This tank or that one?

[gholtmeyer]

Ok, I need to decide which tank to get -they are both on sale at lfs. Tank A is a six foot long, 30" tall, and 24" from front to back of tank. Tank B is a four foot long tank, 27" tall, and 36" from front to back. Yes, that is not a typo, its 36" from front to back. Do any of you have the 48" x 27" x 36" tank? If so, what do you like and dislike about it?



Tank B is $200 more than tank A. I have a duel 400w mh light set up that will work for Tank B, but I would need to get another mh for the six foot long tank. I figure for the 36" wide tank I would need to run T-5's in the front and back of tank -and I have those already.



I want to grow a two large monti caps in the set up -but that will take a few years to get them there. I also plan on growing mostly lps and a few sps. I want to have plenty of open sand for brains, rics, bubble corals, etc. I plan on doing several rock pillars.



Thoughts?

 

[spieszak]

Personally, the height is cool, but it makes it harder to get at the bottom. I'd give my left arm for 36 front to back though...

 

[gholtmeyer]

Personally, the height is cool, but it makes it harder to get at the bottom. I'd give my left arm for 36 front to back though...

Have you seen one in person? Any issues with aqua-scaping? The tank will be built into the wall. I will have access to all three sides from back of tank.

 

[spieszak]

I have seen one in person, but not up and running. Everytime I look at my tank though, I'd love to have more room for the swimmers to move around the aquascaping. They can get around without an issue, but only really "catch speed" higher in the tank... kinda like the lanes in the road aren't wide enough so all the sensible people slow down. My 60 is about 25 high, and I'm 5'9'' and I'm up to my shoulder on my tip toes getting to the bottom of the tank.

 

[dave.m]

The tall tank (A) is not optimum configuration for a reef tank as it is too narrow, limiting gas exchange at the surface. Optimum would be height = width. The low shallow tank is an option for viewing from all four sides plus top down. See several of the excellent square tank threads on this forum. The deeper, shallower tank (B) might not look so good as an in-wall.

If you're going for the in-wall look I would suggest tank A, but this is all a matter of aesthetics and personal taste. You must be the final judge.

Dave.M

 

[gholtmeyer]

I am 6' 1" with long arms, so not as big a worry there for me. Now, it the 36" tank were to be 30" deep, then pretty sure I would have to get one of those grabber reacher things that old people get, to pick up corals that drop in the middle of the tank. Or, dunk my 7 year old daughter in the tank to pick up dropped corals, lol

 

[gholtmeyer]

The tall tank (A) is not optimum configuration for a reef tank as it is too narrow, limiting gas exchange at the surface. Optimum would be height = width. The low shallow tank is an option for viewing from all four sides plus top down. See several of the excellent square tank threads on this forum. The deeper, shallower tank (B) might not look so good as an in-wall.

If you're going for the in-wall look I would suggest tank A, but this is all a matter of aesthetics and personal taste. You must be the final judge.

Dave.M

I will have a 150 gallong stock tank attached to the tank with lots of water flow so I am not too worried about gas exchange, but I know what you are meaning with that. And yes, it has to be an in wall system.

 

[KafudaFish]

Tank B.

You said you had most of the equipment already.

You want to grow large caps. The additional space will allow that better.

No one has ever complained about 36 inch wide tanks other than they are not a 48.

 

[bkvreef]

I started with a 55g 12" deep, then to a 110 that was 18" then to a 220g that was 26" deep. I frealized how nice the depth was each time.
If it was me I would take the deep one.

 

[gholtmeyer]

I started with a 55g 12" deep, then to a 110 that was 18" then to a 220g that was 26" deep. I frealized how nice the depth was each time.
If it was me I would take the deep one.

by deep do you mean the 36" from front to back or the 30" from bottom to top?

 

[Blown76mav]

I have a 5' L x 3' w x 24" deep (top to bottom) I love it, plenty of depth to aquascape, but not too much I can't reach from front to back. Mine is in wall as well but with the access doors in the front I can get to all parts of the tank.

 

[gholtmeyer]

I have a 5' L x 3' w x 24" deep (top to bottom) I love it, plenty of depth to aquascape, but not too much I can't reach from front to back. Mine is in wall as well but with the access doors in the front I can get to all parts of the tank.

I like the 5' long. Do you have pics of your tank?

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Tank B.

 

[Reef_Daniel1527]

Tank B. Im in the middle of putting together a 72x36x27... 36 is definitely a nice feature. Good luck

 

[BlueBadger]

I have a 36" front to back tank and that extra room make it so your aquascaping look so much more natural with the ability to scape it front to back as well as left to right. I have had no complaints other than make sure you have access to all sides....

 

[gholtmeyer]

I have a 36" front to back tank and that extra room make it so your aquascaping look so much more natural with the ability to scape it front to back as well as left to right. I have had no complaints other than make sure you have access to all sides....

I was going to have access to the back and two sides. There is an heating/cooling duct that runs above where the tank will sit. I am going to have the tank sitting high enough that I wont want to put a panel on the front above the tank. I think that I can have good enough access to all of the tank with being able to get to the two sides and the back. If this was a six foot long tank, I would be more concerned. Now, with that said, I might be eating those words in a month or so, lol. BlueBadger, how long is your tank? I would love to see some tank pics!

 

[BlueBadger]

My tank is 8' long 36" front to back and 30" deep. I also have a heating duct right above it and it makes it a tight squeeze to get to clean the acrylic. I have a very hard time cleaning the front of the tank. With your tank only being 48" width you could probably reach the front from the sides. That is my only complaint, because I have such hard time cleaning it I probably don't clean it as often as I should and it is scratched in several places. I see if I have any good pics on the tank right now, it is sort of in transition. I was going to make a FOWLR and got arid of alt of stuff then changed my mind....

 

[Blown76mav]

I like the 5' long. Do you have pics of your tank?

Tank build

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1889090