OTT Reef Tanks and Ideas: Have you ever built one or plan to build one?

[revhtree]

In keeping with the theme of awesome, spectacular, amazing reef aquariums we have to talk about OTT Reef Tanks! What's that you might ask? OTT stands for OVER THE TOP! I just made that up and now it's a new reefing fad! Work with me here for a minute. So yes the thread title was a little bait and hook title but an OTT reef tank is something we've all dreamed about right?! Some of you are even living the OTT Dream now! Let's talk about it!

What is an OVER THE TOP (OTT) reef tank idea or dream that you've thought about building or implementing?

Come on now.....we're talking about those ideas and tanks that are extreme and OTT!

@WWC Lagoon Tank

 

[Sean Clark]

Looks like someone dumped a large bag of skittles in there.

 

[rmorris_14]

Cant wait to see what other say/share....

My boring answer is "no"
I'm just trying to survive normal nanos.

 

[i cant think]

In keeping with the theme of awesome, spectacular, amazing reef aquariums we have to talk about OTT Reef Tanks! What's that you might ask? OTT stands for OVER THE TOP! I just made that up and now it's a new reefing fad! Work with me here for a minute. So yes the thread title was a little bait and hook title but an OTT reef tank is something we've all dreamed about right?! Some of you are even living the OTT Dream now! Let's talk about it!

What is an OVER THE TOP (OTT) reef tank idea or dream that you've thought about building or implementing?

Come on now.....we're talking about those ideas and tanks that are extreme and OTT!

@WWC Lagoon Tank

I’ve always wanted to grow coral to the point the tops grow out of the water but have just enough flow so that they don’t burn/dry out as water goes over them every few minutes.

 

[Rham1281]

I had to fight really hard to not rip out an entire wall of my house to replace it with a fish tank. My wife was a big help in talking me down from that idea.

 

[Dburr1014]

I always wanted a large drop off tank but I can't justify the money to buy the tank. :/

 

[ReeferHD]

Always thought about building a tall tank in my basement that goes through the ceiling and becomes a coffee table on the 2nd floor. Someday.

 

[shakacuz]

i have a few ideas… but mainly just species specific tanks that are big in volume…kinda boring lol

big predator tank
medium valentini puffer tank

probably plumbed together with a remote DSB/fuge that is viewable with some mangroves

 

[Cichlid Dad]

That fits this question well

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Always thought about building a tall tank in my basement that goes through the ceiling and becomes a coffee table on the 2nd floor. Someday.

That fits this question well,

 

[Cichlid Dad]

That fits this question well

Forgot to add quote

 

[All_talk]

I had to fight really hard to not rip out an entire wall of my house to replace it with a fish tank. My wife was a big help in talking me down from that idea.

Funny, my wife is doing the opposite. I was backing away from my big dream tank build and she said "you should do it". So we are currently finishing a small addition to our house so I can relocate the laundry room and make that space a fish room for a 250g in-wall build.

But in the end my future setup would not qualify for Over The Top status.

 

[damsels are not mean]

1. Massive (thousands of gallons) Caribbean biotope seeded with tons of keys live rock in hopes of getting some stony corals

2. Mangrove pond (think julian sprung's but bigger

3. Shallow wide pool with a floor composed entirely of SPS corals and stocked to the gills with classic reef fish like damsels

 

[Sean Clark]

I kind of want a tall cylinder tank with seahorses to go in a particular spot in the house. Somebody won't let me...

 

[bradleym]

I had one for a few years. It was an overflow tank, the water filled to the top and over, into a trough around the outside. It was the most amazing thing I've ever done but the maintenance was intense.

 

[Slocke]

So in high school I was friends with the son of a big music producer. We got to go to his house for his 16th. This house was super modern and ridiculous. Craziest of all was a third story pool with a glass bottom over the first story TV room.
I want that except a tank and maybe the walls rather than the bottom. Or a swimming pool next to a giant take separated by a glass wall. IDK haha not that I'll ever have that money!


Edit: I also met a kid who would go on to be the most obnoxious of pop stars there...

 

[MillennialReefer]

I have a few idea's of aqua scaping, but not with various rock structures for example:

A 20-40 gallon tank with only GSP covering all walls and bottom except the front viewing panel. Almost like grass growing evenly on all sides - except its only GSP. without any rocks or anything in the middle. The tank would be an open space.

A 60-90 gallon tank with a long 3-4 ft horizontal structure similar to the image below that has a single zoa species/color colony growing evenly on the structure. Again, nothing else in the tank.

On my personal system's I do prefer asymmetrical rock structures and a "natural - Messy" look to my tank. However, these would be cool looking that they are extremely symmetrical.

 

[GARRIGA]

Sea World less than 3 hours away and Miami Seaquarium a lunch bite away.

 

[Greybeard]

So... I've got a large back patio. Enclosed. Concrete floor, appx 60x12. Been considering a fish pond. Likely a big stock tank... I've seen them reasonably priced up to 10' x 28". 1100 gallons or so. Look down only. Put it on a low platform... pump water UP from the tank to a high sump, maybe a 100g stock tank, gravity flow back. Do a surround from landscaping blocks, maybe? Enough of a rim to keep jumpers in the tank... Hm. Maybe even do a surge tank, get some real tidal flow. Shallow sand, couple of corral bommies scattered around, just soft corals, maybe some anemones. Lots of open space for FISH. Big fish. Angels, tangs, triggers... maybe a dog face puffer.

Realistically, not including fish, I'm looking at what, 2k? 3? The big round tanks are like 500 bucks, I've got a couple of 100g rubbermaid tanks. Couple sheets of ply, some treated 2x4's for the platform. Lighting? For softies? Maybe a black box LED over each bommie? Big fishes cost some, but I'm in no hurry. Grow my own . Heck, I've got 3 medium sized Genicanthus angels in my current tank, give me a decent start.

 

[OSFF]

A low flow cold water tank with weedy seadragons. Just wish they weren't so expensive