skynoch

Nice job on the mechanical and filtration. Very neat work. If the companies I work for saw what mine looks like I'd be outta work. My new set-up will be much neater. Thanks for raising the bar.

I can't wait to see it aquascaped. Its so big it looks bare even with all the monsters you have in it.

lol, it's still not as neat as it should be but a guy gets a little impatient and does a few shortcuts, the rest of my you house can still tell I'm an electrician because all the electrical is half finished.

Thanks again for the huge piece of driftwood I went for a swim last night with the rays and started to do a little aquascaping but really needed someone on the outside to tell me how it looked, so it's not exactly what I wanted yet. Spent almost an hour in there moving stuff around and playing with the rays, quite a cool experience. Also put in the air stones but need to find some suction cups to hold them in place.

I definitely owe you a couple favours now.

Hey Scott, I was wonder if it was you that bought the driftwood from Niel, great deal. I really didn't need all those pieces for my little guppy tank! LOL I am sure they will look awesome in your indoor pond. Can hardly wait to see it!! :drool:

Ya I oouldn't really pass it up at that price. Still need to find a centerpiece.

I think we'll need to do a group buy for the driftwood from spencer so we don't have to pay a ton for shipping. I've been looking for a show peice for my 210 for awhile now and spencer is the only place ive seen with the right size.

Might be a good idea.

Wow superb job on this setup! The tank looks awesome!

Woot really cool to see someone else using zavlar! I have 4 gallons of it myself (4x1gal pails, couldnt order individually so I'll have to sell some) but was just waiting to try it out on a tank! Only a few people have done it so far but it looks awesome! Did you cover with the tiles so that you wouldn't get the brown zavlar look after sitting under water? haha. And I assume you just slapped the tiles right on to the wet zavlar?

How did you seal the front panel with it? I was thinking on my tank that I would put zavlar around the window opening, and then put the glass(or acrylic, dont know yet?) against it and then zavlar up and over the edge onto he glass as well (to have like a 'double-seal', if that makes any sense?).

Cheers, And thanks for sharing!

Chris

I went with the tiles for really 2 reasons, one being I like he looks of tile and also too add more durability. Between the rays and the sand it might be like sandpaper rubbing on the bottom all the time.

You can also purchase a paint that will go over the Zavlar so you can have any color you want.

With the tank I first put on 3 coats of zavlar on the entire inside and then used a 1/8 trowel and put on the tiles. The acrylic window I also used zavlar an spread it on the edges with a 1/8 trowel and then bolted on, but I would not use this method again as the zavlar wasn't thick enough to fill all the imperfections, if the tank can be laid front down this method would work great and no bolting would be required. I then did zavlar around the seams like you are going to do. The zavlar takes a little while to get use to it so maybe do some practice pieces first, also make sure your humidity isn't very high and if you can expose it to sunlight it will cure better. oh ya any cloths you have that get zavlar on do not put in the washing machine and dryer as it will heat up in the dryer and come of on the walls....time to get a new dryer.

pm me if you have specifics you would like to know

and thanks for the kind words :smokey:

Hey Scott, I was wonder if it was you that bought the driftwood from Niel, great deal. I really didn't need all those pieces for my little guppy tank! LOL I am sure they will look awesome in your indoor pond. Can hardly wait to see it!! :drool:

Ya I oouldn't really pass it up at that price. Still need to find a centerpiece.

A little better explanation of the mechanical.

Very simple filtration. A reeflow hamerhead pump pushing through a 24" sta-rite sand filter with part of the return going to the brute garbage can which is actually a bioreactor. The electric water heater was only brought online for the initial heating as the drip system and pumps provide all the heat needed. The drip system is just a cold and hot water line valaved together and then ran through a sediment and 2 charcoal flters. There is a reeflow barracuda used for just circulation. The over flow and sand filter waste are tied diectly into the house drain lines. Added a new electrical panel for the tank equipment. The pvc junction box has controllers,timers and relays for the lighting,heater and pump. The lighting is 2- 8' 4 tube lamp fixtures with the lamps paired off turning 2 on/off at 4 different time intervals controlled by a timer designed for auto water systems. The heater controller is a johnsen controls model which allows me to set the on off temps very presicely. There is also a omron timer that when a feed pushbuttun is pressed it will shut the circulating pumps off for 10 minutes. The air pump is a podmaster ap-100 model which provides the bioreactor with air and part of the tank airstones also. Still have alot of things I want to do and try but that is what is making this whole project so fun.

And now for sme pics!

Nice Super Red and Pearl stingray. Is that a parent of my rays?

Thanks. You bet the pearl is the father of your rays and the pic is actually a bad pic of it. It has a very intense black base and gold pattern on it.

Looking good! Glad that I could help you out in the aquascaping dept, Scott.

Thanks Niel the driftwood in there will make alot of difference in they're activity level.

WOW! In basement pool and tank in one step. Does your insurance company know what's going on down there? No really, do you have to modify your insurance?

From the looks of your mechanical room, you maybe are an electrician? liquid tight flex, omron timer, recyled JB etc. Looks awesome, very well thought out. Would love to have even a fraction of this tank size, thanks for taking the time to document it.

I showed my wife this and said "I want one", but she suggested I couldn't afford the water bill after the divorce.....

But I'd find a way!!!!lol

lol, I'm not married so that may be the reason I could do this. The bills do add up a bit but it is alot cheaper than running a bunch of small tanks I'm finding and the time I'm saving on maintenance will eventually pay for it.

Haven't told my insurance company yet but my insurance broker in town is a friend of mine and he hasn't brought the wraith down on me yet.

Good eye about the electrician. I am an electrician that has been lucky enough to work in alot of areas of the trade one being the olfield and another is the maintenance at the local pool so all of this is a littl cheaper and quite similar to my job.

Thanks, I'm starting to feel sad that I didn't actully take the time to do a complete picture and walkthrough of the build.

:heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart:

:smokey: Just waiting for yours now. :thumbs:

this is so wild!! How long did it take to complete this? I'm impressed. My 6 gal tank is absolutely nothing compared to yours LOL.

The build time was actually a little over a year but there would be times where nothing would get done for a few months. To actually do the whole thing non-stop would probably take one man/woman 2 weeks of 8 hour days depending on how handy you were.

lol it's not the size of the tank it's how you use it. I'm ure there is some planted and coral tank that have taken alot longer to get to there final stage.

Haha, I just had to show my girlfriend the pictures and told her I'm doing this in our house she laughed at me and walked away.

Ps. Did anyone else see the reflection of you standing without a shirt!! Looks of things your should have kept the gym!! Totally kidding man couldn't resist!

lol hey the camera adds 10 pounds, I thought it was my girlfriend that only noticed.

A few tank updates

Some equipment shots. Very simple pool filter for mechanical, bio-reactor for bio,air pump for air stones and biorector, some pumps for circulation, electric heater and controller for heat, drip system, and relay box and timers for lights,pumps and heat.

?Just wondering is where can you get the rubber zavlar? What is the cost of it as well. I am thinking of doing a big build and would love to source that out

I picked up the zavlar from greene enviromental in Calgary.

all i can say is.....

kudos man, great job!

thank you

OMG that is amazing Scott. You take this hobby to another level. How does having a heavy load like that affect the foundation of the house? I always wanted to try something like this for my large aros but too afraid. If you don't mind me asking how long and how much did it take to build this tank.

What do you charge for the price of admission

Thanks

Raymond

No problems with the foundation since the weight is pretty spread out. I wasn't in any hurry to build and just did pieces at a time and at times I woudn't do anything for a month or more so it took over a year to do but could be done in a few long weekends. The cost was around the 10k mark for everything to get it running and the build. It could be done cheaper without tiles, smaller viewing windows and building your own plywood sump.

lol, admission is always free

That is just amazing! Wow!! I am also curious about the filtration. I can't wait to see it with rays in it

Thanks

:drool: WOW!!! :thumbs: My old Gourami looks like a small one in that monster tank! Now I am jealous as my 450 is nothing compared to that!! Can you come to my house and build one for me? LOL

Your gourami seemed alittle small at first but hit another growth spurt and is looking alot bigger. Now that you keeping all those rays you may need one.lol

That is very cool. I would love to work out on that equipment in front of that tank all day.

How did you setup your plumbing for water changes? How do you clean the walls on a tank that size? Using pool brushes?

I'm actually freeing up some time again to start using the equipment and setup the equipment I had to take down earlier. For the water changes I use a drip system with hot/cold water which goes through one sediment and 2 carbon filters, while the drain line from the tank and the pool filter are 1.5" and tie into my existing dain lines.

i would love a tank that size. would like to know what you have going as a filter? did you use glass or acrylic? you said you sealed it with liquid rubber Zavlar did you have any problems adhering the front. i read i dosn't stick to glass to well and silicon dosn't bond to well to it. i could be wrong i have not working with it. i'm building a tank and always looking for options

I used acrylic for the front and had some problems sealing with the zavlar due to the front wasn't as striaght as I hoped and the zavlar was't as thick as it needed to fill in the gaps.

this is nuts, and amazing. Definetly interested in the filtration as well good job, cant wait to see it filled up as well

I really should have done this awhile ago. I've freed up about half my time on maintenace

Nice job Scott! Great to see pics. Keep them coming. Great job on the build.

Thanks more to come for sure

now lets see some pics with Rays in there.

looks like you'll have to get a snorkel to get in there are clean that thing.

what kind of filtration are u using on that monster?

lol just a few more rays to go and another year for the juvies and then hopefully I'm done. Snorkel cleaning coming

Too bad its meant for Rays.

I think fishclubgirl and I could stock it fully with "RARE" livebearers.

She could probably completely aquascape it as well with those jungle tanks.

Although finding a Coralife big enough might be interesting let alone the fert and flourite costs.

I see why I keep to my mini nano tanks in comparison.

It really is an amazing build - I give you tons of credit.

I would love to see pics once stocked. My co-workers would be in awe.

Our basement at work is big enough maybe the Vet hosp needs a swimming pool / tank.

I wish I could have plants with rays but they tend to rip then up and move them around. I gues the lighting bill would be pretty high

on a planted tank this size but probably not as high as my ray feeding bill,lol. I think the vet hospital would for sure benefit from one.

Stellar!!!!! Well done !!

Blake

Thanks

:thumbs: This is the biggest tank I have ever seem .... it gives the term "Swimming With The Fishes" a whole new meaning .... you could actually do it. You must be very proud of yourself ..." Well Done " ..... Linda ....

Thanks, I'll be going swimming in the next couple days to do a little cleaning.

Its done! Congrads Scott. Can't wait to see pictures of the rays in there new monster tank. Very well done :thumbs:

Hopefully some updates tonight after cleaning the window.

Looks really good :thumbs:

Thank you

Looks great, Scott!

Still needs some aquascaping but it's coming

Wow, definetly want to see pictures once its all stocked! :thumbs: What kind of filtration and heating do you have on that?

For filtration there is a sta-rite 24" sand filter with about 300 galons an hour on the return side going to a bio-reactor with 5 cuic feet of aquadyne media. There are 2 pumps one 4500 gph just for turnover and the 6500 gph which goes through the filter system. For a heater all I use is the drip system at the moment but there was an initial 3000 w electric water heater hooked in line to get the temp up and to test with. I'll get some picks later

holy cow! :drool: :drool:

thanks

Finally some real pics of the setup! Looking awesome Scott. Love the choice of tiles for the vertical walls, very well thought out. Can't wait to see the full outcome once the tank is stocked.

Just about fully stocked, so I guess it's time for more pics

ONLY 2200, why so small? lol Looks great Scott. Well done, your rays will be very happy in there new home. Just wondering, did you go for a swim yet?

lol no room togo bigger or I would have. Went swiming once but not with the fish yet

Hybrid, I think we have to do a road trip to see this beauty

Always good to see ya

They are fine on barebottom tanks. It may take the ray awhile to adjust to moving on it but will get the hang of it quickly. To me it takes a big part of the rays activity away as rays will sift through the sand to look for food and it will also help a ray when feeling stressed to bury itself.

Looks good. Nice job with the pictures.

Very impressive pics!

Liking the assorment of fish. Any aggression issues with such a big tank?

Wow, your pics look fantastic, you do an amazing job with your photography.

All yor fish look great,I may have to give a flagtail a try in my new tank.

How long do you have to sit in front of our tank to get those shots.

lol ya it's a basement build which took up a good part of my gym but shold be worth it.

I was your avatar for many months.

The tank was first waterproofed with liquid rubber Zavlar painted on and then to apply the tiles I used a 1/8" trowel and the zavlar again.

Well I have access to janitorial supplies. I'm the building op at west edmonton mall. I have the keys to every door including the janitors room. Describe them for me and maybe ill grab enough for two!

If I can remember right they are the big floor polishing pads that are green. Basically think of the thin green rectangular pot scrubbing pads that are a nylon type material with no sponge on it. Google the skippy pond filter and you an see what they look like when cut up.