Details are important. Details cause delays. I was pretty much ready to go with the tank, but had to take a big step back to work with some of the details.
Black
I love the depth that a solid black background creates. Almost an infinity or an abyss. However, I really want to preserve the viewing from all 4 sides including the back. Granted that rear viewing is somewhat awkward given the tanks proximity to the wall, but for a motivated viewer it’s actually not too bad. The glass of the tank is roughly 16” from the wall and it’s not too hard to squeeze behind the tank or just peak around a corner.
I also wanted to hide the overflow plumbing, but with a viewable back, the white PVC really stands out.
Rather than painting the rear glass panel black, I painted the entire wall behind the tank black.
This really worked well. When viewing the tank from the front, the gap between the wall and the tank adds to the overall depth. When viewing the tank from the couch (10 feet away), the black wall makes the tank appear to float in space.
At some point I will replace the white electrical plates with black ones.
The overflow plumbing is also painted black. It should blend into the wall and while it will be visible, it should not be distracting. I used Krylon spray paint (for plastic) for the pieces that don’t touch water. For the in tank plumbing (inside the overflow) I used schedule 80 PVC which is naturally a dark colour.
Floor
Next was the floor. Our basement was previously carpeted and honestly, no matter how hard you try, it’s impossible not to spill when working on a tank. For the tank to be a long term success, the carpet had to go. We explored a number of options including cork, hardwood, laminate and tile. In the end, we settled on a vinyl tile (Armstrong Alterna). This floor is extremely durable, looks like natural slate even up close, but will not crack and is much warmer under foot than natural slate would have been. We are very happy with the results.
The biggest challenge was moving the tank around while the floor was being done. You can imagine this was a big project. The carpet came out, the concrete was resurfaced and then the tiles were laid.
To move the tank around, I used a car jack to lift it and build a platform with wheels underneath. This was a little bit tricky to accomplish but the end result was I could easily role the tank around. The carpet guys just worked around it. Getting it down off the platform was also not an easy task, but I managed.
HRV
Humidity was a real problem in our house. With my 90G tank, on a cold day we had puddles on our windowsills. Ultimately, I am sure this would have ruined the house. More to the point, my wife was not very impressed with this aspect of my hobby and the prospect of a much larger tank was daunting.
An HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilation) seemed the obvious choice.
The whole thing is a bit of a monster and the installation was challenging. You really need a flexible space to install one of these.
The HRV has 4 hookups for airflow.
1. Draws fresh air from outside to inside.
2. Vents fresh air to house – Split between tank room (66%) and house central heating.
3. Draws stale air in – Split between tank room (66%) and cold air return (33%)
4. Vents stale air from inside to outside.
It’s all about the heat exchange coil.
This next picture gives you an idea of how the HRV will service the tank.
The Stale Air Intakes are centered directly above the tank. The humidistat is positioned slightly to the left of the tank, but in close proximity. The Fresh Air Exhaust locations were chosen for their practicality in terms of ducting, but are within close proximity of the tank.
The result of installing the HRV has been nothing short of spectacular. The air quality in our house has never been better and our humidity problem is completely gone. There is a cost in terms of reduced heating efficiency during the cold months, but the tank adds some of that heat back in. I have no question that this was the right solution for me.
Screen Top
One of the principals that I am striving for is a “nothing over the top glass” look. This creates a nice platform for a screen top. I bought the clear mesh from BRS and used a screen frame from Home Depot to make this top.
For anyone who has ever attempted this, you will appreciate how difficult it is to complete this project perfectly. I really took my time and laid everything out, but there are flaws. The frame is slightly off square and the mesh is not perfectly straight across all lines. However, it is not immediately evident unless you really inspect it. For the most part I am satisfied with the outcome, but may attempt a version 2 at some point in the future.