FAQs about Large Marine System Tanks
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DIY or made by others?
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Pieter's 20 foot long reef tank <bent-glass, very nice SW>
9/12/13
Hi Bob,
<James (Salty)>
Do not know if you have ever viewed this before but thought you may be
interested. Pieter is using our Atlantiks to light this monster
system.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RZcsivf2tXA
<Did see some stills of this system that you sent along. Impressive. Am
going to share on WWM. BobF>
Jamessales-3@orphek.com
R5: Larger Sized Aquarium (96x30x30) – 07/05/12
Hi Eric,
<<Hey Rick>>
The 375 gal Tank is in place on top of 3/4" Styrofoam and 1/2 Fir
Plywood.
<<Okay>>
During the maneuvering of the tank, the Styrofoam at one corner got
"squished" a bit (see photos).
<<Yes>>
I'm guessing there is a 1mm - 2mm gap between tank and Styrofoam (tank
is empty). I'm thinking this will disappear once we start to fill the
tank and the weight continues to compress the Styrofoam - welcome your
thoughts on this.
<<It should be as you have surmised>>
Also, I've noticed what I believe are a few small air bubbles in one
location near the top of the tank between the front and side panel - see
picture (tank is 3/4" thick). Should I be concerned?
<<I don’t think so… The bubbles in the Silastic appear small as you say,
and they don’t seem to “span” the seal anywhere. But… You could always
move it outside and do a water-fill test (ugh!). Or if this tank is
newly built (I don’t recall if you said so in our earlier exchanges),
you could show the pic/get the thoughts of the manufacturer re>>
Here's a silly question, would there be any harm/benefit if I put
another seam of silicone along the entire inside edges of the tank,
<<Depends… If the seal now is good/intact, no…the new Silastic will not
adhere well to the existing. If the seal now is damaged then, yes…but
you will have to cut away the existing seal and clean/prep the glass
before applying the new coat to get maximum benefit. Bottom line… Unless
there’s an obvious problem I don’t see that it would be worth the
effort. But that’s your call…>>
and if there's a benefit, would be OK for me to stand inside the tank
(190lbs) ... or should I put some Styrofoam pieces in to distribute my
weight.
<<I see there is a bottom frame so I imagine the bottom glass sits a bit
‘proud’…as such, no, I would not get in/stand in this tank without some
way to reduce pressure points/evenly distribute weight…I don’t think the
Styrofoam alone would be sufficient here>>
Greatly appreciated in advance.
Rick
<<Happy to share… Do send pics when it’s up and running! EricR>>
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Larger Sized Aquarium (96x30x30) -- Glass or
Acrylic? 6/22/10
Hi Crew,
<<Hiya Rick>>
I'm in the design stage for a 96x30x30 aquarium (built into
wall).
<<Neat, and is exactly what I did back in 2003'¦same
size display tank and all!>>
After hours and hours of reading/research and evaluating the
pros/cons,
<<Lots to consider>>
I was leaning towards acrylic (I was thinking Tenecor - we have a
distributor here in Edmonton).
<<Mine is a Tenecor-built tank, I've had it since 2003. No
complaints here'¦>>
But after recent readings, in particular on Jeff Turner's website
(he is a strong advocate to glass), I'm having second
thoughts...and Concept Aquariums (also here in Edmonton) make excellent
glass tanks/black industrial strength silicone, etc.
<<There are certainly pros and cons to both. Do your research and
go with what you are most comfortable/will be most happy
with>>
My major concern is (as I suspect everyone's) a seam
splitting/letting go.
<<Indeed (and have experienced this)'¦>>
Based on the Q&A section from your website, it occurs with both
larger glass and acrylic.
<<Not just 'large' tanks at risk here>>
With modern construction methods, which has the better track
record?
<<With quality construction of both, I would give the edge to
acrylic. An acrylic tank will 'give' a bit more than a glass
tank should there be a fault with the support structure (this is how my
previous in-wall display ruptured). Regardless which tank material you
choose, give much thought to the construction of a strong, level, and
planar support stand designed for the material used>>
I also see comments about acrylic yellowing over time.
<<Has not happened with my 7-year old tank'¦though I
have seen a couple 'older' and not as well/more cheaply made
acrylic tanks that exhibited this. I suspect much has to do with the
manufacturer/manufacturing of the acrylic, and the quality of the
material used in the tank construction>>
Is this still a problem with the higher quality of cast acrylic now
being used?
<<Not that I have heard about or experienced>>
Love the website and appreciate your feedback/expertise.
Rick Campbell
<<Happy to share'¦ Eric Russell>>
240 Gallons Of Decisions, Decisions --
08/18/09
Hello all,
<<Greetings Shawn>>
I hope everyone is well, and finding their summer or winter (for those
of you of the southern hemisphere) to be an enjoyable one.
<<So far so good'¦thanks!>>
I'm currently facing a dilemma that I hope someone can lend some
experience to.
<<Alrighty>>
I want to build my dream reef system
<<Ah'¦a nice dilemma to have>>
and I want to combine my 2 current reef tanks (120 gallon 48X24X24, and
75 gallon 48X18X21) into a single 240 gallon system.
<<Okay'¦assuming the two systems are
compatible>>
With that being said, I can't decide on what would be a better tank
layout for the inhabitants that I want to combine. I'm concerned
about some compatibility issues and would like to give enough space to
minimize the need to exclude some of my beloved pets.
<<I see>>
I'm in a debate over whether a 48X48X24 tank or a 72X30X24 would be
a better choice.
<<Mmm, yes'¦ Both are excellent designs (I do like how
you have made the depth greater than the height on the 6ft
tank'¦as opposed to a 'standard' build). I think maybe
the location of or viewing vantage points of the system, type
livestock, and/or type of reef 'niche' you wish to replicate
will determine the final choice>>
My thought for the 48 inch tank is to use a center overflow to create
an island with various caves and overhangs that the fish can swim
around.
<<And a perfect concept if this tank is to be viewed from ALL
sides>>
I'd like to use powerheads to create a circulating current around
the island and would use (2) 4 ft. fixtures, with 175 watt halide and
T5 lighting.
<<Okay>>
The 72 inch setup would most likely be a standard dual rear overflow
design with more traditional aquascaping
<<I hope 'traditional' doesn't mean the ubiquitous
'rock wall.' There's no reason not to be (and many reasons
to be) more creative, even with the 'traditional' rectangular
tank>>
providing multiple small islands of rock with plenty of hiding spots.
I'd need to buy a 72 inch light fixture with (3) 175 watt halides
and PC lighting.
My current stock:
120 gallon - 4 inch purple tang, a male / female pair of tomato clowns,
a male / female pair of Laboute's wrasses,
<<Neat!>>
5 resplendent anthias (all female so far). There are various SPS and
LPS corals including Acropora, Montipora, Xenia, hammer and torch
corals, brain coral, and zoos of all kinds. Kind of a mixed bag of
everything.
<<Ah yes'¦the typical 'mixed garden' reef
[grin]>>
Two Crocea clams and a cleaner shrimp also live here. I've been
blessed with little problems.
75 gallon - This tank is only 8 months old and houses a 3 inch yellow
tang, a 3 inch regal tang,
<<The Regal is inappropriate for this size tank'¦glad
you are upsizing>>
a male / female pair of percula clowns,
<<You may have issues combining the Clowns between the two
systems>>
a male / female pair of flame wrasses,
<<Neat again!>>
and a scooter blenny. The tangs here are a big reason for the
upgrade.
<<Indeed>>
There is a Maxima clam and some zoos in this tank as well. I'm
obviously concerned about the wrasse pairs and the clown pairs being
combined.
<<Less of a problem with the Wrasses than the Clowns, in my
opinion. Even should you add multiple Anemone specimens (which I DO NOT
advocate here), the Maroons would and will likely claim the whole tank
against another Clown species>>
My hope is that space will be my friend and theirs as well.
<<There's always exceptions'¦but I think you need
another 100g or so here>>
I plan on adding the purple and yellow tangs together and if peace
can't be found I'll part with a beloved pet.
<<Can be done'¦ I have five tangs from four genera in my
375g reef display>>
I'm optimistic because it worked in my LFS with a yellow, purple
and sailfin tang introduced at the same time.
<<The manner of introduction can play a big part, yes>>
I know that this is somewhat open to experience, and differs from fish
to fish, but any thoughts on my system design, introduction order, and
ANYTHING of note would be greatly appreciated.
<<Ultimately you have to decide which appeals most to
you'¦ The 4-foot square display would prove unique over most
and provide for some interesting aquascaping options. The 6-foot
display would prove better for the 'patrolling' fishes you
have. But'¦ If you were to return the Regal Tang, I think you
could get by with either option>>
Thanks to all of you for the service you provide.
<<Is our pleasure to assist>>
I'm sure you've saved many a hobbyist and many a fish with your
help.
<<As are we'¦ Thank you>>
Shawn Green,
Baltimore, MD
<<Eric Russell'¦in a hot and muggy Columbia,
SC>>
The Best Vendor For Large Tanks - 05/09/06 Hi All,
<<Hello!>> I'm planning to upgrade from a 90-gallon to
a 270-gallon tank. I was thinking of an acrylic bow-front
tank. Can you provide recommendations on qualify
manufactures of such tanks? <<Several about, but you might get a
broader perspective by polling one of the fish forums (RC,
Reefs.org). For my money...Envision Acrylics (http://www.envisionacrylics.com/)
enjoys a very good reputation...and my personal experience, Tenecor
(http://www.tenecor.com/), provided
excellent service and quality when I bought my current acrylic tank
(375g)>> Thanks again for all of your prior help. Michael
<<Regards, EricR>>
DIY large tank, system plans Hi: <Hello there> I would
like to build a tank out of glass and plywood that measures
approximately 132" length x 36" deep x 48" high. I have
been trying to locate DIY plans for a similar sized tank in the 1000
gallon range, but have been unsuccessful. Do you know where I can find
plans, or anyone who will draft custom plans to my specifications?
<Mmm, nope... have seen ads for such plans in hobby magazines over
the years... in the back, classifieds... You could easily piece
together what's involved from a cursory reading of WWM, other
sites... The height is a bit of an issue... I encourage you to consider
switching the width dimension... make the system three feet tall, four
feet wide... to save on the viewing panel cost, make it easier to work
on, in> I am quite capable of building a tank myself, but I do not
have the engineering knowledge required to design such a tank. Thank
you in advance for any assistance you can provide. Rob Koblasz <What
aspect/s are you wanting input on? Width of materials, modes of
construction? Plumbing, filtration? Gear? Bob Fenner>
Re: DIY plans Bob: <Rob> Thank you for both your time
and reply. I guess I have quite a few questions relating to both the
materials and the mode of construction. Is it better to use glass or
acrylic, and how thick should it be? <Either might well be
preferable in different settings... likely the glass will be less at
the shorter height, the acrylic easier to work with (much, much
lighter), but scratch and bow more easily...> As for the plywood, is
1" marine plywood sufficient? <If braced, screwed every four
inches, fiberglass strip and resined in the corners, for the three foot
height, yes> Is steel reinforcement necessary for the dimensions I
would like? <No> I have an acquaintance with 2000 gallon tank
that is 20' in length which was built with steel reinforcement
every 2', but I do not know if it is necessary for the tank that I
want to build. <Not necessary, but advised... especially in an
area subject to ground movement...> I have researched your site and
others as you suggest regarding DIY tank projects and I do have a rough
idea how to do this. With regard to the height of the tank and the
changes you suggest, are there any structural concerns, or just cost
and ease of maintenance? <Quite a few structural concerns... know
that for every foot of height such projects about double in cost... in
materials> I believe taller tanks are great for viewing, and floor
space might be a concern with the extra foot of width. <Mmm, I'd
do this... make a "cardboard mock-up of the shape/size of the
proposed system/s... the three and four foot width/height dimensions,
and stand it up in the proposed space... the three foot tall one is
very likely the route you want to go...> I sincerely appreciate any
additional information you can provide as I do not want to make a
mistake I will regret when the tank is full. It makes for a much
happier wife when the water remains in the tank. Thanks Rob Koblasz
<I understand this... as well as the (extreme) possibility of the
thing coming apart, perhaps killing someone. Bob Fenner>
Building a large plywood tank 8/9/05 Hello all! I first want
to thank you all for all of your time and effort in helping all of the
aquarists in need of info. It is so greatly appreciated. Thanks!
<Thanks for the kind words!> Before I start I would like to say
that I have read every posting on WWW to do with tank building and
construction. (phew, a lot of reading!) I have also scoured Ozreef.com,
Garf.com and the internet in general on the subject.
<Great! Lots of good info!> I would like to build a
plywood and acrylic tank with the dimensions of 96" width x
36" depth x 36" height. I was going to use 1" plywood
for the frame with a 1" thick acrylic window. The front piece of
plywood would frame the acrylic 3" around all sides. I was all set
until I went to my lumber yard to get the plywood. After talking to the
rep and telling him what I was doing, he informed me that the strength
of plywood has more to do with how many layers the plywood has than it
does the thickness. He told me that 3/4" plywood with 10 layers
would be stronger than 1" plywood with 8 layers. He also told me
that hardwood plywood would be stronger than softwood plywood. He had
some 3/4 inch birch plywood that was 10 layers. <Let me
begin by saying that I am not an engineer and I have never built a
plywood tank (I have built/repaired acrylic and glass
tanks). I should also admit that I am not a fan of the idea
of plywood tanks. If there is any way for water to find
it's way to the wood, it will. Once it does, the wood
will swell, fasteners will rust and the problem grows. IMO,
the risk of this is too great to justify what will probably turn out to
be a smaller cost savings than it seems.> 1) Could I use the
3/4" birch plywood or should I stick with my original plan and use
1" exterior grade plywood? If I go with 1" plywood, could I
get the same strength by gluing two 1/2 inch pieces of plywood
together. (My lumber rep tells me that the glue bond would be stronger
than the plywood itself) <Your lumber rep is probably right... the
strength of the plywood probably has more to do with more layers than
absolute thickness (within reason), but also has a lot to do with the
type of wood and the type of glues used. These types of
questions should really be directed to a structural
engineer. In any case, I would definitely use dimensional
lumber ribs/spines to add strength and rigidity to the plywood and coat
the entire structure in a marine grade epoxy or fiberglass after proper
surface prep and priming (do you see the costs mounting?<g>)>
2) Is the 3" border for the front frame enough to hold the acrylic
viewing pane in place or should I make it 4"? <I
would guess that 3" is enough, but not if it is made of
unsupported plywood. Even if the border is well secured to the adjacent
bottom or side panel, it will support relatively little pressure,
especially if it gets wet. I would want at least the bottom
perimeter to be supported by dimensional lumber (wide side down, so it
couldn't "roll") that was anchored to the same sheet of
material that formed the bottom of the tank. This would
prevent the sides from being able to "blow out".> 3)
Instead of using plywood top braces (which would block some of the
light going into the tank), could I use 1" thick acrylic braces
that would be drilled and screwed to the plywood frame? How wide would
you make the top braces? <Tropicorium in Michigan uses
wooden tanks in their greenhouses. They support the tops
with steel cables or threaded bar covered in garden hose to protect it
from the water. This is very strong and block almost no
light. Drilling and screwing through acrylic is risky
because acrylic is "Notch Sensitive". Think of
scotch tape... it is very strong if you pull on it, but if you nick the
edge, it tears very easily. Small holes drilled in acrylic
act like the nick in the edge of the tape.> 4) I actually plan on
making the tank 37" high. The extra inch will be on top to
accommodate the 1" thick top braces. (nestled in between the front
and back walls) The water column will still only be 36"
though. Is this ok? <Yes, but calculations should be based on the
depth of the water.> 5) Instead of coating the inside plywood with
resin or epoxy, I was thinking of using thin acrylic sheets (1/8")
to cover the bottom, sides and back. I figured once I had the
front 1" acrylic viewing panel siliconed to the front,
I could use the thinner acrylic and bond it to the front
piece and then bond all the other acrylic pieces together. This in
effect would create an acrylic box inside of the plywood
box. <This is a great idea, but you would still have to
coat the plywood to protect it from moisture (even if it is protected
from frank water contact). Also, if moisture did swell/warp
the plywood, it would easily crack the thin material allowing gross
water contact. All this brings us back to the issue of
cost. I suspect that if you add up all of the costs of the
acrylic, plywood, acrylic adhesives, etc. that your savings would start
to shrink.> 6) Is the 1" thick acrylic enough for the front
panel? Can I go thinner? Should I go thicker? Thanks so much for your
help. Mike <1" is thick enough if it is
adequately supported. A couple of cross braces should do it
if the top edge is beefy enough (I would think 4x4 lumber or maybe even
angle iron). www.cyro.com has a thickness calculator that
you can use. Sorry for my pessimism for your project, but
spending the money on a tank built by professionals is cheap insurance
against 450 gallons of water on your floor and a tank full of dead
animals. If you do give it a whirl, good
luck! AdamC.>
Even 300 Gallons Can Be
"Small" - 08/22/05 Yes, I know. The Yellow and the Naso
were rescues from a poor vendor in Toronto. I am surprised
how well they have done. <<me too>> My fiancée
and I are building a new house and we are incorporating an Aquarium
room. <<sweet!>> I am having a 300 gallon acrylic tank made
for one wall by a company in Minnesota. <<Getting closer.>>
It will be the main display reef and I am thinking of using the 180 as
a seahorse and kelp setup. <<Very nice.>> I don't think
the tangs will grow too much in the next 9 months. <<No...likely
due to developmental retardation...>> Thanks again. Ps. Do you
know of anyone who has made a reef out of a swimming pool? I thought
this could be a nice project to have a 20000 gallon system under a
greenhouse so that one could swim with the
display. <<Have
heard of such, more recently a new construction discussed on RC...and
once saw pics of a 7,000 gallon outdoor "lagoon" system with
a giant viewing window in the basement(?) wall of a home in
Hawaii...fabulous! Regards, EricR>>