Need Advice if you have a basement-In wall tank...

DoctaReef · 10/31/2009, 07:57 AM

So I have been kicking around the idea of finishing my basement and building a new fish tank into one of the walls and having a fish room behind. My biggest concern with my entire project is that when its completed, I don't want my cool media room to smell like a gym sock. Because, after all, what good is a cool in wall build if nobody wants to go downstairs to see it?

I have been talking to people about insulation, vapor barriers and such, and I was hoping I could get some advice from people on here who have done similar builds.

My question is (for today I'm sure there will be more) for those of you that have a fish room in your basement, did you insulate and place a vapor barrier on the foundation walls in your fish room or leave the foundation bare?

Additionally, if anyone has any advice about finishing basements with or without fish tanks, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks!

Indymann99 · 10/31/2009, 08:35 AM

Doctareef

I have a basement in-wall and have no issues with smell or humidity. I did use vapor barrier AND insulate all walls before finishing.

link to my basement and tank picts.
http://s300.photobucket.com/albums/n...n99/?start=all

A search for basement in-wall or similar will net you a lot of good example builds.

I have found that a finished basement is a GREAT place for the tank.

DoctaReef · 10/31/2009, 08:51 AM

Indyman-
Thanks for your reply, I especially like your bar set-up, its a part of my grand plan as well.
I have a few questions for you:
I cant tell if your tank is self contained or is there a fish room behind the wall?
If you have a fish room, did you insulate and barrier it as well or just the walls that are part of the finished room?
What did you use for insulation and a vapor barrier?

Paul B · 10/31/2009, 09:03 AM

My 100 gallon has been in this wall for 30 years. There is no smell. I do have an exhaust fan over the tank that takes the humidity outside. They do evaporate over a gallon a day and all of that water kind of settles there causing mildew.
I built the room around the tank and only put a water sealer on the walls, I used Thompsons Water seal. There is a staircase behind the tank and a small closet.

The front opens almost up to the ceiling, you need good access especially in the front.

This is behind the tank in the small closet under the stairs.

This is what it looks like open

Indymann99 · 10/31/2009, 09:10 AM

Doctareef,

The Fish room is part of the mechanical room (furnace/AC, water heater, sump pit, etc). that room is unfinished and has no vapor barrier or insulation.

The mix tank and QT are under the stairs down to the basement.

Insulation is owens corning (pink) HOWEVER I DO NOT RECOMMEND you use this. The owens stuff contains formaldihide and the SMELL was unbareable, caused the family to have to leave the house for 3 days while I had to VENT the basement.. now that it is finished no odor but during constructinon... VERY bad. I would use JM (white) as it has no odor.

Having a refrig/freezer is really nice for quik access to frozen food.

TLParker · 10/31/2009, 09:23 AM

Indyman99,

You did a really good job on your basement. I really like your setup. How many sqft do you in the basement?

Indymann99 · 10/31/2009, 09:36 AM

approx 1000 sq finished.

DoctaReef · 10/31/2009, 12:54 PM

PaulB- Thanks for the info, I definitely will be incorporating an exhaust fan in the final plans, attached to a humidistat.

Indyman- Do you notice any condensation on the unfinished walls?
With regard to the insulation, are you talking about the extruded polystyrene (rigid) insulation that Owens corning makes not the fiberglass type...right?

This project I'm estimating to be about 850 sq feet... the display and system size has yet to be determined..

Indymann99 · 10/31/2009, 06:08 PM

no condensation on the unfinished walls.

The insulation I used was the standard Owens Corning fiberglass stuff. The walls are standard 2x4 construction so I didnt need to do the rigid foam insulation. forget the R value but did the walls and ceiling.

The tank evaps approx 1g per day... more in the winter when the humidity drops.

I do have to run a de-humidifier in the basement... but ALL Indiana basements should have one.

i-b-reef-n · 10/31/2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLParker

Indyman99,

You did a really good job on your basement. I really like your setup.

Ditto! Looks very comfortable and relaxing

10/31/2009, 07:57 AM	#1
DoctaReef Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Glastonbury, CT Posts: 236	Need Advice if you have a basement-In wall tank... So I have been kicking around the idea of finishing my basement and building a new fish tank into one of the walls and having a fish room behind. My biggest concern with my entire project is that when its completed, I don't want my cool media room to smell like a gym sock. Because, after all, what good is a cool in wall build if nobody wants to go downstairs to see it? I have been talking to people about insulation, vapor barriers and such, and I was hoping I could get some advice from people on here who have done similar builds. My question is (for today I'm sure there will be more) for those of you that have a fish room in your basement, did you insulate and place a vapor barrier on the foundation walls in your fish room or leave the foundation bare? Additionally, if anyone has any advice about finishing basements with or without fish tanks, I'd love to hear them! Thanks!

10/31/2009, 08:35 AM	#2
Indymann99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,447	Doctareef I have a basement in-wall and have no issues with smell or humidity. I did use vapor barrier AND insulate all walls before finishing. link to my basement and tank picts. http://s300.photobucket.com/albums/n...n99/?start=all A search for basement in-wall or similar will net you a lot of good example builds. I have found that a finished basement is a GREAT place for the tank. __________________ 120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO

10/31/2009, 09:03 AM	#4
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	My 100 gallon has been in this wall for 30 years. There is no smell. I do have an exhaust fan over the tank that takes the humidity outside. They do evaporate over a gallon a day and all of that water kind of settles there causing mildew. I built the room around the tank and only put a water sealer on the walls, I used Thompsons Water seal. There is a staircase behind the tank and a small closet. The front opens almost up to the ceiling, you need good access especially in the front. This is behind the tank in the small closet under the stairs. This is what it looks like open __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

10/31/2009, 09:10 AM	#5
Indymann99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,447	Doctareef, The Fish room is part of the mechanical room (furnace/AC, water heater, sump pit, etc). that room is unfinished and has no vapor barrier or insulation. The mix tank and QT are under the stairs down to the basement. Insulation is owens corning (pink) HOWEVER I DO NOT RECOMMEND you use this. The owens stuff contains formaldihide and the SMELL was unbareable, caused the family to have to leave the house for 3 days while I had to VENT the basement.. now that it is finished no odor but during constructinon... VERY bad. I would use JM (white) as it has no odor. Having a refrig/freezer is really nice for quik access to frozen food. __________________ 120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO

10/31/2009, 09:23 AM	#6
TLParker Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: JC, MO. Posts: 55	Indyman99, You did a really good job on your basement. I really like your setup. How many sqft do you in the basement? __________________ TL Parker Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you can't eat it or play with it, Just pee on it and walk away. Current Tank Info: 38G Mixed Reef soon to be a 40G Breeder with a 20 breeder sump

10/31/2009, 08:51 AM	#3
DoctaReef Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Glastonbury, CT Posts: 236	Indyman- Thanks for your reply, I especially like your bar set-up, its a part of my grand plan as well. I have a few questions for you: I cant tell if your tank is self contained or is there a fish room behind the wall? If you have a fish room, did you insulate and barrier it as well or just the walls that are part of the finished room? What did you use for insulation and a vapor barrier?

10/31/2009, 09:36 AM	#7
Indymann99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,447	approx 1000 sq finished. __________________ 120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO

10/31/2009, 12:54 PM	#8
DoctaReef Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Glastonbury, CT Posts: 236	PaulB- Thanks for the info, I definitely will be incorporating an exhaust fan in the final plans, attached to a humidistat. Indyman- Do you notice any condensation on the unfinished walls? With regard to the insulation, are you talking about the extruded polystyrene (rigid) insulation that Owens corning makes not the fiberglass type...right? This project I'm estimating to be about 850 sq feet... the display and system size has yet to be determined..

10/31/2009, 06:08 PM	#9
Indymann99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,447	no condensation on the unfinished walls. The insulation I used was the standard Owens Corning fiberglass stuff. The walls are standard 2x4 construction so I didnt need to do the rigid foam insulation. forget the R value but did the walls and ceiling. The tank evaps approx 1g per day... more in the winter when the humidity drops. I do have to run a de-humidifier in the basement... but ALL Indiana basements should have one. __________________ 120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO