Looking for all kinds of advice!!

[MikeFishGuy]

Hello all! I just found this site and am hoping to get a ton of advice from everyone that has been doing this a while. While I'm not new to this by any means, it's been a LONG time since I've had an aquarium.

To give you a brief history I started with a 10g tropical when I was about 6 or 7, which progressed to two 10g, a 29g and a 55g Salt water by the time I moved out of my parents house at about 22. I moved across the country about 6 years ago and sold EVERYTHING related to my aquariums.

I had wanted to purchase new stuff once I got settled, and while it has taken longer than expected I'm in the process of having a nice house built that I plan to stay in for a while that has a "U" shaped staircase with a spot that's just begging to have an aquarium put in.

There are a few minor issues which is what I'm looking for help and advice on. First, my honey bunches of oats (spouse) can be very picky when it comes to looks, so whatever I do has to look outstanding. Second, which plays off the first, as well as my desire to have a outstanding wow factor is the aquarium will be visible from almost 360*.

Everyone I have talked to so far has asked about salt, fresh ect. and the answer at this point is I'm not sure. Money will be playing a part in this, but at the very least I plan on making a reef aquarium a possibility without having to go out and start from scratch.

I have done some research on aquariums and have decided that I would prefer an acrylic aquarium. I'm leaning to that because since there will be a 360* view I want to have as few things going up the sides to the top as possible.

My current plan involves a cylinder, or hexagon aquarium with a built in overflow placed in the center. I have also played around with the idea of building a square(ish) acrylic and doing the same thing.

At this point I'm looking for advice and ideas from people so that I can do this so that it looks the best I can make it for as cheap as I can do it! (mainly I'm hoping to save money by learning from others unfortunate mistakes !!)

 

[spoonman]

If it is going to be in the middle of the floor and you can walk all the way around it, you need to think of electricity. Probably a floor outlet somewhere in the area that the tank will be. I think a big square tank with the overflow in the center and a sump and all equipment in the stand would be awesome.

 

[Coursair]

I like rimless freshwater planted tanks. Some rimless glass tanks are getting fairly large.

But if you go custom you can use glass or acrylic.

 

[MikeFishGuy]

The location is a little hard to explain, and I can't get the picture to pull off the model home. The staircase goes upstairs in a "U" shape. I 'll be placing the aquarium in the middle of the "U". I already planned ahead and am having the builder place a outlet in the space. I have never done a sump before and am honestly a little nervous. I had the over the side filters in all of my first aquariums and hated them. I finally upgraded to a canister filter when I started my saltwater tank and was fairly impressed.

Am I wrong in thinking that a sump wet/dry filter is basically a canister filter, but a little more flexible? What got me leaning to a sump in the first place is the idea of not having anything hanging over the side, no wires running all over the back, since I really won't have a back :-/

 

[MikeFishGuy]

Ok, I've been doing a little minor price shopping on acrylic and it's expensive! Glass seems to be quite a bit cheaper, and after looking into it and talking to a few people drilling glass is no harder than drilling acrylic, so I'm willing to give it a whirl.

I'm leaning more towards building my own tank since it would allow me to make the best use of the space. My only other question is regarding a hybrid tank. I found this company that builds them and like the look. I was thinking of trying it myself, but wanted to see if anyone has tried it or has opinions on it.