My 22,400 outdoor shark tank and tide pool

[dkegflorida]

I built a 22,400 outdoor marine system at my home in Orlando, FL that consists of a 20,000 shark tank connected to a 2,400 tide pool.
(Link to photo/video album https://tinyurl.com/buildthreadDK )

The shark tank interior is glass tile to not scratch the sharks undersides. The tank is 21' x 21' x 6'. I am getting additional artificial structures to provide more hiding for the sharks and fish. The tank will have sharks, groupers, snapper and grunts. There are currently hundreds of shrimp in the tank that are reproducing and are available for the sharks and grouper to eat. But that is not there main feeding. I feed them a variety of frozen food - clams, scallops, shrimp, fish, and krill. I use the Mazuri vitamins for the sharks.

The tide pool is 60' long by 43" wide by 18" deep. There are perforated pipes along the length of the bottom. After my main filtration I have 20% of the water sent to the tide pool and the rest back to the shark tank. After laying the perforated return pipes I put down 4,800lbs of CaribSea crushed coral that is about 3-4" deep. Over the crushed coral I put 3,600lbs of CaribSea Aragamax sand which is about 3-4" deep. Then came the 2,000lbs of CaribSea South Seas Rock that was placed around the edges and covering the 3 flow pumps. The flow pumps go on and off throughout a 24/hr period for movement. A few weeks ago I added 6 bottles of Coraline algae spores and hopefully will see it starting next year - fingers crossed.

There is a 4" pipe connecting the tide pool to the shark tank. Water flows via gravity from the tide pool to the shark tank through the pipe. I have a 4th pump that runs for five minutes every 3 hours and that pumps the tide pool water into the shark tank to simulate the tide. It drops the tide pool several inches and then it fills back up.

The tide pool has some several damsels, a blenny, several anemones, numerous shrimp (that are reproducing), different types of snails and crabs. Since the beginning I have added hundreds and hundreds of thousands of copepods and amphipods to both areas to handle the algae since this is in direct sunlight from noon forward each day.

I will post more info on the filtration next.

PS - I have a 550g tank inside my home with some a couple tangs, cardinal, clownfish, goby and some cleaner shrimp and hermit crabs.

Photo/Video Album - https://tinyurl.com/buildthreadDK

 

[rgulrich]

Interesting! Kind of nice being able to literally step out of the house into your system. Would be great to see more detail on filtration and water movement along with temperature maintenance. Looking forward to seeing the system grow out!
Cheers (with a hint of jealousy wishing I could put in a system of similar size...),
Ray

 

[Enderg60]

Ive been in this hobby for over 20 years and Ive seen at least 6 people start building a "fish tank pool" You are the only one Ive seen actually complete it!

Great job!

 

[brandon429]

I want this remote rip clean job when the time comes in five years pls

nobody with 3800+ pounds of reef sand escapes a rip clean eventually, awesome setup. probably biggest on site's history

how will constant waste impaction going into the sand be exported?

 

[aabjones888]

Pretty cool idea, I’d like some more detail too about filters. Any idea on a round about of cost?

 

[jepuskar]

See kids, this is what happens when you save your money and work overtime.

 

[brucey]

Omg
Epic system and epic view!!

 

[TokenReefer]

 

[dkegflorida]

I want this remote rip clean job when the time comes in five years pls

nobody with 3800+ pounds of reef sand escapes a rip clean eventually, awesome setup. probably biggest on site's history

how will constant waste impaction going into the sand be exported?

The water going back to the stream is after the all the complete filter system (prefilter, main filter & polishing filter), so time will tell.

 

[dkegflorida]

Pretty cool idea, I’d like some more detail too about filters. Any idea on a round about of cost?

The construction was all part of the pool project so I do not have a breakdown on the cost for the marine part. The filter system was ballpark $20K which includes prefilter, main filter, polishing filter, two pumps, two UV, heater, ozone, and the four small current pumps for the tide pool.

 

[acesfull44]

HOLY COW! This is incredible......

 

[Sean Clark]

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

So you really did bring the ocean to you . This is Amazing and the build cost more then I would probably make in a life time lol . Please keep posting updates as this is the most unique system I've ever seen

 

[I never finish anythi]

Woooowwwww unreal. . . .

 

[Thomas Jedlicka]

I built a 22,400 outdoor marine system at my home in Orlando, FL that consists of a 20,000 shark tank connected to a 2,400 tide pool.
(Link to photo/video album https://tinyurl.com/buildthreadDK )

The shark tank interior is glass tile to not scratch the sharks undersides. The tank is 21' x 21' x 6'. I am getting additional artificial structures to provide more hiding for the sharks and fish. The tank will have sharks, groupers, snapper and grunts. There are currently hundreds of shrimp in the tank that are reproducing and are available for the sharks and grouper to eat. But that is not there main feeding. I feed them a variety of frozen food - clams, scallops, shrimp, fish, and krill. I use the Mazuri vitamins for the sharks.

The tide pool is 60' long by 43" wide by 18" deep. There are perforated pipes along the length of the bottom. After my main filtration I have 20% of the water sent to the tide pool and the rest back to the shark tank. After laying the perforated return pipes I put down 4,800lbs of CaribSea crushed coral that is about 3-4" deep. Over the crushed coral I put 3,600lbs of CaribSea Aragamax sand which is about 3-4" deep. Then came the 2,000lbs of CaribSea South Seas Rock that was placed around the edges and covering the 3 flow pumps. The flow pumps go on and off throughout a 24/hr period for movement. A few weeks ago I added 6 bottles of Coraline algae spores and hopefully will see it starting next year - fingers crossed.

There is a 4" pipe connecting the tide pool to the shark tank. Water flows via gravity from the tide pool to the shark tank through the pipe. I have a 4th pump that runs for five minutes every 3 hours and that pumps the tide pool water into the shark tank to simulate the tide. It drops the tide pool several inches and then it fills back up.

The tide pool has some several damsels, a blenny, several anemones, numerous shrimp (that are reproducing), different types of snails and crabs. Since the beginning I have added hundreds and hundreds of thousands of copepods and amphipods to both areas to handle the algae since this is in direct sunlight from noon forward each day.

I will post more info on the filtration next.

PS - I have a 550g tank inside my home with some a couple tangs, cardinal, clownfish, goby and some cleaner shrimp and hermit crabs.

Photo/Video Album - https://tinyurl.com/buildthreadDK

I think it would be so cool if you filled the tidepool area with smaller fish species and created your own ocean. one of the coolest tank builds I have ever seen. You've got to post more photos and such as time passes! do you have any plans to do rays?

 

[Murica]

Very cool, following

 

[X-37B]

Great job! Super cool system. Keep us updated with pics.

 

[dkegflorida]

I think it would be so cool if you filled the tidepool area with smaller fish species and created your own ocean. one of the coolest tank builds I have ever seen. You've got to post more photos and such as time passes! do you have any plans to do rays?

Thanks! I thought about rays for the main tank but at this time don't have plans to add any.

 

[LBReefer]

This is amazing.

I'd love to learn more about your heating/cooling strategy. I can only imagine the size of those systems.

 

[dkegflorida]

This is amazing.

I'd love to learn more about your heating/cooling strategy. I can only imagine the size of those systems.

HEATING
I installed a closed loop heating system that uses a Takagi tankless natural gas water heater in combination with a titanium heat exchanger. The closed system is filled with a 1:1 antifreeze/water solution and pressurized to 25lbs. When the temp drops below the programmed minimum the controller turns on the Takagi heater and the water pump. The pressurized solution circulates through the closed system and is heated to approximately 110 degrees by the heater. As the pond water flows through the titanium heat exchanger, the heat is transferred to the pond water and the heated pond water flows back to the pond.

Heater Pic - https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ght3Vdr9Mu3vJ1Sa9

COOLING
I currently do not have a chiller. However, to help keep dissolved oxygen levels good and to help cool the water during the summer each of the four bottom drains have an air diffuser plumbed into them. I can control them via an app on my phone or program them to automatically run overnight during the warmer months. On the flip side the aeration causes evaporation and there is a filtered water autofill to keep the pond full. The other reason for the bottom drain aeration is it creates flow to the bottom drains to help pull waste into the filtration system.

Aeration video - https://photos.app.goo.gl/YA5hz6b9iKz4mRF27