Building My 15,000 Gallon Mini Mega Tank

[arapaimag]

Great vid I love it!
A few questions: It looks like the base of the tank is set up with small walls sort of a grid sectioning the bottom of the tank, I don't know how many. All of these short walls seem to be at the same level as the glass. So if the glass was removed you can still fill up the first two, two and a half feet with water. Is that for maintainance, so you can drain half or 1/3 of the tank (depending how many sections/grids) and keep water and fish in the rest of the tank. For instance if the bottom needed resealing or something? Or is it just structural?
Also glass vs. acrylic? If you did it over again would you use acrylic?

Yes the walls I put in so that if I had a leak or problem the fish could remain on one side while the other side could be worked on.

It also provides a block on bottom fishes sight lines and helps avoid conflicts.

The L shape also provides a loss of sight and avoids conflicts. (Learned this from keeping birds).

It also makes it easier to catch fish when they are relegated to one side or the other.

Also it does provide a little structural strength. But I also used extra steel beams above the water to also give it more strength (advice from an engineer).


I also did this in the 52,000 where the wall there is 4 feet high. If you look at the building the 52,000 thread you will see I show 4 feet of water on one side and a completely dry floor on the other side. I mean not even one drop of water. This was done without fish in the tank in the testing stages in 1994 when I was filling and flushing.

Here is the update video on the 52,000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN60AMMuuow

 

[JK47]

I was asked by a hobbyist for a list of the fish I keep in my 100+ tanks.

Here it is and I hope I have not missed too many

number of fish species scientific names are always changing common name to me


9 Abramites solari(hypselontus) abramite
100+ Ancistrus lineolatus bushy nosed pleco
1 Ancistrus sp. red marble plecos
2 Ancistrus sp. red marble longfin plecos
1 Anguilla anguilla sarrgossos eel
2 Anostomus taeniatus blackline headstander
1 Anostomus trimaculatus anostomus
2 Apisto cacautoides apistogramma
1 Apteronotus albifrons black ghost knife
2 Arapaima gigas Pirarucu
15 Astatotilapia obliquidens (zebra) obliquiden
1 Astronotus ocellatus oscars
8 Astronotus ocellatus oscars tiger
6 Astronotus ocellatus oscars albino
9 Astyanax mexicanus blind cave fish
2 Atractosteus tristoechus cuban gar
1 Auchenoglanis occidentalis giraffe cat
25+ Aulonocara baenschi sunshine peacock
10 Aulonocara flavescens blue dorsal flavescent peacock
25+ Aulonocara jacobfreibergi jacobfreibergi
25+ Aulonocara korneliae regal peacock
4 Aulonocara sp silver crest peacock
6 Aulonocara sp ? astato neon blue
6 Aulonocara sp ? martini red
2 Aulonocara stuartgranti stuart grant
1 Bagarius yarelli grandfather catfish
1 Balistoides conspicillum clown trigger
15 Barbodes pinnauratus(barbus orphoides) orange gill barb
6 Barbodes schwanefeldii(Barbus) tin foil barbs
1 baryancistris spec. iriri gold nugget pleco
1 Batrachomoeus trispinosus stone fish
13 Betta Splendens siamese fighting fish
6 Botia morleti skunk loach
6 Botia striata striated loaches
1 botia ? tiger type loach
2 Boulengerochromis microlepis tanganyika giant cichlid
25+ Brachydanio rerio zebra danio
1 Brachyplatystoma filamentosum jumper cat
1 Brachyplatystoma jurense jurense
1 Brachyplatystoma tigrinum (Merodontus tigrinus) king tiger
5 Bruchromis chrystes Bruchromis chrystes
5 Bruchromis rhodesia Bruchromis rhodesia
15 Brycon brevicauda brycon
8 Brycon falcatus brycon
2 Brycon melanopterus brycon
1 Callophysus macropterus giant pimidilodus
8 Capoeta arulius auriulus barbs
12 Capoeta tetrazona tiger barb
12 Capoeta titteya cherry barb
2 Carassius auratus shbunkin goldfish
2 Carassius auratus wakin
1000+ Carassius auratus goldfish
5 Celebes Celebes rainbows
3 Celestichthys margaritatus celestial pearl danios
1 Centrodoras hasemani
1 Centromochlus heckeli skinny cat
1 Cetopsis candiru candiru catfish
4 Chaka chaka chaka chaka
1 Channallabes apus (Gymnallabes typus) eel catfish
2 chromis xanthurus damsels blue/yellow tail
7 Chromobotia macracanthus clown loaches
3 Chrysemys scripta elegans red ear slider
25+ Chrysemys species painted turtle
1 Chrysemys species yellow belly slider
1 Chrysichthys furcatus aluminum cat
1 Cichla temensis peacock bass temensis
2 Cichlasoma argentea argentea
2 Cichlasoma centarchus centarchus
100+ Cichlasoma synspilus synspilus
4 Cichlasoma urophthalmus urathalmus cichlids
1 Clarias batrachus walking catfish
1 Clarotes laticeps blue nile catfish
4 Corydoras adolphi adolphi cory
5 Corydoras aenus bronze cory
4 Corydoras axelrodi corydoras
3 corydoras duplacarus duplacarus cory
2 Corydoras melanistrus 1 corydoras
6 Corydoras paleatus corydoras
3 Corydoras panda panda cory
4 Corydoras rabauti corydoras
3 Corydoras robinae Robinae cory
3 Corydoras sterbai corydoras
3 Creicara punctalatun
1 Ctenopoma acutirostre leaf fish
1 cyclocheilichthys janthochir pretty finned river barb
25+ Cyphotilipia frontosa frontosa
25+ Cyprinus carpio koi
5 Cyprinus carpio koi longfin
4 Cyrtocara moorii Blue Dolphin deep water Haps
1 Danio aequipinnatus giant danio
1 Dianema longibabbus porthole catfish
1 Dianema urostraitum flag tail porthole catfish
6 Dicrossus filamentosa checkerboard cichlids
2 Dimidiochromis compressiceps compressiceps
2 Distichodus fasciolatus distichodus
3 Distichodus sexfasciatus tiger distichodus
2 Distichodus shenga distichodus
2 Epalzeorhynchus kalopterus Siamese algae eater 2
2 Epalzeorhynchus siamensis Siamese algae eater
1 Erpetoichthys calabaricus rope fish
9 Fossochromis rostratus rostratus
1 Gemicanthus lanmarck lamark angel
13 Gnathonemus petersii elephant nose
1 Gramma loreto royal gramma
1 Gymnarchus niloticus aba aba
5 Gymnocorymbus ternetzi black tetras
1 Gymnothorax polyuranodon or (Monopterus alba) fresh water moray eel
1 Gymnotus carapo carapo knife
2 Gyrinochelios aymonieri chinese algae eater
3 Hampala macrolepidota hampala barbs
5 Hap nigrans???? Hap nigrans????
4 Haplochromis livingstonii livingstoni
6 Haplochromis mloto mloto
2 Haplochromis polystigma polystigma
6 Haplochromis salousi salousi
4 Haplochromis Species 44 (Red Tail) species 44
1 Haplochromis venustus Venustus african cichlid
6 Hasemania nana silvertip tetras
2 Hassar orestis(Hassar Hassar) Hassar cat
3 Hemibagrus wyckii (Mystus wyckii) crystal eyed cat
1 Hemibagrus wyckioides (Mystus nemurus) red tail asian
2 Hemichromis bimaculatus jewel cichlid
6 Hemigrammus bleheri rummy nosed tetra
6 Hemigrammus rodwayi gold tetra
7 Hemiodopsis gracilis tetra
2 Hemisynodontis membranaceus mustache synodontis
1 Hepsetus odoe african pike
8 Herichthys bartoni bartoni
50+ Herichthys citrinellus red devil
2 Herichthys dovii dovii
1 Herichthys hartwegi hartwegi
6 Herichthys labridens gold cichlid
3 Herichthys maculicauda black belt cichlid
3 Herichthys managuense jaguar cichlid
20 Herichthys nigrofasciatus convict cichlid
10 Herichthys nigrofasciatus hybrid with parrot fish convict/parrot hybrid cichlid
6 Herichthys salvini salvini
2 Herichthys tamosopoensis tamosopoensis
1 Herichthys umbriferum umbie
1 Heteropneustes fossilis fossil cat
2 Hoplarcus psitticus parrot cichlid
2 Hoplosternum thoracatum hoplo cat
2 Hypancistrus zebra zebra plecos
1 Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis Lemon Tetra
25+ Hypostomus plecostomus pleco
12 Hypsophrys nicaraguensis nicaraguense
1 Ictalurus furcatus blue channel cats
12 Julidochromis dickfeldi julies
12 Julidochromis marlieri julies
100+ Julidochromis regani julies
4 julidochromis transcriptus transcriptus juli
1 L201 Pseudo Zebra inspector L201
3 Labeo bicolor red tail shark
10 Labeo erythrurus (frenatus??) rainbow sharks
25+ Labeotropheus fuelleborni fuelleborni
25+ Labidochromis caeruleus electric yellow caeruleus
3 Labiobarbus festiva arrow shark
6 Lamprologus leleupi leleupi
1000+ Lebistes reticulatus (Poecilia reticulata) guppies
1 Lepidosiren paradoxa south american lungfish
2 Lepisosteus oculatus florida gar
1 Lepisosteus spatula Atractosteus spatula alligator gar
1 Lepisostus Osseus longnosed gar
3 Leporinus affinis fasciatus
2 Leporinus agasiz leporinus
4 Leporinus arcus leporinus
16 Leporinus faciatus Leporinus faciatus
2 Leporinus friderici Leporinus fredericki
3 Leporinus trimaculatus Leporinus trimaculatus
6 Leptobarbus hoeveni pink tailed sharks
1 Leuciscus idus orfe
20 Libistes reticulata endlers endlers live bearers
1 Liosomadoras onicinus jaguar cat
3 loriceria simillima lip breeding whiptails
1 Loshiosilurus alexandria pacman cat
1 Malapterurus electricus electric catfish
1 Mastacembelus armatus zig zag eel
3 Mastacembelus erythrotaenia fire eels
1 Mastacembelus favus tire track eel
1 Megalodoras irwini irwin doriad
4 Melachromis cyaneor habolos likpma island
10 Melanchromis auratus auratus
10 Melanochromis johanni(chisumulu) electric blue johanni
12 Melanochromis johanni(maingano) electric blue johanni
4 Melanotaenia praecox dwarf neon rainbows
4 Metriaclima pyrsonotos albino zebra cichlids
6 Metriaclima sp msobo deep
2 Metynnis argenteus silver dollars
5 Monoducltulus argentia Monoducltulus argentia
5 Monoductulus sebae Monoductulus sebae
1 Morulius chrysophekadion black shark
11 Myleus rubripinnis red hook
15 Myleus schomburgki black bar
2 Mylossoma aurem Mylossoma
2 nanacara anomala gold nanacara
1 Nanacara taenia nanacara
6 Nandopsis haitiensis haiti
12 Neetroplus nematopus neet cichlid
50+ Neocaridina heteropoda cherry shrimps
1 Neoceratodus forsteri australian lungfish
10 Neolamprologus brichardi daffodil brichardi
2 Notopterus chitala clown knife
1 Opsodoras orthacantus ??? doriad
1 Osphronemus goramy Giant goramy
7 Osphronemus laticlavius The Asian Goramy red tail
10 Ossubtus xinguensis parrot pacu
8 Osteoglossum bicirrhosum silver arrowana
1 Osteoglossum ferreirai black arowana
11 Otopharynx lithobates lithobates
25+ Otopharynx lithobates lithobates malri island
12 Otopharynx tetrastigma 3 eye cichlid
2 Panaque nigrolineatus royal pleco
1 Panaque suttoni blue eyed pleco
2 Paracheirodon axelrodi cardinal
3 Parachromis loisellei loiselle cichlid
3 Paratilipia aureum Tilipia
2 Paratilipia Butekoferi Buttekoferi
1 Paulicia lutkeni Zungaro zungaro
1 Peckolita vittata clown pleco
1 Pelteobagrus fulvidraco tawny dragon catfish
3 Pelvicachromis pulcher kribensis
2 Perrunichthys perruno chocolate sailfin
1 Perrunichthys perruno/sciades marmalotus chocolate sailfin
3 Phractocephalus hemioliopterus red tail catfish
3 Piaractus brachypomum(Colossoma brachyponum) colossoma
1 Pimelodus maculatus pimelodus
1 Pimelodus ornatus pimelodus
1000+ Pimephales promelas rosey yellow fat head minnows
1 Placidochromis milomo VC10
1 Potamotrygon leopoldi henlyi stingray
6 Potamotrygon sp stingrays
1 Procambarus sp. Hammers cobalt blue lobster
10 Protomelas sp. spilonotus tanzania red empress ?
10 Protomeleus Similis red empress
2 Protopterus annectens african lungfish
5 Pseudodoras niger niger
1 Pseudohemioden apithanos chameleon whiptail catfish
1 Pseudopimelodus fowleri giant frogmouth
1 Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum tiger shovelnose
10 Pseudothropheus Sp. callianos
5 Pseudotropheus "acei" yellow fin acei
2 Psuedotropheus aurora
5 Psuedotropheus demasoni demasoni
50+ Psuedotropheus zebra yellow male/brown female african
2 Pterodoras granulosus large blind cat
5 Pterophyllum scalare marble angels
1 Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps
1 Pterygoplichthys scrophus Rhino Pleco
8 Rasbora heteromorpha harliquin rasbora
4 Rhamphochromis macrophthalmus Rhamphochromis
3 Rineloricaria 'parva' whiptail cats
12 Rocio octofasciata jack dempsey
12 Salminus maxillosus south american salmon
1 Scatophagus argus red scat
4 Schizodon vittatus/fasciatum leporinus (barred/spotted)
12 Sciaenochromis ahli hap ahli
4 Sciaenochromis fryeri electric blue hap
2 Scleropages formosus red tail golden
1 Scleropages formosus red tail golden high back
1 Scleropages formosus super red
1 Scleropages formosus green arrowana
2 Scleropagus jardini jardini arrowana
1 Serranus tabacarius tobacco basselet
1 Serrasalmus elongatus elongatus or pike piranha
1 Serrasalmus geryi violet line piranha
1 Serrasalmus natteri red breasted piranha
3 Serrasalmus piraya Pygocentrus Piraya piranha
2 Serrassalmus notatus Pygocentrus caribe caribe piranha
3 Serrassalmus species pirahna
1 Sorubim lima shovelnose
1 Sorubimichthys planiceps planiceps
6 Species 14 lake victorian species 14
12 Species 44 lake victorian species 44
1 Sphaeramia nematoptera pajama cardinal spotted
3 Symphysodon sp.) discus red candy apple
4 Symphysodon sp.) discus marlboro red
1 Synodontis eupterus feather fin synodontus
1 Synodontis eupterus eupterus
4 Synodontis ? upside down cat
3 Synodontus angelicus angelicus
1 Synodontus budgetti? black synodontis
1 Synodontus decorus decorus synodontus
1 Synodontus greshoffi greshoffi
7 Synodontus multipunctatus multipunctatus
4 Synodontus notatus notatus synodontus
2 Synodontus occifer synodontus
1 Synodontus petricola petricola
1 Tetraodon mbu Mbu Puffer (Congo Puffer)
6 Theraps wesseli wesseli cichlid
1 Thorichthys meeki firemouth cichlids
1 Tilipia chambo Tilipia chambo
1 Trachelyopterus fisheri (Parauchenipterus fisheri) wood cat
1 Tracycorystes tracycorystes big mouth cat
9 Tramitichromis intermedius intermedius
3 Trichogaster chuna (Colisa sota) honey gouramie
2 Triportheus angulatus giant hatchetfish
12 Tropheus moori kaiser 2
12 Tropheus moorii red saddle flame
2 Vespicula depressifrons wasp fish
2 Wallago leerii wallago
3 werneri threadfin rainbows
3 Xiphophorus helleri swordtails red

Amazing collection!! We really need to get you into the Geophagine.. I can only imagine what wonderful tanks you would come up with for eartheaters..

 

[Egon]

Yes the walls I put in so that if I had a leak or problem the fish could remain on one side while the other side could be worked on.

It also provides a block on bottom fishes sight lines and helps avoid conflicts.

The L shape also provides a loss of sight and avoids conflicts. (Learned this from keeping birds).

It also makes it easier to catch fish when they are relegated to one side or the other.
Also it does provide a little structural strength. But I also used extra steel beams above the water to also give it more strength (advice from an engineer).
I also did this in the 52,000 where the wall there is 4 feet high. If you look at the building the 52,000 thread you will see I show 4 feet of water on one side and a completely dry floor on the other side. I mean not even one drop of water. This was done without fish in the tank in the testing stages in 1994 when I was filling and flushing.]

Yeah I figured there had to be a plan for some kind of issues with the glass panels leaking or any other kind of maintenance. Did you make the wall 4 feet for a reason? Like half the total depth? Is the wall at the corner of the L shape so it's not as easy to see?

The L shape is a great tip, thank you. That could only be learned from experience. I would never have thought line of site was an issue, I figured the L shape was to maximize a particular floor plan or another kind of structural type of support.

Any thought on Acrylic vs. Glass. If you could do it over again?

Thanks for your tips, I'm obviously in the planning stages of a very large (to me) tank.

 

[fishman256]

Great vid.

 

[arapaimag]

Any thought on Acrylic vs. Glass. If you could do it over again?

Thanks for your tips, I'm obviously in the planning stages of a very large (to me) tank.

Probably glass I have had no problems. Johnptc used acrylic and also had no problems.

What size tank are you building?

 

[Egon]

Probably glass I have had no problems. Johnptc used acrylic and also had no problems.

What size tank are you building?

Not sure, re-doing the math and looking into something L shaped now. I would like to see it in the neighborhood of 7 to 10K gallons. Now I’m completely relooking at the area I have available, but that's why we research before building lol.

 

[arapaimag]

A few pics taken by James Martin recently.

 

[VLDesign]

Love both your monster tanks!

I'd like to hear about the filtration on your larger tanks..

I saw a bead filter on the 50k. Same on the 15k?

What brand/model?
Happy with the choice of filter?
How often do you need to back wash them?

Thanks in advance.

 

[arapaimag]

Love both your monster tanks!

I'd like to hear about the filtration on your larger tanks..

I saw a bead filter on the 50k. Same on the 15k?

What brand/model?
Happy with the choice of filter?
How often do you need to back wash them?

Thanks in advance.

Glad you are enjoying them.

I'm using AlphaOne bead filters. The 30" model. wanted 36" but they don't fit through doors.

The 15k is working well I bought one of the Wunder pumps with it and am happy.

The 2 filters on the 52k don't clean the tank as well and I am using Sequence filters on them.

Backwash once or twice a week only because I use overflows and need to reduce the water level to prevent loss of flakes/pellets if the tanks are full because I have constant fresh water coming in.

 

[arapaimag]

A few more of James Martin pictures of the 15,000.

The catfish in the 4th picture is a Calophysus macropterus the Vulture catfish.

A really nice fish seldom seen in stores. This one I found at Pets Plus in Lockport New York at 5" in 2000. It cost $34.95. It is about 21' to 22" now. The black drain about a foot to his right is about 6" for size reference.

I had a bigger one in the 52,000 that I bought in 1988 at Aquarium Services in Mississauga at 6" for $29.95. It died in 2002 and measured 25" total length.

They are the only 2 times I actually saw the fish for sale and neither store knew the species name of the fish which I don't blame them as they so seldom actually see them.

There are a few hobbyists who keep them in Singapore on PFK so they are a lot more available there than the area I live in.