220gal in-wall tank build

[Sploke]

And more progress last night...I added a little more substrate because the first addition didn't go quite as far as I'd expected. I also finally finished the hose bib next to the tank (you can see the stub-out in the last picture above). So, I have water access right there, and it's well water so no treatment required which is very handy. The last thing I need to rig up to simplify water changes is using a mag pump to pump water over to the utility sink. I could use a python, but it seems so wasteful to run that much water just to drain the tank down. So, I'll hook up my vacuum to the inlet of a mag pump and hook the outlet to a hose and run that into the sink. I had it set up last night, but the Mag 7 pump I was wanting to use was falling apart (its probably 15 years old) so I'll have to dig into my stock and see what else I have available.

Next step is to borrow my buddy's pressure washer so I can clean up the driftwood I've collected and start looking at how to arrange that.

 

[Rbishop]

Depending on the run and flow rate needed, an old powerhead could be used for the drain. Nice to see you back at it!

 

[the loach]

No, it stays in the mid- 70s in the summer and gets down to the high 50s/low 60s in the winter. I'll probably heat the tank to 65 or so in the winter since the plan was for the tank to be the heat source for the bedroom.

Any reason why you wouldn't want the easier route to heat the room?

 

[fishorama]

I'm not too familiar with natives but some of the darters etc. are amazingly pretty! & If you can collect some yourselves that would be even better!

Easier water changing is always a big plus!

& many natives could be happy at your temps AFAIK

 

[the loach]

Love native fish, have some of my own. Quite a few look just like tropical fish... for example

(Redbelly dace)

(Banded sunfish)

 

[Sploke]

Any reason why you wouldn't want the easier route to heat the room?

What would the easier route be? I could add baseboard heat, but that would require a plumber or HVAC to route a new heat loop to the room and be quite expensive. I could add an electric heater to heat the air, but in my experience, keeping a huge mass of water in the room at the temp I need will actually be more efficient than a fan driven electric heater. The electricity is paid for via solar panels either way.

Love native fish, have some of my own. Quite a few look just like tropical fish... for example

(Redbelly dace)

(Banded sunfish)

WOW. Gorgeous fish.

 

[the loach]

Let's get the priorities right, you want to heat your daughter first and foremost, and want electric because ease of use.
Then you want an electric oil heater, something like this:

The reason is that aquarium heaters don't have enough power to heat the room, too (and in your case trying to heat the other side of the basement as well). An electric oil heater can keep up with your preferred room temperature, and the tank will follow. It doesn't matter if the temperature drops for subtropical/native fish, but for your daughter it will. Also you could just use the heater when she is there.

If you want to go tropical and have the tank at 75+ degrees, you need a radiator with more power (or more of them) or a heater in the tank just like anyone else. It's why fish rooms, hatcheries, wholesalers, etc, never heat the water but the room/building.
But with this setup I personally would go with temperate/subtropical fish and not bother with the temperature in the tank at all.

 

[Sploke]

Let's get the priorities right, you want to heat your daughter first and foremost, and want electric because ease of use.
Then you want an electric oil heater, something like this:

The reason is that aquarium heaters don't have enough power to heat the room, too (and in your case trying to heat the other side of the basement as well). An electric oil heater can keep up with your preferred room temperature, and the tank will follow. It doesn't matter if the temperature drops for subtropical/native fish, but for your daughter it will. Also you could just use the heater when she is there.

If you want to go tropical and have the tank at 75+ degrees, you need a radiator with more power (or more of them) or a heater in the tank just like anyone else. It's why fish rooms, hatcheries, wholesalers, etc, never heat the water but the room/building.
But with this setup I personally would go with temperate/subtropical fish and not bother with the temperature in the tank at all.

Good idea, I'll look into one of those. Thanks!