DIY TANK PROJECT

[guesswho2005]

I hope this is exceptable I may run this thread for some time. Well here we go.

The Project: Amazon Monster Fish Tank

Summary: This project will be three phases.

1. Build addition to the house 20' wide x 30' long. This room will attach to the second floor with a bonus room under the addition. The bonus room will have a 36" by 18' access the second floor this is where I put the tank. its front will face the second floor.
2. Purchase materials. Break today located locale acrylics dealer that can get me the sheet i need. The Tank - 154" long x 120" deep x 120" tall, Frame steel, plywood inner shell, Fiberglass lined, 3/8 marine grade alunimum for the cover with built in lights. Build tank
3. Fill tank and stabalize the environment and work out the bugs 60 days.

I will begin with 75gal tank to start fish stock.

Sorry but i will be bugging everyone till its done. I plan on building everything myself. pays to be a wood and metal worker in past lives.

One question I have is this. Is PH a constant? follow-up Can it be changed permenently?

:screwy:

[piranha45]

pH depends on mineral/ion concentrations in the water (calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate,etc). It changes as the water's concentrations of these gradients changes. Your city's water supply has a given concentration, and usually this remains constant.

You cannot permanently change pH.

[rayman45]

that is high
are you ready to dive in the tank?

a little off topic but what fish?
rays,rtc,tsn,gigas etc?

[redtailfool]

Sound great. Please do post your plans and pics.. you might even inspire someone here to build a similar setup.


Whats your tap water PH currently ? IME its better to acclimate you fish to your
tapwaters ph than the other way around. Its work and its apt to swing and might do more harm than good for your stock.

[guesswho2005]

Sound great. Please do post your plans and pics.. you might even inspire someone here to build a similar setup.


Whats your tap water PH currently ? IME its better to acclimate you fish to your
tapwaters ph than the other way around. Its work and its apt to swing and might do more harm than good for your stock.


I'm on my own well water and its right 7.8 winter,,,7.9 Summer. I'm hoping to have Arapaimas, Stingrays, gars, rtc, exodons school, shovel nose cats, any ideas would be great. I'm new at the really monsters so i will need some help....

[guesswho2005]

pH depends on mineral/ion concentrations in the water (calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate,etc). It changes as the water's concentrations of these gradients changes. Your city's water supply has a given concentration, and usually this remains constant.

You cannot permanently change pH.

Thanks, well then I'm stuck with 7.8 - 7.9 then. thats hight but still within the ranges of most monster fish?????? Then I take it with out a dose meter I will need to climatize all fish to my 7.9 pH

[piranha45]

Fish are not nearly as sensitive to pH as some guides might lead you to think.

a pH between 6.5 and 8.5 is an excellent range for any monster fish.

[guesswho2005]

Fish are not nearly as sensitive to pH as some guides might lead you to think.

a pH between 6.5 and 8.5 is an excellent range for any monster fish.

Thanks hope you dont mind if I pick you brain, Best knowledage is earned if not to dear.

[piranha45]

you can thank me now, while I'm bowing down to your mighty tank setup later :cool:

[guesswho2005]

Welll I'm having a hell of a time getting a Acrylic manufacture who can produce the 144" L x 48" w X 2" thick front piece. Can anyone direct me to a dealer or manufacture whom can produce a piece this big.......HELP?

[id10t]

I'd check with a "big fancy office building" type general contractor in the nearest big city? Also check http://www.emachineshop.com/ but I doubt they'd go that big. Never know.

[guesswho2005]

I'd check with a "big fancy office building" type general contractor in the nearest big city? Also check http://www.emachineshop.com/ but I doubt they'd go that big. Never know.

I live in Alaska, our live are shipped to us from Seattle. I'll keep looking even if I have to purchase and drive and pick-up. None of the Seattle Plastic companies returned my messages. I do have a lead on a company that can poduce a 10' Long and 48" wide by 2" thick. I keep working on it would love the 12' piece

[Doc]

Check for Glass.

Eglazers.com

[reefman]

have you thought about asking a aquarium look at the size of some there tanks

[Loubard]

have you thought about asking a aquarium look at the size of some there tanks

I don't get your point dude. :screwy:

[guppy]

Guesswho2005, How thick for the plywood? steel frame and braces? Ph can be changed from alkaline to acidic with either peat moss trickle system (time consuming), or premixing batches with white vinegar until it is at the level you want. give it some rest time as thereaction takes a few minutes. You will need to do this at every water change but at your ph the only fish that I can think of that would need this done are few breeding tetras and darters, all tiny and all bog dwellers. Don't bother, you will be fine.

[lemcc]

i would love to see this done
but i was wondering why so deep 10 feet of water is alot of pressure
for swim space that may not be needed
i know nothing about what would be needed but my local aquarium
has a large amazon tank thats only about 4-5 feet deep and is stocked with some big fish most of the ones on your list

[guppy]

You could save yourself some stress if you could dig this tank into the ground 4-5'.

[reefman]

I was just saying go to your local aquarium and ask one of there workers beceause you all there tanks are custom built so the can tell you the companey who built there tank for them and they could give some good info.

[jelkel]

I was just saying go to your local aquarium and ask one of there workers beceause you all there tanks are custom built so the can tell you the companey who built there tank for them and they could give some good info.

Like the Schedd Aquarium. Great example is there Amozon exibit.
Real nice, lots o' monsters! Good luck on the tank! Great idea :idea:

[reefman]

or the boston aquarium ther amazon tank is nice with huge an a 4 foot rtc and a 3 foot armored cat they are big fish

[B. Rodgers]

goto http://home.neb.rr.com/piranha/brodgers.htm it's my 300 DIY..enjoy

[Miles]

The vancouver aquarium would be the closest Aquarium you could visit with a monster tank, and monster fish.

Agreed that the pH is not a big deal, and I wouldn't try to mess with altering it. Set yourself up an automatic waterchange system on float switches, you'll thank yourself later.

Are you looking for that peice of acrylic to be the entire front viewing window? Have you ever considered re-thinking your idea, and making the 'viewing' window possibly smaller then the dimensions of your tank. This way you would not have to have a single sheet of acrylic, seemed togethor at the corner, supporting 1/4 the tank. Especially with a tank so tall. I would go with a 10' viewing window, and build a frame around it out of other materials.. or you could do two 6 foot viewing windows, with a center brace..

I know a person here who works in the acrylic business.. He was looking into building tanks, and was rambling off some sizes he can get. The largest he said he could get was a 14'x8'x2" sheet, I think. I will ask him next time I see him..

[fishyboi]

WOW! when your done with the project can you send a pix and what kind of fishes are you gonna get?

[Astro_Creep]

"Fish are not nearly as sensitive to pH as some guides might lead you to think."




I couldn't agree more; the pH isn't nearly as important as overall water quality and stablility. I live in Revere, MA and our tap water is steady at 7.8. The only things I add to the water are dechlorinactor and a little bit of salt.

I look at it as one less catstrophic thing that can go wrong.

[oscar1]

would love to see it when it is done i'm inspired i want one

[Xuzhu]

Tks for the info

[guppy]

If you can't find a supplier try emailing some of the large public aquariums such as Monteray Bay, just ask for the name/address of their builders.

[akchang]

any progress on this? i am in alaska and would like to see it in progress. i have some rough plans and ideas for a home aquarium in the 2000 to 3000 gal range. im planning on building one up here when i build a house.

[zennzzo]

GessWho2k5,
I am constructing a 2' x 3' x 8' Arowana home for my Silver, Gu-Kan lll.
I'll put a 2' x 8' x .500" plexi front pannel I got here at this place...

I found that this place can supply your thick Plexi needs...
you might have to get that 144" pannel in 2 pieces like, 48' x 72" x 2.000"

a 48' x 96" x 2" pannel is like $1740.00+ US dollars...maybe they'll put it on the Ferry going north...they are located in Kent, near Seattle Wa. too...
:thumbsup: :headbang2 good luck with the $100,000.00 project...
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13435&stc=1
KENT
6412 S. 196th St.
Kent, WA 98032-1169
800-223-8360
253-872-7430
253-872-7704 FAX
Tony Lyman

[aaronr94]

Can't wait to see the finished product!!!

[MrRngr94]

Any updates on this? It's been a month now.

[Tylervsmith]

Did you ever finish... i was just curious

[schaadrak]

Would you consider using two sheets of acrylic with a center brace for your viewing panel? Or maybe three? Multiple stock sizes available locally might be cheaper than one huge custom piece that you have to travel out of the country for.