Looking for large tank build planning advice

[Hefromabove]

I'm currently in the beginning stages of planning to get a larger sized tank, at least 300g+ though probably closer to 500g+, and have about a million and a half questions. I did have a 65 gallon tank for close to 3 years, but sadly had to part with it due to changes in housing arrangements. Me and the Mrs are planning on buying a house as soon as the market cools off. I've already negotiated it with her that I can have a 'massive fish tank at least 300 gallons' so this gives me the opportunity to decide on a tank and make the house fit the tank, instead of the other way around.
So on to the questions:
- Is there a size where, once you get to it it really isn't worth going bigger unless you go many multitudes bigger, ie. If I was thinking of getting a 600 gallon I should opt for a 500 instead or jump up to 900?
- Is it better to go with prefab tanks or am I better off getting custom work done at this size? This I'm asking more with quality in mind as opposed to price.
- Would it be worth it to consider a bow front or cylindrical tank at this size or are those just gimmicks and a waste of money?
- How important is the depth of the tank? I know a lot of larger fish you would want to put in a tank this size need room to swim back and forth so length and width are important, but does the tank need to be deeper than 3ft or 4ft?
I'm sure I'll have many more questions as I get answers so I hope you'll indulge me. Thanks in advance to anyone who reaches out to help me.

 

[Timfish]

I'd go with a glass and metal frame over acrylic. Be sure the foundation can handle the static load where it's going to sit at. Prices are going to be be variable so pick a manufacter that's been around a long time and has good reviews. As far as shape wider si better but you should decide on your major fish then decide on ideal diamensions for the tank. Lastly, REDUNDANCY, REDUNDANCY, REDUNDANCY, make a diagram with all your equipment and study what happens WHEN something breaks.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Definitely do not go with a bow front or a cylinder— unless your name is “Epcot” and you have a paid staff to clean curved glass! Lol.

 

[Pntbll687]

I'm currently in the beginning stages of planning to get a larger sized tank, at least 300g+ though probably closer to 500g+, and have about a million and a half questions. I did have a 65 gallon tank for close to 3 years, but sadly had to part with it due to changes in housing arrangements. Me and the Mrs are planning on buying a house as soon as the market cools off. I've already negotiated it with her that I can have a 'massive fish tank at least 300 gallons' so this gives me the opportunity to decide on a tank and make the house fit the tank, instead of the other way around.
So on to the questions:
- Is there a size where, once you get to it it really isn't worth going bigger unless you go many multitudes bigger, ie. If I was thinking of getting a 600 gallon I should opt for a 500 instead or jump up to 900?
- Is it better to go with prefab tanks or am I better off getting custom work done at this size? This I'm asking more with quality in mind as opposed to price.
- Would it be worth it to consider a bow front or cylindrical tank at this size or are those just gimmicks and a waste of money?
- How important is the depth of the tank? I know a lot of larger fish you would want to put in a tank this size need room to swim back and forth so length and width are important, but does the tank need to be deeper than 3ft or 4ft?
I'm sure I'll have many more questions as I get answers so I hope you'll indulge me. Thanks in advance to anyone who reaches out to help me.

There are so many things to consider.
Make a list of features you want or "must have" and start the selection process there.

I'm going to guess the actual tank will be dependent on the house you buy, the location is going in, and how you need to get it in there.

 

[Hefromabove]

I'd go with a glass and metal frame over acrylic. Be sure the foundation can handle the static load where it's going to sit at. Prices are going to be be variable so pick a manufacter that's been around a long time and has good reviews. As far as shape wider si better but you should decide on your major fish then decide on ideal diamensions for the tank. Lastly, REDUNDANCY, REDUNDANCY, REDUNDANCY, make a diagram with all your equipment and study what happens WHEN something breaks.

A lot of good advice here. Glass and metal frame were a must from the get go. I was planning on having a contractor go through and let me know where in the house it would be safe to put the tank or what I would have to do to make it safe. I figured the tank size and shape would depend on the fish I choose. I would like to keep it at 36 inches high or even 30 just for ease of maintenance and getting it in the house. Redundancy is key yes I agree strongly. I was planning on making a diagram. Studying what happens when things fail is a brilliant idea definitely doing that.

 

[Kershaw]

I would personally ignore the gallons and figure out the foot print you want. Maybe get some blue tape and tape the sizes you are thinking on the floor. After you Decide on foot print then you can adjust height to achieve gallons you desire.
For me I would like a 8’x36” or 8x4.
or 10x4. Then I would keep it shallow 24 to 30. But it’s a matter of preference.

 

[John08007]

A lot of good advice here. Glass and metal frame were a must from the get go. I was planning on having a contractor go through and let me know where in the house it would be safe to put the tank or what I would have to do to make it safe. I figured the tank size and shape would depend on the fish I choose. I would like to keep it at 36 inches high or even 30 just for ease of maintenance and getting it in the house. Redundancy is key yes I agree strongly. I was planning on making a diagram. Studying what happens when things fail is a brilliant idea definitely doing that.

I would ask an engineer, not a contractor. I make custom cabinets and do a lot of built it's along with minor home remodeling. Just because some one is a "contractor" does not mean they understand the weight involved and how thick a foundation is able to support.

Really, with the kind of weight you are looking at I personally think you may need to cut out the slab where you are looking to put it, dig down to put in a footer and re-pour a new slab on top of the footing. I would assume a 5-600gal tank must weigh close to 10k lbs

 

[John08007]

I would personally ignore the gallons and figure out the foot print you want. Maybe get some blue tape and tape the sizes you are thinking on the floor. After you Decide on foot print then you can adjust height to achieve gallons you desire.
For me I would like a 8’x36” or 8x4.
or 10x4. Then I would keep it shallow 24 to 30. But it’s a matter of preference.

Agree, my tank is 30" tall. I like the way it looks but curse it every time a frag falls to the bottom and I need to get out tongs and hang over the tank to retrieve it.

 

[Hefromabove]

I would personally ignore the gallons and figure out the foot print you want. Maybe get some blue tape and tape the sizes you are thinking on the floor. After you Decide on foot print then you can adjust height to achieve gallons you desire.
For me I would like a 8’x36” or 8x4.
or 10x4. Then I would keep it shallow 24 to 30. But it’s a matter of preference.

Last night I actually took a measuring tape and started playing around with different footprints just to see what different volumes actually looked like. A neat trick I've discovered is to measure pieces of furniture and see how many gallons that would be as a tank. Really puts things into perspective. Turns out my love seat would be just under 300 gallons as a fish tank. I do believe doing a mock-up is a good idea and almost 100% necessary. When the time comes I'm going to make a hollow frame mock-up from pvc for an even better visual. I did find out through messing with footprint sizes that at 36" wide and 30" tall I can still reach about 95% of the interior of the tank. I guess being tall and lanky has some advantages. Definitely gonna switch focus to the dimensions instead of the water volume like you suggested. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Hefromabove]

I would ask an engineer, not a contractor. I make custom cabinets and do a lot of built it's along with minor home remodeling. Just because some one is a "contractor" does not mean they understand the weight involved and how thick a foundation is able to support.

Really, with the kind of weight you are looking at I personally think you may need to cut out the slab where you are looking to put it, dig down to put in a footer and re-pour a new slab on top of the footing. I would assume a 5-600gal tank must weigh close to 10k lbs

Engineer, not a contractor. Definitely writing that down. Thanks for the correction. This is exactly the reason why I wanted to ask for advice, some things seem obvious until someone corrects you. I'm open to any and all suggestions and advice anyone is willing to give. Thanks again!

 

[John08007]

I'd also add a dehumidifier to your fish room. About 25 yrs ago I replaced drywall in the basement of a home where the renter breeded freshwater fish. Don't remember how many tanks he had but there was a lot of mold that needed to be dealt with from the humidity

 

[Hefromabove]

I'd also add a dehumidifier to your fish room. About 25 yrs ago I replaced drywall in the basement of a home where the renter breeded freshwater fish. Don't remember how many tanks he had but there was a lot of mold that needed to be dealt with from the humidity

Yeah depending on how I set up the fish room I may even opt for 2. I'd imagine a sump, qt tank, and frag tank would give off quite a bit of evaporation. If you think of anything else please don't be afraid to say something. I'd rather be reminded of stuff I already know then forget something important and screw up later when it's too late. Thanks again.

 

[Pntbll687]

A couple of things that get overlooked are warranty and insurance.

Does the manufacturer offer a warranty? And is it sufficient? Some of the "premium" brand tank manufacturers (redsea, waterbox) only offer a 2yr warranty on tanks. I know you will be going the custom route, but a 1-5yr warranty seems pointless. In comparison my aqueon 180 has a lifetime warranty.

Insurance - find out what it does and does not cover if the tank were to fail. Think worse case scenario, a panel blows a seam and you have 500 gallons of saltwater coming into a living space and it shorts out your equipment. You really need to know what is covered and what is not.