Oppinions on Custom built tanks

bill109

bill109

Active Member
hello
so ill try this one more time in a different way lol
so now i need ur oppinions on these
we r redoing our house and are lookin into a custom build acrylic
so far i think i am looking at
envision acrylic (sp?)
150-200gal
in the wall room divider or shoudl i keep it simple? im starting to thins tht to mis lr and the artifiacial structures in a divider would be hard..? considering covering up the overflow deal in the middle some how? so you dont see the plumbing
3 sides are goignt o be visible front . back . one side
use the custom reef structures tht have the fake coral/rock deal. mixed with lr? does this sound like abad idea to mix them? i know fish like to graze the rocks so lr will be put in ?
so what are you thoughs and oppinions on this?
thanx again
bill109
 
shoregirl2

shoregirl2

Member
We have a custom in wall room divider, glass and love it, its really not that complicated. My overflow is in the center so I actually have views from all 4 sides.
I would definately do all live rock, its very beneficial to your tank, and its fun to create your own, formations and caves, and crevices. My fish graze on it all the time and I'm constantly finding new creatures living within.
I don't know much about acrylic, but I have already got some scratches on my glass from my mag. float that got sand stuck in the middle.
Good luck
 
doahh

doahh

Member
In my house that I am going to build I'm going to have a 10'x10'x20' shark tank... 15,000 gallons.
When you walk in my front door your going to have a freshwater tank on one side of the 5'x10' room and a reef on the other side. The FW Tank will divide the kitchen and the buffer room zone. The Reef will separate the buffer and fish watching room. Everything will be concealed including the 15,000 gallon floor to ceiling tank. Pumps and filters will be in the separate room behind. I'll have to feed by using a network of ladders above the tank. My TV will probably be in that room but I, my wife, and kids will probably rather watch my black tip shark XD
 
bill109

bill109

Active Member
Originally Posted by Doahh
In my house that I am going to build I'm going to have a 10'x10'x20' shark tank... 15,000 gallons.
When you walk in my front door your going to have a freshwater tank on one side of the 5'x10' room and a reef on the other side. The FW Tank will divide the kitchen and the buffer room zone. The Reef will separate the buffer and fish watching room. Everything will be concealed including the 15,000 gallon floor to ceiling tank. Pumps and filters will be in the separate room behind. I'll have to feed by using a network of ladders above the tank. My TV will probably be in that room but I, my wife, and kids will probably rather watch my black tip shark XD
sp ur making an aquarium lol?
 
bill109

bill109

Active Member
Originally Posted by Shoregirl2
We have a custom in wall room divider, glass and love it, its really not that complicated. My overflow is in the center so I actually have views from all 4 sides.
I would definately do all live rock, its very beneficial to your tank, and its fun to create your own, formations and caves, and crevices. My fish graze on it all the time and I'm constantly finding new creatures living within.
I don't know much about acrylic, but I have already got some scratches on my glass from my mag. float that got sand stuck in the middle.
Good luck

thankyou for ur response tht is exactly what i needed to hear
what do i do?
buy a tank oir have some one come in a make it cus it has an overflow in the middle or can you buy them tht way?
i have no idea how to plumb these big guys so im goign to have someone come in and plumb it for me lol
my tank now his a 90 and i u se all lr. but my problem is i wont be able to use all lr if i do a bg tank like a 180!
so shoudl i use a a aretefial structure to hide the over flow plubing in the middle if tht is how it works?
thanx
got a ne pics they would be greatly appreciated as well as specs on it!!! :help: :help:

-bill109
 
costa13

costa13

Member
If you are going to have it custom built than I would have the overflow built on the side that would not be viewed
 
bill109

bill109

Active Member
Originally Posted by costa13
If you are going to have it custom built than I would have the overflow built on the side that would not be viewed
o yeah good idea i didnt even think of that. is there a way to put 2 on one side or one really big one for a 180 ht covers the whole side ?
also i dontk n ow ne thing about plumbing so will the current be adjustable with the water tht comes back up for will theyall be blowing from one side?
thanx for the response!
-bill109
 
symon

symon

Member
IF i was going to do a tank as a divider i would build the overflow on 1 end, all plumbing would be run under, that would leave 3 viewable sides, you can use the live rock from your 90 to seed some base rock to get what you need for the larger tank.
Or ever better, fill that 90 up with base rock now so it will seed by the time you need it for the larger tank :thinking:
As far as plumbing, i think every situation will be somewhat different, just a matter of applying to yours!
 
bill109

bill109

Active Member
Originally Posted by Symon
IF i was going to do a tank as a divider i would build the overflow on 1 end, all plumbing would be run under, that would leave 3 viewable sides, you can use the live rock from your 90 to seed some base rock to get what you need for the larger tank.
Or ever better, fill that 90 up with base rock now so it will seed by the time you need it for the larger tank :thinking:
As far as plumbing, i think every situation will be somewhat different, just a matter of applying to yours!
ok first of thank you for the reply
so do you think it can work or is i a disater waiting to happen?
so i will have the overflow on the side not viewed. and cover that with a artifial reef sructute if possilble
next i will take all my lr and buy some more and re aquascape wih the lr and the artificial reef structure on the back if budget allows.
any other thoughts?
thanx again
-bill109
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
This is just my personal thoughts, but if its in the budget for the larger system then go bigger.
I am doing a 200dt build with a 100 sump and its TINY compared to most room divider tanks. To use a 180g DT seems like it would be too small and with built-in tanks there is little choice on upgrading later.
Most any builder will be happy to make your tank any shape or configuration you like. Thickness, overflow placement. Its all up to you for your design.
Long x Wide x Tall , divide that number by 231 and you get the gallons of volume your looking at. Play with different numbers to achive a 180 and it you will see it doesnt leave much.
Good luck on the build and take lots of pictures. As for plumbing it and helping. I am sure theres always someone from the boards that likes to meet others and would give you a hand with plumbing it.
 
bill109

bill109

Active Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
This is just my personal thoughts, but if its in the budget for the larger system then go bigger.
I am doing a 200dt build with a 100 sump and its TINY compared to most room divider tanks. To use a 180g DT seems like it would be too small and with built-in tanks there is little choice on upgrading later.
Most any builder will be happy to make your tank any shape or configuration you like. Thickness, overflow placement. Its all up to you for your design.
Long x Wide x Tall , divide that number by 231 and you get the gallons of volume your looking at. Play with different numbers to achive a 180 and it you will see it doesnt leave much.
Good luck on the build and take lots of pictures. As for plumbing it and helping. I am sure theres always someone from the boards that likes to meet others and would give you a hand with plumbing it.
i h o pe cus im awful with plumbing. like we have the idea but it sounds unreal.
as for the divider it isnt room but is sinmply going to be in my room and it going to be in a wall but we woudl like to use it as a divider but a in the wall would be fin as well..
thanx for your input. it is greatly appreciated
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Whatever your building and no matter where your putting it, think ahead and have a drain installed close to it.
A plumber can add a drain into a wall with 1.5inch drain pipe connecting to your regular house plumbing. Just like a small tilt out cabinet so its off the floor and easily covered years later if you change your mind about the hobby.
A drain close by lets you pump out for water changes without fighting through the whole house. All the forethought you add now makes keeping the larger tanks so much eaisier for years to come.
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Where are you even at? I am sure theres someone close that will help. Paying the "Specialists" can cost a fortune and they dont even garuntee the work. This is a snobs hobby for sure.
 
lesleybird

lesleybird

Active Member
I don't know if you should mix live rock with fake coral unless you don't mind if coraline algea grows all over your fake coral.
 
bill109

bill109

Active Member
Originally Posted by Lesleybird
I don't know if you should mix live rock with fake coral unless you don't mind if coraline algea grows all over your fake coral.
ok umm.. its not a big deal.. but i wanted the fake to decorate but the lr for the grazing for fish tht like it
 
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