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(NO MORE) 2,000L High tech BEAST

I worked on a Koi Farm for many years, over time we developed into a tourist attraction and had numerous aquatic displays.
One such display was a 2000 gallon concrete tank with 50mm thick acrylic windows.
I built the tank to house “ Topcat” who was a 30lb red tailed catfish.
Anyway once a week he was fed a couple of dead fish (trout normally) 2pm on Friday I seem to remember.
One of the guys would get in the tank and hand feed him and it aways drew a small crowd.
 
foxfish said:
I worked on a Koi Farm for many years, over time we developed into a tourist attraction and had numerous aquatic displays.
One such display was a 2000 gallon concrete tank with 50mm thick acrylic windows.
I built the tank to house “ Topcat” who was a 30lb red tailed catfish.
Anyway once a week he was fed a couple of dead fish (trout normally) 2pm on Friday I seem to remember.
One of the guys would get in the tank and hand feed him and i
Click to expand...

Love it!
Id love to have planted tank that size, could dive in to trim/plant each week... amazing...

For my next house move, I just might look for one with an indoor swimming pool, and complain to the seller about how expensive running this pool would be if I bought it...
 
I noticed that you're using Floodlight lighting. I have a hightech tank with some floodlights on it. The tank is quite shallow so I'm guessing the PAR will be atleast 150+ at substrate level.

With such a high amount of light coming from the floodlight, do you ever notice the plants look a bit weird in the morning when the lights first turn on? Some of my ludwigia tends to curl back, as if the leaves are shocked with the amount of light initially. The color also looks washed out initially. The leaves and color return to normal at the end of the photoperiod, but I'm wondering if you experience the same thing.
 
Plants101 said:
I noticed that you're using Floodlight lighting. I have a hightech tank with some floodlights on it. The tank is quite shallow so I'm guessing the PAR will be atleast 150+ at substrate level.

With such a high amount of light coming from the floodlight, do you ever notice the plants look a bit weird in the morning when the lights first turn on? Some of my ludwigia tends to curl back, as if the leaves are shocked with the amount of light initially. The color also looks washed out initially. The leaves and color return to normal at the end of the photoperiod, but I'm wondering if you experience the same thing.
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Hi there

Thats very odd indeed! Never had that happen in my tank, cant really comment.

Fil
 
Seriously impressive project.

A few things stand out - you commitment and your candor.

I'm not sure I could commit that much living space to a tank - read: My Mrs wouldn't accept it. I am curious as to final costs as well. Your project has inspired me to give this a go, but realistically I'd need to know how big the hole is before I dove in financially.

I'm also somewhat impressed with your honesty in strife, particularly at the algae bloom stage. Having previously suffered a disaster, around 15 years ago, with my last planted tank its taken a lot for me to get over it. I'm only just kicking off a project now. Seeing pictures of your strife and comments have really helped, particularly as the final result is so good.

I have two techie questions, my biggest headaches at the moment.

Firstly, what floor reinforcements did you undertake? I am looking at a similar capacity tank to yours as a final project.
Secondly, having used a weir, how did you silence it? I remember my last tank having japanese-esk water torture noises which quiet simply drove me mad.
 
Miniandy said:
I'm not sure I could commit that much living space to a tank - read: My Mrs wouldn't accept it. I am curious as to final costs as well. Your project has inspired me to give this a go, but realistically I'd need to know how big the
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Hey Andy

Thanks for reading, and your kind words. Very encouraging!
Ive been meaning to post some videos on youtube, but the option of adding stock music is gone out of my mobile youtube app! No idea why, nevermind I digress.
Having a finance background, I kept good track of all initial costs, came to about £7k including plants and fish. Keep in mind that running costs are about £100 lekky, and £20 co2 each month. Thanfully the beast is plentiful so I can sell surplus plants to keep the running costs covered, and then some!

Floor supports, I didnt add any.
HOWEVER, my dad and I ripped this place up, and demolished a few walls, so I knew that the tank will sit on 2 separate suspended wooden floors, with the joists resting at multiple points on brick pillars (and the remnants of the load bearing wall which once stood), the floor has 2 sets of joists running perpendicular to each other.

Now, the weir! I found this design online which uses 3 standpipes, look for "bean animal overflow". I know exactly what you mean with the water torture, but I must say this 3 pipe design is near silent! I was gobsmacked when I got it all running, since there is a considerable amount of water being pumped around. My pc fans slapped to the led floodlights are WAAAY more noisy, and even they just give off a low humm.

Good luck if you end up undertaking anything similar, and make sure to cc me in 😉
Its been ridiculously rewarding for me, money well invested!
Fil
 
@Filip Krupa

As @Miniandy put it, we all appreciate your honesty and your commitment to this project. It's always fun seeing an update on this tank and the plants you pull out of it. It is quite inspiring and your honesty with your setbacks help all of us to continue learning. 🙂

I'm thinking about making an aquatic plant farm using 50W floodlights, similar to the ones you use on this tank. I know that not all floodlights are built equal, but I was wondering what the PAR value is at the substrate (if you've ever tested that?). If you haven't tested it, would you be able to give an approximation of the PAR value?

On your particular setup, how far are the lights from the substrate level?

Thank you in advance.
 
Plants101 said:
how far are the lights from the substrate level?
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Hi, my lights are aprox 70cm from the substrate.
I honestly cannot give you a PAR estimate as I have not developed any feel for that scale, never used it. I can only say that even plants at the substrate get to pearl happily. Good luck!

Fil
 
Just did a little trim on my l. glandulosa.
Couldnt help myself so took some snaps.

I love how thick and strong it grows, and how it doesnt really like branching out like other ludwigias.
Wish I could sell it to others but it doesnt travel well, unless I send it in a box but then p&p wipes out any profit. Anyway, heres the snaps

20200605_092012.jpg20200605_091954.jpg
 
I've shipped quite a bit of glandulosa over the years. The key to prepping it for shipping is to make it close up so the leaves don't get crushed. Maybe consider harvesting it at night when the leaves have closed up. Or another option is to quickly drag it upside down out of the water so that the leaves are forced to stick to each other and close up. It also might be helpful to chop down those stems to about 30cm max.

I've had lots of success using damp paper towels and padded envelopes as a shipping method. The padded envelopes seem to provide the necessary support without needing a box.
 
hypnogogia said:
@Filip Krupa have you thought of putting a webcam on the
Click to expand...

I have actually, however I have currently absolutely no idea how to go about putting one up, nor the cost involved.
Neither insurmountable ofc, its just one of those ideas on the shelf, waiting for a jolt of inspiration for me to pick it up.

Thanks for reading
Fil
 
Filip Krupa said:
I have actually, however I have currently absolutely no idea how to go about putting one up, nor the cost involved.
Neither insurmountable ofc, its just one of those ideas on the shelf, waiting for a jolt of inspiration for me to pick it up.

Thanks for reading
Fil
Click to expand...

An underwater camera please


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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