tank price good?

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darklcd

nursing eel
Joined
Nov 30, 2004
Messages
547
Location
Thunder Bay
hey all

I don't know if this is the right forum and if someone please move it.

Now for the question...

I just started my 55 gal again and my wife wants to get something bigger. I just happen to have a used 400 gal (8x3x2) drop in my lap for $1400 drilled and ready to go with a stand. no pumps, no lights just tank and stand

is this a good price or should i hold off?
 
hey all

I don't know if this is the right forum and if someone please move it.

Now for the question...

I just started my 55 gal again and my wife wants to get something bigger. I just happen to have a used 400 gal (8x3x2) drop in my lap for $1400 drilled and ready to go with a stand. no pumps, no lights just tank and stand

is this a good price or should i hold off?

Sounds like a good price. Is it glass or acrylic? What are your plans for the tank? depending on your plans. You will most likely spend another 3-4 times on top of that or more to get all the right components and have that thing jamming. Also for a tank that size you will have to rethink how you will power everything. You want to have dedicated circuits just for the system just because it takes alot of equipment and power to run a system that large.
 
I was in the same situation with a 360 gallon acrylic setup, except mine wasn't drilled at all until I recently decided on an overflow / return design I liked :) As Roscoe said, you're in for a BIG project with this size setup. Plan on having a good size room free to hold all the equipment / sump / etc, since you'll likely regret ever trying to fit everything under a stand for a tank this size. I have been carefully planning my new system for about a year now and slowly accumulating equipment (or designing / building it myself!), and still have spent almost double what I initially expected :lol:. If you like large, techinically involved projects and can handle the expense, then go for it. It's been one of the most stimulating projects I've undertaken in a long time!
 
Ya thats a fine price.

The two above said it all. Dedicated circuits, a very large sump. A big skimmer, expensive Water changes, and for a reef, a big budget for light bulbs and electricity.

I am by no means trying to talk you out of anything. I love my 500G system and wont be getting out of this hobby any time soon. A large system isnt to be taken lightly.
 
expensive Water changes, and for a reef, a big budget for light bulbs and electricity. A large system isnt to be taken lightly.

You have summed it all up right here Duane!!!:lol::lol:
My initial budget was waaaaaaaay uderestimated!! Not to mention the monthly cost to run a system this large. It is pretty much a car payment every month for the cost to maintain such a large system.
 
Also make plans for lots of humidity. That was something I overlooked at first! If you don't properly vent the room where the tank will be (and the sump if it's in a different area) you'll have mold growing in window corners, under carpet / flooring, in the ceiling, etc. The amount of humidity from a tank this size can destroy a house if you don't plan for it. Even something as simple as a bathroom fan or even a window fan, if not a large dehumidifier, can help immensely. As for electrical, I've got four dedicated 15 amp circuits running to my tank, each circuit powering two duplex outlets (each pair / circuit protected by a GFI outlet). I ran so many seperate lines because I don't want a single breaker to trip and shut down my entire system. I'll be spreading powerheads, skimmer, return pumps, lighting, etc across all four circuits so that if one or two trip while I'm at work the tank can still function. As I said earlier, it's definitely the most technical project I've ever undertaken, but that is what interests me so much about this hobby. The amount of thought, planning, and creativity that goes into systems like this is extremely rewarding for me :). Look around the member showcase, DIY, and tank design sections of this site to give you ideas on the new setup. I also did a LOT of reading on Reef Central which is primarily a large-system focused site. Lots of good info in the internet for those with the patience to sift through the occasional rubbish :lol:

Certainly, don't underestimate the monthly maintenance / operating costs for all of your electrical items. I'm building my system with a focus on efficiency where possible, but I'm still going to end up burning 1600 watts of lighting for 6 hours per day. I was able to find alternatives to using a chiller, so saved a LOT of power costs there that was re-allocated to the lighting. My water circulation (extremely high-flow powerheads and hefty return pump) are all very energy efficient, and my entire water circulation system including skimmer, return pump, and powerheads will use less power than a 400w halide :) Still, I'm figuring on over $200 per month just to keep the large tank running. In the end, I won't see much of an increase to my power / water bills, because I took down 4 other reef tank systems in order to set up this new system.
 
Oh, I almost forgot to mention it, but FYI the dimensions you gave are a 360 gallon tank :) That's the exact same size as my new display: 8' long x 3' wide x 2' tall. Factoring in the thickness of the acrylic panels it holds ~350 gallons of water (depending on overflow height and whatnot) but is sold as a 360 gallon tank because most large commercial vendors base the tank size on displacement volume / exterior dimensions.
 
This will take some thought bro! Like Duane said not trying to scare you from it. It is very rewarding when all said and done. With my system since I am having a child soon I will only be doing fish only for a while as plans/life has changed. This will save me quite a bit from a full SPS dominated reef tank as I don't have to run any reactors, chiller, MH lighting and a bunch other stuff that sucks up energy. Most all the equipment I have are very energy efficient and cost more for these types of application up front but will save you money in the long run. All my Tunzes and vortecs power head 3 of each total uses a little over 250w for about 18000GPH turn over in the DT.
 
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You want to find out how old the tank is, you do not want to do a start up after months pf planning, a ton of money only to find out the tank leaks after a couple of months.
 
wow invest in a fork lift... and some extra back pain insureence.... that units heavy
 
sorry about the size I was just going on what the guy said I don't have any good sites to with caculators on them.

please keep the info comming i want to do this tank right bad but I will need all the info I can get. I think I can do it but any more advice would really help

keep it comming lol

http://winnipeg.kijiji.ca/c-pets-ac...-coral-and-wet-dry-filters-W0QQAdIdZ157964165

that is the link to the tank

let me know what you all think
 
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hey all

I don't know if this is the right forum and if someone please move it.

Now for the question...

I just started my 55 gal again and my wife wants to get something bigger. I just happen to have a used 400 gal (8x3x2) drop in my lap for $1400 drilled and ready to go with a stand. no pumps, no lights just tank and stand

is this a good price or should i hold off?

Class clown is selling his for 400 less and it's reef ready for sure.
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48452
 
Looks like a glass tank based on the third pic in the link (shows silicone in the seams from what I can see). It'll definitely weigh a ton! Plan on 6 people with suction cups rented from Lowes / Home Depot to move the thing. My acrylic tank of the same dimensions weighs about 300 lbs, if the far end is supported by something I can pick it up myself just to move it around or spin it to work on a different side. Personally I would never buy a glass tank over 100 gallons because I've seen too many horror stories with glass panels breaking in the night and unleashing a biblical flood in the person's house. Acrylic by comparison is much safer over the long term because of the strength of the bonded seams (if the tank was built correctly anyways). You have to be a LOT more careful when cleaning to prevent scratches, but I feel acrylic to be a better / safer investment, particularly with large systems. Also much easier to drill / modify :D Then again, I've got a high-energy 4 year old son that likes to sit and watch the aquarium between bouts of running around the house, so I would always be nervous about him sliding or tripping and crashing into the aquarium at a high rate of speed. Also, if the viewing panels are not low-iron / starfire / etc then at the thicknesses required for a large tank everything will have a very greenish tint when viewed through the glass. Starfire / low-iron glass has almost the same visual clarity as acrylic, but can sometimes cost more to build a new tank with.

Still, if the tank is currently set up and all the seams look good (no bubbles / air gaps in silicone, no peeling / cracking, no areas that look to have had silicone added (puddles / pools in corners, etc) then for the price it's probably worth the risk. I was able to move my acrylic tank and steel stand with just a flatbed trailer without too much concern, but you would have to be a LOT more careful moving a glass setup. Knowing that it is glass, especially if the viewing panels are not a low-iron material, I would pass on it personally for that price (I paid about the same price for my acrylic setup that was less than a year old). As Chicas01 said above, there's other large tanks for sale on the forum here from reputable / trustworthy people at about the same price. As with anything else in this hobby, it's safer by far to be patient and wait until you find something that suits your needs. I wasn't able to find a tank that met my requirements / desires when looking for my new display, so I began searching in Eastern WA, Idaho, Oregon, and even Montana. I ended up driving down to South Beach, OR towing a flatbed trailer behind my Jeep Wrangler (this was before I bought my full-size truck) to pick up the tank that I felt was the perfect size / dimension for my plans. There's a couple of large acrylic tanks on craigslist right now in addition to these forums, so there's a lot more options than when I was looking :) Again, that's just my opinion, but I would never trust a glass tank of this size, and would certainly not consider using normal glass on what would end up being my "dream tank" because of the low visual clarity compared to tanks built from acrylic / low-iron glass.
 
Well crap, after looking a bit more closely at your link and your own listed location, I guess it wouldn't help to know that there's lots of large tanks available on the focums here or on the local craigslist... You're nowhere near Seattle? :) I always just assume that people here are local to the Pacific Northwest (to include you maniacs from Eastern WA and the people from Oregon) because roughly 90% of the people I see posting regularly are in the "local" areas.
 
lol I know its going to be heave and I have a truck and a large family to help me out.

I actually live in Thunder Bay Ontario Canada and this tank is about 8 hours away from me. There are a few reasons i woudl drive to get it

1. the price is not that bad
2. if I get there and the tank is not what I want I can get a 200 gal tank complete for less cash
3. I can get most of my supplies for a better price there and bring them back
4. it would give me a weekend away from school and everything else
5. road trip and drink lol
 
IMHO glass tanks will last longer than any acrylic tank and do not have a green tint as the above mentioned post stated if it isn't starfire (low iron glass) keep your glass clean, run carbon and you won't have that problem. Acrylic will scratch so so much easier! It is not a matter if but when because you will. I use to have a 120g acrylic tank and was real anal about not scratching it. Well you get one of those lazy days and rush to clean the tank and bam you have a nice scratch across the viewing area of the tank. Most Everyone I know that bought acrylic tanks at first went to glass when they downgrade or upgrade thier tank no matter the size. For this reason I will never use an acrylic tank as a DT. My 270g is 1/2'' all around and the bottom is 1'' since I added a 1/2'' sheet to repair the bottom that cracked. It is crystal clear with no green tint. Your new tank will be heavy!!! I know mines took 6 people and suction cups to safely move it.
 
That Tank is a fish only with live rock settup and allot of the equipment may not work well for a full mixed reef.
you will need :

a good skimmer $600 used to $3000

A halide canopy to fit (4) 400 watt metal halides with the larger luminarc reflectors made to fit on top and open up for access and or cooling/Fans. The lighting retrofit will run (this is an educated guess) $850 - 1500 This does not count making the canopy out of wood I assume living where you are you can build one :) (http://www.customaquatic.com/estore/control/product/~product=LT-CV-400RK)

For the Summer You May need a Chiller ( Thing's die if they get too hot and Need Halide lighting!) You need to try to keep the Temperature from Varying more than a few Degrees for the Best health of the Corals-- A Chiller for this size a tank $1200( a guess)

For water flow it gets down to the best at a premium and Several other theories.
The best would be IMO (6) Eco Tech Marine Vor Tech MP40W Pumps $2400

http://www.customaquatic.com/estore/control/product/~product=WP-ETVORTECH

Other best bets are a closed loop Wich needs a Large pump and without other devices will not alternate the flow If you add a Motorized Ball Valve then You are set and it is as good as the above and quite possably cheaper But you need to have plumbing inside the tank.

You should Have a Large Tank for a Sump That 200 Gallon tank would be perfect.

If you are keeping Corals Eventually you will need a Calcium and or Kalkwasser Reactor- You could build them yourself and Buy all the Necessary Parts Figure on $300-$3000
Depending on Allot of Different Factors But you EVENTUALLY will need this IF you decide to Raise SPS or LPS corals . If you just keep Zoo's and Leathers Then maybe not !

From what a Biologist told me you really don't need that much live rock and it is overrated as the plumbing in our systems houses allot of bacteria But That is his opinion . A mere 300 Lbs Of live rock In canada Might be hard to find I would Not get what he has in that tank picture I would Order it if necessary And Figure Even with a BIG Discount That could Easily Run $1000 But varies ALLOT over time and depending on the type etc. Lace rock is just fine and cheaper Just get Large Porus Pieces.

Add at least $100 Per month to your electricity bill .

You might want to consider a De Humidifier For the room it is in- A fairly big one.

An Auto top off for keeping the water lavel constant it Critical and less than $200 Don't skimp on these listed items as these are Just the basics

A Controller Is Not mandatory But Is a good Idea You Will Spend $150-$1000 On This .

Any 1 coral from say Dr Foster and smith Delivered live ( If they deliver to canada?)
Will Run $120 + $60 for shipping For a 4" Colony And Anything smaller in that tank you won't much see From a distance.

Is There a club in your area or other's to trade with or a store?

If not everything you need for supplies will have to be shipped!


So I guess If It Was Me I would Say Can You Afford $10,000 + To Put into to it BEFORE you even add fish or corals And Then $250 A month for Salt/ Light's/Electricity ?

This is what A FULL BLOWN reef Will Most Likely CONSERVATIVELY run you.You Can do it cheaper But eventually You Will need or Want everthing Listed and More I have not.

Also Most people Don't leave there house for days at a time because they want to be there to fix any problem that arises ( and there are allot of things that can go wrong).


If you buy an expensive controller it will even e-mail you whats wrong with your tank ( assuming you program it correctly and Have allot of monitoring features)

Not to scare you But I feel you wanted advice And this is some of what a FULL BLOWN REEF NEEDS.

Most People Try to GET BY and then GIVE UP about 6-18 Month's Down the road because They NEVER got all the Automation Equipment and Had allot of livestock Die.

:)

Paul
 
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Wow Paul that was a mouth full:lol::lol:!!! Yeah I didn't expect to be in the $10g range but ended there anyways and more. You didn't even mention that he might need some electrical work and floor supports need to be done for a monster tank such as that if it isn't on a solid flooring. Those are more expense there unless you have good friends to help you out there in that area. I was lucky to have some :)
 
the floor is fine there is no basement, i am not doing a full reef tank because wel 10k to get a reef set up is too much for me. I am going to do a fish only if I do and keep my 55 gal for a coral tank.

I woudl love to make this a reef but if I spend that kind of cash I am a dead man lol. most of the stuff I can get for good pricing so I am ok there I think. I am going to talk to my lfs and see what he can do for me
 
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