since I did not have enough warm water space, I installed heaters in a few tanks to allow me to move warmer water killies into a “viewable” setting. My stand design was to provide (a) face view, (b) viewable height, and (3) accessibility for egg picking and cleaning. Ross Cronkhite had a stand design that fit the bill, except his was 3 tanks high. Me bein’ a bit shorter than him, I went for a 2 tank high version, and put a shelf low to house egg boxes. I took a nasty fall onto my side in the other room while reaching an upper tank standing on a real stable stepping stool (ok, so it was an old slide projector with the adjustment leg up--OSHA never saw it and I’d deny it). Lighting in the new room is provided only by room lights, ceiling fluorescents, and the standard for killikeepers, a good flashlight or two. For ease of maintenance, I plumbed in RO water from the primary fish room via1/2 inch PVC. I provided 3 ceiling drops with plastic valves and quick disconnects for water changes, but since the main supply is in the warm water room, I will be filling a 32 gallon Rubbermaid garbage can which will house a pond pump to return the water to the plumbing for distribution once it has cooled to the temperature of the new room. Just some re-valving and another pump - no big deal. Air is supplied via 1.25 inch PVC from my 1/3 hp blower. Costs too much to run, but wow, plenty of air and pressure! A 9 ft plastic hose is attached to the appropriate quick disconnect for filling any tank in the room. Emptying is done into 1 inch PVC which goes out the basement wall to my downspout piping (prevents overwork of my lousy septic tank drainage field). The room is maintained at 68 degrees within a degree or two. For slightly warmer or cooler water, I just select an elevation or modify tank covers. Finally, my ogoense are laying well, the Diaptrons seem happy enough and the warm water fish can remove their sweaters and start to work! |
