let's design a fish tank....

[rng_pw]

After a few years away I decided that maybe it's time to get back into the game. My last tank was an ATM built 450 gallon sps and lps dominant tank. Although it was a very nice tank I'm not ready to go that big again lol. I've always felt that the aquarium its self should be just as unique as the fish and coral that are in it. That being said I've finally found a tank that I think will work great. Now I need your guys help in building this tank. Due to the dimensions of the tank I think I am going fish only this time. Help me figure out the Aqua scaping and a fish list. Any and all ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Tank specs. ATM acrylic tank. 48"x38"tallx10"wide. I know, I know.

Ricky,

 

[JMSKI333]

Ricky,

What made you pick those dimensions? Did you get a good deal on the tank?

 

[rng_pw]

I did get a really good deal on the tank. I wasn't planning on those exact measurements but I was wanting something that wasn't going to take up to much room.

 

[Hyprviperx]

12" width really limits the fish selection. doesnt the width have to be twice the length of the longest fish so they can turn properly? if so then 6" max is the fish size. mostly small reef fish grammas, dottybacks, flashers wrasse, Schooling group of Blue chromis (not green) always looks nice, chalk basslets (one of my new favs), anthias school would defintiely accent the blue chromis maybe all would even shoal together who knows.

 

[Jake1]

That's a crazy size tank! It's a little narrow so any rock work you do will need to be pegged or glued together so it won't fall.

 

[rng_pw]

12" width really limits the fish selection. doesnt the width have to be twice the length of the longest fish so they can turn properly? if so then 6" max is the fish size. mostly small reef fish grammas, dottybacks, flashers wrasse, Schooling group of Blue chromis (not green) always looks nice, chalk basslets (one of my new favs), anthias school would defintiely accent the blue chromis maybe all would even shoal together who knows.

I agree, I was thinking a bunch of small fish, maybe some lyertail Anthias. Clown fish of course. Maybe a flame Angel or something. The tank is super tall so I want to find fish that will take up the whole tank, sand dwellers mid swimmers and so on. As far as rock I'm either doing a rock wall back ground or having a faux coral back ground made. I just dont know where to have one made

Ricky,

 

[kschweer]

How about a seahorse and pipefish tank. Maybe some nice macro algae too.

 

[KoleTang]

honestly, it looks like you will have a lot of issues with reaching into the tank, aquascaping, stocking, gas exchange, etc.

18" front to back is a minimum for me.

 

[wysiwyg]

seen a tank similar to this for sale but it was 48x40x15.5 and was temped to buy it

 

[Hyprviperx]

I agree, I was thinking a bunch of small fish, maybe some lyertail Anthias. Clown fish of course. Maybe a flame Angel or something. The tank is super tall so I want to find fish that will take up the whole tank, sand dwellers mid swimmers and so on. As far as rock I'm either doing a rock wall back ground or having a faux coral back ground made. I just dont know where to have one made

Ricky,

the guys from TANKED are on here still i think, they may have a suggestion for you since they mostly use coral inserts. i like the rock wall idea also, lots of area for fish to hide higher up rather than all the hiding spaces at the bottom

 

[rng_pw]

seen a tank similar to this for sale but it was 48x40x15.5 and

I wish mine was a little wider front to back. I would have been extremely happy with 15.5"

 

[rng_pw]

the guys from TANKED are on here still i think, they may have a suggestion for you since they mostly use coral inserts. i like the rock wall idea also, lots of area for fish to hide higher up rather than all the hiding spaces at the bottom

That's cool, I had no idea that they were on here. I might have to ask them since it is an ATM tank to begin with. Thanks

Ricky,

 

[rng_pw]

How about a seahorse and pipefish tank. Maybe some nice macro algae too.

I've actually been really considering that. I'd have to do some more research but giving the dimensions of the tank that might be a good way to go. I just really worry about inactivity and maybe getting bored with them.

Ricky,

 

[kschweer]

I think you could do a really cool tank with the seahorses and pipefish. You can do gobies, firefish and dragonets with them as well.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Seahorses can be pretty active. Mine will ride the current from the filter or my airlines, hitch rides on each other and hang on things like monkeys. Granted they aren't as active as some other fish, but they do have personalities. As soon as I go near the tank, they go right to the feeding dish. I maybe a little biased. :bigsmile:

 

[rng_pw]

Seahorses can be pretty active. Mine will ride the current from the filter or my airlines, hitch rides on each other and hang on things like monkeys. Granted they aren't as active as some other fish, but they do have personalities. As soon as I go near the tank, they go right to the feeding dish. I maybe a little biased. :bigsmile:

Can you show me some pics? Thanks

Ricky,

 

[Kworker]

+1 to seahorse and pipefish. This tank could make a real nice setup.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Here are some pics:

If you want, I also have a video I had to do for my speech class and I used the seahorse tank as the background. In the video, you could clearly make out the seahorses swimming in the tank. I'll also try to get some video of the seahorses at feeding time and riding the current.

 

[Hyprviperx]

the only problem i forsee with the seahorse pipefish idea is that since they are not strong swimmers you'd have to reduce the flow in the tank and with it being so tall you might have stagnant nonaerated water lower in the water column

 

[Dsdaley77]

I think as long as you strategically placed your power heads you could do the seahorse/pipefish tank. When I see tanks this size and dimension I always think of a ravine setup or a canyon with cliffs. Imagine looking straight at your tank and having sloped walls on the sides ( v shape). I saw one once and it was sick!!!! The top 12 inches or so had SPS and LPS and the fish used the canyon and triangle areas behind the walls for swim space. The tank I saw used LR to build the slopes and made sure there were holes in the rock big enough for the fish to pass thru to avoid having wasted space. It created almost 4 distinct swimming areas for the fish. He had gobies, anthias, blennies, a mandarin, two yellow tangs and several chromis. If I remember right he used acrylic rods to build/stabilize the rock work.

After remembering more about this tank, he had a small RBTA hosting two clowns about 15 inches down the slope right under a colony of hammer.