6 footer or 8?

Devaji · Oct 23, 2020

SO as BF is coming up and I worked hard all year....thinking of treating myself to another tank. because why not right. of course got to get approval.

I have always wanted a fish only. but to me fish only mean BIG I want a large angels and tangs but will be butterfly dom.

so here is my issue if I go 6' I can match the clean rimless look of my room divider peninsula and there seems to me some OK deals on 6 foot PNP systems.
however that really limits me in fish.
I could add water volume by adding a stock tank to the basement and do a sump down there. but then i loose out on the nice PNP sump.

I really wanted to go 10' but the space will not fit it. an 8' would fit the space in the living room but only room for a normal couch, company be danged I want a new fish tank...haha

so I gain 2 feet but give up the rimless look then have to piece together the stand sump overflow etc.

so is 6 foot just to small for a FOWLR? I am thinking it is

fishguy242 · Oct 23, 2020

hi how wide ??

joseserrano · Oct 23, 2020

fishguy242 · Oct 23, 2020

8'x3'x30?

KWT · Oct 23, 2020

I would want 8’ however I have no place to set it up, so I would go with a 6’ rimless, I like the look

ichthyogeek · Oct 23, 2020

While how long the tank is, is certainly a factor...how big of a tank can you go with 6' (gallonage? depth?)? And what are your "must haves"/"needs" fish? And are you willing to compromise on some of your "want" fishes?

Devaji · Oct 23, 2020

fishguy242 said:
hi how wide ??

I am leaning towards a 300 euro braced at 96x30x25
but the rimless are around 24-26" wide.

fishguy242 · Oct 23, 2020

96x30x24,less material waste ,less $$$

Devaji · Oct 23, 2020

ichthyogeek said:
While how long the tank is, is certainly a factor...how big of a tank can you go with 6' (gallonage? depth?)? And what are your "must haves"/"needs" fish? And are you willing to compromise on some of your "want" fishes?

i know I have been thinking alot about what are my must haves.

my list looks something like this:
1X emp. angel
1X regal angel
3X dwarf angels
4-6 butterflies
1X nanso tang
1X regal or PBT
1X purple tang
1X porcupine puffer
1X red coris wrasse

Devaji · Oct 23, 2020

fishguy242 said:
96x30x24,less material waste ,less $$$

yeah the place I am looking has a good price on that tank buts it 25"

fishguy242 · Oct 23, 2020

no queen???

Devaji · Oct 23, 2020

fishguy242 said:
no queen???

I would love an emp + queen pair IDK think 2 large angels would work in a 300? that is the size I am leaning towards.

as much as I would love the rimless look I feel like a 6 foot fish only is just to limiting.
what do you all think?

fishguy242 · Oct 23, 2020

96X30X25

Thought was already decided

JayLu · Oct 23, 2020

I think the 8 foot is a much better choice since it increases your options to more types of fish. Plus, the fish will have more room to swim.

Devaji · Oct 23, 2020

JayLu said:
I think the 8 foot is a much better choice since it increases your options to more types of fish. Plus, the fish will have more room to swim.

my thought too. I knew that just wanted a rimless tank.
but I can do polished euro bracing I think it will still look nice.

Smarkow · Oct 23, 2020

I paid extra for a 6’ rimless build as my 2nd tank ever. When it showed up, the company had built a rimmed tank (clerical error, good company that wanted to make things right) but I was so desperate to have the tank “now” that I just kept it. Frankly I think I am happier having the rim because keeping the glass pristine is less of a chore at the waterline. So I think rimless is over-hyped, though that is just my $0.02.

What is NOT over-hyped IMO is having extra swimming space in a fish dominant system.

Go with the 8’ my friend. Good luck

Devaji · Oct 23, 2020

Smarkow said:
I paid extra for a 6’ rimless build as my 2nd tank ever. When it showed up, the company had built a rimmed tank (clerical error, good company that wanted to make things right) but I was so desperate to have the tank “now” that I just kept it. Frankly I think I am happier having the rim because keeping the glass pristine is less of a chore at the waterline. So I think rimless is over-hyper.

What is NOT over-hyped IMO is having extra swimming space in a fish dominant system.

Go with the 8’ my friend. Good luck

nice tank! totally agree keeping the water line clean on my nano is a chore for sure.
totally agree I had a 8 footer years ago loved it but moved and gave it away with new MH that was in the early 2000 still waiting for that karma to come back...haha

IMHO 240 is the smallest for a fish only setup I can squeeze in the 300 by give a bit more with up to 30" I like deepth anyway.

wish I could go with my orginal plan of a 10' 340 but that is just getting greedy...

Smarkow · Oct 23, 2020

Devaji said:
nice tank! totally agree keeping the water line clean on my nano is a chore for sure.
totally agree I had a 8 footer years ago loved it but moved and gave it away with new MH that was in the early 2000 still waiting for that karma to come back...haha

IMHO 240 is the smallest for a fish only setup I can squeeze in the 300 by give a bit more with up to 30" I like deepth anyway.

wish I could go with my orginal plan of a 10' 340 but that is just getting greedy...

You gave away a car haha

Good call also on the depth being important for FOWLR. And you ave eliminated light intensity as a consideration as well, so money saved on lighting can go to fish or life support.

I plumbed my predator tank (FOWLR) into my reef, and I think the predator tank has benefitted from the extra water volume and filtration, while the reef has benefitted from the extra Nitrogen. So give due consideration to your basement sump, etc.

Halal Hotdog · Oct 23, 2020

8'x2'x2' is a great size. At 2' height and depth most people do not have to use special tools to reach bottom or back. 8' allows you to have almost any fish you want.