Challenging Build | 500 gallon 6' Tall Peninsula Column Tank in Entry

[coreytrv]

Design Goal:
Open existing concealed dead space between living room and family room, to bring in light, and create living art piece in main entry of house.

Make tank as tall as possible, like an exhibit, floor to ceiling. No room for sump underneath must run QUIET since adjacent family room where movies are watched.

Construction Challenges:

• Entry must be re-framed to allow large enough opening to enter tank from above.
• Attic stairs must provide access to aquarium systems above from multiple sides areas in the ceiling.
• Tiny attic space must be insulated and finished for thermal control.
• Adjacent fireplace = firebrick / load bearing support of house = limited footprint for tank size
• Small footprint + approx 5,000 lbs means engineered steel stand, and concrete footing on raised foundation house.
• Pennisula tank with no access to infrastructure side = no ability to address leaky bulkheads = all plumbing hard piped along back, and inside tank.
• Long plumbing through crawlspace made overflow a concern (added later)
• Limited space in garage means efficient usage of space for large volume aquarium

Service / System Concerns:

• Little surface area v. water volume = oxygenation concerns, especially considering closed loop filtration. (added sump later)
• Lack of overflow box to pull off stagnant surface water, (added later with siphon going up into attic, and back down)
• Circulation, 3 visible sides, and 1 inaccessible side. (Added closed loop filtration), hidden power head.
• Filtration going through attic, and sump in garage means insulating pipes, and adding strong inline heaters and chillers to combat temperature changes outside throughout seasons.
• Service: all materials need to be lowered in from attic. Incredible heavy lift to build aquascape
• Future service, cleaning intakes and servicing low powerheads at 6' deep, require entering the tank through the attic with airline / emergency snorkel tank.

So many redesigns, and still a work in progress. Status as of 12-22-2024, biological cycle just completed!

BEFORE
Fireplace Separates Formal / Family Room. Want to bring in light between the rooms, can't remove fireplace without major construction.

AFTER
Just prior to saltwater fill after leak test.

The journey, and its many challenges continues below....

 

[coreytrv]

Design / Rough Construction

Design:

I knew what I wanted in my head, Tall 6' tank in entryway. But no idea what the dimensions would be- couldn't be TOO big when you walk in, and encroach on functional foyer, but not too small either.

One side of the fireplace had bench seating, and other side was open to the living room.

I knew the bench side had to sit flush with the wall, but I thought it would be cool it the tank popped out of the wall on that side, to give more space, and to add depth / design flair.

Setup 2 x 6's in the rough shape of the tank to get a feel for how it would fit in the space.

Once I had the tank dimensions, it was time to move to shop drawings / fabrication. Titan Aquatic Exhibits was great here.

4 x 12 and 4 x 16 beams brought in to move load bearing structures in entry way. There is a hip roof above the tank, so the weight needed to be carried to other load bearing structures. Also needed to head out a big opening above the tank, so I could climb in from above.

Roughed in plumbing, and framed up the support footing for a huge concrete pour.

Plumbing lines used were:
(2) x 2" lines, Suction, Return
(1) 1-1/2" emergency overflow
(1) 1" for air pump (since abandoned)

Plumbing lines run under the crawlspace approximately 40' to garage (fish room).

After pipes were roughed in, concrete was poured- ended up being about 60 bags!

Once concrete cured, stand was brought in, so that masonry work around the base could be completed.

Of particular concern for the finish work, was design of the stand. Needed it engineered to support the weight of the tank / water, and have a cantilever edge, since I wanted to continue brick façade from surrounding fireplace for nice finished look.

Finished Masonry!

With the stand in place, I was time to start working on the plumbing manifolds, since once the tank was shoved up against the wall, there really wouldn't be access to it again. Ran pipes, and pressure tested.

Tank arrived, absolutely gorgeous! Didn't fit in the garage when it was crated, so we had to break apart the crate, and cleared by 1/2" !

Next step was to measure the exact distance of the back wall, and mask / tape / paint the back of the tank black.

Preparing for the move was also a heavy lift. At almost 4' wide, it had to be taken out of the garage, around the street corner to the front door, which had to be removed, so the tank would fit through the rough opening.

Movers used heavy duty suction cups, phenomenal job.

Though I had to have them back to adjust since we were out of level on the concrete. But since the masonry had already been done, I used self leveling concrete on the top of the stand, and then shimmed after the tank was place.

Once tank was in place, it was time to tape up the canopy with cardboard, to keep the cats from invading the attic, and drop in a rope ladder for access to start aquascaping / plumbing / drilling....

Aquscaping / Plumbing journey up next...

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along! This is going to be one crazy looking tank!

 

[AlyciaMarie]

Design / Rough Construction

Design:

I knew what I wanted in my head, Tall 6' tank in entryway. But no idea what the dimensions would be- couldn't be TOO big when you walk in, and encroach on functional foyer, but not too small either.

One side of the fireplace had bench seating, and other side was open to the living room.

I knew the bench side had to sit flush with the wall, but I thought it would be cool it the tank popped out of the wall on that side, to give more space, and to add depth / design flair.

Setup 2 x 6's in the rough shape of the tank to get a feel for how it would fit in the space.

Once I had the tank dimensions, it was time to move to shop drawings / fabrication. Titan Aquatic Exhibits was great here.

4 x 12 and 4 x 16 beams brought in to move load bearing structures in entry way. There is a hip roof above the tank, so the weight needed to be carried to other load bearing structures. Also needed to head out a big opening above the tank, so I could climb in from above.

Roughed in plumbing, and framed up the support footing for a huge concrete pour.

Plumbing lines used were:
(2) x 2" lines, Suction, Return
(1) 1-1/2" emergency overflow
(1) 1" for air pump (since abandoned)

Plumbing lines run under the crawlspace approximately 40' to garage (fish room).

After pipes were roughed in, concrete was poured- ended up being about 60 bags!

Once concrete cured, stand was brought in, so that masonry work around the base could be completed.

Of particular concern for the finish work, was design of the stand. Needed it engineered to support the weight of the tank / water, and have a cantilever edge, since I wanted to continue brick façade from surrounding fireplace for nice finished look.

Finished Masonry!

With the stand in place, I was time to start working on the plumbing manifolds, since once the tank was shoved up against the wall, there really wouldn't be access to it again. Ran pipes, and pressure tested.

Tank arrived, absolutely gorgeous! Didn't fit in the garage when it was crated, so we had to break apart the crate, and cleared by 1/2" !

Next step was to measure the exact distance of the back wall, and mask / tape / paint the back of the tank black.

Preparing for the move was also a heavy lift. At almost 4' wide, it had to be taken out of the garage, around the street corner to the front door, which had to be removed, so the tank would fit through the rough opening.

Movers used heavy duty suction cups, phenomenal job.

Though I had to have them back to adjust since we were out of level on the concrete. But since the masonry had already been done, I used self leveling concrete on the top of the stand, and then shimmed after the tank was place.

Once tank was in place, it was time to tape up the canopy with cardboard, to keep the cats from invading the attic, and drop in a rope ladder for access to start aquascaping / plumbing / drilling....

Aquscaping / Plumbing journey up next...

Ladders to access a tank? Yeah, that sounds about right for a conservatory or aquarium. A ladder to access a HOME REEF? I can't wait to see how this one turns out! It sounds and looks amazing already.

 

[Peanut]

Awesome

 

[jsmkmavity]

This should be fun to watch. I like the aquascape!

 

[lubeck]

Incredible design and detail. Excited to follow along

 

[Rhetoric]

I'm becoming obsessed with vertical tanks and rock structures. I can't wait to see how this build fills in!

You've created a stunning display already

 

[coreytrv]

I'm becoming obsessed with vertical tanks and rock structures. I can't wait to see how this build fills in!

You've created a stunning display already

Thank you. Everyone hates on vertical tanks for "ease of maintenance" but the wow factor is incredible.

Yes I have to get in the dang thing to clean grates down low periodically, and yes I had to special order long tongs and nets, and turkey basters...but the these tanks are for viewing, and the wow factor is my primary motivation. I'll fit maintenance around primary goal.

 

[lubeck]

Any updates on the build?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

love your aquascape! you did an amazing job!