Want to help build a large reef tank?

Shredded

New member
OK all, here's the deal. I am new back into the hobby (25 years prior experience). I myself am getting ready to build a new home and have a thread started to build my 300 DD into the wall. I just received my RE sump last week. Ground breaking for the house is March. So, that is my status... now here is what happened this past Wednesday and could be fun...
My GF and I went to a Christmas party at the house of her employer, yea, I know it's after Christmas, long story and not important. Anyway, he is extremely wealthy... More money than probably any of us will ever see wealthy. In this house is a 500 gallon marine tank. I call it that because it has saltwater in it and about 3 marine fish, and that's still stretching it. plastic rocks and plants and 4 fluorescent tubes. Absolutely awful. It is acrylic, very deep and long pentagon and scratched to hell. For the past two years I have been on him to let me redo this tank and he agrees but as soon as I am out the door, it is out of mind and forgotten. BUT this year, I told him as we were leaving, I am just going to show up one day and tear it down and start over. he said I wish you would... so this time, he brought his girlfriend and his house manager into the conversation. The house manager is obviously in charge and was very excited about doing this. They had gotten an estimate to have this redone. The estimate was 100,000.00 which got me laughing so hard I thought I was going to choke. OK, there will need to be some woodwork done but they have the original carpenter to do that for me. I wanted to just remove the old tank, have it buffed out and reinstalled but the house manager wants to go back with glass. I agreed because I want to change the depth of the tank (someone would have to hold you by your ankles and lower you in to touch the bottom) and I want to do low iron glass on the front and back. It is a room divider tank between his office and man cave. Let's try this and see how this works as long as it doesn't get out of control, I thought this would be great for everyone to participate in. First things first. We need an estimate for a new tank. All glass, frameless. Who is the best? I want to say cost is no object and it isn't and it is. He is my friend and 100,000.00 is stupid, but he will want the best. I am just sure we can do this for a third of that cost. So, who do I request estimates from? I have include a pic of the existing tank. Sorry for the quality, light was low and it was my phone.
 

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If you change the height of the tank you will spoil the view that was supposed to be there. Don't go less than 36" high or the final outcome will be just another frag tank in someone's suburban basement. This is supposed to be a show tank and that means height, vista, wow factor.

Dave.M
 
new glass 500 g tank, new wood work, fish only to reef, new electrical, etc...all the best for a "high roller" could easily run 100k even if you "help" for free!!!
 
@Dave.m - yea I get that but there comes a point where it is too deep. It is hard to tell from the picture but it is really deep. I am guessing at least 4 feet maybe 5. Not only a maintenance nightmare but a lighting issue also. Just to place something on the substrate or low in the tank. Going to have to get one of the kids and say, "OK, put it right there, now hold your breath" lol But, since we are all doing this, it is up for discussion. I am waiting for the exact dimensions right now. I will post them shortly.
 
For lighting you can get the Ecotech cannons. They will certainly reach the bottom of a 48" tall tank (I avoid the word "deep" as there are too many people on RC who use that word meaning "width" so you never know for sure which they intended). See pmrogers' thread for more info.

For reach there are all manner of long-handled grabbers available. Try to get out of the mindset of putting your hands in the tank too often. ;)

When planning the tank make sure to leave yourself lots of room at the top to bend over and reach in. Also, if this is to be a glass tank, make sure to use euro-bracing at both the top and the bottom. I have gone as high as 36" tall on only half-inch low-iron glass with no problems.

Dave.M
 
@CHSUB... Well... could you charge someone 100,000.00, sure, but I think you would be hard pressed to spend 100,000.00 on this tank. There won't be a huge fish room. This is a simple stand alone cabinet. Framing around tank will have to be removed to slide the tank out. So.. a new tank, 10,000.00, Royal Exclusiv sump (includes sump, water top off tank, pumps, skimmer, media filters), 7500.00, lighting, 5000.00, other electronics (controllers, ATO, dosing system, refrigeration, heaters), 5000.00, plumbing odds and ends, 2500.00. So, that's 30,000.00. Have I missed some hardware, maybe, but not much. Water, rock and sand, then livestock. I'm thinking 50,000.00. Again, my opinion. I will definitely keep track of all expenses so, we will see once we are initially complete. We all know there is no such thing as ever complete. ;-)
 
@dave.m, true, my tank is a deep dimension as I like the extra width from front to back for larger reefscaping possibilities, but I get that. I always think of depth as "how deep the water is". And that is a challenge here, as right now, there is limited room over the tank to access it and limited room under for equipment. I will supply pics as soon as possible. My initial thought of reducing the height of the tank was three fold, gaining some access room above, some equipment room below and better lighting. I will look at the Ecotech cannons. I think the depth of penetration I was going from were from the Kessil's. That was what I was going to throw in for my lighting choice.
 
Hard to tell from that one photo but 100k is not crazy by any means. On my build, I don't know the exact amount cause I stopped keeping track but 100k is in the rear view mirror.

My tank is similar in that it separates 2 rooms. It's 96 wide, 48 deep, 42 tall. Yes it's a bit of a pain to place corals and keep it clean but I wouldn't have it any other way. Don't make it too small, it won't look right as I'm assuming the room is very large and grand.
 
@CHSUB... Well... could you charge someone 100,000.00, sure, but I think you would be hard pressed to spend 100,000.00 on this tank. There won't be a huge fish room. This is a simple stand alone cabinet. Framing around tank will have to be removed to slide the tank out. So.. a new tank, 10,000.00, Royal Exclusiv sump (includes sump, water top off tank, pumps, skimmer, media filters), 7500.00, lighting, 5000.00, other electronics (controllers, ATO, dosing system, refrigeration, heaters), 5000.00, plumbing odds and ends, 2500.00. So, that's 30,000.00. Have I missed some hardware, maybe, but not much. Water, rock and sand, then livestock. I'm thinking 50,000.00. Again, my opinion. I will definitely keep track of all expenses so, we will see once we are initially complete. We all know there is no such thing as ever complete. ;-)

50K is a great budget and i bet the results will be great!!!! but i could do it for 100K too!!!! 1000 watt mh's (LED's are baby toys), t5's, chiller, custom sump (RE sump is nice, but it's more like lip stick on a pig) etc, etc......tell him you want the 100K and "blow him away" it is only money!!!! :beer:
 
Hi Guys,
OK, they finally called with the measurements. The existing tank is 7' long, 3' from front to back and 4' deep. Access at the top is tight and below is not great but both are probably workable. I will get some pictures and post them. So, do we leave the tank this deep or cut it down to 3 feet?
 
36" is a great viewing size in my opinion.. 48" just seems a waste... the dimensions you gave make it about a 630g system... if it were me, considering he already has a carpenter, I would go with 36" if for no other reason to create more workspace above and below the system.. also gives you more options for lighting, sumps, skimmers etc... a room divider says in all likelyhood the whole system is in the tanks footprint and no dedicated room so space becomes essential I think. the variety of lighting greatly increases with a 36" tall tank vs 48".. I cant wait to see the project progression... big budget, plenty of time and a desire for the best= a great build thread to me!
 
Weigh the differences, what happens if you make the depth 36"?
New stand, new canopy or just the base vs the cost of a 48" new tank,
& does the customer agree?
I do agree 4' depth is a REAL PITA.
 
I agree with the lighting in a 48" tank & unless you have NBA Player length arms, you wont reach the bottom either....:)
 
I'm in the market for a big tank to build into my home.
Aquatic Visions located 1420 W Blancke St, Linden, NJ 07036 was the only place to answer the phone and walk me threw all of the options give them a call (908) 523-0040

they just built a 600 gallon tank and steel stand for $15,000
coast to coast wanted $20,000
 
36" is a great viewing size in my opinion.. 48" just seems a waste... the dimensions you gave make it about a 630g system... if it were me, considering he already has a carpenter, I would go with 36" if for no other reason to create more workspace above and below the system.. also gives you more options for lighting, sumps, skimmers etc... a room divider says in all likelyhood the whole system is in the tanks footprint and no dedicated room so space becomes essential I think. the variety of lighting greatly increases with a 36" tall tank vs 48".. I cant wait to see the project progression... big budget, plenty of time and a desire for the best= a great build thread to me!

The tank isn't a perfect rectangle (see pic) Its a long hexagon. the front corners are shaved off. have not done the exact calculations but they told me 500. These are all the reasons I was considering changing the height.
 
I dont think i've ever seen a hexagon room divider... sounds interesting though! I'd go with a rectangle for that purpose... conserves space, easier to maintain, clear viewing not to mention much much less expensive! I think many of us see this and think "well changing the size, shape and height of the tank will create need for additional construction to make the wall match back up with the system correctly... but the way I see it... aquariums dollar for dollar will cost far more than slight wall modifications, a new stand etc! it also sounds like the owner isnt big on doing their own maintenance to keep the tank looking and running great... so if you're going to build a new system to replace the old one... why not make it easier to take care of.. that might be a motivational factor for them to have better husbandry habits! sounds like you should have a pretty deep discussion with the owner to see what will work best
 
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