Help With Choosing 5 Foot Set-Up.

[doresy]

Ok, so at the moment I have the Fluval Roma 240 lt / 305 filter.

I am thinking (hoping) to go to a 5 footer (around 400 lts?)

I like the look of the oak ones at Maidenhead Aqatics.

As I will still be keeping Tanganyikans (of course) the stock level will not be massive (as with malawi)so I don't want to go crazy with filtration. One external or maybe venture into the world of the sump (new to me)

Would be interested in hearing from members who are running such a set-up (not necessarily Tangs') but preferable a current model as I would only be buying new.

Please, no googled pictures of monster tanks, not interested

 

[MBOU]

Well... if you like the oak tanks..

You can get the Solid Oak 5ft 'Doors & Drawers' tank, cant remember price off the top of my head though...

But you can also get the systemised tanks!

5ft Solid Oak Tank with corner weir and sump. Comes with two different type hoods which effects the price. The one with the normal hinged hood (and cover glasses) is about £999...

http/www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=tiepolo+fish+tank&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1043&bih=607&tbm=isch&tbnid=gFTk-Xv7MNkujM:&imgrefurl=http/www.maidenhead-ireland.eu/exclusive.html&docid=hcxiKsD9FwsxEM&itg=1&imgurl=http/www.maidenhead-ireland.eu/EXCLUSIVE%252520PRODUCTS/150cmdoors%252526drawers.jpg&w=480&h=463&ei=BtNPT7zXLpLt8QPoxpDwBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=520&vpy=82&dur=1763&hovh=220&hovw=229&tx=115&ty=117&sig=103349512573384008980&page=3&tbnh=126&tbnw=128&start=39&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:39

But there is an Open Hooded one too, it has the same hood lip around the top so unless you are tall, it looks like a full hood... but its just the frame of the hood and is open (cover glass on the tank to prevent jumpers!) as this is aimed at people thinking of LEDs, Metal Halides (marines generally) and pendant lighting.

Open Top (im pretty sure you can imagine the closed top one!)
http/www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=tiepolo+fish+tank&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1043&bih=607&tbm=isch&tbnid=hOQPDAYFi7UHWM:&imgrefurl=http/www.maidenhead-ireland.eu/exclusive.html&docid=hcxiKsD9FwsxEM&itg=1&imgurl=http/www.maidenhead-ireland.eu/EXCLUSIVE%252520PRODUCTS/150cmsystemised.jpg&w=480&h=560&ei=hNNPT4HbCsWY8gO-l4TwBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=312&vpy=227&dur=1335&hovh=243&hovw=208&tx=125&ty=160&sig=103349512573384008980&page=3&tbnh=138&tbnw=126&start=39&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:23,s:39


Personally, i would get the open topped Solid Oak tank (£799 if you can still find one in stock!) and get an Arcadia Eco LED Tropical (for colour) and Daylight (white). The LEDS are powerful enough that the light penetrates quite deep and makes the tank look great. They can last for years without needing replacing and the colour leds (a sequence of something like "white, red, green, white, blue" & repeat) look epic over cichlids, really bring out the colours in the less colourfull tangs.



I love the Oak Tanks as a display tank...

If they are a little pricey (not when you consider a 5ft solid oak sideboard costs about £900 without the tank lol).. then have you considered asking your local MA for a custom build tank quote? They are made by seashell, can be normal tank or systemised with sump etc...

Tiepolo Elite Tank
http/www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=tiepolo+seashell+tank&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1043&bih=607&tbm=isch&tbnid=5ov8g1r7rJTtZM:&imgrefurl=http/www.thesaltybox.com/forum/equipment/94641-seashell-elite-48*15*20-sumpless-tiepolo-finish-hornsea-hu181tr.html&docid=DeL5vm4hU7LIzM&imgurl=http/www.thesaltybox.com/forum/attachments/equipment/40556d1306780699-seashell-elite-48*15*20-sumpless-tiepolo-finish-hornsea-hu181tr-pict0326.jpg&w=2303&h=1727&ei=zNJPT-exBJDZ8gPxibX0BQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=88&vpy=145&dur=353&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=167&ty=98&sig=103349512573384008980&page=1&tbnh=131&tbnw=158&start=0&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0