what is the biggest thing you have to share about your monster tank?

[Devaji]

OK SOOOO I have been thinking...yes i know....it all starts with a thought right.
about a large FOWLR in the 310-800ish gallon system. that will focus on butterflies, angels ( dwarf & large) tangs

I wanted to ask you monster tank guys:
what is you learned?
what would you do different?
what do you like most?
what do you like least?
did you go to big?
did you not go big enough?
what has been your biggest challenge?
what did you think was going to be challenging but was not?
what surprised you the most?
do you enjoy it as mush as you thought?
was/is is worth it?
do you have a monthly reefing budget for the tank ( corals/fish/food/power etc. )
did you mess up your house going big?
if not, what did you do to prevent it?

I know lots of questions just thinking out loud here.

 

[New Jersey REEF]

FOWLR is pretty straight forward. Just make sure temperature is stable and good UV system.
Of course QT before you put in fish and make sure you put bullies last not first.

Learning about fish behavior is important for sure.

As far as the system, make sure you have solid plan for dealing with humidity.

Now if you decide to do coral, then it’s a different challenges.

What are some of your plans for location and equipment for your system?

 

[Devaji]

FOWLR is pretty straight forward. Just make sure temperature is stable and good UV system.
Of course QT before you put in fish and make sure you put bullies last not first.

Learning about fish behavior is important for sure.

As far as the system, make sure you have solid plan for dealing with humidity.

Now if you decide to do coral, then it’s a different challenges.

What are some of your plans for location and equipment for your system?

you know at this point its just a pipe dream...but all good things start out as a dream!
about mid way through a compete gut job on a "fixer upper" where I will be setting up a RS 650P reef anlong with my peninsula nano RFA
but we do have this unfinished basement....where the fish room is right next to the mech. room. got to thinking maybe...

but yeah humidity is a big concern for me with larger tanks for sure.

 

[nezw0001]

My take away is plan for more access than you think you will need. Over plan electrical service. Floor drains. Humidity control.

 

[Feet4Fish]

OK SOOOO I have been thinking...yes i know....it all starts with a thought right.
about a large FOWLR in the 310-800ish gallon system. that will focus on butterflies, angels ( dwarf & large) tangs

I wanted to ask you monster tank guys:
what is you learned? Really learn fish behavior and nutrition in a closed system; provide plenty of shelter and line of sight break don't skimp on feeding. Understand the value of dissolved oxygen and if you go for a tall tank make sure it is uniform from top and bottom. Make sure your floor can handle it.
what would you do different? go 10 ft or more
what do you like most? Gorgeous big fish and stability of large volume
what do you like least? very thing you add is more expensive because you need more
did you go to big? NOPE
did you not go big enough? probably not but 10 ft would be nice and maybe 4 ft front to back
what has been your biggest challenge?
what did you think was going to be challenging but was not? nutrient control
what surprised you the most?
do you enjoy it as mush as you thought? More
was/is is worth it? Yes
do you have a monthly reefing budget for the tank ( corals/fish/food/power etc. ) $125/month
did you mess up your house going big? NO...got a couple holes in the walls but all good now
if not, what did you do to prevent it?

I know lots of questions just thinking out loud here.

 

[AlexG]

Feel free to ask more questions.

I wanted to ask you monster tank guys:
what is you learned?
Patience was the biggest thing I learned since I spent two years building my current system.
what would you do different?
I would have liked to have had a house with a different basement layout that was finished before the tanks went online
what do you like most?
The pride of building my aquarium system from the ground up including the display tanks. I also am very happy with the level of access I have to the tanks and equipment.
what do you like least?
The space in the basement where the tanks are located is a nice place but it is not part of the main living area of the house so it is a little more isolated.
did you go to big?
No. As long as you can still have good viewing and access in a space you can never go too big as long as the floor will support the weight.
did you not go big enough?
I debate this as I think when I built my current system it was plenty big but I technically have room for a third display but I feel that I will hold off on this unless I pre-build another tank for use in another home. My next setup I am thinking 10-12' long 4-6' wide & 3-4' tall. I have a new design method for building a tank I would like to try out which I might test on a smaller scale before building a large display.
what has been your biggest challenge?
Design and engineering of the entire system. Building my DIY gravity fed protein skimmer along with tuning it was one of my biggest challenges.
what did you think was going to be challenging but was not?
Installing the glass on my aquariums I though would be really hard. It was a stressful process as a major mistake would have been difficult to remedy but the installs turned out to not be very challenging.
what surprised you the most?
I have a couple things that really surprised me. Ease of maintenance is a big one as everyone always thinks it must be like a full time job to maintain a large system when in reality with the right setup the maintenance can be simplified to be not much more than any other tank. The other surprise has always been seeing other people react when they see the tanks in person for the first time.
do you enjoy it as mush as you thought?
Yes it was worth it but like anything you go through periods where you are really engaged and other times when you are letting it go somewhat on autopilot
was/is is worth it?
Yes it was worth it.
do you have a monthly reefing budget for the tank ( corals/fish/food/power etc. )
I did plan power into a monthly budget along with food and maintenance supplies.
did you mess up your house going big?
Not as of yet. I spent a lot of time planning to ensure the house was not modified significantly and prepared to have the aquariums running.
if not, what did you do to prevent it?
Humidity control and ensuring that all other plumbing, & electrical work done could be removed without causing damage to the house.

 

[atomic081]

what is you learned?
Go slow, Overbuild. Buy Quality used items and it can be reasonably affordable.
what would you do different?
more drains in the floor!!! (have 2)
what do you like most?
Fish Room
what do you like least?
Its so hard to place coral in a monster tank. I really need a small friend in the hobby to "get in" the tank to place corals, while i look from the outside
did you go to big?
NOPE
did you not go big enough?
Time will tell, I already see it filling up with coral and have lots left that i wanna try.
what has been your biggest challenge?
QT system are harder than i thought to maintain.
what did you think was going to be challenging but was not?
cleaning the glass on a inwall. Dolphin FTW!
what surprised you the most?
how much my kids love it
do you enjoy it as mush as you thought?
i love the build, family loves the finished tank
was/is is worth it?
so far
do you have a monthly reefing budget for the tank ( corals/fish/food/power etc. )
NO....i try not to lok.
did you mess up your house going big?
no, i took the precautions needed for humidity
if not, what did you do to prevent it?

 

[Robert M]

One thing that might not be obvious is that unless your tank is on concrete slab, you should consult a structural engineer to estimate floor deflection in your desired location before doing anything. For me, my floor joists went the wrong way and the deflection would possibly crack the tank over time, so I had to get my floor reinforced with custom steel slabs (made at a railroad company). Added about 8-months of time because construction projects are slow in my area and an extra $10k in costs.

 

[Devaji]

Feel free to ask more questions.

I wanted to ask you monster tank guys:
what is you learned?
Patience was the biggest thing I learned since I spent two years building my current system.
what would you do different?
I would have liked to have had a house with a different basement layout that was finished before the tanks went online
what do you like most?
The pride of building my aquarium system from the ground up including the display tanks. I also am very happy with the level of access I have to the tanks and equipment.
what do you like least?
The space in the basement where the tanks are located is a nice place but it is not part of the main living area of the house so it is a little more isolated.
did you go to big?
No. As long as you can still have good viewing and access in a space you can never go too big as long as the floor will support the weight.
did you not go big enough?
I debate this as I think when I built my current system it was plenty big but I technically have room for a third display but I feel that I will hold off on this unless I pre-build another tank for use in another home. My next setup I am thinking 10-12' long 4-6' wide & 3-4' tall. I have a new design method for building a tank I would like to try out which I might test on a smaller scale before building a large display.
what has been your biggest challenge?
Design and engineering of the entire system. Building my DIY gravity fed protein skimmer along with tuning it was one of my biggest challenges.
what did you think was going to be challenging but was not?
Installing the glass on my aquariums I though would be really hard. It was a stressful process as a major mistake would have been difficult to remedy but the installs turned out to not be very challenging.
what surprised you the most?
I have a couple things that really surprised me. Ease of maintenance is a big one as everyone always thinks it must be like a full time job to maintain a large system when in reality with the right setup the maintenance can be simplified to be not much more than any other tank. The other surprise has always been seeing other people react when they see the tanks in person for the first time.
do you enjoy it as mush as you thought?
Yes it was worth it but like anything you go through periods where you are really engaged and other times when you are letting it go somewhat on autopilot
was/is is worth it?
Yes it was worth it.
do you have a monthly reefing budget for the tank ( corals/fish/food/power etc. )
I did plan power into a monthly budget along with food and maintenance supplies.
did you mess up your house going big?
Not as of yet. I spent a lot of time planning to ensure the house was not modified significantly and prepared to have the aquariums running.
if not, what did you do to prevent it?
Humidity control and ensuring that all other plumbing, & electrical work done could be removed without causing damage to the house.

Hey alex I just read through your thread. lots of use full info there!
now that the reno on the new house in about 80% done I got to thinking about a FOWLR in the basement again.

so many options on size and shape but I am thinking 500-1000 gal system.
it would be a slow build and not start until next winter. but spent the better part of 2 days looking into plywood tanks.

even have a builder friend that is a FW fish guy and we started to talk about it. I dont think I would attempt it with out his help, two heads are better than one eh? + the fact he build for a living helps out to.

now just need to sale the idea to the GF she dont like the fact I have 2 tank already and dont really care for keeping fish in captivity. I think that might be the hardest part of the challenge there...

 

[Devaji]

One thing that might not be obvious is that unless your tank is on concrete slab, you should consult a structural engineer to estimate floor deflection in your desired location before doing anything. For me, my floor joists went the wrong way and the deflection would possibly crack the tank over time, so I had to get my floor reinforced with custom steel slabs (made at a railroad company). Added about 8-months of time because construction projects are slow in my area and an extra $10k in costs.

yup it would be on concrete slab. 1st step tho would be to level it out.

 

[AlexG]

now just need to sale the idea to the GF she dont like the fact I have 2 tank already and dont really care for keeping fish in captivity. I think that might be the hardest part of the challenge there...

This can be a difficult subject to tackle. I don't encounter this concern from people often but I do have some things that I believe in. Our oceans today are not doing well and when countries have valuable economies that can be derived from the sale of ornamental fish/corals it will encourage them to preserve these resources. It does not always work but when a country and people determine that a reef has no value to them there is no reason to preserve or regulate what happens to that reef. We are far from being perfect in protecting our reefs but the ornamental fish industry has encouraged lots of positive movements in mariculture, aquaculture, and preservation of reefs. We are growing many corals in captivity that were thought be impossible at one time and people have discovered how to breed new species of fish that again were once thought to be impossible to breed in captivity. Those breakthroughs are in part due to people keeping aquariums creating a demand for these animals. When a person is responsible in the fish they keep with proper husbandry and aquarium size they can help show others why we should preserve our reefs.

 

[Devaji]

This can be a difficult subject to tackle. I don't encounter this concern from people often but I do have some things that I believe in. Our oceans today are not doing well and when countries have valuable economies that can be derived from the sale of ornamental fish/corals it will encourage them to preserve these resources. It does not always work but when a country and people determine that a reef has no value to them there is no reason to preserve or regulate what happens to that reef. We are far from being perfect in protecting our reefs but the ornamental fish industry has encouraged lots of positive movements in mariculture, aquaculture, and preservation of reefs. We are growing many corals in captivity that were thought be impossible at one time and people have discovered how to breed new species of fish that again were once thought to be impossible to breed in captivity. Those breakthroughs are in part due to people keeping aquariums creating a demand for these animals. When a person is responsible in the fish they keep with proper husbandry and aquarium size they can help show others why we should preserve our reefs.

that is a great response, something I have thought of as well. something i'll bring up in the convo for sure!

 

[Blue Tang Clan]

Another point for the GF: if you maintain a good tank, your fish may live FAR longer than if they were in the wild

 

[Smarkow]

This can be a difficult subject to tackle. I don't encounter this concern from people often but I do have some things that I believe in. Our oceans today are not doing well and when countries have valuable economies that can be derived from the sale of ornamental fish/corals it will encourage them to preserve these resources. It does not always work but when a country and people determine that a reef has no value to them there is no reason to preserve or regulate what happens to that reef. We are far from being perfect in protecting our reefs but the ornamental fish industry has encouraged lots of positive movements in mariculture, aquaculture, and preservation of reefs. We are growing many corals in captivity that were thought be impossible at one time and people have discovered how to breed new species of fish that again were once thought to be impossible to breed in captivity. Those breakthroughs are in part due to people keeping aquariums creating a demand for these animals. When a person is responsible in the fish they keep with proper husbandry and aquarium size they can help show others why we should preserve our reefs.

Really, really well said

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Great thread!! Following!!

 

[Victor_C3]

now just need to sale the idea to the GF she dont like the fact I have 2 tank already and dont really care for keeping fish in captivity. I think that might be the hardest part of the challenge there...

Im a divorced guy, so take what I say with a grain of salt. I emphasize that many species of fish for sale and corals for sale are mariculture and bred here in the US, far away from the coral reefs in the oceans.

Whenever possible, I buy only captive bred specimens and aquaculture corals. The few times I didn’t, I just silently added them to my tank and didn’t divulge the fact that they were pulled out of the oceans.

 

[Devaji]

Im a divorced guy, so take what I say with a grain of salt. I emphasize that many species of fish for sale and corals for sale are mariculture and bred here in the US, far away from the coral reefs in the oceans.

Whenever possible, I buy only captive bred specimens and aquaculture corals. The few times I didn’t, I just silently added them to my tank and didn’t divulge the fact that they were pulled out of the oceans.

well I might be divorced if I keep pushing my luck with thanks...haha but the nano is so small does that really even count??

 

[Devaji]

OK on a serious note curious how many of you monster guys made your tank or bought it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Way to approach the Big Boys with the Big Toys !!

what is you learned?
BUY BIG COMPONENTS RIGHT AWAY SUCH AS SKIMMER, LIGHTING, PUMP, AND HEATER AND HAVE BACKUPS

what would you do different?
NOT FOOL MYSELF THAT EXISTING EQUIPMENT WILL WORK ON A TANK TWICE THE SIZE

what do you like most?
THE AMOUNT OF SPACE AND SURPRISING EASE OF MAINTENANCE

what do you like least?
PLACING MY PENINSULA AGAINST THE WALL

did you go to big?
YES, ALWAYS HAD BIG TANKS BUT WANTED MORE YET

did you not go big enough?
I WENT BIG ENOUGH FOR MY HOME BUT THOSE WHO KNOW ME WELL KNOW THAT I'LL HAVE A 1500G WHEN I OFFICALLY MOVE TO FLORIDA

what has been your biggest challenge?
BALANCING THE LEDS AND GETTING INTO SUMP WHICH IS 140 GALLONS

what did you think was going to be challenging but was not?
CLEANING THE TANK AND GLASS

what surprised you the most?
THE EASE OF MAINTENCE AND REACHING INTO TANK AND EASE OF CARE FOR ACRYLIC

do you enjoy it as mush as you thought?
YES. 32+ YEARS IN HOBBY. NEVER HAD A CHALLENGE WITH ANY SIZE TANK

was/is is worth it?
$21,000. . . . . IT BETTER BE WORTH IT

do you have a monthly reefing budget for the tank ( corals/fish/food/power etc. )
WHATS A BUDGET ?

did you mess up your house going big?
EVERYONE LOVES THE CHANGE TO MY LIVING ROOM INCORPORATING THE TANK AND GAVE ME AN EXCUSE FOR ALL NEW FURNITURE !

if not, what did you do to prevent it?
I PLANNED WAY BEFORE TANK ARRIVAL.

 

[Victor_C3]

well I might be divorced if I keep pushing my luck with thanks...haha but the nano is so small does that really even count??

Call it a “quarantine tank” and you’ll be good to go