Help Me Choose the Best Dimensions

[bhsgk]

If you could build either of these two tanks, what would your pick be? The tank will be a glass in-wall fowlr with 3 sides viewable (both ends will be viewable).

120x36x27 (468 gal) or 120x48x27 (629.5 gal)

Would the thickness of the glass change due to the width of the tank or is that just due to the height?

I'm not sure of the exact stocking list, but nothing too aggressive. I may get either a Hasslet's Bamboo or a black banded cat shark. I will mainly keep large angels and some schooling fish.

 

[geaux xman]

i voted 48" deep. i bet both tanks will use 3/4" glass. for a tank that size, i would probably go acrylic.

could you do 30" tall?

 

[bhsgk]

I don't really want to do acrylic unless I can find an amazing deal. I don't like the look of acrylic and have seen too many big tanks with hazing and scratch issues.

My arms are too short to do anything over 27", and that's barely reachable for me. Out of the 15 or so blood related males currently in my family, I am the only one under 6'.

I'm leaning towards 1" thick glass to up the safety rating on the tank, but I have yet to talk to any tank manufacturers to see what my options are and what the differences in price are.

 

[geaux xman]

120x36x27 3/4" glass weighs 920 lbs.
that weight doesnt even include the bracings on the tank.

120x48x27 3/4" glass 1068 lbs!

 

[geaux xman]

FOWLR, once the rocks are in place, you hardly ever have to dig that deep into the water for anything.

i regret only going 23" tall on my FOWLR.

i'm 5'9" with short arms too.

 

[Nanook]

You only move the tank once, so weight is not a big deal. Acrylic however, will require cleaning every couple days by hand to prevent coralline algae from growing and it scratches if you look at it wrong. I would definitely recommend glass.

 

[Nanook]

Well, I just read it is a FOWLR tank, if that is the case, then acrylic would be fine since lighting would most likely be minimal.

 

[Haffs09]

I would go 30" too. I'm 5'9" and for the number of times I need to reach into my tank (30" tall), a step ladder and wet arm pits aren't too big of a deal. If I ever go bigger, I think my next tank will be 36" tall.

 

[dzfish17]

I would go taller too on a FOWLR. My acrylic tank is 46" tall... I have tongs but rarely use them. This is my "dream" tank but if I could do it again I would go 120" long.

 

[DNA]

At least 48".
What happens when corals will be what you want?

 

[Reef264]

A 48" width would be pretty Sweet, so would the depth as well.Im torn.

 

[bhsgk]

thanks for all the replies everybody. this tank will be a fowlr simply because that was the only way i could get this big of a tank. my wife doesnt like coral and would rather have big fish that have character. so my big tank will be a fowlr and i will have a reasonably sized reef somewhere between 75-180 gallons.

which is cheaper for a big tank like this, a 120x48x30-36, glass or acrylic? i have seen so many horror stories regarding acrylic and the scratching and or hazing. i know glass is much heavier but after the first day it wont matter.

 

[TheFishTeen]

In your situation, its a hard decision to make. There is an added safety feature to large acrylic tanks over glass but like you've mentioned, glass can take a beating. I think in the end it will make more sense to go with acrylic, but I would try as hard as possible to make it work with glass. Keep in mind glass gets greener as it thickens, so 1" glass will be very green. Starphire/Low Iron glass removes that green tint, but is an added price.

 

[bhsgk]

does anybody know at what height you must go from 1/2" to 3/4" to 1" in glass?

 

[Nanook]

does anybody know at what height you must go from 1/2" to 3/4" to 1" in glass?

Here is a good article that has a calculator and a "safety factor" as well. It is a good read and the information you are seeking is towards the bottom:

http://www.fnzas.org.nz/?p=1732

 

[bhsgk]

thanks for the link, i was actually googling something along those lines when you replied.

 

[Nanook]

You're welcome. It says the standard safety factor used is 3.8.

I have 96x30x30 and 60x60x30 inch glass tanks, both in 3/4" glass.

 

[Nanook]

BTW, if this was my FOWLR tank, then I would go with a minimum height of 36" and preferably taller. FO tanks look better when they are long and tall.

 

[bhsgk]

You're welcome. It says the standard safety factor used is 3.8.

I have 96x30x30 and 60x60x30 inch glass tanks, both in 3/4" glass.

according to my math, if i went with 30" tall i could use 3/4" thick glass with a safety rating 3.8, and if i went with 36" tall i would have to use 1" thick glass. I appreciate all of your help and in the end i will have to price the tank with three or four different heights and go with what fits in my budget.

how is your 8ft tank braced at the top? eurobrace or with a couple cross-braces?

BTW, if this was my FOWLR tank, then I would go with a minimum height of 36" and preferably taller. FO tanks look better when they are long and tall.

really? what if i ever had to siphon something off the bottom? would i just put on some snorkel gear? i may have to google some big tanks and see what i can find

 

[Nanook]

Both my tanks are eurobraced. They make long tongs and grabbers to reach the bottom. FO tanks that are tall really have a presence that can't be appreciated until seen.