New Concrete Tank Build - planning and research stage
- Thread starter Egon
- Start date
I'm definitely going to run a 220v pump. Not sure what turn over will be needed? It wont be stocked like an aquarium, in fact it will be way under stocked compared to a typical aquarium. I might only need a 2X turnover per hour?
Just a quick comment... If possible you should complete the Garage and have it inspected by the city... once that is done, do the Tank. When I had the city on my property, they were finding things "out of code." Project was deeper than I wanted causing the 1K acrylic set up to go out the window. At least I reinforced my living room floor with cinder blocks & 8x12's Lol. Maybe im just worried about how they would mess w/the tank build.
Also, here in Los Angeles I needed to complete my project in 1.5 years or I would have been penalized (License was only 380.00 or so for General Consturction). I should have gotten the General License to begin with so I paid for 2 (rookie mistake). So, look into how long you have etc... Hopefully the inspectors there are better than the ones here (even though they take dinner gifts for 2
... the 6 times they came out sure didn't pay off let me tell you!
)
Also, here in Los Angeles I needed to complete my project in 1.5 years or I would have been penalized (License was only 380.00 or so for General Consturction). I should have gotten the General License to begin with so I paid for 2 (rookie mistake). So, look into how long you have etc... Hopefully the inspectors there are better than the ones here (even though they take dinner gifts for 2
... the 6 times they came out sure didn't pay off let me tell you!)
Your proposed tank will be about twice as big as VLDesign's tank. I believe he is running his filtration with two Hammerhead pumps. His tank is about the same length, but width and height are less. You could check with him about the flow he is getting in his tank.
At the local hardwhere stores or Home Depot they sell 200 page how too books on cement work and swimming pools. You can buy these how too books for anywhere from $15.00 to $21 dollars and they are very good. These books on cement work will tell how to find a good cement building worker and how to built garage floors and house walls also the main types of building types they use to build new cement rooms. If you needed to get one book at least get the home improvement book on cement work.
The book on swimming pools is good in that it brings to mind how large cement pools of water behave. Also a book on ponds from the home improvement store is a good thing to have around to give a idea of some of the needs that a 9000 gallon body of water might need.
The book on swimming pools is good in that it brings to mind how large cement pools of water behave. Also a book on ponds from the home improvement store is a good thing to have around to give a idea of some of the needs that a 9000 gallon body of water might need.
Just a quick comment... If possible you should complete the Garage and have it inspected by the city... once that is done, do the Tank. When I had the city on my property, they were finding things "out of code."
Also, here in Los Angeles I needed to complete my project in 1.5 years or I would have been penalized (License was only 380.00 or so for General Consturction). I should have gotten the General License to begin with so I paid for 2 (rookie mistake). So, look into how long you have etc... Hopefully the inspectors there are better than the ones here (even though they take dinner gifts for 2
I totally agree. The garage will be built first. It will be built as a garage just incase I do move this will at least increase the value of the property.
Thanks. I've been watching his build. Definitely a good source of information.
Thanks Ocean. I think these book would be a great investment for this project.
This is the stringray breeding facility I mentioned in my previous post. Using the airlift filtration would probably save you quite a bit of $$$ in monthly electrical costs, relative to using high GPH water pump(s). Even the most efficient direct drive water pumps won't be nearly as efficient as an airlift filtration system.
Egon,
You need to stop thinking about this as a fish tank and more of an above water koi pond. All things followed is just my opinion but bare with me.
Construction wise, forget fish tank sites, I'm not trying to point fault here but concrete tank builds just don't happen on these sort of sites, yes mag has his monster and you mentioned the others in articles, todd's for example but that is it, it almost never happens. Zero info on them, I forget the guys name but it included a huge argument about stainred 1/2 way through the build and it came to nothing despite a great write up, wizzin or wizzer rings a bell?
For research look at koi ponds with viewing windows, the only difference is the size of the window as an aquarium you want the most viewing size you can get away with, various koi people have got away with even six foot windows buried into the concrete block.
My advise is build it out flat laid concrete blocks(kinda like Johnptcs's) and put the windows into that sort of design but get the whole thing fiberglassed. I was talking to a koi dealing the other weekend and everyone over engineers their pond, a glassier was talking to him and said basically you can glass onto anything that isn't earth and the walls will support the weight. That's the problem the ground supports the weight not so in a over ground build. I've seen ponds build up 6 foot with no issues.
Sorry for my ramblings but if your going down this line then add bottom drains to the filters and use gas boiler central heating to heat it.
You need to stop thinking about this as a fish tank and more of an above water koi pond. All things followed is just my opinion but bare with me.
Construction wise, forget fish tank sites, I'm not trying to point fault here but concrete tank builds just don't happen on these sort of sites, yes mag has his monster and you mentioned the others in articles, todd's for example but that is it, it almost never happens. Zero info on them, I forget the guys name but it included a huge argument about stainred 1/2 way through the build and it came to nothing despite a great write up, wizzin or wizzer rings a bell?
For research look at koi ponds with viewing windows, the only difference is the size of the window as an aquarium you want the most viewing size you can get away with, various koi people have got away with even six foot windows buried into the concrete block.
My advise is build it out flat laid concrete blocks(kinda like Johnptcs's) and put the windows into that sort of design but get the whole thing fiberglassed. I was talking to a koi dealing the other weekend and everyone over engineers their pond, a glassier was talking to him and said basically you can glass onto anything that isn't earth and the walls will support the weight. That's the problem the ground supports the weight not so in a over ground build. I've seen ponds build up 6 foot with no issues.
Sorry for my ramblings but if your going down this line then add bottom drains to the filters and use gas boiler central heating to heat it.
Yeah, I read about this. Something like 5 shipping containers and a full custom background. The filter was built into the background. The bubbles moved a lot of water. Works great with deeper tanks! Definitely an option if I go 6 feet deep.
Good stuff! I'm going to look at koi (feeder) ponds now. I actually love this part of the build. The planning and plumbing details kinda get me excited
Thanks for the info Yanbbrox.
