D-I-Y 500 gallon tank project

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artemis1

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 28, 2007
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wiscawwnsin
Well, I've been clearing my basement out for room to build my 500 gallon and 2,000 gallon tanks.

Here's the plan:

I hope to build the walls out of cement blocks(8x8x16). On the front, however i will have a glass pane(maybe double, not sure yet). The cement blocks will be motored and siliconed or whatever together, and then sealed with epoxy paint. The glass will either be 1/2'' thick or 3/4. Supposedly 1/2'' won't work for a tank this size, but I'm curious considering the glass will be supported by angle iron.

The front will have a large [glass or acrylic] pane siliconed in, then the edges will be painted with epoxy. Four peices of siliconed on angle iron will hold it on.

The bottom will be ideally the floor, or perhaps a small metal stand elevating the tank about 1-2 1/2 ft.

I plan to start building in a few weeks, right now I'm still planning, I just finished clearing out the basement. Right now i've got a common pleco(17''), 2 JD's(2'' and 9'') Texas cichlid(3'') and two convicts (2'' and 4'') waiting to go in.

Cheers,
Art
 
Okay, I plan to do 3/4''

-The tank will be 96'' long, 48'' wide and 32'' tall. I know that adds up to more than 500 gallons, but the cement blocks are 8'' thick...

I pland to stock it with-

x1 silver arowana(later to be moved to the 2000 gal)
x2 JD's
x1 EBJD's
x1 Texas Cichlid
x4 Convicts(2 common, 2 marbled/pink)
x2 Oscars
x1 Sailfin/Common plec

and other assorted monsters depending on what i can or cannot get my hands on.

Art
 
I saw a baby clown knife at my lfs...and i just had to get him:headbang2

So, add that to the list of monster fish.

I just realized, i mine as well put the tank in a corner and use the two cement basement walls as walls for the tank.

Tommarow I'm going to get some rubbermaid ponds to temporarily keeps some monsters in until the tank is finished and cycled.

Art
 
Mystix212;1197362; said:
I'D worry about the EBJD being killed by the oscars, texas and clown knife.
Click to expand...

yeah, some of them eventually killed their tankmates..:irked:..any tank buildin update??
 
Yeah...I figured. And the EBJD's are so frickin expensive...

Well, i "taped" out where the tanks going to go. I've decided that I won't do a stand, to expensive for the time being(trying to save up so i can build a 2000g tank too).

I ran to Home Depo and got some cement mix and PVC pipe. Also got some awesome driftwood peices free...:D
 
If this isn't a daydream,and your really have EVERY resource and intention of really building this tank then your going to want alot more re-inforcement than planned.Start by dropping tall peices of re-bar right through the cinder-blocks to the floor,then pour cement into them AFTER they've been mortared.Then worry about interior sealants because if you dont support everything just right then youll be in for it.This site has GREAT stickiys in the DIY section to accuratley help you.
 
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