My new DIY tank design

Discussion in 'I made this!' started by Infantry1327, Jul 20, 2009.

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  1. Infantry1327

    Infantry1327 Fire Shrimp

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    So I have been racking my brain trying to think up where I can build a new tank. I was chilling in my garage with my friends throwing a few back when it hit me. I love fish and I love beer so why not combine the two. I decided to build a bar tank. Yea thats right I want a reef tank built into a bar. The dimentions are L= 66" H= 26" W= 30" and will be ruffly 223 Gallons. I am still undecided on the sump size but I did a google sketch up of my design. What do you guys think?

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    The bar top will have the lights mounted on the underside and the whole top will be hinged so i can access the tank easier. I have quit a few ideas for it but figured I would see what you guys think of my initial design. This will be a woody except the front and maybe the back will be acrylic. It will have a single corner overflow and the other corner will be built in power heads. I am still undecided on how I am going to do all the plumbing. Thats the next blue print I need to draw up.

    So what do you think, what reccomendations do you have, and do you see any flaws in the initial design?
     
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  3. bioreefdude

    bioreefdude Fu Manchu Lion Fish

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    awesome tank design , but where does the beer go
     
  4. Blue Falcon

    Blue Falcon Fire Goby

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    So... Is this a functional bar? It might be a pain watching your fish when your laying on the ground. Also, might not want a tank where things are going to be constantly placed on top of it. Might startle the fish. And then there's the risk of spilling alcohol in the tank. But if it wasn't founctional as a bar, and just looked like a bar, then it's pretty cool I guess.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2009
  5. asking4trouble

    asking4trouble Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Im +1 for you making this :) Ive seen a few bars with the tanks behind the bar but never actually in it. We have an expression in Australia (maybe you have it in the states too?), when someone gives you something quirky u say "now that's going straight to the pool room"... the pool room contains a pool table, a bar and is your favorite room in the house. I would like to hang out in your pool room if u make this :)
     
  6. wrinkledwrasse

    wrinkledwrasse Plankton

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    love the design but you should cover the back and make sure you also have a cold spot for beer,hey about finding a way to keep the bear cold and still cooling down the tank without a chiller.maybe possible.never know a lil engineering and designing can go a long way.
     
  7. Infantry1327

    Infantry1327 Fire Shrimp

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    hahaha, thanks for all the great comments. Yes it will be a fully functional bar. I have a kegerator that will go behind the bar and a rack that will go on the wall over the sump that will have all the liquor. And a mini fridge behind it to hold the beer. There will defenetly be a a back on it that I will be able to remove very easily. all the edges will be sealed with rubber gaskets so no alcohol will leak into the tank. We probably won't even use it that much because we have a bar built into our garage. I had just never seen a bar tank before and thought it would be fun to build.

    We have this little nook in our house that used to have a bar in it, but we moved the bar to the garage. So I was originally going to Put up a wall and build it into the wall with the ever popular picture frame design then put in a door and make a little fish room. But as much as I like how it looks if I ever move I wouldnt be able to take the tank with me. But If I do the bar design and I move I can take it with me. Where I am putting this there is allready plumbing from the sink that used to be in the old bar. I can hook up a RO unit then make a auto top off system.
     
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  9. wrinkledwrasse

    wrinkledwrasse Plankton

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    you should also try and find a way to add your favorite beer brand sign and get the aquarium designed with those colors and sign. like corals and fish of that color.then name the fish with beer names,and have a crab and call him crabbycanopener,or bluebottlepopper.sumthing funny and cool like that gl with the build.
     
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  10. gutierrezre

    gutierrezre Flamingo Tongue

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    When my brother bought his house they had a bar fish tank and they didn't take it with, so everyone that came over to see his new house said.."Why did they put a fish tank under the bar?" Wouldn't it be nice to sit at the bar and watch the fish? Instead of the fish watching u swing ure legs into the tank..So I say great design if you happen upon a real life encounter with the Honey I shrunk the kids movie...I say build your wall to your fish room removeable.. Your gonna have to break down the tank when you move anyhow so you can just breakdown the wall also. With your design skills im sure you can make it work out real nice.
     
  11. Infantry1327

    Infantry1327 Fire Shrimp

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    So everything I drew up earlier was pretty much from memmory, but It seems I over estimated the size of the opening where the tank will go. I originally measured the old bar we had in there and based the size of the tank off that. But forgot that the bar was set inside the room more. I am going to need that extra back room for the sump and all the equipment. This is a model of what the room will look like with the bar installed. And If I do the bar I will only be able to fit 100 Gallons in there. If I did the fish room I would do about 210 Gallons. This room is directly in front of the front door and visible from the living room where we spend most our time. There is a large sky light in there but I am going to seal it in so the tank doesnt get any direct sun light

    These pics are drawn to scale to give you a better idea of what I am looking at.
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    Last edited: Jul 21, 2009
  12. 10acrewoods

    10acrewoods Fire Goby

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    original design looks the best leave the arch way out and build a door to access. but looks great so far and very user friendly with sump up high and such good luck building it.