large tank suggestions.....

macreefster

New member
while it won't be until fall that i go to a larger system, i would like to start searching for my tank now. i am looking to go with a tank 6' x 3' x 30"ht. i saw a perfecto tank of those dimesions and while it looked fine i would like something better looking. i don't want a center brace, is this possible? i am also considering whether i should go acrylic. many moons ago acrylic seemed to bend and turn yellow over time. were those just poorly made acrylic tanks? obviously weight is a consideration and getting an acrylic tank of that size into the basement would be much easier, but i'll get a glass one down there if need be. if anyone here with experience in large tanks, either glass or acrylic could give me their input it would be greatly appreciated. thanks,tom
 
i think it is unlikely you will find a tank 6 foot long that has not got centre braces, at that length you may find it has 2 i dont care for acrylic tanks myself but a lot of the guys who use this forum do as i have seen them recommend them before, glas in my poinion will be a far better material than acrylic especially at that length, i guarentee lots of noise with my comments here, but i do believe this and so am giving you my opinion and im sticking to it, as for supports, you may be able to ask about at your fish stores, you never know you may find one, good luck and let us know how you got on and what you bought
 
Yeah, there is going to be some sort of brace system around the top glass or acrylic. The new Marineland Monterey Aquariums are these dimensions, close to it anyways;

36x36x27- 150
48x36x27- 200
60x36x27- 250 (the tank I am buying)
72x36x27- 300
84x36x27- 350

They are all starfire tanks with euro bracing, they will be released in two weeks. No pricing information so far. I like glass myself.

Acrylic scratches so easy, but it's really easy to drill for a closed loop and customize other parts. It's a debate that could go on forever.

It pretty much comes down to your preference.

ltz,
Andy
 
I have an oceanic 156 gals made of 3/4 glass with no center
brace fully stocked with about 200 lbs of live rock, it measures
60x24x 25 I could be slightly of on my last two measurement
but not the first.
 
thanks guys, i realize i might start a debate of acrylic vs glass....but that isnt my intention. i would prefer glass, but would also like avoiding a center brace. i know with acrylic i can go thicker and just have about an inch a half brace around the top. i guess i could live with one center brace as i think i'll be using two lumenarc reflectors with 400 se lamps.

andy, that marineland monteray 300 sounds perfect and the starfire glass is better yet. i am not sure what euro bracing is though. is that a brace all around the top of the tank, but not across the middle? i can only imagine how heavy such a tank would be, i might need movers to help me get it into the basement! i like the oceanic tanks a lot, but i want something bigger than the 156. blame nanogurl, she has me all size obsessed now...lol
 
Well with acrylic you will still have the bracing requirements so I don't think thats a huge advantage. Keep in mind that if you go acrylic you should not position a MH directly over a brace as it could craze.

The size tank you are talking about You could go glass or acrylic.. its not like its so big that you'd be pushing the envelope going glass.
 
If you can afford it, I cast my vote for glass, with starfire on the front. I like the center brace because it gives me the extra peice of mind of having that extra support holding the glass panes together. IMO the only reason braces could be bad is if you have specific intentions for lighting that the braces interfere with. If you're doing 2 lumenarc reflectors, who cares if you have a center brace? But if there are 2 evenly spaced braces, that could certainly be a problem for placing 2 point-source lights over the top...
 
you should build a plywood/glass tank in wall. i want to do this later, will use plywood on 3 sides and bottom, and 8' x 2' glass on front. much cheaper and looks great.
 
thanks again for all the advice. i've built plywood tanks in the past downhillbiker, the largest being a 600 gal ( 8' x 4' x 30'ht ), but this will be a tank viewable from two sides and i want a cleaner look.

i guess a center brace isnt a big deal, i just love the look of my 70 without a center brace or plastic rim. the marine land monteray tanks that andy suggested sound perfect. any volunteers to help me get it into the basement?...lol. a 300 gal glass tank with a starfire front lit by two 400w xm's with lumenarc reflectors. i am considering either a reeflo or bubble king skimmer and i think i'll have a good start to a nice reef.
 
thanks for explaining the euro bracing to me reefieone. sounds like a great looking tank and the 300 gal marine land with the starfire glass sounds perfect. i don't think i can wait until fall and will start on this tank this summer!
 
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