Trade-off needs to be made. Help me make the decision.

My fishroom is in my basement. Exposed floor joists in most areas. However, I do have metal beams below the joists in one area. Additionally, they did a terrible job of running the HVAC ducts and some drop down below the metal beams. The consequence of all this is that in order to run a horizontal pvc loop around the room, I would need to drop it down at least two feet from the 7 1/2 foot ceilings.

This means that the pvc loop would be below all the tanks on the top shelves. So which is more important, to minimize the twists and turns in the pvc loop or to have the loop above all the tanks?

I'm leaning towards minimizing the twists and turns and just installing check valves in the airlines to the top tanks, but I'm open to persuasion.

Joel

Dear Joel,

I would minimize turns and go with the check valves if you can see the airline tubing in the top row. The check valves don't always work and if you get water sucked back and draining in the air system it will be unpleasant.

I put my pump up high so no matter what kind of power cutoff or disaster occurred, it survived.

I just finished dismantling my fishroom. I can't believe how many boxes of filters, heaters, valves, adapters, plugs and whatnot I have to store. When construction is done in six months, the new fishroom will have less tanks but may include three 20L tanks and they will all be on automated water system. I will have 20 -21 tanks for sure, a long way from the 50+ I had five years ago.

Good luck,

Earl

Yup, I would go with Earl's advice aswell.

I am just building my fish room at the moment, so all this advice is really interesting and useful. Please keep it coming - it is really helping.

Pictures! We want pictures!

Before and After with a few "oops" in the middle would be best...

I am assuming you mean me? Not much to see at the moment. Have a couple of photos but will have to take more soon as the project progresses.



The Fish Room



Inside

Nice, your going to have a lot of room to work with.

Yup, I have split the room in two. One section for warm water fish and one area for cool water goodeids etc.

It will hopefully make it cheaper to run, especially in the winter.

There is also room behind for ponds.

Ok now Im just jealous