your Ideal Tank

[paul b]

If time and money was not a concern (but space still is) what would your Ideal tank look like and what would it have in it not counting livestock?

I myself am pretty happy with my set up and would only change a few things.

For instance my tank has had every type of lighting there is and now it has MH but I would like to install LEDs, I just need the time to build the fixture.

I would also like to raise my entire rockwork off the bottom and only have it touching in 3 or 4 places. It is close to that now but not quite.

I am thinking of building a "rock" like the one in the picture but make it like a sort of cage that would cover most of the tank with 3 or 4 pieces going into the gravel. The entire structure will rest on this so that you would be able tio see under the structure all the way to the back, which would be dark.

That is my plan, whats yours?

(this rock like many of my rocks is hollow PVC covered in cement, this is during construction and after a few years in the tank)

[zygote2k]

I'll play-

 

My ideal tank would be a 48x48x30h with center overflow/return. 4) MP40's on the center column for circulation. 2 of those Vertex LED fixtures for lighting. Gravity flow cascading sump with fuge, DSB, and 2) AVAST Cone skimmers. Ca reactor, kalk stirrer, Vertex Cerebra controller and 2) MAG 12 return pumps.

This system would cost about $15k.

[davelin315]

My ideal "tank" has always been to have a swimming pool in a sun room and then cut a big chunk of rock out of the ocean and put it in the middle. Toss in a few bonnet head and a couple of black tip reef sharks, add in a few bat rays, then stock with fish, corals, and inverts.

 

I actually had supplies for this in my old house in Chicago, I was planning on a 15,000 gallon pond in my basement that was 4' deep and I had a line on baby bonnet head sharks that were just hatched, but never came to fruition, despite me hauling enough split face cinder blocks to build it down to my basement and having enough sand to cover the bottom about 4" thick.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

delete

Edited December 20, 2010 by extreme_tooth_decay

[extreme_tooth_decay]

I had all my rocks up on a PVC frame at one point, allowing me to see all the way under to the back of the tank, which was pretty dark. I liked that it game my LR/LS more surface area, brought corals closer to the light, made more accessible swimming holes, and gave my sand dwellers/sifters more sand to dwell in and sift. It looked like this:

 

I also had the entire PVC frame under pressure with a zillion holes in it, so water was shooting everywhere in all directions all the time.

 

Edited December 20, 2010 by extreme_tooth_decay

[Integral9]

This tank:

 

Edited December 20, 2010 by Integral9

[Glenn]

Originally I wanted a (6-7-8 foot)x2x2 tank but now I'm leaning towards a 60"x30" - probably 24"tall GLASS tank. (I am sooooo over cleaning the inside of my acrylic tanks!) Don't remember who it was, but someone posted pics of their build and it was a 30" tank - looked pretty awesome to me. Since my arms aren't that long, a 24" tall and 30" deep should still allow me to reach most of the back-bottom of the tank to decorate and reconstruct. Standard equipment will be used and some of it I'm already stockpiling : cone skimmer (in use), Neptune Apex controller (scheduled to arrive 12/28), coral frags in the frag tank, Drews dosing pumps. But what I plan for lighting is still in the 'to expensive to buy now' stage - I want an LED light that will completely light up a 30x30 half of the tank, like T5's or MH's light up my tank now. Several dealers have units that look promising, but at $850 EACH, it's going to be awhile before they hit my doorstep :-)

 

Depending on the layout of the house (this is my retirement tank for after we move), I want the maintenance items to be in a large sump in another room. Planning for that will come after we decide on a house. NINE MORE MONTHS !!!! :-)))

Edited December 21, 2010 by Glenn

[ErikS]

Originally I wanted a (6-7-8 foot)x2x2 tank but now I'm leaning towards a 60"x30" - probably 24"tall GLASS tank. (I am sooooo over cleaning the inside of my acrylic tanks!)

Couldn't agree more. Sleeve length is 36", tank is 27" deep with rim means I can barely get to the bottom front....bottom rear? Not without a snorkel.

 

I'll pass on deep tanks, thanks. Shallow cube for me.

Edited December 21, 2010 by ErikS

[Chad]

For some reason, my ideal tank has always been my "next" tank

 

Currently, I have a spreadsheet that has all the parts for my next tank and I have been modelling them in autocad whenever I dont have something else to do... so, once again, my ideal tank is my next tank (a 60x36x27 on a 40" stand, btw )

[GaryL]

i want something 300~500g in my basement and about 200g on the top floor draining into it. i want the tank to have depth also. we will see when we buy this house or another tho... just a dream...lol

[Happyfeet]

After thinking bigger is better, I realized bigger is not better for me. I'm currently building my dream tank. Its going to be a 27x24x24 rimless with LED lighting.

 

Really like the look cubes give.

Edited December 21, 2010 by Happyfeet

[dbartco]

Mine - one I have time to work on

my wife's - one in someone else's house.

[trockafella]

I think "ideal" and "dream" tank is a completely different thing.. Sorry, dont mean to be the fun police...

 

My ideal tank would be more about the system. I want the simple maintenance, no bucket water changes, seperate sump room system. Of course with a nice tank.. Dream tank would be a whole different story..

 

 

[lowsingle]

I like smaller tanks, not sure why, but i do.......I guess it is the bonsai look that I find appealing......and of course time to maintain it....

 

cheers,

Darren