Sharks and Metal

[epicentyr2]

I am going to build a large tank 12x5x5ft. I want to make a steel angle iron cage and line the inside with 2 layers of 3/4 in plywood, and then fiberglass the wood. My question is will the metal cage effect the sharks? I know sharks are very sensitive to magnetic and electrical fields. There will be no contact between the water and the metal cage.

thanks
Derek
(first post, Do I need 5 posts to view pictures?)

 

[DeLgAdO]

I am going to build a large tank 12x5x5ft. I want to make a steel angle iron cage and line the inside with 2 layers of 3/4 in plywood, and then fiberglass the wood. My question is will the metal cage effect the sharks? I know sharks are very sensitive to magnetic and electrical fields. There will be no contact between the water and the metal cage.

thanks
Derek
(first post, Do I need 5 posts to view pictures?)

Welcome to MFK Derek!!

this thread is very interesting, id like to know this myself.

and yes you need 5 post to preview pics, if you dont see pics after your 5posts just wait it out, the server updates every half hour i believe.

 

[ewurm]

The metal shouldn't produce any significant electromagnetic fields and probably won't be a problem if the metal NEVER touches the water, however, any tank water that splashes onto the metal will cause it to rust at a very high rate and could poison the fish if it runs back into the tank. I suggest coating the metal with an aquarium approved enamel to prevent this.

 

[mbb]

the metal shouldn´t be the problem,compared to all the electromagnetic fields produced by electric pumps,skimmers,light etc.

but a lot of public aquariums show,that sharks can adopt to this.

 

[Ornatapinnis]

THis won't be a problem. Put lot's of effort into keeping salt spray and salt creep from coming in contact with the frame so it doesn't rust. I have a customer with a very similar set up. It's a 2" box steel frame with a plywood tank inside it. We had the frame powder coated before putting the aquarium inside it, has been rust free for about 5 years now.

As per concerns about electrical issues, put a simple titanium grounding probe inside the aquarium and attach the wire off it to the ground on your electrical outlet, this will terminate most the electricity in your tank. Grounding the metal frame is a good idea too.

Joel

 

[Zoodiver]

I'm going to go against the flow and say the metal will be a problem. A concrete barrier (vs the wooden edge) would be much better, but even with a good thick layer I've seen sharks with problems. A few institutions have seen major problems and were forced to remove animals due to the inability of the sharks to navigate the walls of the exhibit in areas of high metal concentration. When we biult the bull shark tank at Dallas World, we had to re-do the thickness of the walls after the original poor for this very reason. If you do use metal as the main support structure, make sure it is well grounded and as far away from the water as possible.

Some shark species are more sensative to this issue than others. What type are you planning on getting?

 

[Ornatapinnis]

A point I forgot to mention is that many sharks have problems with corners too.

A box type aquariums might not be the best choice for some sharks...

 

[Zoodiver]

A point I forgot to mention is that many sharks have problems with corners too.

A box type aquariums might not be the best choice for some sharks...

I couldn't agree more!

 

[water_baby83]

the metal shouldn´t be the problem,compared to all the electromagnetic fields produced by electric pumps,skimmers,light etc.

but a lot of public aquariums show,that sharks can adopt to this.

This has some truth to it, however, commercial size aquariums are far more complex than your every day home aquarium. All electronic additions are housed seperatly from the aquarium its self, and are concealed typically in several layers of cement (I.e, a control room). They distance as much equiptment from the water as possible, therefore, only a small percent of the actual electro - fields are in contact with the livestock. I wouldn't recommend trying to duplicate this unless you have a seasoned aquatic contractor, and lots of $$. Your safest bet is to steer clear of metal as much as you can. I agree with zoodiver on grounding any and all metal you use, and also suggest that if you use metal for support beams in your cement, that you opt for a specially coated rod. Usually they coat them in one or more types of rubber, which will also help ground them out. These can be difficult to find in some areas, as they are usually "special orders", but you could check with any local contractor for advice. This link is one of many I am sure who regularly produce these products. You may want to check it out. He also takes custom orders based off of your design plans. Hope this helps some.

http://changshengmetal.en.alibaba.com


--EMI

 

[water_baby83]

OK, that last one game me a headache trying to navigate it, here are a few more direct suppliers.



www.AlltheIndustrials.com


www.metcoat.com


Oh yeah, on the first web adress from my last post, you may have to enter it into your adress bar, it gave me problems. Plus once I looked at it more, it was way too confusing, but maybe that's just me?? Anywho, try these ones instead.

--EMI