Building a tank...

"Larry Blanchard" wrote in message
...
NetMax wrote:

In a large tank in larger numbers (7), they get understandable larger
and bolder. They will still shoo away, but they are much more daring
and quicker to return. The OP wants a 300-1200g river tank with them
as the main fish!

Undoubtedly true. The fish I mentioned were in a fairly small (4'?)
tank and there were only three of them.

Come to think of it, since I wasn't interested in fish at that time, I
had only her word, and their general appearance, to say that they were
pirhanas.

IOW, maybe all should disregard my previous post on the subject.

--
It's turtles, all the way down

lol, but there is enough real variation in experiences to sometimes allow
seemingly contradictory appearances. I think the expression is something
like : "the only thing fish-keepers can all agree on, is that fish need
water, and even that has its exceptions" ;~).

To the uninitiated, the common red belly Pacu
http://www.elmersaquarium.com/image_...u_RED_pair.jpg
might pass as a red breasted Piranha.
http://www.natuurinformatie.nl/ndb.w...l/i000452.html
except for the teeth ;~)
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe....piranha.reut/
--
www.NetMax.tk

On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 13:26:18 -0600, NetMax wrote
(in article ):


To the uninitiated, the common red belly Pacu
http://www.elmersaquarium.com/image_...u_RED_pair.jpg
might pass as a red breasted Piranha.
http://www.natuurinformatie.nl/ndb.w...l/i000452.html
except for the teeth ;~)
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe....piranha.reut/

Piranha are illegal in Texas since local waters are warm enough that they
might survive if released. There was a recent scare a few years ago when a
local fisherman caught a pacu and reported it a s a piranha.

I don't see what all the fuss was about. The lake where he caught it is chock
full of 'gators, how much worse could a few piranha be?

-E

"Eric" wrote in message
. sbcglobal.net...
On Sat, 28 Jan 2006 13:26:18 -0600, NetMax wrote
(in article ):


To the uninitiated, the common red belly Pacu
http://www.elmersaquarium.com/image_...u_RED_pair.jpg
might pass as a red breasted Piranha.
http://www.natuurinformatie.nl/ndb.w...l/i000452.html
except for the teeth ;~)
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe....piranha.reut/

Piranha are illegal in Texas since local waters are warm enough that they
might survive if released. There was a recent scare a few years ago when a
local fisherman caught a pacu and reported it a s a piranha.

I don't see what all the fuss was about. The lake where he caught it is
chock
full of 'gators, how much worse could a few piranha be?

-E


The danger lies in the fact that its a species that was not meant to be
there, and could be the detriment of all the other fish and wildlife that
live in or near the body of water.

Sean

In article ,
Sean wrote:
Anyone have any tips on what one would need/do when building a custom tank?
Materials to use and sealant advice would be great. I'm looking to contruct
a tank that is about 300Gs...

Step 1: See if you can get the glass cheaper than just buying a tank. Silicone
is the only adhesive you can use.

Acrylic is easier to work with but even more expensive.

I'd buy a good ued tank. What reason would you have to make one
that big yourself?

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

I don't think I would feel safe with a homemade version that large. I know
they can be just as good or better. I am just thinking what do you guys
think an insurance company might do if one that large fails & they find it
is home made.


"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Sean wrote:
Anyone have any tips on what one would need/do when building a custom
tank?
Materials to use and sealant advice would be great. I'm looking to
contruct
a tank that is about 300Gs...

Step 1: See if you can get the glass cheaper than just buying a tank.
Silicone
is the only adhesive you can use.

Acrylic is easier to work with but even more expensive.

I'd buy a good ued tank. What reason would you have to make one
that big yourself?

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

In article %SsCf.25$JO5.13@trnddc04,
Jürgen Exner wrote:
Sean wrote:
I would like for it to be acrylic as it is much stronger and about
half the weight of glass. I was thinking about building a tank about
8 feet long and about 4 feet deep (front to back) by about 5 feet
high (floor to ceiling). This may be well beyond 300Gs,
[...]
water weight calcs....

Well, that part is simple: for all practical purposes 1 liter of fresh water
has a weight of 1 kg.

So let's do it in ISO units: 8'x4'x5' is about 2.4mx1.2mx1.5m = 4.32 cubic
meter

In other words your are dealing with a tank of about 4.32 tons of

It's not the weight that's gonna get you it's the cost of the metierials
to build a 5 foot tall tank. Look at all the big tanks you see, 100, 200,
300+ gallons. Notice thet're not that tall? 2' max? That's cause the
thickness of the glass/acrylic you use is a function of the hight of the
tank. Five feet talk is absurd for an aquarium made freom glass or acrylic
you'd ned 1" glass about $100 a square inch or something stupid.

Best thing to do I think wold be to buuid this monster tank out of
marine plywood into the house and only use acrylic on the front
viewing glass.

I've seen this done, as a kid a guy in Hamilton Ont. named Stan
Winwood had marine setups in his house in the early 1970s
including one 800 tank built into the wall the same as
described above. Sweeeeet...


--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

In article ,
CanadianCray wrote:
Actually there has never been a recorded case of Piranhas killing a human.

There was an article in TFH in I think the 80s or 90s where Axelrod
too pictures of a school of Pirana as he swam alongside them. He
said this they're fine and unless it's the 2-3 week period when the
rains start up again after a dry seaosn then no problem.

But they'll strip the meat off your bones if you try this in that
period just after the rains start.

Just ask the natives there. Not surprisingly they have this all
figure oud.

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Sean wrote:
Anyone have any tips on what one would need/do when building a custom
tank?
Materials to use and sealant advice would be great. I'm looking to
contruct
a tank that is about 300Gs...

Step 1: See if you can get the glass cheaper than just buying a tank.
Silicone
is the only adhesive you can use.

I won't be using glass, it's no good for what I want.

Acrylic is easier to work with but even more expensive.

That's what I am going with.

I'd buy a good ued tank. What reason would you have to make one
that big yourself?

My reasons are basically a hobby/ project. Everybody has a tank, how many
can say they built it from scratch and in such a way that makes it unique to
them?

Sean

"CanadianCray" wrote in message
...
I don't think I would feel safe with a homemade version that large. I know
they can be just as good or better. I am just thinking what do you guys
think an insurance company might do if one that large fails & they find it
is home made.

Why wouldn't it be as safe? Its going to be tested outside the house and
allowed to sit for a week. If it doesn't fail in that week, chances are its
not going to fail at all. I now have a person who is going to help me
through some of the processes. He works here in a local fishshop and has
been building homemade tanks for years, he now has a small business (though
orders are rare for that type of thing here). I don't see why it matter if
its homemade in an unfinished basement with good drainage.

Sean

In article ,
CanadianCray wrote:
I don't think I would feel safe with a homemade version that large. I know
they can be just as good or better. I am just thinking what do you guys
think an insurance company might do if one that large fails & they find it
is home made.

Silly rabbit. If a tank that big fails it'll kill you and if it
doesn't the wet electricals will. Who needs insurance?


--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net