Issues with building a tank into a wall?

[KurtsReef]

I have been considering removing some windows that used to be exterior windows but now only separate the kitchen from the family room and enhancing my current 75 Gal reef /30 Gal sump setup to become a 125 or larger main tank and use the 75 Gal as the sump/ref.

Wondering if anyone here has built a stand like this into a wall and what unforeseen issues they ran into. The weight of the tank would be on both a concrete pad that used to be a porch and a wall that would remain intact. I think that should withstand the weight of 200+ total gallons.

Cost would be the new tank, possibly more or new lights, new/larger protein skimmer, and the cost of building the stand and sump enclosure plus making the outside of it look nice. The window opening is over 6' wide so I could fit a huge tank in that area and would be able to view from two sides.

Positives would be more room in the sump area, current set up has no room to really get in there plus the additional water space for current fish (my tang needs more growing room).

 

[melosu58]

Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion.

 

[KurtsReef]

Thank you. Received a link to even larger tanks...wow, this project could get really expensive.

 

[roka64]

I believe Ziggy is in the process of building an inwall tank, I bet he will be along soon...

 

[austinsdad]

I didn't do the wall thing. I've got a 155 with a canopy. When I think of an in-wall set-up, with a painted back wall, I think I'd have a hard time with maintenance.

I can't see what I'm doing when reaching and viewing from the top. I need to reach from the top and see thru/view from the front to see where my hand or tongs are. I couldn't imagine seeing from the rear for sure either with the paint.

Anyway, I've just always wondered how folks see what they're doing in the tank when only able to service it from above or from the rear. Maybe a closed circuit camera on the front while you're in the back (behind that wall) working from the top?

 

[KurtsReef]

The unit I have in mind would require me to build a bottom cabinet for the sump/ref tank which I would make sure there was plenty of room to access as that is my biggest complaint with the current setup. With my 75 gallon I cannot access from the rear as it is against the wall, however with the unit I have in mind I would have access from front and back through the top of the tank and able to view from front and back while accessing from that side.

Finding the right tank may be difficult as I would want the overflows on one side (or both) instead of either front or back. The opening the windows are in that would be used is over 6' wide and about 4' high so assuming a 24" tall tank is used I would have 2" above the tank to hang lighting fixtures and access the tank with little to no carpentry to that part.

 

[duke33]

tank in wall

check this out, I'll try a pic, then explain when i have more time.

 

[duke33]

more later

 

[KurtsReef]

Thanks Duke, do you have a sump under the tank or in a room below? Any problems you ran into while doing it?

 

[duke33]

Hey Kurt, No problems really, I redid the header above the tank and beefed up the posts to3x3's. That's a 55g fw. I'm in the process of removing it and replacing it with a 300g. For that I'm going underneath and putting a 6x6 beam with three footers and posts. The things gonna weigh over 3000lbs!! As far as the sump goes I have enough room under the tank for another 55. I using a fluval 304. All you see in my tank is 1 intake tube,and 1 pretty blue sub. heater.