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[Coleus]

I currently have a 92 corner bow front fresh water tank and 45 bow front reef tank. I would love to have a 92 reef tank but having couple questions and need experienced canreef members to give me some advice of how to do this. I have couple options:

1) Sell my fw tank and buy a drilled reef ready 92 bow front tank. Hard to find a used one tho.

2) Empty my fw and drill it and then xfer my current sw content into it. Btw, do i still have to cycle the tank and filter? Does drilled tank has more potential to crack which can be a huge nightmare for my main floor.

3) Dont drill it and just have the media hanging to the back (which is my current sw setup and I do find it unpretty sometime)?

In the end, I just want to know what the best way of doing this in term of saving money and headache.

Thank you for all advice and please be nice.

Cheers
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Marijuana Sativa (http://strainindex.com)

[banditpowdercoat]

If your set on using a corner tank, then Drill it, is my suggestion. But, from someone who has a 45g corner tank, well, 2 actually, they are a PITA for sumps and equip underneath. Just hard to work on under there. maybe a larger tank is better in that respect?

But I definately say run a sump underneath, then you can hide all the "necessary bits"

as long as you stay away form the edge when drilling, tanks are not more prone to breaking when drilled.

If you keep the rock wet, you may end up with a small cycle. Make sure to rinse your sand though, once you stirr up the sand, it will release ammonia and be bad.

[Zoaelite]

I'm not a big corner tank fan, awkward angles = awkward cleaning :lol:. Do you have room for a square tank or are you going with the corner tank because that's the only thing that will fit. (Also keep in mind that lighting for a corner tank can be a little bit troublesome.)
Levi

[BlueAbyss]

(Also keep in mind that lighting for a corner tank can be a little bit troublesome.)
Levi

+1... I was reading a tank thread on NR and the guy ended up getting LED fixtures to fit the wierd angles and bracing.

[Zoaelite]

I'm sure you could retrofit a halide in there but t'5 supplementals might be a little harder. Never used LED's but from my reading they sound really pretty interesting.
Levi

+1... I was reading a tank thread on NR and the guy ended up getting LED fixtures to fit the wierd angles and bracing.

[Coleus]

you bring up some great points. Now I have to see how i am going fit my light with corner tank. Hmmm more to think about...

Thank you for all inputs so far
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Ship Sale (http://ship-sale.com/)

[Zoaelite]

you bring up some great points. Now I have to see how i am going fit my light with corner tank. Hmmm more to think about...

Thank you for all inputs so far

So many things to put into a tank, you made the right choice asking canreef :lol:. Have you thought of flow, I ask because longer tanks have the length to diffuse the power of a strong power head. While a corner tank would have flow directly hitting glass, this can cause some sand storm problems. What about the plumbing and the sump, unless you have an internal overflow you wont have a flush corner set up. These are few reasons I prefer a square tank over a corner one.

[Coleus]

So many things to put into a tank, you made the right choice asking canreef :lol:. Have you thought of flow, I ask because longer tanks have the length to diffuse the power of a strong power head. While a corner tank would have flow directly hitting glass, this can cause some sand storm problems. What about the plumbing and the sump, unless you have an internal overflow you wont have a flush corner set up. These are few reasons I prefer a square tank over a corner one.

Unfortunately, corner tank is only my option now to maximize the view and size
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Mercedes-Benz 190 (http://www.mercedes-wiki.com/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_190)

[Coleus]

as long as you stay away form the edge when drilling, tanks are not more prone to breaking when drilled.

If you keep the rock wet, you may end up with a small cycle. Make sure to rinse your sand though, once you stirr up the sand, it will release ammonia and be bad.

Thank you
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MAGIC FLIGHT LAUNCH BOX REVIEW (http://mflbvaporizer.com)

[Lance]

I have a 90g corner reef that's been running for 22 months. I converted it from a FW as well. Pm me with any questions you may have.


http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo151/lancefishtank/IMG_2486.jpg

[Zoaelite]

Great looking tank Lance! Are your two tanks plumbed together or individual systems? Never contemplated having an open back but that's a smart way to incorporate power heads, does the tank have a overflow?
Levi

[Coleus]

I have a 90g corner reef that's been running for 22 months. I converted it from a FW as well. Pm me with any questions you may have.


Ok, just called Gold and they said my bow front can't be drilled :-(. To buy drilled one it would cost $1300 for stand + tank + glass and they have none in stock for like 6 weeks already.

Hmmm, I think i don't think i should sell my current setup for $800. I should convert it it to sw to save some money. Maybe save money for bigger proper setup in my basement.
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YAMAHA VIRAGO SPECIFICATIONS (http://www.yamaha-tech.com/wiki/Yamaha_Virago)

[Zoaelite]

Take it slow, no rush and buy the biggest freaking tank you can afford :lol:. Would love to see you start up a build thread.
Levi

Ok, just called Gold and they said my bow front can't be drilled :-(. To buy drilled one it would cost $1300 for stand + tank + glass and they have none in stock for like 6 weeks already.

Hmmm, I think i don't think i should sell my current setup for $800. I should convert it it to sw to save some money. Maybe save money for bigger proper setup in my basement.

[Lance]

Great looking tank Lance! Are your two tanks plumbed together or individual systems? Never contemplated having an open back but that's a smart way to incorporate power heads, does the tank have a overflow?
Levi


Tanks have individual systems. Yes it has an overflow and 54 gallon sump.

[BlueAbyss]

Ok, just called Gold and they said my bow front can't be drilled :-(. To buy drilled one it would cost $1300 for stand + tank + glass and they have none in stock for like 6 weeks already.

Hmmm, I think i don't think i should sell my current setup for $800. I should convert it it to sw to save some money. Maybe save money for bigger proper setup in my basement.

This brings up an interesting idea... now that you know the tank can't be drilled, have you considered modding the tank into an AIO? A sheet of glass and some silicone, a return pump and BAM instant AIO.

/* begin rant

Unfortunately, going this direction will take away from a fair bit of your tank space, but would allow you to sequester all those ugly things (like heaters, thermometers, skimmers etc.) away, without a sump (which you could still have, using one of those CPR siphon overflows...). You could even drill the sheet of glass for a few return holes and run a SCWD or whatever... and you would never have a flood. Plus it would be fun to build. You might have issues finding a suitable pump for a system like that... it would all depend on the end display area gallonage I guess. If you end up going with a display area that works out to around 60 gallons in the end, and you want to run 30x turnover you need a return pump that will push 1800 gph and is submersible... actually now, having figured that out, that's not bad and would be enough water movement for LPS and softies. I think a Mag 18 would do it, there's likely a QuietOne pump that would do it also... Really, I suppose it depends on what you plan to keep in your reef. SPS will need double that amount of flow (well, maybe significantly less than that but that's what I would aim for in an SPS dominated reef) and a mixed reef would probably have high flow and high light zones and low flow and light zones...

end rant */

That's probably what I would do in your situation. But there is the option of the siphon overflows.