Show off your XL tanks (over 400 gallons)!!

Maddlesrain · Nov 13, 2018

I'm a few years away from even beginning to collect pieces for a monster of my own, but would like to see what everyone has going out there. I'd like to do a macro algae/ soft coral + anemone display with mainly large "non-reef friendly" fishes myself, so FOWLR, reef, and everything in between are welcome here.

A couple things I'd like to see if contributors to the thread are willing:
1. PICTURES!!! Duh

2. Tank dimensions & water volume
3. Fish list
4. Who made your tank (if it's custom)?
5. Any helpful tidbits to keeping a larger tank.

Right now, I'd like to keep an extra long tank (12ft) that's somewhat shallow (for its size) at 30 inches and with a depth of 30 inches as well (roughly 560 gallons overall). The goal is to keep this as a room divider of some sort so that it's viewable from at least two sides. Anyway, that's just me dreaming - LETS SEE SOME BIG TANKS!!

jda · Nov 13, 2018

There is a forum with just tanks this size. You can find all you need a little bit further down the forum list.

Maddlesrain · Nov 13, 2018

jda said:
There is a forum with just tanks this size. You can find all you need a little bit further down the forum list.

I’ve been creep’n on those threads [emoji39], just wanted to see if anyone who doesn’t have / doesn’t want to make a thread might come out of the woodwork or if anyone with a thread would like to share in a more condensed space!

lapin · Nov 13, 2018

Make the tank yourself. Buy rock by the ton and salt by the pallet. Get the biggest skimmer you can afford. Rated 2 times your tank size. Become a led lighting reseller so you can afford to light it.

jda · Nov 13, 2018

I have a few 240s and a 12x3x3 getting ready to get set up. My only real advise is to listen to big tank folks and not people who have smaller tanks - while they mean well, most do not understand that what they do does not scale. For example, 4x400w metal halides (reflectors are your friend on large tanks) spread better and use less energy and have WAY less initial cost over a 12x3 footprint than any mainstream LED - we are talking about probably 16-20x Radion G4 Pros to cover the same area. Larger AC pumps will outwork a DC pump for flow and reliability - AmpMasters or Sequences. Closed loops become practical.

I do buy salt by the pallet. It can be pretty cheap that way. Last time was $32 for a 200g box of IO, but I had to buy 40 of them. That is about a three year supply.

Here in Colorado, prepare to spend a fortune heating the tank. The evaporation cools even on the hot days. About 70% of my tank cost in Boulder is from the heaters... and I run Metal Halides.

Lastly, don't try and sweat minuscule differences in wattage. If you truly want a large tank, then just know that it might cost $3-5 a day to run, or more. If this is no good, then stick with a 40 breeder or 75g tank.

jda · Nov 13, 2018

Oh, I lucked out and got my tank used. I was going to use Custom Aquariums before I found this tank. Upgrade the bottom 1/8th thicker and substitute a starfire front panel. The tank was going to be about $6k IIRC.

Maddlesrain · Nov 13, 2018

@lapin loll funny enough, my dad sells lighting, so I guess I’m part-way there? I’m actually thinking of going the natural lighting route as I would like to grow macro algaes in the display and supplement that with other lighting to get the color I want.

@jda thanks for the info! Hopefully I won’t still be in Colorado when I go for this big boy. Planning on moving somewhere with a little less snow when I get out of college (; Just having a little fun starting to play with ideas for a big tank when I get out of an apartment in a couple years. I figure I can’t read / get too much info as I’ve never done anything over a 180 gallon.

Where did you get your 12x3x3 from?

Ps. You’re absolutely right about the evaporation in Colorado though... even my 22 gallon goes through at least a gallon a day. It’s ridiculous.

jda · Nov 13, 2018

A guy near the springs... he had to move quickly and could not take it with him. It was nearly free since nobody wanted it. There is not much of a market for large tanks at 10+ feet, so keep that in mind too... this tank is for you and you alone and you will probably give it away on the back end.

Big tanks only work on slabs. Be sure that you live in an area where the upper floor is on slab, or else it will be VERY hard to use solar tubes to light a tank... most huge tanks are in basements and it is hard to get a solar tube down there.

Maddlesrain · Nov 13, 2018

jda said:
A guy near the springs... he had to move quickly and could not take it with him. It was nearly free since nobody wanted it. There is not much of a market for large tanks at 10+ feet, so keep that in mind too... this tank is for you and you alone and you will probably give it away on the back end.

Big tanks only work on slabs. Be sure that you live in an area where the upper floor is on slab, or else it will be VERY hard to use solar tubes to light a tank... most huge tanks are in basements and it is hard to get a solar tube down there.

Lucky find! I’ll have to keep my eye out, wouldn’t mind finding something used in the size range.

Definitely going for a ground floor / no basement sort of deal is the idea.

Not too worried about the breakdown / selling off when/ if I decide I’m through with it. I figure if I like to look at it, I’ll pay for it.

MimicOcto8 · Nov 13, 2018

Thinking about doing a build thread on this. Not sure yet. I typically stay behind the scenes.

It’s 8’x8’x28” +\- About 1,000 main lagoon.

dantimdad · Nov 13, 2018

While I have not maintained a monster aquarium, I have helped build several. What @jda has said is true. Take the cost of a 220 and triple it to go to a 450. No kidding. At that point you get into very heavy duty equipment and the costs go way up. Even if you can build a lot of it yourself, the supplies to build a skimmer big enough are in the hundreds.

That being said, the tank is the cheap part as pointed out. Very few people want a used 400+ tank so you can get a deal. I resealed one that was 550 gallons once the customer had gotten from a restaurant for free and was nervous for a year thinking something would go wrong and I would get sued. LOL.

Most of all, dream big. It's fun!

dantimdad · Nov 13, 2018

MimicOcto8 said:
Thinking about doing a build thread on this. Not sure yet. I typically stay behind the scenes.

It’s 8’x8’x28” +\- About 1,000 main lagoon.

That is so awesome!

Please, start a build thread!

Maddlesrain · Nov 13, 2018

MimicOcto8 said:
Thinking about doing a build thread on this. Not sure yet. I typically stay behind the scenes.

It’s 8’x8’x28” +\- About 1,000 main lagoon.

+1 to the build thread! This is sick! What are you going to keep in there?

MimicOcto8 · Nov 13, 2018

I’m currently keep young kids in it with LEGO’s.

Maddlesrain · Nov 13, 2018

@dantimdad haha! I’d be worried too!
As far as equipment, I think the skimmer will be one of the biggest investments. Since I want to keep macros in the display, I’d do a cryptic refugium with tons of live rock under the stand alongside the skimmer as my main means of filtration. I always feel like the less complicated I go the better results I have.