2 sided In-Wall 120g - Design phase

[Duffer2]

Hi all,

I purchased a new house yesterday and I'm altering an interior wall for a 2 sided in-wall 120g tank. The wall separates the Den from the dining room. The wall has a support post under it, so structurally I’m in good shape. Completion in late July, but I have to get the specs to the builder very soon. I have never seen a 2 sided in-wall never mind tried to design one.

It’s a 48”l x 24”w x 28” h with Starphire glass on the 2 visible sides. I have my 110g sump in the basement and will pipe everything down and back. I Want dual external overflows (one on each end). I’m going to go with the Solaris LED lights (gasp!) because I don’t want to deal with the heat issues as much.

The ‘dining room’ side will not have access to the tank and will be a framed viewing area only. The den side is where I will have access to the tank.

1 - I’m having difficulty finding designs / photos on similar setups. I’m looking for pictures / plans / advice on how to make finished removable / hinged access panels. Any pictures or suggestions, please pass them on.

2 – Things I'm planning for in regards to the "in-wall' design:
- Electrical Outlets inside the wall (Lights + 2 power heads)
- Ventilation System inside the wall (Need a fan with ducting to a vent outside. Will be controlled on temperature or humidity????)
- Need to have at least 20” clearance above the tank for the lighting to hang and general access
- Access panel must be light weight or assisted for daily use.

I’ve got the plumbing under control, but what else should I be thinking about????

3- I’m in Calgary and would like to find some very experienced or professional people in this sort of thing who could consult or I could hire to help me in the design phase so that I don’t screw this up. Any ideas??

4 – Any comments on the proposed tank design? (The 4 spouts sticking into the tank represent the return nozzles from the sump. I'm going to run 2 big pumps with around 2000 g / hr)
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/Fish_Tank_Render1.jpg

[untamed]

You can have a look at my tank build thread. I started working on the overhead doors at the bottom of pg. 1.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28436

I'm thinking...isn't that going to make a 2 foot thick wall? (at least)

Re Question 4: - my first impression is that you need to create some flow somewhere lower down in the tank. I can see a lot of surface movement, water going down the overflows, but anything on the bottom of the tank will likely stay there. Bring one set of overflows nearer the bottom, that way you can shoot water across the bottom in one direction, then across the top in the other direction. You'll need check valves/antisiphon planning on those return outlets if you place them nearer the bottom, but that is no trouble.

You could also leave the outlets where they are and just use pipe to deliver the outflow nearer the bottom.

Finally...go wider than 4" on your overflow boxes. You'll want to able to put some good sized bulkheads in there (1.5"). Also, the more water that your overflows can hold, the quieter you can make them.

[prodogg02]

you could talk with colby at elite he builds tanks and could probably give you some good info.

[mark]

Not a in wall but have my tank as a room divider with columns on each side, overflows on the end.

I installed outlets below the tank for my closed loop and one ballast and run cabling from the hood through the columns to the ballasts below the tank and other to basement.

To access the outlets etc, I made section of the wainscoting panel removable (held with magnets), works good.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h316/das75/P3210127.jpg

[Stoll]

If you're going with the Solaris LED system for lights you shouldn't have any troubles with heat to begin with unless there is an uninsulated heat duct in that wall.

I would set your fan to activate at a certain humidity level because you definitely don't want excess humidity condensing inside your wall. Wood absorbs moisture, and if the wall you're going to build in is connected to a bunch of other interior walls, you could be adding a fair bit of moisture into them.

You could run an air barrier around the inside of the aquarium wall space which would contain the humidity, but you would still need to exhaust it somehow or it will end up condensing on the air barrier and running down onto your floor.