Mark's Own Tank - Massive 12ft "Step Down" Saltwater Aquarium & Dream Fish Room Walkthrough Tour

You asked, and we delivered! Mark Call (Mr Saltwater Tank) finally gives a full, detailed walkthrough and tour of his personal, massive 987-Gallon, 12-foot long "Step Down" Peninsula Aquarium and the custom-built Dream Fish Room.

Join Mark as he reveals the full story behind the build, the construction challenges of putting a 10,000lb tank on the second floor of a house, the sophisticated filtration, and what he would change if he did it all over again.

???? Stream Segments & Highlights
1. Introduction & The Build Story
[00:00] Mark answers the most-asked question: "When are you going to show us your tank?"

[00:11] Initial specs: The 987-gallon, 12-foot long custom "Drop Off" or "Step Down" peninsula tank.

[00:35] The extreme build: The decision to add an entire addition to the house just to accommodate a bigger aquarium.

[01:10] Construction Timeline: Beginning in February 2020, Mark shows photos of the house addition, fish room foundation, and planning for the second-story placement.

[03:58] Crane Day! The incredible process of lifting the thousand-gallon tank (with its stand) onto the second story via crane, requiring the removal of a window.

[08:32] Structural Support: How steel I-beams were installed to support the estimated 10,000 lbs of tank and water, ensuring the load is carried by the new addition, not the existing house structure.

[10:03] Cost of the Crane: Mark shares the surprisingly affordable price of the crane for the residential job, contrasting it with a potential six-figure crane cost for a Manhattan penthouse tank.

2. The 987-Gallon Tank Tour (Upstairs)
[14:24] A current-day tour of the fully built-out tank, originally filled with water in January 2021.

[14:59] Peninsula Design: Mark explains why he highly recommends a peninsula tank, as it gives three distinct viewing sides.

[15:44] Dimensions: 12 feet long, 4 feet wide, with a "Step Down" design: 30 inches tall in the upper section and 48 inches tall in the lower section.

[16:47] Aquascape Inspiration: The scape is a "Mixed Reef" inspired by Mark's diving experiences in places like Vanuatu, Fiji, and Australia (the drop-off section).

[18:01] Favorite Fish:

[18:53] Bandit Angelfish: Valued at roughly $6,000 and the main reason Mark installed a generator.

[19:57] Achilles/Goldrim Hybrid Tang.

[20:03] Roland's Damsel: An often-overlooked, fun, and colorful damsel that stays within its small territory.

[22:25] Lighting and Flow: The tank is lit by multiple EcoTech Marine Radions with AI Blades. Flow is provided by MP60s on both ends of the tank, AI Gyre products, and two closed-loop systems.

3. Dream Fish Room Walkthrough (Downstairs)
[25:56] A complete tour of the dedicated fish room, located right below the tank.

[26:20] Drained Flooring: Mark demonstrates the raised, fiberglass grate flooring that allows spilled water to drain immediately, eliminating the need for squeegeeing.

[27:17] Vertical Space: To save room, the Refugium is bolted to the wall and ceiling, sitting above the Frag Tank table.

[27:50] Filtration Setup: Water drains from the main tank, runs through the refugium, then into a roller mat, then the main sump, which houses 300 watts of UV sterilization, a Bubble King skimmer, and GFO/Carbon reactors.

[29:21] The Calcium Reactor is located vertically beneath the skimmer/sump table.

[29:45] Automation: The system is primarily controlled by Coral View Hydros, with secondary control from an Apex for lighting, featuring automated alkalinity testing with the IV and X10 units.

[30:45] Water Storage: 200 gallons of RODI water and 200 gallons of saltwater storage (2x 100-gallon containers) for easy 10% weekly water changes.

[31:50] Reefer Life: Acknowledging that real fish rooms can be messy, Mark shows his fish freezer (LRS Foods is the primary diet) and human food storage.

[32:37] Quarantine (QT) System: Mark shows the large quarantine tanks used for fish and coral, using CCM's Cooperine product.

4. What Would Mark Do Differently?
[40:39] Room Size: Make the fish room wider (10+ ft) and longer to allow for more space.

[41:16] Skimmer: Prefer an internal skimmer within the main sump for simpler plumbing and overflow management.

[41:40] Electrical: Add "a bunch more" power outlets.

[42:16] Tank Changes: Add more closed-loop holes and make the deep section of the drop-off tank 6 inches longer.

Video URL: https://youtu.be/0qtifvebkNc