Decisions made.

[esoxlucius]

Bobo got really big (~11") but still showed no interest in smaller fish to eat.

My female is now about 9" in my 360g. The smallest fish in there are a shoal of redtailed barbs which have maxed out at 4-5". I do a head count once in a while and they're all still there. She doesn't show any interest in them at all, so her early predatory stage may have been just a phase.

But then again those redtailed barbs are lightning quick and they have 360 gallons to swim in, so a slow old thing like a choc ain't gonna get close, lol. And there aren't any plants for her to use as camouflage/ambush, not that chocs are a type of predatory ambush fish anyway.

But still, in my 180 she sure took a liking to my Odessas. I think they call fish like that "opportunists". You certainly can't rule predation out completely with chocs ime.

 

[FINWIN]

The seller of the silk bushes answered quickly. She says they were in storage since she purchased them and they weren't exposed to chemicals (maybe some dust). They came in cellophane sleeves.

Meanwhile the block configurations. I have 2 ideas. Thoughts? One would need 15 blocks, the other 18 (stacked 3 high). Blocks not drawn to scale so I included the dimensions. Est. tank weight (water only) 1068 lbs. Total weight est. ~1300.

 

[phreeflow]

Wonder if you could use some 8”x8”x8” concrete blocks in combination with your
16”x8”x8” blocks so you could have a bit of space left underneath for equipment/supplies

 

[jjohnwm]

The second configuration, but without that central stack, i.e. just one stack per corner, is still far more than sufficient. Hell, just one stack dead centre would be far stronger than you need from a weight standpoint; you need 4 only for stability, not strength.

 

[Hybridfish7]

I'm looking forward to seeing this develop. I'm getting burnt out from reading all the pie-in-the-sky I-have-a-goofy-plan threads on here sometimes; I know you will think it through and then actually do something...

If you haven't had first hand experience already, imagine how I feel waiting for people to get around to reading/approving my research proposals...

 

[FINWIN]

The second configuration, but without that central stack, i.e. just one stack per corner, is still far more than sufficient. Hell, just one stack dead centre would be far stronger than you need from a weight standpoint; you need 4 only for stability, not strength.

Would that work for an acrylic tank though? Even with a table top (since they need the full support). I'm being cautious about that. I figure 3/4" maple, I've done good with that on other tanks.

 

[jjohnwm]

Would that work for an acrylic tank though? Even with a table top (since they need the full support). I'm being cautious about that. I figure 3/4" maple, I've done good with that on other tanks.

Oh, jeez, acrylic...shoulda known...

Sorry, no idea. I would think that a 3/4-inch plywood top would be perfectly sufficient (likely superior), or could even be doubled up for peace of mind, at far less cost than maple. Your drawing is not to scale; the space between the front and rear stacks will in actuality be slightly less than the width of a single stack, so much closer together than shown. Conversely, the left and right ends will be separated by almost the length of a stack, so considerably further apart than the drawing suggests.

This sounds like a job...for wednesday13 !

 

[FINWIN]

Oh, jeez, acrylic...shoulda known...

Sorry, no idea. I would think that a 3/4-inch plywood top would be perfectly sufficient (likely superior), or could even be doubled up for peace of mind, at far less cost than maple. Your drawing is not to scale; the space between the front and rear stacks will in actuality be slightly less than the width of a single stack, so much closer together than shown. Conversely, the left and right ends will be separated by almost the length of a stack, so considerably further apart than the drawing suggests.

This sounds like a job...for wednesday13 !

Yah that's why I had the middle stack. I figure that with a table top should do good. Also, I've tweaked the footprint....looking now at

45L x 22 Wx 30H (even boxier!)

 

[FINWIN]

Got the estimates from both Dream Tanks and Tanks Direct.

Tanks Direct gave me an estimate right away. I spoke to John...he's a really cool dude and had all his information right at his desk. Dream Tanks took 2 days to give e an estimate. Here are the numbers for a clear back tank, 45L x 23 x 30 (134+ gal). Dry weight 140lbs. 1/2" acrylic.

Tanks Direct 1900 flat including shipping (blue or black background 220 extra)
Dream Tanks 2550 including shipping (color additional)

I let Dream Tanks know I had a lower offer, ha haa...it worked before. I've ordered from both in the past. Roll 'em!

 

[jjohnwm]

I understand most of the advantages...and disadvantages!...of acrylic tanks as opposed to glass. I just checked our local supplier, who sells glass tanks that are made on-site at his warehouse, and he lists in stock 110-gallon glass tanks, made of 1/2-inch glass, 48 x 18 x 30 inches, at a price of $435Canadian...currently about $320US. Tack on a few bucks to build to your non-standard but similar dimensions, and I'm sure it would still be well under $500Canadian.

I have several tanks made by these folks; they are beautifully made, with perfect bubble-free joints and interior beads that are absolutely consistent and even. I spent several years in my teens working for a glass-tank builder who was an absolute OC fiend when it came to building tanks, and these locally-made ones are every bit the equal or superior of his hand-crafted gems. They are quality goods, not cheap crap

But...they're just boring old glass, without the high-techie "look" of acrylic (and, of course, without the looming specter of scratches resulting from not much more than harsh language...) and they are heavier.

I gotta ask: is lighter weight (on an object that will be moved likely once...into your house) and the look worth spending 4x or 5x as much cash for acrylic? What's the appeal?

I mean, you're saving money on things like meat thermometers for your water...but paying four times the money for the tank? It seems to me, just from perusing the tales of woe here on MFK, that acrylic tanks seem to suffer from at least as many structural and leakage problems as glass tanks...in fact, I'd guess even more.

Yeah, I know...I'm cheap.