Making my 800 800 gallons bigger!!

[Monster Fish Rescue]

My name is Jonathan, otherwise known as TheFishGuy on a few other forums. I run monsterfishrescue.com and seem to be rescuing more and more fish. Recently my 800 that I built two and a half years ago started to leak. The tank has been drained and all the fish are living in a roughly 800 gallon pond. So since we have this saying that there's no problems just opportunities I've decided to take this opportunity to make the tank much larger. As it stands the tank measures 14' long 3' front to back and 30" tall. Since my incredibly understanding wife who lets me fill the house with fish tanks doesn't want the tank to take up more room I've decided to add onto the back of it. I'm going to take it a step further though and make the addition deeper. What I mean by deeper is by making it taller by going down.

Here's the future footprint:




What it'll look like through the glass:



With the addition the total gallons will go from 785.45 to 1623.27 more than doubling gallonage. More importantly this will give options for more fish to go into the tank by creating two huge breaks in line of site.

Here's a link to the original build, and to the thread that was a continuation:

Cichlid-Forum :: View topic - 1122.08 GALLON TANK PROJECT!!!

The continuation:

Cichlid-Forum :: View topic - My wish list in the 800 gal....

This is essentially part three And yes, I've started this thread on a bunch of forums because I'd like to get to know the people from this forum.

I just joined this forum so I'm going to try and get everyone caught up on all my updates of this project!

Here's the list of fish (and their sizes) that were in the 800:

Black belt 9
Black belt 8.5
Black belt 9
Black belt 9.5
Blue Acara 5
Bocourti 11
Bocourti 10
Common Oscar 11.75
Common Oscar 8.5
Cutteri 5.25
Firemouth 5
Giant Danio 2
Green Severum 7
Green Severum 7
Green Severum 6.75
Green Terror 4.25
Intermedious 8.25
Intermedious 8.25
Intermedious 8.25
Irridescent Shark 15
Irridescent Shark 10.5
Jack Dempsey 6.5
Jack Dempsey 3.25
Jack Dempsey 3.75
Jaguar 7.5
Lemon Severum 4
Loepard sailfin pleco 14.5
Mad Barb 15
Mad Barb 15
Midas 7.75
Midas 7.75
Midas 7.5
Midas Mr. T 8.5
Nicaraguan Cichlid 6
Nicaraguan Cichlid 7.125
Nicaraguan Cichlid 7.25
Nicaraguan Cichlid 7
Nicaraguan Cichlid 4.25
Nicaraguan Cichlid 5.25
Nicaraguan Cichlid 5.25
Pacu 22
Pacu 18
Pacu 17
Pictus Cat 10
Red Bay Snook 5.25
Red Midas 8.75
Red Terror 7.25
Red tiger oscar 8.75
Regans Cichlid 7
Regans Cichlid 6.25
Regans Cichlid 5.25
Robertsoni 10
Salvani 5.75
Salvani 4.5
Silver Dollar 7
Silver Dollar 5
Silver Dollar 6
Silver Dollar 6
Synodontis 8
Synspilum 10.5
Tiger Tilapia 8
Tiger Tilapia 7
Tilapia Mamfe 7.25
Uaru 5

Most of these will be going back in the tank when it's done, but here's a video of what's going on:
YouTube - Monster Fish Rescue

Here’s some video updates for you, mostly of demo:

Update 4: YouTube - Monster Fish Rescue Addition 4

Update 5: YouTube - Monster Fish Rescue Addition 5

Update 6: YouTube - Monster Fish Rescue Addition 6

Update 7: YouTube - Monster Fish Rescue addition # 7

Update 8: YouTube - Monster Fish Rescue addition # 8

I also got all the framing material today from Mentor Lumber, Rick was able to help out Monster Fish Rescue by giving the material pretty much at cost. They didn’t make any money, but they didn’t lose any either… It’s been a tough year for everyone so I didn’t want them to lose money on me. I was also able to order the hardie panel today too. It should be in Friday or Monday. Roughly $600 so far for this repair/addition. I’ll know an exact amount when my bill comes…

I’m hoping tomorrow will be a productive day for this project. If I can get everything framed by Monday then I’ll be able to start installing the hardie right away! Atleast soon we’ll all be able to see the shape of the tank!

As always if there’s any question feel free to ask and I’ll try to answer the best I can.

Sorry for the massive post.......

[ILLUSN]

AWESOME!!!!!

i wish my wife was that understanding, FANTASTIC work that you do mate!

[Monster Fish Rescue]

Thanks ILLUSN, I'm actually kind of embarrased not posting on this forum about this... We've got two c0omputers and for somereason this site isn't on the others desk top.... I'm here now though!

[Monster Fish Rescue]

Here’s what got done today….

Up date 9 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPxY_hEXUDo

Up date 10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5gJE2wS6Kw


It took an hour and twenty minutes to clean the second pane of glass. A nerve racking hour and twenty minutes…

It took three hours to frame the floor of the addition. The “sleepers” are scribed to fit the very uneven and out of level floor. But at least the floor of the addition will be level…

Thanks for looking and if there’s any questions please feel free to ask!

[Monster Fish Rescue]

I made some pretty good headway today, 99% of the framing is done. Just seven small pieces to put in and I can start sheeting!
All the braces under the floor sheeting were installed.
Holes were drilled in the scribed floor joists under the addition.
The floor sheeting was installed and the walls framed.
I also figured out how many gallons of water the tank will hold…

1457.01 gallons! The sump will also have water in it but I haven’t made a 100% decision on the sump yet. It’s got to be quite large in order for it to not run dry before it gets fed. I’m thinking about 175 gallons or 200 gallons should do it.

Here’s a short video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPn8PhnrqG0

Thanks for looking!

[Monster Fish Rescue]

And here’s update #12

Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HUWcIE-3XY


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[Monster Fish Rescue]

The sheeting is done! Next is cutting holes in it where the bulkheads are going to be. The reason I’m doing that is because last time there was barely enough thread on the shower drains to make a good seal. I’m going to make the holes slightly larger than the nut for the bulkhead, this way I’m only dealing with the thickness of the hardie panel and pond armor. And yes, I plan to silicone in the bulkheads this time. Last time I did not. I might go get the hardie panel tomorrow and the two sheets of plywood to make the sump tank. The sump tank will be made out of ¾” plywood lined with hardie panel, then lined with pond armor. Enjoy the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx4Tk5qr5Uc


As always, if there’s any questions or comments feel free to ask 

[schlambambel]

Hi every impressed with what you've done. Just have a couple of questions. Why didn't you use PT plywood? I'm guessing maybe the seepage of chemicals. Did you frame it 16 OC? How big and the cost of the glass.

[Monster Fish Rescue]

I didn't use treated plywood because the tank is getting lined with hardie panel ,then sealed with pond armor. Water sould never get to the plywood... An the studs are 1' oc. for the most part. The short walls on the addition are 10"oc.

As for the cost of glass... I got it two and a half years ago during the build of the 800... it was at a price that was too good to be true... I'll put it to you this way... It's now what you know it's who you know Basicly $100 a piece... They're 72"x30"x3/4" WAY overkill......

[schlambambel]

Thanks for the info and again great job. Cant wait to get my basement done.