Upgrading a LFS

[Big KaTuna]

Hello Everyone!

So a friend of mine owns a LFS an will be moving to a new location soon. He has asked me to help plan/design the layout. Apparently my systems are a bit OCD so he's asked me to lend a hand. I'm really excited for it, but have never taken something on like this before.

I will try and get some more details as the plan unfolds, but I'll share some preliminary information and what i've come up with while sitting down for an hour.

The main display area will be roughly 25' x 30' (not crazy big, but an upgrade from his current store)
Secondary room is 13' x 20' (will house a 700G display) - Wants a lounge/show type area.

He would like to only be running 3-4 separate systems:

Medicated fish only system
LPS/Softies
SPS
Inverts & Clams

I have attached a very rough draft of my first rendition of the layout.

Tanks available are as follows

8x4' flat frag tank - shows in picture
10x4' flat frag tank - shown in picture
250G DD - Shows in picture
150G DD
14 - 65G (used for fish system) - Shows in picture
40 - 20G Long
144 Bow Front

Main Area - Picture describe:

I have configured my first go around with the fish system in the middle using the 14 65 gallon tanks. Fish are to separate as he maintains them with copper to help reduce parasites. I have advised him to separate his system by coral type.
Back wall - The 8 and 10 foot flat for LPS/Softie frags along with the 250G for LPS colonies. LED lighting will be used over these systems.
Right side - Undecided for the SPS tank, but I would imagine another raceway style flat frag tank (pushing for T5's supplemented with reefbrites).
Left side - Invert/Clam/Anenome Tanks
Left side - 2 vertical storage tanks for RO/Salt containers with dedicated pump (Water spigot on this wall)

Lounge (not pictured):

There will be a 700G 96x48x32 show tank (undecided contents) with a sitting area.

That's all I really have for now, I welcome all feedback and any ideas you would like to share from your experiences or what you'd like to see when you walk into a store. In the meantime the name of the store moving and location will be anonymous for now.

Thanks for reading!

 

[miamiangler]

I like LSF that have center with corals and fish on the walls

 

[Ebone]

It is nice to see corals from all angles (in center) fish move around so it matters less.... or like miami angler says haha

 

[Humblefish]

I like LSF that have center with corals and fish on the walls

Me too. However, the "Medicated fish only system" needs to be housed at least 10 feet away from the coral tanks to prevent aerosol transmission of the meds (assuming copper). At first, it wouldn't be enough to make an impact ... but over time.

 

[Big KaTuna]

I am working on another configuration to have some of the coral flats in the middle to allow for all angles of viewing. I will also looked at a stacked look for the fish system to maximize space.

I've never heard the 10 foot rule in terms of running copper. I'll look into it. Anyways to company that? Having fresh carbon on the coral systems to absorb any that may get into the system?

 

[miamiangler]

Me too. However, the "Medicated fish only system" needs to be housed at least 10 feet away from the coral tanks to prevent aerosol transmission of the meds (assuming copper). At first, it wouldn't be enough to make an impact ... but over time.

The LSF I deal with does Hyposalinaty treatments which usually takes two weeks and they have the fish being treated in the back room ,then put the fish out on the main floor when treatment is done .

 

[JoeIII]

The LSF I deal with does Hyposalinaty treatments which usually takes two weeks and they have the fish being treated in the back room ,then put the fish out on the main floor when treatment is done .

This - you don't want a bunch of sick fish out on the sales floor - Even if they are in a separate system and not for sale, there are potential customers who won't give you the opportunity to explain that before they leave.

 

[Big KaTuna]

This is not out of the question either. We have brought up the idea of doing this sort of treatment in the back room area since the current store didn't have the space for it.

What is your current stores setup and process for QT'ing each of its shipments?

 

[Humblefish]

I've never heard the 10 foot rule in terms of running copper. I'll look into it. Anyways to company that? Having fresh carbon on the coral systems to absorb any that may get into the system?

Running carbon/Cuprisorb/poly filter should remove any meds; this explains aerosol transmission in more detail: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/fish-disease-treatment-diagnosis/190292-aerosol-transmission.html

The LSF I deal with does Hyposalinaty treatments which usually takes two weeks and they have the fish being treated in the back room ,then put the fish out on the main floor when treatment is done .

Two weeks is not long enough to eradicate ich, and on top of that hypo resistant strains of ich have been proven to exist (Yambot study 2003).

 

[JoeIII]

What is your current stores setup and process for QT'ing each of its shipments?

Not sure if this was directed towards me, I just wanted to be clear that I am not associated with any store, simply speaking from a consumer's point of view.

 

[Big KaTuna]

Not sure if this was directed towards me, I just wanted to be clear that I am not associated with any store, simply speaking from a consumer's point of view.

Sorry for the confusion, the comment was to the open to everyone on the thread.

I was just curious what type of procedures their/your LFS take to QT or treat their fish as they receive shipments of livestock.

 

[pickupman66]

as a consumer, I dont like buying fish that come straight from a copper treatment. IMO, fish for sale need to be in full salinity non-treated water. makes it less likely of accidental transfer of medications and easier acclimation for general consumers....

 

[Big KaTuna]

as a consumer, I dont like buying fish that come straight from a copper treatment. IMO, fish for sale need to be in full salinity non-treated water. makes it less likely of accidental transfer of medications and easier acclimation for general consumers....

I definitely understand that comment and feel your concern. As a consumer myself I always try to QT my incoming livestock. When it comes to lower salinity water I always use the drip acclimation method to slowly bring the salinity back up. During this drip acclimation I use a small HOB filter with fresh carbon to help remove any traces of copper/medication. I usually drip acclimate for a few hours, IMO it’s enough time to remove any meds/copper.

I believe most LFS use lower salinity for a few reasons:
· Helping reduce the spread of parasites I feel is there number one reason. LFS want to sell healthy fish
· Cost – everyone knows salt is expensive, fish are more than capable of living in a reduced salt environment. It’s a business decision that benefits their overhead and provides some health benefit for the livestock

 

[pickupman66]

Big KaTuna... I dont disagree the benefits of it for the LFS as well as the livestock. you and I as well as MOST of the community here is quite well versed in most acclimation procedures, but there is a large segment of the saltwater fish keeper population that does nto QT and does not drip acclimate.

 

[Big KaTuna]

Oh ok, my apologies for the confusion.

I will have another paper copy rendition of a proposed layout for the store that will include walk around coral tanks as suggested.

 

[Big KaTuna]

Re-did the layouts on the computer to make them look a little better. I have also finished the second layout for your comments.

 

[gtbarsi]

People are not going to get much of a view of the 150DD and 250DD the way things look to be setup in the 2nd. Shift them so they are at the other end of the coral flat tanks, and people will get a better view of them.

How big is the isle in front of the fish system. you may have a traffic issue with people looking at or servicing the fish system, and others wanting to get by.

 

[Big KaTuna]

People are not going to get much of a view of the 150DD and 250DD the way things look to be setup in the 2nd. Shift them so they are at the other end of the coral flat tanks, and people will get a better view of them.

How big is the isle in front of the fish system. you may have a traffic issue with people looking at or servicing the fish system, and others wanting to get by.

I knew I left out a piece of information in the picture...sorry about that.

In front of the two Deep dimension tanks is about 10-12 feet of open walking space and then the front counter, sorry for the confusion. Maybe i should shrink it down to get a better top down view. This is just the main section of the store.

There is about 5-6 feet between fish system and the middle system. The picture is not to scale, just more of an idea. Rough measurements of the area are about 25x30, still waiting on the previous tenant to move out so I can get some accurate measurements.

 

[gtbarsi]

The more you can include the better, the closer to scale the better, when things are not to scale add some dim information, so all can get a better visual.
What are you using to do the layout?

 

[Big KaTuna]

The more you can include the better, the closer to scale the better, when things are not to scale add some dim information, so all can get a better visual.
What are you using to do the layout?

Unfortunately I don't have any CAD software or anything of that nature. I will add the dimensions when I am able to get back into the location for final measurements. This was just to get any idea of the actual layout and flow of the room.