Side by side 40b’s?

[ricky817]

Hey everyone,

I’m wanting to start up some aquariums here in the near future. I’m going to be setting up a 10 gallon pico first since I have most everything for it other than sand and rock. After I get my wife and my master bedroom finished remodeling, she gave me permission to setup a larger tank in there. I was originally thinking another 75 or possibly a 120, but then I got thinking. I used to have 2 5 gallon picos side by side. What if I did 2 40b’s side by side on the same stand with a strip of trim in between the two to make them look like one 6ft tank. My reasoning for wanting to do this are I really want a predator tank “felecias 40b is inspiration”, however I also love inverts too and a lot of the smaller fish that are typically associated with a reef. I would scape it to look like one large tank, run either a 6ft light or pods. Then run a 55g as a sump with a large fuge connecting all 3 tanks into one large system. I seen in this thread here https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-custom-40-breeder-side-by-side.671302/ they did almost the same idea but a freshwater and saltwater side by side. But has anyone done the sort of idea I’m talking about? I’d love to see pics of them if there is any.

 

[Dom]

I like the concept. But you really won't know how it's going to look until after its together.

I checked out the thread and it is a really nice idea. But if I understand, you want to fashion your stand in a way to make your two tanks appear as one. Is this correct?

If so, I feel that you will be putting in a lot of extra work for a less-than-exciting result. I think the strip will underscore the fact that its two tanks, and not help to conceal it.

If I was putting together a pair of 40 breeders as you are planning, I wouldn't go through the extra trouble of trying to make it look like one tank. The pictures in the thread your OP of the double tank look nice!

 

[tharbin]

I set up something similar once only it was two acrylic 55s (same footprint as the 40b) plumbed together to a 20l sump. It worked well. I did not use anything to hide that it was two tanks, just shoved then against each other. It looked good and worked well and allowed me to have fish and inverts that don't coexist well to be in the same view. I liked it. The only real problem was cleaning the side walls between the tanks since I couldn't use a cleaning magnet but it was okay and eventually I just let some of the coralline go on the adjacent sides and even moved the aquascape around to "blend" the two tanks. The seam never bothered me.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I like your idea.

 

[Idech]

After I get my wife and my master bedroom finished remodeling

Will you have any budget left after finishing remodeling your wife though ?

 

[ricky817]

I set up something similar once only it was two acrylic 55s (same footprint as the 40b) plumbed together to a 20l sump. It worked well. I did not use anything to hide that it was two tanks, just shoved then against each other. It looked good and worked well and allowed me to have fish and inverts that don't coexist well to be in the same view. I liked it. The only real problem was cleaning the side walls between the tanks since I couldn't use a cleaning magnet but it was okay and eventually I just let some of the coralline go on the adjacent sides and even moved the aquascape around to "blend" the two tanks. The seam never bothered me.

That was one of the concerns I had. When I had my 75 I had one of those scrapers with a longer handle on it that I used to clean the back glass. I was thinking that I should be able to keep it pretty clean with that. Looking at the pictures from the thread in my op I really don’t think the seem would bother me, and honestly would probably look more seemless than if I were to put a strip in the middle. That’s the big thing with me is seeing it all in 1 view. I love the symbolic relationships between things such as a watchman goby and the shrimps, or clowns and they’re anemones, but I also don’t want to give up having an eel as I really want a fu and also love some of the scorpion and frogfish. I ran the idea past the wife and she loves it too. As soon as I get my extra vehicle sold a d that room finished out I think I’m going to be going with this idea. The other nice thing is I will have more water volumn total than I had on my 75. I ran the 75 without a sump and had really good luck, so hopefully this setup will run pretty stable also. Here’s pics from my old pico setup. Granted it was planted fresh water and a “reef” next to each other, but similar concept.

 

[tharbin]

I used a long handled scrapper and eventually moved rocks against the adjacent walls and just cleaned at the top and front of those two walls. It didn't take long. The other advantage is I switched from two sets of 3 foot fixtures to 6 foot fixtures which was less expensive in the long run.

My 55s were rimless so I could put the two sides flush together. If I had the top and bottom trim pushing them a little apart, I may have trimmed the front or maybe played around with removing the trim from the end somehow without compromising the tanks.

 

[ricky817]

I used a long handled scrapper and eventually moved rocks against the adjacent walls and just cleaned at the top and front of those two walls. It didn't take long. The other advantage is I switched from two sets of 3 foot fixtures to 6 foot fixtures which was less expensive in the long run.

My 55s were rimless so I could put the two sides flush together. If I had the top and bottom trim pushing them a little apart, I may have trimmed the front or maybe played around with removing the trim from the end somehow without compromising the tanks.

I thought about de rimming then, but idk if I trust it. I know some people have success, I just don’t know if I trust it. I cut the center brace out of my 75 for a reptile and I refuse to use it to hold water. I guess we will have to see what it looks like when the time comes.

 

[tharbin]

I thought about de rimming then, but idk if I trust it. I know some people have success, I just don’t know if I trust it. I cut the center brace out of my 75 for a reptile and I refuse to use it to hold water. I guess we will have to see what it looks like when the time comes.

Personally I wouldn't de-rim but I might try taking off the outside part of the trim on the top and bottom of the adjoining sides. Basically slice away the part that sticks out from the tank but leave the inside and top part of the trim and do it just on the adjoining walls.