# Building a Fish Room



## Botiadancer (Dec 30, 2013)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

As the plumbers rip apart my garage wall to put in gas and drainage lines for my washer/dryer AND SINK, I can now begin to seriously plan my fishroom. I do not intend to run a breeding operation or business, I just NEED-er-want more tanks (my MTS patch doesn't seem to work - its a small betta bowl strapped to my forearm) 
The question I have (or one of many) - is - how many tanks is too many? I would like to have two or three 180s (6') for sure, and perhaps a bunch of 30s (3') for smaller species or species tanks. I can see the need of some 75s (4') as well. I could use the entire two car garage - but I'm thinking that would be too much maintenance.

On the layout front, I'm not looking at double or triple stacking everything with narrow aisles - I might double stack the 30s - I'm looking at a centralized swivel chair with a small refrigerator/freezer for beer-er-I mean frozen food. surrounded by tanks. I would like to partition off the fishroom/washer part of the garage from what is left - so I can still have my workshop.

So for those who have or have had fish rooms, when did it turn into a business/chore over a hobby?
Also, tips on design and arrangement are most welcome.

Thanks ahead of time for any and all imput.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

However much you feel you can handle. You need to house some wild species of bettas too, as they are great! Super fun to watch and usually will breed easily .


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

yeah rock on dude!!!!beer-or frozen fish food?well why not add a 50 inch flat screen tv


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

First good to hear from you again and hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving also.
How many is too many?*question*r2
For me it comes down to space and how much water I can prepare.
After that it is all for fun even if I break even from breeding.
I never planned on breeding swordtails or German rams ,but once started it is an obssesion(make room for some smaller fry tanks and grow outs!).I enjoy the labor of this hobby.
If you have no intention on breeding no matter what then just think of all the different tanks,species you are interested in and decide what is manageble?
ALITA AIR PUMPS!For real not one regret GREAT ,QUIET(the quietest I have ever owned)and capable of running many sponges!
What are thinking of keeping in the 180's?Can't just go alittle bigger(300)?
I like beer!


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

Lol. I never have, but at some point the livestock needs to make back part of their rent and or utility costs. That would mean breeding. I am an orchid enthusiast and have run out of the space in my home. So, do I build a greenhouse? Or, do I cull the herd? How do I pay to heat it during the winter. Etc. I think people who do these things stumble naturally into them. The old saying was to "follow your bliss" so totally true. How much? At least twice what you have now. And remember that stock ponds are more natural than aquariums. No real fish in actual nature has a glass wall letting in the light. I think you get better results thinking like a fish and not like a human.


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## Botiadancer (Dec 30, 2013)

So many interesting points all.

Majerah - I don't really like bettas... but I love gouramis... probably a mental thing cus I liked the ones in the photos in your thread. Maybe one.... (in my MTS patch)

Big B - Ummm, I don't have a 50" tv in the house... wait a minute... I don't have a tv in the house. I'd rather have another tank.

Kalyke - ponds seem like so much work - and too expensive to build... and even here in Rose Bowl country the water gets too cold in the winter.

Mr. Bandit - Fish will breed, I just don't go out of my way to do so. I would like to get an R.O. unit so I can seriously give apistos another try. (I miss Seattle's very soft 7.0 water!) And I've always liked rams... and L. Curviceps.... And with R.O. water I could make decent saltwater too... I've never got around to the salty side of the hobby... and I have always wanted moray eels...
As for the 180s, one will be for my clown loaches/rainbows/eartheaters/syno petri & polli along with some new friends for them... more rainbows and eartheaters and synos. That is definite! One 180 will be for more eartheaters (Retroculus lapidifer and R. Xinguensis if I can find some! and angels and festivums and a bunch of kubotai and or sidthemunki loaches. Maybe.
I would like to do an African tank with tropheus... but a 180? or a 75? I would love to have a chocolate cichlid. (Hypselecara temporalis) The list goes on.... one 30g will be a hillstream loach tank - no doubt about it. Ooooh - I need a shrimp tank....
300g? I thought about a 240... I'm trying to think small. *cough cough* What size Alita would you suggest for 12 tanks - 900 gallons or so. I prefer powerheads on sponges... and was planning on good ol' fashioned Aquaclears on everything. 
I'm thinking 3 180s, 2-3 75s, and 6 30s.

So I guess my next question is - 12 tanks... how much work is that? (plus 3 15g in the house) Is that a good start to a fish room without getting in over my head? I'm still a working stiff, or I wouldn't even be asking. What intangibles am I missing? Things like needing a dedicated circuit - can't have all the heaters going on while the laundry is going....

For some great eartheater footage - check this his other videos too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuLekGOGQQ4&list=UUE7Hoafzx99G7kbz4WC5t6g&index=6


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I think it is a great start! 

And yeh, I can understand why many are not fans of bettas. Most only really know of the ones in cups. The wild species are very interesting, and best thing is you can house them together! Many are paternal mouthbrooders, kinda like some cichlids, save the fathers brood instead of the mothers. 

Should look into some, if you are interested let me know and I can help you find some I know you will love!


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

12 tanks is not that much work i would think.you would do probably less work than i did.i once had 18 tanks set up at one point.although only 7 of them were "real tanks"those seven were a 5,four 10,one 20 high,one 20 long.and the rest of them were only .5,1,1.5 gallons.and somehow i kept up with water changes all by hand using a 10 gallon tank to make water.i still dont know how i did it with home work,keeping a huge social life in and out side of school.and this was a few years ago.


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

Over many years I have found: An aquarist always has at least a tank too little.


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

Thanks, I was thinking stock ponds. Generally a large tub filled with water.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I have had up to 62 tanks running at one time when I had one room dedicated to fish and then I had my 220 in the living room. The pump I used was big enough to have sponge filters running in all the tanks, but did have a couple of canisters on the 220 along with powerheads. 

Maint wasn't to bad since I had great water and pressure that I used a python for all water changes. There is pics on here of my fish room and of my 220. But since we moved into a smaller house I am down to 15 tanks with the biggest being a 100 gal divided tank.


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## Botiadancer (Dec 30, 2013)

So from what I've gathered, a hundred tanks would not be too many... that's what I get for asking a bunch of fishheads. Fortunately I'll be adding one tank at a time, so I can just quit when it gets to be a burden. Just stop buying more. Stop going to fishstores. Stop looking online for deals. Stop reading fish magazines and books. Stop visiting forums. Just be content with what I have.

Yeah right.

Now about that 300g CB mentioned...


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Never too many, and a 300 would be a nice addition.


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

A limit on the number of possible work is required for maintenance.
That depends on how the routine was perfected technology.
If it is cleverly thought out, it makes life easier and you can create more tanks.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Botiadancer said:


> So from what I've gathered, a hundred tanks would not be too many... that's what I get for asking a bunch of fishheads. Fortunately I'll be adding one tank at a time, so I can just quit when it gets to be a burden. Just be content with what I have.
> 
> Yeah right.oint-laff:
> 
> Now about that 300g CB mentioned...


*carrot
However you find your way to 1,000 gallons is your business.Anything over and all is up for "close scrupulation"!*r2


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## Botiadancer (Dec 30, 2013)

Related rack building question... 
If the tanks are directly over each other; as in same size tanks, how much clearance would you recommend between 2x (2x4 or 2x6 or 2x8 depending on span and weight) and top of other tank? Is 6 inches enough?

If the tank on the bottom is wider (so sticks out more), I'm guessing I can get away with less room, no? Maybe 4 inches?? Thoughts???

If I worked at a fish store, I would know the answer to this.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

For water changes and getting stuff in and out easy I like 10-12 inches in between each tank.
If you were using 2x4 to build shelf you could just plan 1 foot above lower tanks rim to set top of 2x4 and have 9 1/2"( pretty close to 10?)......


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

I got to agree with CB on this matter. The more space for maneuvering things and your hands and arms the better. From my own experience, the stand I built for my 29 in my bedroom has a ten below it. I only left six inches from the bottom of the top 2x4 to the top of the 10. It has proven to be a challenge to get in there with my arm. I also will hve to drain the tank and remove it to get the hob filter off. So if my filter does fail, it will be a pain in the ***.


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## Tolak (Mar 10, 2013)

Half the tank depth, plus or minus an inch, from the edge of the lowest point on the top support members. The plus or minus depends on arm length, your body build, what you feel comfortable reaching & so on. As always, more is better, but you risk putting your top tanks up to the height that they're uncomfortable to work on with a small stepladder.


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