soldieroffortune1974

I am looking at an eye sore,that needs to go away. I recently bought this older home and this is in the middle of the den.








So to replace this eye sore and catch-all, I am tearing it down , from ceiling to floor and have thought about putting in an inside pond/aquarium with a small water fall.

The problem being,that once I tear it apart,that will leave a hole in the floor.
The dimensions on the area are ( back wall) 96 inches (8 ft) long X 60 inches (5 ft) wide and the front area tapers down to 72 inches (6 ft)

The dimensions leave room for a nice size aquarium/pond, whichever seems the best idea. The back wall will be cut just over half way reducing it from the ceiling down to 4 ft tall leaving a "bar" type area that I may make into a bar,or a breakfast bar.

That will effectively eliminate the eyesore that's currently there, open up the view into the kitchen and provide more lighting. That's the idea in a nut shell..........................

Now to the logistics. I am fairly handy and can build almost anything.However,the technical aspects on reducing a wall structure isn't in my arsenal of tricks. I have verified it isn't a "load bearing" wall by a carpenter so it shouldn't be a problem tearing it down.

Second, structural integrity with the hole in the floor, do I utilise the hole to give the aquarium more depth? As a "hidey hole" for filters and equipment? or close it in and build it up to floor level to support the base of the aquarium.

Just a few ideas I am kicking around. Any ideas,thoughts, no matter how insane they sound will be appreciated. Construction will be limited to wood and a combination of acrylic and 1/2 inch glass,natural rock and cement.

Either way the end result will be an aquarium with the same dimensions 8ft long, 5 ft wide and approximately 4 ft tall, maybe 12 inches taller if the hole is used for extra depth. Maybe 3 ft tall to give a 12 inch water fall at the top of the bar.

I haven't decided whether it will be salt water or fresh, or brackish. So I am hoping I can get a brain storm session here and see what pops up. Money isn't an issue, the dimensions are fairly fixed, time is no problem.

SO tell me what you think. Ideas, comments,criticism logistics,etc. I am leaving it in your hands My Fellow Fishlorians, have fun. I am eager to see what we can accomplish together.

No I am not swimming in it before anyone asks.

Shawnie

I have no clue either way SOF as im a noob with that stuff...but I can tell you ill be so watching this thread and hope you do pics along the way!!!!!!!!! it sounds so fascinating that I cant wait to see what you decide and what your creativity creates...what I wouldnt give to have an indoor pond!!!!!!!

ps..whats the wifey and kids think about it ? LOL

soldieroffortune1974

The wife and kids don't know about it.......YET, they are still out and about on vacation. I had to come home early to take care of the rest of the paperwork on the house and the recent fire. SOOOOOOO to say the least,they will be surprised.

Shawnie

hahahahahah will you have it done before they come home? and how are the kids doing with their bettas? sorry im hijacking..but you have been so busy we cant catch up and you know how us women are about gossip

ifixoldhouses

you'll have to patch the roof too looks like, you may can keep the base of the chimney as the base of the aquarium, Theres probally a concrete footing underneath it all, thats at least a foot thick. Is that a real chimney ot just a thin brick wall? Is that a real woodstove? if so then that part goes through the roof anyway.

soldieroffortune1974

OHH well, I doubt I will have it finished before they get back, but hopefully I will have the wall tore down and the hole in the floor thing glossed over,the wife may have a little to say about an 8 ft hole in the floor,but what can she say about the wall being gone? Put it back?!?! not likely. I haven't discussed it with her yet and hoping I don't have to. We both decided it needed to disappear, but can't come to an agreement on what goes in it's place, so while the cat is away,the mouse will play as the saying goes.

The bettas were gone with the rest of the aquariums when the wildfire destroyed the old house,they didn't take it well and haven't decided whether they want anymore or not.

soldieroffortune1974

It's not real brick at all. It's a 2X6 wood and sheetrock wall with some type of heat resistant fake brick about 2 inches thick,the back wall and the base is made of the same material. The bottom base has nothing under it,literally. I pull it out,it will be just a hole in the floor.

The woodstove is cast iron (I think) and weighs close to 400 lbs,heavy and old. The stack does go through the ceiling, but the roof itself has already been replaced,so it doesn't go all the way out. The sheetrock will just have to be replaced after the stack comes out.

Lucy

I kinda like the eye sore lol
I hope you take pics along the way. Your project sounds great.

MissMTS

Sounds like a great project I can't offer any advice, but I'll deffinetly be watching your progress!

soldieroffortune1974

Demo begins in 12 hours.......approximately.....

Hopefully my help shows up, with a BIG SLEDGEHAMMER MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

gremlin

Fake brick is not very good looking. At least to those of us used to the "real thing". Although, our fireplace is all natural rock. I am surprised that there was no solid foundation under that heavy of a stove - that is poor planning on the part of whomever installed the thing. Are you going to try to save it? It might be kind of nice out on a patio for cooler winter evenings - as well as a source of heat and cooking in case of power outages. I think I would consult with a general contractor about filling in the hole under it. You wouldn't want to risk the house settling and cracking - that would damage the structural integrity of the whole house. Patching the drywall in the ceiling wouldn't be a problem at all once the stove pipe is removed. You may need to check the insulation in the attic - or add a bit where you do the repair.

As for the wall - I think it would look really cool to set it up like a pond - depending on how far out you want it to come. You could make the sides out of rock and set clear acrylic panels in every so often so you could look in from the side. A waterfall from under a bar would look cool. You could even set it up so the filter and pump and all could be housed in the base of the "bar wall" and accessed from the other side for cleaning and what not. That way, nothing would show from the "front" of the pond/tank except the nice stuff. Maybe even consider a skylight or solar-tube right above the pond for additional natural light.

Have you decided what fish you want in it? It might be kind of fun to set up a really "natural" looking habitat and stock it with fish that would be found in that habitat.

aquarist48

Hello SOF. Will be looking forward to your finished results. My neighbors have something similar to that same set up. I would take it out as well. I assume there is another heat source? I know it's going to be hard work. Do what you can to keep it fun.
You can't have my contractor! He's not finished here!

navyscuba

Well I would like to see a Huge A. Cichlid tank. haha. My kinda thing. Sorry about the kids fishies. Hope to see pics soon.

soldieroffortune1974

Well demo never got under way. I have been arguing with the electrician for the past week.He was supposed to dissconnect the plugs and wiring in the wall so I could tear it out,but he put me off until sometime after the 4th (today).

gremlin I think the natural pond is more what my wife would enjoy,while I keep tossing around ideas like navyscuba or a large salt water reef set up.

AHHHH it's driving me insane waiting on the electrician to do his thing before I can get started.I keep seeing different plans and shapes.different aquascapes/settings..........

alicem

Keep in mind an open pond may put out an awful lot of humidity into your home,
could be a good thing, or not, depending on the levels in your location...

As an alternative, a paludarium would be a really neat setup.
It could give you the waterfall, pond effect while being enclosed for the humidity factor.
You could even put critters like frogs, salamanders and such in there for the kids to enjoy.
http://www.geocities.com/~amazingaquaria/fiftyp.htm

Google it for tons more info on them and how to's on the net.
hth,
alicem

Butterfly

Sounds like a really cool project! Will keep an eye on what happens
carol

pepetj

SOF I just found out of the wildfire disaster your old home endured by reading this thread, so even if late, I'm sorry your family -including fishies- went through this experience.

That said, you have a heck of a project here. I'll get back with my share of ideas.

Pepe
Santo Domingo

aquarist48

Hello SOF. It isn't fun when we have to depend on someone else and have to be on their time when it comes to construction. I know what you're going through in a way Hang in there. It will happen

pepetj

I've been thinking of the idea of building a brackish pond/tank/paladarium with mangroves in it. They grow somewhat slowly but will need some occasional trimming. You could get your mud loving fish and other odd creatures you seem to like a paradise there!

Pepe
Santo Domingo

space traveler

When sarge gets back we plan to finish this project,time permitting. We got the wall torn down, added the concrete footing under the floor,dropped the floor about 18 inches and added rock around the rear and sides.He cut the glass (I just cut my hand) and picked up like 40 bags of instant ocean!!!!

Then his misses came home and I was out of there LOL,sarge left on assignment 2 days later and will return about june or july.

I spoke with him and told him I was telling everyone about this,and he said he will post pictures and update when he returns. He also says hello to fish-lorans? Anyways,he say WAZZZZZZZZZZZ UUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Butterfly

Thanks for the up date We know he comes and goes but did wonder how his project was going.
Carol

m-corbett1

Okay, so... I was just scrolling through the forum and saw " Construction Project" and was drawn in , due to the fact that I'm a construction major.

So... I see I'm a wee bit late but heres my 2 cents.

1)About the demo. I hope youre carpenter friend is a respectable carpenter and knows what hes talkking about (not hating on your friend) because I've seen many house destroyed becuase the home owner said "I want to pen this room up a little" and oops all my drywall joints cracked not to mention my ceiling is sagging.

2) I hope there was a double joist under that stove or someother kind of support under it... its more precautionary than a necessity sometimes, but deffinately would need some support if you were going to put a pond/aquarium of that magnitude there.

3) I think a pond would look nice... Like, ever see a nice large jacuzzi with the nice tile leading from the floor to the top of it. maybe you could do the same sort of thing but do it with natural looking rock or faux-rock... Idk how youd recess It like you were talking about but I think if you had a 2ft ledge of the natural looking rock.. that it would be plenty deep enough for some koi or some other nice pond fish. A waterfall of some sort would also look great with it.

So.. theres my 2 cents... Idk if you have already built this, or if you already scrapped the idea but I kno i cant wait to own my own house... =D I'll DIY Everything haha

-Mikey-

crazy4fish_123

I cant wait to see this project at the end.

Gold Fin

We lived on a ranch for a while, and, the ranch house had the neatest pond. BTW, we didn't live in the ranch house. It was pretty spectacular, and expensive due to the owners changing their minds as to what they wanted done during the construction. The pond was both outdoors and indoors... separated in the middle somewhere by a vertical window that was the only material that went under water. This is what kept the indoor heat in, and the outdoor cold out. The water/fish/ could go in or out. The outdoor part of the pond was in the covered entry way, and, had a waterfall. There also was a small deck near the top of the water fall. It was really neat. It's been 36 years since I saw it, so don't ask for particulars... but the idea was fairly simple. Rock wall for the waterfall, and cement and rock for the "walls" of the pond, both indoors and out. The window in the middle was at a narrow spot and only glass went down into the water. They had colored lights underwater, and the whole thing was in the shade so it didn't grow algae. As I remember, they had goldfish in it. It was REALLY impressive.

Gold Fin