48.50 " tall Reef Aquarium question

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

I'm starting a new build with a 66" x 28" x 48.50" tall reef ready aquarium and would like your input on going reef.
Is this a mistake or can it be done right? Viewing this on 3 sides. Tank is already purchased and ready for water. just deciding on filling with RO water or straight tap water.
3 or 4 AI LED lighting over the top sufficient. It's going to have a slope/valley live rock landscape.
Or should I just stick to a Fish only aquarium?

 

[Kyuss]

Take a look in the Large Reef Tanks forum. I've seen a few in there that run tall tanks like yours - just read a build thread the other night where he has a 48" tall tank with corals and it was working out rather well (unforunately I forgot who's thread it was though.) Placing corals was the biggest challenge and there were several pics of people "bobbing for corals" to do so, but otherwise as far as cleaning he was able to find some 4ft long vacuums etc.

I personally think a tall aquarium sure does look neat. I'm just about to get my 150g 72"x18"x28" filled and like the extra height compared to most standard tanks, but some think even that is too tall. I'll be going FOWLR though, as I love my triggers. Either way you go though, I'd strongly suggest an RO/DI setup to fill it and for top-off and future water changes.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

I'm going tall as well, 48 inches.

I think if you plan it well it can be done. You'll have to stay diligent on cleaning the acrylic with a magnet. It'll be really difficult to scrape coralline algae from the bottom. Most die hard reefers don't like tall tanks for reefs because you need more powerful lightning and you have to dive underwater to get to the bottom.

But if done right, they are spectacular to look at.

Check out Chingchai's tank.

It's a much more realistic look. I've never seen a 24" coral reef in the wild.

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Thanks, it's a glasscages 48.50 tall glass tank. I'm worried about the cleaning at the bottom especially when the corraline starts growing.

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Take a look in the Large Reef Tanks forum. I've seen a few in there that run tall tanks like yours - just read a build thread the other night where he has a 48" tall tank with corals and it was working out rather well (unforunately I forgot who's thread it was though.) Placing corals was the biggest challenge and there were several pics of people "bobbing for corals" to do so, but otherwise as far as cleaning he was able to find some 4ft long vacuums etc.

I personally think a tall aquarium sure does look neat. I'm just about to get my 150g 72"x18"x28" filled and like the extra height compared to most standard tanks, but some think even that is too tall. I'll be going FOWLR though, as I love my triggers. Either way you go though, I'd strongly suggest an RO/DI setup to fill it and for top-off and future water changes.

thanks im going to look now at that section for ideas.:wave:

 

[YoungREEFA]

You will have to go medal halide lighting, but that sounds fun to build!