Large Tank Ideas?

[dmorel]

So here is a picture of the room off our kitchen which can become a dedicated tank area.



From side to side it's just over 9 feet wide, and from that back wall to the little wall that comes into the room I have about 10 feet. On the left wall behind the little screen thing is a small room that I can use for a sump room. Probably have to run a water line and a dedicated circuit or two, but that can get done.

So my question is:
If you had this space, what would you do with it? I'm trying to maximize viewing potential get something at least three sides. Can't figure out how to do four sided viewing and still use the little room for the sump et all...

Ideas?

[OwenInAZ]

Why not alter that back wall (behind the screen) a bit? I mean, move the doorway as far left/right as possible and make it a penninsula build, and put all the sump and fish room in the room behind?

[Bigred]

I would do a 6'Lx4'Dx2'T and set it in the corner that has the wall for the room where you would put the sump. I had a 380 that was 6.5'LX4'Dx2'T and it was a great tank. Lots of rock 4 MHs with Lumenarcs, Barracuda for a return, 2 Darts for closed loops, 100 gal for a sump, and so on.

[woodwrangler]

Question: Is that your only access to what will become the sump room? Or, can you gain access to that room by adding a door from another part of the room and patch over the existing doorway?

My 1st thought is to plop Chet's 240 cube smack down in the middle of that room. But, since his is only three-sided anyway, it would look great up against the wall with the doorway. Or, maybe a foot or two off the doorway which would allow you to still access the sump room.

Maybe build a false floor (on top of existing floor) that runs from the tank in to the sump room for plumbing. That way, you wouldn't necessarily need a tank sitting against the wall to hide plumbing. The floor height from the tank, and in the sump room would just be 6" higher than existing. Am I making any sense?

Then have a bar top and stools wrap around the 3 sides of the tank.

[vanmle]

Scott: It makes sense to me.

I agree with a false floor. That would be great. Being able to view a tank from four sides would be spectacular. It would be something you don't see everyday.

If you are going all out, why not try a circular tank. That would be totally awesome and very different.

Also if you are going to go big, try to get the biggest tank you can have in the room. That way you are not limited with..."I wish..."

A 6'x4'x2.5' tank is my idea size tank for a normal home. Now if I were rich and had a custom home - 8'x8'x2.5' would be ideal.

[Bigred]

That's a good idea about the raised floor. That way you could have a tank viewable from all 4 side and you could do a 4x4x2 like Chets tank.

[OwenInAZ]

Yeah, that's a better idea than mine Hence why I'm not an engineer.

[vanmle]

I know that it is not a standing rule, but a tang just doesn't look right in a 4' tank.

I think you need a 6' or more tank just to look proportional. I am getting rid of one of my tangs just for that reason. He simply looks too big for the tank and I have a 7' tank. He is fat and healthy and seems happy, but....

I am with the 6'x4'x2' tank. Great size and you can do almost anything with it.

But I would like to see a circular tank....

[dmorel]

False floor is a great idea... No problems on access, there is another door (albeit) outside to the "sump room" so we can do pretty much anything with that wall ---

I like the idea of a round tank, who is gonna build the stand for that?
Does a round tank have any negative effect on the viewing of corals/fish? Any sort of weird fish eye effect?

I thought about Chet's tank, but it's not gonna fly, my wife says the stand and canopy don't go with anything else in our house (sorry wrangler, it's beautiful, just not the right style for our house) --- but a 4x4 cube is pretty damn compelling. I'm also thinking about Ryan's former petco tank, but I SO want to have enough room for many tangs, and that means more swimming room....

False floor is good stuff though, that makes the options of four sided viewing that much more viable.. Keep the ideas coming! We are getting somewhere!
-dm

[vanmle]

Well, go down to the rain forest cafe and see for yourself. I did not personally notice any optical distortions.

The stand will be tough but I think it is not too un-doable.

[dmorel]

Hmmm, round tanks are hard(ish) to come by, and might be just a tad out of my budget....

I'm trying to figure out if this could be a good layout for the 8 foot peninsula they have over at AA.
I think it's 96X30 (and maybe 24 tall?) ----

[Edit: must be 20" tall, cause I know it wasn't 300 total gallons, so closer to a 250 --- wonder if 20" is not great for swimmers. I know tangs like length, but 20" doesn't give you a lot of play up and down....]

If I came straight out from the center of the back wall where the three windows are, I could build rather than a full false floor just a containing "box" running into the sump room along the back wall. I would get visibility on three sides. Not a great tank for a canopy obviously, but I could do something interesting with pendents hanging from the ceiling and have a nice three sided view with plenty of swim length for tangs and shallow waters for growing some massive cap colonies and tabling acro's.
Not sure what it would be like to try and get flow in there without powerheads everywhere since it's not drilled for a closed loop. And powerheads = cords everywhere....

[vanmle]

Circular tanks could be expensive. I am always on the lookout for a relatively "cheap" one, but haven't yet found one.

[dmorel]

I think unless I stumble across one the circular tank is going to be out of my reach. I'm feeling pretty excited about this tank over at AA, might have to go back and look at it again.

My concerns about that tank are the fact that I don't think I want to do a canopy, and that might look weird. I don't think it is drilled for a closed loop and I don't want cords everywhere, and I'm not sure what would happen if I try to run water horizontally to the sump room across the floor... Would probably be a 30" drop followed by 4' of horizontal run. something seems wrong about that. I need a plumbing expert....

[vanmle]

A 20" tall tank is fine for tangs. I have one and it is OK. With a sailfin, it can look slightly short but not that noticeable. I think length makes a big difference.

Have you thought about running cords from the sump area through the overflow and into the tank? I think that should eliminate alot the wiring issues of going over the top of the tank. That's what I am thinking about doing with my new design with my tank.

[vanmle]

And I think you will be very happy with a starphire tank. Once you look at one, a regular glass one will hardly do.

[dmorel]

Ah, that's a good idea on using the overflow section to bring cords down.

I should also go look at that tank again. It might have been drilled for returns on the bracing. I didn't pay enough attention.

Of course if I'm doing that, it means canopy... Oh boy... now the whole thing just got more complicated. I'm going down to AA to look at tank, maybe take a picture of it.

[dmorel]

And thanks about the info on the 20" tall. In the last couple years I've only had a couple of fish. I've always been about the corals, but I'm thinking way more about the fish for this tank. There is just something so cool about powder blues, browns and achilles tangs...

If I could have a couple of powder blues and an achilles, now that would be bad a$$.

Van, speaking of large tanks... Do you have the new one rolling? You picked it up last week right?
Is it awesome?

[woodwrangler]

I've got AA on my list of places to visit today, I'm interested to see that tank.

My concerns would be the length of the tank (8') in a 10' room. This would leave 2' on the end to get around the tank, and view the 30" side. I'd worry this may make the tank seem really overwhelming in the room. 8' sounds really cool, but given the room, I wonder if a 72"x36"x24" may be the ideal fit. Of course, given the cost of new tanks.......... probably better off looking for a deal on a tank sitting around in a shop or used.

For circulation, what about a closed loop manifold running around the top perimeter of the tank? Without getting in to a full blown canopy, you could have a short canopy, (or decorative molding) running around the top of the tank to hide the manifold. Set the tank up a few inches off the wall, and you can then run the piping (hoses/wires/etc) down from the top between the tank and wall. Another spot for a molding that ties the base woodwork with the top woodwork.

Nothing wrong with that plumbing. As long as the end of the plumbing run is lower, and never runs higher, than the water level of the tank, the water will flow. Remember, Scott and Erin had their big tank draining from the display in the living room, outside, under ground, around corners, in to the garage.

[dmorel]

I'm heading down there again now to look at it. (don't buy it out from underneath me!) the room itself is not really 10 feet, it's much longer and opens into the kitchen, that little false wall is where the 10 feet is, but the point is fair, because the long end of the tank (if it were centered on the back wall) would probably line up with that, leaving only a two foot walk way to that side of the tank.
However, one thing, the idea is to make that space a tank space, so it's almost OK if it's overwhelming... well unless you can't sit to enjoy it...
I'll have to block it out and see what it's like to move around.

Agreed, on finding something used or something like this that is a in the ballpark of a bargain (not sure if 2100 can ever be a bargain!)

Gonna look at the bracing and see if that manifold might actually work.
thanks for all your thoughts guys, keep em coming!

[vanmle]

I did get a tank, but it wasn't a large tank. It was only a 120 gallon, but it is a starphire and it is beautiful.

A friend of mine just asked me if I wanted to buy his 240. So I planned on selling the 120, just the tank/stand/sump and maybe return pump that came with it for a good price. I am keeping everything else except for the chiller to put into my-desired 240.

But I got grief for it from another reefer so I am going to try to convince my wife to let me keep the 120 in the basement as frag tank and get the 240 as a display in the family room. It's going to be a really hard sell so wish me luck. If not, it will be the 120 reef and a 175 FOWLR.

PS is the $2100 just for the tank or tank/stand/canopy?

[Bigred]

I bought my 300 for $1500 and my old custom 380 for $3200.

[ArizonaReefer]

Here is a picture of the tank at AA, I was thinking of getting it for the longest time. I just didn't have room for a peninsula tank.

[dmorel]

hmmm, those are better pictures than the ones I just took
Didn't know they open at 11, had to hang around the parking lot for 10 minutes.
So, it is drilled on top (even the eruobraces are starfire!) for a manifold.

Woodwrangler, my wife might agree that this tank is too big.
I'll keep trolling craigslist and the forums and see if something shows up.

[dmorel]

The 2100 is just the tank.
AA said they could build a stand/canopy for ~2500.

Red's custom build makes sense cost wise... this thing is probably 4500 bucks if you have it built custom.

[dmorel]

Originally posted by vanmle
I did get a tank, but it wasn't a large tank. It was only a 120 gallon, but it is a starphire and it is beautiful.

A friend of mine just asked me if I wanted to buy his 240. So I planned on selling the 120, just the tank/stand/sump and maybe return pump that came with it for a good price. I am keeping everything else except for the chiller to put into my-desired 240.

But I got grief for it from another reefer so I am going to try to convince my wife to let me keep the 120 in the basement as frag tank and get the 240 as a display in the family room. It's going to be a really hard sell so wish me luck. If not, it will be the 120 reef and a 175 FOWLR.

PS is the $2100 just for the tank or tank/stand/canopy?

So the tank you got what was it two weeks ago? was only a 120?
Hmmm. Thought it was bigger, had some really nice corals in it!

Is that already set up at home?
Going OK?