Reef tank plan

[Dkuhlmann]

IMO and IME You would be better off using a 40b instead of the 55. The 55 is only 12" from front to back and that creates a problem setting up your rocks.

40b measurements are 36" x 18" x 17" which equals 47.5 gals and very easy to do your rock work.

 

[Austrarhyncus]

my 55 is 14 inches back to front, but if this is too small, I'll just find suitable sized rocks

 

[ThRoewer]

The 40B is one of the few standard tanks that has proper proportions for saltwater: about half as deep as long and not taller than deep.
The majority of standard tanks is rather higher than deep, proportions that are more suited for freshwater tanks (well, they are not really good for serious freshwater tanks either)

Especially for ground fish like mudskippers you want a tank with a rather large footprint.

 

[Austrarhyncus]

Even for the smallest of mudskippers (2 inches)?

 

[ThRoewer]

They are territorial, so more space is always better.

 

[Austrarhyncus]

Are both genders territorial?

 

[ThRoewer]

Likely only the males.

Here a video I found of them:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KurTiX4FDuQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Creating the mud environment they need may be tricky.

 

[Austrarhyncus]

So females won't be aggressive to each other in the event they needed to share space?

Also, I thought that they didn't mind a sandy substrate?

 

[ThRoewer]

I'm quite sure they would prefer the soft, wet slipperiness of mud over dry, scratchy sand.

 

[Austrarhyncus]

Ah, okay, I think I'll throw in one or two female mudskippers, and change the elevated area in the tank from sand to mud,

thanks, sorry for all the questions

 

[exsequor]

My neon gobies always end up getting taken out by like CBB's lol

 

[exsequor]

I run (1) 5.5g, (2) 10g, (4) 29g standard, (1) 29g biocube, (1) 45g standard, (1) 55g, (1) 80g, (1) 100g (1) 150g, (2) 40bs....

anyway you are right about the 40b being great but my greatest and favorite reef tank is my 45g and it's an enjoyable challenge trying to position rocks and corals as ideal as possible for the narrow, tall 45g.

 

[Austrarhyncus]

Cool, love the rock work

 

[mountainraised]

I run (1) 5.5g, (2) 10g, (4) 29g standard, (1) 29g biocube, (1) 45g standard, (1) 55g, (1) 80g, (1) 100g (1) 150g, (2) 40bs....

anyway you are right about the 40b being great but my greatest and favorite reef tank is my 45g and it's an enjoyable challenge trying to position rocks and corals as ideal as possible for the narrow, tall 45g.

How do your lights work out for you? Any issues on control or mounting heights?