need help making a fish room in wi.
- Thread starter jrhanson90
- Start date
yes it is cool all year round but how would i make so my tanks dont get to cold ,what would u do and i have a small budget
Well, I'm pretty sure if you were to put up stud walls and insulate them and insulate the ceiling with either a good thick layer of blow-in or regular insulation it should be well insulated. As far as heating goes, there are small(10x10x10) electric heaters that mount to the ceiling that I have installed in 2 stall gargages that heat them just fine.
Travis
Travis
I wouldnt bother with the studs better to glue celotec panels or similar directly to the concrete.Form a more perfect insulated box that way.The foil face would make a nice easy to wipe down wall surface but Im not sure if thats legal building code wise.plywood walls if you have to,really well caulked and painted with a mold resistant paint.
Even better would be insulate OUTSIDE the building,then vinyl siding,that way you have the concrete walls inside sealed and painted would be perfect.
Either way a dehumidifyer and covered tanks is a must,if you cant afford an air exchanger.
youll probably want a small furnace or something for heat cause an electric will be real expensive
Even better would be insulate OUTSIDE the building,then vinyl siding,that way you have the concrete walls inside sealed and painted would be perfect.
Either way a dehumidifyer and covered tanks is a must,if you cant afford an air exchanger.
youll probably want a small furnace or something for heat cause an electric will be real expensive
Well, I am in that very same process here in IA. I am building a fish room out of an old basement room. When I got it it leaked water from every nook and crack. I started by tuck-pointing the cinder blocks with mortar mix ($2.79/ 40#'s), then put two coats waterproofer ($16.78/Gal UGL Drylock) and decided that that was enough since it was six feet under ground rising up to ground level. If I find that in the winter it gets too cold I will have two optinions: 1) Frame the room, insulate, drywall and finish it ===EXPENSIVE 2) Slide the highest R-value insulation behind the tanks against the wall. ===CHEAP. I hope this helps in any way.
P.S. the room is 12.5x9.5x9. and anything more than 4 feet underground remains a constant 55 degrees===cool in the summer, warm in the winter.
P.S. the room is 12.5x9.5x9. and anything more than 4 feet underground remains a constant 55 degrees===cool in the summer, warm in the winter.
yep, what he said
use a wall paper on the back of all the tanks, and insulate on 3 sides
and maybe a way for moisture to get out in the summer, like a fan that blows air outside but can be covered in the winter
im stopping by lowes tomorrow, ill look at some stuff there and see if it gives me any ideas
use a wall paper on the back of all the tanks, and insulate on 3 sides
and maybe a way for moisture to get out in the summer, like a fan that blows air outside but can be covered in the winter
im stopping by lowes tomorrow, ill look at some stuff there and see if it gives me any ideas
Since I amnot accustomed to weather that is 20 below, I would be so inclined to def. recomend the studs, plus iinsulation, plus foam. You want as much as possible, in what sounds like gruesome weather.
Anything we are talking about is going to be some good money.
How far is this building from your house?
Don't forget to insulate the door, a solid core wood door is best. You can find them used and make it fit. A double door entrance for that cold of weather would be best
A false insulated floor floor will help too. Do you have any building salvage yards around?
Are the tearing down any old barns or houses that you could get scrap from.
The more work you are willing to do the cheaper it could be.
This won't be simple, but it is do-able.
How far is this building from your house?
Don't forget to insulate the door, a solid core wood door is best. You can find them used and make it fit. A double door entrance for that cold of weather would be best
A false insulated floor floor will help too. Do you have any building salvage yards around?
Are the tearing down any old barns or houses that you could get scrap from.
The more work you are willing to do the cheaper it could be.
This won't be simple, but it is do-able.
I am in the process of doing my fish room it was my old garage. I Have found through trial and error. Insulate everything walls, ceiling etc my pond is now sitting on some old carpet, to keep the heat in. I have a automatic extractor fan from a bathroom that comes on with humidity I have a dehumidifier and now with the uk having some off the hottest times in years I have bought a AC unit its not a cheap hobby any more I will update pic when I have done a bit more but will give you an idea. O and needs own power as water and electricity dont mix.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25338
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25338
Wow, you have really good advise so far. What I have to add is:
1. A milk shed is designed to stay cool. You want it to stay warm...insulate everything (ceiling, walls, windows, doors, and floor) and make sure to look for any drafts.
2. Concrete and glass have horible R values (too tired to look them up now, but they probably can be found on the net.)
3. Wood is a good insulator but nothing near foam insulation. At 20 below, wood is a poor insulator. Sheet insulation is the way to go.
4. To insulate your floor, use high density foam under plywood.
5. If you have to have any penetrations in your insulation, consider insulating those components. For instance, if you have a metal pipe going through the wall, insulate it at least 12 inches into the building after it passes your normal insulation.
I have a book somewhere with R values and how to calculate your insulation needs. I have so much on my plate right now that it may be December before I even dream of looking for it. (December is no joke.) There are contractors out there that build super insulated homes and give a $200 annual heating and cooling warrantee. If your bills are ever over $200 for the entire year, they will pay the difference. We are talking about extreme engineering, but it can be done. So can your project; it will just come with a price. To do it on a budget, you will have to "think outside the box" and you will have to start hoarding any materials that you can get your hands on.
Start with insulating your exposed wall and think extreme. Measure the exterior walls of your home, use that as a minimum thickness for your exterior wall. Insulate your door to this same thickness or as close as you can. You can not get 100% coverage, but the more you inslulate, the lower your heating bills.
If money is left over from the exterior wall, use your best guess where your money will be best spent (still thinking insulation). For your first winter, populate a tank on each wall with goldfish. If they survive the winter, then the task is complete.
1. A milk shed is designed to stay cool. You want it to stay warm...insulate everything (ceiling, walls, windows, doors, and floor) and make sure to look for any drafts.
2. Concrete and glass have horible R values (too tired to look them up now, but they probably can be found on the net.)
3. Wood is a good insulator but nothing near foam insulation. At 20 below, wood is a poor insulator. Sheet insulation is the way to go.
4. To insulate your floor, use high density foam under plywood.
5. If you have to have any penetrations in your insulation, consider insulating those components. For instance, if you have a metal pipe going through the wall, insulate it at least 12 inches into the building after it passes your normal insulation.
I have a book somewhere with R values and how to calculate your insulation needs. I have so much on my plate right now that it may be December before I even dream of looking for it. (December is no joke.) There are contractors out there that build super insulated homes and give a $200 annual heating and cooling warrantee. If your bills are ever over $200 for the entire year, they will pay the difference. We are talking about extreme engineering, but it can be done. So can your project; it will just come with a price. To do it on a budget, you will have to "think outside the box" and you will have to start hoarding any materials that you can get your hands on.
Start with insulating your exposed wall and think extreme. Measure the exterior walls of your home, use that as a minimum thickness for your exterior wall. Insulate your door to this same thickness or as close as you can. You can not get 100% coverage, but the more you inslulate, the lower your heating bills.
If money is left over from the exterior wall, use your best guess where your money will be best spent (still thinking insulation). For your first winter, populate a tank on each wall with goldfish. If they survive the winter, then the task is complete.
