Large Tank costs/etc Questions

[ferret]

What if, instead of one long viewing panel, I split it in two? Or three? Ie, put brick columnes in the middle or at the 1/3 and 2/3 points, and therefore have say two panels 5 feet long (Or 3 panels each 3 1/3rd foot long)..

Might shrink and take away from the overall viewing area, but you should still be able to see inside pretty good, and the brick columns should help add support to the front area, I'd think.

It'd be easier to get panels that size I'd think, though more overall seams involved.

How thick would it need to be for acrylic, [acronym:2088affcf7="By the way"]btw[/acronym:2088affcf7]?

[yaksplat]

Yes, that could be done with much thinner glass. I can't run the calcs without the physical properties of the specific type of acrylic that is used. I would assume that the thickness would be close, maybe a little less. Although, the acrylic would flex more, but it has the capacity to flex, unlike glass, which prefers to crack.

I still think that the biggest hurdle that you'll face is your wife

[ferret]

Haha, I actually mentioned it to her. I told her I'd cut back on tanks some if I could work on this as a long term hobby/project type deal ;P She didn't particularily complain :P

I told her I'd cut back to three [acronym:d3206b9611="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:d3206b9611] tanks (From 8 currently) and they'd all also be in the basement. (My current 75 and 90Gs, plus a 55G eventually for my two goldfish). I still plan to have a [acronym:d3206b9611="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:d3206b9611] display tank in my living room once I have a house, but otherwise I kinda do want to cut back. I'd rather feed 4-5 large tanks that 10 tanks of varying sizes. Its just easier ;P

This big tank would be a huge [acronym:d3206b9611="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:d3206b9611] community. All fish between 4 to 12 inches.. Maybe I'll even put some smaller fish in and they'll survive due to breeding and the babies having a huge amount of space to hide

Various barbs, gouramis, loaches, bala sharks, rainbow sharks.. Just a nice huge big community. I think the Oscars will have to stay out of it though. Putting them in would probably lower the overall population of the tank quickly.

[Thaiboxer]

People are always picking on my Oscars! They're not mean, they're just hungry! If you were walking down the street minding your own business and all of a sudden a bite of steak were dangling in front of you on a string, you'd eat it! That's all the Oscar is doing...

It's a societal problem - the Oscars can't help it!

[ferret]

Phhbbtt. I'm gonna make a pond one day, and put my oscars in it, instead of koi

[snapcrackler]

Ohhhhh, FRESHwater. hehe, I was thinking this would be salt. That's why I was thinking the monthly costs would be so high (salt - supplements - etc) .

Heck if you're going [acronym:b220922522="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:b220922522] your monthly costs will be a lot lower. [acronym:b220922522="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:b220922522]

[ferret]

Yeah. Its crossed my mind to just buy some sort of pool filter :P I'm sure it could be converted to my purposes :P

This would be a planted tank and all. I suppose after construction is finish, I'd put a foot or two of water into the tank initially. Bring in all kinds of drift wood and stump and trees and stuff (Cleaned of course), and add lots of plants. Add one heck of a lighting system, the fill it up and go find some fish.

I figure with such a large system, I could drop in like 15 fish and not worry about ammonia spikes. It'd take too long for the ammonia to build up. Of course on the same note the bacteria build up would probably be slower. I need about 3 lbs of biospira

[FreddyFish]

Hey, why don't you build one room in your basement without any windows. Build a big acrylic tube in the middle for you to sit in. Then make a opening in the middle of your aquarium-room ceiling to climb down to your viewing/tube.
Good luck and don't forget a diving suit.

[excited_newby]

I like the idea of an indoor tank much better than an outdoor pond. Just way much cooler. Have you though of pooring reinforced concrete for say two of the walls and then glass for the other two. A [acronym:0958927d49="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:0958927d49] by me (Big Al's in fact) has a massive tank and it is set up like that. Anyways best of luck, and I sure hope that you are successful, don't break the bank, and have a very flexible wife.

If you decide to go through with it post pics all the way along!

[LAGlocker]

Man I would love to have a tank like that one day, but cleaning that sucker would be a massive undertaking. Talk about your huge gravel vac lol. Just think of trying to clean that thing gives me the shivers. But then thinking about showing that off wow. What I couldnt do with a tank that size. Talk about your massive fish.