considering this tank

bored4long

bored4long

New member
Saw this tank listed on Craigslist and I am very tempted: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/for/364911590.html

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Its a 180 gallon bowfront. The tank was used for a short time for an Iguana and the stand is built kind of flimsy. I know I will need to reinforce the stand, but my main concern is if the tank itself will be able to handle the weight of sand, rock and water as a reef tank.

Is there any way to determine this?

Thanks,
Mark
 
If the tank was built for a reptile, then it cannot be filled with water.

If it is in fact built for aquarium use, then you should be fine.....

With that being said, the idea of a bowfront tank is, well..... just not that good in my opinion.

If you ever want to build a new stand or canopy for it, you probably won't be able to. And if you have to contract someone to do it for you, it'll cost you......

I know, I know... you probably won't want to do that. But what if for some reason you do? You're stuck. I've already gone through 3 new stands for my tank, and I'm finally at the point where I'm happy.

To me, they're just not practicle. They look nice. But thats it. I like a tank that is versatile. Afterall, I change my mind sooooo much with regards my set-up :lol:

Jim
 
That looks like the standard pine All Glass crappy stand. You should be fine if you can deal with the eye-sore!
 
i don't think they make 180 bow fronts i think it has to be a 155 maybe 175... I had a 72 bow front i liked the look of it and if it wasent more expensive i would of done it on my 280. As far as being a reptile tank looks like they just used it as one but i would clean it really well not sure what can use to clean it but i would look into it before setting it up!
 
I have a bowfront. It is impossible to get a good photo of corals because of the curve in the glass. If I upgrade I will go to a standard tank.
 
Note that the tank is not reef ready. Just something to keep in mind. Also - because of the bow front, your use of space in the stand may not be very efficient for a sump system.

Minh
 
Minh, can you elaborate on 'reef ready' please? Is there a checklist of things/features an aquarium must have to be reef ready?

Thanks for helping a newb.
 
A non-reef ready tank is just a glass box. Reef ready (RR) means that the tank has a built in overflow. The tank is drilled for a drain to the sump and a return from the sump. Here is an example of an overflow box for a RR tank.

http://www.all-glass.com/products/aquariums/megaflow.shtml


If it's not RR, you can always use an external overflow box. There are two major disadvantage with an external overflow box: 1) The tank has a sit a little further away from the wall because the external overflow box sits behind the tank. 2) Some people think that an external overflow box is more prone to an overflow because the can lose their siphon.

Here is an example of an external overflow box:

http://www.cpraquatic.com/products/overflows.html

Personally - I don't like bow front tank. The stands are hard to come buy and expensive. You loose too much space at the bottom for your sump system. The glass can be harder to clean because of the bow front. The bow front can make things look distorted (especially if you are tanking pictures).
 
Reef ready means there are holes drilled on the bottom (most standard one are) of the tank and then surrounded with a box with a bunch of teeth on the top.

This will allow to you drain the water in the main tank down to the sump which housed your internal skimmer, heaters, pump, fuge ect... The skimmer remove waste from your water and then you'll pump the clean water back to the main display.

It's is not that much more expensive to get an AGA reef ready tank, or better yet, Perfecto125 gal reef ready tank, stand and canopy is not that much more than the one currently linked. The only dealer for that brand is in Modesto.
 
I will echo Minh, and say that you will have limited space underneath the tank for standard components (I built a small custom sump for mine), and that their is no overflow system or closed loop plumbing built into it - not "ReefReady". I had a 72 bow, and now have a 90 bow that has an overflow and closed loop built in. I used the old 72 stand, and definitely reinforced it for the 90 - as I would recommend be done in your case. One other thing, besides not being able to take photos and getting slightly dizzy if you stare at the wrong angle for too long, is that it can be challenging to clean. A bow is simply harder to get a full surface contact against with a mag-float or other cleaner, as well as for scraping. If I were to buy from scratch again, it would not be a bow, and it would definitely be fully ReefReady.

-- Josh
 
OK, thanks, guys.

I thought that is what RR meant, but modding a tank to make it RR does not sound complex or expensive to do at all, so I was confused.

I will definitely look into the Perfecto125 gal reef ready tank.

I'm still on the fence for this tank, mainly because I'm impatient. On the plus side, the size/depth is nice. On the negative, the stand is too short, ugly and building a canopy to match might be a pita.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10259750#post10259750 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fragmented
If you are impatient, you will need to find some patience before you enter this hobby. Patience is a necessity.
Click to expand...

This is way too true. This is a hard lesson, but probably the most important one.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10259737#post10259737 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Marko9
You can not drill tempered glass bottoms.
Click to expand...

This is a good point I had not considered.

Thanks for all the valuable points. I agree with all of you that this is not the best solution. I'll pass and wait for something better.
 
I would do some research on keeping a SW tank. I know that sometimes it is easier to get a good book and do some reading. There is so much to learn and if you jump in without any knowledge or gameplan this hobby will be frustrating and not fun.
 
do settle for a tank that your not happy with. I jumped on the first tank i could get a hold of, and I wished it was Reef Ready. Dont buy a tank that you will not be happy with. Keep looking for those great deals out on the net.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10262809#post10262809 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Trevor S
Dont buy a tank that you will not be happy with. Keep looking for those great deals out on the net.
Click to expand...

Message heard loud and clear. I'll keep looking, and continue reading my Concientious Marine Aquarist book while waiting for the right tank.

Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to make sure I make a good choice. Your input is much appreciated.

- Mark
 
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