What size tank?

[Johnd651]

So I finally have the blessing for another tank, but the spot is just a little awkward in size. I'm looking for ideas/recommendations on dimensions, and am open to custom sizes. It's a corner spot, but there is a light switch on one wall that I don't want to cover up, so it leaves me a 40in by 47in spot. Drawings and pics below to give a better idea.

 

[Johnd651]

Oh so the room is currently being remodeled and I work full time so it's taking me forever. Also, sump would be in the basement, and I was thinking of making one from a 55 g

 

[dugthefish]

Move the light switch. If you're already remodeling it should take just a few minutes. Depending on where you relocate to, you could fit a 48"-60" tank

 

[JoshH]

I'll second the switch and suggest a 60" how wide really depends on how tall you want to go. Looks like a good spot for a Red Sea Reefer 625xxl or a nice custom tank!

 

[Johnd651]

Move the light switch. If you're already remodeling it should take just a few minutes. Depending on where you relocate to, you could fit a 48"-60" tank

Can't. Old 1886 construction, the last 24" is all rough cut 2x5 sandwiched together, except for the very end which will be trim. Other side of door has similar issues.

 

[Johnd651]

I'll second the switch and suggest a 60" how wide really depends on how tall you want to go. Looks like a good spot for a Red Sea Reefer 625xxl or a nice custom tank!

For height I was thinking 18 or 24? Prefer 24 bit i don't know what the experience is with 24

 

[JoshH]

Can't. Old 1886 construction, the last 24" is all rough cut 2x5 sandwiched together, except for the very end which will be trim. Other side of door has similar issues.

So it's a solid wood wall? No studs? You could still hog out a space for the switch and use a REALLY long drill bit to drill the hole for the wires...

 

[dugthefish]

Can't. Old 1886 construction, the last 24" is all rough cut 2x5 sandwiched together, except for the very end which will be trim. Other side of door has similar issues.

I've done enough remodels to know that there is no "can't"

Depending on you're level of desire to get a certain sized tank in that space, you could either reroute the wiring to the other side of the door opening, relocate to the outside of the door opening, or jack up the door header and reframe using modern lumber and have the switch 3" from the door.

 

[JoshH]

If in your mind there is no way to move the switch (I'm sure of you popped the drywall off we could let you know what is needed). BUT regardless, I would do a 48" Tank atleast myself, once again depending on how deep, if you were comfortable doing 18ish inches tall I would say go for a 30-32" deep tank..

 

[Johnd651]

I appreciate the tips about moving the switch but I have a 4 month old, the room opposite I just finished trimming, and this room I have been working on for 6 months, I'm done with remodels for a few years after this. I ll grab some pics in the morning of what I have left open, it's been a very much mixed bag of construction previous to us, and when I originally put the switch in, that wasn't my planned spot for the tank. I know if I start pulling everything back apart my wife will divorce me. It ended up being out so far since it was a bunch of supports since this was originally the back of the house, and the foundation wall opening into the crawl space is directly below the door opening to. The crazy part is all that lumber didn't actually support a header, instead went all the way up 3 stories.

 

[Johnd651]

If in your mind there is no way to move the switch (I'm sure of you popped the drywall off we could let you know what is needed). BUT regardless, I would do a 48" Tank atleast myself, once again depending on how deep, if you were comfortable doing 18ish inches tall I would say go for a 30-32" deep tank..

That's kinda what I was wondering. If a not quite "cube" like 48 by 30 is practical?

 

[JoshH]

That's kinda what I was wondering. If a not quite "cube" like 48 by 30 is practical?

If you can reach the back of the tank for maintenance purposes then it's absolutely practical, heck you could go even wider. It's all about what you're comfortable working with in the end. My peninsula is a 60" x 30" x 17" and I can reach the back without leaning (mind you I'm 6'1") I probably would never get something narrower than 30" if it was me.

And I totally get it, renovations can be extremely frustrating, especially with having a life to deal with on top of that. We were just merely going off the fact this is probably your dream tank and we didn't/don't want to see you limit yourself because of a light switch. If you get a Eurobraced tank you might even be able to leave the switch there ( or move it up a little bit??? Shouldnt be too difficult to wiggle it up a few inches).... just things to think about

 

[Johnd651]

If you can reach the back of the tank for maintenance purposes then it's absolutely practical, heck you could go even wider. It's all about what you're comfortable working with in the end. My peninsula is a 60" x 30" x 17" and I can reach the back without leaning (mind you I'm 6'1") I probably would never get something narrower than 30" if it was me.

So, if I did something like 42x36in, I am also 6ft tall, I should be able to reach all the way around? How tall? 18 or 24?

 

[JoshH]

So, if I did something like 42x36in, I am also 6ft tall, I should be able to reach all the way around? How tall? 18 or 24?

Best thing I can suggest to you is mock the tank up Make a tank out of PVC pipe, cardboard, plywood or 2x4s/2x2s see how it works for you... personally I wouldn't go 36" wide if it's 24" tall but everyone's different. For the extra cost of say the PVC pipe or 2x2's to mock it up you could save a ton of headaches down the road...