# Efficient fish room layout - Need some direction



## des (Mar 30, 2011)

Hey fish people,

It's been on my mind for a while now but I want to start over and build a fish room that will run more efficiently. I know it's a general idea, but it's really putting me at a halt in expanding until I have the right plan. I don't know any one that has time to sit and really help me draw out a plan so I turn to you for direction.

I presently have 8 tanks each with separate filters (some have more than 1), 8 heaters, 8 lights, air pumps and air lines, power heads, etc. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. Very inefficient.

Let's first look at my goal. We all want at least one show tank for the living room so it's going to need it's own equipment. I can leave that there. What I want out of the fish room is some thing manageable. I would like 5-6 species only breeding tanks and I guess it would make sense to have 5-6 tanks for grow out. 1-2 tank for quarantine. 1 or 2 sumps? 1 sump for 6 tanks?

Now, I have to say I'm not a hands on type of person. I would be the first to fail at DYI.

Tanks: I'm thinking 75 gallons are adequate for breeding most species. I know the tanks have to be drilled and require bulk heads. Am I using regular PVC pipes with connectors or am I'm using flexible tubing? How does the plumping actually tie together? 
Sumps: I have no experience with these but know they are the way to go for ease of maintenance and to maximize bio and mechanical filtration. How do I know what size sump to get? What size water pump to get? I read you need control valves to control the speed of water flow, auto top up, etc. 
Heater: ?
Tank Racks: ?

Obviously, I need to do more reading. For me, almost too overwhelming to do by myself. If you can send me resourceful links, example of layouts that work, or even let me know what you think, it would be appreciated.

It's a start...


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## bigwaverider (Jan 3, 2012)

Read through this post http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=204626


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## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

Here's some light reading as well

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... c631ebe543


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

I would keep the tanks filtered seperately,just in case of any illness,easier to contain
get an air pump that has the capacity to run a bunch of sponge filters,alls you would need to do is run air lines from a manifold,theres a guy on kijij selling two pumps right now


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## des (Mar 30, 2011)

newforestrob said:


> I would keep the tanks filtered seperately,just in case of any illness,easier to contain
> get an air pump that has the capacity to run a bunch of sponge filters,alls you would need to do is run air lines from a manifold,theres a guy on kijij selling two pumps right now


This idea is my back up plan in case the whole central sump system doesn't work out. It's still a lot of work to clean the individual sponges and do water changes for each tank. I was looking at several different high capacity air pumps ranging between $80-$150 each Cdn. It could very well go this route.


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## cantrell00 (Oct 30, 2010)

Just a few suggestions...

Use 30 BR & 33 L's.. Both are only 12" high and assuming you are breeding mbuna & peacocks, they will satisfy 90% of the fish you would want to breed. If going with larger haps, obviously you would need larger tanks.

For filtration - I had initially thought of centralized sumps but decided on centralized air and sponge filters, mainly because they are simple, easy to maintain and much cheaper than sump systems.

I have 3 - 33L's on a sump and it takes just as long to change water in them as it does to do 3 - 30BR.

That being said, my water change system is fairly automated so that may have a lot to do with it also.

Having overhead, gravity fed water storage is the smartest thing I did...


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

You could run the tanks with Hamburg/mattenfilters powered by air and requiring very little maintenance. One of our members has all his tanks (34) up to 350 gallons filtered this way. Some have gone 4 years without any filter maintenance. All his tanks get a weekly 50% water change.


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## Rick_Lindsey (Aug 26, 2002)

des said:


> Heater: ?
> Tank Racks: ?


For heat, have you considered insulating and heating the entire fish room? You may find that a room heater is more efficient than a bunch of aquarium heaters.

For racks, have you looked at some of the sturdy "gorilla rack" type wire shelving from your local BORG or warehouse store? I've never used it, but I've read about other people that are pleased with it.

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)


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## cantrell00 (Oct 30, 2010)

Rick_Lindsey said:


> des said:
> 
> 
> > Heater: ?
> ...


This is what I did.. As long as you keep the room temp stable, the tanks are stable..


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## Secretninja (Dec 25, 2011)

While it would be convenient, I would never do a whole fishroom on 1 sump system. That is just way too much of a hassle if something goes wrong, such as illness or other contamination. I would probably do separate towers with their own sump system, like 3 tanks with fish in it and a sump underneath them. That way, you are only losing those 3 tanks if disaster strikes.

Not trying to be a buzzkill on your plans, just playing the devils advocate I guess.

If you go with a sump, make sure you at least look into k1 kaldnes. Everyone who uses it seems to love it, and it will definitely cut down on sump maintenance, to the point where all you do is clean filter sock/ wad of mechanical as needed.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> It's been on my mind for a while now but I want to start over and build a fish room that will run more efficiently. I know it's a general idea, but it's really putting me at a halt in expanding until I have the right plan. I don't know any one that has time to sit and really help me draw out a plan so I turn to you for direction.
> 
> I presently have 8 tanks each with separate filters (some have more than 1), 8 heaters, 8 lights, air pumps and air lines, power heads, etc. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. Very inefficient.
> 
> ...


You might want to just go with a central air pump. That'd simplify a great deal. Add PVC to make draining off water from a tank hands free (see cantrell's thread). Then add a water storage and refill system. Or just add some type of auto change system. I love sumps, but not sure if it's a good fit for your situation and abilities at DIY. You gotta ask yourself if you need the super biofiltration it offers. Unless you're going to be occasionally holding a big load of fish, then I'd rethink that. I also wouldn't try to combine too many tanks into one system. Getting that to work well can be tricky. Plus there'd be that moment, as said in a previous post, where you need to isolate some fish, or you discover what might be parasites on a fish and that won't be a good feeling knowing you're potentially dealing with an entire system problem. If sumping, separate it out a bit. Simplifies things too. I know a breeder that has hundreds of tanks, works it alone, and doesn't have a single sump. All air driven, auto water change. I have a mix of sumps and central air driven myself.


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## des (Mar 30, 2011)

Thanks everyone! I feel more confident with a central air pump as most of you have suggested. I'll have to figure out the auto drain and top up with more reading and absorbing.

I'm putting up the house for sale in a few months while looking for a new home with an unfinished basement! :lol: Good timing I guess.


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