DIY Concrete Aquarium 5,000 gallon - Anderson Family Reef

[dca22anderson]

Panels up next, drop cloth down to place the rock on

 

[dca22anderson]

Love this but does the distinguished wife have you on a budget of any kind or are you winging it? I know you are doing the work yourself but just the materials and equipment costs have to be insane. Any dollar amount you think you stay below?

I have a folder with all the receipts and tech sheets from the build. (It’s labeled “5K all the way!”) When we poured the concrete I tucked it away from the build site in a safe place (inside the home office - I think)… aaaaand now I can’t find that safe place!!

My wife did clean out the office when she started work from home so I’ve asked her to keep an eye out for it.

I sold off the 720 and all the gear to roll it over into this new build. I also sold a bunch of other gear I had from past tanks.

Not sure what it will cost but one day I’ll add it all up and share. I’m thinking it’s going to be around the cost of a good used wakeboarding boat!

 

[dca22anderson]

Reefbrites just before lights out on the holding tanks

 

[dantimdad]

I have a folder with all the receipts and tech sheets from the build. (It’s labeled “5K all the way!”) When we poured the concrete I tucked it away from the build site in a safe place (inside the home office - I think)… aaaaand now I can’t find that safe place!!

My wife did clean out the office when she started work from home so I’ve asked her to keep an eye out for it.

I sold off the 720 and all the gear to roll it over into this new build. I also sold a bunch of other gear I had from past tanks.

Not sure what it will cost but one day I’ll add it all up and share. I’m thinking it’s going to be around the cost of a good used wakeboarding boat!

I was involved in a concrete shark tank build about 30 years ago. Back then, it totalled over $100K and there were no corals. There was 1000 pounds of gulf coast live rock and 3 nurse sharks. 4 sand pool filters, a massive set of custom made titanium inline heaters just to keep it at 72 degrees and 5 spa pumps. It was about 7K gallons. Lighting was 8 shop light fixtures each with a vita light and a phillips actinic tube.

It was weird to hear the acrylic window absorb water for the first few days. We kept thinking it was going to break or leak but it didn't.

 

[srcleary]

I have a folder with all the receipts and tech sheets from the build. (It’s labeled “5K all the way!”) When we poured the concrete I tucked it away from the build site in a safe place (inside the home office - I think)… aaaaand now I can’t find that safe place!!

My wife did clean out the office when she started work from home so I’ve asked her to keep an eye out for it.

I sold off the 720 and all the gear to roll it over into this new build. I also sold a bunch of other gear I had from past tanks.

Not sure what it will cost but one day I’ll add it all up and share. I’m thinking it’s going to be around the cost of a good used wakeboarding boat!

I know what each piece of my build cost but I refuse to add it up. lol. And I try not to buy too much on any one order.

i find it less painful if I take it a step at a time. In this sense I’m glad the build is taking over a year!

This week is plumbing pipe and fixtures…

Colored PVC Pipe = $900+
200+ Valves and Fittings = $3k

need to add the Neptune flow sensors $500+

and need to pick the UV Sterilizer. $2,300
And two more Reeflo pumps and some bulkheads. $1k

that’s about all I can (and even a bit more,) handle at any one time. lol

when I first started I was thinking $20k. Local fish store said to budget $35k. We were both wrong!

Steve

 

[New&no clue]

I know what each piece of my build cost but I refuse to add it up. lol. And I try not to buy too much on any one order.

i find it less painful if I take it a step at a time. In this sense I’m glad the build is taking over a year!

This week is plumbing pipe and fixtures…

Colored PVC Pipe = $900+
200+ Valves and Fittings = $3k

need to add the Neptune flow sensors $500+

and need to pick the UV Sterilizer. $2,300
And two more Reeflo pumps and some bulkheads. $1k

that’s about all I can (and even a bit more,) handle at any one time. lol

when I first started I was thinking $20k. Local fish store said to budget $35k. We were both wrong!

Steve

I don't think anyone comes in on budget with a tank build. I just did a 180-gallon tank and thought I had a pretty robust budget. As an accountant, this is the kind of thing I do all day. But sadly it still cost more than expected.

 

[dca22anderson]

I was involved in a concrete shark tank build about 30 years ago. Back then, it totalled over $100K and there were no corals. There was 1000 pounds of gulf coast live rock and 3 nurse sharks. 4 sand pool filters, a massive set of custom made titanium inline heaters just to keep it at 72 degrees and 5 spa pumps. It was about 7K gallons. Lighting was 8 shop light fixtures each with a vita light and a phillips actinic tube.

It was weird to hear the acrylic window absorb water for the first few days. We kept thinking it was going to break or leak but it didn't.

Love that!! Thanks for sharing!! Fingers crossed this bad boy holds water and costs half of that because I did the work myself!!

I know what each piece of my build cost but I refuse to add it up. lol. And I try not to buy too much on any one order.

i find it less painful if I take it a step at a time. In this sense I’m glad the build is taking over a year!

This week is plumbing pipe and fixtures…

Colored PVC Pipe = $900+
200+ Valves and Fittings = $3k

need to add the Neptune flow sensors $500+

and need to pick the UV Sterilizer. $2,300
And two more Reeflo pumps and some bulkheads. $1k

that’s about all I can (and even a bit more,) handle at any one time. lol

when I first started I was thinking $20k. Local fish store said to budget $35k. We were both wrong!

Steve

I think I feel the same Steve… I know it’s costing more than I thought it would in my justified mind before I started!!

I was planning on spending around $2k for the lumber for the forms. (Times are weird) that came in around $5k. All that wood is just sitting outside the back door splattered in concrete with some form release on it!

Each time I call and get hold of Bill Wann at Aquarium Engineering I’m reminded that I need some more giant custom must have gear.

Its more a labor of love at this point. Just dig having a sweet reef with all the corals and fish in there!

I don't think anyone comes in on budget with a tank build. I just did a 180-gallon tank and thought I had a pretty robust budget. As an accountant, this is the kind of thing I do all day. But sadly it still cost more than expected.

Oh I’m toast! I don’t usually keep that tight of records. I did set a goal to try and keep up on the cost of this build but at the present time the folder is lost!! LOL I feel like that kid in the window!!

I look at pictures of past tanks to stay motivated and on course:

thanks for your notes!!

 

[jandlms]

My build is only a 120 gallon. I originally budgeted 10k for it and I blew past that a while ago. And I have only stocked a few fish and coral frags. ATO, more test kits and of course livestock are going to add more umm brownie? Points with the DW. Who knows? Maybe I live longe enough to enjoy the tank.

 

[dca22anderson]

Small window going in!!

 

[dca22anderson]

Holy moly that thing is heavy!!

 

[dca22anderson]

I’ll clean it again and silicone it in place tomorrow!!

 

[dca22anderson]

Here are some live window shenanigans for your viewing pleasure!! ;Nailbiting

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

Giant stand, and strong too!

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

I’ll clean it again and silicone it in place tomorrow!!

Cool!

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

This is awesome

Agreed!

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

I have two full buckhorn food grade bins and one sump bin + a 150 gallon tank and had a 100 gallon frag tank going in the fish room in preparation for the big tank builds. Active water volume is around 690 gallons running. Here is the set up when I was first putting it together:

Cool!

 

[Bpp124987]

Did I say epic

 

[James_O]

Coming along nicely. Keep up the great work!

 

[Sltloser]

Wow, that looks like quite the adventure to get that large of a piece of acrylic into the tank and up on the viewing ledge! Congratulations! it has got to feel great seeing that progress Really glad you added video too, it's amazing to see that happen in action.

This is probably going into be dumb, but I wasn't able to see silicone in the pictures or video. Did I miss something? Haha

 

[Ef4life]

Cookie pizza sounds so good.

Oh and the nuclear reef bunker is looking awesome