display size to room size proportion?

[chefjpaul]

Can I make a couple radical suggestions? (I am a professional interior designer so this is right up my alley). You don’t have to take my advice because there are so many options on how you lay out a space. And what I’m going to suggest are just options, you need to make the decisions on what’s best for you.
1. Remove the kitchen door. Most of your activity is going to happen between the kitchen and living room. I see you use the dining room for computer work and with the new tank addition to the dining room, the door may just feel like it blocks traffic flow a bit more. It would help to open up the room and eliminate a bit of congestion.
2. The length of the tank is fine. It’s the depth that’s an issue. As others have mentioned maybe consider something that’s closer to 20” deep? As well as circulation space, you’re going to need maintenance space for dealing with the tank between the table and tank. Also, I think your table may be wider than 24”. Probably 30 or 32”
3. If you have 10’-6” for the table and chairs, and your table is 30” that leaves 4’ on either side, which is just barely adequate if this was a separate room that you only went in to, to sit down and dine. But this room is a traffic path between the kitchen and dining room I think (based on your floor plan). So here are option A and option B.
Option A. Move your table towards the windows by 6” to 12” so you have 4’-6” to 5’ at the tank which gives you just a bit more room to do tank stuff and also not feel like you’re right on top of the tank every time you walk by it. If needed, you can shift the table back to centre at a dinner party, but for every day use, you want more space by the tank.
Option B. Think about how often you use the dining room for formal dinner parties. If it’s not happening every Saturday night, consider changing the two chairs in front of the window to a bench seat (with or without a back, length to be determined). This allows you to pull the dining table over towards the window a lot, because there is no expectation of walking behind the table on that side. So now you only need 30” - 36” for the space between the window and the table, plus the table (30”) which leaves 5’ - 5’-6” between the table and the tank! Perfect!

However not knowing what the window looks like, a bench seat would probably have to be custom made (also considering you have a very nice unusual dining set which looks mid century modern). Might have to factor that into the budget.

Easiest solution? Narrow tank, move table 6”. Ultimate big tank? Plan to add a banquette at the window,
72” long is fine. Height up to you.

Great advice.

We had little wiggle room for our table, and went with bech seating, best thing we did, actually get more guests around the table this way, when not in use, just push them under.

 

[mrpizzaface]

Can I make a couple radical suggestions? (I am a professional interior designer so this is right up my alley). You don’t have to take my advice because there are so many options on how you lay out a space. And what I’m going to suggest are just options, you need to make the decisions on what’s best for you.
1. Remove the kitchen door. Most of your activity is going to happen between the kitchen and living room. I see you use the dining room for computer work and with the new tank addition to the dining room, the door may just feel like it blocks traffic flow a bit more. It would help to open up the room and eliminate a bit of congestion.
2. The length of the tank is fine. It’s the depth that’s an issue. As others have mentioned maybe consider something that’s closer to 20” deep? As well as circulation space, you’re going to need maintenance space for dealing with the tank between the table and tank. Also, I think your table may be wider than 24”. Probably 30 or 32”
3. If you have 10’-6” for the table and chairs, and your table is 30” that leaves 4’ on either side, which is just barely adequate if this was a separate room that you only went in to, to sit down and dine. But this room is a traffic path between the kitchen and living room I think (based on your floor plan). So here are option A and option B.
Option A. Move your table towards the windows by 6” to 12” so you have 4’-6” to 5’ at the tank which gives you just a bit more room to do tank stuff and also not feel like you’re right on top of the tank every time you walk by it. If needed, you can shift the table back to centre at a dinner party, but for every day use, you want more space by the tank.
Option B. Think about how often you use the dining room for formal dinner parties. If it’s not happening every Saturday night, consider changing the two chairs in front of the window to a bench seat (with or without a back, length to be determined). This allows you to pull the dining table over towards the window a lot, because there is no expectation of walking behind the table on that side. So now you only need 30” - 36” for the space between the window and the table, plus the table (30”) which leaves 5’ - 5’-6” between the table and the tank! Perfect!

However not knowing what the window looks like, a bench seat would probably have to be custom made (also considering you have a very nice unusual dining set which looks mid century modern). Might have to factor that into the budget.

Easiest solution? Narrow tank, move table 6”. Ultimate big tank? Plan to add a banquette at the window,
72” long for the tank is fine. Height of the tank up to you.

Thanks so much these are really great suggestions. It isn’t indicated in the drawing but the kitchen door is bi-swing and left in the open position in the kitchen, not impeding flow. I appreciate the compliments on the dining set. I am not the biggest fan, the previous owner made an attempt at refinishing using poly instead of oil (hard to see in the photos) and botched it up. I will be fabricating a new table and am open to having a bench ( I am a millworker). The ceiling box will be moved to center the light fixture over the final location for the table. I think I lean more towards a 24” tank with the table moved over. Once again great suggestions,

 

[mrpizzaface]

I have an 18” front to back tank (90 g) and the only thing I don’t like about my tank is the 18” depth, I wish I had gone 24”. 18” is cramped.

Can you push the table a few inches to a foot away from the tank to make it a little less cramped on that side? I realize you’ve probably got a chandelier or light fixture centered in the room, but those can be moved to center over the new table location.

I can move the table, and probably will. I will move the ceiling box as well. I think I would regret going with 18”.

 

[mrpizzaface]

Get a smaller table

I will likely get a 30” wide table

 

[mrpizzaface]

Great advice.

We had little wiggle room for our table, and went with bech seating, best thing we did, actually get more guests around the table this way, when not in use, just push them under.

Great looking space!

 

[mrpizzaface]

^^^This^^^

I would go with Option B. You can always pull the table out if you need to squeeze in a few more bodies. I like the idea of getting rid of the kitchen door as well.

I am leaning towards option B too!

 

[crayon]

the previous owner made an attempt at refinishing using poly instead of oil (hard to see in the photos) and botched it up. I will be fabricating a new table and am open to having a bench ( I am a millworker). The ceiling box will be moved to center the light fixture over the final location for the table. I think I lean more towards a 24” tank with the table moved over. Once again great suggestions,

Ah, do the table set a favour and spend some time stripping the finish and doing a good oil coat. Check out Rubio oil. It’s a two part catalyzed oil and we use it for fish tank stands. One coat and done. Expensive but my all time favourite finish and a pint can with catalyst goes a long way. Worth getting to know. Gorgeous finish when done. If nothing else, you can sell that dining set to an antique dealer in Manhattan for good money. It’s popular right now.

May not have to move the clg box. Consider a hook to move the pendant over the table or a fixture with a floating canopy box that allows you to adjust centres. Up to you, it’s your place and you know what you’re comfortable doing.
Agreed about the 24” tank.

 

[mtraylor]

I would span it almost the full length of the wall and have it at least 4" off the wall for access and I would have external overflow.

 

[mrpizzaface]

Ah, do the table set a favour and spend some time stripping the finish and doing a good oil coat. Check out Rubio oil. It’s a two part catalyzed oil and we use it for fish tank stands. One coat and done. Expensive but my all time favourite finish and a pint can with catalyst goes a long way. Worth getting to know. Gorgeous finish when done. If nothing else, you can sell that dining set to an antique dealer in Manhattan for good money. It’s popular right now.

May not have to move the clg box. Consider a hook to move the pendant over the table or a fixture with a floating canopy box that allows you to adjust centres. Up to you, it’s your place and you know what you’re comfortable doing.
Agreed about the 24” tank.

We use the Rubio mono-cote all the time. It really is an amazing product. I got the dining set including the buffet for cheap off of EBay. I can easily break even off of Craig’s list here, or make a profit with a little labor. I’m going to be adding and moving electrical for the new tank, so moving the ceiling box shouldn’t be too big of a deal.

 

[mrpizzaface]

I would span it almost the full length of the wall and have it at least 4" off the wall for access and I would have external overflow.

I am open to having a longer tank, there isn’t an option for an external overflow in this case.

 

[mtraylor]

Trust me. You don't want the overflow in the aquarium. Since the aquarium will be custom built you will want the overflow external. That is how I had mine built as well. It makes a cleaner display and the plumbing is off the back and easier to access. YOu will then have no obstructions in the aquarium as well for water flow.

The decision is yours, but I would span it the whole wall for more room for the fish to grow and swim. Why limit that wall, when you can make it the whole show piece. JMO.

 

[Devaji]

^^^ this 100X I got a realy nice 3x2x2 SCA rimless with interal over flow and it take up so much real estate its crazy might not be an issue with the longer tanks. but man it sure is in mine.. look in to the shadow or modular marine overflow.

 

[Devaji]

I have made a fairly basic basic drawing showing the floor plan for my space. It is a townhouse and the living room and dining room sort of bleed into each other with a cased double doorway (no doors) between them. This is a pretty basic drawing and drawn pretty much to scale with 1cm = 1foot. The only caveat is that the rooms are actually 150" x150", It was just easier to draw them as a round number. I think my current dining room table is 34", but I plan on making a new table so the dimension is a bit fluid. I would appreciate any insights. For some reason I am having a hard time saving this as anything but a pdf right now. I will attach a photo of the drawing as well.

here is a crazy idea...
move over your TV towards the door. get a contractor or DIY some support beams (if needed ) and take out the wall between the livingroom and dining it will open up the space from here you have 2 options:

1) one peninsula room divider say on the sofa side on the house. a 5-6' tank would look sweet there.
or
2) two smaller tanks on each side say something like 40br or the like. and each tank could be a little different. maybe SPS in 1 and something you like in the other like sea horses, frog fish or dare I even say it a planted fresh water.

I know I know crazy idea ...I just live in an stupid expensive area where I have giving up on owning a home and doing cool thinks like that so...well its an idea and hey you asked for them...haha

 

[O'l Salty]

I have made a fairly basic basic drawing showing the floor plan for my space. It is a townhouse and the living room and dining room sort of bleed into each other with a cased double doorway (no doors) between them. This is a pretty basic drawing and drawn pretty much to scale with 1cm = 1foot. The only caveat is that the rooms are actually 150" x150", It was just easier to draw them as a round number. I think my current dining room table is 34", but I plan on making a new table so the dimension is a bit fluid. I would appreciate any insights. For some reason I am having a hard time saving this as anything but a pdf right now. I will attach a photo of the drawing as well.

I would suggest gettding a program called sketchup. You can download it for free. It's easy to lean with a few video tutorials. You could draw up your space in 3d and view it from any position. You could sit at your table and look over at the aquarium to judge size. It's an amazing program and easy to learn the basics.

 

[mrpizzaface]

^^^ this 100X I got a realy nice 3x2x2 SCA rimless with interal over flow and it take up so much real estate its crazy might not be an issue with the longer tanks. but man it sure is in mine.. look in to the shadow or modular marine overflow.

I appreciate all of your insights. I am a contractor (with a millwork shop) and could easily move the walls around and add support as needed. My house is from 1930 with mostly intact plaster work, the original floor, and the original layout. I don't want to change it. I would have more space for an aquarium but the space wouldn't look as good open concept (too long and narrow). I think Im probably gonna go with the 180.
I will keep the external overflow in mind, but seeing as how space is limited. may stick with a wider tank and internal overflow, instead of a narrower tank and external overflow.

 

[mrpizzaface]

I would suggest gettding a program called sketchup. You can download it for free. It's easy to lean with a few video tutorials. You could draw up your space in 3d and view it from any position. You could sit at your table and look over at the aquarium to judge size. It's an amazing program and easy to learn the basics.

Yeah Sketchup is great. We have it at work, though I don't know how to use it. I am sure I could learn how to use it pretty easy, but now I can claim ignorance and still be telling the truth. This way I can avoid adding even more responsibilities to my plate. I will see if I can get a sketchup drawing done this week. I agree it would be good to see the space in three dimensions.

 

[recess62]

You have the title backwards. Should be room size to tank size

 

[mike werner]

Planning on putting a 180 gallon display( 72"-24"-24") in my dining room (144"-144"). I made a mock up of the tank and display size using some cardboard. It seems kind of big to me. I know almost everyone says bigger is better. I just wondered how much consideration people put into the proportion of tank to room. I don't want to go too small only to upgrade quickly, but don't want to go too big. The first mock up was 30" in width, and even though I would love a 225 it was just to big for the room. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Sorry for the mess.

to big?no such thing

IMO a 180 is too big. I had a similar sized space only much longer. I made a mockup using thin sticks and realistically you need more than a couple inches out from the wall. The size simply overpowered the room and looked out of place.

boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[Devaji]

I appreciate all of your insights. I am a contractor (with a millwork shop) and could easily move the walls around and add support as needed. My house is from 1930 with mostly intact plaster work, the original floor, and the original layout. I don't want to change it. I would have more space for an aquarium but the space wouldn't look as good open concept (too long and narrow). I think Im probably gonna go with the 180.
I will keep the external overflow in mind, but seeing as how space is limited. may stick with a wider tank and internal overflow, instead of a narrower tank and external overflow.

ah totally understandable I am in philly now and see that type of architecture long ans skinny. deff. different that what I am used to seeing in the Rockies. well you know your house and layout better that I/we so if you say it would work then it wont.

cant go wrong with a 180 there a nice size tank and some how I have not had one yet. IMHo a nice blend of length and depth.
+ if you do go inter overflows the classic mega overflows or what ever there called still looks pretty good and can get one at a pretty good price.

best of luck and do a build thread cuz we all like seeing em

 

[O'l Salty]

Yeah Sketchup is great. We have it at work, though I don't know how to use it. I am sure I could learn how to use it pretty easy, but now I can claim ignorance and still be telling the truth. This way I can avoid adding even more responsibilities to my plate. I will see if I can get a sketchup drawing done this week. I agree it would be good to see the space in three dimensions.

This is my fish room. I can literally stand in the center of the room and look around. If you need any help I could whip something out pretty quick.