>
>G'day all,
>
>Since the RML has been relatively quiet, I thought I would pose this
>question to RMLers for advice and feedback.
>
>I have finally decided to bite the bullet and move my hobby out of the
>house and into a small fish house. Given spacial limitations, the fish
>house will hold a small number of tanks (around 4 tanks of 100-150 litres,
>4-6 breeding/fry tanks of 50-60 litres capacity). Can anyone give me any
>ideas or best options as to:
>
>(a) insulation (given that Melbourne experiences huge fluctuations in
>temperature, from lows of 2-3C to highs of 43C);
The more the better.
Start with a basic idea of how you want the fish room to look on the
outside. Do you want it to match your house and the nieghbourhood in
general, or can you live with a bomb shelter like mine, or some other
eye-sore (remembering that all the beauty will be in the tanks inside). Work
out the approximate dimensions of the space you have available.
Then look to the inside. Work out how much room you need for the tanks you
want. (Then double it and add 20 percent. The room will still not be big
enough, buts that is just the way it goes.)
Then take all these ideas to your local electricity authority. In Queensland
our mob used to provide a free engeneering service with respect to heating,
lighting and insulation. They probably charge for it now, but it is well
worthwhile.
In addition to your basic design and inside and outside dimensions, you will
need to give them an idea of the desired inside temperature, the type of
heating you will use, type and number of lights (ie light for each tank or
overhead).
They can advise on running costs for a fish room made out of just about any
type of material. They can also advise on the relative insulating
capabilities of most materials, and the different wall thicknesses required.
Whatever you use to make your room, remember that the most important
consideration is to stop water vapour moving through the walls, roof (and
floor). If you use brick, timber or fibre cement panels you will need to
paint it with a waterproofing compound.
Lining a room with polystyrene foam is next to useless unless it is sealed.
Water vapour moves through the foam and condenses on the wall underneath -
and it takes heat with it.
>(b) heating; and
Your call, but space heating a well designed shed is cheap and safe. Heating
individual tanks is generally not.
>(c) filtration.
>
No comment - there are to many options.
>I also want to maximise the amount of natural light in order to grow
>aquatic plants, and to display the bows at their best. However, this has
>to be weighed up against the loss of heat during winter or too much heat
>during summer. As I will be having the fish house built to specifications,
>what sort of roofing materials would be best suited ?
>
You could try a couple of layers of clear polycarbonate. There is a product
with an inbuilt airspace that does a good job. The airspace in between would
give you some insulation. Ask your engineer. If you have a clear roof and
ceiling you might want to be able to shade it in summer. Alternatively fit
an exhaust fan on a thermostat to help keep summer temperatures lower. Some
polycarbonate sheets have inbuilt UV reflecting layer that keeps out heat.
This may not be good for plants - any body got an idea?
Good Luck, Chen.
Rob Wager
Raintree Aquatics Pty Ltd
Aquatic Environment and Aquaculture Specialists
1002 Caboolture River Road
Rocksberg QLD 4510
AUSTRALIA
Phone: 07 5496 7939 Facsimile: 07 5497 0022
Email: raintree at mail.cth.com.au