Fish Shed Build Thread!

shwank005 said:
Sounds like an awesome shed Kahuna, got any pictures? I'd like to have a few kinds of cories as well. I'll probably start by trying to breed the skunk cories I have, then maybe get some rarer ones.

What do you mean by a "closed loop system"? I was planning on running 3/4"pvc all around the top of the room and branching off of that for individual racks with more pvc, then finally tap into the pvc with valves connected to airline going into the tanks.

I'd like more details on your plumbing system as well, I've spent hours pondering how to do everything and change my mind almost daily. I guess ideally I'd have air, aged water, and a drain going to every single tank I think. That's a lot of plumbing though...
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1st forget all that pipe for air 1/2-3/4" flexable tubing and hose clamps. Less glue measuring and work all the way around. Build manifolds for distributing the air 8-10 tanks and install the valves in them. The cost is a little more but the installation is 1/3 rd the time and you can move it around if you decided to expand or rework the inside with no more glueing cutting etc.

I am installing drains every 3 tanks around the shed. My racks are 3 tanks high 9 per drain. I installed 2" PVC and ran the drain under the bottom rack with the uprights for the drains running against the upright studs for the racks. Now I can put a fishing weight on a 1/4 3/8 hose and stick it in the tank and walk away. When it reaches the desired height it stops draining. I refill by gravity my aged water is upstairs just garden hose here with a little valve to turn on and off.

By closed loop system on the air I mean no dead ends everything is hooked to everything like a giant circle with spokes all hoses meet each other somewhere none dead end by them selves. Think of it like Karma Man. You will also find the flexible tubing easier to moch up to see how you like it.

There is a pic thread of some of my shed already here when I am done reworking it I will post the new ones. Just took down 1 rack and reworked it for more small tanks.

I used 2xs for my racks of 10s I purchased a rack from loews 187 bucks industrial steel 2 ton per shelf 3 shelves that holds 18 15s or 20 longs 6 per shelf sideways not long ways. All my tanks right now you look in the side or end not front or back. Thats how I crammed so many in the shed.

Msjinkzed hubby is a welder very fine shelves there from the pics.
 
Picked up two 20 longs today at Petsmart, they where on sale for 25$ each. Got a few small convicts for one of them (yeah, I'll thin them when they establish a pair). Currently they don't have a filter, but I figure it's pretty lightly stocked with hardy fish, should be fine until I get my stuff from Kensfish on Tuesday, then I'll put a couple of sponge filters in there. My wife is awesome by the way, the new tank is on the kitchen counter. The other is still empty, I'll be looking for some small angels to start growing out in there.

Also I thought I'd share the new view from our bedroom window.... Maybe later I'll put a matching window in the shed so I can check on my fish from bed.

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i want a fish shed! and yes, i would put a window in the shed, lean out your head, and check on the fishies whilst staying in bed. lol.
 
If you mate up the windows like that you'd better also put a tank of similar proportions right up against the window with moonlights. It'd be almost like a built-in :-)
 
I can't wait to see the next update. Did your wife get sunburn with her skimpy outfit in the 100 plus degree heat? You could put something across the top of the shed to join the house to cut out the light your still getting in those windows. I bet your bedroom will get cooler without all the sun coming in. How far are you on the interior work?
 
The little lady is a bit red, with a white stripe of course. My entire back is peeling from last weekend. Once I put the roof facia on, it'll be 5 1/2 inches taller, and almost right on the house, I might have to nudge the entire shed over actually. The interior is just framing right now, that comes last usually, but I am looking forward to getting the AC installed! It should only take a couple days to do, but the roof comes first!

Good Idea Zebulon! Since they won't let me start tearing down walls inside the house... I can't wait to have my own house...
 
Got more materials yesterday, stuff for the roof mostly. Foil faced plywood, 2x6, 2x8, insulation, more insulation, plexiglass, great stuff and roof sealant... came to 233$, so I think I'm around 1K$ right now, haven't added it up yet.
 
I am still working on it, my internet has been being incredibly crumby recently so I haven't updated.

I bought more materials, another 433$ for insulation, vinyl rigid foam, window AC, and more misc.

The roof is sheeted and tar papered, one pane of each skylight is in (second will be layered in with the roofing) the interior is completely insulated, one wall is covered with rigid foam, vinyl flooring is in. It's starting to looks pretty sweet.

In other news: my convicts have settled in. I have two pairs and one hermit. Each pair has selected spawning sites. At first they both dug pits, on opposite sides of a sponge filter... that wasn't gonna work, they fought constantly because they where constantly in eachothers territory. It was really interesting actually as both pairs would line up shoulder to shoulder and charge and retreat in unison during their little battles. I covered the pits and they selected new locations a little farther apart. Yesterday I noticed that the females egg laying tubes where coming out, and sure enough, this morning there are about 200 eggs in a little flower pot, the female seems to be tending them contentedly while the male patrols. The other females tube is down all the way, so there will probably be more eggs pretty soon.
 
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