115 gallon TALL (5 foot) tank build

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Looks like its going to be the 42 inch, 240 gallons it is. After blocking out my cuts that is all you can coax out of two 4x8 foot sheets of ply wood. And that is with only accounting for the saw blade width. Man I sure hope I don't jack up that cut. I would have to trim down quite a bit if I did screw up that cut.

Today I will finish reading that thread of the 4300 gallon, and I will attack the rest of the garage.
 
Great - I'm looking forward to seeing your tank. Post lots of photos mate, including the materials you have assembled.
 
Youre gonna need a diving bell to clean and scape the bottom of that thing
 
Nailed down the final tweaks to my design down this afternoon while on hold with tech support. I both love and hate tech support when I can't figure out the problem I am trying to fix at work.
Stopped at the glass shop on my way home to have them price the acrylic for me. The guy looked like I was insane when I told him how thick and why. I figure it will be cheaper to order it but I might as well check.

brich999 - I plan on scapeing it as much as possible before putting the final water in the thing. I did that with my 10, same process should hopefully be done soon in my 55 gallon.

I may need to take it out to the barn and set up a pulley system on the rafters so I can get in and out of it well enough to actually put in the scapeing. I have a few other ideas to get in and out if that doesn’t work.

Griller - There will be.

Now to go finish the garage. The heat of summer is the worst part about it that garage is like an oven most days when it gets over 90.
 
Well the garage is done, have one more big heavy thing to move out of the way and then its all clean out there and time to get the lumber. I did how ever pick up some Valspar exterior weather proof and mold resistant paint from the miss mix rack today for 8$ (normally 36$ Yay savings!) to coat the outside of the tank in case of water getting splashed or dripped on the outside some how. I always manage to drop a little water when I do water changes.

I want to bounce an idea for a filter off you guys really quick. Still not sure it would work because of space restrictions limiting the size of the sump, but here it goes. I am wondering about putting the sump on top of the tank.



Reasons I like this idea.
1. There is no risk of overflow if the power goes out because it automatically breaks its own siphon almost immediately if I set it up like I am thinking.
2. Almost no plumbing would be needed.
3. Lest then a foot of head. Allowing the pump to crank out almost its max GPH.
4. Easy to get to the top of the sump it would be at the top of the hood.




Problems with the idea.
1. can't really bump this thing larger then 40 gallons (max) due to the height restrictions from the ceiling and the small stand that is going underneath. I am reading that 25% to 30% sump to tank size is recommended this is only 20%.
2. limited space I could cram biomedia.
3. would have to waterproof inside and out to be sure nothing rots. (unless I went with a different material then I would have on hand.)
4. Hard to access the tank. I would have to move the sump if I really needed into the top of the tank. Shouldn't be to hard to set the plumbing out of the way. You would still have to drain and the sump and set it out of the way if you needed into the tank.
5. Possible need for extra bracing to hold the weight pressing down from the top of the tank frame.



So any other problems I am missing? Or benefit that you see to this idea...
I plan on doing this some day if I build a long tank, but I am not sure with this tall tank if its worth it or not.

Any other ideas for filtration. I was thinking a huge DIY canister might be an option too.
 
An overhead filter would work really well. Even at the low volume you could set it up as a trickle filter for maximum efficiency. You could do it very cheap, making it from plywood and coating it with liquid rubber, inside and out, then loading it with pillow batting and scrubbies. Leave room for lighting and a gap at the front to access the tank. With the depth of your tank lighting is going to be important.

You tank is going to be a nightmare to access anyway. I'd be planning to not need to access it. I'd use magnetic cleaners for the clear and a bare bottom with filter intake that will keep it clean. Any decore needs to be robust and built in, because you will not be able to get to the bottom of the tank without emptying it and tipping it over.
 
Looks like a fantastic tank-to-be. However, as Griller pointed out, maintenance is going to be really difficult. The only way to be able to clean it, as in gravel vac etc, would be to make it as a riparium of sorts and have a sliding acrylic window above water level, this way you can lean in and reach the bottom. This setup allows you to remove the sump idea altogether. All you need is an Algae Scrubber.... If done properly it can be implemented into the riparium design and waterfall. An alage scrubber eliminates Nitrates and Phosphates, but does need regular scraping.

Whilst typing this i thought of another idea. Why not build in an Under Gravel Jet system? Dont put any substrate down. Set down the plumbing on the bottom, and add a fake 'base' on top, to conceal all the plumbing, leaving holes for the jets. You could even DIY this fake base piece to make it look more natural. This method will keep debris off the bottom.

Anyhow they are just a few ideas i threw in. Another thing is lighting, you will need some seriously strong light to penetrate that deep. Plants are also probably out of the equation too.. Imagine trying to prune them in case they DID grow.

I think Riparium or something is the best way to move forward IMO.
 
Griller - Yeah access is going to be some what of a nightmare. I just wasn't sure if a trickle filter would be strong enough with that much water. I was thinking of leaving a foot of easy access in front of the sump so I could easily put food and fish into the tank. I figure once a fish goes in hes not going to be coming out, I won't be able to catch him very easily.

The decor will probably be built in I don't really want to have to worry about it shifting. I have a magnatic cleaner I use on my 10 gallon because I hate using those scrubbing wands. I was planning on using a magnetic one on this too. I was thinking of putting the intake lines for the pump down there really close to the bottom to try and combat the build up of gunk. I do have an idea for a telescoping vacuum but I would rather not need to develop that if I don't have to.

FuNkSty - I had thought of using UGIs actually. Still undecided on the UGIs I well may do that, with the pump intake in the wall a few inches off the bottom.

I am not to familiar with algae scrubbers other then I know they exists and that they work. I guess its time to go read up.
Not really concerned one way or the other with the plants. I hardly trim the ones I have now, maybe one trimming every two months.... I wondered about cramming some plants in the filter. Not how sure that would do at helping remove the nitrates.

The lighting is one thing I really have been trying to completely figure out a viable method for. I have considered some sort of submersible lights hidden some where to help augment the lighting from the top. The downside to that is that would make one more thing I would have to potentially yank out of the tank and maintain.

Got to go work on the car now. Then if I have time going to go get some stuff at the store and look at light fixtures to get an idea for lighting. Maybe get some lumber so I can see about getting started tomorrow on something.
 
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