Monster tank set-up

[Peckoltia]

G'day

Just after a bit of help/advice.

My new house has just started being built. The construction was originaly meant to start about 18months ago, but due to the council being a pain in the ass with some of the house plans due to neighbours complaints the house construction was delayed. All a bit of an anti-climax really. The pad for the house has just been layed.

I decided that I would treat myself and put in the monster tank I have always dreamed of. It is much easier to incorporate it into the house plans and let the 'builders' deal with the construction issues. It doesn't help that I'm not much of a builder and would probably mess something like this up badly if I was left to my own devices.

Here are the basics. The tank is 16'x12'x4' (5745gal). With a large viewing panel that stretches 11' of the 12' face. All the tank construction plans were incorporated into the house plans/designs. As we needed extra steel in the walls and floor for added support/reinforcement as well as two large exhaust fans to reduce humidity as it is on the bottom floor of the house which is essentialy underground. I would have liked to have made the tank slightly taller but the height of the ceiling didn't allow it. But I think 4' should suffice. The glass work is being done by a pool mob that specialise in similar constructions of pools in homes, so the headaches of sealing the glass will be taken care of by someone else. I have gone for tiles on the inside of the tank and up the walls and ceiling surrounding the tank. For aesthetic and moisture purposes. First question, which comes down to personal preference. What colour for the tiles? I am leaning towards a dark blue colour at the moment. I have to go order the tiles this week so a decision must be made by thursday this week.

The tank has a drain in the bottom of it that is plumbed to an external tap. As well as another tap directly above the tank. For water change purposes. I have never aged my water, just added dechlorinator straight to the water. We are not moving far so I assume water quality to be much the same. Ws going to go for a drip system but I think turning two taps a few times a week is hardly a chore.

My main concern at the moment is filtration. I am going to purchase a nexus 3000 http://www.aussiekoi.com.au/products.php?class=Nexus~2000/3000&page=0 as can be seen here. I have a friend with a large koi set up far larger then this tank and his water is immaculate. Looks like the fish are floating on air. I am also seriously considering a sand filter. Does anyone know of any large ones available online? or could assist in the building of one? What are other people with really large tanks using as filtration? and what are your thoughts on how you have done it?

Lighting will be done by 4x 400watt metal halides which i already have.

Any imput would be greatly appreciated from people who have done something similar before.

I'll be taking a photo journal as the tank starts to take shape.

Stocking. Because I know people are going to ask. Is going to be FW tankbusters. I thought of going marine but the cost was going to be too much for me at this stage. I have always dreamed of an arapaima but I think even this tank will eventually become too small, and public aquaria in wont take them (i live in aus).

cheers for any imput

Alex

 

[Pharaoh]

1. go with the color you like. If you like dark blue, go with it.
2. If you are wanting a sand filter, just get a pool filter, but one might suggest an optima(sp?) brand filter.
3. most people would probably just build a gigantic sump using 55G barrels or something of that nature.

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

god i am jealus.
go with what ever color you want man.

 

[Tstove15]

good call on making the builders do everything for you lol

 

[tcarswell]

Sounds like is gonna be badass. Get a ton of tiger fish or dats!

 

[Peckoltia]

1. go with the color you like. If you like dark blue, go with it.
2. If you are wanting a sand filter, just get a pool filter, but one might suggest an optima(sp?) brand filter.
3. most people would probably just build a gigantic sump using 55G barrels or something of that nature.

On colour was just wondering what other peoples opinions were. It's difficult to visualise. I may just leave it a little longer and just buy some samples and put them on the unsealed walls to see what they look like.

good call on making the builders do everything for you lol

Yeah. I just had to give the engineers and builders specifications and they are doing the rest. Cuts out alot of the headaches for me. I have had enough of them up until this point.

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

god im so jealus
keep a bounch of gar!!!

 

[johnptc]

1) how is the tank waterproofed ?? fish safe ??

2) in the house of sam - 10000 gallons i filter 50000 gallons an hour with:

MECHANICAL:
3 large aqua dyne bead filters with air wash
4 large hayward ( 525 sq feet) cartridge filters

BIO:
2 bio towers 12x96 and 18x96
4 55 gallon drums with rising and falling water

NITRATE:
1200 gal nitrate filter- currently off line

ADDITIONAL WATER CIRCULATION

4 4000gph submersible pond pumps arranged to give the whole tank clockwise flow

note:
the bead filter are great and easy to maintain
the cartridge filters are great but a lot of work

i am not a fan of sandfilters due to the required maintenance

but you should have at least two independent filters and heaters


Water change:

i have a mixing pump that runs 24x7 with prime. the extra water overflows thru a drain at the top maintaining a constant level. very easy .


DO NOT FORGET A TANK COVER TO KEEP THE BEASTS IN THE TANK

 

[Peckoltia]

1) how is the tank waterproofed ?? fish safe ??

2) in the house of sam - 10000 gallons i filter 50000 gallons an hour with:

MECHANICAL:
3 large aqua dyne bead filters with air wash
4 large hayward ( 525 sq feet) cartridge filters

BIO:
2 bio towers 12x96 and 18x96
4 55 gallon drums with rising and falling water

NITRATE:
1200 gal nitrate filter- currently off line

ADDITIONAL WATER CIRCULATION

4 4000gph submersible pond pumps arranged to give the whole tank clockwise flow

note:
the bead filter are great and easy to maintain
the cartridge filters are great but a lot of work

i am not a fan of sandfilters due to the required maintenance

but you should have at least two independent filters and heaters


Water change:

i have a mixing pump that runs 24x7 with prime. the extra water overflows thru a drain at the top maintaining a constant level. very easy .


DO NOT FORGET A TANK COVER TO KEEP THE BEASTS IN THE TANK

Firstly, thanks for the reply mate. Greatly appreciated.

Heating shouldnt be a problem. I live in Perth, Australia. Summer time you struggle to keep the tank cool enough and in winter im running very minimal heating in my current tanks. House stays warm enough. I will address the problem if it arises though in the new place.

With circulation; do you move the water clockwise through out the tank for a specific reason? On my 450 at the moment I have the pumps all facing one way. It helps to keep all the crap down one end for ease of cleaning. I always assumed it was more natural - the flow of a river would be one way.

Waterproofing. Im not sure what they are sealing the tiles with, I specified that it must not be toxic as it will be a fish tank. Going to speak to the people this week. So ill get the name of the product they will be using and make sure.

I originaly had plans to place some large drums about the tank and use them as a trickle style filter. But there isnt enough clearance above the tank to do it so any drum filters will need to work on pumps rather than the force of gravity. Are yous sitting on top of the tank? or beside it? I could set up a coulple large drum filters in the room next to the tank and attach an inline pump to the bottom of the drums to pump the water back up to the tank. What are you using as media in the drums?

 

[fishyjoe26]

no talky, just photos. I want to see photos of that tank.