DIY Concrete Aquarium 5,000 gallon - Anderson Family Reef

dca22anderson · Dec 7, 2021

The good the BAD and the ugly... Highest highs and lowest lows...

I jumped in to start on the rock work last night and noticed that the front panel was pulling away from the silicone in a big way. This made my heart stop. All the great buzz from getting the panels in and removing the bracing (it looked like a giant aquarium finally) after a month (Spec sheet says 21 days for a full cure - I gave it an extra week) of cure time was gone. I have a huge problem.

I started thinking about it and when I picked up the panel from the supplier it had a slight bow in it. I figured that would be ok I could just put it towards the inside and the water pressure would push it outward. Well I did just that and when we put in the 5 supports to hold up the panel we wedged it in there nice and tight. The panel conformed to the channel and was perfectly straight. I guess the 2" material didn't like being restrained (adhesion of the silicone wasn't strong enough) and has proceeded to slowly return to its original shape leaving the silicone behind across almost the whole top edge.

I'm going to let the panel find it's resting place. I will then injection fill the gap, let it dry in place without any bracing and do a water test to check for leaks. Worst case is we take it out and redo the whole thing.

Hind sight the bracing that holds up the bowed panel needed to be loose so the panel could rest in its natural state and let the silicone make up the difference.

This is the best I could come up with after thinking it through and comparing it to the panel on the hallway side that didn't have a bow and has rested perfectly once the bracing was removed. It's silicone bond it still amazing!

I put blue painters tape to mark the separation from last night and will see if it is continuing to move. I will post some pictures of the top seam and a quick video of all the seams on the panel.

Tough blow as I was excited to get into building out the rock work and getting on with the rest of the build.

Oh the joys of our hobby! This is about the time when I really like my old 750 gallon acrylic tank.

ScottB · Dec 7, 2021

You are pushing boundaries. Setbacks are a part of that. Given your process so far I feel you will solve for this. Only hard part is there are not that many of us that can pitch in with experience. @mehaffydr solved for some trouble recently on a large build but very different materials. Maybe he has some other references.

I am a good resource for a few things. Just not anything in this realm.

ShoreReefer · Dec 7, 2021

I have a feeling that with he added silicone coupled with the pressure from the water you may have a stronger bond at that point. I could be way off but being optimistic for you.

dca22anderson · Dec 7, 2021

Good news it hasn’t moved more since last night … that’s good

mehaffydr · Dec 7, 2021

Oh man I really feel for you. On my original design I had a situation where the wood bowed from the water pressure at the bottom front. After 3-4 days it sprung a leak after I had added salt and was confident it was good to go. At first it was kind of devastating but after I had a day to think through the problem and get a good understanding and was able to design a fix I was immediately energized and ready to go. Getting the glass panel out was a major Pain in the bu** so I am hoping that you do not have to try and remove that panel. I did think about a similar repair process that your planning but because my wood was giving I decided the best long term fix would be to greatly reinforce the bottom face on my tank. I don't think that your concrete is going to move so it does sound like you have a viable solution planned. Once you inject the silicone and get water pressure on it I sure would think that would do the trick. If the water pushes the panel back flat it should only seal tighter against the silicone. I really do feel for you because I had a similar set back but hang in there my tank has been full for over 6 months so far and holding strong. With the work I have seen you put into this build I think you can get through this.

GBRsouth · Dec 7, 2021

dca22anderson said:
I'm going to let the panel find it's resting place. I will then injection fill the gap, let it dry in place without any bracing and do a water test to check for leaks. Worst case is we take it out and redo the whole thing.

Hind sight the bracing that holds up the bowed panel needed to be loose so the panel could rest in its natural state and let the silicone make up the difference.

This concerns me that it will create the opposite situation when you fill it with water. The water pressure may then force it flat against it's natural curvature and then pull from the silicone and leak into your room.

dca22anderson · Dec 8, 2021

mehaffydr said:
Oh man I really feel for you. On my original design I had a situation where the wood bowed from the water pressure at the bottom front. After 3-4 days it sprung a leak after I had added salt and was confident it was good to go. At first it was kind of devastating but after I had a day to think through the problem and get a good understanding and was able to design a fix I was immediately energized and ready to go. Getting the glass panel out was a major Pain in the bu** so I am hoping that you do not have to try and remove that panel. I did think about a similar repair process that your planning but because my wood was giving I decided the best long term fix would be to greatly reinforce the bottom face on my tank. I don't think that your concrete is going to move so it does sound like you have a viable solution planned. Once you inject the silicone and get water pressure on it I sure would think that would do the trick. If the water pushes the panel back flat it should only seal tighter against the silicone. I really do feel for you because I had a similar set back but hang in there my tank has been full for over 6 months so far and holding strong. With the work I have seen you put into this build I think you can get through this.

Thanks for sharing and for your support!! I did see your fix and it worked nicely!!

I’m encouraged that it hasn’t moved much more since last night! Maybe like 1/2” that’s it in 24 hours. Fingers crossed that’s all it moves.

It was just a slight bow from the beginning but that’s enough to pull just barely away in spots.

I feel a little better today and used my energy to work more on the rear rock work.

dca22anderson · Dec 8, 2021

GBRsouth said:
This concerns me that it will create the opposite situation when you fill it with water. The water pressure may then force it flat against it's natural curvature and then pull from the silicone and leak into your room.

I hear you!

It’s not ideal but I will work on it till it holds the water and I feel like it’s settled in.

The water test will be fresh water.

dca22anderson · Dec 8, 2021

This left rear stack is 9” off the back wall on both sides so it will be easy to flow all around it. Fish will also love swimming behind it.

The right pillar is 24” away from the viewing panel so I can walk around it and 8” off of the back wall.

dca22anderson · Dec 8, 2021

Here is the video of it from last night...

mehaffydr · Dec 8, 2021

The rockwork is looking Great. Those crates seam to be the ticket.

dca22anderson · Dec 8, 2021

mehaffydr said:
The rockwork is looking Great. Those crates seam to be the ticket.

I think for the size of the tank they are working out nicely! Love the flow through they provide!

Giddyup · Dec 8, 2021

Greetings from California. Love the engineering on this tank. The bottom few feet sunken into the ground is brilliant. It is mega strong where it needs to be. Be curious to know where the final water level and overflow level will be in the tank? I suspect once the final fill is done, there will be so much outward pressure that even during a water change it still will hold the proper shape of the panel as 90% of that pane will always have outward water pressure until your Grandchildren drain it in 2060. . Congrats on an epic build.

dca22anderson · Dec 9, 2021

Giddyup said:
Greetings from California. Love the engineering on this tank. The bottom few feet sunken into the ground is brilliant. It is mega strong where it needs to be. Be curious to know where the final water level and overflow level will be in the tank? I suspect once the final fill is done, there will be so much outward pressure that even during a water change it still will hold the proper shape of the panel as 90% of that pane will always have outward water pressure until your Grandchildren drain it in 2060. . Congrats on an epic build.

I grew up in HB! Thanks for chiming in!

Still working on the final water level. It will depend on how big the overflow is and where I position it. I want to try and leave a foot from the top of the water to the top of the tank (that way my 225lbs won't ever displace too much water when I jump in to clean it). The water level would rest just above the viewing panel.

That's too funny! I think we will be fine at the end of the day.

I'm sure it will hold and worst case I can always cut the top half of the tank off and make it a Jacuzzi.

ScottB · Dec 9, 2021

Oddly, it has never occurred to me to consider the water displacement my body would cause. Anybody else?

Oh! Wait! Now you have me thinking. I run a salt water pool and attached hot tub. If I segregate the hot tub and convert it to an SPS tank?

Ummm. Probably a bridge too far. After 27 years I still like her. Nevermind.

Fudsey · Dec 9, 2021

ScottB said:
Oddly, it has never occurred to me to consider the water displacement my body would cause. Anybody else?

Oh! Wait! Now you have me thinking. I run a salt water pool and attached hot tub. If I segregate the hot tub and convert it to an SPS tank?

Ummm. Probably a bridge too far. After 27 years I still like her. Nevermind.

There is a video on YouTube of a couple guys that turned an inground pool into a saltwater tank....

dca22anderson · Dec 10, 2021

ScottB said:
Oddly, it has never occurred to me to consider the water displacement my body would cause. Anybody else?

Oh! Wait! Now you have me thinking. I run a salt water pool and attached hot tub. If I segregate the hot tub and convert it to an SPS tank?

Ummm. Probably a bridge too far. After 27 years I still like her. Nevermind.

Now that’s funny and yes I do vote for the SPS jacuzzi!