question about 54L50W20H aquarium

[tworegtdi]

Due to placement restrictions, my dream build (still at dream stage but hopefully soon) will have a dimension of 54Lx50Wx20H, it will be low-iron glass on all four sides to allow 360 viewing. Do you guys see any potential challenges for keeping a mixed reef tank with this dimension? I've been debating whether I should position the overflow box in the middle of the aquarium and bottom of the tank drilled (like a column), is this a good idea? Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[jda]

Lighting is no joke. You will need two or three rows of lights. Lots of people will try and help you, but they will mean well, but not really be all that helpful in the end, so find people who have lit large surfaces before to help.

Middle overflow is fine and it can give you something to kinda hold onto if you have to armpit-deep into the tank with your hand. Keep some room in this center box for magnets for wavemakers and stuff - you will want this more than having them on the outsides... so make the glass/acrylic sturdy.

You might need to use a Closed Loop to help with flow since you only will be able to use wavemakers on the center column. Wavemakers can work well alone if you can point them (like Tunze), but if you end up without much room on that column, then CL is your best bet.

 

[tworegtdi]

Lighting is no joke. You will need two or three rows of lights. Lots of people will try and help you, but they will mean well, but not really be all that helpful in the end, so find people who have lit large surfaces before to help.

Middle overflow is fine and it can give you something to kinda hold onto if you have to armpit-deep into the tank with your hand. Keep some room in this center box for magnets for wavemakers and stuff - you will want this more than having them on the outsides... so make the glass/acrylic sturdy.

You might need to use a Closed Loop to help with flow since you only will be able to use wavemakers on the center column. Wavemakers can work well alone if you can point them (like Tunze), but if you end up without much room on that column, then CL is your best bet.

Good advice, thank you.

With regards to "Keep some room in this center box for magnets for wavemakers and stuff - you will want this more than having them on the outsides... so make the glass/acrylic sturdy" Not sure if I understand this, inside the overflow box it will be filled with water hence wet, putting dry magnet of wavemaker in there that is not feasible is it?

 

[jda]

Some of the good ones have the same magnets on the wet and dry sides. Tunze is one.

 

[nereefpat]

Yes, don't put the mp40 dry side in the overflow. Overflow in the middle is fine. Plenty of frag tanks in fish stores use this model.

I think you've hit the 2 concerns: lightning and flow.

How are you going to light it? It would take a Lot of LEDs. I might suggest 2 x 4ft T5 fixtures with 6-8 bulbs each.

 

[tworegtdi]

Yes, don't put the mp40 dry side in the overflow. Overflow in the middle is fine. Plenty of frag tanks in fish stores use this model.

I think you've hit the 2 concerns: lightning and flow.

How are you going to light it? It would take a Lot of LEDs. I might suggest 2 x 4ft T5 fixtures with 6-8 bulbs each.

I am thinking of running two tracks of led lights, I currently have 4 hydra 26s, will purchase another 2. I might have 4 islands of rock scape, will put corals that need high PAR closer to water surface so it gets maximum light exposure.

My concern with an overflow in the middle is it kinda gets in the way, from both a viewing and flow perspective

 

[nereefpat]

Bump for ya.

I'm not the one to help you with your lighting if you're using LEDs. Like I said, It's going to take lots of LEDs to evenly cover that much area (about 19 square feet).

The other overflow option is to put the overflow on one of the short sides, so the tank would be set up like a peninsula. Good wavemakers like ecotech, tunze, and gyres can easily push water across the 4.5 feet.