Given The Go Ahead For A Larger Tank

[Dan-CR4]

I knew the wife would love having all these new fish, but I have done a blinding deal with the wife that really suits me . I told her if I was to decorate the living room and get new suite, we would easily be able to fit a 60"x24"x24" tank and cabinet in the room, I have got room for 72"x"24"x24" if i decide I wanted the extra length. I am planning of a budget of £1500 for the tank, cabinet, lights, background & substrate. fish will be extra.

So I will be getting a new tank towards the end of the year. Now I been looking around and was wondering what people thought of ND Aquatics? Also I have seen a company advertising these size tanks on Aquarist Classifieds, they are called Rak Aqua. Could you all tell me your thoughts on these companies and if there are any others i should look into?

I am gonna have loads of questions to ask regarding tanks this size but i got some time to plan it all out, just so excited I can go this big and thinking all them lovely fish I will be able to have

Danny

 

[Wills]

If your going for a custom tank I would go for a bit of extra width and get a 30 inch width - that way if you ever want to keep rays in the future the tank will be really suitable for them I know thats what I would do for that size tank

ND aquatics seem to have a good reputation for tank and stand quality but they piping has a reputation of being leaky but thats only something to worry about if you go for a sump if you go for regular external filters its not a problem really.

What fish you thinking of

Wills

 

[stoneagedinosaur]

LUCKY!

 

[Dan-CR4]

If your going for a custom tank I would go for a bit of extra width and get a 30 inch width - that way if you ever want to keep rays in the future the tank will be really suitable for them I know thats what I would do for that size tank
Wills

I would love to go the extra 6" width but my the living room is narrow and would just push it a bit too far. I have though set my heart on the 72"x24"x24". Im not too sure what the full stocking list would be, for the time being I would just expand on what I have so far in my 180 litre.

Me and the wife went out yesterday and visited Maidenhead Aquatics and saw a nice tank in there with a really well made cabinet (£999) that would match some of the furniture but it was not long enough. The wife now wants a decent cabinet not just a wood effect one, so it looks like the price is going up, think I might need a second job at this rate.

Does anyone know if ND Aquatics has a showroom, as I would like to see how well made there cabinets are, as the wife is not liking the look of them by their website pictures. Could be the cabinet is going to end up costing me 4x the amount of the tank.

Danny

 

[waterdrop]

Ah, I'm going to kick back and enjoy hearing this one.

 

[Wills]

awww man story of my life! Stupid women never being happy with the stands.

Most of the aquarium manufacturers can do loads of finishes on the cabinets I know Aquariums ltd do tons and tons and their veneers are very good - or at least comparable to most decent highstreet furniture places.

Other than that, perhaps get creative? Ive always wanted to bolt together some massive sleepers of wood to stand a tank on with a series of pendulum light above it.

Wills

 

[Dan-CR4]

Ah, I'm going to kick back and enjoy hearing this one.

I got plenty of planning and learning before I do get the bigger tank, just excited at the thought of getting one, im like a child in a candy store . I really want to make sure that I am confident and able to look after a bigger tank along with its tenants. Im not rushing out and buying one anytime soon, as I got to buy new furniture and decorate the living room as part of the sweetener to able to get the tank. So it will be around Autumn/Fall before I even think of getting money out me pocket.

In the meantime I will carry on learning with the tank I got and use it as a training tank for my future larger tank. I feel I know a little more than I did 6 weeks back but way no near enough yet for the size of tank I want, so again its a waiting and patience game.

awww man story of my life! Stupid women never being happy with the stands.

Most of the aquarium manufacturers can do loads of finishes on the cabinets I know Aquariums ltd do tons and tons and their veneers are very good - or at least comparable to most decent highstreet furniture places.

Other than that, perhaps get creative? Ive always wanted to bolt together some massive sleepers of wood to stand a tank on with a series of pendulum light above it.

Wills

I am not that great at woodwork, decorating not too bad, but woodwork, i really suck at. We were out and about today, as the mrs has just bought a bigger tank for her coldwater fish, so i popped by MH Aquatics again. The cabinet she likes for the new tank are real wood, and has a wine rack in it, so it looks like the cabinet is going to be hers and and the tank is mine. I dont care though at least its on the cards

 

[waterdrop]

HaHa, no matter what happens remember the motto that if you can just make yourself dig down and enjoy the process itself (like studying and finding cabinets and finishes and the like) then you will be happier. So good to keep virtually all of it within the overall idea that everyting about your fishkeeping hobby should be relaxing and fun ultimately. Time should not matter so much.

WD