Considering an 1100 build - Need some help!

[vamaro]

I am considering a 6'L x 6W x 4H tank. Its about 1100 gallons. At first I was just going to do a typical in-wall system where the glass sits even (flush) with the wall. The entire tank would be in the garage and I would view from my family room wall.

Now, I am considering having the tank stick out into the family room about 18 to 24 inches and having the rest of the tank in the garage. I think if I did this I would be able to enjoy the tank a lot more.

Now the big question/s: Has anyone seen this done before and is there anything that I need to watch out for? I realize it's a lot of weight. I am a machinist and can fabricate a heavy duty stand out of steel. I would need two stands, once for each side of the wall.

My big concerns so far are:

1. Making it look nice in the house.
2. I need to seal the walls from moisture which should not be too difficult.
3. Getting it the tank into the house"¦lol!

Am I missing anything regarding the install? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[rwb500]

a few thoughts-

wouldnt it be easier and safer to just remove the wall from under the tank? I would only put a tank on two separate stands if i absolutely had to.

I dont think you need to worry about moisture (in your house) if the tank is still mostly in the garage. as long as the canopy in your family room is pretty tight fitting, the evaporation will still happen mostly in the garage.


and to give you my opinion, i think it would look better flush with the wall.

 

[albano]

I am considering a 6'L x 6W x 4H tank.

have you considered how hard it is to clean a 4' tall tank? How high are the ceilings in the house, will you be able to access the tank if it's near the ceiling? A 4' tank on a 30" stand is almost 7' tall plus the lighting over it.
IMO 30" tall is about the max with 27" being preferable.

 

[vamaro]

a few thoughts-

wouldnt it be easier and safer to just remove the wall from under the tank? I would only put a tank on two separate stands if i absolutely had to.

I dont think you need to worry about moisture (in your house) if the tank is still mostly in the garage. as long as the canopy in your family room is pretty tight fitting, the evaporation will still happen mostly in the garage.


and to give you my opinion, i think it would look better flush with the wall.

The only reason I thought about having the tank stick out a bit was to give some additional viewing angles. I realize its a hassle. I am still on the fence on this part of it.

 

[vamaro]

have you considered how hard it is to clean a 4' tall tank? How high are the ceilings in the house, will you be able to access the tank if it's near the ceiling? A 4' tank on a 30" stand is almost 7' tall plus the lighting over it.
IMO 30" tall is about the max with 27" being preferable.

I lost sleep thinking about cleaning the tank! For sure, I know I going to need to swim at least once a month to clean it if I were to go that big.

Less than a week ago I was ready to order a new tank 96x48x24 or 36 and use that as a in-wall tank. Then....I found a used 72x72x48 that needs some work but is in overall good shape. I did not buy the tank yet but I sure have been thinking about it. It needs a new overflow, buffing, etc. but overall its a solid tank.

I may go back to my original size, but I wanted to get some feedback on this larger tank before I purchased it.

 

[TheFishTeen]

I know someone who owns a tank 48" deep and his only regret is not going 72" deep now that its up and running and it's starting to fill up.

Its your choice, but a deeper tank allows for a more creative aquascape and other fun benefits.