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This recirculating reactor pioneered the way Bio-pellets are tumbled. Use the adjustable recirculating loop to control the tumbling velocity, while separately control the flow rate through the reactor with an external pump. This was the first company I know of that pioneered this technique, which is ubiquitous today. Since the BPR-135, recirculating reactors continue to be the preferred method utilized by discerning reefers who choose to run pellets today. Get the original design, still sought after, for only $100 bucks! Serial number with original inspectors’ initials. All Reef Dynamic units were personally inspected and signed-off by the person who built it. Check out my MEGA-Sump listing to see how you can own this revolutionary reactor together with an amazing skimmer for unbelievable package-deal-pricing!

This is a RARE, one-of-a-kind opportunity to own a brand NEW refurbished from the factory legendary Euro Reef recirculating dream skimmer. At $150, I won’t be upset at all if this doesn’t sell. I’d like to be buried with this skimmer. Check out the BACK-STORY at the bottom of the listing for proper context. The skimmer was top-to-bottom factory refurbished in 2017. Cleaned inside-and-out, all new o-rings and gaskets replaced. New pump and flywheel installed and (sadly) never used. Not even once. It’s been sitting in the same box as it was shipped back to me on April 4, 2017, from Aquarium Source (the only Euro Reef authorized dealer remaining to refurbish these classic skimmers). Serial Number below. Each skimmer was individually inspected at factory before sold and initialed by the technician who actually built it by hand! Comes with a NEW-IN-THE-BOX factory recommend pump to feed the skimmer: Brand new pump for the newly rebuilt recirculating loop: This is the factory invoice for the refurbish work done on it. (I’ve got over $700 invested in this skimmer!) Factory Parts List. All new parts, including the NEW Gate Valve – a meaningful upgrade. The skimmer is included in my SUPER-MEGA-Sump special where you can get an unbelievable package deal! See my MEGA-Sump Listing for package deal details on how you might own this entire setup (including a MASSIVE stainless steel Tank Stand) for only $300!!! BACK-STORY: Okay, here’s the back story. This goes out to my OG reefers who know a true diamond-in-the-rough listing when they see one. This deal cannot be appreciated without some context for the company Euro Reef. When I first got into Reef Keeping in 2005, Euro Reef was LEGEND. They defined what it meant to be best-in-class and no brand even remotely compared in build-quality or performance. It was the Royal Exclusiv, Bubble King of skimmers. When I got back into the hobby in 2015 the industry had moved on and Euro Reef was MIA. What had replaced their superior engineering of the past were IMHO a line-up of cheaply made plastic junk. I scoured the reefing classifieds for months before stumbling upon this gem-of-a-skimmer at an amazing price. I immediately bought it for a steal at $200. It was in good condition and pulled skimmate immediately (no break-in required). I fell back in love with Euro Reef, and enjoyed the skimmer for a little over year when I moved and had to break down my old system. I caught the reef bug again in 2017 and began to fantasize about my dream-tank build. The center of the guts of the system would (of course) be my Euro Reef skimmer, but they had long been out of business and I thought the old skimmer would RIP. Out of curiosity, I looked around online for a company that might be able to service it. I stumbled upon Jason Frick at Titan Aquatic exhibits who happened to be able to service it via Aquarium Source. He did an amazing job performing a complete rebuild and I was back up and running again! Then Covid Happened, my daughter moved in with me and bought a cat and my dream got mothballed for a while. Now my dream skimmer might end up in your lucky hands!

Weighing in at 62” x 17” x 22” tall this MASSIVE 100 gallon MEGA-sump has generously oversized compartments to accommodate virtually any configuration of skimmer/refugium/reactors. The sump flows 60-gallons through six separate chambers when active. The MEGA-sump was custom designed to handle a massive volume of overflow from the MEGA-tank stand that I’ve also listed separately for sale. Check out that listing for a SUPER-MEGA special deal you won't believe! 1200-GPH Danner Return Pump (MAG-12) Included MEGA-Sump Six-Chamber Design Flow: Moving from left to right in the image (below) 1 - Water enters into the first chamber from tank overflows -> 2 - spills onto a duel filter sock chamber (splash guard included, not shown in picture) -> 3 - swells up from bottom into the skimmer section (6” tall skimmer stand included) -> 4 - continues through a set of baffles serving as a bubble-trap -> 5 - flows into a large chamber containing reactor’s-a-plenty (or refugium?) -> 6 - concludes in the final chamber where sanitized water returns to the display tank. The acrylic skimmer stand shown (below) is included. It elevates your skimmer into ideal position and provides more flow through the sump. +Skimmer: If you’re looking for an ideal skimmer to pair with this sump, look no further than my listing for the classic recirculating Euroreef RC-135a ($150). It’s a NEWLY-refurbished direct from-the-factory workhorse skimmer that’s a dream to dial into a huge range of tank sizes from 100 gallons to 200+ gallons. +Biopellet Reactor: Reef Dynamics BPR-135e ($100). Shown (below) is the reactor that changed the game on biopellets - Its recirculating design is best-in-class. Check out my separate listing for more details. Go for ALL THREE for a complete MEGA-Sump package deal for only $300 bucks ! This sanctuary of sanitization will keep your reef animals in a state of pure bliss. SUPER-MEGA Sump ALL THREE pieces ($450 total value) for only $300!!! $200-MEGA Sump +$150-EuroReef 135a Recirculation Skimmer +$100-Reef Dynamics BPR-135e Recirculating Bio-Pellet Reactor A $450 total Value, all for only $300 AND THA’S NOT ALL …If you’re looking for a MEGA-tank stand to go with your SUPER-MEGA Sump, check out my separate MEGA-Tank stand listing. ACT NOW and the stand is yours at no additional cost! You read right, get BOTH the $300 SUPER-MEGA Sump AND the $200 Mega-Tank Stand sold TOGETHER for a SUPER-MEGA bonus package price of ONLY $300. That’s a $650 value for only $300 - ACT NOW, this deal won’t last!!!

Measuring 73” Long and 30” Deep, this MASSIVE tank stand is made of 2.5” x 2.5” welded stainless-steel. The image shows the rear-facing side of the stand with its additional diagonal support brace. The front-facing side (shown against the wall in the picture) is completely open, providing easy access to virtually any sump configuration. The MEGA-Tank Stand is 38” high on adjustable leveling feet. The image (below) showcases the horizontally aligned double-bar construction of the rear part of the stand, providing the option to run overflow pipes through to a sump below. This custom design feature allows for flush mounting against a wall. The stand’s over-sized footprint can accommodate a variety of tank dimensions ranging from a 100 gallon 72x24x13 frag tank, all the way up to a 375 Gallon 72x30x40 megalodon tank for your deep-water-coral dreams. The rusting showing in the pictures is essentially cosmetic in nature. No part of this stand is rusted through assuring structural integrity of its stainless-steel construction. I’m not familiar with working with stainless steel, but I think the rust stains could be buffed out? Alternatively, the stand might serve as the core of an exoskeleton design of your choosing. For rock-bottom wife-acceptance-factor, just pop yer’ tank right on up there and call er’ a day! The SUPER MEGA-Sump (pictured below) was custom designed for this stand. Check out my other listing for details about the amazing MEGA-Sump special and get the SUPER-MEGA-Sump together with the MEGA-tank stand for a SUPER-MEGA special bonus package deal of only $300!!! You read right, get BOTH the $200 Mega-Tank stand TOGETHER with the $300 SUPER-MEGA Sump (shown above) for a SUPER-MEGA bonus package price of ONLY $300. That’s a $650 value for only $300 - ACT NOW, this deal won’t last!!!

Good call on the sample port - the port off the last carbon block is a better location to measure. The best practice is to measure water before it has any contact with the RO. I guess the reason the suggestion is made to use effluent is that the system is already plumbed that way? I'd need to run a separate line regardless because my effluent will be plumbed directly to the drainline. Thanks for the suggestions!

CONCLUSION: Adding the Chloramines monster is RODI overkill—It’s intended for high gallon installations. I'll be producing under 2000 gal/yr which is well within the capacity of my current 5-stage RODI. If anything, I’d consider adding a second DI-resin stage, but even this would be overkill for my water production needs. How I got to this conclusion was a lengthy and circuitous path. I thought I’d share what I learned while researching RODI with the community: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PHILOSOPHY: From day one, the guiding philosophy of this tank build has been: “take care of the water and the coral will take care of themselves”. THE PROBLEM: I was surprised to learn how much my city water quality fluctuates over time. There are many reasons for this. In order to maintain acceptable “clean” ranges, they make various adjustments at the treatment facility, including the amount of chemicals they dose. My city periodically blasts the water supply with huge doses of chloramines to keep within “clean” ranges producing episodic “spikes” in chloramine levels. The impact on RODI is that the life of each stage fluctuates unpredictably with fluctuations in chemical parameters of the city water supply. MEASURABLE RESULTS: “you can’t manage what you can’t measure”. The method used to measure performance of each stage determines when to replace a filter and whether the system is working effectively. There’s a variety of ways to measure each stage. VISUAL REFERENCE: The simplest method is to change a filter “when it looks dirty”. While not a particularly scientific measurement, there’s general agreement that this approach can work for both the sediment filter and DI stages. TIME: The next simplest approach is to change the filters based on a time-interval. This is how my refrigerator's water filter works. A light turns on after a four-month timer elapses alerting me to replace the filter. It’s effective, but not efficient. It doesn’t measure the actual performance of the filter. I replace it way too early because I'm single and my usage is limited. The generally agreed upon RODI guidelines: “Replace the sediment filter every four-to-six months.” then “Replace the carbon blocks once-per-year” then, “Replace the RO membrane every 3-5 years” (…kind of a worthless guideline). Many people use this approach—serving as evidence that it probably works, and there are more effective methods for determining when to change the filters. PRESSURE GAUGE: Using a gauge to monitor water pressure between the carbon blocks and the RO membrane is a more “scientific” approach for measuring performance of the sediment filter. A drop in pressure can also indicate that an RO membrane’s beginning to go, helping to narrow the more nebulous suggestion to “Replace the RO membrane every 3-5 years”. TDS METERS: The TDS meter measures the electrical conductivity of the water, resulting in an “estimate” of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). It says nothing about chloramines. It’s used to test performance of the DI stage (in a dual meter setup) and the RO membrane (in a triple meter setup), or the overall system performance (with a standalone meter). CHLORINE TEST KIT: Measures how effective the carbon blocks are at removing chloramines. This is what I’ll be relying on to determine when the carbon blocks should be replaced – testing the wastewater discharge every 4-6 weeks. In the process of researching this, I completely dismantled and reassembled my RODI setup. Learning about the various stages and how the filtration works was informative, and …fun! We're an odd-lot, us reefers, It's nice to be able to share with the community! SOURCES: There’s a ton of you-tube videos with all this stuff. Most of what I referenced was the BRS series found on their website under the Reverse Osmosis tab. There’s a lot of redundant information, but I found that each one added something new to the knowledge bank. Many other sources validate the same conclusions. How to use a Chlorine test kit to measure chloramines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CI8NnuS4vY Chloramine Removal & Types of Carbon Blocks: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/Whats-New-in-Water-Treatment-Chloramines-Carbon-Block-Myths/ When to change carbon blocks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJz2_fEJixE Using TDS meters to change filters: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/-18-an--use-tds-as-an-indicator-for-when-to-change-my-filters-52-/ When to change RODI filters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EUZQ3gDraU

I'm working on the design for the salt water mixing station. This led to more careful research into my RODI system. I have a 5-stage system configured: Sediment -> Carbon 1 -> Carbon 2 -> RO Membrane -> DI Resin After researching city water supply for Cedar Park, I've learned that Chloramines are used in our water treatment facilities. I used a test kit and measured: 4ppm Total Chlorine with 0ppm Free Chlorine. This confirms highly elevated chloramine levels in the city water. Advancement in the carbon filters that BRS markets (universal carbon blocks) claim they've discovered a more effective way to remove chloramines than the previous 2-stage carbon solutions. Having said that, there's still debate around whether these (universal) carbon blocks deliver sufficient filtration to sustain over time when high chloramine levels are present. Some of what I'm reading points to dramatically shortened pre-filter life when chloramine levels are highly elevated. BRS markets their "Chloramines Monster" as the ultimate solution for city chloramines https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-reverse-osmosis-chloramines-monster.html If I were to upgrade my RODI system it would cost about $400. Then I would have the following configuration: Sediment -> Chloramines Monster -> Carbon 1 -> Carbon 2 -> Carbon 3 -> RO Membrane -> DI Resin 1 -> DI Resin 2 I imagine this would certainly do the trick! ...but is it overkill? I plan on using the filtration system for many years to come, and I would prefer to build in the upgrade now, rather than plan for a future upgrade path. Does anyone have experience with Chloramine in Cedar Park (or high levels of Chloramine in general)? Is there any reason, other than cost, not to overkill the RODI system? Adding "the monster" doesn't seem to have any negatives, other than the increased cost and space restrictions. I have plenty of space in the fish room for it, but is this just wasted money on expensive and needless filtration bells and whistles? I haven't yet ordered the replacement filters for my old RODI system, and I'm going to be replacing all the stages for the new system. Even if the current system brings TDS down to zero, the filter life of 2 (Universal) Carbon blocks could be dramatically reduced by the large chloramines in the source water. The addition of the Chloramines Monster would supersize the filter capacity and possibly extend out the filter life of all the carbon blocks , possibly making future life easier.

I spent the weekend contemplating plumbing. The large sump takes up a huge footprint, so I constructed a 2"x2" lumber frame to replicate its dimensions in the room. It's difficult to visualize how everything's going to fit - I need to be able navigate around without having to move the actual sump. The wood frame is light, so I can easily move it around to install plumbing. Once the actual behemoth is placed, it's not going anywhere! The picture shows where the sump will ultimately rest - in front of the ATO located at the base of the stairs. PLUMBING: I'm still not sure where to start. I've been focusing on the mix-tank - everything flows and drains from that point in the closet. I have a basic design in mind. When I elevated the freshwater tank high-up in the closet, it opened up a lot of space below for the mix-tank. This allows for the design to be reduced to a small 19"x19" square platform-base with just enough height for the external pump to sit underneath the 55-gallon. I'm concerned about the weight of all that plumbing sitting on top of the return line. I'm thinking a short FLEX-PVC run attached with a union to the rigid PVC pipe. Then, somehow mount the rigid PVC to reduce the weight pressing down on the pumps return housing. The return pump housing is pretty tough. Its the Iwaki MD-30RT: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/iwaki-md-30rt-japanese-motor-510-gph.html I ended up buying the Iwaki pump on my last build after the Pan World pump I'd originally bought IMMEDIATELY broke at this exact fail point: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pan-world-30px.html There was hardly any weight on the return line and the cheap plastic housing snapped within the first 24 hours - BRS wouldn't take the item back and I bought the much more expensive, but much sturdier Iwaki as a replacement. It worked great ever since. You get what you pay for. I'm going out of town this week, so I'll to step away from the project for a mental break and give my head a chance to clear. It's like playing 3-d Tetris in there! TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY UPDATE House is 73 degrees, humidity running at 72%. The outside temperature is 100 degrees and outside humidity registering only 40%. Not sure why there's such a differential between the outside and inside of the house, but I'm still comfortable with the house temperature and there's no evidence of precipitation anywhere. It might be due to the insulation in the house? It's strange because if I open up the house to air-out, the humidity indoors begins to drop immediately to meet the ambient humidity level outside. This doesn't make sense to me because everyone says the house humidity should be less than outdoors with the A/C on, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The ventilation in the fish room is holding at 70% humidity. I'm still not clear on whether or not this is actually a problem.

The rubber floor mats arrived. I cut 2" off the 2'x3' mats so they'd fit in the closet: I laid down the 3'x5' mat under the stairs and took the remnants from the closet pieces to use as a support the ATO (That round thing in the upper-right corner is the automated emergency sump-pump). PLUMBING UPDATE: I'm challenged to prioritize/visualize which aspect of the plumbing to tackle first. I feel the need to have the whole system laid out before cutting a single pipe. RETURN FROM SUMP TO DRAIN: Originally, my priority was to layout all the drain-line plumbing. Then, I realized that the display's return pump could also serve the dual-purpose of draining the sump for water changes. The return-line is closed during water changes, so I could simply redirect the return pumps flow from the display to the drain. This would eliminate the need for a dedicated pump for water changes. This has a cascading effect, as it impacts return-line plumbing to the display. It brings into question the intentions for the manifold over the sump (reactors, U/V filter, spare lines, and possibly the chiller). Ultimately, I'm left trying to plan ahead for all possibilities of what might be attached to the system. My head's spinning. Many possibilities, many considerations ...this is going to take some time! What's attached to your display?

https://www.tank-depot.com/productdetails.aspx?part=9513-A-SP0055-MM They charged the advertised cost of the tank 128.99 + TX sales tax. The delivery charge was substantial, I don't recall the exact amount. I want to say it was around $60.00 I bought 2 tanks, so the total delivery cost for both was going to be over $100.00 This is why I decided to drive to the Tank Depot location in San Antonio, where both tanks were in-stock and available for pickup. There was no charge for pick-up. There is no cost, beyond the advertised rate - if you pick up on location.

The tank depot in San Antonio had it. I think the manager there (John?) said he had like a-dozen or so in inventory. Dripping Springs Tank Depot did not carry this one. It was about 2-hrs each way from Cedar Park. I guess that's the price for ...greatness!!! https://www.tank-depot.com/b-3395/tank-depot-of-san-antonio-tx

PLUMBING PART 2: Time to get serious about the salt mixing station and all the plumbing hook ups for the system. BASIC CONNECTION/HOOK UPS: I've already installed basics, connecting to the homes existing plumbing. I've installed access to both water-line-in plumbing (tapped to the bathroom sink), and drain-line-out plumbing (tapped above the P-trap of the bathroom sink) DRAINAGE-OUT-PLUMBING There's 3 (possibly 4) sources for drainage-out I'm planning for: 1- RODI Waste-Water: This one's the simplest. Waste-water discharged out the RODI unit needs to go somewhere. I’m thinking of setting the RODI next to the freshwater tank in the closet, then gravity-feed the waste-line into the drain-line. Done. 2-Emergency containment basin sump drain-line: I'm planning to reduce the fitting on the automated sump pump outlet to 1/2". From there, I'll connect to a 1/2" PVC pipe that runs from the base of the stairs where the sump pump is, up to the upper level of the closet, where the RODI unit is. Somewhere up there, I'll tap into the drain line. I'm researching best way to plumb this. Not sure if a need a check valve to prevent back-flow into the sump or not? 3-System return for water changes: I'd like to connect a pump from the sump's return area to the drain. The idea is to flip a switch, activating the pump, and exporting water from the system, directly into the drain line (no buckets for water changes). Once the sump's been drained to a specified level, I'd refill it by pumping water back into the sump from the salt mixing station. So long as I have an accurate way of measuring the gallons-in / gallons-out, I think this should work? Probably as simple as marking a line on the sump-level targeting a specific gallonage for periodic water changes? 4-Automated water change dosing pump discharge (optional): There's a possibility for connecting an automated water changing system to the build. At this, I'm unsure of including it or not and I'm weighing pros/cons. Manifold Control. The heart of the plumbing for this drainage-out solution is a 3-way, or 4-way manifold. This is needed to provide access for all the drainage discharge sources to feed out to the single bathroom drain. I'm researching various ways to plumb this manifold. It'll probably include ball valves for the emergency sump and system return line, and (if necessary) check valves. I'd prefer to avoid check valves, where possible, as they're potential fail points. WATER-LINE-IN PLUMBING There's a total of 4 (possibly 5) water-lines-into the system I'm contemplating: 1- RODI In: The basic hook up for water-line-in is already plumbed from under the bathroom sink. All that remains is tidying up the lines connecting it to the upper level of the closet where RODI is located. 2 - ATO In: This is a straight-forward run - from freshwater tank in the closet - to the ATO tank next to the sump. Ideally, I'd just T-off the freshwater tank and gravity feed it with a ball valve. 3- Fresh water into the salt water mixing tank: This comes down to a decision between T-ing off the fresh water tank and gravity feeding it, or T-ing directly off the pressurized RODI into the salt water mixing tank. I’ve not decided which way to go. I'm leaning towards T-ing off the RODI. The CON is that it adds another fail-point. The PRO is convenience (It takes substantially less time to fill the salt-mixing-tank directly from the RODI out). 4- Salt Water In (sump): I'm planning a run from the salt-mixing tank into the sump. I imagine a T’ing off the recirculating mixing pump and redirecting flow with a ball valve to a pipe connected to the sump. 5-Automated water change (optional): Depending on whether I decide to include this in the build or not, it'll require a dosing pump with "in/out" connections. The "In" connection between the salt-mixing tank and the sump, and the "out" connection from the sump to the drain-line for discharge. I think this covers the overall design of the more detailed plumbing for the build. I recognize the importance of fish-room plumbing - this is where patience and foresight are critical. I'm taking my time with it. I'll post images of the layout as I go - I know its difficult to visualize all this (It is for me, at least!) Once plumbing is implemented, it can be difficult to alter – all suggestions welcomed!

Thank you! I just ordered a 3'x5' and two 2'x3' of these: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/cactus-mat-3525-c1bx-vip-tuffdek-3-x-5-black-heavy-duty-rubber-anti-fatigue-floor-mat-7-8-thick/844B3525C1.html The 3'x5' should fit under the stair area which is 3'x6'. There'll still be a 12" gap at the end of the containment basin where the ATO and emergency sump pump will sit. I'm cautious to put the acrylic ATO box, with its sharp-edges, directly on the pan liner. So long as I'm careful setting into position it shouldn't be a problem. The pan liner seems pretty durable. The pair of 2'x3' mats should cover the closet area which is 4'x3', but I may have to shave off a bit of the 3' side to accommodate a slightly narrower closet depth (about 35") I also ordered the automated sump pump. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MWG69RN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The extra effort to install a water containment/drainage solution may never be needed (hopefully I'll never experience a major leak or flood). Experience has proved me wrong here. As much precaution as I've put into past builds, there's always been that moment where I flood something, for some reason (usually human error, not equipment failure). Worse case, I just wasted a few hundred bucks and some time, putting in something that never gets used. It might fail when the time comes when it's actually needed. Weighing the pros/cons - I'll gamble on this one! Next, PLUMBING PART 2: The heart of the room, where plumbing goes beyond basic hook-ups.

I installed the shower pan liner today. I started by taking a suggestion from a youtuber to layout the liner in the sun to soften it up. I then tucked in the corners and tacked down the liner around the 2x6 frame: Next step is to tidy-up the liner edging a bit, and lay down some rubber floor mats. I'm considering something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Cal-03_126_INT_WBK-Dura-Chef-Interlock-Anti-Fatigue/dp/B001UIPFH4/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=rubber+drainage+mat&qid=1564773161&s=home-garden&sr=1-18 Does anyone have any experiences with rubber floor mats? I'm hoping to find more of an 'industrial strength' mat with a deeper thickness then the ones I'm finding on amazon... I also got the water storage tanks: This is the flat-bottom 26-gallon for RODI water. It sits on top of the frame I built, and will serve to feed both the ATO and the salt mix tank below it: This is the 55gallon salt mix tank. It's 18" x 18" and fits perfectly under the freshwater tank. I'm still researching plumbing options for the system. The shower pan liner looks to have been an effective solution for the water-containment I was hoping to incorporate into the build. Still have some work to do, adding the rubber matting and plumbing the shallow-water automated sump to the homes drain-line. Onward on the path to SPS bliss!

The ventilation fan arrived! I went with the AirTitan T7 crawl space fan. It came with their standard setup, which is "exhaust" mode. I had to unscrew the fan unit and reverse the fans to convert the airflow to "intake" mode to accommodate the airflow direction I was seeking. That part went pretty smoothly, and having installed the fan, I can endorse this model. https://www.acinfinity.com/home-ventilation/crawl-space-basement-fans/airtitan-t7-crawl-space-and-basement-ventilation-fan-12-temperature-and-humidity-controller-ip-44-rated/ It also has the remote temperature/humidity controller, which makes for a clean install. The display shows the temperature (73) and humidity (66) is holding pretty close to the ambient temperature of the house. It's a relatively humid day outside, and I'm still not totally pleased with the humidity level in the house. The only way to bring that down is to make the house much cooler by setting the homes A/C waayyy down (below where I'm comfortable in the house). Alternatively, I could invest in a whole-house humidifier. That's an expensive solution that I'm not prepared to make right now. I'll just have to keep my eye one the variables and see how it performs, once the sump is installed in the fish room. I installed the temperature probe for the ventilation controller about six feet away in the under-stairs area of the fish room: The fan box fit neatly into the upper part of the closet area: Exhaust passes through the wall into the adjacent guest bathroom, where it ports right next to the bathroom ventilation fan. I couldn't run a dedicated duct to the exterior house without incurring significant expense, so this was a compromise. The idea is to vent into the bathroom and if the humidity really kicks up, turn on the bathroom fan. I also installed a register vent at the base of the stairs to provide a way for the fish room to "breathe". The air flow comes in from the living room, next to where the display tank will ultimately be: This register vents into the back of the fish room at the base of the stairs. For now, I just set up a basic stand-alone-fan to draw in the air from the living room. The fan is pretty quiet. I don't notice too much sound sitting in the living room with set to "high". It has 3 settings, and while it's definitely working the best on the strongest setting, I may be able to keep it running at a lower setting if it ends up being too loud. My plan is to run this fan 24x7, with the AirTitan set to auto-operation controlled by the thermostat. Overall I think the ventilation solution turned out better than I'd expected. The design I'd seems to be performing the way I intended it to. I won't know how effective it'll be until the whole system is running, but for now I'm feeling pretty good about it! Next, I'm planning to complete the water containment basin. I'm going to install a shower-pan liner around the 2x6 frame. Hopefully this solution works!

Just a quick update for the week, I went ahead and sealed the understair area with a thick coating of weather/mold-resistant paint. After looking at the backside of the drywall, I realized that its just a thin layer of cardboard. The paint seal gives me more comfort and confidence for weathering the potentially humid environment, once the system is up and running. It was challenging to get up under the stairs with the paint brush. Once I got started on it, I found that I couldn't resist sealing off the entire area, including the closet. I also framed out the base of the entire fish room area (including the closet). This is part of my water containment plan. I've been leaning towards the showerpan liner idea with a sump pump - then adding some kind of industrial rubber floor mats to the floor, TBD. I've installed the electric: 1- GFCI Circuit: I attached a long, industrial-grade, 10-outlet power strip to an area that will be above the sump. This is tapped into the GFCI outlet in the guest bathroom, which is one of the design elements I was hoping to incorporate. 2- Switched outlets: I installed an 8-port rocker box over the interior doorway to provide a bank of switchable outlets. This switched box connects to a separate circuit from the GFCI - also a goal I had of the build. I'm looking to distribute the load pulled by the system across multiple circuits. With 2 circuits in the fish room, and a third located at the display, I hope to have plenty of juice, with room to grow, by simply extending the homes existing electrical lines. Lastly, I framed out the coat closet with a pair of 2x6 support beams to serve as the floor of the "upper-level" of the water mixing station. This is where the freshwater tank will go. I was looking for a way to "go high" in the closet to capitalize on all the room I have available. Right now I'm leaning towards a 26 gallon freshwater tank to rest on these support beams next to the RODI unit. The idea is to have the freshwater tank serve as an ATO to the sump, and also feed the salt mixing tank, which will go in underneath it. Allowing the build to "go high", reaching up into the closet area has really freed up a lot of space in the tight quarters I'm working within. This also allows for an unobstructed walkway to go in-and-out of the stairwell area from the coat closet door. Coming up next: I've ordered the ventilation fan, which should be delivered this week, then: 1-Humidity control: I'll complete the installation of the ventilated air-flow design 2-Water Mixing Station: At the planning stage. I'm evaluating which tank sizes are best suited to fit into the allowable space. Then, I'll be looking into different options for building a stand for the salt-mix tank. Lastly, researching various plumbing options. 3-Water Containment: I'd like to get the shower pan liner installed, but I want to wait until the ventilation system is up and running and the mixing station design is further along. Feels good to be making progress on the fish room. 4-weeks into the build and I've accomplished some of the core concepts I was hoping to capture. Now I have a basic structure with plumbing/electric and soon to be ventilated area with water-containment. Feeling confident today - there's plenty of time to be humbled. Love the challenges of this hobby! ...to be continued.

Is the primary concern: 1-The tank? Humidity increases heat in the aquarium making it more difficult to keep it cool during spring/summer. 2-The house? Tank evaporation (estimated 2gallons/day?) might lead to excessive levels of humidity in the house (>70%) which could contribute to bigger issues, down-the road. The temperature in the house is comfortable to me, even when humidity measures in the 70% range. The "higher-than-ideal" humidity levels (50%+/-10%) don’t seem to bother me. The articles I've found cite that excessive humidity might lead to the presence of higher-than-normal allergens, and can also bring mold/mildew, which is a potential health concern. The primary indicators that point to excessive humidity are: 1-Condensation: The presence of condensation on the interior windows - this isn't present in the home. 2-Allergens: Higher than normal reactions to allergens. I do have seasonal allergies (specifically, I have reactions to mold spores and grasses). Having said that, my allergies have not acted up, and are significantly less inside the house than outside during peak allergy times. 3-Mold/Mildew: This seems to be the greatest concern. I’ve not yet experienced the presence of mold/mildew forming in the home. The house is still new, so I suppose it’s possible that mild/mildew could develop into a problem if humidity is left uncontrolled over time? I spoke with my General Contractor this morning and they suggest starting out by ventilating the fish room, then monitor the actual impact on humidity before considering a whole-house solution. Air/flow design: Air would enter from the living room, through a grate in the wall: https://www.homedepot.com/p/SPEEDI-GRILLE-14-in-x-10-in-Return-Air-Vent-Grille-White-with-Fixed-Blades-SG-1410-RAG/202542247 The air would then be pulled through a ventilation fan mounted through the wall adjacent the guest bathroom. https://www.acinfinity.com/crawl-space-basement-fans/ The idea is to turn the bathroom fan on when it gets too humid. The guest bathroom fan ducts directly to the exterior of the home.

As I've examined various ways of venting the fishroom, I began to monitor humidity levels in the house. The home is new construction and is built to modern specifications and an effective/efficient HVAC system. Having said that, the humidity is frequently registering over 70% (according to the digital HVAC thermostat control). When I look online, everything says hat this is waaayyyy too high for even maintaining a comfortable, regular living environment. It's strange because, until I started paying attention to it, I never noticed any discomfort in the home. It always feels cool and comfortable to me, and there's never been any condensation on the windows, except in the master bath after a hot shower. I purchased independent humidity monitors at Lowes today, and they confirm that the HVAC measurements are correct (68% right now). Now I'm concerned that I need to retrofit a whole house dehumidifier to a brand new HVAC system. I haven't called a contractor yet, but online estimates range from 2k-10k depending on what's required... Help!!!! Has anyone had experience with this? What's the humidity in your house? Am I missing something?

Does anyone have experience with this product (or others like it): https://www.acinfinity.com/crawl-space-basement-fans/ Seems like it might be a good solution for adding humidity controlled ventilation for a closet/understair installation?

Fantastic results, Ty. Amazing. Speechless.

I got the initial plumbing started today. II installed a dish-washer style drain-line above the P-trap at the guest bathroom sink: I ran the drain line over to the wall Punched through the wall leading to the adjacent coat closet: And, ran It through to the other side to access the fish room: This drain-line will eventually be attached to a manifold in the fish room to allow for waste-water to discharge into the house plumbing. I’m imagining three waste lines: 1: RODI: waste water line 2: A second line from the return area of the sump for water changes 3: A third line connected to a sump-pump in the water-containment basin as a contingency in the event of an unexpected overflow/flood (hope for the best, plan for the worst) I also installed a T-fitting with an 1/8" push-connect to tap the under-sink water source for the RODI input. The 1/8" tube will also go through the wall in the same cutout as the drain line. I’m also considering using that same wall cutout to connect an extension cord to the GFCI outlet in the guest bathroom, through the wall to second power strip. This would provide access in the fishroom to a second 20-amp circuit, with GFCI protection. Next step: I'm still mulling over the best way to implement the containment basin. I had a friend over today who has some interesting ideas for installing a shower pan liner to create a single basin that extends the length of the closet/understairs area. At first glance, this might seem a bit complicated. Looking further, I’m seeing how it could be done, relatively simply. Pausing for now for meditation, contemplation, and inspiration!

I spoke with the local paint store. I think a more effective solution might be to construct a wooden plywood box with a 6" sidewall. Then seal the box. There are many sealants available for waterproofing the interior of a plywood box. Creating a waterproof seam along the interior of the box can be accomplished more easily than finding a watertight solution for the wood/concrete join. Laying down an epoxy coating to waterproof the concrete floor, then adding a wooden plank sidewall, sealed to the concrete, is proving to be more complex and less assured of a water tight seal. The box would simply rest on the flat concrete surface. It won't have the professional look of an epoxy floor, but the cosmetic appearance of the fishroom isn't a priority. I now looked into your showerpan liner idea, and that looks even better. Its a much simpler solution than building a plywood box, and definitely creates a waterproof basin result!

Wow- your fishroom floor looks fantastic! I definitely would love to get that result. Did you use the Hillyard concrete defense product in the (above) video? There's a unique aspect to my build. I don't have a drain, so I'm proposing to build a containment basin around the edge of the room. Is it a good Idea to use a wood frame for the side walls of the basin? I can easily nail in 2x6 planks as a border around the room to form a side-wall of the basin. I can see how I would need to fill the seams with seam tape, but in all the epoxy videos I 'm watching only deal with garage floor/flat surfaces. There's no mention of filling in the joining (where the 2x6 basin wall meets the concrete floor), and then running the epoxy up the sidewall to create a 'basin'. Does what I'm proposing make sense?

Next steps of the build are plumbing and electric. Containment Basin Water containment and drainage is something I'm viewing as an essential element of a fish room. It's a bit tricky, being that there's obviously no drain under the stairs. Being on the ground floor, the fish room sits on the foundation of the house, so there's no where to go down. I have to figure out a way to seal the room and pump water into the home's plumbing. Now that the area below the stairs is opened, I have a better sense of what’s possible for constructing a containment basin for the fish room. While researching ideas, I came across this product: Does anyone have any experience with this or similar type products? My initial thought is to construct a frame of 2x6 planks around the edge of the under stairs area and coat closet. There’s already 2x4’s surrounding the perimeter of the room that the wall interior wall studs are attached to. Then, paint the interior of the basin with the "blue max" sealant product. Once the water is contained in the basin area, the idea is to use an automated sump pump to 'drain' the basin. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MWG69RN/ref=psdc_554568_t2_B0009X8O2E I’m thinking of drilling a hole through the wall about 12” up from the foundation, then running a ½” PVC pipe through to the other side, where the master bedroom shower is. Exposed PVC pipe in the bathroom shower may not look great, but I’m the only one who uses the shower. I’m hesitant to plumb directly into the guest bathroom sink drain, as the plumbing run is complex, and it would require replacing the pedestal sink with an enclosed sink. The shower solution is very simple, but would involve dumping saltwater from the sump down into the shower basin during water changes. It's also where the RODI discharge would go.