10ft tall cylindrical reef tank?

[randomfishdude]

For a glass cleaner you could get a steel or whatever ring that fits to the roundness of the tank.

 

[StaircasetoHeaven]

I actually spent some time thinking about this. Bottom line Failure is not an option, and I am certain that is your stance as well. The best input I can give is to make a list of typical tank issues and how you will overcome them. There are additional issues due to the tank dimensions that need to be evaluated. Your open attitude towards opinions from both sides is admirable.

Yes so I believe that there are seamless and seamed cylinders. Any type of seam in a large aquarium makes me nervous. I told the builder that visited that my previous custom tank was a symmetric hex (with one seam in side and top piece glued) and after about 10 years Portions of the top piece had completely separated, and I could see on the side seam there was definitely some small failing of the seam. In my reading, and the buider told me the same spiel that the bonds for acrylic, are supposed to be stronger than the acrylic itself. Will that is nice in theory but when I have seen seams fail in person, I am not so reassured.

 

[StaircasetoHeaven]

For a glass cleaner you could get a steel or whatever ring that fits to the roundness of the tank.

Yes I asked the builder if he had curved cleaning heads that conformed to various diameters of cylinders, and he said no that they did not. That kind of surprised me because as I mentioned, I think it is very feasible to make 3D printed cleaning heads of wider dimensions to make cleaning considerably more efficient than using standard 4" cleaning magnets.

 

[bblumberg]

Except for that fact that most of the systems they built were impossible to actually maintain and my understanding is that they killed a whole lot of livestock and in most cases dumped it in for the filming and took it back out ASAP to get the system cycled, etc.

There was a whole reddit thread somewhere with actual customers and the real experience. I am not saying they are bad guys or anything, but like most of those shows... you see one thing and reality is very different.

There is also the sad case of nineball's reef that was built by them over on reefcentral.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I think he least of your worries, given the cost of the project is 3D printing or machining a custom titanium or stainless algae scraper.

A magnet on 2.5" acrylic? Sure, but the issue becomes one of safety with the magnet during transport and deployment and anything metal close by while cleaning.

So possible. Yes.. Safe? Not by a longshot.

Even if it were an electromagnet and steel inner... It would not likely be safe with the amount of magnetism needed (ignoring the heat produced in the coil and insert).


Plan on your or somebody being in the tank. Drain grates around the tank where the flooring is lifted away during scuba days? I donno...

But your money, your happiness. I have to wonder if however, the money would be better spent flying to visit every major aquarium in the world... or on bacon and beer?

Don't get me wrong. I understand. I designed and hand built a massive wood fired pizza oven that baffle people when asked how much and they realize that not only will it never "pay for itself" but my pizzas are still likely worth hundreds of dollars each and I need to make thousands more to come close to "breaking even" if that is the metric. Slate roof.. hand bent copper flashings, full foundation... thermocouples for monitoring. etc. A bit overboard.... So I get it. But at the same time, I didn't build the stone smoke house to match... or other things that I wanted that would have pushed the project to absurdity in cost and scope.

 

[StaircasetoHeaven]

As I continue to consider this project, the thought has crossed my mind more than once if I should call my insurance company prior to starting the project. Am I required to do so? Can the insurance company refuse coverage in case of a catastrophic failure? If I inform them of the project, will they jack up my insurance costs? All questions yet to be answered.

 

[StaircasetoHeaven]

I think he least of your worries, given the cost of the project is 3D printing or machining a custom titanium or stainless algae scraper.

A magnet on 2.5" acrylic? Sure, but the issue becomes one of safety with the magnet during transport and deployment and anything metal close by while cleaning.

So possible. Yes.. Safe? Not by a longshot.

Even if it were an electromagnet and steel inner... It would not likely be safe with the amount of magnetism needed (ignoring the heat produced in the coil and insert).


Plan on your or somebody being in the tank. Drain grates around the tank where the flooring is lifted away during scuba days? I donno...

But your money, your happiness. I have to wonder if however, the money would be better spent flying to visit every major aquarium in the world... or on bacon and beer?

Don't get me wrong. I understand. I designed and hand built a massive wood fired pizza oven that baffle people when asked how much and they realize that not only will it never "pay for itself" but my pizzas are still likely worth hundreds of dollars each and I need to make thousands more to come close to "breaking even" if that is the metric. Slate roof.. hand bent copper flashings, full foundation... thermocouples for monitoring. etc. A bit overboard.... So I get it. But at the same time, I didn't build the stone smoke house to match... or other things that I wanted that would have pushed the project to absurdity in cost and scope.

So just a initial google search showed the strongest magnet cleaner i could find was for up to 2" thickness tanks; so maybe there are stronger ones, but did not find them. So regarding your comment about magnet safety, I assume they are sold as a pair which are stuck together so you are saying that they still are a big risk? If so, I assume the manufacturers have some way to mitigate any dangers prior to shipping. Regarding your comment of electromagnets, does such a tool/instrument exist for the purpose of tank cleaning? Just never heard of this.

"But your money, your happiness. I have to wonder if however, the money would be better spent flying to visit every major aquarium in the world... or on bacon and beer?" I laughed out loud since yes these thoughts have been crossing my mind in recent days about a better use of money with less worry and potential for catastrophe and headaches.

 

[danreef55]

I have used the 2" version of these

F-14 for 2-1/4″ (5.7 cm) to 3″ (7.6 cm) - Mighty Magnets Inc.

Add 1/4″ (.65cm) to your aquarium glass thickness when using our Algae dozers to maximize their efficiency. You can always reduce the strength of our magnets with one of our spacers.

mightymagnets.com

 

[danreef55]

Here is safety notice.

 

[StaircasetoHeaven]

Here is safety notice.

 

[StaircasetoHeaven]

i used to just keep the magnet cleaners on the tank when I had my reek tank many yrs ago. I dont see any mention of this way of leaving the cleaner in the tank in the instructions. Is there some reason why just leaving them in the tank is bad? I see they are 8" which is decent swath of cleaning with each stroke which is good.

 

[danreef55]

I have been out of the hobby for a while and not up on magnets in the water but I don't see why not. Bear in mind there is a casing with a handle and it is fairly large. Dealing with the magnets is relatively simple. With an acrylic tank it is probably wise to change at least the inner pad with each use.

 

[SALTWATER FISH HIPPIE]

If I proceeded with this tank, I do not want to get into tank. I am requesting top access via hinged hoods on both sides to allow a telescoping arm to be inserted for cleaning. I can potentially have a 3-D printed 6-8" cleaning interior head piece made to conform to the interior curve. This head could be used on the end of a pivoting telescoping pole, or alternatively a matching exterior magnetized piece could be made for possible no-mess cleaning. So I just googled it, and I am seeing references that 0.125" of acrylic thickness is needed for every 6" of height. So for a tank 126" tall, that would calculate to over 2.3" thick acrylic. So if this is correct it is not clear to me that a magnet-type cleaner would work. Maybe because of the cylinder shape, the thickness can be reduced and still hold 10ft water column; dunno. I had asked the builder how thick the tank would be, and he said, he will let me know on quote.

Having a friend do a photoshop for me to give an image of what the tank will look like in the planned locations. Will post when I get.

I use a magnet cleaner on mine. what I got an over sized (thickness) magnet cleaner then I doubled up on the inside pad so it conforms to the shape of the tank if this makes sense. I do have what I believe would be an excellent design for a cylinder magnet but I have no way to produce it but I am positive it would work.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Magnets this strong can (EASILY) take fingers off, crush bone, pinch hard enough to remove chunks of flesh, or worse... They are no joke. Yes, the ship with a separator so that you can pull them apart. But the point is that even the half of one of the sets is dangerous alone around anything else metal.

Just something to be very aware of.

 

[StaircasetoHeaven]

I have used the 2" version of these

F-14 for 2-1/4″ (5.7 cm) to 3″ (7.6 cm) - Mighty Magnets Inc.

Add 1/4″ (.65cm) to your aquarium glass thickness when using our Algae dozers to maximize their efficiency. You can always reduce the strength of our magnets with one of our spacers.

mightymagnets.com

 

[StaircasetoHeaven]

I have used the 2" version of these

F-14 for 2-1/4″ (5.7 cm) to 3″ (7.6 cm) - Mighty Magnets Inc.

Add 1/4″ (.65cm) to your aquarium glass thickness when using our Algae dozers to maximize their efficiency. You can always reduce the strength of our magnets with one of our spacers.

mightymagnets.com

How thick was your tank? Or did you up-size the magnet for better cleaning?

 

[danreef55]

How thick was your tank? Or did you up-size the magnet for better cleaning?

1-3/4" I wouldn't oversize the magnets. It is a workout to use these. They float which is very important especially with the tank height. Don't take BeanAnimal's comments regarding safety lightly it is truly a concern. Don't let this turn you off but you do have to focus when engaging them.

 

[mh0ward]

As far as magnets and safety goes, you could probably use a very strong magswitch: Magswitch Magsquare 1000

It only has the 1050lb pull force when "turned on", and basically no pull force when off. You could then have some steel or other ferrous material machined to match the curvature of the tank and attach some felt or similar 'magfloat' material to it. However, everything else about this sounds like it could turn into a maintenance nightmare real fast.

 

[StaircasetoHeaven]

As far as magnets and safety goes, you could probably use a very strong magswitch: Magswitch Magsquare 1000

It only has the 1050lb pull force when "turned on", and basically no pull force when off. You could then have some steel or other ferrous material machined to match the curvature of the tank and attach some felt or similar 'magfloat' material to it. However, everything else about this sounds like it could turn into a maintenance nightmare real fast.

 

[Dom]

This is not a realistic dream even if you have piles of money to burn. All of the coral will sit on the bottom with no light, if you raise anything above them (vertical reef walls?) then it shadows what is below it.

How does one shine light through the side of a cylinder and focus it down on the coral and/or not blind the people trying to look at the coral?

Where does the water and mess go when you literally climb into the tank to clean it? How does one climb in that narrow of a tube and clean it if there is stuff halfway up…. Even if not and it sits on the bottom, how do you not wreck it all like Godzilla stomping on a city? Shall you purchase a lift system like the wine cellar at Aureole, to suspend you at working depth? Flip upside down in the hinged harness like Mission impossible so you don’t touch the floor? Is this a custom underwater remote or is you wife standing outside with the controller? Do the scuba tanks fit or are you holding your breath like creep show, for a “very very long time”?

Is there a platform or are you getting out the 16 foot ladder to do maintenance and feed the fish daily?

Can you tell me how to get 12 foot long tools into a 10 foot tall tank unless the ceiling above it is another 12 feet away?

What? You need a winch to move the canopy and the 10kw of focused beam lights so you can climb in?

Pretty round tank that you can see through… where is the plumbing? Are you encasing it all in a floor to ceiling wall you are ripping out and rebuilding?

Any idea how thick a 10 foot tall acrylic tube needs to be and a realistic cost? They don’t sell these at the local plastic store, this is custom manufacturing, but who bends 1” or thicker acrylic into perfect distortion free tubes? Maybe they can custom cell cast you one?

There is so much about this that is insanely unrealistic that it is hard to take seriously. Any “aquarium” guy that is willing to take your money to entertain this idea is doing you a disservice, because they want your money. Honest guys would give you an honest answer… “this is not remotely realistic, have a nice day”.

The “go for it bro” posts amuse me.

I didn't know where to begin. This sums it up.