NetMax wrote:
"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Gail Futoran wrote:

"NetMax" wrote in message
...

A possible scenario for the evolution of the aquarium:

[snip]

If we look at the trends, despite the weight, cost & space, aquariums
are
slowly getting larger, however this makes their best location to be
concrete (basement) away from prime viewing area (living room).

Reading other posts, it seems many people don't
have basements! If I had one, it would become
a family/play room, hence would be a perfect
location for a fish wall. Here in TX, basements
are a rarity.

A jackhammer and a few day laborours changes that. The house I live
in was built in 1860 or something, by an English Colonel. He'd never
heard of a basemnt either, that or the solid rock it's built on
deterred him somewhat.

From an engineering perspective, thisis not insurmountable, but
it's not conventional in the way you can, say, walk into a bank
and get a loan to build a miniature Marineland of the Pacific in
your basement that doesn't exist. Yet.

What you could do though is cut a great whacking hole in the floor
and build a foundation on the ground, which is typically giong to
be 2-3 feet lower than the gorund floor.

Now, if you make this bugger big enough the thermal mass becomes
an intersting property.


At the risk of getting too far OT from aquaria, I have wondered what volume
of subterrainian water would be required to cool and heat a home to an
average comfortable temperature. Given my latitude (Canada), I don't think
it's practical, but a bit further south might have possibilities. Build a
road to the edge of a short steep rockface (coastline, riverfront etc),
build a foundation to hold some water (200,000g?), grade with enough earth
for insulating the exposed side, add house on top. You would need some
energy to run the heat pumps, but rockface/coastlines are sometimes suitable
for a combination of wind power and solar (divided between electricity
generation for batteries and water heating to supplement the thermal energy
of the under-house sump.

An interesting angle is that the water would either need to be chemically
treated to be inert, or you could intentionally incorporate a complete
nitrogen cycle (fishies ). I don't know which would be more practical,
but I know which I would investigate first ;~), though I suspect the
temperature range would not be compatibility to fish.

lol, this should lay to rest any niggley doubts about my being completely
wonkers, - but I still have lucid moments and I'm generally helpful &
harmless ;~).

LOL - you bonkers - never.... :-) and as for harmless!!!! I still have a
feeling that the 4 footer will get filled with Neons in its next
incarnation which is a thought firmly planted in my head by you g

"generally helpful" - most certainly and always appreciated.... :-)

Gill