David R Posted May 15, 2013 Report Share Posted May 15, 2013 For those not following my thread on MFK I thought I'd share the pics from the building of my new tank yesterday. It is 2400x1200x700 and 15mm glass. So the build went off without a hitch really, it was the first time I've ever watched a tank being built, and of course I was doing more than just spectate! Despite Greg the tank maker having two stitches in his hand from an altercation with an angle-grinder the previous evening, he made the three hour drive up with the remainder of the glass and we set to it, with my father helping out with the moving and holding while we got the base and sides in place. A little over four hours later it looked like this; My wife has a few more construction pics on her phone, I'll upload them later when she gets home. Back panel painted, bulkheads in place, lines masked up for the black silicone. Sides going on. Looks great as a rimless open topped tank, maybe I could only fill it half way up... The overflow ended up being a little bigger than I had anticipated. Originally I had planned for 400x150mm, but the previous day when I was collecting the glass from his shop we were looking for a piece of tinted glass to do the job and found one that was 470 wide, so I said don't bother cutting it down. Then when he arrived yesterday he reminded me with the euro brace and the 150mm wide overflow I'd be struggling to get my hand into it if ever I needed to rescue something. Good point, so we increased the width making the final size 470x200mm. I guess it is a good thing having a larger area for the water to flow across, I had specified the overflow be 50mm below the height of the back panel, but forgot to take into account the 15mm thickness of the euro brace, so there is only a 35mm gap between the top of the weir and the bottom of the brace. The previous day after getting the ply and poly on the stand we had done a bit of dead reckoning to pre-drill the holes for the overflow drains. The holes are 60mm and the pipe is about 55mm outside diameter so there is a little leeway, however once the back of the tank was on I had a look thru from the other side and was pleasantly surprised with how perfectly it all lined up. This is the spot in the garage directly behind the tank where the sump will sit, eventually encased in an insulated cupboard. The two holes on the left are for the drains, the one on the right for the return. The room where the tank is isn't huge, I took this standing on a trestle outside the door to show the couch in relation to the tank. I'm planning on spending a fair bit of time down here, which is why I wanted the tank at eye level while sitting, here's the view from the couch. Luckily there is this little nook under the stairs which will allow me to get far enough back from the tank to get the obligatory 'full tank shot'. And last but not least, the one you've all been waiting for... Sorry I couldn't convince my wife or someone more photogenic than I to pose in it... :redface: Overall I'm very happy with how it has turned out, really glad I opted for black silicone at the last minute, and very appreciative of the work Greg has done despite the doctor suggesting he has a couple of days off to let his hand heal. The size of the tank fits the room perfectly IMO, there is enough room to squeeze down either side of the tank [just, will be good motivation to reduce my waist line I think!] and the width and height look well proportioned for my tastes. So now we wait, there's some pretty thick joins there and I want to make sure the silicone cures completely before filling. I also need to finish my plan for the sump and get it to Greg ASAP. Might not be much to update over the next week or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted May 15, 2013 Report Share Posted May 15, 2013 Nice tank, and great write up. Looking forward to seeing it with water in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgustipated Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 good stuff bro! that is perfect height for a tank i reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Awesome build David, will be watching keenly 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Well done mate, looks so professional and tidy. Wish we had a decent tank maker like Greg down here that knows his trade as well as Greg does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matto Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 awesome tank mate! cleaning it is going to be fun :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Sorry I couldn't convince my wife or someone more photogenic than I to pose in it... :redface:. What about the dog? Come, get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 awesome tank mate! cleaning it is going to be fun :lol: Yes it's a completely different ballgame when you can barely reach the back of the tank with your 2' long PVC siphon!! I'd certainly never attempt a planted tank or anything that requires much in the way of maintenance with a tank this size, a few big bits of driftwood plus some rocks and sand will be the extent of the aquascaping, I'll leave plenty of floor space free for the plecs and geophagus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Awesome tank indeed :iag: Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Appreciate you posting it here too David. Looking good and can't wait to see it finished and filled. :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Looking absolutely awesome David! Very jealous! Hey that's a big fish in the last pic.. what are you feeding him? Massivore!!! :sml1: I will have to get on with breeding you an army of F1 Wild discus now! :nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insectile Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Nice tank! looking forward to see it filled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Hey that's a big fish in the last pic.. what are you feeding him? Massivore!!! :sml1: A diet high in fermented malt is key to attaining such a size quickly! :lol: And yes, tewnty-or-so wild-type discus in a blackwater environment would be a dream come true for this tank, along with a few geos and the arowana of course. I'd be just as happy (maybe even more so) with the Altums Henward posted on the FNZAS facebook page this morning, and I may have to track down a breeder of the 'Peru Altum' scalare to get a good sized group in the mean time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 I may have to track down a breeder of the 'Peru Altum' scalare to get a good sized group in the mean time. Well I've got 4 of those that regularly lays eggs So many things to do, so few tanks to do it in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 That fish is a man-a-tee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 awesome tank, great work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptilez Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Wow that is a huge tank! Fills the room up hits nicely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 That fish is a man-a-tee fat, slow moving and enjoys warm water? :digH: Nice build btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabid Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Looks amazing mate ! Whats your floor made of and did you do any reinforcement work to it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted May 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 rabid the floor is just a regular concrete slab floor, the weight scares be a little but at the end of the day it's no different to a large 4wd/SUV being parked in the garage. I think manatee are pretty cool, I've certainly been called worse!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nudge Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 sweet tank david lookin forward to checkin it out in the flesh, nice work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabid Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Im worried enough about my rimu floor holding 2000l in total between 3 tanks , which is why I was wondering if you'd had any structural investigation done. My mate is in demo and said he has seen diggers driving on rimu floors, put my mind a little at ease.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 That is one amazing tank David. Have you thought about putting some sort of drain hole in the floor? Thats an awful lot of water should something ever happen. Assuming the room is connected to the house, which it looks to be, a good sized flood would literally take out the whole place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 That's a good point Adrienne. A floor drain in a concrete slab is serious work though and would be very costly. But I was wondering David if you have thought of the insurrance side of things if something should happen? I guess it would be covered under normal house insurrance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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