# 800 gallon tank



## SmallTankBighopes (Dec 29, 2003)

long story short, uncle said i can have tank and stand for free if I want it. i have a few questions tho... If you had an 800 gallon tank, what would you put in it as far as fish go. 2, how much does a tank like this weigh with everything in it? 3, is it a biotch to clean one this big? thanks in advance


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## nfldRBP (Nov 30, 2003)

If i had an 800 gallon tank I would probably put a large shoal of red's in it, im not really sure.

That tank is huge, and if you mean by "how much will it weigh with everything in it", i would think you mean with water too and that would be an incredible amount of weight. I heard that 20 gallon aquarium filled with water would equal 150 pounds, that sounds a little big so im not sure if thats correct.

I only have small-medium sized tanks, but with good filtration and my pleco there is a minimum amount of debris. You would need very large amounts of filtration to keep the tank in good order, and after that you would need to regularly siphon leftover debris within the bottom of the tank.


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## ChosenOne22 (Nov 23, 2003)

what did ur uncle have for fish in there?


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## Bigkrup444 (Oct 6, 2003)

That is awesome if you could get it for free. It will prolly cost some money to keep it running and clean. A 20% water change would be 160g, The tank full will be very heavy a gallon of water is about 8.3lbs i think so thats 6640lbs of water. Plus gravel it is recommened that you use 1 lb of gravel per gallon so that another 800 lb. so your lookin at 7440 plus weight of tank and stand and decoration. If i had a 800 g tank i would have one big ass shoal of pygo's. Hope this helped you.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

An 800 g tank? WOW!!!







Go for it, I say!

Are you getting a filtration system with it? If not, that would probably be pretty costly to set up. You'd have to buy something that would be used for a pond or small pool no doubt. But it would most likely be worth it.

What are the dimensions on the tank?

Here's a good website that lists dimensions of tanks and how much they weigh when full of water. (I don't think they include ornaments or gravel in their calculations)... CLICK HERE

If I had a tank that big I think I would definitely do a marine tank. It would be fantastic. LOTS of work and money, but still just amazing... Whatever I did though I would design it after the natural habitat of the fish I put in there as best I could... You could also do an amazing African cichlid set-up. WOW! The possibilities! And of course, piranhas. Your shoal would be HUGE! Just don't fall in, lol.

I wouldn't recommend putting it anywhere but in a basement though. It's going to weigh a ton...


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## SmallTankBighopes (Dec 29, 2003)

cool thanks for the replies. Last time I saw his tank, my uncle had a bunch of HUGE goldfish in there. He kept it away in his basement for years since then though. My aunt is making him get rid of it. I have a 30 gallon tank right now with 3 rbp's and when/if i get the tank, i'll put these guys in there along with a ton of other RBP's probably. Anyone else have comments or suggestions? I wont be getting it till begining of summer but its fun to talk about now


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

What are the dimensions? Does it have a stand?


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## X-D-X (Jul 3, 2003)

One gallonwieghs 8.3 pounds do the math like 6600 pounds i think


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## mattmatt123 (Nov 13, 2003)

man i would get some guyan rhoms and try to get them to breed


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## phil (Feb 15, 2003)

you could make a wet dry for that pretty cheap, but it would take alot of work.

An 800 gallon







, so many possibilities. Throw in every type of pygo. In the end have around 35-40 in total


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## DiXoN (Jan 31, 2003)

i never thought i would say this buut i would go for big fish aro's and rtc's peacock bass etc
dixon


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## Misbehavin (Jan 3, 2004)

holy S-#-!-t
THAT IS AWSOME
u are so lucky we have a 65 gallon marine and it is pretty cool
i couldnt even imagine a 800 gallon marine


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

If you get it you will need to change your screen name







the possibilitys are endless.


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## 94NDTA (Jul 14, 2003)

Get a shark.


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

94NDTA said:


> Get a shark.










thats what i would get


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## InIndiana (Nov 6, 2003)

Ooooh, I'd throw in all types of piranhas . Oor, a big ray exhibit







Olson had a great one and it was only like 250G , its amazing how nice ray tanks look.


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## MPower (Jan 29, 2003)

Whats the dimensions on that tank? Also I would start with 50 or more caribe. That would be an sick tank!


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## 94NDTA (Jul 14, 2003)

I don't think I could really fathom an 800 gallon aquarium in someones home. How the hell are you going to get it in your house? Something like that would more likely be built in.


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## tecknik (Jul 18, 2003)

Thats a huge tank!


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## Red Eyes (Nov 25, 2003)

No matter what you put in it ... please post some pics!!!


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

i would do a bit of research into what other types of fish pygos live with and re create the amazon river, types of plant, fish even try adding crabs that live there too, everything the amazon has, now that would be a tank


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## brad99 (Dec 4, 2003)

i was always told 1 gallon = 10 pounds (give or take). So 800g would be 8000 pounds. thats like 4 tons. Hope its going in the basement.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Or... you could always do a school of like, 1000 neon tetras. Heh. That would be funny.


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## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

mix black, gold, and red piranhas..make a rainbow


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## Genin (Feb 4, 2003)

i would probably go with rays or go marine and get sharks. 800 gallons would be a waste to use on piranhas in my opinion. oh, or get a mantitee.









Joe


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## rosal548 (Nov 1, 2003)

how the hell you gonna get that sucker thru the front door ?


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## Outie (Feb 19, 2003)

You ofcourse could have damn near any fish in that tank you wanted but i'm not sure i would use that for piranha especially not a lot of them, cleaning that tank would be a bitch and even for an 800 gallon 35+ piranhas when they get larger will still make a mess. I would go with some larger sized aquatic fish such as rays peacock bass etc.... that isn't a tank more like an exhibit.


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## piranha threat (Jan 1, 2004)

That is *BIG!*


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## SmallTankBighopes (Dec 29, 2003)

hehe wow tons of replies! cool idea's everyone! I guess it would be a pain the the a$$ to clean if i had a bunch of p's in there. I'm not sure of the dimensions, but that's a good point about how im gonna get it in the front door. My basement has an opening (two doors on the outside ground that go to a stairway) but i dont imagine it'd fit in there being 800 gallons. Not very likely but, is there a way to disassemble a tank and reglue it or somthin? its on a stand and the stand wont be a problem to get in cuz its made of wood and metal beams (looks like a stage kinda) and he's giving that to me too. I'd need to get a filter and heater for it. He's got gravel in there but its probably all nasty by now. It'll be expensive but it should be a lot of fun. Can a dolphin live in there? haha j/k


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## SmallTankBighopes (Dec 29, 2003)

If I get it, nobody can tell me that 3 RBP's cant be happy in my tank anymore...hahah


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## Bigkrup444 (Oct 6, 2003)

Just wondering what type of heaters and filters would need to be used on a tank like this? If you go by the 10x output guide that would 20 emp400's. and the heater calculator say between 2400 and 4000 watts damn that is a sh*t load whut would you have to use in this tank?


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## Noble (Nov 9, 2003)

Holy FaK!

I'm going to have to see this tank to believe it.

Well in L.A. there is a LFS that is like the costco of fish stuff.

There are two HUGE aquariums there that are like the kind you see at a large public aquarium.

1000+ GAL. Maybe even 5000 Gal. I'll get pics next weekend and post em here on P-fury.

One tank has three sharks and some other assorted fishes with a nice corral at the bottom. The second one has a reef and corral setup with lots of really huge fishes.

Both are Salt water.

Of course these things are cusom works and the larger tank is in a cement structure with permanent water hoses so the owner only needs to turn a valve to do water changes.

Some one on this forum posted a nice huge (1000 gallon) tank I think and it had lots of big fat reds in it. I was trying to find it but didn't have any luck I should have saved it to my hardrive.

Anyone remember this tank.

---------------Sorry kind of got off topic------------

Hope this works out for you. Should be a riot whatever you do with it.


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## 94NDTA (Jul 14, 2003)

And if you don't post pics, we'll string you up by your nuts.

ok, maybe not, but still, POST PICS OF THIS BEAST!!


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## Bigkrup444 (Oct 6, 2003)

Noble said:


> Well in L.A. there is a LFS that is like the costco of fish stuff.
> 
> There are two HUGE aquariums there that are like the kind you see at a large public aquarium.
> 
> ...


 damn that is awesome the biggest tank at any of the 4 fish stores around me is like a 55g tank of feeders. The store aroung me suck ass.


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## Noble (Nov 9, 2003)

I'll get pics but for now here is Ralpinni's 420 Gallon I was thinking of.

Filled with nice fat reds.


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

hmm seems like a complete waste of space to use tanks that large for piranha... how much extra enjoyment could you possibly get from having an 800 full of piranha compared to a 300... it would be more of a pain in the ass then anything. 300 gallon is like the dream piranha tank, anything over and you can get some fish higher on the food chain like red tail cats, but an 800 gallon tank is not even large enough for one south american red tail cat. If i was working with a 1500 gallon tank i would definately go after a 4 foot arapaima gigas, 3 1/2 RTC and a 3 foot Adonis pleco if it was freshwater.. but why do that when you can create a self sustaining saltwater environment. The coolest piranha tank you will ever lay eyes on is hareballs geryi tank (saw it again tonight







), and its a 125 gallon.


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## oggietiu (Nov 4, 2003)

Thats a very nice tank to have if you have space for it. Costly to Maintain too. I would definitely put in bunch of Arows and arapaimas. Some rays too.


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## roller03hockey10 (Oct 23, 2003)

if i had a tank like that i would take one hell of a nice bath!

i would most likely set it up, stare at it for weeks. then decide what looks best in there, defintaly dont rush it or u could be sorry, i know i would, and i would probly rush it just knowing the person i am. but anyway u look at it, u made out like a devil, i think u should get 3 rhoms in there, the only way possible is to have a huge tank like that


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

I was just thinking... A tank that size will take FOREVER to cycle properly. Probably a good long time if it's going to be salt water.

Also, on the note of people talking about big tanks...

The Big Al's stores in my city have custom 1000 or 1500, can't remember, tanks with a shark in 'em. Those are pretty cool. But honestly, it doesn't look that big because it's done more in a square fashion... They do weekly feedings of the shark for all to see.

Another thing to remember about anything you put in there is FOOD COST!


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## thoroughbred (Mar 14, 2003)

SOMETHING THAT BIG ID GO MAYBE SALTWATER OR RTC OR DIVIDE IT UP AND GET FH


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## Scrambled (Dec 17, 2003)

That's huge!!!







Post a pic when you have it set up....put a whole shoal of caribe in it with some plants and driftwood. That would be cool!


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## camotekid (Sep 21, 2003)

salt water cudas!


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## BanditBrother (Nov 8, 2003)

What are the dimensions of a tank that size?? Bet its massive??


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## AVO (Dec 21, 2003)

Tank that big,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,don't waste it on Piranha's get a big ass shawk to feed your enemies to.


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## traumatic (Jan 29, 2003)

even free that tank is gonna be hella expensive to start and maintain. As for fish, I'd put a variety of fish, such as angels, silver dollars, some large cichlids, various catfish etc.


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## vlahos (Sep 7, 2003)

if i had a tank that huge i would try to shoal rhoms or elongs or brandtis
but personally, unless you have a system built into the tank to allow quick an easy water changes, it would turn out to be less enjoyable to have. changing 200g of water every two weeks or so would be a bitch. but i would take it and call around to have a filtration/heating system built for it to make it easy


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## Terran22 (Dec 7, 2003)

No way will you be able to get that into your house. Are you sure it is 800 gallons?? If anything you might have to build a shack to store the thing in your back yard and then have it heated. And if it is a 800 gallon the cost will be in the thousands of dollars to get it started and then don't forget maintenance. You want to upgrade from a 30 gallon to a 800 gallon, then you're pretty much running your own little Sea World. You might be better off just getting a 90 gallon for your basement.


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## SmallTankBighopes (Dec 29, 2003)

yah i agree with all of you that it'll be expensive to maintain and start, that's why I havent given my uncle word on if im gettin it yet. First i gotta get the dimensions and see if i can get it in the door. If it was up to me and I had the tank right now, i'd prob go with a shark


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## CraigStables (Oct 5, 2003)

SmallTankBighopes said:


> yah i agree with all of you that it'll be expensive to maintain and start, that's why I havent given my uncle word on if im gettin it yet. First i gotta get the dimensions and see if i can get it in the door. If it was up to me and I had the tank right now, i'd prob go with a shark


 to be honest the only decent sharks worth owning would need a larger tank than 800 Gal, and its best for them to be round, so they dont bump into the sides which is known to happen alot.

My personal opinion would be to set up a huge mixed tank, pick a river in the Amazon, study what Piranhas are from there and set a tank up recreating this. That way can see how they would act in the wild, more so than in smaller tanks!


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## KILLERLEXUS (Feb 3, 2003)

you better keep it in the basement if you dont want your house to sag and the floors may give...too big of a tank for a hobbiest..that tank would be perfect for a nice mako shark.


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## bracksz28 (Nov 1, 2003)

Get the tank and sell that bad boy! Use the money you get to buy a tank thats more managable!


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## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

60 Caribas and your worst enemy will do great in there...














!


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## X-D-X (Jul 3, 2003)

a SW cuda and some big triggers


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## Rigor_mortiZ_Rhom (Dec 21, 2003)

800 GALS?!?!?! Where the F-CK are you going to sleep!


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## bubba_519 (Dec 13, 2003)

man if I had an 800 gallon tank, I would put as many red bellies as possible witout making the tank over crowded.


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## skater_4_lyfe (Jul 24, 2003)

phil said:


> you could make a wet dry for that pretty cheap, but it would take alot of work.
> 
> An 800 gallon
> 
> ...


 if you got that many piranhas there no way you could afford it thats a lotta f*cking money to feed all those fish I agree by selling it and getting a tank you could manage.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Honestly though... if you still live at home, setting up an 800 g tank is just stupid. If you're not living at home, I hope you own your house and are planning on staying there a while. That's a pretty big commitment and installation piece.

Anything you set up in there is going to cost you a fortune. About $1000 at least for supplies and fish and everything. And if you go marine it will cost even more than that. You'll probably spend over $1000 just on fish, lol... Not to mention the upkeep costs, especially feeding them.

I would either put it in storage for the future... or... sell it and get something nice, new, and that you can manage. Or bank the money and wait til you have a nice place and then buy something for that place.

Though... 1000 neon tetras does sound appealing, doesn't it?


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## Rigor_mortiZ_Rhom (Dec 21, 2003)

> Though... 1000 neon tetras does sound appealing, doesn't it?


LOL


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## ralphinnj (Mar 2, 2003)

Here's the deal: 800 gallons of water is about 6670 pounds. The weight of the tank and gravel/filtration is variable. People say to fifurge on 10-12 pounds per gallong net. In the worst case (12 lbs/gal), you are at about 9600 pounds. Under ANY circumstances, it will need to go on a slab (basement) or you'll have to do so mongo reinforcemet work prior to bringing in the tank.

Also, the tank will be very heavy if it is glass. I have a 420, made of 3/4 glass, and it weighs about 1200 pounds (empty). It took 8 guys to move it in. Your's will weight atleast 2000 pouns if it is glass. Also, if it is 800 gallons, you will have a tough time getting it down stairs and through doorways. It is pobably 36" in width or so, which means it won't fit through most doorways. Not sure what you will do about this issue. Even if it is plexi, it will be heavy at that size.

Another issue is filtration. What does your uncle have on it? For that kind of volume, to get even a minimum of 4-5 turnovers an hour (in combined filtration), you'll need to be moving 4000 gallons an hour (that's about what I have on my 420 (3600 to be exact). To reach that level, you're at something like 7000 gallons an hour.

Regarding heating, you pobably won't need any. You probably will need a chiller because the energy conveyed to the water due to all that pumping combined with the poor heat loss character of a large tank means it will stay warm by itself. Mine reaches 82 in the summer in my cellar (with no heater) and about 78 in the winter. In a larger tank like yours, you will need to cool it or the heat will accumulate to ovr the desired 84 or so max.

Another issue is cycling. Bigger tanks take longer to cycle. Mine took about 4 months to get all of the ammonia and nitrites down to 0. I've had smaller tanks and they go in just a few weeks. Your's is likely to take 6 months or so. You can try to spee it up with those starter solutions, but they can be hit or miss because it is the specific flora that your fish and the food you give them that determines the biological filtration. If you add the starter solutions, thhey work for a little while, but since they will not be in any equilibrium, many of the species will die, and only when your true biological filter sets up will you have equilibrium. So, the moral of the story is to be patient.

One last comment: if you haven't done anything over 25-50 gallons in the past, you are probably biting off more than you realize. I have a few 75's, and they are a good break point. The next level is 100-200gal. After that it is pretty open because the ideas I mention above apply to all. The 75 and lower tanks are nice and easy. You can clean them (gravel vacuum, water change, glass cleaning, pH adjustment, filter media changeouts, etc) in less than an hour. My 420 takes about 3-4 hours to do right. Your 800 will take at least as long. And in the beginning, you'll be doing it at least once a month until things equilibrate (and the water changes are a weekly possibility).

One final remark: feeding costs. In that tank, you will easily support 40-50 p's. Over time, you will probably reach that level. By the way, I'd suggest a mix of Caribe's, RBP's, Snakeskin RBP's, and other similar, "community" piranha's. I have 21 in my 420 between 4 and 8 inches. I feed them at least 100 goldfish a week (they eat them in 2 days, and they are the largest Petsmmart ones I can get, the $0.24 each size), a bunch of the large dried shrimp ($60/ cannister, lasts about 2 months), pellets, beef heart, worms, mice, etc. What I am saying is tha I spend close to $40 a week just on food, and a fair amount on filtration media, etc. For your tank, at full operation, it would not be unreasonable to spend close to $100 a week to keep it running and fed properly. Keep that in mind.....

RL


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