The Behemoth Tank

[DarkEntity]

I tink it was 1000 cardinals, 36 10" Discus and some others that werent mentioned.....i cant imagine a shoal for 1000 cardinals, that would be amazing to see.

PlantBrain, i request, nae demand some amazing pimp photos once its had all the inhabitants added

 

[demonmagus]

I don't think he needs to be told

looks great

 

[plantbrain]

That tank is pretty bright if that shot is take without a tripod, light balance between the flash and the tank is pretty perfect, usually=very bright light source from tank...........

Any way you can post bigger pics Tom?

Not on this site.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Here's a "dinky little 350 gal tank" I did for for client with 500 cardnials and about 400 rummy's.
I'll tell you all tanks seem much smaller once you doa few large gaint tanks.

We might have 64 Altums in there.
Or 30 or so gaint discus
Definitely lots of hatchets/pencils/rare plecos/Apistos/cories/he also has 60 Rose line barbs.
He was finally talked out of adding the 350 fancy guppies

I'm actually doing a 125 gal tank today that has full grown rose lines, they are about 7" long and very fast. the tank is likely the min size for full grown ones. They look better as adults IMO.

the cliwent has all these fish in other tanks and will consalidate them into the this tank.
That's why he wants(I do as well) to get all the planting etc done prior and reworking etc before the fish go in.

Small fish can han dle the low water levels, but 60% is about the max for the discus and altums etc
Working in 18" of water in the tank is not so bad, but you are 100% wet when you crawl out.
The ADA soil is muddy also if you step on it and it's tough to clean up after on such a large tank also.

But once you leave it alone and let things grow in, then it's fine.
But the client has trouble doing that, it's not pateint and keeps trying to push things.
He'll settle down and get too frustrated and back off, I think he's doing that now anyway.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[MHunt]

That is one amazing tank, the scale is unbelievable. I've seen smaller tropical tanks at public aquariums!

Had a look at some of the "small" tanks you have done and they look really good. That said, after doing work in this field for the last 10 years you must be doing something right. After catching the aquatics bug I wouldn't mind getting into this kind of field.

How did you get started in this line of work? Just a hobby that got out of hand, or a conscious decision to have a career in aquatics?

Have you done work on any aquariums we might have seen in the UK?

 

[CBBP]

I am sure livign in a more uppter clas area helps.. with rich people.. haha.. i should put out an add in the newspaper "will run and set up alrge aquariums haha.. but I am not experianced enoguh haha.

plu my spellign and grammer erros will amek me liook dumb haha I am hooked on phoniex haaha

 

[plantbrain]

I'm 400 miles from the client.
I'm flown there to do the work.

I have no issue as long as they pay for it.
I'll go anywhere if I have the time.

One of the contractors for this tank is working in China coming up, then SF, then in Europe etc.
Find some one in the UK with the $$ and I'll come do a tank for them too gladly.

Or later, come to the LA zoo after we finish that one.

There's not the same type of Class issues here, just passion for something.
Some folks are well to do, some beyond rich, some are willing to to achieve it, some for show, some for personal pleasure etc.

I have not found any issues with class, these folks are my friends essentially and we talk about far more than tanks. If there is any one thing in common, it's passion for something.

A pretty gal asked the owner, myself and a famous designer how we could be so into this hobby.
We responded by asking her if I am passionate about this to this degree, imagine what my girlfriend/wife feels when that same passion is focused upon her?

I think that opened her eyes.

So while is sounds cliche, follow your passions and it'll lead you to the right path.




Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[CBBP]

Hey this is your sight right?
http/www.barrreport.com/


anyway.. I still don't see how you got into such an amazing career.. I mean so many people do it..but it seems so few have a job in it.

 

[voo]

Is this your own company ?

Do you keep a display of all the tanks you've designed? Do you keep one in your office, or where the company is based?

I hope you get to take a follow up shot after a few months once everything has grown in, it's looking great so far!

One last question... how do you go about designing a tank like this? was it drawn out on paper first?

 

[plantbrain]

Hey this is your sight right?
http/www.barrreport.com/


anyway.. I still don't see how you got into such an amazing career.. I mean so many people do it..but it seems so few have a job in it.

I still work at UC Davis as a researcher dealing with different methods to kill Hydrilla, basically I'm a weed scientist, I kill aquatic weeds.

That's my day job, this is just icing on the cake that can lead to many other options.
Some are content with a full time job alone.

My hobby, education, professional academics, business, web site are all different in ways, but they all revolve around one single theme: water and plants/algae.

So it's not work really in some respects........

I'm good at helping folks fix their plant issues, that's why I'm where I am at, big goals = big results, you must act on them, not just some fanatsy, talk is cheap.

Yes, I own the business, but I'm mainly the person that keeps things going, does the scape, works with the design, adds the CO2, consulting with engineering etc, I sub and contract out various projects and help save folks $$$ and reduced management.

I do not have a show room, I'd have a ton of pics and such other wise.
I have a few clients but very high line clients.

I do not take smaller clients most aquarium mainteance folks take.
They cannot afford the price nor really require such services.
Freinds I know personally I'll help and redo and then they can maintain it etc.

I only want to do large projects, so I do not accept less.
But it's still just icing on the cake, I have a career in aquatic weed sciences and academia as well and will pursue both, not just one focus.



Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[CBBP]

is that attached picture the big tank?

 

[George Farmer]

Tom, you are teasing me with that shoal of cardinals!

Top stuff. All aspects.

 

[tony2501]

great looking tank - been educational watching it progress

 

[plantbrain]

is that attached picture the big tank?

No, that's a "dinky little 350 gallon tank" of another client's, there's 600 cardnials and 350 rummys, 5 gold nuggets, 2 a adonis satan plecos, 3 P leopardus, 30 hatchets, 35 emporor tetras, 20 Apisto's, various other plecos and catfish, ottos, cories etc.

Someone wanted to know if I had a portfolio, not really, but I have posted tanks for many years on line.
Most are off the normal themes folks post.

I tend to "swim counter current" as a rule.

Regards,
Tom Barr





Here's a marine version: yes, all plants or macro algae, namely macro algae.

 

[CBBP]

mm.. I don't like the marine planted as much... though it is pretty.. and better then a reef.. i would not want one haha.. or maybe i would if I tried marine.. reefsd ar enot my favorite. ever come across someone with a brakish water tank? like.. brakish plants.. sand.. peach and streipped bass? haha

 

[mikster]

Any chance of an update tom? Would love to see a big shot of this tank with the fish in.