3,000 Gallon Indoor/Outdoor Aquarium DIY Build

[Devaji]

ok had a few min. to read through...dang that is great guess you are a builder and can to all this DIY?
love everything about this. the landscaping is even epic. wanna come out to the Tetons and do that to my house...lol family vacation?

keep the post coming!

 

[TheWildWillauers]

WOW this is crazy epic.

Following!

Thank you!!

ok had a few min. to read through...dang that is great guess you are a builder and can to all this DIY?
love everything about this. the landscaping is even epic. wanna come out to the Tetons and do that to my house...lol family vacation?

keep the post coming!

HAHA don't tempt me! That would be a dream to be able to build systems for others, as much as it is a pain in the butt, I think I enjoy the building process just as much as maintaining the system. I really appreciate the kind words!

 

[Y2kong]

Awesome build

 

[TheWildWillauers]

-July 2018

The natural sunlight does have its drawbacks; the algae grows like crazy!

To help combat, I pulled the trigger on a pentair UV sterilizer. This seems to have really helped clear up the cloudiness after a few weeks

Finishing up some aquascape; I had to get in the tank to complete the back structure

Finishing up the exterior fascia nearly complete!

 

[Mr_Knightley]

Awesome man!

 

[TheWildWillauers]

Awesome build

Awesome man!

Thanks guys!!

Since the end of the summer of 2018, the actual building has been complete. The system has been going through changes since then, like everyone else's system, trying to tweak and streamline certain things. My next plan is to build a larger skimmer so I can throttle back on water changes.

-December 2018

 

[FishTruck]

This is NUTS!!! I love it.

The best part... sitting outside in the winter, in your hot tub, and admiring reef fish. I need to see video of that!

 

[TheWildWillauers]

This is NUTS!!! I love it.

The best part... sitting outside in the winter, in your hot tub, and admiring reef fish. I need to see video of that!

Haha Thank you! That really is our favorite thing about the whole system. Relaxing in the hot tub in the snowy weather just watching the fish dart around.

 

[TheWildWillauers]

I just threw together this short video showing the tank last night from outside at various vantages. Unfortunately the shark never came out to play , next time!

 

[TriggerFinger]

I saw the pupper in the above post! please post pics of him or her too, we love dogs also! Welcome to R2R!!

 

[Chrisfish]

Absolutely beautiful tank and your landscaping is breathtaking, thanks so much for sharing it with us. !!

 

[AlexG]

@TheWildWillauers

Just wanted to get some clarity on this seal method to make sure I understand it correctly. The bolts go through the outside steel frame pass through the viewing panel without threads then partially into the acrylic block where they thread in for a snug fit?

-Applying silicone to the inside of the acrylic frame to help create a better seal once the bolts are tightened

 

[h2so4hurts]

Similar Q to @AlexG , is that an internal acrylic brace with exposed bolt heads? What are the bolts made out of? Titanium? I tried to do something similar in my plywood disaster build, but covered everything in marine adhesive because SS will rust eventually if submerged in SW, even 316. There was a cool comment on my thread to countersink in acrylic and then seal the bolt heads to prevent rusting into the tank.

 

[TheWildWillauers]

I saw the pupper in the above post! please post pics of him or her too, we love dogs also! Welcome to R2R!!

Haha Thank you! He is an American Bully, named Bronx, we rescued a few years ago, he is about 5 years old now, but still acts like a puppy! Even though he can be a terror, making chew toys of just about anything he can find, he is such a sweetheart. We have always had huskies before, so he is pretty much just a lazy meatball compared to them.

-Clearly, he is very spoiled

Absolutely beautiful tank and your landscaping is breathtaking, thanks so much for sharing it with us. !!

Thank you! I really appreciate that

Just wanted to get some clarity on this seal method to make sure I understand it correctly. The bolts go through the outside steel frame pass through the viewing panel without threads then partially into the acrylic block where they thread in for a snug fit?

Yep, that is exactly it! Through the steel L frame, passing through the viewing panel that does not have threads into the acrylic frame that does have threads

Similar Q to @AlexG , is that an internal acrylic brace with exposed bolt heads? What are the bolts made out of? Titanium? I tried to do something similar in my plywood disaster build, but covered everything in marine adhesive because SS will rust eventually if submerged in SW, even 316. There was a cool comment on my thread to countersink in acrylic and then seal the bolt heads to prevent rusting into the tank.

We just used stainless steel bolts. The internal acrylic frame/brace was not completely drilled through, thus keeping the bolts non-exposed to the water. We had to thread tap the acrylic frame to allow for the bolts to get a firm bite, otherwise there was too much torque and would snap the heads.

 

[TheWildWillauers]

-July 2019

Around 9am to 3pm is the best time to view the tank, I just love seeing the fish under natural light. You can see the outside panel was really neglected at this time, these pictures were only a few days apart, the algae is my arch nemesis lol

 

[BZOFIQ]

Absolutely awesome!

 

[Devaji]

for the summer months or when you get intense direct sun light have you thought about the green house shad cloth? the stuff they use in green houses so the plants not fry in the summer heat. I believe you can get it in different levels of shad - if that makes any sense.

BTW I should this to my GF she not normally to excited about fish tanks but she really liked this one, she said great job on the land scape and viewing from the hot tub!
you sir have done the impossible. lol

 

[TheWildWillauers]

Absolutely awesome!

Thank you!!

for the summer months or when you get intense direct sun light have you thought about the green house shad cloth? the stuff they use in green houses so the plants not fry in the summer heat. I believe you can get it in different levels of shad - if that makes any sense.

BTW I should this to my GF she not normally to excited about fish tanks but she really liked this one, she said great job on the land scape and viewing from the hot tub!
you sir have done the impossible. lol

I have thought of that! I currently use tarps, especially the past week or so, it has been non-stop sunshine and 90+ degree weather, but I hate the looks of it. I would like to eventually come up with something a little more aesthetic and convenient like a greenhouse shade cloth that could roll out/up depending on weather conditions.

And thank you, that is quite the compliment! lol You know something must have been done right when you can convince a significant other about a project

 

[Devaji]

Thank you!!



I have thought of that! I currently use tarps, especially the past week or so, it has been non-stop sunshine and 90+ degree weather, but I hate the looks of it. I would like to eventually come up with something a little more aesthetic and convenient like a greenhouse shade cloth that could roll out/up depending on weather conditions.

And thank you, that is quite the compliment! lol You know something must have been done right when you can convince a significant other about a project

Here is an idea...not sure it 's a good one, but here it is none the less. get on of the fancy auto RV awning ( may used from a salvage yard ) and add the green house shade cloth to that. then somehow hook it up to a temp gauge or timer that at X temp or Y time it rolls it out then after X temp or Y time ( evening or when ever ) rolls it back up. + have an auto over ride just encase you want to view fish or do mid day maintenance you can adjust.. BOOM thank me later...haha

PS yeah do did something right with this build alright!

 

[dragon99]

Thank you!!



I have thought of that! I currently use tarps, especially the past week or so, it has been non-stop sunshine and 90+ degree weather, but I hate the looks of it. I would like to eventually come up with something a little more aesthetic and convenient like a greenhouse shade cloth that could roll out/up depending on weather conditions.

And thank you, that is quite the compliment! lol You know something must have been done right when you can convince a significant other about a project

Have you looked at blue shade cloth? Might help control the algae a little

ChromatiNet Blue Shade Cloth | Gothic Arch Greenhouses

ChromatiNet Blue Shade Cloth is allows you to grow healthy plants that meet market requirements

www.gothicarchgreenhouses.com