Corner Tanks?

[5thtonbench]

Anyone using corner tanks, like the all-glass 54 or 90 gallon jobbers? I would like to see what people might be doing with such layouts as it is also one of the potentials on my mind...

Thanks!

-5th

[matrixnyc]

I am also looking to get a larger tank, possibly a corner tank.

I would also like to know from any member that had/had one of these. Pros and Cons

[fishfreek]

I have not had one but from what I have heard they can be a pain in the butt to light properly.

The odd shape means that you can have difficulty in getting florecent tubes of the proper intensity into the corner area and also when it comes to aquascaping thats a long way to reach when you gotta get into that back corner.


Personally I think they are overpriced when you compair the price of a 90gal corner tank vs a 90 gal regular.

[5thtonbench]

lighting I am projecting an issue, but with every obstacle is a solution waiting to be found... I will be taking apart my old hood to install into a new custom hood if I go this route....

The only layout I can really forsee in the corner tanks is a half-moon reef wall for your corals, spreading towards the front I suppose.... I am hoping someone can come up with some input on this.

I am really unaware of the costs on these things... my LFS sells tanks, stands and canopies at cost to me so it has always been really reasonable. My 75g with stand and canopy only ran me 350 dollars after tax. I guess I should investigate in case it suddenly becomes sky high...

[ssgibby]

I had a Corner tank 50Gallons I think. I have to agree with everyone else, it was a pain in the butt to light. If you could use pendant lighting, it would work out well I would think.

[smy168]

I had a 54 corner set up without a sump and I can say one thing....water circulation is tough!

http://www.reeflounge.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=727

This is the tank currently, the sump is coming soon. because of the dimensions, you'll find a hard to setting the powerheads because the bow front tends to push downwards, thus shifting the sand all the time. I'm hoping the sump return will give me some more flexibility on water currents and circulation as well as removing all the hardware out of the tank, maybe a chiller and lastly a canopy.

The Corner is a great tank to play with when it comes to aquascaping...what the photo doesn't show you is that behind the "featherduster" in the front is actually a sandbed to mid level valley that allows you to see straight back to the point of the tank, it builds depth so you can see the shade critters..blood shrimp, flame scallops etc etc..I have some corals placed in the middle side walls so that you can see a front view into the tank. Sort of a cresent moon with a half moon inside the curve. I think walls are harder to get away with because you lose alot of space moving upward in a triangle.

Anyways, enough babble Good Luck guy!

[smy168]

lighting I am projecting an issue, but with every obstacle is a solution waiting to be found... I will be taking apart my old hood to install into a new custom hood if I go this route....

The only layout I can really forsee in the corner tanks is a half-moon reef wall for your corals, spreading towards the front I suppose.... I am hoping someone can come up with some input on this.

I am really unaware of the costs on these things... my LFS sells tanks, stands and canopies at cost to me so it has always been really reasonable. My 75g with stand and canopy only ran me 350 dollars after tax. I guess I should investigate in case it suddenly becomes sky high...

Hey if you can get to brooklyn...go to 1000 island aquariums...they do a great job on building tanks, stands, canopies..they are going to build one for a me soon. they have a site www.1000islandaquarium.com , ask for Carol, she'll do you a deal.

Plus they have some great corals and fish there...A Must See!

[surgeon67]

Just found this thread....looks like it's a bit stale, but just in case, here are a few thoughts:

I have a 170gal corner. Love the tank, looks good, and is the only sizeable tank that would fit where it needed to go (could have had a MUCH smaller rectangle, but wanted larger volume to cover mistakes)

Aquascaping... best could come up with was the crescent from side to side, but you have the choice of peak in center or on either/both ends. I like the way it looks though because you can pull up a chair in the center and the aquarium seems to surround you. Snokeling, but dry! :mrgreen:

Water flow.... returns are in the center, pointing to each arm. Supplemented with powerheads this seems to work well.

lighting... either PC units (I have 3), or MH retrofits. My linitation is the height of the canopy (anybody know where I can get a taller canopy for a corner?) so I am stuck with 18" PC's for the moment. Long VHO lights are NOT an option.

all the hardware is in the sump.

Hope it helps if you haven't already figured it out yourself...

[BigFish]

you should ask at lfs if they know of any custom stand builders here in az there is a guy who builds custom canopees and stands. His prices are kind of high but he will build anything and finish it however you want he will use any material you want from particle board to solid oak. He calls himself woody the woodworker (kind of a play on woody the woodpecker) anyway I will try to get his #. I have seen his work and it is good.

I bet if you ask around there is somebody like that where you live.

[surgeon67]

the only one I've found so far doesn't make stuff I'd like. I've tried cabinet makers, but none have seemed willing to try yet.


the search continues

[phistio]

i'm actually thinking that my next tank night be a 90 corner tank...and i think i could supplement lighting with LED's to fill in the vacant (and all odd) front of the "hard to light tank."

any thought on other ways to tackle the issue...keep in mind that a pendant would not really be an option, as i like the complete look of a canopy/hood... :wink:

[surgeon67]

I've been looking at my situation pretty carefully, and I may have a solution that will fix my problems, but at a price....

My problems are:
1) Hood too shallow to allow MH lights
2) not enough PC light to get to the bottom of my 30" tank
3) corner tank hood not easily available, and custom hoods aren't cheap
4) HEAT, controlled by a chiller, but makes the room hot., and would be worse with MH lights

OK here's the idea... I get another corner stand and put it on TOP of the tank as a REALLY BIG canopy. That gets storage space and MH space, allows for Pendant MH lights, encloses everything for looks, and allows placement of another A/C vent or return from above to control the heat, which should reduce the amount of time the chiller runs. Problem there is that the stands aren't cheap either ($1200) and that's before the MH lights.

But that might work for you too phisto.... that size canopy would give you enough room for lights for the corner. And I *think* it'll look good, almost like the tank is built into the corner of the room.


Any thoughts?