KevinB Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Kind of appropriate that my dream tank is this shape...you could call it a torus, although maybe technically that should have a circle cross section. Appropriate because my astrological sign is a Taurs, not that I subscribe to that hooey. You could also call it a Ring shaped tank...as a fan of LOTR all I can think of is "one tank to rule them all" The idea is a tank in the torus shape with corresponding torus shaped stand with a cut out section so that you could go into the middle and be surrounded by the tank. The stand would have a flat section on the inner edge to allow more space for the sump. The steel stand would support the tank all the way around, only the bottom half of the stand would be missing at the cutout. The cutout would measure somewhere around 26"w x 38" tall. The tank's vertical center would be close to common eye level. Lighting would be provided by custom/DIY leds on rails that follow the curve and controlled by a programmable dimmer. Rockwork would be 1/3 columns, 1/3 arches, and 1/3 stacks and shelves. This tank would have open rockwork and most of it would be DIY made. Flow would be created by using a closed loop system...1 large pump and a oceans motions randomizer. Maybe setup like this: outlets 1 & 3 point clockwise at 9 and 3 o'clock, and outlets 2 & 4 point counter clockwise at 12 and 6 o'clock. Then its just a matter of timing. Or maybe point them all in the same direction and create one never ending standing wave. Dual overflows would be concealed in rock columns...dual returns would be concealed in similar columns. Acrylic would obviously be the tank material. I wonder if cross braces would be needed at all? The tank would be stocked with: 2 large tangs 4 small tangs 2 goldspot rabbitfish 5 bannerfish 20 or so anthias 20-30 chromis 4 ocellaris clowns (2 pairs) Thoughts? I've never thought about stocking for a large tank, so I might be way off base. FYI, this is my dream tank and likely to never become a reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Well, this should be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnM Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 that would be awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 My precious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Great minds think alike! I've wanted to do something like that on a larger scale for sharks. In theory since you have two circles the stress should be evenly spread so bracing isn't needed per say. Do yo have a room big enough for it? That's a tank that almost needs a room specifically designed around it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 I was thinking this would be perfect for small rays and pelagic fish. Big lookdown tank or some hi fin snappers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted May 21, 2013 Author Share Posted May 21, 2013 I thought about lookdowns, but it would need to be a bit bigger. Maybe this kind of tank would lend itself more to a predator setup. I like the idea of rays, but then you can't use rock, which doesn't work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 It's possible to do something close to this size out of glass. Aquavim.com does half cylinders with a diameter of 72" and full cylinders with a diameter of 32". Combining the two you would get a torus with about 19" or 20" between the inside and outside walls. You would have two joints on the outside walls but the glass would be a lot eaiser to clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted May 21, 2013 Author Share Posted May 21, 2013 Interesting, Tim. I wonder if they would custom make the glass bottom as well. And I wonder if they would sell just the sides of the tank and not the full cylinder tanks. Two seams wouldn't be that bad, might actually make for a good place to put the overflows, with the understanding that they would then be visible. This would also mean cross braces, but that's not that big of a deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 What an amazing idea! If you could have a little stool in the middle to sit on, you could go rest in there and totally escape. Sounds very relaxing being surrounded by your aquarium I've seen one similar either at the Albuquerque or Corpus aquarium, can't remember which. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Have got to think bigger... This one has an elevator in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted May 21, 2013 Author Share Posted May 21, 2013 Have got to think bigger... This one has an elevator in it. Wow! That's pretty incredible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted May 21, 2013 Author Share Posted May 21, 2013 Anyone think it'd be possible to maintain a wave around the torus? I understand waves don't turn on their own, so I'm curious if the closed loop outlets were near the outer edge if the glass, if it would push the water in a wave all the way around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 I think the current would go all the way around. The actual water bounces in straight lines from what I remember from fluid dynamics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Well obviously we need to build one to see just what needs to be done to propogate a wave all the way around it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted May 21, 2013 Author Share Posted May 21, 2013 Well obviously we need to build one to see just what needs to be done to propogate a wave all the way around it! Lol I'll get right on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Interesting, Tim. I wonder if they would custom make the glass bottom as well. And I wonder if they would sell just the sides of the tank and not the full cylinder tanks. Two seams wouldn't be that bad, might actually make for a good place to put the overflows, with the understanding that they would then be visible. This would also mean cross braces, but that's not that big of a deal Seems to me the two joints would be a lot less obvious than on a rectangular glass tank. Personally I would try to get the sides and build it in place. Seems like that would be much easier and cheaper than shipping and trying to move it onto the stand. The bottom should be pretty easy to do with wedge shaped trapizoidal pieces, if there's two or three layers with the joints overlapped that would be pretty srtong and more resiliant than a single layer with butt joints. I think it would look better with some kind of wood trim around the top but it would not take much to hide the ross bracing. A lip would also greatly reduce the spalshing and drips that occur on rimless tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted May 21, 2013 Author Share Posted May 21, 2013 It just occurred to me that given the shape, it REALLY needs to be 360 gallons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 And why should I argue?! Here's a video so you can get an idea of the distrortion you'll see, it's going to be pretty much the same wether you go with glass or acrylic: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaplanm Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Did you consider for the sump simply using a trough that mirrors the torus above, but with a break in it at the entry? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I497 using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted May 22, 2013 Author Share Posted May 22, 2013 I've thought about that, but it would mean additional cost in fabrication an materials, by quite a bit if its another acrylic tank that has to get bent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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