DIY ~700-900G tank idea

Intro:

Coming this spring and summer I will be redoing my rear lower floor (I live in a Backsplit), and when I do it I want to build a MASSIVE tank, with 3 sides nearly all glass, to separate the office space where my girlfriend and keep our desks from the lounge area. The tank dimensions I'm looking at are 9 to 10' in length to match the length of the sectional I will get, 3' high and 3.5' wide.

I'm no stranger to DIY projects, I've done tons of builds around my house including custom king bed and custom aquarium stand for my 75 Gal with a bowed front to match the tank. I can post a how to if anyone expresses interest.

Right now I'm completely in the idea stage and looking for tips/advice on how i should go about planning this build and potential setup.

Here are my thoughts so far: (I will edit this as my ideas change or am told to)

Paint drawing of what I invision my tank looking like:


Glass thickness: 14 mm (from what i've read it's more than enough)
Plywood thickness: 1" (2" on base to be safe)
Height of water 29" (7" air space)


Fish/other List: (* fish i already own)
1-2 Arowanas
5 Bala Sharks*
1 Glass Knifefish*
1 Sailfin Pleco*
2 Red eared sliders (turtles)
and what else?

Plant list:
Haven't given it thought as of yet

Water control:
I would use a double canister filter system with an inline automatic heater and CO2 Reactor, also have an automatic level control which would pull from a 5 Gal bucket I can refill in my laundry room. The waterfall (filter outlet) should oxygenate the water enough.


Nothing I have put here is set in stone, this is purely my thoughts and ideas at the moment and i'm looking for feedback.

Thanks in advance,
BridgeNewb

JonY3k said:

Looks interesting. You are going to need more than a 5 gal bucket to maintain a consistent water level.

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What kind of evaporation rates would I be looking at? I was figuring I would have to fill the bucket every 1-2 days with the tank temp being 78F.

muttley000 said:

Welcome to the forum! Looks like a cool project! I've not seen the idea of a brace being a turtle shelf like that before. I am a woodworker that has an old 47 bow front laying around so I would enjoy seeing what you came up with on the stand. I believe you are thin on the glass for a 36" high and 10' long. I would think you would be into 25mm at that size. Hoping to watch it come together!

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I will message you the thread and once I make it, expect it in a few days as i will probably make a video. It was a fun project and a great intro into using a router and other tools most people might not have used before. The thickest glass I have been able to find from local glass cutters has been 19 mm, also do you use tempered glass?

I have now made my DIY thread for my stand for a bow front 75 gal:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...l-(and-custom-lighting)&p=7077955#post7077955

I have drafted up my tank on SketchUp, doing so has made me come to realize two things I need to figure out:

1. What kind of base should it have? I'm thinking cinderblock would be cheapest and easiest but would leave me with very little space underneath for filtration etc.

2. I was planning on having the filter inlet come through the bottom of the tank on the all glass end to not block the view from the outside, but I cant figure out how i would run it through without leaking and being able to take all that head pressure without sliding down and out.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Two canister filters having two seperate outlets, one feeds the waterfall the other with the co2 reactor and inline heater go into the tank about halfway down into a rock pile (ontop of a cave), I will have there to disperse the water flow. Im currently working on the Sketchup putting in the piping. Going to make a visit to the hardware store to see if its something i need to order too.

I talked to my father, there are threaded pvc flanges i will install bolted (with gaskets) into the base and sides for the outlet and inlets. This will be done after fiberglass but before rubbering the tank so that there will be 2 layers of protection. Then the pvc pipes can just be treaded in from either end.