Need help choosing a tank

[aquatix]

When I was 16 I got my first job at an aquarium store. I was hooked by the end of my first week. I spent the next 9 years of my life with 3-5 tanks at a time. I then got married, had kids, etc., and left the hobby. Fast forward 10 years later and I saw a billboard for Reefapolooza in Costa Mesa today. Needless to say, I feel the bug again and want to get back into the hobby.

I just so happen to have an open spot in my office at work:

The opening has the following dimensions

a TIGHT 4 feet long, and not an inch more
2 feet wide, but can go a little more if needed
a max of 5 feet in height, and if the stand is 29 inches tall, it would be the same height at the other counters in the pic

Here is where I need help. Walking around the event today, and looking around online, it's obvious there are a ton of options. Can someone give me some advice on how to proceed?

I'm not sure I'm looking for a full-blown reef tank (I'd even consider the fake coral if algae isn't a problem), but maybe live rock and some hearty coral. I'd really love to get a juvenile emperor angel and watch it grow.

What do you all suggest for a tank/system these days that helps keep maintenance at a low and looks great. I really liked what I saw in the aquariums without hoods... pretty neat. I always had scratching problems with acrylic so was thinking of glass unless things have changed in the last 10 years.

The biggest concern I have for this space is the temperature. Our AC/heater is spotty and the temp can fluctuate in the office. I realize getting heaters in the sump won't be a problem, but is there a good chiller in the market to ensure the temp stays consistent?

I don't mind spending a little extra cash if it means saving money and headaches in the long run.

Really looking forward to your thoughts as I get back into the greatest hobby in the world! Hope to meet everyone at future events. Thank you!

 

[W1ngz]

For an office tank... who's going to do the maintenance when you go on vacation or road trips? If it were me, I'd go with a 3' long freshwater for that space, especially with carpet. It can dry if it's just wet, but will get crusty if it's salt water. If it's 4 feet and not an inch more, stands are often, if not always, just that, an inch or so more...

 

[ReefKeep66]

Glad you made it back! As you might of noticed there are tons of new things in the hobby nowadays! Let's start off with the basics. First things first, the tank. There's several different types, braced, euro braced, rimless (my personal favorite), etc. Personally I'd recommend a glass tank. Acrylic is nice and lighter but it's also a lot easier to scratch. You said you like the tanks without hoods? Maybe a rimless tank? You might first want to figure out what dimensions you can accommodate. As far as length If the spot is only 48"(4ft) you'd probably want something a few inches shorter. Check out glasscages.com they have many different size tanks and you can custom order whatever size. For example you could have 34x35x17 (80g). There's going to be maintaince involved with every system, but if your just starting back you could look into aio systems (all in one) which usually have all your filter components built in. For example innovative marine makes an aio aquarium called the nuvo sr60, 80, and 120.

 

[jay.fishman]

Another thing to consider is the sound of the water flowing from display to sump. Will that be an issue in your office? How will you do water changes? Are you close to a sink? An uncovered tank will have a lot of evaporation. Will the increased humidity be an issue?

 

[JoelA7]

Suggest a stock 65. 3' long. Big enough and economical. You can get a decent sized sump for it like this http://www.eshopps.com/products/filters/reefsumps/rs100/ use high quality LED lighting and a good skimmer and you might be able to avoid a chiller. Especially if you spring for a couple vortech mp 10s for circulation. That way the only pumps in the system will be the skimmer and return pumps.

 

[ReefKeep66]

Suggest a stock 65. 3' long. Big enough and economical. You can get a decent sized sump for it like this http://www.eshopps.com/products/filters/reefsumps/rs100/ use high quality LED lighting and a good skimmer and you might be able to avoid a chiller. Especially if you spring for a couple vortech mp 10s for circulation. That way the only pumps in the system will be the skimmer and return pumps.

+1 you might be able to find on at a local petco or petsmart.ive seen tanks ranging from 1g-100g. They usually have your 55,65,and 75. I'm using a 65g on my piranha tank I got from petco last year on a sale. With that being said, I only buy dry goods from petco or petsmart. Their live stock is usually pretty grim