Keri Anne Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 I need to pick your brains guys: * Okay, first off I'm renting so can't drill or nail holes in walls. I live in and upstairs apartment in town. No Garage, no back yard, LOTS of stairs. In about 2 months one of my flatmates is moving out and it has been agreed that I may use her room as a fish room. (My flatmates seem to think 8 tanks in the living room is pushing it.) This is wonderful, however I have a number of logistical problems. Problem one: The room is carpeted. I am not allowed to change this fact so was considering lining it with tarpaulins (sp?). What do you think? How should I go about it? How should I join the tarps? I need tables or stands that are strong but easy to get up the stairs. I know they need to spread the weight. I don’t have the room or the tools to build my own and I really don’t have the money to get them custom-made. This will be my first attempt at a fish room so all ideas are more than welcome. Thank you in advance. Keri Anne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 ...i really dont think you need tarps on the carpet. Unless of course your planing on spilling alot of water. As for furniture i remember someone here saying that you can get cheap old benches (kitchen benches and stuff) off trade me. Its worth a look see. Good luck with the fish room! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 A friend of mine put a tarp under her tank and when she moved it she found water had got under the tarp and the carpet had rotted. You'd probably be better off spreading towels or newspaper around when you do water changes. Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinity Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 I live in a rental aswell, when I got the tank I made sure there was enough clearance under the stand for airmovement. When a spill does occur I can get the wet and dry vac out and clean it up and I also have a dehumidifier that has a carpet drying function. We also go through a few towels :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Thanks for the input guys - so scrap the tarp idea. Now I just need to work out stands. Maybe I can get my hands on some old doors and prop them up on saw horses or something :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malawi_man Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 get a whole lot of 4x2's and lay them along some cinder blocks, the 4x2's make the equivalent of a thick plank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 How big are your tanks? 8x 1 foot tanks is a bit different from 8 x 6 foot! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 How big are your tanks? 8x 1 foot tanks is a bit different from 8 x 6 foot! lol LOL if I can't carry it up the stairs myself I can't have it. Looking at 80L-100L tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 Maybe I can get my hands on some old doors and prop them up on saw horses or something :-? Beer crates? (sorry, couldn't resist it) If you are going for the door thing, make sure they are solid timber, not the cardboard stuffed thin walled internal doors, which I do not think would take the weight. Do you want them all at one height, or stacked? You could look at the steel shelving that you can build up yourself with a screwdriver and adjustable spanner (and a lot of patience). We can lend you the tools if you get stuck. But you will have to check the weight these things will hold, and you may have to put something under the feet to make sure they don't damage the carpet. Oh dear, I think I may have given you some bad ideas on maximising how many tanks you can get into a room! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 I need to pick your brains guys: * Okay, first off I'm renting so can't drill or nail holes in walls. It's never stopped me. I asked if I can bore holes on the proviso that any hole is fixed before I leave. In my last flat, the owner decided they were going to repaint so I jibbed up the holes and helped with the first coat. I'd put in many holes as there were 3 big tanks in the lounge (all over 600L) and I wanted to hide all the pipes. It all really depends how good your landlord is and how much work you are prepared to do when you leave the flat. Make up small frames as someone else has suggested. If there is air-gap underneath the carpet won't rot. Just brace whatever you make well so it doesn't pancake itself. The concrete blocks idea will also work well and isn't too untidy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 It's never stopped me. I asked if I can bore holes on the proviso that any hole is fixed before I leave. In my last flat, the owner decided they were going to repaint so I jibbed up the holes and helped with the first coat. I'd put in many holes as there were 3 big tanks in the lounge (all over 600L) and I wanted to hide all the pipes. It all really depends how good your landlord is and how much work you are prepared to do when you leave the flat... Thanks Warren, if I was in a normal flat I'd be following that advice, however, I live in an Art Deco Building, landlord is going to have a fit as it is. Guess I should have put that in my first post. :oops: I'm heading down to Wellington in 2mths and will check out the stands at Bunnings in Palmaston North on the way back... Billaney was kind enough to take a photo of his so I could decide if it was worth a look. This thread: http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/previous-vt10662.html?postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 I was thinking of maybe getting some wood (or Marine Ply?) to brace the stands to each other instead of bracing them to a wall. What do you think. (Might have to bribe somebody to cut the wood for me... Bruce drinks Heineken, right? ) As for Beer creates or concrete blocks.... where would I get them cheaply? Zev, I already had the bad (Good) ideas... I was going to do this a few months ago but took pity on a friend who was in a nasty flat (ppl-wise) and let her move in to the spare room. She's moving to Australia soon so I get the room back. As for the doors... if I went with that idea I'd be VERY careful about what sort of door it was. Keep posting guys... you're all making me think which is exactly why I posted this thread. I really appreciate all the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 You could check out Mitre10 Mega in Hastings, they may have something similar. We have a circular saw (somewhere in our packed up mess in the garage) if you need it, and I should probably lend you Kevin as well, seeing as I can't cut straight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 Will have to get over to Hastings and have a look... may take you up on the Saw offer at some stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 Yikes!! Yeah, Napier takes it's art deco buildings pretty seriously... Give me a call if you need a hand with anything, Napier is a pretty small place so I'm only 5 minutes away. Lets face it, anything in Napier is only 5 minutes away!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 Thanks Warren, may hold you to that. Once I've scouted out what I can get my hands on I'll start making some solid plans. If I went with kitset frames like the ones Billarney suggested I'm guessing I'd need some sort of "Foot" to spread the load on the floor, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stompa Posted April 8, 2006 Report Share Posted April 8, 2006 pitty your not up near the waikato .... i could have wipped you up a few basic stands.....there pretty easy .... if you want a basic stand just some MDF for top and bottom and some 50mm x 50mm legs. screw the MDF to the legs and you have a basic stand ..... then cut a sheet up and staple gun it around to cover the stand and you end up with a nice stand.... because your only looking at 80l and 100l tanks this type of stand would do the weight easy.... its when you have the project im doing at present that you need a bit more support e.t.c my 2 new tanks will be about 600 to 700 kgs..... if you want me to send you a plan of the basic stands let me no... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Checked out Mitre 10 Mega in Hastings today, so much better than the Napier Mitre 10!!! They have the 5 level stands like Billaney suggested in the "stands for fishrooms" thread. :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 So.. does that mean I have to dive into the messy storage garage and actually find the skillsaw, now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Nah, flatmate doesn't leave for over a month yet. Might just buy myself one while I'm spending money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Oh no!!! Evil spendy demon is taking hold.... hide the credit card!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Well, if you're worried about the credit card, wait until you get to Wet Pets.. In fact, chop it up before you go there, it is a nasty place, with way too many nice fishies and things to tempt you into overdraft!! The Spotted Green Puffers would have my daughter pleading incessantly.. but they're cute.. I want one.. pleeeese mummy.. (she never calls me Mummy unless she wants something). Oh dear, I see a brackish tank on the horizon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 AquaFever has a little puffer or at least it did at 3pm this afternoon.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Yeah, they were the first ones she saw, but the ones at Wet Pets are about 70mm long and a nice green colour, and look more puffer-like than the incy wincy skinny one in Hastings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 It is cute though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 Were you talking about the puffer on the counter, or the one in the tank on the back wall? The one on the counter is cute (my daughter hasn't seen that one yet) and is a Green Spotted. The incy wincy one I was talking about is the one on the back wall, it's a Freshwater Puffer, and apparently only grows to about 50mm incl tail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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