The Tank Room

yardboy · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:15 pm Post subject: The Tank Room

What I consider the ultimate in Reefkeeping accessories is a tank room. A place to put all your noisy equipment, frag tanks, test lab, refugiums, experiments and "tank stuff".
I've been into reefing for over three years now, and as such I've accumulated quite a bit of "stuff". I've never thrown away a tank unless it was busted, Embarassed

, I've experimented with lights, filters, pumps, rocks, hoses, tubing, ARRRGGGHHHH..
Eventually I realized I needed my "own space" that didn't have to look extra neat, but could support my display and all the other tanks we've got.
as a roll call, here's what I've been playing with lately,
Frag Tanks and refugiums:

10 gallon nano experiment

My RO/DI topoff and salt mixing system:

A 150 gallon display and my 20 cube from the RM nano buildoff

I decided to close in the back porch of my house, making a "sun room" (future selling point) and using half for my tank room.The 150 display will move across the room in front of the window and the sump and equipment will go outside with the return and overflow lines going through the window. The other half of the room will be Genie's orchids winter home. There will be a sliding glass door on this side opening onto a trellised patio with a swing and barbeque area.
Here's a shot before the building begins.

Here's the porch before work begins

yardboy · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:23 pm Post subject:

Nothing to it but to do it!
Framing the East wall:

Framing the NorthEast wall:

Setting the windows in the East wall:

Classic HD situation. Out of eight windows, four were busted, couldn't tell since they were all wrapped with plastic as they were loaded, so only four windows set the first day. Neutral

My help is only working on weekends, so I'll do the rest of the framing this week, set the rest of the windows, and have him help me next Saturday place the sliding door and beginning the outside stucco job. Hopefully we'll start the wiring too (there's a trench to dig Sad

)
Any comments, suggestions, or smart-a$$ remarks are more than welcome!

waterfaller1 · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 5:46 am Post subject:

Excellent .I like your tank room..very nice.I would probably make my office in there. Smile

Hmm..this gives me some ideas. Keep up the great work! Are you doing this all yourself?
_________________
Smile~Carole =)

Gawain1974 · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 5:55 am Post subject:

Well, coming from the man who doesn't have any powertools, I'm very impressed. Sounds like an awesome project coming to fruition. By the way, throw in a pic of Genie's orchids....I love them.
_________________
~Les
"Oppression can only survive through silence."

clord · Orangutan Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 725 Karma: 1 + / -

Wow thats so cool.. Good work yardboy I like your frag tanks.

ccuda6 · Gorilla Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 983 Karma: 19 + / -

Yardboy that looks great. Good luck getting the rest of it up this weekend
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Stacker · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:49 am Post subject:

Looks like you have plenty to keep you out of trouble there Yard.
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Jamesurq · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:07 am Post subject:

Wow - had no idea you had SO many tanks... That addition looks great too. You left out the fun part of the .22 caliber stud nailer Smile

My favorite part of framing.

mushumatt · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:14 am Post subject:

I love using nail guns!!! Passload cordless gass powered nail gun soo fun to play with.

thrlride · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:57 am Post subject:

Looks great! I've never used a nail gun. My shed project was done the old fashioned way, framing hammer and nails. Sad

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yardboy · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:31 am Post subject:

yardboy · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:34 am Post subject:

yardboy · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:37 am Post subject:

yardboy · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:13 pm Post subject:

A couple of more evenings work and I've got another wall and windows done. Tomorrow will be an "off day" as Genie wants to go down to the beach. MTV is having a Spring Break party at Club La Vela with some band hammering down. Sounds like a good excuse to drink beer!

yardboy · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:16 pm Post subject:

Les, here's a couple of shots of some of Genie's orchids. For some reason I'm "directory-challenged" right now and can't locate the directory with most of the orchid shots in it. Later.

Ya'll have a great evening! And pray for me tomorrow. Good lord, a 49 yr. old man at an MTV party.
Heck, last year we saw Black-Eyed Peas there and we were on the front row!

gettingfeisty · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:01 pm Post subject:

Awesome plans.

Genie has a great green thumb--I am totally jealous.

How was the MTV party?

yardboy · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:05 pm Post subject:

Well, since it seems as if there will be no recovery of the lost replies, I'll add in what was lost, if I can remember it.
First, we finished blacking in the walls.

Then we did the stucco job. First coat was a scratch coat, next will be the finish.

yardboy · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:22 pm Post subject:

The last few weeks have been slower, my help seemed to like partying on Friday night more than working on Sat. morning. After missing two weekends in a row, I think I've given up on him. We only got half the finish coat done, but I learned enough to finish it myself. I also had a time trying to figure out how to color the stucco. At first I thought it was color mixed into the stucco, but after looking everywhere for it, and only finding that it's quite touchy to mix, I realized by looking at some flashing and vents that it was obviously painted after all. Seems the paint soaks into the stucco to seal it, so every time I flaked off a piece to try and match it, my piece had paint soaked all the way through it. That makes it a lot easier anyway!
I finished up most of the wiring today, only got the outside light and receptacle to finish tomorrow.
Here's Genie's orchid side

And here's my tank side. I've move the GFCI receptacle up higher on the wall and ran two more receptacles under the windows off that. I'm also putting a utility sink in the corner with the drain running along the side of the house to tie into the sewer where it comes out of the house, right before the cleanout. I've already warmed up to digging around the house, thanks to the conduit for the power lines coming into the room. I'll post pics of that tomorrow.

Jamesurq · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:20 pm Post subject:

Very nice. Coming along...

Mindcrime · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:40 pm Post subject:

Awesome craftsmanship..are you in construction for a living?
_________________
-=Mike=-

Gawain1974 · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:19 am Post subject:

Very nice, yardboy! The new room is going to be awesome when finished! You and Genie want to adopt a son? Wink

_________________
~Les
"Oppression can only survive through silence."

yardboy · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:58 am Post subject:

Jamesurq · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:47 am Post subject:

Mindcrime · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:51 am Post subject:

yardboy · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:45 pm Post subject:

Oh Lord. Left myself open on that one didn't I. No worries, I'll handle that project myself. I am a DIY'er, after all.

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