Designing a new tank - what do you wished you had done differently?

[Lingwendil]

I incorporated the main thing I wanted into my recent build- taller stand. 36"~ height versus the usual ~28" makes a huge difference.

 

[Fisherman Joe]

If I buy a four foot tank, and I want a triton style sump, do you go for a three foot sump with a divider and room for the controllers or would you go for a four foot sump?

I would really like everything in one neat package.

Think I’m going for a Pelmet with bracing rather than rimless based on this feedback. Also an external overflow I think.

Will the salt creep be an issue if I have a hard tile floor?

 

[Turtlesteve]

The biggest headache for me comes down to how my stand was designed (it's homemade....nobody to blame but myself). It has center braces on both sides and the doors are small. I wish I'd done this differently to improve access

 

[AngryMike2016]

I wish I had made my rock work less vertical, and that I had a PAR meter while doing the aquascape.

 

[Jon Fishman]

Have you tried epoxy? Like what's use on garage floors? That's what I was thinking of trying, without the flakes though

I actually picked up more epoxy to do the inside of my stand. I used it on the top of the stand with great results.

 

[Danny N]

Fish room. I’m so jealous of people with easy access to all of their equipment....

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

LOL. Here is the newb answer. I would have drilled the tank and set it up with a sump instead of jumping in to try and preserve the 20 lbs of live lava rock and the sand it had. Running hob is a pain to maintain, and woefully underpowered for the type of tank I want.;Facepalm

 

[vetteguy53081]

I can’t say I have a complaint. Wish I used a different wall which is now used by new tank arrival.
I have perfect plumbing configuration and easy access to all electrical and components and convenience of doors on All sides because unit is peninsula style

 

[samnaz]

I wish I hadn’t got a manufactured stand and did DIY instead.

 

[Smarkow]

Ghost overflow is the best money I have spent on new tank install.

I use a big glass aqueon sump 55 gal and a 30 gallon tall drilled together. Gives me a massive fuge for what would cost 500$ or more in acrylic.

I did DIY stand and bumped the height up two inches more than I guessed I would need (guessed 36” -> 38”) to run some taller equipment under the tank. Sooo happy!

 

[jsvand5]

Definitely the ghost overflow. I’d never set up a tank without one again

 

[Smarkow]

If I buy a four foot tank, and I want a triton style sump, do you go for a three foot sump with a divider and room for the controllers or would you go for a four foot sump?

I would really like everything in one neat package.

Think I’m going for a Pelmet with bracing rather than rimless based on this feedback. Also an external overflow I think.

Will the salt creep be an issue if I have a hard tile floor?

Biggest sump possible is often good, particularly for big fuges, but don't forget to leave some space for dry hardware (like big triton dosing containers, big ATOs, etc. you don't have to refill too often). Salt creep should not affect tile meaningfully.

 

[Enesar]

I've been in the hobby for less than 2 years, but the things I wish I had are an external overflow, a taller (maybe even custom) stand, possibly a slightly smaller sump so I could fit a doser and other equipment a little better, and plumbing with future additions in mind.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

Wish I had a bigger sump with some extra wiggle room. Any time I need to work on my reactors, return pump, or skimmer I have to fenagle them out just right as they barely fit. I also inevitably spill water every time as I have to tilt things to take them out. I also don't have any room for adding equipment.

I also wish I had 3 drains to do a bean animal drain.

 

[azbigjohn]

I have to second (or third, or 12th) waterproofing my stand. The other thing I would do is make sure to give myself plenty of room between the top of the sump and the bottom of the stand. I left myself enough room to get my skimmer cup out, but it is tight. Getting pumps in and out to clean is always tougher than it really should be.

 

[jsvand5]

The only scary thing about the ghost overflow is that if you are buying a stock tank and not a custom it will void your warranty (not sure which you are going with). Not something I would have ever cared about in the past but my recent experience with a 210g failing would give me pause about drilling a large stock tank now. If I would have went with a ghost on that first one I would have been out $900. Luckily I decided to be cheap and just run it with the traditional overflows that it came with and it was replaced under warranty

 

[Neoalchemist]

I coated the inside of my stand and canopy with Flex Seal. You know , the **** you see on the commercials where they paint a screen door and use it as a boat. Works great, I can dump 10 gallons into my stand and it will hold it until dry. Cleans easy and looks great. But it will peel off if you are too rough with it.

 

[DarkSky]

Things that make maintenance more easy. If maintenance isn't easy, you're less likely to do it.

I was very convenience of this when I designed my plumbing and fish room, but there are some things that I wish I would have done to make it even easier. I have dual return pumps for redundancy, hooked up via a short run of soft tubing so they don't transfer vibration to the rest of the plumbing. I wish I would have used quick disconnect fittings so I can remove a pump and clean it without messing with barb fittings and clamps.

E.g. this and this.

Since I have a fish room, I made sure to make it very easy to access the things that I will be doing maintenance on, reactors, skimmer, UV, dosers, etc.

 

[Mical]

The biggest headache for me comes down to how my stand was designed (it's homemade....nobody to blame but myself). It has center braces on both sides and the doors are small. I wish I'd done this differently to improve access

That's why my new 4ft stand has a side door besides two front doors. Deep Blue 120

 

[Casey Gore]

I have tried to coat the insides of my stands before and have not found a coating that works well long term. If you have recommendations I would love to hear them!

What I have found that has worked well is stapling thick plastic around the inside of the stand. Or in my new setup I am using BRS neoprene to cover the bottom and curl up a couple inches around the sides.

I used flexaseal like you see on tv and it works wonders!!!!!