Cali Kid Corals

Willie’s Last Aquarium Build

PjFish said:
Looking great!! Since your sheds going to be heated or by all the heated saltwater are you planning a moisture/ vapor barrier on floor and all walls ? I didn’t see any on under the subfloor covering the insulation unless the subfloor in the pics wasn’t nailed down..Can always add on top of subfloor under whatever flooring your using..Ventilation vents or ones with fans to help manage humidity or excess heat? Like the large front door and the long window!
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Well. There’s gonna be no vents. I thought about putting some in but it’s really cold here at night. I’ll put in a vapor barrier before I put up the sheet rock and hard wood floors. The front door is going to be a sliding glass door. I’ll have a fan in the ceiling to move air around and for heating and cooling. I’ll have a small mini split. I have a window but it’s just a picture window. Doesn’t open. I hope that’s enough for air exchange. I thought about putting in a static roof vent. Still not sure about that one. Maybe a bathroom fan ? What do you guys think ?
 
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Turkeysammich said:
Well. There’s gonna be no vents. I thought about putting some in but it’s really cold here at night. I’ll put in a vapor barrier before I put up the sheet rock and hard wood floors. The front door is going to be a sliding glass door. I’ll have a fan in the ceiling to move air around and for heating and cooling. I’ll have a small mini split. I have a window but it’s just a picture window. Doesn’t open. I hope that’s enough for air exchange. I thought about putting in a static roof vent. Still not sure about that one. Maybe a bathroom fan ? What do you guys think ?
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A vent or fan makes sense, if it's totally sealed up with moisture barriers on the walls you wouldn't wanna create a steam room effect. That makes the room hold tons of humidity and possibly cause equipment to rust over time or mold. Even if the vent or fan isn’t needed it’s much easier to add during construction phase than trying to remodel things later. That would likely mean you saying screw it and living with the potential issue than going through the hassle of trying to address it later.

Even if the picture window you mentioned could actually open that would allow you to put a fan in that window for the purpose if a need arose for it. Over all I would just suggest consider the options for potential needing a way of venting the room Without leaving your sliding door open.

Very awesome progress so far. I'm insanely excited for you sir and eager to see the final outcome.
 
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Turkeysammich said:
Actually I was planning to put 2 basement windows that tilt back into the front facia. Then I kinda dismissed that idea. I can still do that.
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I think that would be sufficent, could always put a fan in front of them if ever needed but at least you would have a option other than deal with it or remodel.
 
With no vents in an insulated/ heated shed or out building you will get mold/ mildew. Theres a tone of vents on the market that automatically go on when humidity or heat gets to high or can manually turn on. Up high over slider may be a good location..Shiplap panels inside instead of mud/sheet rock Or waterproof vinyl plank flooring instead of wood due to water spillage or epoxy finish just tossing out ideas..
Also not sure how many leveling support piers you added under the building depending on the dirt composition but you may get some settling over the next months..Fill a few 55g barrels of water in there first for a bit to help... I just wouldn’t add the weight of your massive tank right away.. Disregard if you poured a slab
Fish Caves looking great!
 

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If you don’t vent
It will rain and mold in there
I don’t think that’s what you intend to grow!
At LEAST a whirly vent thing
I think I would have insulted the walls instead of the floor
But I’m sure you’ve got a good reason
Otherwise, that’s looking really good
 
PjFish said:
Theres a tone of vents on the market that automatically go on when humidity or heat gets to high or can manually turn on.
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I would 100% install at least 2 vents for cross ventilation. The smart vents are excellent. Scheduled air exchange routines. RH or temp specific triggers... a must!

I fell way behind on your journal. I'll need to go back further to see what caused wanting to get the tank into its own space outside the house.
 
PjFish said:
With no vents in an insulated/ heated shed or out building you will get mold/ mildew. Theres a tone of vents on the market that automatically go on when humidity or heat gets to high or can manually turn on. Up high over slider may be a good location..Shiplap panels inside instead of mud/sheet rock Or waterproof vinyl plank flooring instead of wood due to water spillage or epoxy finish just tossing out ideas..
Also not sure how many leveling support piers you added under the building depending on the dirt composition but you may get some settling over the next months..Fill a few 55g barrels of water in there first for a bit to help... I just wouldn’t add the weight of your massive tank right away.. Disregard if you poured a slab
Fish Caves looking great!
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I didn’t pour a slab. I did 3 4x4 skids. One skid is in buried in the dirt, middle one is shimmed on a concrete path. Last one is on gravel with a 4 concrete poured platforms. I’m hoping that’s good enough. Foundation frame is 2x6 16” apart with center frame support. And structural U bracket supports.
While it’s not the greatest. I didn’t want to burn myself out with pouring a slab. That’s just too labor intensive for me at this moment in my life. Cuz I’m lazy.
 
I thought u were adding a skylight based on the hole in the last picture. Have you considered solar tubes for free natural sunlight? Or maybe not as effective depending on what part of SF you're in.
 
CaseyP said:
I thought u were adding a skylight based on the hole in the last picture. Have you considered solar tubes for free natural sunlight? Or maybe not as effective depending on what part of SF you're in.
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I have an old solar tube that I just took out of my house lol. I gotta see how the solar panels are gonna play out. I put in a picture window on the right side. I was gonna do a natural light aquarium.
 
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