Norstar's 350 gal Tank Build

[Norstar]

Well, after waiting for 40 years, I finally got my dream tank. OK, maybe not the 50,000 gal. like I really wanted (you know, flooding the basement and cutting a trap door in the floor - ), but it's a beauty.

Everyone thinks I'm crazy for putting it in the garage, but I like it there. I can putz around, make a mess on the concrete floor, spill some water, have a beer. It's also my workshop, hence the tools and telephone equipment, so I do spend a lot of time in there.

I set-up my 85 gal. RO/DI tanks a little while ago, as well as my 85 gal. mixing tank. It saves on the limited floor space in the garage to have it up so high.






In case you're wondering, the industrial racking can handle 12,000lbs per shelf. Too much support is always enough!

I just installed a 8000 btu air conditioner to control the heat in the summer time. The room is approx. 250 sq. feet and it seems to be doing the job so far. It saved me a lot of money compared to buying 3 chillers for all the tanks in the room.





It may not look big, but the tank weighs 900lbs!!! It's 90" X 30" X 30". The sump is 72" X 24" X 20". Getting the sump in was the easy part. Carrying a 900lbs tank with 8 of your best friends in the world (!!!) was the hard part. But we got it in.

Before I go any further, a BIG thank you to Wendell, Jim, Dave, and Joey at OCEAN AQUATICS for helping with the aquarium install. Wendell made it all happen, and had lots of patience for all my questions and occasional freak outs!





Dave Tiemstra from West Coast Aquarium Services is coming in next week to plumb the tank. The sump and skimmer should be in next week. After that, I will have to take a (financial!!) break for the summer.





More to come soon!



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