Contemplating a 12.000 gallon tank

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
You can check out the build of my current tank if you like. I am in the hobby 16years now and have my current tank for 9 years now
http://www.aquatek.gr/vb/showthread.php?t=17387

I am also a moderator on that forum

Anyone's plans may not realize for some freak reason/change in life just as big tanks do get shut down. But unless things go seriously wrong, this build should start realizing within a year
 
Thanks for sharing your tank build. I agree with you that stuff happens. I have the longest tank upgrade in the history of fish forums--six years now, and the tank is still not set up.

On another note, I hope you check out polyurea. The stuff is sprayed on in potable water tanks. Several years ago, I mentioned polyurea to a member who was contemplating a concrete tank. I recently found that tank builder who is actually using it to seal concrete tanks. Polygem's Zoopoxy is something to really consider. It is used in zoo exhibits, etc. A very prominent tank manufacturer (who has a TV show) uses it for their tank decorations. jrt and his team use it in creating trees, etc., for some of their builds.

jrt_zpskngwwatp.jpg


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Here's his tank builds thread:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/tank-builds-and-projects.551966/page-15
 
These look great. Thanks for bringing these materials to my attention.
A problem I face with Panaque and resin based artificial decorations is that they gnaw all decorations raw.... So eventually(pretty soon),any painted resin gets down to its base color. Is Zoopoxy colored internally or only painted outside?

Also soft material like exposed sponges(on powerhead intakes, as substrate for plants to grow and cover tubing, etc) gets chewed with big chunks missing, but anything, including hard pvc and softer silicone, gets gnaw marks. From what I find, Polyurea has good abrasion resistance and sounds like a great material to use for sealing the tank. It might still be thinned by Panaque over the years but maybe thicker application is all that's needed or some kind of protection over it needed? Has anyone kept Panaque in a Polyurea sealed tank for some years?
 
NUMA is probably the best person to advise you, since he has a concrete tank. Maybe you have to go with concrete trees. Polygem Zoopoxy is an epoxy putty that is fish safe. When set up it is a tan color. It can then be painted and then sealed with a clear epoxy paint. The unpainted Zoopoxy is water proof. When mixing the putty, earth pigments can be added to the putty to tint the putty.
 
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Kostas G said:
These look great. Thanks for bringing these materials to my attention.
A problem I face with Panaque and resin based artificial decorations is that they gnaw all decorations raw.... So eventually(pretty soon),any painted resin gets down to its base color. Is Zoopoxy colored internally or only painted outside?

Also soft material like exposed sponges(on powerhead intakes, as substrate for plants to grow and cover tubing, etc) gets chewed with big chunks missing, but anything, including hard pvc and softer silicone, gets gnaw marks. From what I find, Polyurea has good abrasion resistance and sounds like a great material to use for sealing the tank. It might still be thinned by Panaque over the years but maybe thicker application is all that's needed or some kind of protection over it needed? Has anyone kept Panaque in a Polyurea sealed tank for some years?
Click to expand...

Geia sou!! A fellow Greek on the forum. I'm in the states but used to belong to a Greek aquarium forum many years ago. You're going to have lots of expenses running such a tank especially in Greece where the cost of utilities is insane. Where in Greece are you?
 
I will try contacting him.

If the putty itself can be collored, it can work, applied thickly. I will keep it in mind for the decorations needed.


Geia sou!

Great to see another Greek here! I live in Athens(Melissia) and will be moving to the southern suburbs or Pyrgos. Utilities in Pyrgos are cheap. In Athens they are not though. Water usage will hurt some but it will hurt anyway due to the garden(I will be watering from the tank, so replenishing that water will be the water changes, I guess something like 2000l every 2days in summer, less in winter), as it also does with my current garden(and I don't mind ). Same usage in Pyrgos(I have a house and garden there) costs 1/4 at most, plus I have great ground water I could use. Water is cheap enough that I don't bother with that there. Ground water in southern suburbs will probably be a tad salty, so I probably won't be able to use it for the tank(unless I run a reverse osmosis, but it will waste precious ground water and I would not want to do that, the trees can do a better use of it tapping to it on their own).

So main cost will probably be electricity and petrol for heating. The cost depends on the wattage usage but I am not sure what to expect. My current aquarium uses around 1kW continuously and around 1,5kW in winter. I am not sure what to expect from that aquarium in terms of electricity usage. I will need very efficient pumps and probably a waterfall like setup on one end for more circulation and aeration with less pumps(would such a setup be advantageous?). I will probably have to have targeted current in certain areas for the Panaque(close to woods and breeding caves, close to bottom to move the debris to the filters)and plecos and have the tank calmer otherwise. Unless I can provide more current with very efficient pumps that won't raise the bill much. Solar panels are quite possible but I am not sure how much they could help offset the usage.
 
I talked with an aquatic shop and constructor about this build and he estimated the project very roughly at 6-7K from his experience building big tanks for clients(and himself). That's even better than my most "wishful" estimation and comes from someone I can give the project to. The price includes everything except a fake, textured background, which I didn't ask him about as its of the lesser priority items i think, especially for the early planning period.
Sound like this build is doable and a go for sure. Now just have to wait and get the rest of he things ready for it in 6-12months
 
That sounds like a great price. Even if that only includes the tank and viewing window, the rest can still be added for a great budget.

Do you know what all that price includes?
 
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