Possible odd question.

[skozzy]

A while ago I wanted to setup a pond outside, but after playing with reef
setups and salt water I am thinking of the idea of making an outside salt
water tank, but not the usualy glass type, I was thinking of making a wooden
frame about 3 meters x 3 meters and about 1 meter high then sealing it with
fiberglass, then adding in the usual pumps and filtration and putting in
some live rock and some fish. It's be able to save heaps on lighting the
setup and put that money into maintaining the temprature with a decent
chiller.

I would like to hear some feedback from people about this idea and some
possible problems I might be looking at. Or some possible good things ?

I was thinking that it might help in growing some alge on some new rocks
fast then in a normal tank too. ??

[Chris Taylor]

Hi Skozzy

If it is 1M deep you'll be looking a 9000 Litres of water, will you be
mixing this or bringing in from the sea? How many tons of live rock will you
be using?

I recall that evaporation from my fathers swimming pool (about 27 000
litres) was significant over summer months when I was younger, will you be
using RO water for top-ups? Your water changes will be not unlike a swimming
pool backwash!!

I've not done this but have read of people doing the same thing. I hope
you'll be posting pictures? I imaging that Scuba or Snorkel equipment may
become the norm for your routing maintenance?

Good luck!!

Chris



"skozzy" > wrote in message
...
> A while ago I wanted to setup a pond outside, but after playing with reef
> setups and salt water I am thinking of the idea of making an outside salt
> water tank, but not the usualy glass type, I was thinking of making a
wooden
> frame about 3 meters x 3 meters and about 1 meter high then sealing it
with
> fiberglass, then adding in the usual pumps and filtration and putting in
> some live rock and some fish. It's be able to save heaps on lighting the
> setup and put that money into maintaining the temprature with a decent
> chiller.
>
> I would like to hear some feedback from people about this idea and some
> possible problems I might be looking at. Or some possible good things ?
>
> I was thinking that it might help in growing some alge on some new rocks
> fast then in a normal tank too. ??
>
>

[Steve Sells]

Predators.. neighborhood dogs,cats, birds... even raccoons and squirrels
all seem to like to eat fish in the states... something to protect against.

Steve



"skozzy" > wrote in message
> I would like to hear some feedback from people about this idea and some
> possible problems I might be looking at. Or some possible good things ?
>
> I was thinking that it might help in growing some alge on some new rocks
> fast then in a normal tank too. ??
>
>

[Harris]

"skozzy" > wrote in message >...
> A while ago I wanted to setup a pond outside, but after playing with reef
> setups and salt water I am thinking of the idea of making an outside salt
> water tank, but not the usualy glass type, I was thinking of making a wooden
> frame about 3 meters x 3 meters and about 1 meter high then sealing it with
> fiberglass, then adding in the usual pumps and filtration and putting in
> some live rock and some fish. It's be able to save heaps on lighting the
> setup and put that money into maintaining the temprature with a decent
> chiller.
>
> I would like to hear some feedback from people about this idea and some
> possible problems I might be looking at. Or some possible good things ?
>
> I was thinking that it might help in growing some alge on some new rocks
> fast then in a normal tank too. ??

Surely you wouldn't see the fish? it's gonna be dark with out any
major lighting, and yes the sun could be classed as a major light! but
with out glass sides it's gonna be dark..

I would just go with the pond and get some nice koi, lovely fish that
look good from the top. and of course a pond is so much easier to
look after.

[Chris]

i built a tank 34x34x24 out of plywood framed it out 2 coats of fiberglass
w/mesh then 4 coats of potable expoxy paint, runs great no leaks as of yet,
been running for 4 or 5 months.....

some would suggest just painting the ply but the fiberglass gives a nice
strong smooth surface to work with.

http://chrispol.ath.cx:8080

skozzy wrote:

> A while ago I wanted to setup a pond outside, but after playing with reef
> setups and salt water I am thinking of the idea of making an outside salt
> water tank, but not the usualy glass type, I was thinking of making a
> wooden frame about 3 meters x 3 meters and about 1 meter high then sealing
> it with fiberglass, then adding in the usual pumps and filtration and
> putting in some live rock and some fish. It's be able to save heaps on
> lighting the setup and put that money into maintaining the temprature with
> a decent chiller.
>
> I would like to hear some feedback from people about this idea and some
> possible problems I might be looking at. Or some possible good things ?
>
> I was thinking that it might help in growing some alge on some new rocks
> fast then in a normal tank too. ??

[Marc Levenson]

Hey, nice job! I had to wade through a few hundred pictures to find it, but it
looks good.

Marc


Chris wrote:

> i built a tank 34x34x24 out of plywood framed it out 2 coats of fiberglass
> w/mesh then 4 coats of potable expoxy paint, runs great no leaks as of yet,
> been running for 4 or 5 months.....
>
> some would suggest just painting the ply but the fiberglass gives a nice
> strong smooth surface to work with.
>
> http://chrispol.ath.cx:8080
>
>

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Richard Reynolds]

> some would suggest just painting the ply but the fiberglass gives a nice
> strong smooth surface to work with.
>
> http://chrispol.ath.cx:8080

is that marble like finish just paint or a panneling ???


cool pics

--
Richard Reynolds

[Chris Taylor]

Nice Katana; Restoration project?



"Chris" > wrote in message
...
> i built a tank 34x34x24 out of plywood framed it out 2 coats of fiberglass
> w/mesh then 4 coats of potable expoxy paint, runs great no leaks as of
yet,
> been running for 4 or 5 months.....
>
> some would suggest just painting the ply but the fiberglass gives a nice
> strong smooth surface to work with.
>
> http://chrispol.ath.cx:8080
>
> skozzy wrote:
>
> > A while ago I wanted to setup a pond outside, but after playing with
reef
> > setups and salt water I am thinking of the idea of making an outside
salt
> > water tank, but not the usualy glass type, I was thinking of making a
> > wooden frame about 3 meters x 3 meters and about 1 meter high then
sealing
> > it with fiberglass, then adding in the usual pumps and filtration and
> > putting in some live rock and some fish. It's be able to save heaps on
> > lighting the setup and put that money into maintaining the temprature
with
> > a decent chiller.
> >
> > I would like to hear some feedback from people about this idea and some
> > possible problems I might be looking at. Or some possible good things ?
> >
> > I was thinking that it might help in growing some alge on some new rocks
> > fast then in a normal tank too. ??
>

[Kevin M]

"Chris" > wrote in message
...
|
| some would suggest just painting the ply but the fiberglass gives a nice
| strong smooth surface to work with.
|
| http://chrispol.ath.cx:8080


Nice P-51, too! Is it one of yours? What kit?

Kev

[Taff]

hi skozzy
my next door neighbour was talked into putting a salty pond in his back
garden by a guy that wholesaled fish and corals etc around the corner from
us, obviously he could see the expense and problem and wasnt willing to
commit his own money and time, needless to say the project was a complete
flop. we live in perth, western australia the weather is usually beautifull
all year but he still round he needed heating during the night!!!! the the
fish were also open to the elements so he built a patio over the top
$$$$$$$$$ then cats and birds (pelicans) were eating his prized angels etc
so he put mesh over the top, with the mesh and the patio the wundaful aussie
sun couldnt even reach the water which when it did it made the water far
tooooo hot, I watched this for the whole time he was attempting this eager
project and couldnt understand why he didnt give up sooner, obviously he
packed it all up and its all full of sand for his kids :) Taff
"Harris" > wrote in message
m...
> "skozzy" > wrote in message
>...
> > A while ago I wanted to setup a pond outside, but after playing with
reef
> > setups and salt water I am thinking of the idea of making an outside
salt
> > water tank, but not the usualy glass type, I was thinking of making a
wooden
> > frame about 3 meters x 3 meters and about 1 meter high then sealing it
with
> > fiberglass, then adding in the usual pumps and filtration and putting in
> > some live rock and some fish. It's be able to save heaps on lighting the
> > setup and put that money into maintaining the temprature with a decent
> > chiller.
> >
> > I would like to hear some feedback from people about this idea and some
> > possible problems I might be looking at. Or some possible good things ?
> >
> > I was thinking that it might help in growing some alge on some new rocks
> > fast then in a normal tank too. ??
>
> Surely you wouldn't see the fish? it's gonna be dark with out any
> major lighting, and yes the sun could be classed as a major light! but
> with out glass sides it's gonna be dark..
>
> I would just go with the pond and get some nice koi, lovely fish that
> look good from the top. and of course a pond is so much easier to
> look after.

[skozzy]

Well guys thanks for the replys so far.. Some interesting things to look out
for. If I was to scale the size down would a be able to use the sunlight to
help normal rocks get covered with coraline alge faster then in a standard
tank ?

[CapFusion]

"Chris" > wrote in message
...
> i built a tank 34x34x24 out of plywood framed it out 2 coats of fiberglass
> w/mesh then 4 coats of potable expoxy paint, runs great no leaks as of
yet,
> been running for 4 or 5 months.....
>
> some would suggest just painting the ply but the fiberglass gives a nice
> strong smooth surface to work with.
>
> http://chrispol.ath.cx:8080
Wow chris,
You have alot of photos and not just tank but other stuffs too. Nice fish
tank room.

CapFusion,....

[Matthew A.]

Unless you have money to burn, I leave such a project to the public
aquariums. As already mentioned by others who have replied, the costs to
maintain it would be extremely high. Unless you happen to live on the
equator additional lighting is most likely going to be a must. Not to
mention the cost of running the filtration equipment. Notice how very few
public aquariums venture to maintain large captive reef systems. It's just
too expensive.
"skozzy" > wrote in message
...
> Well guys thanks for the replys so far.. Some interesting things to look
out
> for. If I was to scale the size down would a be able to use the sunlight
to
> help normal rocks get covered with coraline alge faster then in a standard
> tank ?
>
>
>

[Richard Reynolds]

> Well guys thanks for the replys so far.. Some interesting things to look out
> for. If I was to scale the size down would a be able to use the sunlight to
> help normal rocks get covered with coraline alge faster then in a standard
> tank ?

FWIW I have a old tank new setup coral prop tank outside, a preditor tank thats, well in a
covered patio but unheated so still outside, and 1 and 1/2 (hehe 1 is unfinished) 125
gallon SW ponds outside used for fish growout.

like anything there have been some issues, the coral prop tank has 4 corals in it its
cycled but has only been setup for about a month now. the working pond has had filtration
issues but nothing that adding more bio material didnt cover (remember grow out so 1000
clowns in a 125 pond being fead 3X a day)

but i live in socal. still not close to the equator, but more so than many other colder
climates.

--
Richard Reynolds

[Matthew A.]

1000 clownfish in 125 gallon tank? Hmmm, I can imagine such a tank might
begin to look like your typical locale Mom and Pop tropical fish store
feeder goldfish tanks. lol. Just kidding. You mentioned S. Cal. Anywhere
near San Diego perhaps?
"Richard Reynolds" > wrote in message
news:CS1Lb.27185$WQ3.8953@lakeread05...
> > Well guys thanks for the replys so far.. Some interesting things to look
out
> > for. If I was to scale the size down would a be able to use the sunlight
to
> > help normal rocks get covered with coraline alge faster then in a
standard
> > tank ?
>
> FWIW I have a old tank new setup coral prop tank outside, a preditor tank
thats, well in a
> covered patio but unheated so still outside, and 1 and 1/2 (hehe 1 is
unfinished) 125
> gallon SW ponds outside used for fish growout.
>
> like anything there have been some issues, the coral prop tank has 4
corals in it its
> cycled but has only been setup for about a month now. the working pond has
had filtration
> issues but nothing that adding more bio material didnt cover (remember
grow out so 1000
> clowns in a 125 pond being fead 3X a day)
>
> but i live in socal. still not close to the equator, but more so than many
other colder
> climates.
>
> --
> Richard Reynolds
>
>
>

[Richard Reynolds]

> 1000 clownfish in 125 gallon tank? Hmmm, I can imagine such a tank might
> begin to look like your typical locale Mom and Pop tropical fish store
> feeder goldfish tanks. lol. Just kidding.

isnt so much kidding about it, they are ponds not tanks so you cant look at the sides, and
i have seperators installed to keep different species apart but yea it gets kinda crammed.

> You mentioned S. Cal. Anywhere
> near San Diego perhaps?

ooh man san diego is sooooo far from me, its like 1000 something


well feet maybee :D

--
Richard Reynolds