Bedroom Reef - what do you think?

[Henry1]

I am going to set up a 120G reef in the bedroom. This will certainly give a therapuetic boost especially with the lousy global downturn.

While planning the reef, I felt I should also have a great bed to go with.
Can't decide whether to go for a waterbed or a Simmon.

If you're in my shoe, what will your choice be? Is it a good idea? Tell me.

Oh yes. . . one last thing - I won't be baking under the MH lightings from the tank. It'll be under blue lights (moonlight) and timed to turn off at about the time my soul drift off.

Happy reefing

[ October 20, 2001: Message edited by: Henry ]

 

[SPC]

Henry, you might want to check with Danmhippo on this, I understand that he is an expert on waterbeds and wave makers.

Steve

 

[kjb]

I bought a Simmons Felicity Pillowtop last Spring and LOVE it! You might go with a better model than this one, but don't go cheaper.

 

[Rich-n-poor]

I had a waterbed and I will say this.....

If you really want one buy a waveless mattress I have slept on both and the full motion gets old after about a week. On that note a waterbed gets old after about a year and if you have any (I mean any back problems) a waterbed is terrible.

If you have a cat and it has claws expect to be repairing some leaks with superglue (easy to do but still a pain) Forget about being able to move the bed (Or getting at anything that falls behind it for that matter) Forget about storing anything under the bed as most sit on platforms. Add the cost of a heater to your electric bill to keep the bed warm (you must have this its great to get into a warm waterbed on a cold winter night and unbearable to get into a cold one)

I just bought a new pillowtop myself and I never relized sleeping was this good. The first two weeks i was so comotose I dont even think I dreamed

That said if you still want a waterbed come get it outta my garage
_________________
g13 diesel photos

 

[Henry1]

Thank you everyone for your input. It really help.
Look like Simmon will be our choice. My wife is concerned of waking up the next morning with seasickness

For me, its the power bill and punctured holes in the long term term to bother with. Don't want to end up with our fish watching us drown.

Cheers

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

The biggst problem with a waterbed is that you'll not notice that it is leaking until it's time for bed. There's nothing quite like slipping into a nice warm and very wet bed.

You'll then spend an hour trying to find the pin hole leak - which is ALWAYS under the matress. Then you have to fix it - two to three hours later you can go to sleep.

Get a real bed!

 

[Anonymous]

I wish I'd never put my aquarium in my bedroom. Some nights the overflow is so loud I can't fall asleep, and the nights I do fall asleep, I end up waking up about twice, to pee because the sound makes me dream of water so much.

Ergh I hate it being in my room.

 

[shawnz28]

I have a Simmons pillowtop and my reef in my bedroom. Can't think of a better combo

Shawn

 

[kjb]

I had the reef in my bedroom and really liked having the light come on early in the morning during the winter to help me wake up. I've moved since and now it is in the dining room. NP with the noise, it just lulled me to sleep.

If you get a Simmons you'll love it. I can lie down and someone else can sit on the bed and I don't even feel any movement.

 

[ReefMole]

Although not an expert on reef tanks, having just set mine up last week, I do have some experience with beds and/or having a bedroom fish tank. As for the tank in the bedroom, there IS some noise and it might take a bit of getting used to. Once I was used to the sound the hum of the pumps and water noise lulled me to sleep.

When it comes to waterbeds DON'T GET ONE!!!
I had a waveless for years and when I got rid of it my back thanked me. If I'm going to dose chemicals and fight algae blooms I'd rather do it for the fish tank...not my waterbed. Also, it seemed to be always too cold or too warm regardless of the brand or quality of heater I used. The waveless waterbeds are better buy in my opinion they're all a pain in the neck...literally.
Also, it was much more tolerable before I met my wife and stopped sleeping alone. Sleeping with another person in a waterbed (even waveless) is intolerable as you wakeup every time the other person moves.

The best bed I've ever had (still do have) is a danish style 'platform' bed. Basically it's a box bed without the box-spring. It's neither too soft or too hard and you save the expense of having to buy a box spring in addition to the mattress (although many places only sell 'sets'). I would go with the Simmons matress and no box-spring.

Good luck with the bedroom and aquarium!

 

[bensenvill]

I have a 46gal bow tank as my head board for my bed. I cant imagine not having it. I sleep like a baby every night falling asleep watching it. I use some japanise 1750K deep blue PC bulb, definitely recommend it as a night light. I will warn you, make sure the tank is EASILY ACCESSABLE. That has been my nightmare, too much maintence to be behind my bed. Definitely go for it.

~Terrence

 

[monkeyboy]

A 120 full of water weights 1400lbs. How much do you suppose a water bed will weigh in addition to this? I hope your room is on concrete!

 

[Ryan22]

I have a waterbed that is 4' wide with a standard 55gal tank set up as the headboard. I keep African Cichlids in that tanks, but I wish it were something different, they are to active and at night sometimes they splash around at the top which is noisey, and I've even gotten wet once or twice even with a glass top. I have a canister filter on it so noise isn't really isn't a problem. I thought of making it a reef tank, but desided against it after listing to my overflow and skimmer on my other tank. He worst thing that ever happen with it though, was before I was an african tank it was a community tank, and a hatchet fish somehow (I still don't know how) got out of the tank through the canopy and ended up dried up in my girlfriends hair. you can imagine he call I got at work that day.

As far as storing things under the bed, I bought a frame that has drawers in it. Now I don't have a dresser, you could put your tank where the dresser was

HTH

Ryan

[ October 24, 2001: Message edited by: Ryan22 ]</p>

 

[Len]

Personal experience tells me sump and bedroom don't mix.

And be prepared to use a/c quite a bit,unless your bedroom is huge or you can tolerate sleeping in warm, slightly humid conditions.

 

[freedom75]

I have a 72 bowfront in my bedroom, And I love it. I use a Magnum 350 and a Berlin HO model. and it is really not that loud but at night when I lay there and watch the fish the days stress just flows away. I would highly recommend it

 

[beemert]

i have a 54g in the bedroom and have made it a mission to make it silent.
when it first went in, it was baaaad.
it is now almost silent. the niose issue tends to drive hardware. i replaced the skimmer with a needlewheel which is very quiet. there are some reefers here who make a more eficient better skimmer, but use an injector. these are preferable, but noise is an issue.
durso is truely the man. you might just as well build his standpipe into your overflow now, 'cuz you'll do it latter.
line the cabinet with 4" foam from the fabric store. attatch with contact adhesive. don't forget to do the doors.
it will work, and a little bit of running water is kind of soothing. it will be a whole lot more expensive than the falling water on rocks things that they are selling now in the department stores, but a whole lot neater.
bruce

 

[jbpig]

I have a 150 in our bedroom and LOVE it!!! I must say at first it was LOUD!! but after a few things to quiet it up it is just perfect. just enough sound to make you sleep better. hope yours turn out great!

 

[Henry1]

A BIG thanks to all for sharing your personal experience. You have given me so many great input I'm sure will go a long way in helping me avoid undesirable consequences in the long term.

Looks like besides heat and weight, noise will be the next on my list to have it under control.

I'll probably take advantage of the floor layout.
The bedroom is located just behind the living room where the tank is.
Will try to heck off a rectangle opening in the wall and relocate the tank.
This way, the tank can be viewed both ways with nothing in the bedroom.
It will kind of be like having a living picture hanging in the bedroom wall!

A draw blind can be installed in time where privacy is needed.

Save me lot of $$$ in starting a new system.

What do you think?

 

[SPC]

Henry, we have a 180 located next to our bed. I use VHO lights so have had no problem with heat. If I ever go with metal halide I will duct the hood to the crawl space under the house to draw the heat out of the room. I installed a couple of extra floor joists under the tank location just to be on the safe side as far as the weight factor. I also have the sump located in a closet in an adjoining B/R so this keeps the noise in there. I use 1/2" Sea Swirls in the tank which are quite so the only sound we hear is water rushing which is soothing to us.
Steve