Hello everyone, I'm a restaurant owner located in southern Ohio, and I've been working on a business plan for a new restaurant with saltwater fish tanks and potentially a shark tank behind the bar (ORV sharks, not bottom dwellers). I've been a saltwater aquarist for around 20 years, and opening this restaurant has been a dream of mine for a long time. Yes, I know keeping sharks in captivity is very expensive and requires a lot of work. However, I plan to have a team of aquarists on-staff to help share the load. And I want to build the tank right the first time, so I'm gathering as much info as possible before making any decisions.
I've spoken to a couple of experienced shark keepers, and they've recommended species like Finetooth, Atlantic Sharpnose, and Bonnetheads. It's looking like an oval-shaped fiberglass tank with viewing windows is going to be the best option for the tank itself. It'll be 26 feet long by 12 feet wide by 5 feet deep. I'm considering keeping the bottom bare for easier cleaning.
I've heard a few different opinions on filtration and life support equipment, but I thought I'd check on here to see if anyone else has some opinions. It never hurts to ask around
Right now, the plan is to install a saltwater-grade rotary drum filter, which will automatically remove waste from the water column, eliminating the need to change or clean filter cartridges. From there, water would travel to a large sump (likely with a sand bed and lots of live rock), which would have an RK2 filtration system on it as a side loop. The RK2 system has a fluidized bed filter, and a massive protein skimmer. I could use some help figuring out what size RK2 system to get. I could also add a UV sterilizer if needed. For the sump itself, I'm thinking something like this would work.
I'll also have a couple of massive water change tanks to mix saltwater and store RO water.
Am I on the right track here? Does this setup make sense?
I suppose I need to figure out what size return pump to use. And if there's anyone on here that can help with things like drain placement and return pipe placement, I could use some help figuring that stuff out as well.
Thanks in advance
I've spoken to a couple of experienced shark keepers, and they've recommended species like Finetooth, Atlantic Sharpnose, and Bonnetheads. It's looking like an oval-shaped fiberglass tank with viewing windows is going to be the best option for the tank itself. It'll be 26 feet long by 12 feet wide by 5 feet deep. I'm considering keeping the bottom bare for easier cleaning.
I've heard a few different opinions on filtration and life support equipment, but I thought I'd check on here to see if anyone else has some opinions. It never hurts to ask around
Right now, the plan is to install a saltwater-grade rotary drum filter, which will automatically remove waste from the water column, eliminating the need to change or clean filter cartridges. From there, water would travel to a large sump (likely with a sand bed and lots of live rock), which would have an RK2 filtration system on it as a side loop. The RK2 system has a fluidized bed filter, and a massive protein skimmer. I could use some help figuring out what size RK2 system to get. I could also add a UV sterilizer if needed. For the sump itself, I'm thinking something like this would work.
I'll also have a couple of massive water change tanks to mix saltwater and store RO water.
Am I on the right track here? Does this setup make sense?
I suppose I need to figure out what size return pump to use. And if there's anyone on here that can help with things like drain placement and return pipe placement, I could use some help figuring that stuff out as well.
Thanks in advance
