New Tank Purchase help.

N

nato435

AC Members
Oct 22, 2002
26
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0
Fresno, CA
Hey everyone...

Thinking of starting a new tank. I think that the SeaClear Acrylics look really nice. Has anyone had any experience with the "SeaClear System II"? Looks like it might be a slight overkill with chemical Filteration, but the rest looks pretty good.

I'm thinking I have room for the 40 gallon. I already have a 100 gallon FW, so my wife won't let me put a new tank in any other room but my office. I just don't have enogh wall space for anything other than the 40. I feel the best plan is for it to be a Fish only tank with Live rock.

Any comments or further suggestions would be great.

I'm starting to get some numbers down so I can use my Christmas Bonus money (possibly) to help with the purchase.

TIA for the help!
 
In general acrylic is more expensive than glass and easier to scratch. However it is lighter and harder to break. so there are definite pros and cons. but I'd say the biggest thing would be to buy the biggest tank possilble that you can fit in your room. if you don't want all the extra's right away give yourself a nice deep, deep sand bed and buy a bunch of base rock that will become live over time. That will suppliment for the expensive filters etc that come with a big tank. then when you decide to get corals, more fish etc later you can sell some live sand and buy better lights, a skimmer etc...

More space = more options... I wish I would have know this a long time ago becuase I would have went with 100+ gallon instead of a 30 or a 55...
 
No particular reason to choosing acrylic except for the curved corners, they look pretty slick and it seems they are less likely to leak. Is this true? What are the other pros and cons?

Like I said in my original post... I am in the discovery/research phase of this.

Thanks-
 
My friend has an acrylic yes it's nice but it's scatched to hell. While putting in his live rock it scraped againist the tank and scatched it big time. Also it's got a lot of hairline scratches. Glass is more likey to leak but, I've had my 20 for 15 years still no leaks. also my 55 for 12 years. No leaks at all.
 
I'd say it depends. Glass tanks, if treated well and cleaned with care, aren't prone to leaking. If they do, seams are fairly easy to fix, and even a cracked pane can be sandwiched between two pieces of glass and repaired. I have a glass 15 that is at least 20 years old. Other than a little scratch in one corner, it's in great shape, no leaks, and good for many more years. If acrylic does break--and it can, it's brittle--it's harder to repair, and buffing out scratches is a pain.

As for the curved corners--have you seen one filled, with stuff in it? JMO, but the distortion is terrible, and unattractive. The simple square corners of glass don't distort nearly as much. If you get a really good acrylic, this is reduced--but you're talking some serious bucks.

I won't dispute the weight issue--I have glass 120's, and they are absolutely beastly to move.
 
algae scrubber

Acrylic scratches can be buffed out though, with a kit.

Also, acrylic tanks you have to be careful with algae magnets, because they can pick up sand or maybe even calcareous worms and scratch the glass.

BTW, the reason I mentioned calcareous worms is because my mag-float has some on it. They dont scratch though, I have a glass tank.
 
Glass

So then I go with glass. Whats the best set-up for filtration and substrate ect.? Again planning on a Fish Only tank due to the fact that I probably only have room for a 40-50 gallon. Would it make since to put in live rock?? Any info or links to reading material would be great.

The other reason I mention the acrylic was the System II. It had a great place to hide a skimmer, any other mechanical filteration and a heater without it actually beening seen inside the tank. With it black backing and compartments it seemed to be a great option. At about $400 for the tank and filteration minus skimmer/heater I thought it was a good buy.
Take a look at the (40 or 50 Regular System II RTR)
http://www.seaclear.com/USFS-seaclear.html

If it seems I'm nutty just give me more input, believe me I'm not 100% decided on any level. :duh:

Thanks Again.
 
Robert Fenner is one of my favorites, and here is a link to setups

Hope this helps in your journey. You can browse for hours here and learn soo soo much.

This guy has wrote one of the books I constantly go back and refer to "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist"
 
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