125gal Gulf Estuary Vivarium, feedback wanted

I am looking for feedback and criticisms regarding my planned build. Even if its just a "don't think I'd like it," please post.

The details, I currently have two fish I will be setting up a 125gal for, a Spiny Burrfish and a Spot Croaker (Leiostomus xanthurus). Both fish were personally caught from the Gulf of Mexico, so this sorta spawned an idea for a Gulf, perhaps including more into the Caribbean, themed tank. My present idea is to do a vivarium.

The tank would be filled to around 2/3, (I would drill the back of the tank) at which point there would be "land" above, containing terrestrial plants. Most of the these tanks just have the water in one section, with the land section encompassing most of the tank's room. With the two fish I have, I would want to maximize swimming area, so I had the idea to build more of a "shelf" that would sit just above the water line, and underneath the shelf would be open, save maybe for some structural support. The shelf itself would look something like a glass U-channel, where I would build it shorter in the front. Basically like a small, short, lopsided tank. The shelf would be filled with mostly sand and I would use local plants that grow on beach. Some grasses, and some cool flowering ones.

Here is where I'm looking for input;.

How wide or short should the shelf be? The full length of the tank? One idea I had was to have the shelf to one side and run most of the tank, then have a mangrove, or three on that side. There still would be an issue of how the shelf would look butted up to the side of the aquarium, glass on glass with some silicone would look rather ugly. ..

The 125gal has a gorgeous canopy we made ourselves, so I would really like to use it. However with mangrove(s) in there, I might have to not use it as the mangrove(s)  grow taller and taller. However the 125gal is completely unbraced, so with an open top, the tank would have a great look.

I realize the shelf would create a large shadow. I was thinking of the shelf not being that deep, 6"-8" max, and with lighting at the front, angle back, I think would help minimize the shadow-effect.

As far what else would be in the tank besides Spike and Spot, sand and lots of plants and macro. I definitely think I am going to take some liberties with this, and probably use non-native calupera species. Going for effect rather then accuracy. I would love for the tank to be filled with seagrasses, but a.) there's not easy to care for and require a deep sandbed, which will eat into space for the fish, Both fish are not "fish-eaters" so there will likely be some minnows, killifish, whatever I can collect, ranging to maybe even pipefish.

If anyone is having a hard time visualizing the tank lemme know and I'll try to clarify. Though, here is a quick MSPaint 5-year-old-style drawing;

Had a cool suggestion from my brother, he said maybe find a vine or something that could hang over the lip of the shelf, that way it would visually block the face of the shelf. Or even add screen that could hold other plants to achieve the same thing.

I do have one concern, I have zero experience keeping plants with artificial light (horticulture). As seagrass requires SPS-level lighting, I was planning on using halides. I was wondering if the lights would be too much for the plants that would be up on the shelf? I know they use more powerful sodium-bulbs and what have you for horticulture. But my fear is more proximity. Figure 15" max from the bulb to the plants, too close for anything? Keeping in mind I plan on using more arid beach-type plants, rather then more tropical plants.

Quote:

Originally Posted by meowzer 

HAHA...love the drawing.

Yea, using such vivid terms as "land" and "shelf," I wasn't sure if people would understand or be able to visual it, so I whipped up that masterpiece, lol.

I probably toss some more pics up. I want to fill the tank to see if even there's even space for the fish, with the tank only being run at 2/3'ish full.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Quills 

Sounds like a neat idea.  I'm always game for seeing something out of the norm.  Caulerpa Filiformus looks alot like grass.  I always thought that croaker was better served when rubbed in lemmon pepper, lightly grilled and offered with a bit of butter sauce, myself.

Ja, the Croaker was a case of do as I say and not do what I do. He was maybe 3/4" big when he was netted (random seagrass score), so I wasn't real sure what it was. Luckily, fishbase has Spot's maxed out at 36cm, so if you factor some percentage off that for an aquarium specimen, he should say "manageable"
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemmy 

 Why not go with DIY led's?

Well, I sorta have the halide fixture just sitting next to the tank

Coverage and aesthetics. I am fairly set on the mangroves, which will mean that eventually I will have to ditch the canopy and any light fixture setup, and go with pendant(s). 3 halide pendants should be enough for the mangroves and seagrass at the bottom. I figure fabbing up some rolled steel hangers for the pendants, that would arch from behind the tank, would look good, and not be so intrusive.

I am just not sure how I would LED's. I'm not sure those PAR 38 bulbs (the reef specific ones, not box-store ones) would be enough. I don't think with the minimum spacing requirements of Cree's, I could get into an led pendant/fixture that isn't basically a standard tank-length fixture.

BTW, when I say "halide pendant" I mean this;

But I would probably make my own, from a nicer fixture, hide the wires, etc. I don't mean just a small square, standard looking fixture like this;

travler!! I knew I forgot something. My sincerest apologies for forgetting your PM.

I went ahead and primitively setup the tank. Live rock from Spike's (the puffer) old tank, bare bottom (for now), 2 Emp 400 biowheels I had on a QT, and some coral skeletons. It's using the canopy and halide figure from when it was setup as a reef. The bad news is I really am approaching spreading myself too thin. With this tank up, I now have over 600 gallons of SW tanks under the roof. My other hobby, competitively racing r/c cars has taken up the bulk of my free time. Between work and trying to maintain some type of active personal/night/dating life for a 25 year old, for the first time I've felt above my head. Something like the first week of college, first day of highschool notwithstanding obviously...

Sorry if that got a little woe is me....

The good news is that the tank will definitely move along ,,, It is just going to slower I think anticipated/hoped, and I may simplify some things. I'll toss a pic up tomorrow of how it sits as.