tidepool style

[knutty]

my wife and i are getting out first house ina few months and I a, playing around with the contruction of a tidepool style setup. I am going to use a 4x4 wooden fram, lined with pond liner. 6 feet long, 4 feet wide, 3 feet tall. there will be a sitting ledge on the top all the way around and a small lexan lip to keep critters from crawling out. I was thinking about using 2 metal halide drops. total gallons: 538.6. Total sand needed = 10,368 in^3. I think it will be a fun project. I am going to make it a living reef system with live rock and sand, rock piled up in the center and along one wall. You will be able to look down on the entire setup from the top. I will make two corner boxes with a large sump inside of an external cabinet. I figure I will use a double wet dry system, large protein skimmer, and a UB V unit in there. I will aslo get a heater core for the sump. I am just laying out the plans for the design now, along with the rock and sand requirements. any comments or concerns?

 

[knutty]

that is, i will use 4x4s to create the 6x4x3 frame.

 

[MAM]

just curios, know nothing about setting up such things, but what types of critters were you thinking of putting in there. sounds like an interesting project.

 

[knutty]

a lot of inverts, coraline algae, live corals, sponges, anenomies, maybe a yellow tang or two. sand sifters. fun stuff. brittle stars. i dont know. =) i like long projects.

 

[MAM]

well, you'll definitely have to post pics when youre done. if you can, try to post some of the progress so we can all see the process

 

[knutty]

sure thing. it is going to take some time. and some money =) i am just laying out the plans now so i can start getting hardware stockpiled.

 

[ste2k3]

so you won't be able to see through the side of this tank? and is it going to be at floor level or raised? sounds interesting but you probably won't see much by looking from the top. have you considered building it out of breeze block and having it fibreglassed with a glass front? also, check that the pond liner is marine grade rubber.

 

[knutty]

i am looking at clear lining material. i am thinking i will do the front 6 foot side in 3/4 inch lexan- make a lexan insert in the wood sides so u can see through the front. that side will face a couch. it wil lbe rased a tiny bitt off of the floor, but not too tall so u cannot sit on the top. i really want a tidepool setting. we have a baby on the way and i would love to have something he can get hand on with. learning about the ocean like my folks did for me. aside from the drowning hazard...

 

[ostrow]

Well, careful about somethign that low with a baby on the way. One bag of pennies, one milk sippy, or lord knows what else and it's all dead, dead, dead.

Plus, speaking of drowning hazards....

I've had fish since my boy (now 3 1/2) was born. He has his own goldfish and I have fw and reef setups. When they are tiny they are easy to lift to look, and you can position chairs, etc for the kid. By the time they can walk they can see into a tank no problem assuming a standard sized cabinet.

It's a great idea in theory but I think you are asking for headaches. Talk to other people with kids before embarking and spending!!!

 

[ste2k3]

you would also have a BIG evaporation problem. I have a 5' x 1.5' tank and that is all covered. the only open part of my tank is the refugium 36x15" and I lose 12litres a day from that alone. i think that you would be better going for the conventional aquarium type display.

 

[Fuzzy]

Love the idea. but could u just make a low tank, but ones that wide, sorta like the plant tanks u see at fish stores. kinda like this one http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?sh...showtopic=17740

 

[knutty]

the project will be going into the basement where my rec room will be. this is an off limits room unless daddy or mommy are there. i thought about the evap issue. and i like to keep water at 80 for various reasons. trying to resolve that issue now. i lose almost a gallon a day from my 55 with the power comapcts on it. was not so bad when the fourescents were there. hmm.back to the drawing board. i am tryiung to make something unique, that i cant buy. i want to make it.

 

[Fuzzy]

u still haft to make it, cause ive never seen low aquariums like that in stores. and just for a suggestion u coul make alike a hump in the middle like alot of real tide pools have. the idea is great, hope it works. i have made a modle to show a good way to do it. ill post it if u want

 

[CJK]

As far as kids and auariums go, they are a nightmare. We have a huge marine setup with open top (as they are). We let our two yr old daughter feed the fish sometimes, by lifting her up, which is no problem. The problem is, when she sees Daddy doing maitenance to the tank stood on a chair, she thinks she can pull up a chair too We have to watch her like a hawk because I have caught her numerous times pulling a chair up to the tank. It far too high for her to ever fall in, but, the other thing to think about is what she could 'drop' in the tank if she had something in her hand!! She could easily stretch up and drop something in, even if her hands were very high above her head.

Luckily for us we have two clowns which are both called Nemo (of course) she loves to watch them which seems to deter the chair dragging process.

Sharon

 

[Landlocked]

CJK, have you considered closing off the top? That might be able to help you with your daughter.