3x2x3 tank Whatcha think?

[Jase]

I have been looking at upgrading my 55 to a 120. However, my LFS has a used 3' long, 2' wide, 3' tall tank with an iron stand for sale for $99. He claims it is 150 gallons.

I would light it with 4 96 w pc and 2 400 watt Iwasakis. It would be a predominantly sps tank, done a la Japanese, with two rock structures on either side, and a gorge through the middle. I'm kinda thinking that even though the tank is only 3 feet long, the extra foot of height would give me some awsome aquascaping oppportunities.

Please give me your thoughts and suggestions and reasons , if any, if you think I should still go with a standard 120.

ps. after all the gunk that goes on on the other boards you guys are now home ;)

[myreef]

The tank comes out to be 135 gallons. Someone at the LFS should know that. Tell him to do the calculation LxWxH/231. Anyway, sounds like a great tank. I think you could do some good aquascaping. The price sure is right...tell him since it is only 135 that you will give him $85. I would buy it in a heart beat for that price. Sounds like you have the lighting figured out. I like going with the 400 watt MH since it is 36" deep. Can't beat the price....can't beat the price! Just out of curiosity, I would ask what the former owner used the tank for, salt or fresh. Ask him if he will give you at least a 30 day warranty on the tank, in case of leaks. Good luck keep us posted.

[organicreefer]

personally i tend to shy away from any tank that is taller than it is wide because of gas exchange remember:wider is better

[reefhead]

deeper is better ( in terms of the sandbed)

[Duncan]

Jase,
That sounds like a sweet deal. You could do some really creative rock work in a tank of those dimensions. I actually would put 2 400's over the top of that beauty, along with a few 2 foot VHO'S. But hey thats just me being light crazy again. As far as the gas exchange is concerned, well with the proper filtration, flow, and a skimmer well oversized for the system, no problem. Go for it. As usual, all is IMHO.

Duncan.

[MarkS]

That would be a perfect tank for seahorses. They require a tall tank and I am building a tank 36" high just for seahorses. They are very demanding though, so this may not be for you.

Regardless, it would make a very cool tank!

Mark

[Reinhold]

Do you have any photos of it?

[Jase]

No Photos...I haven't bought it yet...I'm going back today to have a more thorough look. I have small kids, and am a little concerned about the stability of it.

[Reinhold]

Stability is certainly a concern with kids who could pull it over on top of them. Given how cheap the tank is, you could afford to build a very stable, sturdy tank stand.

Check out this link to Japanese reef tanks posted by baywatch babe in a thread last month. Many of the tanks are more square in shape with amazing rock aquascaping.

[organicreefer]

reefhead,youre right tall is good too,as long as it is just as wide .ive noticed alot of the poeple on the board that have been getting large custom (inter-american etc.) tanks have been getting like 28 wide by 28 deep ,30 wide by 30 deep etc. wich is awesome.imo the more surface area you have the better

[fishrule]

Jase, this is not Deuce Bigelow, your tank will not turn over. The Deuce Bigelow tank was 450 gallons. It weighed over 4,000 pounds, more than your car. Your tank will weigh over 1000 pounds. Especially since it is 24 inches wide, it will be very hard to turn over.

[jcwbnimble]

Howdy,

Go for it!!!!!

I wish I could get my hands on a tank like that for that price. The dimensions are almost a cube, so it should be pretty stable. You might consider building a stand out of 4"x4" and 3/4" plywood if you are worried about the tank tipping. Personally I have never trusted those iron stands, I just hate putting that much weight on such small legs.

Anyway, the lighting you mentioned sounds great. The 400w MH should provide enough light to keep almost anything in the tank even on the bottom. Are you going to use the 4x96w PCs for actinic supplementation? If so, you may only need 2, since they are just for color.

Anyway, get the tank and tell us all about it so we can be jealous,

Scott.