Contemplating a 12.000 gallon tank

[pacu mom]

NUMA has a beautiful 2500 gallon concrete tank. He could probably answer a lot of your questions. I love the cement "roots" he has in his tank.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/my-2500-gallon-concrete-mega-tank-project.438417/


I believe SeaQuatic seals their concrete tanks with polyurea

http://seaquaticaquariums.com/aquariums/concrete-aquariums/

Instead of real trees, have trees made from Zoopoxy
http://www.polygem.com/general-gallery

 

[Kostas G]

Thank you very much for your help and pointing me in the right direction

I don't know exactly what to expect as far as cost for this tank but i figure that after designing the tank shape and concrete armour, pouring the concrete itself for the tank is not too expensive. Then its the glass....which will probably cost an arm and a leg so i am contemplating 5-10k maybe for it. If it goes far beyond that cost, i will see what i can do or maybe make a smaller viewing window, even though its not the same effect as viewing the full tank from the side but with this size, maybe its the way to go if cost is way too high.
Then its the cost for concrete sealer to make the tank waterproof(maybe 2-5k max?). And the background design(2-5k max also?) + sand(0.1K per ton i think)

Then its the filtration tank and media for which i think 5k at the very most make for more than a great filtration system(right?). Then its a boiler heater(1-2K max) and probably a tap/well water treatment system with carbon for dechlorination, to skip the need for dechlorinator.

I hope to have the tank lit partly with natural light and partly with artificial lighting. Maybe 3K more on artificial lighting if using LED technology? But i hope i can provide enough natural light without risking overheating in summer. Maybe 0.1-1K for laying underground piping for cooling in summer.

Other house modifications/trims needed(2K maybe).

Grand total:
15.5K to 28.4K

Am i a long way off?

What would the running costs look like considering its low stock?

I can think of the following:

Electricity(??) - I will have solar panels as well but don't know what to expect in wattage of permanently running equipment
Water(i don't count that too much as i will be watering the garden from the tank water, so the water costs will probably be what the garden water costs would be anyway)
Fish Food(500-1000$ per year maybe)
Petrol(maybe 0,5-1K at the very most every winter?)

NUMA has made an awesome tank with lots of details there. I will try contacting him as well to hear his thoughts on the project

 

[esoxlucius]

A 12000g set up is one hell of an upgrade from a 250g. Its frightening just reading your post. If i was you i'd knock a zero off and go for a 1200g set up.

 

[Kostas G]

I just want to make 1 tank and be done with it, and since i have the chance to integrate it to the house, now it's my chance for something that big. Plus I don't want a swimming pool, so I want to build a big tank instead.
The plan is to integrate this tank at the house's edge and have a heated atrium extending above and around it with plants too tropical to grow outside(I can grow things up to zone 10a outside) and small enough to fit in the 6m tall atrium.

If I have to, I will go for smaller but my target is around 12.000g to have space to swim as well.

I am thinking of making a temporary pond/tank(around 500g) in the near future to upgrade my 250g till I can build and get the big one ready. But this one will have to be a very quick and cheap temporary build.

 

[esoxlucius]

I think you're crackers for taking on a project of this magnitude but fair play to you, you've got balls i'll give you that, in fact you must carry them round in a wheelbarrow. i hope in a couple of years time you're posting pics of you swimming with your fish. I'll be the first to eat humble pie and congratulate you. Good luck.

 

[rodger]

Did your parents agree to this?

 

[Kostas G]

Thank you, I hope all go well and I can post those pictures!


Rodger,
I am 27, a working Pharmacist, and looking to build a new house or modify an existing one I have, depending on where I settle. I will know in 6months to a year max. So my parents have no say in this build
To put it this way, the aquarium will be a small part of the total build and the least of my expenses

 

[aquaremo]

you have got some lucky fishes !!!

 

[pacu mom]

Kostas, you have to forgive some of us for being a little jaded and skeptical. There have been threads by people planning to build 100,000+ gallon tanks. Almost all of those threads turn out to be by people writing down their dreams and nothing more. Pipe dreams. For many of us, the red flags go up when anyone mentions a tank greater than several thousand gallons. The saying "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me" is in full effect on MFK. I think you can count on two hands the number of tanks greater than 1,500 gallons on MFK. Big tanks are the exception and not the norm on MFK. Tanks over 5,000 gallons are in the stratosphere on MFK--big tank owners arapaimag (50,000), johnptc (10,000), anythingfish (8,000) come to mind, and rumor has it that the last two tanks may not be running any more. Suffice it to say, when you build your 100,000 gallon tank, it will definitely be the biggest tank on MFK. Wishing you success in your big tank endeavor.

 

[Kostas G]

No offense taken, don't worry. I understand what you say and it must be disappointing if many threads open but few eventually realize, even if that is in a bit smaller size. My plan is for 6x4 meter footprint. That means around 12.000g if water level height is 2m.
I don't plan for a 100.000g. I plan for something I think is feasible with my budget and that can fit in my house design while at the same time being able to keep maintenance costs low. I also don't plan it for big fish but medium size fish. I think I would not be able to achieve a natural look with big fish even in a tank this size

Thanks for your wishes!

Any help with my initial questions at the beginning of the thread would be most helpful