# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Aquaria wall



## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

After I move, the new 'fishroom' will be
quite different from what I have now. I've
decided that a regular joe shmoe fishroom is
just not me. I need plants! So here's what
I'm thinking. There will be a large unfinished
room in the basement of my new house. I'm
thinking about dividing it into two rooms
with the dividing wall housing 10-16 tanks.
A mix of 10G and 20G. 
All planted. 
Drilled - probably a wet/dry.
DIY NO lighting.
CO2.
Painted black back and sides.
Automated water changes.

Thats what I have in mind - let's hear
your input on this.


BTW - I'll still have some 10G's with central
air for special breeding conditions / quarantine
and grow out.
-
Ghazanfar Ghori


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## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

After I move, the new 'fishroom' will be
quite different from what I have now. I've
decided that a regular joe shmoe fishroom is
just not me. I need plants! So here's what
I'm thinking. There will be a large unfinished
room in the basement of my new house. I'm
thinking about dividing it into two rooms
with the dividing wall housing 10-16 tanks.
A mix of 10G and 20G. 
All planted. 
Drilled - probably a wet/dry.
DIY NO lighting.
CO2.
Painted black back and sides.
Automated water changes.

Thats what I have in mind - let's hear
your input on this.


BTW - I'll still have some 10G's with central
air for special breeding conditions / quarantine
and grow out.
-
Ghazanfar Ghori


----------



## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

GG, if you're a member of the American Cichlid Association, you need to be sure to check out a terrific article by Dan Woodland in the new Buntbarsche Bulletin, describing in detail how he built his own low-maintenance fishroom in a basement addition to his house, I'm sure it would give you some great ideas. He's primarily a fish guy, but it certainly wouldn't be a stretch to adapt his setup to planted tanks. If you aren't, I'd be glad to send you a copy of the article, just drop me a pm.

http://www.wheelpost.com


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

Sounds like a dream I had last night









Are you putting the tanks long side out?
What are you using for racking? 2x4 or commercial rack?
Will do do any larger tanks or will you do all you work in the 10s and 20s?

*James Hoftiezer
Hoftiezer.Net - Journals and Libraries
Rate My Tank!!

Tank Journal - Aquascape ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))
Tank Journal - Parts and Construction ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))*


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## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

I have seen a wall similar to this built with 29G tanks, with acess form the back and the front was all wood paneling.

To be honest there were many small tanks, which I found very hard to keep focused on. Your eyes keep jumping back and forth between them all and it is very hard to focus on one at a time unless your up real close. Since the tanks were small you have to get up real close, so standing up or crouching down or bending over, viewing was not made easy or pleasurable. I was much happier to sit in from of his 680G tank. IMO the bigger the tanks are the better.


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## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

Yeah, but I plan on keeping single pairs
of dwarf cichlids, so a mix of 10G and 20G
will be best so I can keep a decent variety
of these fish. It's basically still a fishroom,
not really for display. I'm just taking the
fishroom concept a step further.

-
Ghazanfar Ghori


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## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

I am sure if you do it right, it will be nice. I think to make it work you need very individual habitats. Something someone could spend a few minutes taking they setup in. Plants fish everything the whole nine yards. Attention to detail would be important. Just MHO!

The way I saw it was bare tanks with fish. Not a very impressive display. More just industrial breeding.


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## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by JamesHoftiezer:
> Sounds like a dream I had last night
> ...


Yeah, Im done with keeping tanks short side out.
I don't get to see the fish much. 
I'm probably going to go with 2x4s, it'll give
me an excuse to go buy a radialarm saw








Anything larger than 10s & 20s? MAYBE. I'm not
sure yet, but I may throw a couple of larger
tanks in the mix. Initially I was thinking of
having a 55, with dwood, lots of current, vals
and rainbows, but that may endup being a larger
tank, probably somewhere in the house.

-
Ghazanfar Ghori


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

Sounds great.
If you want I can get on my soap box about commercial racking, but only if you REALLY want me to








If you need any Rainbows, I can have extra Bantanta Island for you at any time.

*James Hoftiezer
Hoftiezer.Net - Journals and Libraries
Rate My Tank!!

Tank Journal - Aquascape ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))
Tank Journal - Parts and Construction ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))*


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## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

You know I'm very open to ideas at this point, which is why I posted
this up here. Rant away!

-
Ghazanfar Ghori


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

I don't have a fish room myself but if I were to set one up my biggest decision would probably be the filtration. Use a single filtration system for all tanks, individual filtration or groups of tanks running on the same filter. I know I'd probably shy away from individual setups for the number of tanks you are looking to have, but I'd probaby keep them in groups. You could group them in rows, each row could be on a separate filter or divide the wall between two filters, this would allow you to have more flexibility with water conditions. I know you have other tanks for special circumstances but you never know, you might change your mind one day and decide to breed two completely different species.

Seeing you are dividing a room into two with this wall, I'd also look for a way to keep both front and back visible so that you can observe the fish from both rooms. I'd just paint the sides if possible.

Regards
Giancarlo Podio


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## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

Good points! I agree, using two different central filters
for the aquaria wall would definitly allow for greater
flexability. I did think about it, and dismissed it with the
thought that I'm not really trying to breed those fish in there,
but you're right, I may change my mind about it later and then
I'm stuck with a major redo. Good idea to build for it in the PVC
atleast.

As for not painting the backs - if I don't and the lights are
on in the fishroom, I'll be able to see right through. I could
maybe use one of those stickon backgrounds instead...

-
Ghazanfar Ghori


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

Or a curtain?

Giancarlo Podio


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## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

See thats why I posted this up here! A curtain! Great idea!

-
Ghazanfar Ghori


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

In Randy's "Tour of Fishrooms" there are a few good points regarding some of the setups. I liked the idea of using larger "long" tanks with dividers in order to separate parents from eachother or from fry without netting them. I also liked the idea of the shut-off valves used to bring a tank "off-line" from the centralized system in order to medicate the tank without having to move the fish to a Q tank.

A moon-lit fish wall would also look cool.

Giancarlo Podio


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## kherman (Apr 7, 2003)

Are you splitting the rooms up into two rooms that are going to be usable, or is one side going to be a rumpus room and the other storage? Just curious is all. What are the two rooms going to funcion as?

Also, as for plumbing. Granted you know how you are going to start the tanks, the futur is not known as previously stated. Why not plumb every column together as one "system". Then use a compination of ball valves and Ts to filter the water. This way, you can always modify the filtration down the road with little more work than just plumbing the new filters in. You can design the plumbing, but this might be the easy way of doing it. Since it's a DY project anyways and you're already going to bespending a couple of bucks on it, what's an extra $50 for some ball valves









Depending on what hte two rooms are going to be used as, more comments will come. If one is a rumpus room or family room, one larger tank would be nice. Even if it's just a 40 gallon tank. Maybe get a custom ordered cube that has a slightly larger face, but is very deep. Maybe a 24"x24"X24" tank. it won't take up very much room, but it might be interessting from an architectural standpoint. Maybe get two of these and put one on each end. This wall sounds incredible and putting a uniquely sized and shaped tank in there would be cool.

Karl

------------------------------
Karl's Parts And Construction Journal


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## kherman (Apr 7, 2003)

Just thought I'd throw another comment in..

Moonlighting!! 10-16 small tanks with a blue light on at night would look incredible!

Also, take pics!! Put a picture album together of the progress for a coffee table and of course, I think this deserves it's own thread!



> quote:
> 
> I'm probably going to go with 2x4s, it'll give me an excuse to go buy a radialarm saw


I like the way you think!

------------------------------
Karl's Parts And Construction Journal


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## imported_Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 31, 2003)

All great ideas! Now I'm tempted to maybe even
finish off more of the unfinished area
infront of the aquaria wall and put a couch
there!

-
Ghazanfar Ghori


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