Pros and Cons of a 30 inch deep tank!
 

I am in the midst of planning for a new tank and really like the look of the 30 inch deep tanks. I am pondering the following size tanks that will be starfire glass on three sides with eurobrace top:

30HX30WX72L=281 us gal (approx)
28HX30WX72L=263 us gal (approx)
24Hx30Wx72L=225 us gal (approx)

I will be using 400W metal halide lighting and a 1-2inch sandbed.

Are there any issues with a 30 inch deep tank other than needing a wetsuit to touch the bottom?

Any advice from deep tank owners would be appreciated.

Dave

30" tall tanks are easy to work with especially if you have a canopy that opens at the top of the tank instead of the top of the canopy, I dont find it too much of a pain untill you get over 36" tall, this goes the same for depth,(front to back) over 36" is a pain.

No cons I can think of. Go for it!

I have a 30" deep tank and it's Fantastic. It's a little hard to reach the bottom but it's worth it.

The only bad thing about your planned 30 inch width is if your going with starphire glass you have to get 2 - 1/2" panes laminated together which almost triples the price of your tank.

My tank is a standard 230 with 3 starphire sides. I wanted a 30 or 36" wide tank but instead of costing me the $950 that it did it would have been about triple that.

All this comes from the fact that starphire only comes in 1/2" as the fattest thickness.

I also have a 30" high tank (like Jon's but two feet shorter), and I am really happy with it. Lots of room for corals to grow up. Also a lot of options for arranging live rock.

Jon, Tony was saying that IA has apparently found a source for thicker Starphire (3/4" I think). :neutral:

Thanks Jonathan, I havn't talked to the builders yet, I just assumed that it would be failry close in price. So 24 inches is as deep as you can go with 1/2 inch glass? The height doesn't matter also?

Dave

Out of curiosity, how much more is it normally to have a tank with a starphire front pane vs a regular one? Say on a 48x24x30 tank?

If your 30" high and 24" wide than you can use 1/2" glass. If you go to 24" high then you can use 1/2" glass and go 30" wide,

Starphire doesn't increase the cost that much. For one pane it's "about $100" in the words of IA. It's just when you have to get it laminated that the price goes crazy!

I only wish the could have got 3/4" when I was buildingmy tank Quinn. :confused:

AFAIK, they don't "yet" have the 3/4" Starphire, so for now it's still a rumour. What I heard is that they're trying to buy a truckload of it or something, so we'll see what pans out in the next few months. (Rest assured it is something I am keeping an eye on! :mrgreen: )

i had a 280 gal 30" DeeP and 30 "wide i liked it i wish that i didnt have the canopy it would have been better i didnt mind the 30 " i was good fro the tangs that i had in the tank previous.

MIke

man I'd love a 280... having to settle for a 120 long is a bit of a bummer but I'm still happy about it...... still.. hmm..

Doug

Most important, make sure you have access from both sides, then no problem. If back access only like mine or Mikes, then climb up and over. :lol:

Also, mine was the 72L-24W-30H----225gals. Mike,s 72L-30H-30W, was much nicer with the extra width.

Thanks for all of the input everyone. It makes the decision easier.

Dave

Now i have a 75 gallon that i can reach thur the front ,and low and behold .looky at DOug he has a 75 gal cube. Do i see a copy cat here .. :lol: :lol: :lol:

hey whwere is my brittle star and my clam you old :mrgreen: fart...

Mike

:rolleyes:

I don't get that Jon? Ours is 30" wide starphire four sides. Tank was roughly $1000.

But if you went 30" TALL as well as 30" wide you might have had to step up the glass thickness. Which you can't currently do with Starphire (max 1/2" until the 3/4" stuff can be sourced again), unless, of course, you do the double-lamination thing, but that seems to be rather costly.

Tony is correct Deb. The reason is that your tank is only 24" tall. Not 30.

Ah, I see....yeah my arms would never reach 30" deep. :eek:

Bah, that's what a mask and snorkel are for. :mrgreen: