Considering having a 240g built for 2 sided viewing....

[gefilte]

While I love my 65g, I just may be outgrowing it. We have everything living in it including toadstool, corals, etc. but only have a few fish. I am looking into having a 240g aquarium designed for an in-wall installation for viewing on bith sides. I am looking for thoughts and suggestions of things I need to consider that I may be missing. We are going to have the floor supported (its above a basement). For anyone who has done this, I'd appreciate any pointers. Thanks!

 

[lando]

One of the biggest challenges with large double-sidded tanks is filtration and water circulation. Having a long tank that is viewed from both sides does limit your filtering and circulation options. For example, all overflows will need to be placed at the end of the tank with the plumbing either running in the stand under the tank or into a seperate sump/filtration room through a wall. Providing enough flow to the far end of the tank will be the challenge. It can be done...just really depends on the space you have to work with.

 

[Ziggy953]

If you are going to have it custom built my suggestion is to have overflows on both ends of the tank. This way you can have returns on both ends.

 

[Innovator]

Don't forget to consider insulation and proper ventilation. You don't want your house rotting around your tank

 

[austinsdad]

I'd try to ensure room for the other tank and equipment underneath. Maybe 75g or so sump/refugium w/lighting, skimmer, fw reservoir or feed from tap/RO/Di, etc, etc.

Outgrowing a tank???? Hmmmm, wonder if that happens much????

 

[gefilte]

If you are going to have it custom built my suggestion is to have overflows on both ends of the tank. This way you can have returns on both ends.

Thanks Ziggy. I met with the tank designer yesterday and that's exactly what we are going to do!

 

[gefilte]

Don't forget to consider insulation and proper ventilation. You don't want your house rotting around your tank

Its pretty much going to be in the middle of the house so for ventilation purposes that should not be an issue. I'm not sure what you mean by insulation though. Where would insulation be needed?

 

[gefilte]

I'd try to ensure room for the other tank and equipment underneath. Maybe 75g or so sump/refugium w/lighting, skimmer, fw reservoir or feed from tap/RO/Di, etc, etc.

Outgrowing a tank???? Hmmmm, wonder if that happens much????

They are going to design the base so that there will be room for everything underneath including a large sump and an auto top-off system with a 5 gal jug.

We had heat problems with our current tank, so I wanted to make sure we didn't have that problem again and we talked about installing a chiller in the basement, but I really didn't want to do that unless it was absolutely necessary. So, he told me about using LED lighting. Much more expensive, but no heat. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with LED lighting?

 

[Ziggy953]

Its pretty much going to be in the middle of the house so for ventilation purposes that should not be an issue. I'm not sure what you mean by insulation though. Where would insulation be needed?

I can't speak to the insulation (not sure about that myself Innovator will have to elaborate there) but for ventilation you may want to consider putting a bathroom style vent over the tank to pull heat and moisture out of the space the tank is in. I believe I would do something like this in the hood.

 

[gefilte]

She's ordered and paid for. I went for the LED lights too. Its going to take about 6 weeks to get the tank. We're going to tear into the ceiling below in a couple of weeks to see if we need to add a beam. Then we'll start the cutting of the wall. But for now we wait.......

 

[gefilte]

Oops. I guess time slipped away on posting. We did end up putting in two steel fitch plates below the tank just to make sure.

Here is the finished product. Corals and fish just went in a couple of days ago. Its the Great Room on one side and the Dining Room on the other. There isn't a chandelier inside the tank..its a reflection! It turns out we build the cabinet and hood a little too well and even though we used the LED lighting and put in a bunch of fans it stayed too hot so we put a chiller in. Now we should be all set.

What do you think?

 

[austinsdad]

Ooooooooh!

Aaaaaaaah!

Woooooow!

Nice work!

 

[meegosh]

I'm not a saltie but that is my dream setup! I love in wall tanks! Who did the work for you? You or a local company? Either way, great work! It will fill in nicely I bet.

 

[gefilte]

I'm not a saltie but that is my dream setup! I love in wall tanks! Who did the work for you? You or a local company? Either way, great work! It will fill in nicely I bet.

Thanks! Mine too! Of course, it could always be bigger... It was a joint effort between my LFS, me and my contractor. Its all custom built. The overflows are actually inside the wall and can be accessed be removing the column panels on either side of the tank.

 

[robott]

wow.

 

[Ziggy953]

Fantastic work!! Beautiful finish job as well!! Now get us some close up shots of the tank!!

 

[juice28]

makes me want to save up and customise my apartment wall lol, ill have one of thoses as soon as i get my HOUSE!!! Im inspired!

 

[gooyferret]

Beautiful tank! WOW My next tank is going to be in wall also!