Fish room heating and ventilation help needed! Build about to commence!

[jwm2k3]

Hey guys and gals, Im not a very active poster but Ive been a fish keeper for 37 years. I'm finishing my basement, Im building a fish room. The room is 16 feet by 12 feet. I plan on approx 1300 gallons of water across about 7 tanks. THe help and or suggestions I am looking for is how to heat this room efficiently (I will not be using individual tank heaters, the room will be 78 degrees at all times) and also how to ventilate this room.

The room is being framed this week, I don't have much time to decide how to heat and vent this room...

The fish room will not be connected to my homes HVAC system. It will need its own heat and ventilation. My 1st thought was a mini split heat pump to heat and dehumidify the air. The basement fish room will NEVER need to be cooled, so a $5000 mini split that I would only use the heating function seems a bit of a waste.

A friend mentioned an HRV/ERV ventilation system....I like this idea! It does not heat the room however....

Im thinking Im gonna need to hire a Project Manager to get these tanks plumbed, auto top offs, mixing station, etc....who's the local guy for this type of stuff??

Thanks for the help and suggestions!

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

My daughter's BF does HVAC and did mini splits for me downstairs and full heat/ac upstairs. They do make inline heating elements for your plumbing, i could aske him the next time I see him.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Something like this:

https://www.underwaterwarehouse.com/aqua-logic-evo-titanium-inline-heater-15-kw-115v/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwtqmwBhBVEiwAL-WAYZG8csGSZjrGadas1Px-FuhOdV61UOrBXWBea4WVzyjKiC6aaNVpcBoCZ3wQAvD_BwE

 

[jwm2k3]

My daughter's BF does HVAC and did mini splits for me downstairs and full heat/ac upstairs. They do make inline heating elements for your plumbing, i could aske him the next time I see him.

So,you've got a mini split in your fish room??? How does it handle the dehumidifying?

 

[Spaceman]

Mini split 1000% is the way to go. I understand it's cold in the room now in the summer as your not concerned. But i would be very concerned you dont have 7-14 lights skimmers wave makers or return pump running yet. I have 1500 gallons in my basment and my mini split comtrols the temp. I do have 3000w of heaters just in case and getting a large chiller as back up since one system is 1200g. There awesome and efficient as i am heating 1500g with 1500w as i have a 12000btu unit. It was 5k but i am so happy with it i would do it again. My wife runs classic corals and we can probably help you out if you have questions. Picture is from my fishroom the 90g is temporary for my shark but these tanks stay very stable temp.

 

[Spaceman]

I also have a ac infinity ventilation fan I'm my sump room. That is humidity controlled so over a set limit it will pull air from sump room and dump outside.

 

[Zeefishies]

I would insulate all the walls,
Then a 1500 watt heater will keep the room warm, that's what i do
5k for a mini split to heat that seams alot of $$ being wasted imo.
U could also do a subfloor and insulate that,

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

So,you've got a mini split in your fish room??? How does it handle the dehumidifying?

It's not bad really, I do tend to run it about 74 degrees max as the electric bill in the summer is closer to 1k per month with ac, pool pump and all the fish stuff running. I have Mitsubishi mini splits.

 

[Spaceman]

I would insulate all the walls,
Then a 1500 watt heater will keep the room warm, that's what i do
5k for a mini split to heat that seams alot of $$ being wasted imo.
U could also do a subfloor and insulate that,

Your room stays cool in the summer? Personally have never had a tank not need ac in the room for a few weeks in the summer. I didn't wanna risk getting to warm as my basment is cold in the summer but with all my equip was nervous it's gonna make it warm.

 

[Zeefishies]

Your room stays cool in the summer? Personally have never had a tank not need ac in the room for a few weeks in the summer. I didn't wanna risk getting to warm as my basment is cold in the summer but with all my equip was nervous it's gonna make it warm.

i leave the door open in the summer, so basement gets cool and that's worked for me ,
some times the tanks do get to about 84 but i only run softies and some lps
no sps,

 

[Spaceman]

i leave the door open in the summer, so basement gets cool and that's worked for me ,
some times the tanks do get to about 84 but i only run softies and some lps
no sps,

Yea my sharks can't handle over 78 and imo all coral hates 82 so I don't wanna risk it have seen to many people have crashes in the summer from heat and tank over heating. I understand it's not cheap but I have way to much invested to have a few degrees kill it all..

 

[jwm2k3]

Alright Spaceman....I like your certainty of the mini splits. How does your mini split handle the humididity?

Im definitely gonna need to hire some help for plumbing, auto tops offs, etc.

 

[Spaceman]

Alright Spaceman....I like your certainty of the mini splits. How does your mini split handle the humididity?

Im definitely gonna need to hire some help for plumbing, auto tops offs, etc.

So far humidity has not gone over 40% in basment more concerned about summer humidity but with ac on it should go lower. Have ac infinity vent set t0 45% to turn on.

 

[Cooper2]

I would insulate all the walls,
Then a 1500 watt heater will keep the room warm, that's what i do
5k for a mini split to heat that seams alot of $$ being wasted imo.
U could also do a subfloor and insulate that,

I would avoid insulation in any basement wall (or floor) up against concrete.. At the very least be sure to consult a professional, but I can assure you of no faster way to create a mold problem in your home than getting it wrong in the basement when messing with any form of a vapor barrier. I went full on central A/C in my attic with dedicated ducts in all ceilings. It made my wife happy as she doesn't hear fans from window units anymore. I cut in a duct with a fan to force the cool/dry A/C down into my basement fish room. My heaters actually come on in the summer because my house is a constant 70 degrees. If I had to do it over again I wouldn't change anything......except I'd start another tank right when the A/C gets powered up. You can blame the electric bill on "Her A/C"....brilliant right?....lol

 

[jwm2k3]

So far humidity has not gone over 40% in basment more concerned about summer humidity but with ac on it should go lower. Have ac infinity vent set t0 45% to turn on.

If I may ask, what are the dimensions of your fish room? My fish room is approx 16 by 12 feet, so not huge, but its going to be super tight with insulation to keep temps stable. I'm trying to decide if a 9000btu unit would suffice or should I opt for a 12k unit? I've come to the decision to use the mini split and a portable dedicated dehumidifier with its own pump and have that drain line into my drain system. The dedicated dehumidifier will add to heating the room

 

[jwm2k3]

Lol, just pulled the trigger on TWO acrylic tanks by Tsunami.

Both are 96X36X30, Both with corner overflows and Both with aluminum stands. Psyched!!

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Lol, just pulled the trigger on TWO acrylic tanks by Tsunami.

Both are 96X36X30, Both with corner overflows and Both with aluminum stands. Psyched!!

Will you be driving down to FL to pick them up like @Spaceman did for his behemoth

 

[Spaceman]

So I was quoted 9 and 12k systems as well and decided the 12 hopefully will not work as hard and will heat and cool half my basment. My tank is 120x48x30 and have 60x30x30 frag tank in room with 180g sump and 45gallon sump and a 90 to hold coral for temp use lol.

 

[jwm2k3]

Will you be driving down to FL to pick them up like @Spaceman did for his behemoth

Delivered. Either my home or local terminal, not yet decided. I believe that will depend on how many people I can hire to hoist in into my basement. I'm gonna need help, big time.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Delivered. Either my home or local terminal, not yet decided. I believe that will depend on how many people I can hire to hoist in into my basement. I'm gonna need help, big time.

If I didn't have a 5 year old back injury, I'd volunteer. Hell most of the @Officer won't even let me carry a tote with merchandise in them.