Getting a custom tank build

[Kfactor]

Hi all I’m going to have a tank built and was going to go with a 4’x4’x20” tall tank but after thinking about it that might be too big lol. I have decided to go with a 3’x3’x20” tall tank what seems to work out to about 112g tank . I was just wondering what I be able to keep tangs and what not in that foot print of tank I’m sick of the limiting fish I can keep in my small tank.

 

[lpsouth1978]

While the water volume in that tank is pretty decent, Tangs require more length. A 3' tank just doesn't provide the room they need. Tangs swim constantly and in the Ocean MANY swim miles everyday. Keeping a tang in a 3' tank would be like you swimming laps in an 8' pool. A 6' tank is the minimum length IMO, 8' or even 10' would be better.

 

[Pickwun]

Hi all I’m going to have a tank built and was going to go with a 4’x4’x20” tall tank but after thinking about it that might be too big lol. I have decided to go with a 3’x3’x20” tall tank what seems to work out to about 112g tank . I was just wondering what I be able to keep tangs and what not in that foot print of tank I’m sick of the limiting fish I can keep in my small tank.

Is there still room for furniture with the 4x4 tank? If so then it's too small.

 

[W1ngz]

I recently moved from a 4' long 75 to a 90 cube 30x30x24 and decided it was best to re-home even my little kole tang because he wouldn't have had enough swimming space.

 

[alton]

Fill it up with 150 lbs of liverock and add a Tang that is not a free swimmer (Example: No Sohal or Similar). You can probably add a couple. I watched a documentary once about a reef and its protectors and they showed a group of Powder Blues that normally swim in schools, but in this case each one had a 3’ square section of the reef. And if one trespassed the other would chase him away. This continued for some time until a school of another type of Tangs swam into their reef. In a matter of seconds the Powder Blues joined together like a swarm of bees and chased the school away. Afterwards the Powder Blues went back to their little section to clean.

 

[W1ngz]

Ok so I don't have any tangs, but my first goto for fish sizing is usually liveaquaria.
Sohal tang
Max. Size 1' 4" Minimum Tank Size 250 gallons

 

[alton]

Ok so I don't have any tangs, but my first goto for fish sizing is usually liveaquaria.
Sohal tang
Max. Size 1' 4" Minimum Tank Size 250 gallons

And why I gave that tang as an example not to buy. Achilles is another that is a free swimmer and you need a very large tank to make happy.

 

[sde1500]

Ctenochaetus sp tangs would be best for a tank of that length. I have a yellow eye kole tang in my tank.

 

[RollTideReefer]

Hi all I’m going to have a tank built and was going to go with a 4’x4’x20” tall tank but after thinking about it that might be too big lol. I have decided to go with a 3’x3’x20” tall tank what seems to work out to about 112g tank . I was just wondering what I be able to keep tangs and what not in that foot print of tank I’m sick of the limiting fish I can keep in my small tank.

This question triggers a more heated debate in the hobby. Most people I have spoken to agree that you could probably keep juvenile to medium sized adults in a 5' tank. Once the larger tangs get big they likely will want 6'+. But then again people abuse poor dogs every day and chain them up, and they are a much more intelligent and self aware animal than a fish. 3' probably is not going to cut it for any sized tang, even as a baby. You could possibly keep a juvenile tang in a 4' tank for a year and then trade it back to your LFS for another baby.

 

[Kfactor]

Thanks for the reply’s that’s what I was thinking too I just really like the cube tanks and don’t really think doings a 5’ or bigger cube would be good for Me lol . I might have to rethink my tank size I guess lol