Backyard Fish Tank

[LoneStar]

I really like this idea. Although I would have made it bigger since you could make a plywood version a lot larger :)

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1095596&perpage=25&page number=1

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01274.JPG

[captexas]

I saw an outdoor saltwater pond on tv once that was awesome. Of course the house was in Hawaii and they guy had natural sea water being pumped from offshore up to his house. He had a saltwater stream that ran through the yard and dumped into a deep pond that was right against the house. The house had a basement with a window that looked into the pond. Really cool!

[loans_n_fishes]

Wouldn't the water practically boil in TX, though?

My kids have asked many times for a large pond in the yard so we could keep a sting ray. :lol

[LoneStar]

Well if its insulated well enough and deep enough in the ground, you could benefit from geo thermal cooling. Most swimming pools stay fairly cool.

If I lived in the right climate and location, I know I would be digging a hole as we speak for one! :)

[captexas]

I've thought about doing one, but as a FOWLR tank, not a reef tank. The reason for that being I could put it on a porch with some kind of lattice or retractible awning to shield it from the direct sunlight/heat and also from rain. You could build a plywood/epoxy tank like you mention, or use either a pond liner and shape out your tank however you wanted it or use one of those large stock tanks. Tractor supply had a round stock tank that was about 8 or 9 feet in diameter and about 18 to 24 inches tall if I remember correctly. I thought that would be great for either a shark tank or just having lots of larger tangs and angels.

[LoneStar]

I thought that would be great for either a shark tank


Shark tank with a retracting deck floor! :o :P

[cpreefguy]

I saw an outdoor saltwater pond on tv once that was awesome. Of course the house was in Hawaii and they guy had natural sea water being pumped from offshore up to his house. He had a saltwater stream that ran through the yard and dumped into a deep pond that was right against the house. The house had a basement with a window that looked into the pond. Really cool!

I saw that show too, that was awesome!

[hobogato]

I thought that would be great for either a shark tank


Shark tank with a retracting deck floor! :o :P

only if the sharks could have lasers :P :lol

[loans_n_fishes]

You forgot the quotations...

"Lasers" (Dr. Evil style)

Oh...and you would need minions, too. One of them could be sacrificed to the sharks every few days for entertainment purposes. Just have him unknowingly stand on the trap door and then....ZIP! :lol

[5.0Stang]

I always figured a tank outside would work. Just has to be big but after all this is TEXAS! My fav. outside tank has to be this one
http://www.cvreefers.org/showthread.php?t=3113&page=2
http://www.exoticcoral.com/new_tank.htm

[loans_n_fishes]

If that tank ever crashes, I bet it would be hard to talk that guy off the ledge! :o

[mathias]

that cover on the pond tank is sweet.... I wonder how much something like that would cost...

[blueboy]

i don't see where it'd be all that expensive. no glass tank, no stand, or canopy, no expensive lights. basically all you need is a container that holds water, and filtration, and as stated, you can get a pond liner that holds several hundred gallons for a couple hundred bucks. i'd probably go with a flexible liner. that way you could do some aragocrete work all around it to make it look a little more natural( or as natural as a salt water pond could be expected to look in central texas!). cover the bottom with some aragonite, and fill 'er up. i also think that rather than a retractable glass cover, i'd just frame a roof over it, then cover that with plexi. if things got too warm, you just throw some shade cloth over it.

[mathias]

well I read the thread he has and the problem with the shade is if your on vacation nobody is there to put shade on it.... but if your broke like me its not big deal because you never go on vacation :)

[captexas]

If you had a large enough area to build a patio in your back yard, you could build the tank into the ground and then build a roof over it with several of those sun tubes. That way you get the benefit of natural sun light and don't have to worry about rain, etc.

[blueboy]

if you wanted to get really fancy you could automate the shadecloth, and put it on a thermostat. similar to those electric pool covers.

[mathias]

Now your talking... we can have a cover for when it rains with a rain sensor, and a shade cover when the water temp goes over a certain temp.....


so who wants to try this first... we can make it a MAAST GROUP PROJECT..

[LoneStar]

Sounds fun to me :)

[rocketeer]

Here's a picture of mine getting started. Now let's see, is it 2 snails for every three gallons? Group order?

[captexas]

Give us some more details man! :)

[LoneStar]

You sure thats south Texas there? That looks too easy to dig in :lol

[matt]

You better get a wholesale account with instant ocean.

[captexas]

Just rent a tanker truck, drive it down to the coast and pump up some sea water and you are set! There are some fish tank service companies around the east/west coast that do that to set up new large tanks.

[mathias]

thats a great idea..... :) wonder how much to rent a truck that could haul about 4000 gallons...

[Bill S]

How about a MAAST trailer!

[rocketeer]

Yeah, it's San Antonio. They dug down 7 1/2 feet and hit no rock. Just lucky I guess.

Jack

[LoneStar]

You sure did!

Looks like a lot of sand in the soil. What side of town are you on?

[rocketeer]

I'm in north central S.A. near Huebner and NW Militery. Here's the steel. Any more updates will be in the Lounge.