05XRunner Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Well i got rid of my tanks some time ago. I still have my 20g mantis tank but thats boring and I never even look at it. My new idea was a lagoon style tank. I was going to have a custom made tank 30lx30wx8d and then build a stand where the tank sits in the stand and the top of it is flush with the top of the stand. I would have like a 10" shelf area all around the top of the tank and put like sand and rocks and some tropical looking plants around it to give a look like its a lagoon. maybe even add a waterfall as part of its water flow. Not 100% sure I wanna do this yet. It wouldnt have a ton in it..just some clowns a few corals and thats about it. it wont have any side viewing all top down. Link to comment
elaak Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Well i got rid of my tanks some time ago. I still have my 20g mantis tank but thats boring and I never even look at it.My new idea was a lagoon style tank. I was going to have a custom made tank 30lx30wx8d and then build a stand where the tank sits in the stand and the top of it is flush with the top of the stand. I would have like a 10" shelf area all around the top of the tank and put like sand and rocks and some tropical looking plants around it to give a look like its a lagoon. maybe even add a waterfall as part of its water flow. Not 100% sure I wanna do this yet. It wouldnt have a ton in it..just some clowns a few corals and thats about it. it wont have any side viewing all top down. cool idea but idk about the water fall. If your going to have a tank that is viewed top-down I wouldn't want anything making ripples on the surface. Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 well it wouldnt be a waterfall like it drops to the water. the kinda that would slide down a rocky area. even then i dont know if I want that so i can keep the surface calm. Just ideas i am tossing around in my head Link to comment
CBMullen Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 interesting idea, lagoon with decor might be really good looking, if u decide to go through with it throw some pics on here so we can look at this project. I have seen a setup similiar but out of a water garden tub (top viewing only) surrounded by rocks and plants. Might have been a brackish lagoon style setup, cant recall---- really sweet. The guy had some kind of rays in it. Awesome when you could hand feed!!!! Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 yea i will do pics of build process. I think i might get the tank tonight. i dont think it will cost all that much. tank is only $50 I drew up the plans for the stand and its about $35 in wood. I am gonna be using all the stuff out of my 20g thats been up for over a year. i will just need to get more LR and get a bag of argonite to add to it. I dont think i will do a waterfall. if i run a skimmer I might try and make like a mountain to hide the skimmer under so you cant see it. My original idea was gonna try and make a beach out of a 40 breeder tank. Something like this I think the Lagoon idea will be much better looking Link to comment
CBMullen Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 i was just cruising on the snailsbymail.com site and noticed they have some shoal grass and manatee grass for sale cheap. This may look really cool coming up that sand shelf that u diagramed. just hit me so figured i throw it up as a suggestion. Mangrove chutes have been coming around as far as natural filtration maybe an interesting concept in lagoon style setup but like i said just an idea that hit me cruising the web. I am starting to worry about my reef addiction, i like to refer to it as internet crack! lol! Link to comment
Fieroguy19 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 I think the Lagoon idea will be much better looking I have also wanted to do a tank like this using a 12" wide tank that is 5 or 6 feet long. Then on one end set up a wave box or something to make cresting waves on the shore. Live plants, a few corals and fish would make a pretty cool tank in my opinion. However the noise from the waves would probably get old after a while. Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 got the tank tonight. I changed the size its 25x25x9 Link to comment
Gerber77 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Dude Im tagging along. Cant wait for this one. Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 I am going to be using stuff like this for the outer edge. To give it that tropical look. the palms and the more tropical looking plants http://www.miniaturetree.com/ Link to comment
GobyDude Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 I'm definitely tagging along with this one. Can't wait for you to get it up and running. Link to comment
coolwaters Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 wont u need like non-fine sand? wouldnt all that just kick up all the time? also wont the live sand smell? Link to comment
leahski Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 COOL! this looks awesome. can't wait. are those little palm trees fake? i'm guessing so... it'd be cool if you could do live plants around the edge! Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 wont u need like non-fine sand? wouldnt all that just kick up all the time?also wont the live sand smell? I will use argonite on the sand bed like always...not anything really fine. I am not going to have tons of flow. there is only going to be LPS and softies in there, no SPS. I am going to just use play sand for the outside border so it wont have any smell at all. Live plants for the jungle area would be cool but I dont have a green thumb and my jungle would be brown in a few weeks. Link to comment
spanko Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Very interesting concept. Tagged Link to comment
CBMullen Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 this is going to be sweet Link to comment
josan Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Before you rule out live plants - check out the ponytail palm. (they aren't actually related to palm trees but would look perfect.) They are super easy to grow because they store water in their trunk and could handle whatever lighting you use. I sometimes forget to water mine for months at a time and have never killed one. You'd have to have a barrier between them and the salt water though. Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 Thats nice looking and all but the area where all the vegetation is going to be is only going to be like 1" deep of sand. So nothing would be able to make a root system in that. Link to comment
CBMullen Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 what if you placed the plants in very small potting cotainers - not sure what to use as substrate for that- and then cover up the exposed top of the pots with either LR rubble or sand just on top/ not positive this will work for you but just another idea Link to comment
spanko Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Since you won't be viewing the sides of the tank, what about a 10" trough around the outside instead of the shelf. Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 i dont really want live plants cause I know i will end up killing them and then have a brown dead little tropical place. I am sure they would look better its just the fake ones are there just to give the illusion that its a tropical lagoon. Link to comment
spanko Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Cool. Can't wait to see it start to take shape. When will you be starting it? Link to comment
05XRunner Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 probably gonna buy the wood on my way home and start building the stand tonight Link to comment
Kirin1 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Great concept, can't wait to see execution. Who made your custom tank? Link to comment
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