Many Questions on Fish Room !!

[Plecodoras]

Hi Everyone,

After some advice and where better than THE best site on the net !!!

Praise over.... I was wanting to put two 6ft x 2ft x 2ft tanks on top of each other on a rack, does anyone know if this is possible? and would I need to put supports in the middle of the stand, thus blocking the view of the bottom tank and also hindering removal of bottom tank?

If you guys think it is possible to stack two high, then what size wood should I use? ( inches ) 2 x 3 or 3 x 3 or even 3 x 4 / 4 x 4 ?

Cheers I have been pulling my hair out trying to work out the layout of my new and first fish house.
The usable size I have is 7ft x 13 ft and ceiling height of 7ft 4". I was thinking about putting two 6fts as above and also two 5fts as above, on one wall and having racking for four rows of twelve 12 x 12 x 18 tanks ( 48 tanks ) with a 9" access gap between shelves, ( Is this adequate for good access? ) on the other wall.
This would leave me to have three, 12 x 15 x 30 tanks on the end wall... Thoughts anyone?
I have a small partition with a room / worktop / sink / window / door / consumer unit / etc which is 6ft x 7ft, I hope to put some cupboards in and have a feed in from my two 200 litre rainwater containers outside, to a storage tank ready for water changes.

Also, I have bought 3 x 200watt solar panels which I intend to use to feed to a battery bank to run the fish house from... So if anyone has any experience with solar - then that is most welcome too.

As is any advice from fellow fish keepers, on the above many questions - sorry

Thank You.

[jvision]

If you can't get a suitable metal stand (one that can hold 2000lb/shelf) then I would go with 2x6 or 2x8 construction. I built a stand with 2x6 frame and 3/4" plywood top that holds 4 x 25gal tanks Per shelf (3 shelves) without any problems whatsoever. I used a marine epoxy paint on it do there's no chance of rot.

[Plecodoras]

Thanks for reply Jvision.

So you would opt for a metal tank over a wood one?
and if I made a frame from metal square tubing, would I still need the central support or could I get away with putting just one in the centre at the back?

Cheers

[CoryWally]

Not sure about a six footer but I have three tiers with 4 x 2footers end-on, in effect 4'x 2'x 15". I use 4"x2" timber.

I've got solar panels on the roof, properly installed to feed into the grid. Its a 2.7KW system but only generates up to 1.8KW in optimum conditions. Obviously they work best in brightest conditions but performance starts to drop markedly as they warm up. This summer has been pretty rubbish when it comes to solar power generation. I've no idea how you will charge batteries using 400W of solar power (which will be a lot less in practice), and then transfer that power to your fish house.

Cheers,
Mark.

[krazyGeoff]

Thanks for reply Jvision.

So you would opt for a metal tank over a wood one?
and if I made a frame from metal square tubing, would I still need the central support or could I get away with putting just one in the centre at the back?

Cheers

I have 2 metal stands that each have 3 shelves, and each shelf can take a 6 foot x 2 foot x 1.5 foot.
Each stand has 5 legs, so just one in the centre at the back.
I had it made, it is box steel, with a powder coating, and the requirement was that each shelf should be able to take 1,500 kg in weight. Other than that I can answer no more questions about it, technically.
Cheers

[Plecodoras]

Thanks for input guys..

KrazyGeoff

Each stand has 5 legs, so just one in the centre at the back.

Thats what I was working on that I could put a support at the back and have the front fully accessible and viewable.
Now I know you said you couldn't answer anymore about your racks, but what size is the square tubing.. I have a welder and providing I can find some suitable iron, I can weld one up myself.

Regards,

[krazyGeoff]

The steel box is 40mm square (with beveled / rounded) corners, so smooth to the touch
I think the steel thickness is 4mm, but I am assuming that there are standard ratios that this stuff comes in?
Cheers

[Plecodoras]

Thanks KrazyGeoff,

I know the stuff you mean, now I can see if I can find any suitable. Don't suppose you have a picture of yours do you? just a thought!

Cheers.

[Shane]

I was wanting to put two 6ft x 2ft x 2ft tanks on top of each other on a rack, does anyone know if this is possible?

Certainly possible, but you may not find it practicle. My concerns in stacking two tanks of this size would be access for maintenance and comfort of viewing level. If the bottom tank is one foot off the ground (which is too low for good viewing in my opinion), and you give yourself 18" of working room between the tanks, the top edge of the upper tank will be 4.5 feet high. If you raise the bottom tank up to two feet for better viewing the edge of the top tank will be five and a half feet high.

I think you would be much happier mounting each tank on its own stand and placing tanks with less height below them. You could do three 2'X2'X1' below each six footer or any combination that suited you.

-Shane

[Jools]

I agree with Shane, in my fish room man racks the bottom and middle row tanks are 15" and the top 12", I should have put the 12" at the bottom...

Jools

[Plecodoras]

Thanks Shane and Jools.

I am only 5ft 5" and when I worked it out, it looked ok. I would have 9 - 9.5" of gap above the tank for access, is that enough?

and Jools...

I should have put the 12" at the bottom...

Im not sure what you mean by this, why would you want the smallest tanks at the bottom, how does this help?

I had planned to put some cooler species at the bottom, in some 12 x 15 x 24 tanks end on ( 4 )..

This is why I put it on here cos I have not set out the room yet and was planning the racks so I could start to do the electrics... This is my first fish house - so I have no experience at all, hence the thanks I give for all the advice from you guys...

[Jools]

Im not sure what you mean by this, why would you want the smallest tanks at the bottom, how does this help?

Several odd things. I reckon I spend more time on tanks at chest level, then the ones at eye level and finally the ones at the bottom. Secondly, I reckon I could have put smaller tanks a little lower so that, at least aesthetically, it's more pleasing and there is more space to get into them. Might just be me, but I find it easier to get to the back of a small low tank than a higher low tank (where as getting to the back of a high tank always involves steps, so I see no difference in tank sizes at height). Finally, I would be heating less water (when using in tank heating) as heat rises.

Jools

[krazyGeoff]

I have 2 metal stands that each have 3 shelves, and each shelf can take a 6 foot x 2 foot x 1.5 foot.
Each stand has 5 legs, so just one in the centre at the back.
Cheers

as per what Shane and Jools are saying, I have a 6 foot tank at chest level, use the upper level for storage, and have the filters for the 6 foot tank, and some smaller tanks on the bottom level.
The stand can take more 6 footers, as per the original question, but practically speaking......
None of these tanks require access to the back of them. Not enough room.

[saor alba]

I use modified pallet racking in my fishhouse the real Dexion stuff not that dear either and will last forever,ive 4 independant racks of this stuff with 3 shelfves each rack of at 8 length 8-9 ft in height 20" depth, just cut the shelfing atthe hooking part and re mig weld at your length needed, the side parts ( uprights )unbolt the support bits within frame cut to your size and different angle for strength and re drill and bolt back together.
Its not as hard as it sounds and a helping hand always helps you out.

Also with mine ive worked it out so 3 tanks and i get a fx5 in each corner( left and right) of the racking for the middle 4ft tanks ,then i place 405 hooked onto middle shelfves for the top 4 tanks
hope it can help you out.

[Plecodoras]

Thanks saor alba,

That looks pretty solid, so in your middle shelve you have two 4ft tanks? plus the two 405 filters.

I have seen this stuff but it always seems to be expensive ( 2 to 300 pounds per 8ft rack? From what you say, I take it you weld the joints when you have it set at the required sizes?

I am using some similar lock together shelving, but it is only 3ft in length x 18" wide, each shelve has a maximum load of 175kg evenly spread. I was going to put three 12 x 12 x 18 endways on.

Thanks for the help

[saor alba]

Hi again thats an old pic when i was making a new fishhouse up, the 4 racks cost me £400 altogether that was including delivery from England also,still got the guys number somewhere.(Took me a day to do all the mods to the racking)
See the orange bit the shelf part ,at the end of both ends theres a piece of angle iron with wee hooks to slip into the uprights ,you cut the shelf part as close as poss to the angle iron bit ,then grind the angle bit smooth where it joined the shelf bit you can then cut the shelf part to your needed size remember include the width of the angle part,then once you cut the shelf part to size you can then rejoin that part onto the angle piece that holds it onto the uprights again,honestly sonuds more than it really is.
These racking will easily hold ton pallets of goods so theyll hold large aquariums no problem with no problems either.
My racks have 4 - 405 filters hooked onto each rack in the middle shelf(So thats 16 altogether)1 left /right 2 in middle as you can see.
Also 6 Fx5,s as said at the inside of rack at the left and right on the bottom where you see those 3 tanks sitting
Tanks wise ive in each rack( Bottom 3 @24x18x18 Middle 2@48x18x18 Top 4@24x18x18 )
In my opinion with my racking ,by the time you were to buy 2" box section cut it all/ square it all/Weld it/ Treat it all it would cost alot more than what i payed and that wouldnt be my time included eithertime is important as youv,e still your tanks to upkeep and your life to get on with , i know £400 is alot to put out at 1 payment but trust me the stuff is well worth it ,and the guy cut the side uprights to the height i needed also ,check the pic youll see the angle bit joined to the blue part,look close youll see the dirty bit where i,ve been talking on where to join it again.

[Durlänger]

Hi,

- saor alba:
first - nice, stabil, moveabel construction
second - normal pallets are 120cm long, how did you change the deep to ~91cm , please show sideview

- putting tanks above each other thinking:
take a wall put the dimensions you think of with duce tape on it, put the chair (or what ever you will use the sit on for watching your fish) in front of it, then ...
... you imagine the rack in 3D, while you service your tanks and while you put big stones or other decoration in it (moving hands in the air, imagine the parts you work with), do you reach every corner is there enough open space between the top of the under tank and the upper shelf
... is the big showtank at the best high for viewing from the sitting point
if 1x or more no - try again with other placing
if 3x yes -

- krazyGeoff / steel box 40mm square standard ratios steel thickness:
"hot finished": 2,9mm or 4mm
"cold finished", welded: 1,6mm 2mm 2,6mm 3,2mm or 4mm
that is after DIN (so mainly a German standard)
other stats, like those using feet, rods or elbows for gage - I have no clue how their ratios are.

Cheers

[saor alba]

Hi Durlänger, the blue upright parts have bolted supports within the frame it self,just unbolt them. do a bit of maths ie your biggest tank width, add any extra sizes on to the width if needed like polysytrene that i use behind and the side of all tanks
cut to size ,,then sit the 2 blue bits on floor place the supports ontop of them to see if the angles work out correctly and mark them cut them and then drill them for bolting the frame back together.

As far as setting it out size its all to do with your tanks sizes ,from bottom part on the orange shelf to the tanks tops are about 10 inches but from the tank bottom its self to the tank top in the rack below is about 14-15 inches,as there is a large hollow part in shelf,s above.

I can easily clean all tanks with my sponges and hoses , the only 1 prob i have is i have to move the table and gear out the way to get into 1 fx5 on bottom shelf for maintaince, its the one thats in the second pic youll just see it to the right side of pic.

Before i did anything i took all sizes of fishhouse LxHxW tanks etc etc and did a rough sketch with air ring and the electrics postioned in the drawing aswel.

As far as heights go for show tanks then thats down to the individual persons height and how they like to be comfy in fish house, me i prefer to stand , that way i can keep a rough eye on on many tanks and if somthing catches my eye then i look closer at the tank.
But if i was wanting to sit down and watch a tank id just use that wee step ladder thats in the pic,or on floor with a board thats got some of the fishouse silver therm foil stuck to it,it save the knees also from concrete floor aswel