Floor to ceiling tank questions

[randomfishdude]

I am wondering about possibly getting a floor to ceiling tank.
I would like to know if anyone has any tips, warnings or whatever on owning a floor to ceiling tank.

I really want to be able to swim in the tank lol. It gives me the perfect excuse to jump in when I haft to for maintenance.
I do know some days I won't want to but there's always a such thing as a extender.

Also where do you get such a tank. Also what are the systems required. I am planning on having a room on the corner of the tank for all the equipment.
All 4 sides of the tank are going to be viewed into.

Tanks for any advice.

 

[blaxsun]

Check out the monster tank section. There's a few massive builds - including some concrete tanks that you can literally swim in!

 

[randomfishdude]

but where can i get such a big tank in a small coastal Texas town? i know glass cages doesn't make them above 36inches

 

[o2manyfish]

These kinds of tanks exist, but the house are usually built around the tank, and not the tank into the house.

The support for the weight of the tank is more that a standard floor is going to hold

You have to remember that tall aquariums don't do well unless they have a substantial foot print.

Assuming you have a 10' tall tank then length and width should be close to 10' each if not greater.

These volumes of water, while much more stable to maintain, require a whole different realm of equipment to operate.

Your 'Room' next to a tank this size is going to need to be the size of a 2 car garage, dedicated to just the aquarium.

If you want to start foraying into this size of tank then Start with Titan Aquatic Exhibits in Arizona for the actual engineering of the tank construction.

Then reach out to MRC for filtration requirements.

And for intank flow look towards the Panta Rhei and Abyzz Commercial Flow Pumps.

Unfortunately lighting for these depth of aquarium are not innovated at the same rate as for the hobby and most people with these size tanks are constantly evolving their lighting situations.

I had one friend that had a 16' long by 14' wide by 12' tall tank directly in the center of his house with 3 sides floor to ceiling 8' tall viewing panels.

His tank was only really enjoyable during the day time with an open roof, as technology at the time didn't have reasonable cost effective lights to operate.

Dave B

 

[randomfishdude]

These kinds of tanks exist, but the house are usually built around the tank, and not the tank into the house.

The support for the weight of the tank is more that a standard floor is going to hold

You have to remember that tall aquariums don't do well unless they have a substantial foot print.

Assuming you have a 10' tall tank then length and width should be close to 10' each if not greater.

These volumes of water, while much more stable to maintain, require a whole different realm of equipment to operate.

Your 'Room' next to a tank this size is going to need to be the size of a 2 car garage, dedicated to just the aquarium.

If you want to start foraying into this size of tank then Start with Titan Aquatic Exhibits in Arizona for the actual engineering of the tank construction.

Then reach out to MRC for filtration requirements.

And for intank flow look towards the Panta Rhei and Abyzz Commercial Flow Pumps.

Unfortunately lighting for these depth of aquarium are not innovated at the same rate as for the hobby and most people with these size tanks are constantly evolving their lighting situations.

I had one friend that had a 16' long by 14' wide by 12' tall tank directly in the center of his house with 3 sides floor to ceiling 8' tall viewing panels.

His tank was only really enjoyable during the day time with an open roof, as technology at the time didn't have reasonable cost effective lights to operate.

Dave B

thank you,
the house isn't even built yet actually. were still planning it. the ceilings are only going to be 8' tall so the tank might only be 7 or so feet.
i think we were thinking 8x6x7.
but thank you for the information. i wouldn't have thought the fish room would haft to be the size of a 2 car garage.
Maybe instead of having the fish room next to the tank it could be in the garage.

also i dont know if its really a thing for such a big tank(i dont see why not) but naturally lit would be a option for me.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Start here

Polo Reef

Welcome to Polo Reef!

www.poloreef.com

 

[bushdoc]

I am just having my retirement house built and I talked to the builder about reinforcing floor and assigning space for “fish”room”. This is all for standard 150-200 gal tank, for your size tank you need to do much more research and not only tank manufacturer, but structural engineer and contractor to talk to each other. I am also assuming that you have funds for tank this size. Stand and cabinetry + skimmer, pumps will cost you small fortune. You probably need external pumps, which are noisy, so have to probably be outside area where DT is.
Good luck!

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

that's a small tank to be jumping in on a regular basis I assume this will be fish only I couldn't see that working for a reef tank, and as a reef tank matures and grows denser its best to keep hands out ( i cant stick my hands in my tank without breaking coral every time), let alone your entire body if the tank was truly massive then yes I can see getting in, a tank this size will just be a pita to maintain, obviously you have some research still to do but I would think of other large tank options and how you are going to maintain the aquarium, it's surprising how difficult it is to design a system that is easily accessible, I wouldn't want one I have to jump into every time to do it, this opinion comes with time and experience of maintaining and growing reef tanks. if it's a fish only tank cut that maintenance difficulty in half maybe but it's still there, acess to the entire tank is key and ideal. if it's size you want for large fish depth is not necessarily the best dimension to increase, and if it's floor to cieling your trying to take up have the tank up higher and cabinetry build all around it, idk lots of options It's good to bring in ideas to get ideas, good luck with the build!

 

[randomfishdude]

that's a small tank to be jumping in on a regular basis I assume this will be fish only I couldn't see that working for a reef tank, and as a reef tank matures and grows denser its best to keep hands out ( i cant stick my hands in my tank without breaking coral every time), let alone your entire body if the tank was truly massive then yes I can see getting in, a tank this size will just be a pita to maintain, obviously you have some research still to do but I would think of other large tank options and how you are going to maintain the aquarium, it's surprising how difficult it is to design a system that is easily accessible, I wouldn't want one I have to jump into every time to do it, this opinion comes with time and experience of maintaining and growing reef tanks. if it's a fish only tank cut that maintenance difficulty in half maybe but it's still there, acess to the entire tank is key and ideal. if it's size you want for large fish depth is not necessarily the best dimension to increase, and if it's floor to cieling your trying to take up have the tank up higher and cabinetry build all around it, idk lots of options It's good to bring in ideas to get ideas, good luck with the build!

it would be a reef tank. i do get some of the stuff you are saying with access. i would assume most maintence like cleaning the sanded would be more of a thing you would use a extender for. and moving knocked down corals would be with really long tongs or something. i would personally jump in more for fun rather than for maintenance. im also not that big of a person as of right now.
i can think of a lot of ways to make some of the tasks of maintenance easier.

i dont think for corals i would do a lot of sps it would be more lps and soft coral.

 

[randomfishdude]

+ breaking corals accidently is just free easy fragging.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

+ breaking corals accidently is just free easy fragging.

that's a way to look at it, but trust me no one that spends 3 years growing out a coral wants to break it. if I break a coral I want it to be on purpose.

 

[randomfishdude]

that's a way to look at it, but trust me no one that spends 3 years growing out a coral wants to break it. if I break a coral I want it to be on purpose.

ill get 3 years with the tank then its up to my mom to take care of both parts of the tank not just half.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

ill get 3 years with the tank then its up to my mom to take care of both parts of the tank not just half.

right...

 

[randomfishdude]

Maybe I'll make a clear spot in the middle with no rocks or coral where I can sit down and watch the fish from inside

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I really want to be able to swim in the tank lol. It gives me the perfect excuse to jump in when I haft to for maintenance.

Are you going to take a shower before every "swim" to remove all deodorant, cologne, hair products, lotion, etc?? I see you're near Corpus... Talk to the folks there and see what precautions they take before someone "swims" in one of those tanks... and that's a much larger volume of water to help dilute any contaminants.

Sorry to be a downer, but save your money and take up scuba diving instead; that's a better way to spend the tens of thousands of dollars you'll need to build this personal tank.

 

[randomfishdude]

Are you going to take a shower before every "swim" to remove all deodorant, cologne, hair products, lotion, etc?? I see you're near Corpus... Talk to the folks there and see what precautions they take before someone "swims" in one of those tanks... and that's a much larger volume of water to help dilute any contaminants.

Sorry to be a downer, but save your money and take up scuba diving instead; that's a better way to spend the tens of thousands of dollars you'll need to build this personal tank.

We clearly see eachother alot. I don't think it's going to be a floor to ceiling sadly. It might be 36in which I think is plenty tall.

 

[coreytrv]

I used Titan Aquatic for mine, it's 6' tall. Museum grade seams are really cool if you have exposed corners.

Had to pour a large concrete foundation. Remote fish room, all pipes routed to garage, closed loop system, with protein skimmer and sump in attic.