Unusual Idea For A Fish Tank

[NicG]

Hi guys,

As the title suggests, I've had an unusual idea for a fish tank. I'm in the design stage of building a new house and I'd like to know the feasability of putting one above the lower section of staircase, with the obvious intention of being able to walk underneath it.

I'm envisaging a flat bottom for the first section and then the second section would be angled up, following or steeper than the rise of the stairs. It would have to be in a steel frame of course. But what other factors would I need to take into consideration?

Some that I've thought of are:

Access - It will be accessible from above from the rooms both sides of the staircase.

Cleaning - One of those rooms will be a bathroom for access to water and drainage.

Filtration - There will be an area beside the tank for a canister filter, which only needs to be below the water level ... not below the tank, right?

Shape - It would potentially have the following dimensions and cross-section ...

\ ............................... |
. .\ ........width =.......... |
. . . \ .......900mm....... | . . height =
. . . . .\ ...................... | . . 600mm
. . . . . . \ ................... |
45 deg . . \____________|

| <- 600 -> | <- 600 -> |

That's total volume of 486 litres, so we're talking 500kg! Is that even possible to suspend using a steel frame? Does anyone know of anybody (aquarium expert, structural engineer, etc) who I can talk to about the logistics of this?

I'm not sure what I would put in it yet - keelbacks, turtles, fish? I just need to know if it's possible, or whether I'm just dreamin' ...!

Thanks in advance,
Nic

P.S. Sometimes I hate automatic white space removers.

 

[andynic07]

You would need thick glass and the other problem I can see is how would you access the tank for cleaning and maintenance?

 

[jacorin]

im trying to find a picture on facebook for you to look at Nic.....sorry mate,couldn't find it. but what it was,was a fishtank in an arch over a bed.. looked damned amazing though

 

[disintegratus]

It's a cool idea. But a fish tank will need some kind of substrate, so when walking underneath it, you'll just be seeing rocks, and what would visibility be like in the adjacent rooms?

 

[NicG]

You would need thick glass and the other problem I can see is how would you access the tank for cleaning and maintenance?

It will be accessible from the rooms both sides of the staircase, and one of those rooms will be a bathroom for access to water and drainage. And given that it will be supported externally all the way around in steel framework, will thick glass definitely be required?

It's a cool idea. But a fish tank will need some kind of substrate, so when walking underneath it, you'll just be seeing rocks, and what would visibility be like in the adjacent rooms?

I don't use a pebble or sand substrate for my current keelback and CTS semi-aquatic enclosures. I did initially, but then found that it was easier to keep clean without it. Is there any benefit to a substrate that I'm unaware of?
[Note that I'm quite the novice when it comes to fish tanks, water chemistry and the like]

 

[mad_at_arms]

im trying to find a picture on facebook for you to look at Nic.....sorry mate,couldn't find it. but what it was,was a fishtank in an arch over a bed.. looked damned amazing though

I remember that one, pretty sure it was posted on here also.
You would want pretty silent filters for it.

 

[bigjoediver]

Anythings feasible, if you have the cash to splash!

 

[disintegratus]

I've always had substrate in my tanks mostly because it's easier. Waste filters down through the pebbles and contributes (once the tank is fully cycled) to the bacteria necessary to keep it healthy. If you don't have substrate, you are relying on the filter/s alone to have the required amount of bacteria, which is doable definitely, but substrate gives you a greater surface area for it to exist. That and I find that dpendant on the fish and the tank, sometimes you end up with constant annoying bits of poop that won't go away however often you clean because fish are basically constant poop machines.

 

[justin91]

Mate thats an awesome idea. I can't help much but just wanted say, can't wait to see some pics haha

 

[chase77]

Is this the photo your looking for.

 

[J-A-X]

That was on "tanked" it's all Perspex

 

[marcus0002]

Sorry the one i found already posted

 

[thomasssss]

I just need to know if it's possible, or whether I'm just dreamin' ...!

its 2013 , anythings possible .....just need the cash

 

[butters]

Definitely possible but you do not want any of the steel frame coming in contact with the glass. Contact between steel and glass usually results in cracked glass.

You would be looking at 10-12mm glass ( preferably 12mm or even thicker ) due to the height of the water and extra stresses due to the shape. Remember you have to walk under this.


Do you need the 45 degree angle? That one feature will add considerably to the cost.


I have actually made the same tank before although on a much smaller scale.

The steel frame itself ( if constructed correctly , and sufficient gauge ) will take the weight but how is that going to be affixed to the house? That is most likely to be the fail point as I'm guessing there will be no vertical supports beneath the tank. Just suspended.

 

[wokka]

Half a tonne doesn't sound like an overly big challenge to suspend.That 5 people which any staircase should be designed to support.

 

[andynic07]

Half a tonne doesn't sound like an overly big challenge to suspend.That 5 people which any staircase should be designed to support.

Would that limit the number of people using the stairs at one time?

 

[butters]

Other thing to think about is viewing. You will have lights above so will probably see more of a silhouette when viewed from below. Also you would not want anything resting on the bottom pane of glass as you will need to move it every time you clean it or you will get a build up around anything resting on the base.

When viewed through the angled end there should be little distortion but you will see the lights as you move towards the bottom.

Also try and get who ever makes the tank to mitre the join on the bottom pane of the angled side. So mitre the base. Will make for a much stronger join and if they can put some neoprene bushes into the join as well it would be a bonus. Pressures will try and push that panel out and down from the top and you don't want the two pieces of glass at the bottom coming into contact. Normally this isnt an issue it's the angle that makes it an issue.


Substrate acts as extra filtration. If you don't have the substrate you need to pick up the slack with better filtration.

 

[NicG]

Definitely possible but you do not want any of the steel frame coming in contact with the glass. Contact between steel and glass usually results in cracked glass.

Thanks, that's exactly the type of advice that I need.

You would be looking at 10-12mm glass ( preferably 12mm or even thicker ) due to the height of the water and extra stresses due to the shape. Remember you have to walk under this.

I was hoping to get away with 10mm glass, given that all the edges and joints will be supported externally.

Do you need the 45 degree angle? That one feature will add considerably to the cost.

Since it's above the staircase, the base of it needs to rise as the stairs go up.

The steel frame itself (if constructed correctly, and sufficient gauge) will take the weight but how is that going to be affixed to the house? That is most likely to be the fail point as I'm guessing there will be no vertical supports beneath the tank. Just suspended.

That is one of my major questions. I'm presuming that it will be supported by a cross beam extending from both sides at the four corners shown in the cross-section, and possibly an extra one halfway along the angled side.

 

[NicG]

Substrate acts as extra filtration. If you don't have the substrate you need to pick up the slack with better filtration.

Other thing to think about is viewing. You will have lights above so will probably see more of a silhouette when viewed from below. Also you would not want anything resting on the bottom pane of glass as you will need to move it every time you clean it or you will get a build up around anything resting on the base.

Maybe a better design would be to make the flat bottom section smaller, say 300mm, and reduce the angle to 30 degrees. Given that I still want the angled section to extend 900mm, this would reduce the height to 520mm ... probably not such a bad thing!

Then if I accept that I need substrate and can't see through the bottom, then that whole flat bottom can now be supported as a 'plate' rather than using 'bars'. Therefore I would definitely need another 'bar' halfway along the angled section, which is now 1039mm long. Ah trigonometry, how I've missed you!

When viewed through the angled end there should be little distortion but you will see the lights as you move towards the bottom.

What if, at least some of, the lighting wasn't directed straight down? If I end up having to make the fish tank narrower than the width of the stairway (due to weight issues), then I could possibly direct some LED lights in from the side ...?

Also try and get who ever makes the tank to mitre the join on the bottom pane of the angled side. So mitre the base. Will make for a much stronger join and if they can put some neoprene bushes into the join as well it would be a bonus. Pressures will try and push that panel out and down from the top and you don't want the two pieces of glass at the bottom coming into contact. Normally this isnt an issue it's the angle that makes it an issue.

Thanks again for the tip. Will a 30 degree angle be more or less stable than a 45 degree angle? Or, more correctly, will a 150 degree interior angle be more or less stable than a 135 degree interior angle?

This now begs the question: is it worth having a flat bottom at all? Should bottom of the tank be entirely angled- ie cross-section is now a triangle? Again, I'd accept that a certain percentage of the bottom would need substrate, and that entire section could be 'plate-supported'.

 

[mcloughlin2]

No substrate is no problem for almost all fish species excluding those who burrow naturally. My opinion though having worked in the industry for 7 years is that it is too much effort for minimal viewing pleasures. Viewing from below does not allow for much appreciation of the fishes colour or behaviour. So while it has some initial wow factor I think it will get old very quickly, especially when you will need to keep the glass spick and span. I would suggest a more typical fish tank (maybe something in the wall).

Or if you want to go ahead with it and have the money to back it up go and talk to Majestic Aquariums. The prices are astronomical but they have the resources and experience to make a project like this work, even if you only use them to learn how to do it then go elsewhere?