DIY - ~2000 gal aquarium?

[RandyStacyE]

It would be best to construct this 2000 gal tank out of poured concrete including rebar. It could be constructed out of concrete block, but block is not as “quality” compared to poured concrete though there is absolutely no reason why it would not work. I would prefer to fill the blocks with concrete. Your plumbing would likely be plumbed before the concrete is poured. Plumbing can be ran after the concrete has been poured and the forms removed; this makes the forming easy, but you’d have to drill the concrete to plumb it. If block is used, one can plumb many different ways. Most build such large aquariums in their basements using a corner utilizing 2 walls and the floor. As far as the glass or acrylic is concerned; you could find the optimum thickness at www.garf.org, click “DIY Pages”, and click “Tank Building”.

Once the construction of the aquarium itself is completed you can never rely on the structure being waterproof because no concrete is truly waterproof. Another fact is that all concrete cracks and it is inevitable. In order to permanently waterproof/seal this structure you must have a product that will permanently adhere to the concrete, remain permanently flexible, and allot a lifetime of movement at all joints (where the wall meets the floor, around your plumbing and glass/acrylic, etc…). This is made easy only using the right product. www.sanitred.com provides these coatings with a 100% life time warranty.

Check out these pics:
http://www.sanitred.com/Common Files/Image/DSC00038.JPG

http://www.sanitred.com/Common Files/Image/Basic 9.jpg

 

[andywg]

I would recommend acrylic rather than glass due to it being stronger and slightly flexible (most large aquariums use acrylic).

You could look at using fibreglass to seal the concrete structure. It would be a pain to get dead right, but then it should be able to hold the water on its own without the concrete.

However, you may find that you can get a tank made to that size nearly as cheap. Depends on the cost of obtaining the somewhat heavy duty construction materials.

I myself am looking at constructing a pond/tank around 6,000 gallons to house red tail catfish and tiger shovel noses. My plan was to sink the pond about 3 feet under the floor level and then the glass for viewing doesn't have to be so thick as it will only be at 4 feet under water rather than 7 feet.

 

[RandyStacyE]

I was trying to find a “fiberglass tub” of some sort to create a coral propagation tank. I called all fiberglass fabricators in a large radius of where I live and none of them would let one go for under $200.00 and only some of them would hold about 100 gal if that. Next I began visiting these places to see if they would take me more seriously (rather than a phone call); they took me around and showed me the tubs and explained that the raw materials they have put into the construction of even their “rejects or seconds” basically they couldn’t let them go for under $200.00 not even the ones that had no bottoms.

Sure fiberglass is the ideal way to construct something “custom” light weight and semi-flexible, but if cost is an issue … let me tell you it’s expensive unless you are a fiberglass fabricator yourself – even then it’s not exactly cheap.

I ended up buying a 200 some gal fiberglass tub (which had no bottom what so ever) for $25.00 from one of the fiberglass fabricators son. His son had been mowing around the same tubs for years and his father has not done anything with them since they had no bottoms. His son (secretly) took me to them, we made a deal under the table, and off I went.

I ended up cutting a ¾” plywood round bottom for the tub, used the Sani-Tred products to seal the wood and make the new bottom one with the tub. Now it’s been holding water for over 2 years without a single drop of water lost.

 

[BillyZ]

you could always go for one of these:
http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=8&paID=1039&sonID=214&page=1&productID=9366

 

[RandyStacyE]

It's not quite 2,000 gal

 

[thelovablebum]

how about a small swimming pool

 

[andywg]

With the fibreglassing you could do it yourself (not very easy) or get someone to do it (not very cheap) but it should serve the purpose fitfully.