Trying to figure new tank dimensions

[mlb7225]

Hello all,

We just moved into our new home 2 weeks back. With that said, I now have a spot to build a large (large to me) reef tank. I have the space to go up to 96" L x 30" deep. I am stuck on the height now. If I go rimless, I am capped at 20". I don't mind doing the aluminum bracing to go deeper, but my concern at that point shifts to working in the tank and overall maintenance. I originally was looking at 9630x30 then got nervous about getting down to the bottom of the tank.

Any opinions on this? What would be the appropriate height?

Thank you,

Mike

 

[rockworm]

I had a 220g that was 30" tall and I was always getting soaked any time I had to work in it. I now have a 96"x 36" x 27". The height is far better and I no longer have a little stream of water running down my side. If you don't care about rimless, I would recommend a 25" to 27".

 

[mlb7225]

I had a 220g that was 30" tall and I was always getting soaked any time I had to work in it. I now have a 96"x 36" x 27". The height is far better and I no longer have a little stream of water running down my side. If you don't care about rimless, I would recommend a 25" to 27".

Okay, thanks. I like your dimensions. What do you think about 36" deep. Was your 220g the same depth?

 

[rockworm]

The 220g was a std 72 x 24 x 30. I love the 36" depth. I was originally going to go 30, but decided 36" would give that extra depth look. No regrets at all. The tank no longer looks like a wall that the 24" always seemed to be. I have a build thread in the large tank forum - A Capital Dream, 400g sps build. I not sure how to link it with tapatalk. [emoji16]

 

[mlb7225]

Oh, I didn't catch your ID, sorry. I'm following your build already, love it man!! Thanks for the pointers! I'm gonna try for the 36" deep and see how it lays out in the room.

 

[TylerS]

Hello all,

We just moved into our new home 2 weeks back. With that said, I now have a spot to build a large (large to me) reef tank. I have the space to go up to 96" L x 30" deep. I am stuck on the height now. If I go rimless, I am capped at 20". I don't mind doing the aluminum bracing to go deeper, but my concern at that point shifts to working in the tank and overall maintenance. I originally was looking at 9630x30 then got nervous about getting down to the bottom of the tank.

Any opinions on this? What would be the appropriate height?

Thank you,

Mike

I am looking at the exact same dimensions and delema. I actually just got on r2r tonight to make a similar post. I've set up a bunch of boxes to help figure it out as well. One thing that had a big sway on my dimensions is the 300gallon dd tank by marineland is 27" tall and 36" front to back. They have one set up at a store near me and it looks plenty tall. For a (relatively) mass mfg tank like the marineland dd tank I would guess that they looked at several options and opinions to optimize the dimensions before setting them as well, so my guess is lots of people think 27" is good.

Something else I did with boxes is compare 36" stand to 30" stand. The 36" stand was way to high for the tank (it's in my family room next to a couch). You can't see into the tank at that height. The marineland stand is 29" and 29" stand + 27" tank was to low. I'm narrowing in on 30" stand and 28" tank. Maybe I'll bump the stand to 31 or 32 because 30+28 is about 2 inches below my eye level.

My tank will be along a walkway in the family room, and now I can't decide on the front to back dimension. I can do more depth front to back (34 to 36" or so) if I put the overflow in the tank and drill through the bottom and then move the tank close to the wall, or go with 30" front to back and a ghost overflow setup, and then have the tank 3-4" from the wall. Decisions decisions...

 

[rockworm]

Oh, I didn't catch your ID, sorry. I'm following your build already, love it man!! Thanks for the pointers! I'm gonna try for the 36" deep and see how it lays out in the room.

Haha. There are lots of us here at R2R, so it is easy to miss people. [emoji106] If you can swing the 36", I would recommend it. Especially if you are in to coral. The depth is a delight to work with and I still have lots of space I can use. The only downside is that my kids don't get any inheritence, unless they want fishies. LOL

 

[mlb7225]

I am looking at the exact same dimensions and delema. I actually just got on r2r tonight to make a similar post. I've set up a bunch of boxes to help figure it out as well. One thing that had a big sway on my dimensions is the 300gallon dd tank by marineland is 27" tall and 36" front to back. They have one set up at a store near me and it looks plenty tall. For a (relatively) mass mfg tank like the marineland dd tank I would guess that they looked at several options and opinions to optimize the dimensions before setting them as well, so my guess is lots of people think 27" is good.

Something else I did with boxes is compare 36" stand to 30" stand. The 36" stand was way to high for the tank (it's in my family room next to a couch). You can't see into the tank at that height. The marineland stand is 29" and 29" stand + 27" tank was to low. I'm narrowing in on 30" stand and 28" tank. Maybe I'll bump the stand to 31 or 32 because 30+28 is about 2 inches below my eye level.

My tank will be along a walkway in the family room, and now I can't decide on the front to back dimension. I can do more depth front to back (34 to 36" or so) if I put the overflow in the tank and drill through the bottom and then move the tank close to the wall, or go with 30" front to back and a ghost overflow setup, and then have the tank 3-4" from the wall. Decisions decisions...

Great point on the 27". You would for sure have to think Marineland did their research!

Seeing that I just moved, I like your box idea.

 

[rockworm]

I am looking at the exact same dimensions and delema. I actually just got on r2r tonight to make a similar post. I've set up a bunch of boxes to help figure it out as well. One thing that had a big sway on my dimensions is the 300gallon dd tank by marineland is 27" tall and 36" front to back. They have one set up at a store near me and it looks plenty tall. For a (relatively) mass mfg tank like the marineland dd tank I would guess that they looked at several options and opinions to optimize the dimensions before setting them as well, so my guess is lots of people think 27" is good.

Something else I did with boxes is compare 36" stand to 30" stand. The 36" stand was way to high for the tank (it's in my family room next to a couch). You can't see into the tank at that height. The marineland stand is 29" and 29" stand + 27" tank was to low. I'm narrowing in on 30" stand and 28" tank. Maybe I'll bump the stand to 31 or 32 because 30+28 is about 2 inches below my eye level.

My tank will be along a walkway in the family room, and now I can't decide on the front to back dimension. I can do more depth front to back (34 to 36" or so) if I put the overflow in the tank and drill through the bottom and then move the tank close to the wall, or go with 30" front to back and a ghost overflow setup, and then have the tank 3-4" from the wall. Decisions decisions...

Couple of things. Firdt, check around the forums there have been leakage issues with the deep dimensions tank.

Second, I don't know what length you have in the walkway, but I had my overflows placed externally on the ends of the tank. I am in a converted single garage and only had 10 ft width (18 ft length so no issure there) to work with, so the tank back had to be against the wall.

My stand is 31" tall. I used this height because I would be sitting most of the time to view it. This seemed the right height for a nice lazyboy. [emoji3]

 

[mlb7225]

Haha. There are lots of us here at R2R, so it is easy to miss people. [emoji106] If you can swing the 36", I would recommend it. Especially if you are in to coral. The depth is a delight to work with and I still have lots of space I can use. The only downside is that my kids don't get any inheritence, unless they want fishies. LOL

LOL, my kids better like fishes also. I should be able to swing 36", the space is in the living room against an outside wall. I am actually planning on building the fish room on the outside of the house, which is the back side of that wall, and just punch through where required.

 

[rockworm]

LOL, my kids better like fishes also. I should be able to swing 36", the space is in the living room against an outside wall. I am actually planning on building the fish room on the outside of the house, which is the back side of that wall, and just punch through where required.

I had a friend say "better to die a million dollars in debt, than a million in the bank; let the kids sort it out." lol.

My remote fish room is in the basement. However, it does get -30° C in the winter, so outside was out of the equation. I could never go back to under the tank sump.

 

[mlb7225]

I had a friend say "better to die a million dollars in debt, than a million in the bank; let the kids sort it out." lol.

My remote fish room is in the basement. However, it does get -30° C in the winter, so outside was out of the equation. I could never go back to under the tank sump.

My 5 yr old is already showing skills on the golf course. That's my IRA.

I'm in Socal so we might hit 40 in the winter.

I'm in Socal so my lows might touch 40.

 

[rockworm]

I like you IRA ideas! I live in the second coldest capital in the world (Ottawa Canasa). The first is somewhere in the old USSR.

My kids are grown and moved out. Yippee. If all goes as expected, I will be a grandfather in January. Just have to find an extra small set of goggles and snorkel.

 

[mlb7225]

Haha, if you do, get a pic of the baby in the tank. lol

 

[TylerS]

Couple of things. Firdt, check around the forums there have been leakage issues with the deep dimensions tank.

Second, I don't know what length you have in the walkway, but I had my overflows placed externally on the ends of the tank. I am in a converted single garage and only had 10 ft width (18 ft length so no issure there) to work with, so the tank back had to be against the wall.

My stand is 31" tall. I used this height because I would be sitting most of the time to view it. This seemed the right height for a nice lazyboy. [emoji3]

Are you saying that about the deep dimension tank because the problems are due to the dimensions, or construction? I'm not looking at buying one, only referencing them for their dimensions. I'm getting a custom acrylic made (partly to avoid any potential problems with leaks etc.).

 

[rockworm]

Are you saying that about the deep dimension tank because the problems are due to the dimensions, or construction? I'm not looking at buying one, only referencing them for their dimensions. I'm getting a custom acrylic made (partly to avoid any potential problems with leaks etc.).

You are fine then with the acrylic. There are reports that the Marineland DD are failing on the seams with the water leaking out. It is a tank construction issue that reveals itself within a couple of years of setup. I want to say that this is not from experience, but from reports on assorted forums that I follow. As always, thefe are 3 sides to the stories, party A, party B, and the truth.

With respect to your decisions, do 36" if you can. The 30 is still good, but the 36 is great. I might have gone deeper, but I would never comfortable be able to reach deeper, without dipping my shirt. [emoji3]