My first aquariums - 404 display/150 frag

[b09u5]

So we went to install the sink and sump system. I am trying to avoid running a traditional drain through the floor, as jack-hammering my foundation in a finished basement sounds costly. The water was just a T off the hot and cold for my upstairs shower, but the rest of the plumbing is starting to frustrate me.

IMG_2760 by gschaus, on Flickr


IMG_2761 by gschaus, on Flickr

I thought that I would be fine running ABS from the sump, over my wall and allow it to run into the drain in the floor in my furnace room. No such luck. Apparently plumbing code calls for Schedule 40 out on pumps within a house, until the point of gravity feed. That is easy enough. The second issue is that I cannot allow one drain to flow into another, I actually have to plumb this into the sewer system. Again, simple enough - probably would get someone to do this, but not to complex - all of my plumbing ends up in the unfinished furnace room. The third issue is the most difficult to resolve: The sump has a vent on it and the vent -by code -must be plumbed outside. Not just through the wall outside (that would be too easy), but through the roof.

So after pulling a permit myself, learning that there are issues that I cannot resolve, cancelling the permit, I now have a guy coming who can hopefully get it done tomorrow.

The silver lining for this, is that the guy also knows HVAC. Apparently my idea for running an exhaust and intake fan is not a good idea, nor is it to code. I have also just learned that any time changes are made to the ventilation or circulation of air within a home, a permit is required and a licensed HVAC person must do the work. This made me crazy, since simply opening a window and pointing a fan at it meets the criteria above and thereby would require a permit and a licensed HVAC person. Unfortunately, the City of Calgary does not sympathize with this point.

Probably another few hundred dollars and I will have a solution. This just keeps adding up!

[b09u5]

OH! And the bigger, better news is that I am looking at ordering up a starfire front for the 404g. Because of the size that the 19mm Starfire comes in, if I replace the 8'x27" front piece, I should have enough Starfire left over to pair it with the original front panel 8'x27" (as a base) and make an 8'x27"x11" frag tank! All out of 19mm Starfire.

I still have a lot of work to watch the plumber and HVAC guy do before I can move on with vapor barrier, drywall, paint, etc. But once that is done, the building can finally begin!

[neoh]

You haven't even got to the expensive stuff yet. Good that your doing everything to code. I probably wouldn't, haha.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by b09u5

Probably another few hundred dollars and I will have a solution. This just keeps adding up!

Oh, just wait until you start adding livestock! That's when it really starts adding up, but for some reason spending $1000 on livestock doesn't hurt as much as $1000 on setup. Maybe it's the eye candy.

I sympathize with the frustration of making it all work, but that is great that you are building everything to code. Codes are made for good reason, and it would not be pleasant if after all this your not-to-code plumbing failed you.

What do you have in the works for electrical? I would suggest you dedicate at least two different breakers so that if one pops the tank will still remain half-running. I run all my lights on one breaker (so if they have trouble they only kick out half the system) and my pumps are split between two different breakers. I have (2) 20-amp breakers...one is GFCI protected, the other has GFCI receptacles.

[FishyFishy!]

Originally Posted by Myka

What do you have in the works for electrical? I would suggest you dedicate at least two different breakers so that if one pops the tank will still remain half-running. I run all my lights on one breaker (so if they have trouble they only kick out half the system) and my pumps are split between two different breakers. I have (2) 20-amp breakers...one is GFCI protected, the other has GFCI receptacles.

The first post of the thread goes through his electrical setup

Originally Posted by b09u5

Seeing all of the glass in the house, I was motivated to get moving on the electrical and ventilation for the room. I wanted each section: display tank; sump; and frag tank, to be on separate circuits and for everything to be run on GFI outlets. This way, if I have a catastrophic failure of any device, none of the others should be affected. To do this, I needed to either get a new electrical panel, as mine is did not have the room to accommodate additional breakers, or set up a sub-panel near the aquarium room and run the separate services from there.

As I am planning for a hot tub and air conditioning unit in upcoming years (may need the AC sooner due to the heat from the aquariums), I chose to run a 3 conductor/2 gauge wire from the existing panel to the fish room for a sub-panel. This was more of a pain in the ass than anticipated, but 3 hours later, it was done.

IMG_2685 by gschaus, on Flickr



IMG_2699 by gschaus, on Flickr



IMG_2700 by gschaus, on Flickr



IMG_2703 by gschaus, on Flickr


From there, I had an electrician run the wiring for the three separate 15Amp services and had him run some extra wire for the ventilation of the room.

IMG_2720 by gschaus, on Flickr


IMG_2718 by gschaus, on Flickr


IMG_2722 by gschaus, on Flickr

[b09u5]

Originally Posted by Myka;823957}

What do you have in the works for electrical? I would suggest you dedicate at least two different breakers so that if one pops the tank will still remain half-running.

I have 4 separate 15 Amp services into that room (1 off my main panel, and 3 off a sub panel that I had installed). All have 4 GFI double outlets on each of them for a total of 16 double GFI outlets. All but one of the services are above the water line, so problems should be limited, and if there are any, they should not affect the other outlets.

[b09u5]

Yeah. I have 0 idea why they aren't working. I just copy and paste that BBCode from Flickr. That is already more than I know a out the situation!

Wish I could get the pics out.

Maybe they'll work later?

[FishyFishy!]

Yeah weird.. now I see two of them. Lol. Maybe they will all work in a little bit.