What I'd do differently next time.

Buccaneer · #1 10-28-2007, 07:28 AM

Here is a overhead shot ... gotta love sketchup

EmilyB · #2 10-28-2007, 08:08 AM

You gonna do all that and only see it from the gym?? Holy fitness, Batman !

untamed · #3 10-28-2007, 04:27 PM

Leave it open on the theatre side...I think closing that off is a HUGE mistake. If you are concerned about light entering the theatre room, you could rig up some sort of shutter or curtain system to block it off.

I would also recommend access to the tank from both sides, even if you choose not to view it from the theatre.

Are you planning to house the entire filtration setup under the tank? Think hard about access to all the components.

Psyire · #4 10-28-2007, 07:37 PM

I would have went with no sand just HDPE/Starboard. This is my biggest regret in setting up my 180g.

Buccaneer · #5 10-29-2007, 07:45 AM

Pretty much no choice as far as only viewing from the gym ... the only time we will be in the theater will be to watch the projector and the time of day will almost always coincide with when the lights on the tank are on. Initially I really wanted for it to be viewable from both sides but acoustic treatment planned for the theater would negate that as a possibility. On the other hand I will have 4 feet to the side where the sink is and I plan to have access on the gym side above and below the tank.

Pescador · #6 10-29-2007, 10:19 AM

Our in wall faces to our home theater which is also front projection.
(a Sony VPL-HS51, Brightness:1200 ANSI lumen's, Contrast:6000:1)
The tank lights have a four stage dusk that starts at about movie time in the evening. We always planned to have a curtain for it but haven't needed it.
Just curious how do you know what acoustic treatment your room needs before everything is set up and you know how it sounds? We wanted our room to be more multi-function than dedicated theater so we just tried to keep a mix of hard and soft surfaces.

What I'd do differently next time? Not too much, better ventilation for the lights, R/O output lines roughed in, more room around the back sides of the tank. Even with having to do some demo to get a 36" wide tank down the stairs it turned out pretty good.

Best things we did? Structured wiring, access to the back side of all the home theater electronics, combining a fish room and hobby room, roughed in water lines for R/O D/I, laundry sink, lots of blocking to attach equipment to walls and ceiling.

surgeonfish · #7 10-29-2007, 07:11 PM

I would keep the tank shallow (24-30"). My tank is 48" deep and I need to go swimming to reach the back corners. Also be careful for overheating if you add 4 x 400 MH lights. Prefare for lots of fans, air circulation and possibly a chiller. Hopefully being in the basement will also help prefent heating problems. Also consider using LED lighting.
Good luck and keep us updated.

Buccaneer · #8 10-30-2007, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by untamed

Are you planning to house the entire filtration setup under the tank? Think hard about access to all the components.

Well there is the rub so to speak ... when I had my 330G setup I had a 2 ft space running behind it with a flip down walkway at the height of the bottom of the tank so I could flip it up and then gain access to the sump/skimmer etc etc and then flip it back down and stand on it for easy access into the tank

I will have to figure out a efficient use of space under the tank for sump/skimmer (s) etc and also figure out a way to gain access to the top of the tank

For the top of the tank I am thinking of like a mechanics dolly that I can flip down and it slide across the top of the tank on rails ... I can then lay on top and easily reach down into the tank ... I think they make them now in a hard plastic which would be great for a salt water environment

The old tank had the lights on a manual pully using aircraft wire to raise and lower the light hood ... maybe a motorized version would work