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#1
10/03/2004, 08:42 PM
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this will be cool
OK, ive been thinking about various aquarium sizes, acrilyc, glass, ect... And I think I know what im going to do. I am going to ask tomorrow how mutch it will cost for glass peices for a 540 gallon aquarium. This will be soft corals, lps, polyps and zoos because I cant afford lighting to light a tank of this size for acros. I may have a few small SPS that are fast growing and hardy though. The dimensions are 96 inches long, and 36 inches wide and tall. What do you think ? Got any segustions?(however thats spelled) Thanks
 
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#2
10/03/2004, 09:59 PM
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Well, if lighting affordability is an issue for your 540 gallon aquarium, then I think you should reconsider the size of your tank. A 540 gallon tank will have significant expense as far as other items as well. Consider these:
Liverock Salt mix for startup Salt mix for water changes RODI for daily evap of at least 10gpd RODI for water changes RODI cartridges (they go fast!) Electricity for heating Dealing with increased evaporation Increased cooling requirements for house Fish, corals and invertebrates for 540g tank Additives, filtering media Large, expensive pumps Expensive electric, water and sewer bills I could go on and on, but my point is to consider ALL the other expenses before going with that size tank. These bills will only add up over time. My water bill and sewer bill alone are astronomical...these are issues that many people do not consider. Nanook
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Dave "The wind blew, the detritus flew and then they came two by two." |
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#3
10/03/2004, 10:26 PM
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Amen to that! It certainly ain't cheap to light a 300g softy / lps / zoanthid tank either! 3 x 250w MH and 2 IceCap 660's... 1630 watts of light + all the other equipment = a fat check being sent to the electric company each month...
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"Who ARE you people!?!" "Got Prime Rib?" ..an additional 2 foot extension.. That thing hurt many people.. "Hold your children close." Jim Hobbs |
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#4
10/04/2004, 01:18 AM
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I would have to agree, The tank alone will set you back grands. at least it did me. then figure at least another grand on a skimmer, then 500-700 pounds of live rock at $3-$5 a pound. Don't forget your sump, and fuge. The cost will be well over 10K before you blink, so I say what's another grand or 2, to get the lights to support the corals you "really" want.
As long as your going to do it do it right.
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Politically Incorrect & Morally Impaired |
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#5
10/04/2004, 02:46 PM
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My buddy and I often joke about using a BIG magnet on the back of the power meter to help with electricity costs. We’ve never done this, mainly because it’s wrong, but also, a magnet strong enough to do the job is several hundred dollars and what if it doesn’t work.
On the other hand, what if it does work; that few hundred dollars for the magnet would pay for itself in a few months. 1000watt halides would be nice. Then again, we’re faced with the same moral dilemma; at the end of the day it’s still not the right thing to do. |
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#7
10/04/2004, 05:55 PM
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You could save yourself a lot of money by not making it 36" high. Lights to reach taht kind of depth would be more expensive. It's also a pain to do maintenance on a deep tank.
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Susan |
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#8
10/04/2004, 06:17 PM
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is that power meter digital or the old style with the arms not to sure how to do it with the new digital ones but the older ones you take the glass off and take the meter and turn it upside down causing the meter to run in reverse not that i have done it but be very careful one mistake and you'll be in the next door neighbors back yard
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#9
10/04/2004, 08:03 PM
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yeah why not just sitck with like 24 or 28 or 30 at max! how ar eyou going to reach in a tnak that deep anyway?
i am 6 2 and have long arms and have trouble reaching to the bottom of my 180 24 inches deep! go shorter in the height will save money and will save on lighting, and this is going to cost quite abit i have droped 4-5 grand on my 180 and have no LR or water in it! that esitmate includes the LR salt and sand, so make sure you consider this! hwo are you ging to pay for monthly costs? nice idea but go shorter why do you want such a tall tank? and why so big? what tank do you have now? are you ready for the jump from a 75 to a 540? i had a 70 and am now doing a 180 and its taken soemtime to learn all the stuff! hope this helps! Nick |
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#10
10/04/2004, 08:06 PM
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wow and you are going to build a tank that big? 540 gallons plus sump you are building?
do you trust your self that much? haev you built a tank before? thats a big step there! be careful remeber SUPPORT THE FLOOR!!!!! thats alot of weight! wow building a tank that big good luck hope it doesnt leak! and are you sure about a glass tnak that big? you might want to reaserach this alot better! i remeber you having an idea about a pool type thing in your bed room, nice idea but make sure you reasearch before doing anything espically building a tnak yourself let alone a 540 gallon tank! Nick |
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#11
10/04/2004, 08:09 PM
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plus it seems like you are cutting alot of corners?
i ahev never heard of anyone building a skimemr that is half way decent for a tnak that large! i would not diy anything do it right or dont do it at all! you are a teen like i am and i am having trouble making this 180 come together and i make about 250 a week! i am NOT tyring to be mean just watch out for the cost dont cut orners or you will regret it and your tank will show it! you need a good skimmer and lights PLUS i dont see how you are goign to build a tank that big by yourself and do it right? Nick |
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#12
10/04/2004, 10:21 PM
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Quote:
More power to ya!! Just don't say that we haven't warned you first! Nanook
__________________
Dave "The wind blew, the detritus flew and then they came two by two." |
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#13
10/04/2004, 10:45 PM
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I just wanted to add this note. We are not trying to be a-holes we are simply trying to make you see the whole picture. We are trying to save you a lot of time, money, and heartache.
I will say this, if, and I do mean IF, you have the skill, and ability to make this tank, and all the other DIY stuff, I wish you the best of luck. I would love to see no it when you get it done.
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Politically Incorrect & Morally Impaired |
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#14
10/05/2004, 04:33 PM
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Well I went to GARF.com and found this DIY "plywood reef". I did not beveive it at first. How could this be done, really??? So I started reading and basically U build a frame, with a cut out hole in the front for a peice of glass; you fill all the holes and nots in the wood with this fake wood stuff, U sand B-fore U do that tho. Then U Paint? I think the inside with some kind of paint. Then U like spray fiberglass in-a-can all over the inside like 3 times? Then U get a big glass peice(I guess one half inch thich minimum for a 28 inch tall tank), silicone that in place and your done i guess. The only prob it that there is only 1 veiwing plane, the front. But i dont care! As long as its big!
So ive re-thought the dimensions, like 96 inches long, 36 inches wide, and 28 inches tall. Sound good? Huh? This will be cheaper I guess thann all glass. altho i dont think thats very tall tho. Ohh well whatta yew think?  
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#15
10/05/2004, 06:20 PM
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do you have the tools? Its like when i ripped apart my corvet, i had to go all over the place to get tools. I bet you have 10% of the tools needed to cut glass.. DIAMOND TIP DRILL. only way to do it correctly without splintering. 36 is to high for coral. I'm building a 720 36" high because its a FOWLR. Re-think this and don't be impulsive. be logical in your reasonings
Good luck though, and keep up posted
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"we are not here, we are the imagionations of ourselves" |
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#17
10/05/2004, 08:05 PM
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how are you going to deal with humidty as mentioned in your otehr post it seems like you are ignoring some of are suggestions, not be be a holes like mentioned above but just a thought and doe syou dad now about the electricty?
how are you going to assemble this? Nick |
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#18
10/05/2004, 09:43 PM
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Quote:
2nd, you have a lot of ? marks, "I think" and "I guess" in this post. Are you sure you want to attempt this?? |
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#19
10/05/2004, 11:01 PM
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A tank that size will cost you alot...easily over $10,000. You might be able to save money if you are able to use a skylight or greenhouse for natural lighting. Let me tell you, I have a 360g...96"x36"x24"...lots of money...and mine is just freshwater! I have considered making it reef...at a minimum I would use something like 8 250wattDE halides...a rubbermaid 300gallon vat for a sump/refugium(with a couple 400watt halides over it)...an AEtech skimmer that alone would cost over $1000...a $1200 calcium reactor...an autotopoff with RO-DI water...500lbs live rock (thats a few grand right there!). My electric bill would be around $200 a month!
Not that Im against the large tank idea for others...but I think what everyone is trying to say here is that with reefing....if youre going to do it at all...do it right...and by that, I would add>>> do it perfect. Cutting corners does not a great reef make. Saving a little on glass or lighting just doesnt add up to much in the long run...in fact you will prolly regret it. Personally, I dont see the point in large reef tanks. (Yeah, yeah, dont flame me...I know...why am I here then!?) I am in this forum because I have a large tank (cichlids), and also like reefs...and sometimes there are some really wacked out & trick systems here to see. But I prefer smaller tanks. Many here might say that if money were no object, they would have a reef bigger than their bedroom...not me. I like smaller tanks. I like being able to observe pods in a close-up environment...seeing the individual critters on the rocks (hard to do in a tank where the rocks are 20" from the front glass). I like being able to keep smaller fish safely. I would rather have a dozen 30 to 75 gallon tanks rather than one 600gallon. Truth is...you miss so much in a large tank. I mean...what few 'reef-safe' critters are you able to keep in a XL reef that you arent able to in a 90 or 125g? Oh well...Ill get off my soap box now...but really...IMO, never cut corners. Try to figure out what the best/largest/expensive equipment you can get is...and then select your tank size based on this. If I had to have a tank of that many gallons, I would prolly make it a corner tank...a long 'L' with the two legs being 8' long, but only 24" wide and 24" deep...heck, maybe only 18"x18"...that would be cool. Last edited by Herbert T. Kornfeld; 10/05/2004 at 11:20 PM. |
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#21
10/06/2004, 12:28 AM
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Im getting out of them right now (reefing has taken over!), but I was addicted to tanganyikan cichlids. I had a pertty decent breeding operation going on. anywhere from 15-40 tanks at any given time with large 300gallon rubbermaid vats for fry grow-out. I bred calvus, cyps, xenos, frontosas, synodontis, shellies, lamprologus types, etc. now I just have a breeding colony of wild yellow calvus (very rare), melanogenys, and grandis cyps...as soon as I sell them off the 360g comes down.
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#22
10/06/2004, 12:41 AM
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I am setting up my 375g 96x30x30 for Mpimbwe Frontosas and a yellow calvus would be awesome!!
Nook PS: I have a 470g 60x60x30 cube I am just about ready to add SW to for my stony coral tank too. I wanted to do both tanks reef, but in the end, finances took over and it became prohibitive. That was the point I was trying to make to this young man here.
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Dave "The wind blew, the detritus flew and then they came two by two." |
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#23
10/06/2004, 02:12 AM
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Between the title of this thread and...
Quote:
I'd strongly suggest you heed the advice of the others here to save yourself a huge amount of frustration down the road. There is a lot of experience behind this advice and the bottom line is everyone is trying to avert what, at least IMO, is starting to sound like a situaiton where someone might be getting in over their head. Brett Last edited by Putawaywet; 10/06/2004 at 02:27 AM. |
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#24
10/06/2004, 07:44 AM
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exactly how many SW tanks have you had in the past? i can tell you there is a natural progression here..noone just jumps into 540 gallon tank. i have a 367 (96Lx24Hx36W), i built the tank, sump, stand and built it into the wall myself. then i bought some equipment new, and some used...after 4 years, the closest estimated cost i can come up with is around $18,000...if you cant afford an initial upfront cost of around 3-4k for this size tank, you will never, ever have enough $ to stock or maintain this tank...i suggest you strongly reconsider your goals here.
keep in mind, once you have 800 gallons of water in your house, its almost a permanent decision. you just dont wake up one day and decide that you dont want or cant handle a tank that large. i suggest you slow down a bit, think about it for about a month, form some kind of budget and see if you can realistically afford and maintain something this large. just my thoughts mike |
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#25
10/06/2004, 10:56 AM
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doesn't this young lad have another thread going were he wants a 600g or more look down tank using a pond liner in his room? I'm sure I reply'd to that thread. he stated his dad would pay for it or his allowance or something?
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