336 gallon Native tank

[prmsdlndfrm]

Hello, new to this site, but I have grown up with the typical aquariums from fish bowls to 55 gallons, with the angel fish and mollies and guppies etc.
Have not had a tank for the past 7 years, and now wanting one again.

The family and I are renovating our home, and we have a wall between the dining room and family room we are opening up and want to put a large tank in that can be viewed from both sides. We have located a tank with the right dimensions of 72 inches long, 30 inches wide, and 36 inches tall, it holds 336 gallons, I know its biggg.

I want to create a pond theme, Ive been poking around reading info, and I know my aquarium is a real good size for this project, but I want to hear input from everyone on how to proceed from the ground up.

The wall will have a large header beam spanning the space above the aquarium, like a window, I have chosen this wall due to the concrete basement wall coming directly up under this wall, therefore transfering the weight to the footer, as this aquarium will likely aproach 2 tons when finished. I plan on running plumbing from the basement, providing a drain as well as a water supply. I am putting a small closet on north end 30 inch wide wall to house the filters, and tubing, and pumps. A swinging access hatch above the tank on family room side will provide access, and I will hang grow lights from the header above tank to provide natural light.

I never ever have had a tank this size, what filters will be needed? Our water is hard, and from a well, what will I have to do to condition it properly ? I am going to set up the tank and let it age before ever introducing the fish, how long do you think I should wait? I am going to pay the extra money and purchase the fish from growers, as these fish are accustomed to captivity and prepared food. I also want to add live plants, any suggestions on what plants to add ? I will add a sand bottom, and I want to put a 3d backing on the north 30 inch side to hide the "guts" I am hoping to add some native flat head bull heads, green sunfish, pumpkin seeds, some minnows etc... any sugestions ?

please everyone I want to hear your 2 cents

thanks Josh

 

[Aquastrategist]

For a filter I would use a fluval fx5 or two, sorry that's all I know.

 

[bkiggy]

WOW I would love to see pictures for "inprocess" and definitely final picture. Cycling would probably take 6/8 months?

 

[Tetra1990]

Stock that thing with some bluegill. They would get huge!!

 

[jetajockey]

Add lepomis megalotis to the list.

 

[KevinRM]

This is a large tank as noted. Way cool, providing lots of options.
You mention a "pond theme".
What does that really mean? A pond is open to outdoor environmental issues. You are creating an captive, and envorinmentaly controllable system, but inside a house. Lighting and water tempertures will be different, as well as water chemistry and hardness. Although the tank is going to be large, that actually will help with maintaining the details, once established.
Do you mean a fully aquatic tank (all water) sounds like it? Or a river tank (paludarium), Or something else?
You are already looking at the weight issue of the tank. Realize that this weight is proportionate to what is inside the tank (all water, or semi-water and flauna). The filtration, pumps, more, will be based on what is inside the tank.
Full aquatic fresh water requires certain filtration. Full water marine is a different fitration, and river is something else again. Same with lighting, water chemistry and hardness, etc. etc.

Hello, new to this site, but I have grown up with the typical aquariums from fish bowls to 55 gallons, with the angel fish and mollies and guppies etc.
Have not had a tank for the past 7 years, and now wanting one again.

The family and I are renovating our home, and we have a wall between the dining room and family room we are opening up and want to put a large tank in that can be viewed from both sides. We have located a tank with the right dimensions of 72 inches long, 30 inches wide, and 36 inches tall, it holds 336 gallons, I know its biggg.

I want to create a pond theme, Ive been poking around reading info, and I know my aquarium is a real good size for this project, but I want to hear input from everyone on how to proceed from the ground up.

The wall will have a large header beam spanning the space above the aquarium, like a window, I have chosen this wall due to the concrete basement wall coming directly up under this wall, therefore transfering the weight to the footer, as this aquarium will likely aproach 2 tons when finished. I plan on running plumbing from the basement, providing a drain as well as a water supply. I am putting a small closet on north end 30 inch wide wall to house the filters, and tubing, and pumps. A swinging access hatch above the tank on family room side will provide access, and I will hang grow lights from the header above tank to provide natural light.

I never ever have had a tank this size, what filters will be needed? Our water is hard, and from a well, what will I have to do to condition it properly ? I am going to set up the tank and let it age before ever introducing the fish, how long do you think I should wait? I am going to pay the extra money and purchase the fish from growers, as these fish are accustomed to captivity and prepared food. I also want to add live plants, any suggestions on what plants to add ? I will add a sand bottom, and I want to put a 3d backing on the north 30 inch side to hide the "guts" I am hoping to add some native flat head bull heads, green sunfish, pumpkin seeds, some minnows etc... any sugestions ?

please everyone I want to hear your 2 cents

thanks Josh

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Sounds fun, what native fish?

 

[bettaowner]

I would get green sunfish.

 

[prmsdlndfrm]

The tank will be all water, the pond theme idea is a natural large pond or lake, like if you were in a submarine or maybe had a room under water with a big window so you could see under water.
We are in the planning stages right now, with a project ;ike this we figure we need all the details laid out first, but I cant wait to start building, I promise to take pictures of the progress.

 

[Rivercats]

If your not doing some type of custom filtration system then on a tank that size you will need about 3 Fluval FX5's. When we were raising some imported fingerling koi for the big pond we used 2 Fluval FX5's on a 220g and they did an awesome job. One thing I suggest is try locating a really large peice of DW. I've seen many native tanks like your talking about at places like Bass Pro, Cabels, and the zoo. All those large tanks had one really nice big branchy piece of DW. Not one with thin branches but one that was in proportion to the size of the tank. They also had various sized rocks, mostly smooth ones, in the bottom, and no plants. Also you might want to consider Bull head catfish. They stay small, 8-12" tops. We keep them in one of our non Koi ponds and they would add interest to your tank without getting too big. In our area we have black bull heads which is what we keep. If you know where they spawn in your area you can actually go and hand catch 1/2" sized ones in the shallows and raise them. That is what we did.

 

[vanimal]

You could do a sump other wise large canisters are your best bet on filtration. For substrate I would use play sand or if you want a heavily planted tank you could get some substrate like Flourite. I think adding plants like Java Moss and plants that float on the surface would look really cool and natural.

 

[prmsdlndfrm]

When using multiple filters, do you bunch them together or spread them out over the top backside.

Wont plants help keep the water clean, Rivercat you said they dont incorporate plants, is that just to highlight the fish or is there another reason, I was counting on the plants to help with the maintaining of the water purity

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Wish my floor would support that kind of tank!!! Wonderful project AND I commend you for doing research first. A mistake in that size a tank would be ultra disastrous in both labor AND cost to correct.

Yes Pictures!!!! Please!!!!

 

[Rivercats]

When using multiple filters, do you bunch them together or spread them out over the top backside.

Wont plants help keep the water clean, Rivercat you said they dont incorporate plants, is that just to highlight the fish or is there another reason, I was counting on the plants to help with the maintaining of the water purity

Spread the canisters out across the tank. Also with the FX5's they have a dual directional outflow so you will get good water movement throughout the tank.

There are multiple reasons I think why they don't use plants. First, I believe many native species may eat them (not 100% sure- you'd have to research the species your interested in keeping) and two with a deep tank the only lighting that I know of that can reach that deep for plant growth would be 250w Metal Halides. Halides burn hot and need a fan to help keep them cool, they are also electricity hogs. My 220g is 30" deep and I run 3x150w 6000k Metal Halides and 4x39w 6700k T5HO's. If you click on the 2 links at the bottom of this post under "view Rivercats 220g" you can see how metal halides work in the depth of tank I have. My tank is 72L x 24D x 30H. If you want to grow plants you are going to need lights strong enough. Unless you can get a big branchy piece of DW and use plants like Java Fern (regualar and Wendilov), Anubia's, Bolbitus, and mosses that you tie onto the DW to grow. Those plants also don't require high light to grow.

Are you set on doing a species tank? If you want to do a planted tank you could pick larger species of fish to stock it with. Like Angels, Discus, Denison Barbs, Rainbowfish, and a few others that are plant friendly.

Something else I want to tell you is that a tank as deep as the one your want is a royal pain to try to work in. First look at the height of it after it is mounted, you have to use a step stool to work in it. Then the fact a 36" deep tank you won't be able to reach to the bottom to work if you do want plants. I have a special set of 24" stainless steel aquascaping tools and when I work in my tank I have to get on a step stool and it's still ackward. Just something for you to think about.

 

[vanimal]

Spread the canisters out across the tank. Also with the FX5's they have a dual directional outflow so you will get good water movement throughout the tank.

There are multiple reasons I think why they don't use plants. First, I believe many native species may eat them (not 100% sure- you'd have to research the species your interested in keeping) and two with a deep tank the only lighting that I know of that can reach that deep for plant growth would be 250w Metal Halides. Halides burn hot and need a fan to help keep them cool, they are also electricity hogs. My 220g is 30" deep and I run 3x150w 6000k Metal Halides and 4x39w 6700k T5HO's. If you click on the 2 links at the bottom of this post under "view Rivercats 220g" you can see how metal halides work in the depth of tank I have. My tank is 72L x 24D x 30H. If you want to grow plants you are going to need lights strong enough. Unless you can get a big branchy piece of DW and use plants like Java Fern (regualar and Wendilov), Anubia's, Bolbitus, and mosses that you tie onto the DW to grow. Those plants also don't require high light to grow.

Are you set on doing a species tank? If you want to do a planted tank you could pick larger species of fish to stock it with. Like Angels, Discus, Denison Barbs, Rainbowfish, and a few others that are plant friendly.

Something else I want to tell you is that a tank as deep as the one your want is a royal pain to try to work in. First look at the height of it after it is mounted, you have to use a step stool to work in it. Then the fact a 36" deep tank you won't be able to reach to the bottom to work if you do want plants. I have a special set of 24" stainless steel aquascaping tools and when I work in my tank I have to get on a step stool and it's still ackward. Just something for you to think about.

I have the same exact size tank as you and it is such a pain. I have to take my shirt off and stand on a stool to get into the bottom of my tank. And wow you have a lot of light on there!

 

[Rivercats]

I have the same exact size tank as you and it is such a pain. I have to take my shirt off and stand on a stool to get into the bottom of my tank. And wow you have a lot of light on there!

Check out the tank pic's at the bottom of the post and you'll see with as heavily planted as my tank is why I have such high light. With a deep tank you need lights that can penetrate that deep if you want good plant growth.

 

[phishfriend]

As rivercats mentioned DW would be awesome to add www.aquariumplants.com has some really really nice large pcs for sale under the "driftwood" link. A bit price but very very cool. Check it out.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

I agree with jetajockey. Longear sunfish would look awesome.
Sounds like a cool project! :envy:

 

[prmsdlndfrm]

Dont angel fish get realy big in a big tank, they would be interesting at a large size.
Do cat fish eat plants, I thought they were strictly carniverous, maybe a pike would be good, I think a northern Pike would be cool, though could not put anybody with him or hed eat them

 

[phishfriend]

Pike would be cool. You could also do walleye bass and sunfish. Throw a gar in for good measure.