When is it too big?

[BackPackHunter]

A few you you might have read a couple threads i wrote about a up coming build im planing. And the work needed in the room to make it fit...
The amount of work and money moving furnace, electrical panel, hot water tank and finishing the room, started to weigh on me, so I started thinking about ways to fix this...
what I came up with was build a new wall, and lose 6-8 feet in the living room..
I asked the wife her thoughts and to my surprise she likes that idea a lot more then the reno i had first planed ....
there is a window on one wall , so that could be a problem, I think its in a ok spot that wont affect the build, worst case is i build the new wall on a bit of a angle to avoid the window...

this new plan gives me a lot more room to play with ideas
i was going to build a 72x36x36 (and this will be the min size of it)
i still want a 36" deep tank, but might be able to go 42 or 48" wide and up to 10 feet long.... max would be 1200x36x48 (48" wide will depend on the window)

where do you draw the line ? how big is to big?

I dont see much cost difference in running a 72x36x36 - 1200x36x36
what are your thoughts on this?
at what size of tank do you got to up the glass thickness ?
was planing of going with 19mm

do you or have you have had a huge tank and wish you never went as big
whats the biggest tank you have had?

thanks for any input

[The Grizz]

I think you are on the right track with the reno ideas, losing a few feet of a room versus thousands of $$$ and time to do all the things you where thinking about.

I am not the one to ask about tank size that is a for sure but starting with a 65 gal, then a second 65 gal, up to a 155 gal bow front, moving to my 8' 165 gal and now finally putting a ton of effort on my 8' 300 gal once its all done and running I will be more then happy to stay with it for many yrs. But that doesn't mean that this is going to be my only tank.

[BackPackHunter]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

I think you are on the right track with the reno ideas, losing a few feet of a room versus thousands of $$$ and time to do all the things you where thinking about.

I am not the one to ask about tank size that is a for sure but starting with a 65 gal, then a second 65 gal, up to a 155 gal bow front, moving to my 8' 165 gal and now finally putting a ton of effort on my 8' 300 gal once its all done and running I will be more then happy to stay with it for many yrs. But that doesn't mean that this is going to be my only tank.

I think so too, and this will also mean theres water pumping sooner too
the cost saving in going this way will pay for the glass and the rock wall kinda like bluetang's tank....

[BackPackHunter]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

I will be more then happy to stay with it for many yrs.

many years is the main thing, before when I was doing aquariums, i was always upgrading and going a little bigger then a little bigger it never ended
this it it, last one, I want it to be right as theres no changing or going back...
I think Im going to copy a lot of your ideas, as they are so well thought out and clean...

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by BackPackHunter

I think Im going to copy a lot of your ideas, as they are so well thought out and clean...

Copy away, nothing patent pending.....YET

I do agree with Blue Tang on the depth. My new tank is 30" deep & I am not a GIANT, have to use a 3 step ladder just to reach the bottom.

[MitchM]

I find the major issues to deal with on a large tank are lighting, heating, evaporation and cleaning.
The lighting is the most expensive part. No way around that. I changed over heating to a hot water PEX loop, and cleaning takes a lot longer, especially if it's a deep tank like you're thinking.
I keep the main tank covered but the sump is a major source of evaporation. Make sure your house mechanical systems can handle it. I have a HRV that is running most of the time.
I do 5% water changes weekly but I also keep a very low fish load, so I'm not finding any problems with smaller water changes.
My tank is 96 x 48 x 30. The sump is a 180g.

[IanWR]

Originally Posted by BackPackHunter

I dont see much cost difference in running a 72x36x36 - 1200x36x36
what are your thoughts on this?

I don't have a giant tank, mine is only 30"x24"x24" (LDH). But one of the reasons I went with this size is at I could use just 1 led light, but if I went with a standard 90 I would need 2. So one of the differences in an extra 4' (I assume you meant 120, not 100 ft) is extra lights, in addition to extra everything (tank, pump, rock, sand, etc). For me that would not be an insignificant extra cost. As for ongoing extra cost, there is that much more maintainance involved: water changes, vacuuming, scraping, and so on.

Clearly you are the only one who can decide what's appropriate amount of time and money to spend. I would find the prospect of running a tank that big daunting, but the prospect of looking at such a tank a treat.

- Ian

[BackPackHunter]

Originally Posted by IanWR

I don't have a giant tank, mine is only 30"x24"x24" (LDH). But one of the reasons I went with this size is at I could use just 1 led light, but if I went with a standard 90 I would need 2. So one of the differences in an extra 4' (I assume you meant 120, not 100 ft) is extra lights, in addition to extra everything (tank, pump, rock, sand, etc). For me that would not be an insignificant extra cost. As for ongoing extra cost, there is that much more maintainance involved: water changes, vacuuming, scraping, and so on.

Clearly you are the only one who can decide what's appropriate amount of time and money to spend. I would find the prospect of running a tank that big daunting, but the prospect of looking at such a tank a treat.

- Ian

yes i meant 120" not 1200"
1200 is to big, that would be a full time job, and id be single again

the start up cost will be very high no matter what size I end up with ,
up sizing the pumps, adding a extra light or 2 doesnt bother me...
just might add a couple months to when its alive, as my wife doesnt want me taking out of the saving account, so I will be adding every month till its ready. I want this to be as self contained as possible because of my job.

its just a little more salt and additives etc to maintain it right?

[Doug]

I will move there to the main forum for you.

[BackPackHunter]

Originally Posted by Doug

I will move there to the main forum for you.

no problem, my bad