Advice for a Newbie - How Big? How small?

[carey]

If you get coral the lighting will be more difficult for a corner unit, at least from what I've read here and knowing how the tank is shaped. I would go with a drilled bowfront, lots of swim room up front and a nice footprint. Lights will be much easier to figure out with the bowfront.

 

[MacDracor]

The bowfronts are beautiful! And drilling is always a good idea. I wish my tank was drilled, and my next one WILL be!
So like Carey said, go with the bowfront.

 

[Mrc8858]

Ya I got my drilled 46g bowfront with sump/refugium and all the equipment and stand for $125 on CL which is my current project now and the bowfronts do look great btw

 

[Agatheron]

Is it possible to order a 46g Bowfront drilled? Or are there particular brands that favour it. We've taken possession of our house and are looking at areas in the house which would favour a tank. Now it's less about gallonage (?) and more about the width measurment. It seems that a 48" tank will be a bit too wide for all but one of the potential locations we are looking at. A 72g bowfront is 48" wide... and a 54g corner won't fit in the only available corner we'll have. A few diagonal walls makes this odd. As such, we may need to limit our choices to a 36" wide tank... but we can go vertical as well... I just think my wife would really like us to have something with a curved front.

 

[Jlsardina]

I believe aqueaon (sp?) makes one

 

[Agatheron]

I did some checking and it seems there are acrylic bow fronts that fill the middle ground between 46 and 72. Measurements are similar, but they go a bit taller. I do realise the drawbacks to acrylic.

Aqueon, on the other hand, doesn't appear to make a pre drilled in 46g. Their 54g corner, however does come with that option.

 

[MacDracor]

Drilling acrylic is pretty easy. You could build the overflow yourself and save some money.

 

[Agatheron]

It'd be easier if there was a local outfit that carried drilled bow fronts smaller than 72g. It may mean we are going to go with the 46g with an overflow box on the back. I know for my own comfort level, I don't want to go over 60g for our first tank, and given our space restrictions we may simply have to stay with the 46g until we eventually develop the basement. However, adding a sump will add to the water in the system, so I could be running a system that will be over 50g.

Any suggestions as to what a good sump size for a 46g tank might be? I realise that I will be limited to what can fit under the cabinet.

 

[carey]

I agree, it's all based on the space underneath.I would say a 20g tank if it fits.

 

[Agatheron]

I checked today. Seems if we go with the 46g bowfront, we will be limited to a sump around the size of Aqueon's Proflex model 1 Sump, which holds just over 11 gallons in the refugium configuration. It'd bring the total capacity of the system to just over 57g. That having been said, I presume that suggested tank size for certain fish has to do more with swimming space. As such, I should limit myself to livestock that are good for 40 gallon tanks or smaller, rather than say 55g?

Also, I realise it may be personal preference, but with a 46g tank and an 11.7g sump, what filtration option am I best to go with? Refugium? Wet/Dry? Berlin?

 

[zambono]

If you want photosynthetic corals you will definitely need more light. At least 5W per gallon worth, the amount varies based on the size of the aquarium, water depth, etc.