Yeah, that's right- I just got a 3500 gallon tank. Not mine really, but is in the building I work in. As I work directly for the owner of the company (I'm a Sr. level manager) and I asked him why nothing in the tank?
He said they tried it once when they bought the building but the water all turned green and they gave up. I have been keeping fish (both tropical and saltwater) since I was in grade school 30 years ago so I told him I would try it. Well after a couple months of working on it he has given me the green light and a fish budget.
I did an inventory of the tank (I call it a tank but it is more of a pond in the atrium of the corporate HQ) - it is 15'8" square and 25" deep to the overflow drain. The level of the brick path that goes around it is about 6" higher still. The overflow drain goes right into the sewer system so it will not go any higher than that. I will be taking and posting some pictures on Monday.
The tank/pond is inside a greenhouse with skylights (about 18' up) and has a small island in it (a large potted tree that is raised on bricks to about 6" above the would be water line). The "greenhouse" is completely enclosed and surrounded on all four sides by glass (with lockable doors). This is inside our lobby/atrium. Sweet setup, been waiting for months since I was hired to get to play with it!
The tank when it belonged to the previous company had a few large fish in it but no one knows for sure what they were (or where they went in the few years the building was vacant before we bought the place in 2002).
The pump was shot and was replaced in 2002 and was run for only about 3 months before they drained the tank and it has sat ever since. The lady who was taking care of the tank said the filter is bad "I have a pool so I know how to kill algea, but it kept coming back".
I think the filter is fine (pressure system with 1HP pump, external heater). The only thing I want to add is a UV system, but am thinking of adding an external UV filter or submersible unit to keep costs down (my budget is fair, but gotta keep things cheap so I have money left for other stuff!).
A lot of the pipes in the pump room (in the basement right below the tank) are stainless steel (some are copper) most of the valves and about half the pipes have been replaced with PVC (looks like 2").
I have a lot of fishkeeping experience- I currently have a 110 gallon, 75 gallon and 33 gallon tanks, but have never had anything like this!
Just wondering what way I should go with the fish? Koi are cool but that is prett boring. I was thinking stingrays and arowana... I have plenty of room for just about anything, and plan on staying with the company for many many years...
Any ideas of something cool? Or should I stick with cheap and safe and go with Koi?
He said they tried it once when they bought the building but the water all turned green and they gave up. I have been keeping fish (both tropical and saltwater) since I was in grade school 30 years ago so I told him I would try it. Well after a couple months of working on it he has given me the green light and a fish budget.
I did an inventory of the tank (I call it a tank but it is more of a pond in the atrium of the corporate HQ) - it is 15'8" square and 25" deep to the overflow drain. The level of the brick path that goes around it is about 6" higher still. The overflow drain goes right into the sewer system so it will not go any higher than that. I will be taking and posting some pictures on Monday.
The tank/pond is inside a greenhouse with skylights (about 18' up) and has a small island in it (a large potted tree that is raised on bricks to about 6" above the would be water line). The "greenhouse" is completely enclosed and surrounded on all four sides by glass (with lockable doors). This is inside our lobby/atrium. Sweet setup, been waiting for months since I was hired to get to play with it!
The tank when it belonged to the previous company had a few large fish in it but no one knows for sure what they were (or where they went in the few years the building was vacant before we bought the place in 2002).
The pump was shot and was replaced in 2002 and was run for only about 3 months before they drained the tank and it has sat ever since. The lady who was taking care of the tank said the filter is bad "I have a pool so I know how to kill algea, but it kept coming back".
I think the filter is fine (pressure system with 1HP pump, external heater). The only thing I want to add is a UV system, but am thinking of adding an external UV filter or submersible unit to keep costs down (my budget is fair, but gotta keep things cheap so I have money left for other stuff!).
A lot of the pipes in the pump room (in the basement right below the tank) are stainless steel (some are copper) most of the valves and about half the pipes have been replaced with PVC (looks like 2").
I have a lot of fishkeeping experience- I currently have a 110 gallon, 75 gallon and 33 gallon tanks, but have never had anything like this!
Just wondering what way I should go with the fish? Koi are cool but that is prett boring. I was thinking stingrays and arowana... I have plenty of room for just about anything, and plan on staying with the company for many many years...
Any ideas of something cool? Or should I stick with cheap and safe and go with Koi?
