building a fish room

koyoteturtle · 12/27/2008, 09:18 PM

I dont know were to post this, so I'm posting here and in the DIY forum.
I'm wondering if people could give they're experiences with skinning they're fishrooms.
The insides I mean. Waterproof sheetrock, plywood, waterproof paint?
I plan on completely enclosing the fishroom, with a fan in the ceiling for keeping cntrol of the humidity and heat circulation. Any suggestions on a fan?
I found a bathroom ceiling fan at lowes, but I dont know if it will be able to handle the salt water corrosion, from working offshore, I know saltwater will ruin almost anything besides plastic over time.
Again, any help would be appreaciated.

Postal · 12/27/2008, 10:29 PM

Look into hardi-plank. You can also buy it in 4'x8' sheets that have paneled or stucco look to them.

mg426 · 12/27/2008, 10:49 PM

You are very correct, SW is hard on everything. My fish room is far from Ideal although it is functional. I manage to keep things cool in the summer with a window AC unit. In the Spring/fall I use a couple of fans to exhaust hot air through a vent that I cut in the wall. I wish that I had more room. Build the room as big as you can swing!!!

DaveMorris · 12/27/2008, 10:55 PM

My fish room is a 9x12 TuffShed and I did not skin the inside. I wish it was twice the size. I second the comment on making it as big as possible, but it kind of sounds like ou already have it built. I would think you would be fine with greenwall and a good gloss latex paint like you use in bathrooms. The stuff that is used to paint basements would work well too.

Hop · 12/27/2008, 11:12 PM

I had poor luck with painted greenboard, so I coated everything in aquatile. It seemed and still seems to be doing ok

here is an old pic

koyoteturtle · 12/28/2008, 08:38 AM

Aqua tile? Were can I find that? Lowes, home depot? Marine store? By green board, are you refering to water retardent Sheetrock? The "room will not be huge, more like a closet. Not enough room for the "ideal" fish room.

Hop · 12/28/2008, 11:53 AM

Yes, it is at lowes and home depot near the shower surrounds. It is designed for installation in laundry rooms and such... It was about $10 a sheet, or 1/2 the price of the fiberglass sheets.

Theron · 12/28/2008, 01:17 PM

For my fish room, I decided instead of trying to waterproof the walls, I would work on keeping control of the humidity of the room.

I painted the walls with primer and hi gloss paint. I installed two Fantech inline fans. One pushes air out, one pulls fresh air in. The fans are connected to a humidistat that turns the fans on at a set humidiy level. It keeps the room humidity around 50%.

12/27/2008, 09:18 PM	#1
koyoteturtle Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mississippi Posts: 105	building a fish room I dont know were to post this, so I'm posting here and in the DIY forum. I'm wondering if people could give they're experiences with skinning they're fishrooms. The insides I mean. Waterproof sheetrock, plywood, waterproof paint? I plan on completely enclosing the fishroom, with a fan in the ceiling for keeping cntrol of the humidity and heat circulation. Any suggestions on a fan? I found a bathroom ceiling fan at lowes, but I dont know if it will be able to handle the salt water corrosion, from working offshore, I know saltwater will ruin almost anything besides plastic over time. Again, any help would be appreaciated. __________________ Man..... I love my job! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon tank, 30 gallon sump/refugium. 1/10 chiller, mag 9 chiller return. Mag 12 main return. 2 seio 620? 1 seio 800. TLF phosban 150, skimmer, Calcium reactor unknown. 2 250 watt 14,000k metal halide. 100- 150pds live rock. AC jr

12/27/2008, 10:49 PM	#3
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	You are very correct, SW is hard on everything. My fish room is far from Ideal although it is functional. I manage to keep things cool in the summer with a window AC unit. In the Spring/fall I use a couple of fans to exhaust hot air through a vent that I cut in the wall. I wish that I had more room. Build the room as big as you can swing!!! __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

12/27/2008, 10:55 PM	#4
DaveMorris VP, SDMAS Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sunny San Diego, CA Posts: 1,309	My fish room is a 9x12 TuffShed and I did not skin the inside. I wish it was twice the size. I second the comment on making it as big as possible, but it kind of sounds like ou already have it built. I would think you would be fine with greenwall and a good gloss latex paint like you use in bathrooms. The stuff that is used to paint basements would work well too. __________________ Dave My 130g tank: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2387989 Current Tank Info: 130g build in progress

12/27/2008, 11:12 PM	#5
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	I had poor luck with painted greenboard, so I coated everything in aquatile. It seemed and still seems to be doing ok here is an old pic __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

12/28/2008, 08:38 AM	#6
koyoteturtle Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mississippi Posts: 105	Aqua tile? Were can I find that? Lowes, home depot? Marine store? By green board, are you refering to water retardent Sheetrock? The "room will not be huge, more like a closet. Not enough room for the "ideal" fish room. __________________ Man..... I love my job! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon tank, 30 gallon sump/refugium. 1/10 chiller, mag 9 chiller return. Mag 12 main return. 2 seio 620? 1 seio 800. TLF phosban 150, skimmer, Calcium reactor unknown. 2 250 watt 14,000k metal halide. 100- 150pds live rock. AC jr

12/27/2008, 10:29 PM	#2
Postal Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Wesley Chapel, FL Posts: 2,707	Look into hardi-plank. You can also buy it in 4'x8' sheets that have paneled or stucco look to them.

12/28/2008, 11:53 AM	#7
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	Yes, it is at lowes and home depot near the shower surrounds. It is designed for installation in laundry rooms and such... It was about $10 a sheet, or 1/2 the price of the fiberglass sheets. __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

12/28/2008, 01:17 PM	#8
Theron Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 110	For my fish room, I decided instead of trying to waterproof the walls, I would work on keeping control of the humidity of the room. I painted the walls with primer and hi gloss paint. I installed two Fantech inline fans. One pushes air out, one pulls fresh air in. The fans are connected to a humidistat that turns the fans on at a set humidiy level. It keeps the room humidity around 50%.