Figuring out plumbing in new fish room

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
So Most of my house is unpacked now, so I'm starting in on the fish room. I've found both of these areas where plumbing could be. From the old owners son I have confirmation that a sink used to be installed somewhere in the 1500 sqft garage... Now I'm trying to make sense of it. I went through all the attic looking for any plumbing vents and didn't find any.

The picture with the loop of plumbing, In -> this is in a small room that looks like it should have totally had a sink/mini bathroom. The picture of 1.5 inch abs pipe is like in the middle of a wall but is crazy close to an electrical outlet. Both of these had access panels to them. So they were meant to be gotten too. I have no idea where the drain is officially, and I suspect it was just a grey water drain and not hooked up to the main sewer. I'm not sure how to trouble shoot from here. A snake with a camera down the abs, to see where it goes? Next will probably be turning off the water and looking at the loop. I imagine it loops to somewhere else. But perhaps it could be a line in, and a really small drain? It would be convenient as they are both in the small bathroom like room.

Guess I'm hoping there is a plumber on the board or someone who has seen something similar and offer experience. It would seem to me that if you had pipe put through the concrete slab like that. You'd have a drain somewhere also. But it should be very close to the water in I would think...

Small room:


water loop:


Middle of the wall possible drain?


Closer look, possibly there is an outlet there for a small on demandwater heater for washing hands as there is not hot water heater installed out there?


Close up of drain? What could this be if not a drain?
 

Ali

Active Member
We're currently in the process of inspecting what would be the first home, and it has all sorts of crazy plumbing. (Imagine the dishwasher setup is not only plumbed incorrectly, in fact the "drain" is just a tube poked into the wall meant to deceive potential buyers.) You never think about the tubes that bring water throughout your house, until they are wacky.

Looks like the black pipe in the bottom photo is a vent. Per code there is supposed to be one for every drain. No clue on the loop though, that's a weird one.

I do know the number of a great plumber, and he does free estimates.
 

tazeat

New Member
It's not a vent if its sealed... It's possible it could have been a drain and its possible it wasn't vented...
 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
Well I found the drain today. It was behind drywall next to the water in. I got a response from the old owners son. So I knew where to cut.

I'm not finding any vent tie in on this side of the wall, and I didn't see anything in the attic. Soon as I get some time, I'm gonna go on the roof and look to see if there is a vent there that is run somewhere I can't see?
 

tazeat

New Member
Closed up houses suck, can you see from the crawl or something where all the drains go down and meet for the sewer? Might give you an idea.
 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
Well this is in the 1500 sqft garage. It's on concrete slap so no crawl space. The drain isn't connected to the sewer. It's a grey water drained connected to a seep as I'm told that is buried behind the building.
 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
So I found the drain. Plumbed it for an indirect waste line so I can have multiple things going to it easily. Not as low as I'd like. But I wanted to put a trap on it since I have no idea if there was any kind of trap beyond that point. Plumbed in the cold line. I'll only have cold water in the garage for now.



 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
Here are some pics I took quickly while feeding some fish in my fish room today. Still a work in progress.
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Cory

Administrator
Staff member
A few more pics

Newest rack with water change system.
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Nebula blue steel guppies.
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Dwarf claro plecos with buce plant.
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Koi quarantine for the shop and over wintering.
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DMD123

Administrator
Staff member
Contributing Member Level III
Very cool fish room! You should start a store.... Wait, you have, lol.

This is the point where the hobby has become an obsession. Love it!

Neighbor has a koi pond and now I'm getting ideas, lol. Might be stopping by the store next spring, due to the fact I had to do a pond! Will see... Awesome job on the fishroom!
 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
Red bristlenose breeding project. Finally getting around to setting up the tank.

Female
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Shot of the tank. Fish just went in today. I expect them tobhave the glass cleaned in a day or two.
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discus_2013

Well-Known Member
Did you drill your tanks for the auto water change system? Also are you running a filter for every tank? I am trying to plan my fish room but I am torn between individual filtration with less risk of anything transferring or one central sump running 7-12 tanks to save $$$ on electricity.
 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
I drill each tank. Each runs off air filtration. My store is setup the same way. Ive filmed videos. I just need to edit them and upload em.

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discus_2013

Well-Known Member
I figured, that's how I would do it but the fish I will be stocking will have a pretty taxing bio load and I can get the Ibc? 300g totes for 50$ at my work so I was thinking fluidized bed filters . I'm glad I saw your post because those cinder block stands will save me a bunch of money, very nice apistos as well.
 

Cory

Administrator
Staff member
discus_2013 said:
I figured, that's how I would do it but the fish I will be stocking will have a pretty taxing bio load and I can get the Ibc? 300g totes for 50$ at my work so I was thinking fluidized bed filters . I'm glad I saw your post because those cinder block stands will save me a bunch of money, very nice apistos as well.
In my opinion sponges handle high loads. Clown loach tank with albino silver arowana runs off sponges. Ive got 10s and 20g tanks with 400 tetras in them where the sponges handle it. Im more limited by nitrate production than i am conversion.

I would advise you to use a system you enjoy. Sometimes an dxpensive elaborate system is just plain fun! Like my 360 gallon tank. I had fun with filtration designing overhead sump etc.

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Cory

Administrator
Staff member
discus_2013 said:
Sorry I am kinda of picking your brain, do you heat the room?
Currently the only heat sources are led lights. A full size refrigerator and the blower. Once it gets cooler i will turn on the dehumidifier. That should get me there. If i dont build the room fast enough. Ill have to use a heater also.

In general a watt will make 1 watt of heat. So if i use a 1500 heater. I use 1500 watts of energy to get 1500 watts of energy worth of heat.

If i use 1500 watts in lighting. Filters dehumidifiers etc. It still produces 1500 watts worth of heat.

So if i have 1 tank ina room and it uses 100 watts with its light and filter. Id need a heater. But if i have 50 tanks using 30 watts each i may not.

Total wattage used ina room really matters. Its the same reason we turn off lights etc on a hot day. All the passive heating adds up.

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L190

Well-Known Member
Corey, do you have pictures of your overhead sump? I'm looking to add one on my big tank for extra filtration.
 
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