Who has anything plumbed into the garage?

[+lewk]

Just curious about anyone's setup who plumbs something into the garage. Moving this summer and was thinking of using some garage space for water changes and holding top off water. On the other side of the wall from the tank is the washer/dryer and this seems like it would make a good drain for water changes. Let's see some pics of your setup!

[Chrispar]

I believe CRmike, has a setup similar to what your thinking. I thinks its in the DIY under tank automation build.

[rainbody]

I do. I put everything I could out of the house and into the garage. Working up Generation 2 atm. Fitting failed this afternoon in the test in the driveway so Im behind yet again.

[Chrispar]

better to have that fitting fail in the driveway than in the house.

[Jimbo]

I have my main tank in the entry hallway (110 gal) with a hole punched in the wall behind to the garage. That's where I have my sump with skimmer, pumps, ballasts, frag tanks, ATO, and RO unit. It is also conveniently placed near my W/D hookup for water source and drain.

I'm going on my second summer with it setup like this. No heater was necessary in the winter months, and during the summer, I noticed no significant temp increase that couldn't be handled by blowing a fan across the sump.

Now, the garage will get extra humid in the summer months because that is where all the evap is going to take place, so if it is something that you are planning on doing, make sure you plan for the drywall to rot out if not protected (water barrier paint of some kind). You might also plan on incorporating a vent of some kind to help remove the excess humidity to the outside, like a bathroom fan. It won't last too long with the salt, but that is much cheaper to have to replace periodically than having damage to your walls.

I'll try to take some pics this evening. Hope this helps.

Jim

[chrisfowler99]

I've got a 50 gallon RODI tank, 50 gallon salt water mixing tank and an ATO container in the garage with plumbing to do water changes (sans draining of the tank) running through the wall into my office where my tank is.

A few pictures in my blog.

[+mcallahan]

*jealous*

[GKarshens]

On my old tank I had my top-off vat in the garage and ran a line though the wall. Next year I plan to put everything in the garage, tank included. Though I am going to build a room around everything so I guess that doesn't count.

[+lewk]

On my old tank I had my top-off vat in the garage and ran a line though the wall. Next year I plan to put everything in the garage, tank included. Though I am going to build a room around everything so I guess that doesn't count.

Oooh, that sounds cool. Keep us updated as you're getting it together.

On your old setup...how did you run that through the wall, just drill a hole and you're done?

[rainbody]

I traced out a section and cut it with a dry wall saw. Hand type. Interior side first then cut away insulations with sheers. I pushed a section up and some down to give myself a window. Then cut through the garage side from the interior side. So I had a nice hole through but it wasnt perfect. The edges where unclean and over just look like crap. So I bought the electrical boxes( blue ones at lowes) and with those I cut the back of them off. So it became a plastic square frame. I put one in the garage side and one in the interior side and they "mated up" to form a plastic tunnel through the wall. I hope this isnt greek to anyone. If someone wants pictures just give me a shout.

[GKarshens]

I just needed a hole big enough for airline tubing. So I just used a long drill bit.

I will start a thread once I start building the tank.

[pbnj]

Check out ckimble's old blog.

[caferacermike]

My old thread http://www.austinreefclub.com/topic/8783-the-tank-automation-build-thread/

That explains what I did and how.