ok...I want bigger!

[sweetshannon]

SO I was going to start with a 26 gallon, but as I go to fish stores and look around and set up my shopping list.....I think that my 26 gallon just isn't good enough. Why start small? I started small with my fresh tank, and now have a 100 gallon. Plus, I really tend to understock. Which is easier with a bigger tank. An overstocked, or stocked almost to the max tank makes me nervous.
Anyway, I found this cool corner tank at Pet Club. It's a 58 gallon, I think. I was thinking I could put the rock in a big pile in the back corner, and the fish would have lots of room to swim around the front.
Thoughts on this shape? Good? Bad?

 

[thominil]

I wouldn't get a corner tank as they are a pain to light up properly, but thats just my opinion. If you want it, go for it. If you were to start with a bigger tank, I would start with at least a 75 gallon tank or th 72 gallon bow front.

 

[sweetshannon]

Thaks for your reply....it may be a pain to light, but is it possible? I really like it, but don't want to regret it later. I am not doing anemones now, as I have read some things that changed my mind. I am thinking soft corals. Will these be easy enough to light with this shape? Or would I be best just getting this out of my mind. The room I am putting it is doesn't have the most room available.

 

[thominil]

It can be done. I don't think T5 HO will work as the corner tanks are usually pretty tall. You may have to look into mh which is where the "pain" comes from.

 

[sweetshannon]

It can be done. I don't think T5 HO will work as the corner tanks are usually pretty tall. You may have to look into mh which is where the "pain" comes from.

Are those the lights that need a fan?

 

[Etunes]

I bought a 90g corner tank and from doing research and the help of the people on this website i plan on making it my first salty tank. thom is right, they are a pain to light, mainly because it is deep and oddly shaped. But personally i think they are beutiful when done right. A good Metal Halide light is what i am gonna use for my salty which is good for deep tanks. And besides that you hang it high over the tank so it gives it really good lighting. So no, in my opinion i think they are fine if your doing a saltwater, but i could imagine that a freshwater would be a pain.

Almost all big lights need a fan because of the heat. But you can leave the MH lighting bair in the air and it would be fine.

 

[thominil]

Yup. Almost all lights nowdays need a fan. MH is expensive which is the downside to it.

 

[sweetshannon]

thanks so much for the quick replies!

 

[Etunes]

MH is expensive which is the downside to it.

Do you mean to run it or to buy it?

 

[thominil]

lol, No problem.

Etunes-both lol

 

[joy13]

I have a corner tank and it is a big PITA to light. I am trying to think of other options maybe a smaller light towards the back and then the longer one up front. The sides is what is the difficult part to deal with I have thought about begging my son to make special legs for it but he deals mostly with metals and I know what salt does to metal. I am glad I set it up as a SW instead of an African biotope. I had everything but the fish for the biotope and changed my mind. The light I was going to use for the planted tank has the wrong spectrum for a SW tank so I tucked that away for another tank or if I change my mind on this one. Filtering is another big problem, and is water flow.

Right now a month into my corner tank I would have to say it is worth the hassle.

1 rule is go as big as possible more options and less problems. I started with an 8 gallon nano and have the corner tank which I think is either a 40 or 45 gallon. I love my nano but top offs and maintainance is twice what the bigger tank is.

 

[sweetshannon]

Ok, so I am not doing the corner tank. Thanks for the great advice. I am looking at a 40 or 50 gallon oceanic tank. My question is....is the overflow very helpful? Or should I look for drilled? And is a top necessary? I saw tanks with lights supported above the tank on feet....any tips on what is best for me and for the fish?

 

[thominil]

Depends on what light you get. T5 HO will be fine on legs right above the tank. Metal halide will need to be suspended over the water to reduce heat IMO. If you get an overflow, it will work the same as if you drill it. If you decide to drill, you need to make sure the glass isn't tempered otherwise it will shatter if you try to drill it. There should be a sticker on the bottem telling you whether it is tempered or not. HTH.