440 Gallon Custom Drop-Off Reef Tank

fjr, this is going to be pretty cool especially with the extra width!

Here's my $0.02, you can take it or leave it since it's not worth much these days anyway :), but I would lose all the pillars in the tank. The bommie on top will look much better with more open space and the two big pillars on the bottom immediately draw the eye to them. From an aesthetic point of view, if I'm looking at the bottom portion, I want my eye to be drawn deeper into the tank and eventually up to the top. With the large pillars in there, I can't really "see" beyond them.

Aquascaping a 3 side viewable tank is a challenge. Often what looks good in one direction doesn't work from another. You're on the right track though and with just a few tweaks I think you'll really dial it in.
 
just wanted to say thanks for sharing and expanding on an awesome idea. never seen a tank with varying depth before.
 
Wow!! You're a Sketchup demon!!

I kinda agree with not having the tall pillar on the dropoff section. Think it'll look better with just a short bommie on one side, and open area on the other. As far as just the actual drop off cliff goes, looks great with the layering. But seriously, its gonna be awesome

I wish I could help with skimmer choices, but I don't feel I know enough to recommend one. I pretty much went overboard and then some with mine, choosing a BK SM 300 on a 250g, but I hope I'll never have to buy a skimmer for the next 10 years :)

Still, if i had to choose, I'd do the Reef Octopus, simply because their pumps are great value, and you're already going to be spending so much on the rest.

Does your wife know how much it costs? :)
 
Thanks, guys. I'll definitely take the aquascaping suggestions under advisement. To answer your question, Bello, yup, Wendy knows how much it will all be, and she's even cleared me to go with an ATB or Alpha cone if I want to. :-) So, what's everyone's suggestions for the best sub- $1300 skimmer?
 
Love this design"¦"¦

I think the drop gives you so many options plus in my opinion is as close to a natural reef as you can get with a aquarium"¦..

I wanted to do the same thing at my house but didn't have the room or funds to make it work so ended up with a 300 gallon in wall set up in the garage viewable in the kitchen/ kitchen nook "¦. Garage is just a catch all anyways,"¦.
 
fjr_wertheimber said:
Wendy knows how much it will all be, and she's even cleared me to go with an ATB or Alpha cone if I want to. :-) So, what's everyone's suggestions for the best sub- $1300 skimmer?
Click to expand...

You're a lucky man ....... really lucky :)

It seems that your heart's on the Alpha Kone 300. I can definitely vouch for the Red Dragon 1500 pumps on those, very nice, with crazy foam...

Should be a good choice IMO.
 
Thanks, CyclistMT, I think you may be (partially) right. I'm definitely losing one of the pillars on the lower level but keeping one (I want at least one pillar at the bottom to serve as a remind of our dive trip at Steve's Bommie on the Great Barrier Reef), and I'm toying with shrinking the pillars on the top level to just small, short rocks (kinda mini-mini-bommies, if you will... LOL).
 
Agreed on the pillar in the front. maybe 2 small islands down there instead.

Great work so far! Keep us updated with photos. Subscribed.
 
Yeah, same here, Mr. Mustang. I'd actually planned originally on getting a 300DD, but then I saw the drop-off tank, and went, "Wow! I want THAT!!"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Please help reef tank
Replies
2
Views
175
SantaMonica
S
A
Please help reef tank
Replies
9
Views
200
wvned
wvned
650-IS350
Brand New SERA X-Feeder ($50) "Negotiable"
Replies
1
Views
100
650-IS350
650-IS350
D
Custom Tank Prices
Replies
15
Views
893
Dustin07
D
D
Structural support for 125 gallon aquarium
Replies
7
Views
205
ddang
D
Back
Top