Ideal tank width

mapn4reef

mapn4reef

New member
I posted this in the "reef discussion" forum to get some broad input...I'd like to ask you all the same thing: (post your local advice/info in this thread)

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=18415535#post18415535


Designing New Tank: How wide (deep) is too wide?

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Well, I'm getting the ball rolling on designing a new tank, in hopes of our house selling and buying another one...which = OPPORTUNITY to feed the addiction.

Anyway, my initial idea is a Reef Savvy 48x24x20 starphire rimless...upon thinking on this more and seeing so many other builds, I am now maybe thinking 30" wide, maybe more... How wide is too wide?

I got to thinking about the lighting, as many fixtures have a "best coverage" area, and that usually being 24" in at least one direction...a lot of LED fixtures seem to favor a 24"x24" area...LED is first choice I think, for now.

Then, what about getting it, more importantly the STAND, in and out of most common sized doors...should the door be the limiting factor (even to consider for resale). I'm thinking about a "modular" steel stand with magnetic panels...

Well, thoughts...stick with 24"...or go 30"...or push it even further???

I'm really curious to see what Rick and Bill think, as both their tanks are 48x24 footprint, and the reasons why you all didn't got wider...
 
I'm interested to hear input from others as well. I'm pretty sure Rick's tank is wider than 24". Especially considering its a cube. :)

Personally, off the top of my head, I don't think I'd want to do more than I could get into my dwelling without structural modification. :)

Brandon
 
If you go halide I would say stop at 24" unless you are going to go all the way to 48". Rationale being you will require 1 row of mh's verus 2 rows. If however you are going to use T5's you have a lot more options with anything to a 4 bulb fixture up to the limits of your imagination.

As far as LED's go, the coverage is not very broad. You will need LED's pretty much completely covering the tank, especially if this is an sps tank and you include optics for more par....

I think 24" - 30" is a good width. You will be happy either way.

I see this is a TN thread. Just saw under new posts.
 
Mine is actually 36" x 30" which I like the size when it comes to asthetics, but lighting it is not easy with just one Halide. 30" would be a better fit for one light. 24" was just to small for my liking. 48" is to wide I think, unless you like a longer, skinnier tank. I dont like the 24" depth (front to back) personally.
 
22" tall, but Felix will not do 22" on anyone elses tank that is 36" or over with 1/2" glass. He will only do 20" max height on them.
 
My 60"L x 30"D x 24"H was perfect for 3x250W M/H and 60" T5HO x 4 Lots of light and the room to mount them in a canopy 1070Watts of lighting did the Trick But the Power bill was Pretty high!
Bill
 
I like the deep tank look. To me it looks more natural. My next tank will be 48x36x24 or 60x30x21.
 
60x30x20 for me. there is a rule in design that i can not remember, but it deals with ratios being pleasing to the eye. so the 20tall vs 60 long is 3:1. dustin might remember the name of the rule....it is a woodworking and mason thing.
 
orthokardia said:
60x30x20 for me. there is a rule in design that i can not remember, but it deals with ratios being pleasing to the eye. so the 20tall vs 60 long is 3:1. dustin might remember the name of the rule....it is a woodworking and mason thing.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've heard of it before, I know a wood working guy, I'll have to ask him... BTW, your tank is 24" tall isn't it, I have the little brother to it and that is what mine is...think Bill mentions it above...
 
I agree with zef, I like the deeper looking tank. 24 is ok, but I like my 30 better. Especially with the small overflow box. Almost wish I would have done 36x36 :D
 
+1 on deeper tanks except when you are short armed like me and rely on using those long grabber device to work on the sandbed. but love my 48x24x30 tank
 
greg0385 said:
+1 on deeper tanks except when you are short armed like me and rely on using those long grabber device to work on the sandbed. but love my 48x24x30 tank
Click to expand...

Folks are referring to deep as width (depth front to back) not tall...I for one don't like my 24" tall (deep) tank, I wish it was around 20"...I think I will explore the following dimension a little more 48x30x20...
 
orthokardia said:
60x30x20 for me. there is a rule in design that i can not remember, but it deals with ratios being pleasing to the eye. so the 20tall vs 60 long is 3:1. dustin might remember the name of the rule....it is a woodworking and mason thing.
Click to expand...

Ah Ha..."The Golden Ratio" 1:1.618

So a 30" w x 48.54" l tank should be visually perfect...
 
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