Help:Scratch building a monster tank

[dawnmarie]

Hi MFK'ers, I am planning a display tank as part of the remodel of my marina Store/Office. I intend to showcase specie native to our area (California Delta). As I am located on the water (literally) I'm thinking a Flow thru setup using river water. Striped Bass(M. Sextalis), White Sturgeon(Acipenser Transmontanus) and Channel Catfish(Ictalurus Punctatus) are on my list for specie to stock. There are certainly many more choices and I'm open to ideas, however, the fishing portion of my business revolves around these. Hopefully no one will take offense at the idea of recreational fishing, but it is a fact of life. My thought is that the better educated the general public is about our fishery the less inclined they would be to support any measures that would destroy it (for example google "peripheral canal").
I have no preconceived notions and am open to suggestions on all phases of this project :size, shape, construction, filtration, Etc.
I have a similar post in the North American native fish forum looking for help in stocking choices, care and feeding, Etc.
Thanks in advance for your help and my apologies if you are offended.
Thanks, Chris

 

[sostoudt]

well first your gonna have to choose the size of the tank, which is out of my expierence since those fish are extremely huge. will they be in there for life? or will you replace them as they grow to big?
your probably going to want to have only one wall thats glass to minimize cost.

 

[fisher12889]

Have you thought of adding largemouth bass? I know the Florida strains grow big in the California delta, and they are popular sport fish across the country.

 

[dawnmarie]

I think the tank size will be dictated by the needs of the fish.
A wild guess would be 16' x 8' x 4' and 4000 gallons. But it could be larger or smaller I just don't know.
My initial thoughts on stock:
The Striped bass will likely get changed out at 18 to 20 inches.
Small Striped bass 6" and larger are plentiful.
The Sturgeon are relatively slow growing and could be here awhile.
I usually catch and release 2-3 small (24-30") Sturgeon per year
The catfish , I don't know yet, still looking for imput.
Catfish are easy to get .
I haven't ruled out Large mouth Bass either.
All fish would be caught within a 3 mile radius of my location.
I have already researched the permit requirements and it looks doable.
The basic plan would be to construct the tank adjacent to the store with the common wall being glass and all others solid. I was thinking two 2' x 8' panes but I don't know if that will give me the view I am looking for.
All of this is subject to change as neccessary.

 

[Potts050]

Can your floor/structure/bulding take the weight of a 4000 gallon tank?

 

[sikoko]

sounds good so far keep it up and post pics please

 

[dawnmarie]

Can your floor/structure/bulding take the weight of a 4000 gallon tank?

Yes, I have already poured a reinforced 12' x 34' x 6" slab adjacent to the building.

 

[sostoudt]

do you think you will completely skip filtration, and just pump through enough river water to keep water clean. if this is doable its probably a smart set up for such huge fish.



other mega tanks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWHSbu6kLwk

if you go to the "more info" theres links to forum threads about the tanks.

 

[dawnmarie]

do you think you will completely skip filtration, and just pump through enough river water to keep water clean. if this is doable its probably a smart set up for such huge fish.



other mega tanks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWHSbu6kLwk

if you go to the "more info" theres links to forum threads about the tanks.

Yeah , that was my plan unless someone with more experience with this can set me straight. I'm certainly open to ideas.

 

[SemperFish]

Sounds great. Im anxious to watch your progress as I am planning on a similar scale once I move to Arizona. If youre just cycling water through from the river youll still want filtration so that you dont get sediment and whatever else might be out there flowing in. Would hate for your tank to act like its the filter. Im planning on going block and concrete construction with one 4' x 8' acryllic window.
Once i get my notes organized into something that doesnt resemble the rantings of a mad man I'll try and send you what im thinking.