designing a tank

[bon.bon]

I have a wall opening that measures 51" wide 48" high and 12" deep. I would like to make the most out of space available. I'm either going to buy a standard 55 gal tank or have a 95 gal built that measures 51"x36"x12". Is there any unforscene dangers with having a tank that deep? Will I have to be reaching the bottom with my hand? What type of material should I have it made of glass? plexiglass? acrylic? or any other options or ideas...thanks
corey

 

[clownman]

12" deep is pretty standard. However, you can keep 6" DSB or whatever you want to make it as deep as you want.
Deep become a concern mainly when you considering light and DSB should help you with that (not to mention, Liverock )
In that situation, glass may not be a good option. I go for Acrylic. Don't forget to leave room for cleaning from the top and so on, also you have to consider plumbing and so forth. Before going for it, make sure do all the research. It will be quite heavy to move if you change your mind

 

[sonny]

While you could certainly get a tank built to that size, I believe you would not enjoy it. You can scrape algae with magnets, but your main problem will be dealing with moving rocks, removing detritus, and general maintenance. A tank that deep definately needs metal halide lighting to penetrate to the bottom. I believe that you would be better served by having a 90 gallon standard tank (48 long x 24 tall x 18 front to back) in that space. It would cost a lot to have that custom tank built, since it is very tall. It would need at least 1/2 inch glass, maybe thicker. My bet is you're looking at $500 or more to get it built.
Sonny