oversized fish tank aquarium in log home

[mediaman]

I would like to include an over sized aquarium fish tank for saltwater fish during production of my log home. The aquarium "experts" that I spoke with say that it is best to build it WHILE building the home and not after.
Since the tank would be custom form fitted to the home characteristics.
A large tank that runs through the 1st floor up through the 2nd or 3rd floors perhaps. Maybe from the kitchen / dining room up through the hallway on the bedroom floor to maybe the attic.
A rectangular tank like 16' x 8' x 24' or 34' or whatever height the top of the house would be where the attic might be.

I would mainly do this for my own, personal liking but wanted to know if it may effect the home value in the log run (positive OR negative).

Does anyone have experience with this or can offer some useful insight ?

thanks !

George

[panderson03]

I can't help at all (sorry) but that would be COOOL!!!

[JeffandSara]

Hi, George--

Like panderson, I don't have any specific experience or wisdom to contribute, but I agree it could be really amazing.

For re-sale, I would think that it could be a drawback, though, potentially. From what I understand, aquariums on that sort of scale are potentially pricey to keep up, and fairly labor-intensive. As a log home buyer, I'd never consider that house because I'd know I wouldn't/couldn't keep up the aquarium... and then what would happen to that big section of the house?

Unless it could also be converted into, say, a terrarium for plants or something, and/or unless you are building in an area which has a very ritzy, well-to-do pool of buyers, it seems like it could potentially be a negative for re-sale. But fabulous for you while you own the place. :)

Sara

[loghousenut]

It'll take a bit of a foundation.

[panderson03]

yeah I guess all that water'll be pretty heavy (my son wants a koi pond in our cabin....considerably smaller than what you're planning. on the other hand, he also wants a moat with alligators. not really sure either will come to fruition... ).

[project]

The weight would be the least of your problems. The evaporation of the tank would be the biggest problem. I have had several large aquariums and it's a constant battle. I have a guy that has a large one like the one your talkin about and he pulls over 100 gallons a month with a dehumidifier and the windows stay fogged up.. I would stay under 500 gal if it was mine.

[StressMan79]

yeah I guess all that water'll be pretty heavy (my son wants a koi pond in our cabin....considerably smaller than what you're planning. on the other hand, he also wants a moat with alligators. not really sure either will come to fruition... ).

Gators in MN...

[StressMan79]

Salt water fish die easy. Wussies. Wouldnt worry bout evap. Put it near a wall n run an exhaust fan.

[project]

Salt water fish die easy. Wussies. Wouldnt worry bout evap. Put it near a wall n run an exhaust fan.

With a tank that size an a decent evap rate that's around 3000 gal a month to get out of his house. Many ppl have tried and almost all have failed. It can be done but I wouldnt do it.

[edkemper]

My largest tank was 240 gal. Tanks are "almost" a closed system. The entire top of the tank is rarely open.

My first house in Sacramento had an indoor pond (mini-lake) and a bamboo stand cut through the foundation. With a huge skylight above. When you entered the house you walked "over" the water by way of a "bridge" at floor level. So there was water on both sides. I never needed to deal with any water evaporation issues. Added a little water very infrequently. I always wanted to add a shark to swim back and forth. Never did though.

Think of it this way, How many people want to buy a house? How many of them want to buy a log home? How many of those would be interested in a log home with a significant amount of space taken up by a fish tank? Of those, how many would want the expense of maintenance and fish replacement?

But a very cool idea for a TV custom fish tank show. I wouldn't want it but I'd love to see it done by someone else.

[mediaman]

My largest tank was 240 gal. Tanks are "almost" a closed system. The entire top of the tank is rarely open.

My first house in Sacramento had an indoor pond (mini-lake) and a bamboo stand cut through the foundation. With a huge skylight above. When you entered the house you walked "over" the water by way of a "bridge" at floor level. So there was water on both sides. I never needed to deal with any water evaporation issues. Added a little water very infrequently. I always wanted to add a shark to swim back and forth. Never did though.

Think of it this way, How many people want to buy a house? How many of them want to buy a log home? How many of those would be interested in a log home with a significant amount of space taken up by a fish tank? Of those, how many would want the expense of maintenance and fish replacement?

But a very cool idea for a TV custom fish tank show. I wouldn't want it but I'd love to see it done by someone else.






I appreciate all the comments, feedback and insight to my ideas. Thank you all !!

I have been thinking / dreaming about this idea for quite some time ( the idea didn't just pop into my mind after waking up one morning).

While I have been talking with all those aquarium "experts", I brought up most of the questions that I read here and then some.

I asked them about maintainence. I also asked them about resale value as well as other questions.

Surprisingly enough, to my knowledge anyway, ( not exactly sure if it was a sales pitch, but) they told me (these people who have been in the business 30+ years) some impressive news:


Some (not all) of the maintainance factors included were:

fish species
frequency of feeding
how much fish vs. how much coral/plantlife, etc.,.
cleaning tank vs. cleaning water and/ or contents

For example:
Fish that eat live food more than other food will require more maintainance.
Fish that can live on a combination of some live/brine shrimp and flakes require less maintainance.

This next statement was the one that surprised me the most:

The bigger the tank, the less maintainance required ! (believe it or not)
They were explaining to me that in this day and age, with all the latest technology that exists
with filtration and all, the tank cleaning system is all automated and virtually maintainance free.

I would need a separate "relief" tank somewhere in the house (like the basement) where the water changing can happen.

They told me that some tanks are very easy to clean and some are a job in themselves.

They also said that if there ever comes a time in the future that you would like to sell the house and you think it will be more valueable without the tank, it can be equally as easy to remove it as it was to install it.

And I think that they meant that this definition of easy would depend on what you would consider to be easy vs. hard.

What you would be willing to do vs. what you would not be willing to do.

take down a few walls or floors maybe, and put them back together.

Some aquarium companies make the tank in wall sections in many pieces that are a fused together. And some companies make the tank as one large piece which they use a crane to lift and lower onto your property while you build your house around it.

I am playing around with a few different dimensions for a tank.

Originally I wanted it much larger ! (LOL) like 20 or 25 x 8 or 10 feet !!
Then I took out a tape measure to visualize it and took it down to 16.
then I went to 12 and started to bounce around between 12 and 16 but I think I like 16 better.

I used to be like so many others that you read about, I would rather see that someone else did it first and determine if I would like to do it but in this case I have wanted it for far too long and you
only live once !

I think of it similarly to a homeowner who wants an in ground swimming pool in his back yard.
When he tries to sell it later, he thinks that he is adding value to the home with the pool in there when in reality, if the buyer does not have a need or preference for a pool in the backyard, it's just a back yard with a big hole in it.

I still have a lot of thinking and planning to do but I appreciate all the wonderful feedback.

Thanks to all !

Keep the feedback coming

[project]

The largest tank I had was 2200 gallons and was 4 feet deep. You are not going to light a 30 foot deep tank with a closed top and you have to move a lot of water ,to filter a salt water aquarium,at least twice the capacity of the tank twice an hour which in your case is over 60,000 gallons an hour. You don't have to do that in a small indoor pond but this is salt water. Moving that much water with hot lights above will cause you to lose a lot of water . They were right in telling you that a larger aquarium is easier to maintain, but it's not cheaper!! You have to do partial water changes if you expect to keep the tank healthy over long term. The norm is 10% per month but if you have a great filtration system and an enormous protein skimmer you could push it to 10% every other month. That would still put you needing in the neighborhood of 3000lbs of salt 6 times a year. Don't trust everything that the sales person tell you, they might be nice ppl but they don't make their living telling you all the things that can go wrong and the expense that comes with it. Become a member at www.reefcentral.com and learn what's involved in it and if you decide to do it then go for it and remember to post lots of pics because everyone here, myself included would love to see it..

[project]

edit from my post from above.. You have to move the water in the tank at least twice an hour which would be 60,000 + gallons. Im not trying to discourage you but this will be very expensive to do and undo.

[loghousenut]

Well I still think it is nuts. Then again, I am that guy in my neighborhood who is building the log house out of big ole ugly pine logs. EVERYONE thinks I am nuts... Just ask around.

Build the house you want and let it reflect you. Definitely get a grip on the finances of this weird idea. Then if it can work out on paper and if you can finance it, pull the trigger and go for it.

If it turns out that you are that crazy guy with the log home that is mostly a fishbowl, well that don't sound as bad as living in an ugly trailer all your life does it?!

[mediaman]

The largest tank I had was 2200 gallons and was 4 feet deep. You are not going to light a 30 foot deep tank with a closed top and you have to move a lot of water ,to filter a salt water aquarium,at least twice the capacity of the tank twice an hour which in your case is over 60,000 gallons an hour. You don't have to do that in a small indoor pond but this is salt water. Moving that much water with hot lights above will cause you to lose a lot of water . They were right in telling you that a larger aquarium is easier to maintain, but it's not cheaper!! You have to do partial water changes if you expect to keep the tank healthy over long term. The norm is 10% per month but if you have a great filtration system and an enormous protein skimmer you could push it to 10% every other month. That would still put you needing in the neighborhood of 3000lbs of salt 6 times a year. Don't trust everything that the sales person tell you, they might be nice ppl but they don't make their living telling you all the things that can go wrong and the expense that comes with it. Become a member at www.reefcentral.com and learn what's involved in it and if you decide to do it then go for it and remember to post lots of pics because everyone here, myself included would love to see it..


Yes, I am familiar with reefcentral.com thank you.
Each one of us can determine if the cost, labor and time is worth the reward.
I have to do some additional research as far as maintainance and other responsibilities but, from what I understand, if you start off on the right foot to begin with, the rest of the trip might not be all
that bad. Meaning , if you choose the right equipment to care for your aquarium and match your fish with the right fish , coral and plant live, etc.,. from the beginning, you will be keeping the ongoing maintainance and expenses to a minimum.

And then weigh these responsibilities against what you are willing/not willing to do in return for what you are getting. If you feel you are going to be in the house for 10,20,30 years or more like I do, and you think that waking up every morning to a clear blue tank with gorgeous fish swimming around is worth the effort, then each one of us can only answer that question.

And , YES, if I decide to move forward at some point with my ideas here, I will, most likely, film the whole or part or the process or take pictures or both. And I will share with the forum.

I still have homework that I need to do so it won't be for a while. I am still reading books and talking with experts. I have already been budgeting and setting aside ways to support this idea but
just have more research to do.

Martin A. Moe, "The Marine Aquarium Handbook"
I am reading this book and it is packed with useful info.

Check out this page I found on about.com

11 Most Common Mistakes Made by Saltwater Aquarium Keepers
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/startinganaquarium/tp/topmistakes.htm


Thank you to everyone !

[Timber]

i worked on a home the guy had a bridge to cross an outside water area.inside the home was a glass window to view the outside pond where i heard he was putting sharks in. pretty kool but its alot of maintenance...you know that, so no surprise /i personal like outside waterfalls and the sound of water, it would be nice to have that on the property..just the cost of running the pump and adding water

[IwLam]

A monster size fish tank? How about building a mega concrete fish tank with one face (glass face) of the tank serves as a wall of your house? The mega tank is one half of a duplex tank with the see-through glass of the fish tank as the dividing wall. Cheers!

[IwLam]

What I meant was a duplex house. Fish tank on one side and the house on the other, with the see-through glass panel acting as the "wall" in between them.

[Steve Wolfe]

Mediaman, I may have missed it your posts but am I right in assuming you have owned and maintained a saltwater tank? I had an 85 gallon plexi-glass show tank for 22 years. I tried saltwater a couple of times and always went back to fresh water. We and our cats got a lot of enjoyment from that tank. We had fish that were 12 years old that would chase the cats as they ran back and forth on the floor or on top of the tank. I finally gave the whole set up away for a whopping $200 to a guy that was super passionate about having a fish tank. Now we have a small outdoor koi pond. Just had about 35 new ones hatch about 4 weeks ago. The grandkids love it.

Good luck to you.

[mediaman]

Mediaman, I may have missed it your posts but am I right in assuming you have owned and maintained a saltwater tank? I had an 85 gallon plexi-glass show tank for 22 years. I tried saltwater a couple of times and always went back to fresh water. We and our cats got a lot of enjoyment from that tank. We had fish that were 12 years old that would chase the cats as they ran back and forth on the floor or on top of the tank. I finally gave the whole set up away for a whopping $200 to a guy that was super passionate about having a fish tank. Now we have a small outdoor koi pond. Just had about 35 new ones hatch about 4 weeks ago. The grandkids love it.

Good luck to you.


When I was a kid, I grew up with a series of mainly freshwater fish and saltwater for a VERY BRIEF time.
The largest I ever had was 55 or 100 gallons I think. But over the years , my family and I went through so many of the usual pets (dogs and cats), fish and small birds that we out grew them as youngsters.
we had a cockatiel, parakeets, german shepard, pit bull, and a few others. This idea of having an extra large tank as an addition to my house has been sort a life long passion that I have always wanted to pursue but never got around to it because of so many obstacles that seemed to get in the way.

Much like the all american family that keeps on putting off that fancy vacation they have wanted for so long.
They keep pushing it til next year, and next year and so on.

Parrots are my pet of choice in this day and age. Macaws and African greys and still adding ! (B&G, GW)
When I do up my house, not only am I thinking about adding these fish to the family but I would also
have some great decorating ideas that I would like to make a reality.

After the house is done or during production, maybe, aside from the typical rustic furniture and decor that goes into a log home, I would like to install train tracks on the top surface of the truss bars stablizing the ceiling of the front of the house. I would think of very creative ways to run the track in assorted paths along the cross beams of the ceiling toward the front and back or mid point.

I am thinking of maybe an O gauge Lionel train set that has lights and sounds from the engine and caboose !

Image a locomotive choo choo train running through you house while you are making dinner !

I will let everyone know how things go, Just as soon as I finally take the class !!

[edkemper]

By far, the most expensive item I was ever given for free was a fish tank. But each to their own.

[IwLam]

It is great to have an ambitious interest/s and wanting to fulfill them. But, do find out more about the maintenance of mega salt-water fish tank. I think the best source of informations are from the users of giant salt-water aquariums, not from the vendors. A public salt-water aquarium, such as Audobon Aquarium of America, SeaWorld or others near where you live, would be able to provide you with real-life upkeeping, maintenance and other problems which the vendor/s might conveniently omitted. A visit for tips on having a mega aquarium at home, to such Public Salt-water Aquariums could be very fruitful, and clear off most of your doubts indeed. Cheers!

[hammerhead 67]

Fishtank for you... Coool!

Fish tank in the house for resale..... Bummer.
You would be looking for a 1 in a million buyer. Sounds like you are wanting to build a totally custom wildlife environment for your home. Im picturing a Dr. Doolittle mini zoo set up for you and your pets.

If you plan on living there long term, and have the cash and time to maintain it...go for it. BUT.....(you knew one was coming right?) I would try and figure out a way to make it modular. That way if something changes down the road, you can take out your super custom amenities and turn it back into a log home for resale.

The duplex house/tank idea is pretty neat. Don't know how the engineering would work but it sounds cool.

As to if its a good idea or not..... A lot depends on how much time and money you have to spend on it. Filtering that much water will require some powerful equipment that WILL require ongoing service. As you age and your life changes, you might not have the time or money for upkeep. Hate to build a house around a sweet fishtank that winds up becoming a burden down the road.

One other issue to consider is insurance. Can you even get insurance for a house with a 20,000gallon fishtank inside it?

[project]

Ur gonna need scuba gear to clean the glass .. Lol

[mediaman]

Fishtank for you... Coool!

Fish tank in the house for resale..... Bummer.
You would be looking for a 1 in a million buyer. Sounds like you are wanting to build a totally custom wildlife environment for your home. Im picturing a Dr. Doolittle mini zoo set up for you and your pets.

If you plan on living there long term, and have the cash and time to maintain it...go for it. BUT.....(you knew one was coming right?) I would try and figure out a way to make it modular. That way if something changes down the road, you can take out your super custom amenities and turn it back into a log home for resale.

The duplex house/tank idea is pretty neat. Don't know how the engineering would work but it sounds cool.

As to if its a good idea or not..... A lot depends on how much time and money you have to spend on it. Filtering that much water will require some powerful equipment that WILL require ongoing service. As you age and your life changes, you might not have the time or money for upkeep. Hate to build a house around a sweet fishtank that winds up becoming a burden down the road.

One other issue to consider is insurance. Can you even get insurance for a house with a 20,000gallon fishtank inside it?



This is the kind of project (for me, anyway) where if you cannot go "all out" and go for the gusto
(meaning largest tank vs. a measly couple hundred gallons, or even a few thousand ) then you may as well not do it at all.

I think of it this way: some people in life get their jollies/happiness from raising kids, growing old with someone special in their lives or keeping busy with other hobbies/interests.

When you raise kids, for example, every parent knows that there are just as many good times as there are bad, regardless of how much effort you put into it to make it turn out the way you want it.

You can say the same with just about anything else we try to do. I don't expect everything to go perfectly the whole time. But I can try my best to make things happen the way I want them to be.

It's only me in the picture so I don't have to ask permission from family or friends (no wife/kids, no complaints ! ) But I hear that these kinds of toys are great chick magnets !

The modular idea was a good one and I will look into it. I will also ask around previous large aquarium owners to see what they say about maintenance, etc.,.

A few people brought the price issue up so thought I would say a few words about that:

I don't know for sure what my log home will cost until I make it to the class but judging from some of the postings I read on this forum I think it is worth building vs. carrying a mortgage for the rest of your life.

back in the 80s and 90s if you wanted to tackle a project like this (of this magnitude) good luck to you if you can get it done for under 100-150k with equipment and installation. Today the numbers are quite better than that (in my opinion).
I still have to investigate the maintenance cost but today you can find great deals if you just do your homework (depending on specs obviously).

I am still a single guy with plenty of life ahead of me so I am not really worried about getting tired (too tired to care for fish and birds) any time soon.
I would rather care for fish and birds and know that my efforts will be appreciated and will go to good use than wasting it all on people or others who take you for granted !

As far as insurance, I don't think that it will be an issue but I don't think it would stand in the way.
Again, only homework and questions can solve any issues.
That's what communication is all about !!

Thanks ALL !!

[panderson03]

Gators in MN...


it could happen http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/09/06/couple-stumbles-upon-alligator-on-mississippi-in-wis/

[project]

This is the kind of project (for me, anyway) where if you cannot go "all out" and go for the gusto
(meaning largest tank vs. a measly couple hundred gallons, or even a few thousand ) then you may as well not do it at all.

I think of it this way: some people in life get their jollies/happiness from raising kids, growing old with someone special in their lives or keeping busy with other hobbies/interests.

When you raise kids, for example, every parent knows that there are just as many good times as there are bad, regardless of how much effort you put into it to make it turn out the way you want it.

You can say the same with just about anything else we try to do. I don't expect everything to go perfectly the whole time. But I can try my best to make things happen the way I want them to be.

It's only me in the picture so I don't have to ask permission from family or friends (no wife/kids, no complaints ! ) But I hear that these kinds of toys are great chick magnets !

The modular idea was a good one and I will look into it. I will also ask around previous large aquarium owners to see what they say about maintenance, etc.,.

A few people brought the price issue up so thought I would say a few words about that:

I don't know for sure what my log home will cost until I make it to the class but judging from some of the postings I read on this forum I think it is worth building vs. carrying a mortgage for the rest of your life.

back in the 80s and 90s if you wanted to tackle a project like this (of this magnitude) good luck to you if you can get it done for under 100-150k with equipment and installation. Today the numbers are quite better than that (in my opinion).
I still have to investigate the maintenance cost but today you can find great deals if you just do your homework (depending on specs obviously).

I am still a single guy with plenty of life ahead of me so I am not really worried about getting tired (too tired to care for fish and birds) any time soon.
I would rather care for fish and birds and know that my efforts will be appreciated and will go to good use than wasting it all on people or others who take you for granted !

As far as insurance, I don't think that it will be an issue but I don't think it would stand in the way.
Again, only homework and questions can solve any issues.
That's what communication is all about !!

Thanks ALL !!

The cost is still going to be very expensive but if it's what you want , who cares how much it costs. I have blown money on stupid toys before (aquariums included), and I don't regret a minute of it. The moisture in the house was my only concern. My 2200 gallon reef tank cost me about $15,000 and I built it all myself which saved a lot. I would get a decent size tank, 200 or 300 gallons, and start building a lot of the support equipment like protein skimmers, wave makers, calcium reactors and so on to see how everything works and use that as a learning curve on your big tank .It can be a lot of fun and the more you can learn to do yourself the more rewarding and less expensive it becomes.

[mediaman]

The cost is still going to be very expensive but if it's what you want , who cares how much it costs. I have blown money on stupid toys before (aquariums included), and I don't regret a minute of it. The moisture in the house was my only concern. My 2200 gallon reef tank cost me about $15,000 and I built it all myself which saved a lot. I would get a decent size tank, 200 or 300 gallons, and start building a lot of the support equipment like protein skimmers, wave makers, calcium reactors and so on to see how everything works and use that as a learning curve on your big tank .It can be a lot of fun and the more you can learn to do yourself the more rewarding and less expensive it becomes.


Listen, I am TOTALLY with you on this !!! I would love to do this all on my own. The thing of it is though I would rather have the tank all one piece instead of cutting individual pieces of acrylic and fusing them all together. I think I can only get that if I hire someone to do it in a molding lab of some sort. They would then come to the property with a crane and place it strategically and set up the filters and pumps all at the same time.
If it is possible to get it done this way on my own or with minimal help, I am all ears if you have some recommendations. I will still do research but I don't know if I can find what I am looking for that way.

thanks !

[project]

Listen, I am TOTALLY with you on this !!! I would love to do this all on my own. The thing of it is though I would rather have the tank all one piece instead of cutting individual pieces of acrylic and fusing them all together. I think I can only get that if I hire someone to do it in a molding lab of some sort. They would then come to the property with a crane and place it strategically and set up the filters and pumps all at the same time.
If it is possible to get it done this way on my own or with minimal help, I am all ears if you have some recommendations. I will still do research but I don't know if I can find what I am looking for that way.

thanks !

You're right about the tank. Let the pros build and set the tank .the last thing you want is 30,000 gallons of water rushing through your house.. The lighting system,filter system and other support systems is where you come in. Get to learn a lot about Marine led lighting and lighting systems. If you are going to have corals you will need a controller to simulate the solar and lunar cycles. Neptune makes a pretty simple one. The same controller can control different pumps to simulate wave motion and add calcium and trace minerals if needed. You will need a monster protein skimmer or even 2 of them..There are several different designs and they each have their advantages and drawbacks but can be built for a fraction of the cost of buying one. The more you can do yourself the easier maintaining the system and you will know what to do if something happens . The pumps are pretty much straight forward and you will probably be using live sand as the primary filter system with the skimmers removing the solids. The whole setup is going to be exactly the same as a 100 gallon only bigger. The principals are the same which is why I suggested getting a smaller tank to get your feet wet so to speak . Decent sized aquariums can be found on Craigslist for under $1000 all day long .

[mediaman]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/2/aquarium

Check out this link.

Featured Aquarium: Atlantis Marine World
beautiful 20,000 gallon aquarium

The water in this tank is clear and gorgeous !!

[mediaman]

You're right about the tank. Let the pros build and set the tank .the last thing you want is 30,000 gallons of water rushing through your house.. The lighting system,filter system and other support systems is where you come in. Get to learn a lot about Marine led lighting and lighting systems. If you are going to have corals you will need a controller to simulate the solar and lunar cycles. Neptune makes a pretty simple one. The same controller can control different pumps to simulate wave motion and add calcium and trace minerals if needed. You will need a monster protein skimmer or even 2 of them..There are several different designs and they each have their advantages and drawbacks but can be built for a fraction of the cost of buying one. The more you can do yourself the easier maintaining the system and you will know what to do if something happens . The pumps are pretty much straight forward and you will probably be using live sand as the primary filter system with the skimmers removing the solids. The whole setup is going to be exactly the same as a 100 gallon only bigger. The principals are the same which is why I suggested getting a smaller tank to get your feet wet so to speak . Decent sized aquariums can be found on Craigslist for under $1000 all day long .


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/2/aquarium

Check out this link.

Featured Aquarium: Atlantis Marine World
beautiful 20,000 gallon aquarium

The water in this tank is clear and gorgeous !!


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/2/aquarium

Check out this link.

Featured Aquarium: Atlantis Marine World
beautiful 20,000 gallon aquarium

The water in this tank is clear and gorgeous !!

[project]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/2/aquarium

Check out this link.

Featured Aquarium: Atlantis Marine World
beautiful 20,000 gallon aquarium

The water in this tank is clear and gorgeous !!

That is a beautiful aquarium!! It does give you some pointers by reading the story. There is a wealth of information there and that tank is close to the size you are wanting to build . Great find!!

[edkemper]

I want to know how much it cost to build and maintain.

[project]

I want to know how much it cost to build and maintain.

Just guessing I would say at least $250,000 and $1000 a month . I could be off quite a bit but I would be low if anything.

[mediaman]

Just guessing I would say at least $250,000 and $1000 a month . I could be off quite a bit but I would be low if anything.


I am reading an ebook I found on methods people use to determine what their responsibilities would be when they have the aquarium set up and running.

I wanted to share some of the sections with you because they are useful to anyone who not only is interested in aquariums but just about anything (like building a log home !! )


" A Guide to an Easy, Stress-Free Saltwater Tank "

The biggest problem today in the salt water tank world is that you, as a salt water tank
owner, have a confused tank and you are like 98% of all the other tank owners out
there.
Tank Confusion Starts Online
If you look at the internet forums today, you’ll see lots of people asking lots of questions
and getting lots of very different answers. For example, here’s a question I see asked all
the time on saltwater tank forums:
Q: “What coral is best for beginners?”
! Answer 1: mushrooms
! Answer 2: zoanthids
! Answer 3: leathers
! Answer 4: Xenia
! Answer 5: Green Star Polyps
! etc..etc..
How the heck do you know which one to go with?!
You could do more online research and get more information on each type of coral, see
what fits in your budget, see what looks pretty, etc. Or, you could grab one of each, plop
them in your tank and see what happens. This approach is known as “hoping for the
best” and leads to you back online posting in the “help” threads in the emergency forum.
And, if you bought some of all the above, you’d end up kicking yourself down the road
when you want to switch to hard corals because the Xenia would have taken over and
the mushrooms would kill anything they touch.
A similar type of question/answer confusion shows up on the equipment side.
Q: What skimmer should I buy?
! Answer 1: Vertex
! Answer 2: Tunze
! Answer 3: Bubble King
! Answer 4: Deltec
! Answer 5: SWC
! Answer 6: Reef Octopus
! ! etc..etc..
Other than seeing what fits in your budget, how would you choose? Maybe you’d try
one brand and it works okay, but you find out that it is really for high-end tanks and
you’re just getting started. You could have saved a bunch of cash if you’d known that fact.

The problem? Online forums leave you with a tank that has all different types of
equipment you don’t need. Some pieces aren’t needed at all and other equipment is
total overkill.
Here’s an example.
I was talking to a newbie reefer the other day and his tank is just finishing cycling. He’s
excited - almost time to add the first fish. But first he has to get his calcium reactor up
and running.
Err...what?
Why would you have a calcium reactor on a brand new tank that has no coral in it -
hence no need for a reactor?
That’s like saying you need to put a roof on your house when the concrete foundation is
just being poured.
The result: confused tank.
Yes, you can do research online and read people’s reviews and see what has worked
for other people, but how would you know is right for
YOU and YOUR TANK?
The truth is, you’ll never find that answer on the
internet forums because no one is asking the real
question of:
“What is your tank personality?”
Yes, YOU have a tank personality. A tank personality
is how you approach your tank.
When you know your tank personality, you can make faster buying decisions that leave
you with the right equipment, fish and coral for your tank. The end result...a successful
tank that looks beautiful and makes you happy.

[loghousenut]

Sounds a lot like buying a log house kit.



We can understand tank personality. Many of us here have a log home with a personality.

[edkemper]

There is often a huge difference between what you read in the books used to sell products and reality. I'd do a search of salt water forums and get more from the regular people that own them.

[project]

There is a lot of truth in that article. Don't let the ppl that sell aquarium sell you things that you don't need. The trick is to figure out what kind of tank you want before you start building. If you want a fish only tank then there is no need to dose calcium but if you plan to have a mixed reef and fish tank then a calcium reactor should be built into the system . It's a lot easier to over build the first time then try to go back and redo and change things later. To be honest all this fish talk has gotten me excited and tempting me to put another one together even though it will be microscopic compared to yours..

[mediaman]

There is a lot of truth in that article. Don't let the ppl that sell aquarium sell you things that you don't need. The trick is to figure out what kind of tank you want before you start building. If you want a fish only tank then there is no need to dose calcium but if you plan to have a mixed reef and fish tank then a calcium reactor should be built into the system . It's a lot easier to over build the first time then try to go back and redo and change things later. To be honest all this fish talk has gotten me excited and tempting me to put another one together even though it will be microscopic compared to yours..


No worry, I'll let you know how it goes. It is really exciting to dream and plan. I know the feeling.
Trying to get my affairs squared away and in line before production. You know how the story goes.
I got in touch with a few insurance people that I am waiting to hear back from. As soon as I told them
what I was planning for my home their jaws dropped over the phone !! (LOL)
" You wanna put WHAT in the middle of your house ???, a fish tank ?? HOW BIG ???? , that's the first time in 40 years of home owner's insurance dealing that I have ever heard of that one !! what are you planning on putting in there ? fish ? corals ?, let me talk with the underwriter and get back with you."

[Ellsworth]

I recently saw this in the news:

Large aquarium breaks (http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/florida-casino-closes-giant-aquarium-leaks-17150621) and floods casino (video).

Article, no video (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/04/fish-tank-gulfstream-park-flood_n_1854299.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=newyork_weird).

That would not be a fun experience for a homeowner.

[loghousenut]

Perhaps some space age assistance is needed.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t55/loghousenut/transparentaluminum.jpg

[mediaman]

Fishtank for you... Coool!

Fish tank in the house for resale..... Bummer.
You would be looking for a 1 in a million buyer. Sounds like you are wanting to build a totally custom wildlife environment for your home. Im picturing a Dr. Doolittle mini zoo set up for you and your pets.

If you plan on living there long term, and have the cash and time to maintain it...go for it. BUT.....(you knew one was coming right?) I would try and figure out a way to make it modular. That way if something changes down the road, you can take out your super custom amenities and turn it back into a log home for resale.

The duplex house/tank idea is pretty neat. Don't know how the engineering would work but it sounds cool.

As to if its a good idea or not..... A lot depends on how much time and money you have to spend on it. Filtering that much water will require some powerful equipment that WILL require ongoing service. As you age and your life changes, you might not have the time or money for upkeep. Hate to build a house around a sweet fishtank that winds up becoming a burden down the road.

One other issue to consider is insurance. Can you even get insurance for a house with a 20,000gallon fishtank inside it?



Thanks for bringing it up. Though you may want to know a few things I learned during my research:


I made a few phone calls to a small handful of insurance representatives to see if there would be any issues with my
intentions on building a log home of this nature. Some companies I spoke with were large and others were small.
At first I was passed down to one person after the other because of the "unusual request" they did not know how to handle it and the easiest answer was "no" because they did not know much about it and therefore why would they assume a risk factor.
Then another guy told me that a log home vs traditional home is one separate factor on its own. and THEN an over sized tank is a separate issue. BASICALLY, for them, it boiled down to this:

If I were to have a log home with this type of aquarium and something were to happen where the glass shattered or the tank leaked and this effected any part of the house or belongings,
in order to repair or replace anything in the house, you would need to replace the whole structure. You could not just replace a wall or a floor without replacing the house because they are all "fused together" (one piece).
If it were a "traditional home" you can just replace part by part without tearing the whole house down.
( I don't know all the truth behind this statement. )

(shows you how much they know ! LOL)


I also spoke with the aquarium tank experts. They told me something TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
" WE have been doing this for years. Don't just listen to just ANY insurance company. They don't know ANYTHING about aquariums. Insurance questions come up all the time. The next time you talk to ANY insurance company about this subject,
you tell them this :

For ANY homeowner with an aquarium OF ANY SIZE or SHAPE. when you put glass side by side with acrylic, there is a HUGE difference in characteristics (weight, durability, etc .,.) which effects everything else FOR THE BETTER.
During the entire lifespan of a glass tank there is a 70% chance that the tank will NOT shatter.
But for acrylic there is a 98% chance that it will not shatter. These stats are proven and written and you can find them all around the net. "

For this reason, tank manufacturers specifically offer an insurance plan that you can buy to protect your tank and all your belongings in the tank AND in the house from damage that may arise as a result of this.

Believe it or not, this type of insurance is really "reasonable".

They did not have exact figures off hand ( I would have to check with manufacturer)
but ball park was " a few hundred dollars per year (on the low end for smaller tanks)
to a few thousand dollars per year (on the high end for "larger" tanks ) "


As far as homeowners insurance policies, you may need a separate policy for the home owners insurance IF THEY would cover your house WITH OR WITHOUT the tank in there.

IF you find an insurance company who is willing to offer you coverage with this criteria, the aquarium would be placed under the "dwellings" portion of the policy. But the premium would solely depend on so many other different factors that come into play.
So I would not jump to any conclusions as far as "too expensive" or "very reasonable" until all the facts are on the table.
You would need to know city/state of home, type of land, characteristics of "dwelling", etc.,.

[mediaman]

Fishtank for you... Coool!

Fish tank in the house for resale..... Bummer.
You would be looking for a 1 in a million buyer. Sounds like you are wanting to build a totally custom wildlife environment for your home. Im picturing a Dr. Doolittle mini zoo set up for you and your pets.

If you plan on living there long term, and have the cash and time to maintain it...go for it. BUT.....(you knew one was coming right?) I would try and figure out a way to make it modular. That way if something changes down the road, you can take out your super custom amenities and turn it back into a log home for resale.

The duplex house/tank idea is pretty neat. Don't know how the engineering would work but it sounds cool.

As to if its a good idea or not..... A lot depends on how much time and money you have to spend on it. Filtering that much water will require some powerful equipment that WILL require ongoing service. As you age and your life changes, you might not have the time or money for upkeep. Hate to build a house around a sweet fishtank that winds up becoming a burden down the road.

One other issue to consider is insurance. Can you even get insurance for a house with a 20,000gallon fishtank inside it?





I read this line " If you are planning to live there long term... "
I would really LOVE to live there long term but a few points to touch on have been key mind boggling issues for me.

I will tackle each issue individually (not necessarily in any specific order)

I am playing around with 3 different states of where I would prefer to build. PA, MA or RI.

Most of my family friends (not all), are scattered between MA and RI.
Business continues to change over the years (work jumps from MA to PA and vise versa).
I would really like it to be a primary residence. but don't know which state out of the 3 would be best suited as far as those characteristics in addition to having a piece of level land which is filled with woodlands.

I would Idealy like to be close to family/friends AND business if I could.
And then I was asking myself:
If I were to go through the labor and time to put all this together, why would I want to resell it when I get older.
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, not the buyer !


Then I was browsing through the pictures of the gorgeous homes that were previously made by former students.
I saw the home by the student who spent 60k for a home that was later sold for 500k.
And then I thought to myself, boy if I made a house like that and put an oversized aquarium in there, would it have the same value or less or more ? If less, how much less ? Would I be willing to take a huge or minor pay cut when I get older and choose to sell ?

And then I thought to myself, what if I had one log home in MA and another in PA. I can put the aquarium in one and have just a log home for the other.

I read this line also:

" I would try and figure out a way to make it modular.....
The duplex house/tank idea is pretty neat...."


Are modular log homes available/possible ? Can you do it with the butt and pass method ?

Is duplexing a log home pretty common ? or was the statement meant as a regular duplex home ?

I still have lots of planning to do but feel free to "correct" my thought process if you think I am babbling too much !

thanks !

[PeeCee]

Amazing thread!!

I was thinking that just building a cabin was a major accomplishment.

A much cheaper alternative may be to build in a place where wildlife is visible out the window--and/or perhaps a view of the ocean. I've got a view of the Pacific on one side and mountains on the others. Raccoons traipse across my property a couple times a day. Lots of lizards and turtles here and there too. A wild ferret was watching me work the other day. Feral cats pay regular visits. I nearly ran over a rat snake on my driveway a couple days ago. Hawks are always circling overhead and taking a break on my roof or on the shed.

I'll probably build a couple of birdhouses just to see what kind of visitors I get. I'd also like to build a little beehive both for the honey and the viewing pleasure.

Granted none of this is mind boggling stuff, but it is completely maintenance free. I can go on overseas for a month or two and not have to worry that the Pacific will have evaporated or the hawks won't have gotten fed. Nature takes care of all of that for me.

[loghousenut]

Ant farm!!! Several times I have kept rattlesnakes in a terrarium. Folks thought that was nuts til they watched them eat. I say build that fish tank.

[John W]

Termite farm! No, wait, I didn't actually say that.

[project]

A friend of mine put a small aquarium in the kitchen window over the sink with laying on its side. He then put a 2 way mirror from eBay in the bottom so he could see out but nothing could see in. Put a little food in it and in no time you have squirrels, birds, and raccoons sitting in your window. I lt was pretty neat

[mediaman]

Amazing thread!!

I was thinking that just building a cabin was a major accomplishment.

A much cheaper alternative may be to build in a place where wildlife is visible out the window--and/or perhaps a view of the ocean. I've got a view of the Pacific on one side and mountains on the others. Raccoons traipse across my property a couple times a day. Lots of lizards and turtles here and there too. A wild ferret was watching me work the other day. Feral cats pay regular visits. I nearly ran over a rat snake on my driveway a couple days ago. Hawks are always circling overhead and taking a break on my roof or on the shed.

I'll probably build a couple of birdhouses just to see what kind of visitors I get. I'd also like to build a little beehive both for the honey and the viewing pleasure.

Granted none of this is mind boggling stuff, but it is completely maintenance free. I can go on overseas for a month or two and not have to worry that the Pacific will have evaporated or the hawks won't have gotten fed. Nature takes care of all of that for me.


Thank you for your warm contributions !

Trust me , I have been thinking of so many options. I really don't want to go the traditional route.
Meaning, regular smaller tank. Have wildlife outside in the backyard sort of defeats the purpose for me.
You want to enjoy the essence, sort of speak. The idea here is to wake up naturally with the birds chirping
and the sounds of the water in the tank as bubbles and waves make their way to the top surface of the water in the tank.

I am also considering, maybe some reptiles such as snakes or iguanas.

I was thinking of splitting the length of the distance of the rear side of the house into two sides:

On one side of the rear of the house I would have it leading to a rear deck which would lead to the back yard. On that deck I could put the grill and maybe some patio furniture.

On the other side or the rear of the house I was thinking about making an all season sunroom towards the back of the home leading to the back yard.

In that sunroom I would make it large enough to fit all the birds, their cages and accessories.
I was debating if I should have the hot tub in the sunroom in the same room where the parrots would be or outside as part of the deck. ( I don't know yet).
(I have a customer of mine that gave me that idea ! Hot tub in the sunroom with a flat panel TV on the wall ).

The sunroom would have a set of double doors leading to a "green house" style long tunnel (10-20ft) which would lead to the back yard.

I would dress up the tunnel leading to the backyard with retaining walls on either side and small trees where the birds can perch and play and keep themselves busy.

And yes, I am thinking about how I am going to handle things while I am away on business or vacation.
I have had a few ideas that I think are good so far. I guess depending on the length of time I am way at a time.

I can talk about that on the next thread though.

[mediaman]

Amazing thread!!

I was thinking that just building a cabin was a major accomplishment.


Granted none of this is mind boggling stuff, but it is completely maintenance free. I can go on overseas for a month or two and not have to worry that the Pacific will have evaporated or the hawks won't have gotten fed. Nature takes care of all of that for me.



There are a few companies out there who make touch pad /combination style door locks.

If I can make the tank so the top edge of the tank reaches to the floor of the attic area of the house,
I can then possibly devote most of the attic space to tank maintainance, fish feeding,etc.,.

At that point, if I can manage to accomplish this task, I was thinking about a good way to make sure the fish get their feeding and the water is maintained at times when I am not around.

Aside from automated fish feeders, there are some foods that I would like to feed my fish which is better left to a manual feed. Now this type of food, like brine shrimp for example, would be better off being hand fed after it has been defrosted. The fish can live on flakes for a good amount of time but I would rather give them a variety, even when I am away.

That is why I thought it would be a good idea to create, as part of the structure of the house, sort of like some type
of "fire escape" sort of stair case that leads to the attic from the back yard or side yard of the house.

You can climb the steps of the fire escape style stair case that lead to the top of the house where the attic is in the house.
When you get to the top of the staircase, there would be a small platform with a door that leads to the inside of the attic where the top of the fish tank is exposed to the atmosephere.

I can install one of those touch pad /combination style door locks on that particular door in the house.

I can do the same with the sunroom where the birds are (install a door like this).

these particular types of door locks have the capability of locking and unlocking with a touchpad combination.

Some of these locks have the ability to store more than one combination in order to lock and unlock the door.

And this feature is important because when I go away on business or pleasure, I can hire someone to come by the house for an hour or so per day to feed the birds and the fish. I can assign a specific combination code to that "pet sitter" to give them temporary access to those general areas of the house just to do the job and leave.

You can find quality and competent sitters that would do such a job for around ten dollars or so per hour for each day you need them. and for this scenario, I couldn't imagine that it would take more than 30 minutes to an hour per day to do this.
(for what I am planning: feed the birds and fish, change the cage liners, etc.,.)


But these ideas are only good if you are planning to be away for a " long time "
( too long to be away from the pets in order to do your job as a responsible pet owner).

[edkemper]

mediaman,

Keep in mind, most of us are building with limited funds. I'm betting with the cost of such a fish tank, there are more than a few here that could build a log home for less than half the cost of this fish tank. However, it would be amazing to see.

[project]

You can raise live brine shrimp and auto feed them while you are away pretty easy. Unless you will be away for weeks at a time then tank maintenance shouldn't be a problem. The biggest problem is going to be getting light to the bottom of the tank . If it stays dark down there then algae is going to be a nightmare. Just something to think about.

[mediaman]

mediaman,

Keep in mind, most of us are building with limited funds. I'm betting with the cost of such a fish tank, there are more than a few here that could build a log home for less than half the cost of this fish tank. However, it would be amazing to see.



How many of those people building a log home are raising families in those log homes ?
(spouse, kids, etc.,.)

Which one do you think would cost you more ? Raising a family or maintaining a fish tank ?

[loghousenut]

My Wife is raising a spouse and a 20 year old Son while I build the house. The fish would be quieter and easier to clean up after. Possibly cheaper also... The Boy is in college. That tank seems like a fairly pricey alternative to a family. All I need is a blanket in the corner and 4 or 5 meals every day.

I'm thinking that if she had 300 lbs of fish and one less spouse, the log home might get finished quicker. Just a thought. I don't think she would ever act on it unless they were really good looking fish.

[mediaman]

My Wife is raising a spouse and a 20 year old Son while I build the house. The fish would be quieter and easier to clean up after. Possibly cheaper also... The Boy is in college. That tank seems like a fairly pricey alternative to a family. All I need is a blanket in the corner and 4 or 5 meals every day.

I'm thinking that if she had 300 lbs of fish and one less spouse, the log home might get finished quicker. Just a thought. I don't think she would ever act on it unless they were really good looking fish.





When you or your wife go grocery shopping for the family, do you shop at the 1st store that is closest
and most convenient ?

Do you take the time to shop around at different grocery stores before deciding on what
foods to buy and where to get them from ?

When you shop around, do you pay close attention to what you are paying for and what it costs in comparison
to others who are selling the same or similar product ?

In other words are you an impulse shopper or do you shop around ??

Some of us do and some of us do not from time to time. And that is understood.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do a cost analysis.

When I use the word "cost", what I mean is not only dollar value cost, but time, energy and labor cost as well.
And I do not mean "cost " just for today. I mean cost for life.

and then, put all these "costs" up against all the things that you are expecting to get in return for what you invest.

And make the judgement on your own.

[mediaman]

You can raise live brine shrimp and auto feed them while you are away pretty easy. Unless you will be away for weeks at a time then tank maintenance shouldn't be a problem. The biggest problem is going to be getting light to the bottom of the tank . If it stays dark down there then algae is going to be a nightmare. Just something to think about.


What is wrong with getting a set of lights for the tank that is strictly meant for being
submerged underwater ?
They do make LED lights as well as individual lights that you can secure to the bottom of the tank to light up from the bottom up as opposed to from the top down.
They make them for pond aquariums, why wouldn't they make them for this type ?

Although if the lamp heads are big enough from the top of the open ended tank, I am sure the light beam may be able to reach that deep if the lamp and bulb are
big enough.

[edkemper]

mediaman,

> Do you take the time to shop around at different grocery stores before deciding on what foods to buy and where to get them from?

Actually, if it were me, I'd research things and prices from places that produce or sell what I'm looking for. I wouldn't go to Costco for my medical care and I wouldn't go to my doctor's office to ask where I can buy the best muffins cheap.

But you have opened a few eyes and caused a few smiles with the idea of a three story fish tank in a log home. There are a few fishing fools here that are probably trying to figure out how we could fish in that tank. Thank you.

[loghousenut]

I go to Costco for my medical care and my muffins. I still like the fish tank thing.

[project]

What is wrong with getting a set of lights for the tank that is strictly meant for being
submerged underwater ?
They do make LED lights as well as individual lights that you can secure to the bottom of the tank to light up from the bottom up as opposed to from the top down.
They make them for pond aquariums, why wouldn't they make them for this type ?

Although if the lamp heads are big enough from the top of the open ended tank, I am sure the light beam may be able to reach that deep if the lamp and bulb are
big enough.
The lighting needs to come from the top of the tank, not only for aesthetic reasons also for a healthy tank. If you intend to raise any corals at all proper lighting is crucial as well for the health of the fish. Trying to light a tank 3 stories deep will take extremely powerful lighting and the trade off of large lights is heat, and alot of it. Yes there is LED lighting systems for marine aquariums but I have never seen any that will light a tank that deep but thats not to say that it cant be done. Most ppl use metal halide lighting on deeper aquariums ( 5' is considered a very deep tank),and could light the top of a tank you size for probably less than $15k but it will still leave the bottom too dark. Im not trying to talk you out of it in any way, just trying to point out some of the things you will run into that the people making the sale might leave out. I have had many large tanks over the years and Im just sharing the experience that I have gained through the years.

[project]

How many of those people building a log home are raising families in those log homes ?
(spouse, kids, etc.,.)

Which one do you think would cost you more ? Raising a family or maintaining a fish tank ?
I think you could probably maintain an aquarium of this scale for $50 to $75k per year. I would compare that to raising a family in a log home with one child in a decent college.

[mediaman]

Before I came to the forum here, I read much useful information on the pages which attracted me to
investigate further.

The following passage was one of them:

"We offer a 2-day class on how to build log homes from scratch, without a kit. Some quick facts:

This class is for average men and women who have never built anything before
We teach the butt & pass method, which doesn't settle like "kit" log homes do
Butt & pass log homes are the least expensive, strongest, and longest-lasting
We've had hundreds, and probably thousands of people take our 2-day class and go on to build a log home"

Now, before coming here, I investigated so many other log home companies who are in the business of making log homes.
Most of them were in the log home kit business and some of them were not.

But when I read this: " This class is for average men and women who have never built anything before
We teach the butt & pass method, which doesn't settle like "kit" log homes do.
Butt & pass log homes are the least expensive, strongest, and longest-lasting."

this is what attracted me most (aside from the photo gallery of student homes).

If "average men and women who have never built anything before" come to this class and join the forum to discuss issues and questions, it must be great to learn how to build " Butt & pass log homes that are the least expensive, strongest, and longest-lasting".

Is there some type of stereotype that comes along with this "image" that I am not aware of ?? (LOL)

Is the "average man or woman" who is interested in building their log home on their own held under some type of
" typical standard image " ??

Did not believe that you had to be fat, skinny, ugly, gorgeous, poor, rich, middle class, etc.,. to want to build your own log home or anything else for that matter.

"average men and women" come in ALL shapes and sizes from ALL walks of life.

[mediaman]

I think you could probably maintain an aquarium of this scale for $50 to $75k per year. I would compare that to raising a family in a log home with one child in a decent college.




First off, you or anyone else are not "discouraging OR incouraging" to this idea. This is a forum. Forums are meant as discussion platforms. Communication is key. We run ideas by each other and we take what we think is useful out of the conversation and ignore what we may feel may not be appropriate for our particular situation.

Really did not want to bring any particular figures into the game. As stated before in a previous post, We all have different tank/log home personalities. The personality usually plays a big roll in how and where we come up with expenses.

Playing around with a few different designs and don't know the "best" option. Want it to be exciting and fun without being boring.
Meaning, If one idea is played out and followed, don't want to run into a situation later (during the life of living in the home)
where saying " should have done this or should have done that instead".

That is why a few ideas are flying around. Starting from 1st floor between kitchen and dining room, being generous, giving 8 ft
to the ceiling from the floor for each floor and 8 ft to the ceiling on the second floor where the bedrooms willl be, 8 ft for the 3rd floor IF there ends up being a 3rd floor.
Don't know IF the bottom of the tank will BEGIN at WASTE LEVEL on the 1st floor OR IF it will begin FROM FLOOR LEVEL.

Idea one is to have a tank that would be big enough to reach one floor up.
Idea two is for 2 floors up
Idea 3 is for 3 floors up.

Each idea has their own drawbacks and strengths.

One floor is too lame.

The tank would be 10 ft high PER floor (for example). IF it starts FROM FLOOR LEVEL (at your feet) it would go up through
2nd floor and the top EDGE of tank ends JUST PAST where 2nd level floor begins. (give it like 6" to a foot or so).

The center of the 2nd level floor would be blocked off and look like one, big stand alone pillar in the middle of the floor that you would have to walk around to get to the other side. That blocked off part of the 2nd level floor would be used for tank maintenence, etc.,.

If the tank were to procede THROUGH the 2nd floor ceiling to the 3rd floor and would go up through
3rd floor and the top EDGE of tank ends JUST PAST where 3rd level floor begins. (again, giving it like 6" to a foot or so).

The center of the 3rd level floor would be blocked off and look like one, big stand alone pillar in the middle of the floor that you would have to walk around to get to the other side. That blocked off part of the 3rd level floor would be used for tank maintenence, etc.,.

So (hypothecally) if the tank is 15' long, 8' wide, every floor will be roughly 10,000 gallons PER floor if you count ceiling height at 8 ft plus a little leway between each ceiling and floor distance (hence the 10 ft height example).

Leaning more towards 2nd or 3rd floor and don't know what the tank personality will end up like so really don't want to throw figures around until the facts are known.

[project]

so really don't want to throw figures around until the facts are known.

the figures I stated were based on a 30000 gallon tank which similar to what you stated that you wanted.