2500 gallon idea yes or no??

[Younglin]

I wouldn't use acrylic. Most big fish can easily scratch and gouge it leaving you with a horrible view. And with 6 feet tall you would need really thick glass, which would be really expensive. And the top would have to be braced very well.

Before you start make sure you want to do this. There are many build threads that never finish because people lose interest. Also make sure you can afford it. This will be in the quadruple digits at least.

 

[BigO6687]

500 bichirs

 

[mikeurbeck06]

yeah im going to brace the top very well and i already have the block and steel for the build so all i will need is re rod and cement also the glass but for the most part i have what i need to get started soon and theres no way i will lose interest in this build ive been dreaming of this for a long time and this is mostly a dream coming true for me

 

[mikeurbeck06]

off to the glass store!!! yeayyy

 

[MyGiants]

Your measurements say 6' overall. Is that gray area on the bottom going to be part of the capacity of tank too. So the bottom 2ft you won't be able to see through the sides. With acrylic at 4' high they use 2" thick. That's with acrylic cemented to acrylic at the seams. Since your using a steel frame with framing at 4' sections you could get away with 1.5-1.75".

 

[Oughtsix]

Hmmm.... the 2 x 4 idea causes me a bit of concern. It will swell, expand over time which might cause problems maintaining a seal. I am also a little concerned about maintaining a good seal between the 2 x 4 and the brick wall. I don't know about your masonry skills but mine would produce nothing close to a flat surface which would make sealing much more difficult.

Hmmm.... I guess you could grind the top of the brick wall flat? Ahh...

What about using a rubber membrane (pond liner or such) around the front wall to help seal the window... just doing a little brainstorming... I can't quite work out a nice design in my head yet...

Composite decking (Trex) might be less problematic than wood... but Trex flexes a lot!

What about embedding some steel (angle iron or the such) into the wet concrete bed for the front? Just more brain storming.

It is definitely a doable design... just need to work out the details to prevent leaks, small or large, in the future. Hmmm.... A fun design problem to contemplate.

Are you thinking saltater or fresh water? Angle iron in saltwater... hmm... there is a good solution, it will just take a little brain power and maybe fellow members past experiences.

Hmmm... fiberglass over the 2 x 4?.... hmm.... fiberglass the whole inside of the tank?.... hmmm....

 

[ziggyzang]

That's a nice plan for the tank. What does the emergency plan look like in case it doesn't work out or fails?

 

[mikeurbeck06]

yes the top of the block will be flat and as the seal idea i was thinking of a flexable aquatic safe silicone and a rubber seal that helps with swelling as for a back up plan ill be filling it with me up stairs with the hose and if anything goes wrong ill have a large gas powered pond pump in stand by lol fingers crossed haha

 

[Piscine]

I'd adjust the dimensions so your front to back measurement can be a whole number. Right now you are looking at around 5.46410162. I'd also put the 2' panes at a 45 degree angle to simplify lining them up during the build & maximize space in the aquarium.

 

[wantokeeptrout]

Arowana would look nice in there, but I don't know much about them. Better ask someone about it but I am sure the tank is big enough.