What would you prefer?

gruntface

Premium Member
I have a very nice space for a large aquarium I am planning. However, I could go 2 different ways with it. I could have a 7'x3'x30" viewable from the 2 long sides and 1 short side that would cut the dinning room from the family room OR I could do a 9'x3'x30" viewable from 1 long side and the 2 short sides. Let's hear what you would do!
 
the 7'x3'x30". i love seeing tanks through both sides. a little more work to keep the long panels clean, but for me, the more viewable sides, the better.
 
i like the 9 foot one, but that is because I love tangs and would think that would be an awesome setup for some great fish.
 
Peninsula.

I have a 8'x3'x30" viewable 3 sides. but 2 short and 1 long. It's great but the other dimension would be unbelievable. Next tank I'm building in the basement will be a peninsula layout.
 
If it is going to be the 2 long side viewable than make sure you make it nice and wide, 30 inches or more otherwise aquascaping is hard and with much fewer options.
Otherwise they look great.
 
first question that comes to mind is what will the tank be made of? glass or acrylic?
if its glass then a shorter tank because of the weight and trying to place the tank. you would need alot of strong backs to set the tank. if its acrylic then i would go with either 8 ft or 10 ft. the reason for that is sheet prices and the waist involved in the building of the tank. it will cost the same for a 9 ft tank as it would for a 10 ft tank. it would be made with oversized sheets that are 10 ft long. if you go 8 ft then i would think about a tank that is 8 ft long and 3 ft wide with a 24 to 30" hight. if you went 24" it could be built for alot less than a 30" tall tank could. when designing a tank made from acrylic just figure all the sheets needed to build it. sheets are normally 50x99 sheets unless you go special order then they can come up to 6 ft x 10 ft. at least that is the polycast sizes anyways. so that will give you something to think over before you decide on the size of the tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8551448#post8551448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gruntface
Good thing to think about. I can't go the full 10' though because of space.
then you may want to consider an 8ft tank so there is less waste of material. your buying all the acrylic and then cutting off chunks and throwing them away. a 2'x2'x8' or 30"x30"x8' or 4'x2'x8' are all tank with almost no waste in them. the utilize all of the sheets needed to build them and any cut offs can be used for other tanks because there big enough pieces to make ends for other tanks.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8551508#post8551508 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spazz
then you may want to consider an 8ft tank so there is less waste of material. your buying all the acrylic and then cutting off chunks and throwing them away. a 2'x2'x8' or 30"x30"x8' or 4'x2'x8' are all tank with almost no waste in them. the utilize all of the sheets needed to build them and any cut offs can be used for other tanks because there big enough pieces to make ends for other tanks.

I agree with spazz, try to work around the size material and with what you can fit...

I personally love looking "down" the tank from the short sides...

aquascape%201-5.jpg


aquascape%201-3.jpg
 
I agree too. Looking down the short side gives you a totally different view, almost like your actually out diving. I spend more time looking down the short side of my 7' long tank than I do the long side. ;)
 
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