Artificial Decor and Acrylic Colomn Aquariums

[okcaquariums]

Our specialty is Reef Keeping and aquarium installation and maintenance. We have been presented with the opportunity to build two square acrylic tanks which our customer is wanting on each side of an entry way. Dimensions of each tank are 48'' long 30'' wide and 66'' tall. Our customer is wanting acrylic and we have tried to explain how easily it is scratched and scared up over time and an investment that will need replacing after some time has gone by due to the acrylic becoming scratched and unpleasing to the eye. We have brought attention to the height of the tanks which would work alright with the reef as long as oxygen is pushed down into the column. However, the predator tank will hold sting rays and sharks whish need length more than it needs height. What is yalls' opinion?

 

[KafudaFish]

That one cannot buy common sense.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

That length and width is much too small for any shark or ray.

 

[snorvich]

That length and width is much too small for any shark or ray.

Exactly. The glass vs acrylic question depends on a lot of issues including the size of the tank and budget.

 

[hcl2195]

Sounds like you first need to educate your customer.

 

[Timfish]

Having maintained tanks professionally for 19 years I have learned some clients are not worth the effort. Reitterating above comments those tanks will be too small for most stingray's or sharks. There are a couple of species of shark, no stingrays, whose size and behaviour would let one or two specimans to be kept in one of those tanks but they will be pretty inactive or active at night so the tank will not have the "WOW!" factor that someone who want's these tanks in their entrance way will want. If they do not want to listen to you now on what live stock will thrive in those tanks run, don't walk! They will be constantly calling you wanting you to change things as the novelty wears off.

 

[atreis]

I love acrylic tanks, personally, but wouldn't want one in a public space like that, where people are going to brush against it, lean against it, touch them, etc... They'll get all scratched up. The scratches can be buffed out, but it would get old over time.

A 66" deep tank, regardless of what's in it, is going to be really hard to maintain... A well-lit reef tank makes this worse (and wow, that's gotta be some lighting system!).

As mentioned the tank dimensions aren't appropriate for rays.

People's eyes tend to be about 5-6' off the ground, and people look up/down at an angle... They could get much the same effect with a much more conventionally sized reef tank (say, 4' x 30" x 36" tall) on a somewhat higher than usual stand.

Also: People naturally tend to look at things that are better lit. If you have a well-lit reef tank on one side, and a relatively dim FOWLR on the other, most people aren't going to look at the FOWLR much.

 

[okcaquariums]

Thank you For your suggestions, feedback, and opinions. We wanted to allow our customer the opportunity to hear others feed back of the concerns we have with the vision he is wanting. Thank you, again, so much for your time and suggestions.

 

[Menace2Sobriety]

We have been presented with the opportunity to build two square acrylic tanks.....Dimensions of each tank are 48'' long 30'' wide and 66'' tall.

I think the customer is screwed! They've got someone building them a pair of reef tanks and these individuals don't even know what a square is!

Menace

 

[fishlee]

Customer needs to learn about the animals need