Square Tanks
- Thread starter happyvac
- Start date
seannmelly
Active Member
i have a 20x18x24 and its working great for me i actaully have it for sale in the forums.......where are you located?
seannmelly
Active Member
pretty close just a lil taller, just sold it anyway for 300
seannmelly
Active Member
Originally Posted by HappyVac
Wow, that seems awfully high...
Wasn't that tall of a tank...and the price was definately right. the tank alone cost just about that. thats not including the protien skimmer, lights, hang on the back sump. it was a sweet little reef tank til our interests brought us to our 125 w/ mh
Wow, that seems awfully high...
Wasn't that tall of a tank...and the price was definately right. the tank alone cost just about that. thats not including the protien skimmer, lights, hang on the back sump. it was a sweet little reef tank til our interests brought us to our 125 w/ mh
nytrillium
Member
Well, more surface area = more evaporation. I cant say that it can cause a problem, but you will have to do your normal topoffs like any other tank. it would have about double the topoff rate of a tank that was 12x24. You could probably just do a autotopoff in the sump and not have to worry about it for a few days at a time.
I like the square tank because it has the potential to be viewable 360 degrees. I alwasy thought it woudl be cool to have a tank that was 3'x3' witha 1'x1' overflow built into the center of it. THat way you could hide all of your returns and overflows down the middle and have your sump in the stand. It would look really clean and spiffy.. ***)
I like the square tank because it has the potential to be viewable 360 degrees. I alwasy thought it woudl be cool to have a tank that was 3'x3' witha 1'x1' overflow built into the center of it. THat way you could hide all of your returns and overflows down the middle and have your sump in the stand. It would look really clean and spiffy.. ***)
happyvac
Member
As long as the evaporation is kept to a level that would not be harmful to non-aquarium furniture and such, it's all good.
I think it will have to be in a corner. There should be about a foot of clearance on each side, but, unfortunately, I just don't have a space where having it as a centerpiece is feasible.
I was looking at two corner overflows hidden by two mountains of rock, creating a lagoonal type rift down the center.
I think it will have to be in a corner. There should be about a foot of clearance on each side, but, unfortunately, I just don't have a space where having it as a centerpiece is feasible.
I was looking at two corner overflows hidden by two mountains of rock, creating a lagoonal type rift down the center.
nytrillium
Member
Cool
I was trying to get my parents to let me do one the length of our couch for the new house.... like 6' long and do it 3' width and 2' high...
but no.....
I was trying to get my parents to let me do one the length of our couch for the new house.... like 6' long and do it 3' width and 2' high...
happyvac
Member
Anyway, I got quoted a good $85 in Acrylic from Glasscages, $200 Glass from a local guy. Should I opt for Acrylic? I understand the whole "scratches easily" thing, but just how easily is easily? I wouldn't mind spending a few minutes daily buffing some stuff out, but any acrylic owners want to chime in about this?
nytrillium
Member
ive worked with acrylic quite a bit.... Easily = a grain of sand will scratch it.. NO, it wont be a huge scratch and you probably wont be able to see it, sure as ---- if you bump it with a piece of rock you'll know it. Maybe someone else that has an acrylic tank can chime in.
phixer
Active Member
Originally Posted by NYTrillium
ive worked with acrylic quite a bit.... Easily = a grain of sand will scratch it.. NO, it wont be a huge scratch and you probably wont be able to see it, sure as ---- if you bump it with a piece of rock you'll know it. Maybe someone else that has an acrylic tank can chime in.
Me too and thats the jest of it. Acrylic is a different animal. Wont try to convince anyone otherwise. But scratching and cost is its ONLY down fall. With an acrylic tank, the scratches can be removed, the same cant be said for glass. Other than the ocasional scratches and initial expense (which balances out with the larger tanks), acrylic tanks are stronger, lighter, transmit light better, they are more insulative, retain their value longer, more resisitant to cracks from siesemic activity, they wont turn green at greater thicknesses and can be easily drilled, fabricated and repaired at home by the average DIYer. Otherwise, yup glass is better.
ive worked with acrylic quite a bit.... Easily = a grain of sand will scratch it.. NO, it wont be a huge scratch and you probably wont be able to see it, sure as ---- if you bump it with a piece of rock you'll know it. Maybe someone else that has an acrylic tank can chime in.
Me too and thats the jest of it. Acrylic is a different animal. Wont try to convince anyone otherwise. But scratching and cost is its ONLY down fall. With an acrylic tank, the scratches can be removed, the same cant be said for glass. Other than the ocasional scratches and initial expense (which balances out with the larger tanks), acrylic tanks are stronger, lighter, transmit light better, they are more insulative, retain their value longer, more resisitant to cracks from siesemic activity, they wont turn green at greater thicknesses and can be easily drilled, fabricated and repaired at home by the average DIYer. Otherwise, yup glass is better.
phixer
Active Member
Are you making the overflow for an existing tank? there are some folks around here with a lot of knowledge about overflows and GPH return rates to make them flow right. My area is the design and fabrication of tanks and stands.
Trust me man, it can get old quick if your not careful but it also makes you cognizant that its not a glass tank your working with and needs to be treated differently. So I treat it with a little more TLC. I work with acrylic canopies on aircraft and can tell you that buffing scratches can be a PITA but even so one should take the time to prevent as many as you can. I prefer acrylic. Construction of the "Monster" will start this summer.
Phixer
Trust me man, it can get old quick if your not careful but it also makes you cognizant that its not a glass tank your working with and needs to be treated differently. So I treat it with a little more TLC. I work with acrylic canopies on aircraft and can tell you that buffing scratches can be a PITA but even so one should take the time to prevent as many as you can. I prefer acrylic. Construction of the "Monster" will start this summer.
Phixer
nytrillium
Member
I look forward to following the construction of this so called "monster" :joy: How big will it be?
phixer
Active Member
Hi Nytrillium
It will be a FOWLR and not a reef tank. Its 120 X 24 X36. I pick up the acrylic this summer, then take it to a CNC capable shop for edge prep, as you know edge prep is the foundation of a good job. After that I have to haul the peices into my basement where the assembly table is , then it gets assembled on site. It will set empty for about 2 months before it gets filled to allow it to degass and prolong the longevity of the acrylic. Unlike glass acrylic absorbs water, and if the joints have not completely degassed the pressure of the water will cause expansion while the solvent is still trying to contract, the result, crazing. Many times this will occur later on down the road, could be many months before it starts to show up. One way to help prevent it is to season the tank by letting it set for a couple of months before filling it.
It will be a FOWLR and not a reef tank. Its 120 X 24 X36. I pick up the acrylic this summer, then take it to a CNC capable shop for edge prep, as you know edge prep is the foundation of a good job. After that I have to haul the peices into my basement where the assembly table is , then it gets assembled on site. It will set empty for about 2 months before it gets filled to allow it to degass and prolong the longevity of the acrylic. Unlike glass acrylic absorbs water, and if the joints have not completely degassed the pressure of the water will cause expansion while the solvent is still trying to contract, the result, crazing. Many times this will occur later on down the road, could be many months before it starts to show up. One way to help prevent it is to season the tank by letting it set for a couple of months before filling it.