Howard:
See Bruce Condello's
Cecil Envy thread for the story of the original Po' Boy RAS: A trough, a hose bib, a man, and a dream.
PBRs are pretty easy to run. Smells and humidity problems are minimal with a cover and a dehumidifier sitting next to it. Water temps are naturally easier to keep up if the tank is in a warmer environment. Mine is in the basement and stays at 73 deg with a 300W heater full time, 600W while water is being added.