DIY Concrete Aquarium 5,000 gallon - Anderson Family Reef

[flagg37]

How close is it to the plane of the concrete? Could you spread out the columns so they are outside the viewing area and then finish over them when you finish the outside of the concrete? That would require much less of a header vs removing it completely and spanning the whole length.

Is it just supporting the roof trusses or do you have a second floor above it?

Another idea is to use the concrete of the tank itself. I don’t know what kind of psi rating you used for the concrete but it has great compressive strength.

 

[dca22anderson]

How close is it to the plane of the concrete? Could you spread out the columns so they are outside the viewing area and then finish over them when you finish the outside of the concrete? That would require much less of a header vs removing it completely and spanning the whole length.

Is it just supporting the roof trusses or do you have a second floor above it?

Another idea is to use the concrete of the tank itself. I don’t know what kind of psi rating you used for the concrete but it has great compressive strength.

Yes, I can easily span the viewing panel with a header. The supports will be hidden in the wall on each side. I agree maybe two smaller headers would be better one in front of the viewing panel and the other to join the two filter rooms.

We have a second level (main level) above the tank.

Concrete is rated at 4k-5k PSI I believe. The center of the weight baring beam is about a foot away from the tank wall.

Thanks for the interest and ideas!

 

[dca22anderson]

Here is what I got done today and last night
:
-Added the sturgeon to the big tank with the koi
-cleaned out the 240 gallon to turn to salt and hold the blueface, annularis and sohal from the 150 bin.
-tore down, cleaned and moved the 150 bin to become temp sump so I can turn over the tank
-cut wall to join the two rooms to see how it all lines up
-added T5 light to front of the big tank
-built temp drains and returns for the big tank
-cleaned and swapped canister filters and HOBs

and I’m sure a few other things

 

[srcleary]

Wow. Thanks so much for keeping the thread well updated! So fun to follow along. Love the videos.

couple questions and please forgive if already answered.

1. How will you cycle? Will you move the media with the fish you already have?

2. What’s the largest fish you think you will keep in this monster?

3. What the overall stocking plan and how long will it take to move all your current stock over?

Steve

 

[dca22anderson]

Wow. Thanks so much for keeping the thread well updated! So fun to follow along. Love the videos.

couple questions and please forgive if already answered.

1. How will you cycle? Will you move the media with the fish you already have?

2. What’s the largest fish you think you will keep in this monster?

3. What the overall stocking plan and how long will it take to move all your current stock over?

Steve

Hey Steve!

I have over a thousand pounds of live rock in the holding system, I’ll dump in some bacteria, a lot of bacteria, and begin the cycle… then add fish, softies, LPS and SPS last.

I have some large Unicorn tangs, some Vlamingi’s and need to find a dussimuri tang… those will be the biggest fish in there I think.

I usually add seasoned live rock from an existing system, let it roll for a week or so then add the fish with some softie corals. If that goes well then I will add the LPS and last the SPS. This usually takes a few months.

This is a first for me with all this new dead rock so it could take longer… I’ll just test and adjust as needed.

Love having it turning over but man do I need that filtration.

 

[dca22anderson]

 

[dca22anderson]

Pretty sure that FX6 is rated at 5000 gallons… should be clean in no time… LOL

 

[dca22anderson]

Left 4’ from the back of the tank to the wall/door opening for the sump to tuck behind. It also gives me a place to mount some of the gear on the wall above the sump and on the back side of that same wall as well.

 

[Bpp124987]

How’s the filtration equipment coming? That guy gonna build your stuff?!?!

 

[Pico bam]

I was wondering where this thread went. I wish I was this ambitious. Hands down one of the most interesting builds I've ever read.

 

[dca22anderson]

Next up I need to move the white 200 gallon bin out of the way to finish that opening, would love to put all the corals from that into the 240 for safe keeping till the big tank is cycled.

i bought the 240 as a 6 month old tank and stand combo… didn’t realize it’s tempered glass all the way around till I got home… bummer… but fine for QT and holding duties…

Also corals are rocking in the white bin so a little bummed to stir it all up… here is a $500 efflo growing back after fragging a piece off for a friend for safe keeping:

 

[dca22anderson]

How’s the filtration equipment coming? That guy gonna build your stuff?!?!

Ghosted me for the last two weeks. Not sure but looking into other options…I even drove by his house just by chance with my travel schedule, he did respond that he wasn’t home then hasn’t replied to a few calls last week…

I was wondering where this thread went. I wish I was this ambitious. Hands down one of the most interesting builds if every read.

Thanks for checking it out! It’s been super fun and rewarding!!

 

[flagg37]

Next up I need to move the white 200 gallon bin out of the way to finish that opening, would love to put all the corals from that into the 240 for safe keeping till the big tank is cycled.

i bought the 240 as a 6 month old tank and stand combo… didn’t realize it’s tempered glass all the way around till I got home… bummer… but fine for QT and holding duties…

Also corals are rocking in the white bin so a little bummed to stir it all up… here is a $500 efflo growing back after fragging a piece off for a friend for safe keeping:

How did you ascertain that the glass was tempered?

 

[GBRsouth]

How did you ascertain that the glass was tempered?

Put an LCD screen such as a smart phone, tablet or laptop screen on one side of the glass. Look through the glass panel at the LCD screen whilst wearing polarising sunglasses.

If you do this and the glass panel is tempered, you will see lots of minute cracking in the glass. This glass cannot be drilled without shattering the glass.

If you do not see minute cracking in the glass panel, it is not tempered glass and can be drilled.

 

[srcleary]

Hey Steve!

I have over a thousand pounds of live rock in the holding system, I’ll dump in some bacteria, a lot of bacteria, and begin the cycle… then add fish, softies, LPS and SPS last.

I have some large Unicorn tangs, some Vlamingi’s and need to find a dussimuri tang… those will be the biggest fish in there I think.

I usually add seasoned live rock from an existing system, let it roll for a week or so then add the fish with some softie corals. If that goes well then I will add the LPS and last the SPS. This usually takes a few months.

This is a first for me with all this new dead rock so it could take longer… I’ll just test and adjust as needed.

Love having it turning over but man do I need that filtration.

Thanks for the info...

Wow. The 1k of live rock should like a great way to kick things off. I had put lots of Matrix in my OTs for the past few months and when I moved some of the fish over, I took the bio media with them. So far, it's worked great for an instant cycle. I'm sure you have loads of bacteria in your holding tanks.

I love the Dussi. I fell in love with one at a LFS. He was over 12". Best personality of any tang I have seen. I tried to buy him but he is the store pet. I have a 5" one now and he acts the same. So friendly and interactive and his colors are just starting to show. I put a Dragon Eel in his tank and he tried to bully it and the colors that popped were incredible. Spots lit up on his tail like a Christmas tree. I had never seen anything like it. Fortunately the Dragon didn't get too annoyed or it would not have ended well!

I get a Fowleri tomorrow and will add him with the Dussi to the DT when he is ready. I hear the Dussi's can grow super fast. I know mine eats more than my triggers! Can't wait to see a 20" one swimming around your tank!

I'm so excited to see fish in this monster. Bummer about the guy building your filtration. I'm sure it's frustrating to say the least. Maybe time for another option?

 

[dca22anderson]

How did you ascertain that the glass was tempered?

It has a little circle stamp on each side…

I did originally buy it for the Koi but now would love to use it in the filter room for fish holding/QT

 

[dca22anderson]

Set some fish to my brother in Michigan today! This frees up the 240 for corals… coral nippers are going to his fish only… he wanted the Blueface, Sohal, and Annularis…

 

[flagg37]

It has a little circle stamp on each side…

I did originally buy it for the Koi but now would love to use it in the filter room for fish holding/QT

Isn’t that a dead giveaway.

 

[dca22anderson]

Isn’t that a dead giveaway.

Yes it is, I thought I was going to be using it for koi but I like saltwater in all my tanks more

 

[dca22anderson]

I’ve been knocking my fingers on the side of the tank and splashing the top of the water to get the sturgeons attention for feeding. He’s picking it up pretty fast!! Soo cool!!