In-the-ground, 500 gallon aquarium fish tank

[normandaviso]

I am installing a 500 gallon fish tank in the Florida Keys. The tank is 4'x4'x4' and I need to know how many gallons per hour I should pump.
I will be pumping and retuning directly into the Ocean.

 

[Tank2379]

Are you pumping from the Ocean?

 

[kora_the_lone_koi]

Wow that's one big tank! I would get one then swim with my koi and then cry over the water bill. Lol

 

[nanoluvr]

I would remove your email from the thread. You'll get spammed to death.

 

[intimatecple]

is that even legal???pumping into and out of the ocean

 

[Erok7620]

I'm very interested in how the tank is going in ground and why? Keep us posted. I'm sure a lot of people are going to tell you its a bad idea to pump in ocean water. Welcome to AA!

 

[seahorsedreams]

is that even legal???pumping into and out of the ocean

No it's not... and it's one tough crowd to get a permit like that. And you don't want to take the risk....

You can take water... just don't pump it back out.

 

[cooltop]

its pretty much a swimming pool with salt water : )

 

[Innovator]

I am not sure why you would bother with such an expensive project for just 500g unless you do not have room in your house or you plan to make a side panel that can be seen underground, to which I still don't see the point. Either way, the water should be prefiltered in several stages before returning to your tank. I would not have the return directly back to the ocean nor am I sure you would even be allowed.

 

[normandaviso]

Removing my address

i would remove your email from the thread. You'll get spammed to death.

how do i remove, i am a newby.

 

[normandaviso]

Legal or not-legal

is that even legal???pumping into and out of the ocean

i think it is legal, you tell me.

 

[normandaviso]

In the ground tank

I'm very interested in how the tank is going in ground and why? Keep us posted. I'm sure a lot of people are going to tell you its a bad idea to pump in ocean water. Welcome to AA!

The tank is an existing precast waste water tank that is being abandoned because new sewer system is being installed. The tank is located about 20 feet from a deep water canal.

 

[normandaviso]

Why bother, Allowed?

I am not sure why you would bother with such an expensive project for just 500g unless you do not have room in your house or you plan to make a side panel that can be seen underground, to which I still don't see the point. Either way, the water should be prefiltered in several stages before returning to your tank. I would not have the return directly back to the ocean nor am I sure you would even be allowed.

We here on Geiger and Big Coppit Keys are required to abandon our existing septic tank for the new sewer system being installed. We are about 1000 homes with existing in the ground tanks and the cost of getting rid of the tanks are about $1000 each. We all live on the water and adjacent to deep water canals. It just seems to be a good idea to convert the tanks into salt water pools to keep critters in. I'll contact the DEP to see if it is legal.

 

[normandaviso]

I'm very interested in how the tank is going in ground and why? Keep us posted. I'm sure a lot of people are going to tell you its a bad idea to pump in ocean water. Welcome to AA!

I'll check with the DEP to see if there is a problem with circulating salt water from our manmade canal.

 

[normandaviso]

Are you pumping from the Ocean?

yes

 

[normandaviso]

Water Bill

Wow that's one big tank! I would get one then swim with my koi and then cry over the water bill. Lol

No water bill, I will be circulating sea water from our canal.

 

[normandaviso]

Salt water swimming pool

its pretty much a swimming pool with salt water : )

Pretty much a salt water swimming pool for salt water critters.

 

[Ziggy953]

Hmmm...If this used to be a septic tank I would think there would be all kinds of "stuff" in it that would be harmful to both the ocean and anything living you put in it. I'm not sure how things are done in the Keys but here our septic tanks are cement, which means all kinds of stuff will have been absorbed by the material that could leach back out.

 

[normandaviso]

Septic Tank / Fish Tank

Hmmm...If this used to be a septic tank I would think there would be all kinds of "stuff" in it that would be harmful to both the ocean and anything living you put in it. I'm not sure how things are done in the Keys but here our septic tanks are cement, which means all kinds of stuff will have been absorbed by the material that could leach back out.

You are right, part of the $1000 costs is pumping, cleaning, testing, inspecting of the tank prior to filling with flowable concrete in the abandonment proceedures. I am also planning on a liner for the fish tank.
My big question is how many gallons per hour should I plan on for 500 gallon tank. Do you Know?

 

[normandaviso]

Legal or Not

is that even legal???pumping into and out of the ocean

I don't know, do you?