276 Gallon Stainless Steel Aquarium

[JohnnyB1983]

Hi All,

I'm new here and have a question.

I recently got a 276 gallon industrial aquarium 96 inches wide x 28 inches deep x 24 inches tall. Here is the kicker the tank is stainless steel all around except for the front viewing panel (glass). I tried using a magnet on the steel and it will not stick even a bit, so my thoughts are that it is true stainless steel.

However I want to make sure this aquarium is 100% saltwater/reef compatible. Is there anything I can line the inside of the tank to make it 100% safe (i.e. epoxy resin, pond liner, etc.)?

As well I would like to make sure the liner is strong enough for sea urchins and starfish. Or would I have to re-home these guys? (currently in a 110 gallon glass aquarium)

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[markstrimaran]

If a magnet won't stick It's 304, or 316 stainless. Saltwater safe. Stainless will only pit, in absence of oxygen, so sealing it will cause more harm than good, if the coating is breached.

 

[FishBeast]

Nice! Any pics my dawg? And where do you even score something like that?

 

[JohnnyB1983]

markstrimaran - Thank you for the advice. I am a little paranoid as the tank is older and I got it used so I am not sure how to tell if the existing coating on the steel is still intact/safe. I would hate to put my saltwater fish in and later find out that they perished due to the pitting or rust.

I was thinking of using the steel tank as a shell.

FishBeast - sorry no pics, I think it used to be an outdoor pond.
if you go to the atlanticagardens website under the modernponds section
that's the closest I could find to what it looks like.

 

[FishBeast]

So cool...

 

[fishdance]

Fill it with saltwater and use a sensitive species as a guinea pig for a couple of weeks. That's much more reliable than any theoretical safety.

 

[JohnnyB1983]

I wonder if I can use the bathtub epoxy (Klenks Enamel Paint @ Rona)

Any thoughts? Thinking this should be strong and fish safe....:

 

[millerkid519]

I wonder if I can use the bathtub epoxy (Klenks Enamel Paint @ Rona)

Any thoughts? Thinking this should be strong and fish safe....:

As far as a remember bathtub epoxy is the same as limco1 (Old name) which is a straight enamel paint. Now with the low voc and water based I think it would be fine but your best bet is to look at an msds sheet

 

[millerkid519]

And with it being stainless with the ability to flex a bit I would suggest flex agent for the paint which bumps up the cost a fair bit