Which tank would you get?

[ophthos]

I'm new to all this stuff. I plan on putting a reef tank in my patient waiting room. I've done a lot of reading on this site and in some books recommended here. I went to a very reputable LFS this weekend and looked at a couple of Oceanic reef ready tanks.
My question is should I use a flat front or a bowed front? There is always a bit of an optical shift with curved glass but it didn't seem too bad at the LFS.
Thanks
Peter

 

[mindcage133]

Peter, I think it would be personal pref. I like the look of both but the bow front is generally a little more expensive for a litle smaller tank in comparison.

 

[novahobbies]

Ditto. I like the look of bowfronts too, but you get more tank for less money with a regular tank.

 

[raccoon]

I personally dont like the bow fronts at all. Once you have a nice setup and fish swimming around they bend the image too much. I also feel if you are going to get this for a waiting room that a regular long tank will be nicer b/c your patients will have a larger view of your display. More "Store Front" property.
Henry
Keeping your fish Healthy? What about your body?
http://www.BeyondAcai.com

 

[ophthos]

Thanks guys, you've pretty confirmed my thoughts. The bow looks real nice but when you walk by the tank you get that image shift that can make me feel dizzy. I'm an ophthalmologist, so most of my patients are old and have poor vision to start. Last thing I need is people getting dizzy and falling down. Besides I know they will complain about the images. You spend all this money to give them something nice and relaxing to look at and you know they still complain about something.
OK thanks for now. When I have a plan I'll post my set up and get some opinions.
Thanks
Peter

 

[big]

I love my Bows.. I would never go back....
Opps just read the ophthalmologis issue after typing, maybe the regular would be better for the older folks walking by...........

 

[novahobbies]

Originally Posted by ophthos
http:///forum/post/2824127
Last thing I need is people getting dizzy and falling down. Besides I know they will complain about the images. You spend all this money to give them something nice and relaxing to look at and you know they still complain about something.

Dude, I'm not laughing at the patients, but I'm definitely laughing at the image! Having spent most of my career in health care, I can empathize....they WILL find something to complain about. But we shouldn't moan too much...we'll be there someday!

 

[matt b]

If you plan on doing a canopy then just know it is going to cost alot and take along time to build or get built.

 

[groupergenius]

Another thing to consider being the tank is right out there in the public...kinda. For my own curiosity, would acrylic be better? Just thinking of someone knocking into the tank or inevitable little kids banging on it..Will acrylic hold up better to abuse than a glass tank??

 

[ophthos]

I have been leaning toward the acrylic tanks myself, not to get into the whole glass vs acrylic argument but it's much harder to break acrylic.
Incidentlly, Novahobbies........the reason for the new waiting room and the fish tank is in the past year, I've had two little old ladies drive thru the side of my building, one a year ago and another one this past spring.
Last fall a 90 year old lady came to pay a twenty dollar bill and lost control of her car and drove into the building. The kicker was, she already paied the bill and didn't need to come back. I got that fixed and this past spring the same thing happened. Different lady but same results. So I decided to build out the building to encompass those parking spaces. Here is a picture of the most recent "event":

Pretty good, huh?

 

[small triggers]

what about speed bumps then curbs infront of your building instead?? (maybe a little cheaper and more money to spend on the tank) Oh and as far as Matt B's comment about the expense of a conopy or stand,, not really if you are handy. I built my stand for my 150 and only paid about $300 for the wood/paint/supplies and am able to use most of the scrap for the canopy.

 

[big]

After seeing the kind of luck you have I take the original idea back.... You should go Acrylic

Ouch!!!!!!

 

[ophthos]

Triggers, sped bumps wouldn't help. There was a cinderblock wall about three feet high that had concrete poured into the speces and rebarred down into the foundation. The lady hit so hard, she knocked the whole wall off in one piece. She snapped all the rebar and pushed the wall into the hallway.
I look at it this way, I really needed a bigger waiting room, and her insurance company gave me about $40,000 to put toward it!

And Big, I think your right.
More questions to follow when I get going.
Thanks
Peter

 

[mr.reef]

i would go with the long one the bow that i have had break after awhile now i have a 125 long in my office the kids like hitting it.... theres a note that says dont tap on glass but that does not work its very nice tank.....