Concrete Tank Help

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catfishlover106

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Dec 15, 2007
3,294
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Daly City/San Francisco, CA
ok this has got to be the last thread i make for this project...then i'll just make a article maybe...im not sure yet...but i was think 1,800+ gallon before but i planned to go smaller since i won't be keeping my monster cats but my Oxydoras Niger Catfish...so should i go with a 8'x4'x2' for a 480 gallon or a 8'x4'x4' for a 1,000 gallon...? i think i want to go with the 1,000 gallon but don't know how much concrete mixes of bags would i need to make a 4" wall of concrete thats going to be really sealed off with 2-4 coats of DryLok all over the concrete...All around the tank will be concrete walls but i want a glass view port...right in the front...and i want it to be 6'x3'...so 6" from the bottom will be concrete under the glass and 6" from the top to be concrete and the glass under it aswell. One thing is i don't know how thick i should go...to withstand the water pressure and the banging of my cichlas,arowana,and cichlids...and cats from being skittish...i planned on acrylic glass but over price over here right now at all the glass stores...they want my to pay $980 for a 1" thick 6'x3'...so i want to try see what glass thickness...i know this is hazardous as im very well aware of the dangers in having a glass tank...this will be 3-4' off the ground as im making a concrete stand made of concrete blocks...What i'll be housing in the 1,000 gallon is a Silver Arowana, 2 Cichla Orinocensis, Common Pleco, Oxydoras Niger, Female Red Terror, Male Red Devil, and my Umbee, and a school of clown loaches...of say 9-12 of them for clean up. I may end up given my 3 cichlids to my uncle if they end up tearing each other apart to i have a backup plan just in case that happens as they grow...I will have a sand bottom with some large River rocks and some Extra Large Driftwoods. I will plant the bottom of the tank Dwarf Hairgrass to have a grassy looking tank. Im trying to make it as exotic as i can...the grass can also be shelter for my clown loaches from the cichlids...:) I still have some more questions but i forgot and am still trying to remember what it was...so for now this is what i have so please let me know what you think of my idea...I may add some more Cichla's in the future but for now im good with what i'll be going with. ;) I need to get some more supplies now...
 
well since im going to have a whole carpet ground tank with river rocks and driftwood i don't want a too much going on as in filtration so it won't take any of the Co2 and all the other specific things plants need to grow...and i don't want too much water agitation from the surface...so i'll add the 4 powerheads in the middle of the tank flowing to every corner of the tank so i don't have any dead spots...and yes pics will be add throughout the whole project
 
cool...im still thinking if i need more than 20 bags of 80 lbs Concrete mixes....its good for a 4" wall which im targeting for. But do i need more to add a 4" for a 4' height? also i need to add concrete to the tank floor so i think i need more
 
why dont you take a look around your area for a company that deals with precast concrete, such as steps or big concrete retaining blocks. Two companies in my area who make such things offer something called "concrete carts", you pull them behind a pickup truck, and usally carry a yard of premix concrete. All that is needed around here, is to tell them what size agregate you require, or garvel size. Going wqith 4" thick walls somewhere along the lines of 3/8 stone should work fine for your application.
 
kendog1;1916128; said:
why dont you take a look around your area for a company that deals with precast concrete, such as steps or big concrete retaining blocks. Two companies in my area who make such things offer something called "concrete carts", you pull them behind a pickup truck, and usally carry a yard of premix concrete. All that is needed around here, is to tell them what size agregate you require, or garvel size. Going wqith 4" thick walls somewhere along the lines of 3/8 stone should work fine for your application.
Click to expand...

hey thats sounds good...i may look into that...thanks:)
 
no prob, if it is accessible, it'll save you alot of mixing in the long run.
 
oh since i have been looking around my area for Glass and Acrylic Shops, my uncle was wondering wether a 3/8" would be "OK" to take water pressure from a 8'x4'x3'...? i was going to go with an extra inch but i guess not...since i won't be keeping this pond forever...if i do move out my parents are going to take over and their going to keep their own tropicals stuff in it or convert it to a concrete Terra Jungle for reptiles...and if and when i do get my own house later on say 8-10 years or so from now maybe i will get a "TRUE" ]v[onster pond ready...this smaller one is just a supplement of what us ]v[FKer's really got...=] Could i use a 3/8" to take the pressure and banging of cichlids... i know its a 8' lenght but i will only use 6' of the front of use and the one foot on the left concrete and the other one foot on the right to be concrete aswell. Glass/ acrylic i want is a 6'x2' or a 6'x3'...depends let me know what you guys think
 
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