Asking For Help, Tank & Stand Choices...

[MsFiction1]

Hello All, :wavehand:

HELP!!! Am new to the hobby. Couple of questions, mostly explanation...

I am wanting glass tanks instead of acrylic. Prefer a cylindar for seahorses. For reef possibly a bowfront, half cylindar, or something else different besided the typical rectangular or cube shapes.
I am wondering if the unconventional tanks are not as common because they can have flow problems due to their shapes and if this can be a serious or minor concern after purchase?

Does anyone know if AquaVim.com who sells glass tanks is a Quality company & product to deal with? Any feedback is appreciated! I tried posting this specific quesion in Vendor Experiences Forum but that forum is only open to experienced posters. I am also wondering if their tanks since they are curved have any distortion???

I am specifically interested in their piano shape, panoramic angle, and bowfronts. Their bowfront is different than most bowfronts I have seen. I have not seen any shapes like these in glass at the LFS and am wanting to know if it is because the price is high or if these styles are not readily available for another reason?

Maybe there are other tanks out there in glass I have not yet discovered? Other than the prevelant Oceanic, All-Glass,Lee Mar, Perfecto, can anyone recommend a brand in the above styles I mentioned? I like many of Tenecor.coms acrylic styles of tanks but I prefer glass.

Last question! If I get a reef read tank and stand first and then after those are purchased, I go on to pick the rest of the items needed, would there be a chance of buying the wrong tank and stand to go with the other items or will the filter, pump ect be easy to pick out no matter what tank and stand I choose? It seems builders do things differently in placing holes, room for fans, use of canopys etc and am not sure if this will end up being a problem if I pick out pump etc later?

I will buy it all together if necessary but am having a hard enough time choosing a tank and stand. LOL, and would prefer researching each item as I go. I prefer not to rely on sales people for a quick decision on which pump, filter etc .

Those of you that have gotten into hobbies can probably relate to investing in items only to learn you bought the wrong things or the equiptment just did not serve the purpose you intended it for and so you had to buy something else.

If any of you can help me I REALLY appreciate the assistance!

MsFiction1 :smokin:

[MsFiction1]

LOL< Disregard the :smokin: at end of post...
I aint into no smokin just nature........
:fish1:

MsFiction1 :reading:

[arizona tech]

i had a 46 bow and the distoration was bad, for me i went to petsmart and got my 55 tank, to me a tank is a tank, somtimes you pay for the name only, do alot of resarch and read ,read ,take notes if you have to

[sir_dudeguy]

hello again! :)

Last question! If I get a reef read tank and stand first and then after those are purchased, I go on to pick the rest of the items needed, would there be a chance of buying the wrong tank and stand to go with the other items or will the filter, pump ect be easy to pick out no matter what tank and stand I choose? It seems builders do things differently in placing holes, room for fans, use of canopys etc and am not sure if this will end up being a problem if I pick out pump etc later?

You shouldnt have any problems with that. The only thing you'd have to worry about is the size of the sump. If you get the tank and stand first, and the stand is smallish, then obviously you wont be able to fit as large of a sump in there, but thats about it. All the pumps that would go in the tank can be added at any time.

But if the tank has a stand that was made for it, and all the holes are drill, you just have to do your sump according to those holes...for example if the overflow holes are on the right, then you will have the water going from right to left in the sump (the return pump will be on the left)
If the overflow holes are on the left...no matter...just flip the idea around.

Equipment is pretty much "universal" for any tank, unless you've got something like a nano cube thats got a closed top or something like that...then you wont be able to put certain equipment on it since its all closed.

Also, the shape of the tank shouldnt really affect how the flow is or anything, so i wouldnt worry about it. Theres people who have the same equipment in bowfront/cylinder tanks as other people who have it in regular rectangle tanks and they get the same results and stuff. So basically, the tank shape should just be how you personally like it...if you like the flat tanks (rectangle) go for it...if you like cylinder tanks, go for it. Heck...if you wanted a zig-zag tank, i'm sure someone would let you pay them enough money to make one lol. (just dont get something thats like 8 feet tall and 9 inches wide lol...that wouldnt be good for the fish)

And like you said...dont trust the sales people to give you the right equipment. Often they're just in it for the business and try to sucker you into buying as much as possible...i understand thats their job..to sell...but still
I hear that a guy named Skip at About the Reef is pretty good about being honest and getting you what you really need, but i've never personally delt with him so idk.

hope this book helps ;)
mike

[sir_dudeguy]

i'm not sure on the distortion issue tho...i'm sure that some brands will have horrible distortion, and others wont have any on basically the same design.

[theatrus]

The main problems with non-rectangular shaped tanks are:

- Cost (omg expensive for even a bow)
- Harder to evenly light (at least with fluorescents including T5s and CF, MH pendants are easier but can leave darker regions.)
- Can be more difficult to aquascape in narrower regions
- Catches more reflections from ambient lights.

There is some limitations on other equipment, such as if the tank is drilled or not (need hang on back overflow), what the stand dimensions are (will your sump+skimmer+other junk fit under there?), and what dimensions you need for lighting. The actual equipment (except lighting :)) is pretty much universal.

[sir_dudeguy]

even on lighting tho, you can get pretty much anything. You're obviously not gonna use a 48 inch fixture if you get a 36 inch tank. But you can also get retrofit lights. They're not in a set fixture, so you can place the bulbs however you want them (altho this will usually require drilling the light reflector into the canopy hood or getting some way of hanging it above the tank or something)

[MsFiction1]

Heh Mike, How are ya!

Thanks for posting and helping! Geez, I really got alot of questions before I buy! Have not seen at the 3 or 4 LFS's what I want. The only places are Tenecor.com, and again I don't really want acrylic at this point anyway, and the other site Aquavim.com has some shapes I like but the pictures and site are not proof enough of quality....

I am hoping to get some feedback here on brands out there I have not considered and maybe some input on the Aquavim.com aquariums......... MsFiction1

[theatrus]

I haven't seen many bendy glass variations besides the stock Oceanic Bowfront and Corner tanks. They're hard to find (expensive to curve glass that way compared to acrylic).

But glass is the way to go! :)

[sir_dudeguy]

I also prefer glass. Acrylic can be clearer, unless you get that starfire glass or whatever its called, but thats rediculously priced, specially for a bow i would immagine. Acrylic just scratches too easily for my liking.

[MsFiction1]

Thanks again for the posts! Is there anyone here that could post the Aquavim.com question for me in the Vendor Experiences Forum??? Again, since I am a beginner and do not qualify, maybe someone has bought from them and had a good or bad experience. They are one of the few companies that will ship glass to a customer!
Thanks MUCH to all of you! MsFiction1