Labor of Love, inwall 90 + 40 gal setup

[billberet]

yea good point, i'm sure that would come out of your security deposit

 

[butterfly_koi]

yea good point, i'm sure that would come out of your security deposit

I would love to do this but my rental house is 89 years old. Not only would my landlord flip but I'm sure the walls would come down! Lol

 

[Alyxx]

yea good point, i'm sure that would come out of your security deposit

Not to mention they were nice and let me keep my tanks despite having a general rule against all "water filled furniture" but seeing as they aren't massive and I've had them for a long time, he didn't mind. My neighbor has some, too.

 

[lorihallfrisch]

we are building a very modest house in the boonies. I want to put in a shower "room" off the master bedroom which will be enclosed with 3 inch glass blocks. I am wanting to put a small tank in the glass blocks. The tank would stick out into the bedroom and be flush with the glass block..if that makes sense? If we can figutr it out I think it will be cool. can you imagine showering and there are your fish swimming around?
btw LOVE LOVE your set up. Gorgeous

 

[billberet]

I would love to do this but my rental house is 89 years old. Not only would my landlord flip but I'm sure the walls would come down! Lol

lol, yea any time you have 'walls' and 'come down' in the same sentence. it's probially not a good idea

 

[butterfly_koi]

lol, yea any time you have 'walls' and 'come down' in the same sentence. it's probially not a good idea

Yea and "walls" "come down" and "landlord" all in the same sentence is even worse lol

 

[billberet]

we are building a very modest house in the boonies. I want to put in a shower "room" off the master bedroom which will be enclosed with 3 inch glass blocks. I am wanting to put a small tank in the glass blocks. The tank would stick out into the bedroom and be flush with the glass block..if that makes sense? If we can figutr it out I think it will be cool. can you imagine showering and there are your fish swimming around?
btw LOVE LOVE your set up. Gorgeous

that sounds awsome, i'd love a fish tank in my bathroom!!! provided you can't see thru, no need to put on a show, lol

but it does sound like a great idea!

 

[butterfly_koi]

that sounds awsome, i'd love a fish tank in my bathroom!!! provided you can't see thru, no need to put on a show, lol

but it does sound like a great idea!

If the tank was very heavily planted you wouldn't be able to see through as well. Good excuse to start a planted tank!

 

[haglagwr]

So my parents are renovating part of the house...suggested putting the 90 gal. In the wall between the new study/family room. The filter would have to be concealed under the tank in the wall. I guess we'd have to put some wood panels in above the tank on one side for access. Anyone ever done this before/ any suggestions??

 

[RussellC]

So my parents are renovating part of the house...suggested putting the 90 gal. In the wall between the new study/family room. The filter would have to be concealed under the tank in the wall. I guess we'd have to put some wood panels in above the tank on one side for access. Anyone ever done this before/ any suggestions??

I've never done this before, but here is my personal dream....

Open up the wall between the two rooms, a little wider than then tank, and a little taller than the max height of the tank....

'Frame-in' the stand, just as if you were framing a short or pony-wall -- add extra support in the middle as necessary depending on tank weight.

Plaster or drywall the framed stand and paint so that it just looks like the rest of the walls of the adjoining rooms... install cabinet doors on one or both sides of the 'stand' for access to filters/supplies, etc.

For the top of the 'stand', lay ceramic tile, granite (hey, it's a dream and in my dreams budgets are unlimited!), or some other surface that stands up to any small water spills. Overhang the 'top' so that any drips don't run down the plaster/drywall.

Install baseboard/trim to match the surrounding walls.

Leave an opening on the top -- have the wall come down not all the way to the tank for access / removing the light hood and lid for maintenance, etc..

Cut some holes in the top of the 'stand' for tubing running to the filter, etc., that is concealed in the 'stand'.

That'd be my dream.

 

[billberet]

So my parents are renovating part of the house...suggested putting the 90 gal. In the wall between the new study/family room. The filter would have to be concealed under the tank in the wall. I guess we'd have to put some wood panels in above the tank on one side for access. Anyone ever done this before/ any suggestions??

maybe you might want to go with 55 gal, you'll have the same width, but the depth will be smaller. the 90 gal is going to be deep.
i was only able to use a 90 because i had an entire room to hide the tank.

but i think a 55 would look sweet, then you can customize the stand and sheetrock all around the tank, put access ports on the bottom, for my final enhansement, i was thinking of making a rock wall instead of using sheetrock.
leave it as is, but cover the wall with rocks, so it looks like a fireplace!
then it will look like it's sitting in a rock cave!!!!

 

[haglagwr]

Thanks Russel, you pointed out some things I didn't think about. I think you're right Bill, a 55 gallon would fit much better. Also a rock wall is a great idea, that would look really cool! Your tanks look great btw. Now I just have to convince my parents!

 

[lorihallfrisch]

I got a 38 column tank and think I am going to try and frame it into the glass blocks that will be a divider wall from the bedroom and the shower room. I really want to put a few angel fish in it with lots of plants. Then there wouldn't be any free shows. I was even thinking why not hang a little mini shower curtain that can slide over the flush side of the aquarium..in case it can be seen through
I am pretty sure my final project won't be nearly so beautiful as OP, I just don't have the skills. But I DO have an idea so will give it a shot.

 

[billberet]

That's awsome! Don't forget to document your progress with pictures along the way. Your idea sounds great!

Do what I did. Make a scale mockup in google sketch up.
Then you can view your idea in 3d, and walk around inside your model.

 

[billberet]

Here is the final result, all clean and ready for photo shoot, lol.
This is a full wall shot of both tanks.
under each individual tank picture there is a link for a small video. it's only 3 megs so it's a fast load.

Tank 1: 90gal

www.bbsira.com/pictures/fish/tank1.mov


Tank 2: 40gal breeder

www.bbsira.com/pictures/fish/tank2.mov

 

[lorihallfrisch]

that is just gorgeous!

 

[billberet]

hey everyone, I WENT SALT !!!!!!!!!!!!!

it was time, i had some space on my wall under the 40 gal setup.
so i squeeeeeezed one in, lol

MAN i love it, i installed all my live rock and live sand and a few starfish fell out. BONUS.

i'll have pics to follow, i am still not done with the wall because i was distracted by the live rock.

 

[Beengirl]

That's a beautiful setup!! Welcome to the world of salt!! It's addicting!! We need pictures with the newest tank!!

 

[billberet]

ok base is finished and wall is cut

after a day, the tank is starting to settle

filtration is running

full wall view, still have to finish the trim work and paint the last tank

BONUS, starfish keep falling out of my live rock!!!!

 

[billberet]

That's a beautiful setup!! Welcome to the world of salt!! It's addicting!! We need pictures with the newest tank!!

Got a quick question, i have the aquaclear 110 on my salt tank.
what media do you recommend. I have the sponge, bio, and carbon.
i am going to add bio balls on the right side, where the motor is, there is
space to stuff in some small ones.

what do you recommend for media?
OR Aquaclear 110 Mod into Refugium is another route i might do in time.