Thalasstronaut
Community Member
So in my house, we have a great room loosely divided into a living space and dining room. On one side is, for lack of a better term, a nook. On the exterior wall, there is a protrusion into the room from a disused chimney on the side of the house. There is also a protrusion more towards the middle of the room where the current chimney runs up from the basement. The two chimneys are behind sheet rock and you wouldn’t necessarily know they were there if you didn’t look downstairs. The space between the two chimneys is walled off in line with the rest of the wall with the great room. So the effect is a, well, nook.
The sides are asymmetrical, about 18” deep on one side and 28” on the other. And the distance between them is 59”. We have tried all manner of things to put in this pocket and have had no satisfactory results until I stuck my 90 gallon reef tank in the space with some cabinets. It’s a Seapora 90 gallon reef ready, with a corner overflow on the left side.
I’ve never quite loved the look (the fact that I’m so close to being able to fit a 60” tank drives me crazy.) But I’ve recently run into what I’d call a true dealbreaker. I have a YWG and a Hector’s Goby, and since introducing the Hector’s, the two keep disappearing into my overflow or sump. There isn’t aggression, they seem to pal around together, gradually drift towards the overflow, and get pulled in. I put embroidery mesh over the slots, but they still find their way in, I imagine from leaping through the very small gap between the top of the overflow plastic and the bottom of my lid (glass top, if it matters.) These aren’t the first fish that have gotten back there, but they are the only ones who keep managing it. And between the stand height and position, I can hardly get my arms back there to retrieve them. Add onto that that I can’t access the back of my tank in anyway, I’m wondering if I made a mistake putting it where I have.
So the way I see it, I have a few options:
1. Scoot the whole tank forward and to the left, and leave a small entry point to the nook, which would then be a sort of very small “fish closet.” This would also have the benefit of letting me upgrade size to a larger tank, as I would no longer be capped by the 48” length. And I would have visibility on more sides, I can currently only view the tank from the front and the left side (which includes part of the corner overflow.)
2. Keep the tank in the nook, but “upgrade” to a shallower tank, so I could reach farther back and down. I still wouldn’t have any access to the back of the tank, but would keep the tank from “imposing” into the room. The way we have everything set up, the “nook” functions as an off shoot of the living space and isn’t tied into it.
3. Move the tank to a completely different location. Either as the new room divider or along the opposite wall. I’m removing all of the limitations of the nook layout, but having to reconfigure every other aspect of our living space. This is my least favorite option, I believe, but I also don’t want to be married to a bad choice, so if this makes the most sense, so be it.
4. Somewhat radical, but move the tank back and cut access from the room behind the wall, which is an entryway/office space. Maybe have a removable panel on that side. I would gain some visibility from the back, but wouldn’t be able to access or see the side of the overflow at all. If I went this way, I almost feel like I’d have to swap out for a tank with back overflows. Also the most “intense” project which I’m not totally in love with for that reason (I’m a tradesman and can probably DIY, depending on what was involved, it’s more about undertaking a significant project for a tank size I’m not totally in love with.)
I’m posting my napkin drawing of the area, if it helps. Off the right side (I guess the left side of the drawing) is an exterior wall, with two windows and a TV centered in the 46” space between them. Our couch is opposite the TV. I hope that helps lay out the visuals, though I can answer any questions that may come up. I’d like any feedback at all from people who have undertaken similar projects (in wall tanks) and are happy or regret it, or people who can see this layout with fresh eyes and have something to suggest. Assume any aspect is flexible, I’m willing to get a different tank if that is necessary,
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
The sides are asymmetrical, about 18” deep on one side and 28” on the other. And the distance between them is 59”. We have tried all manner of things to put in this pocket and have had no satisfactory results until I stuck my 90 gallon reef tank in the space with some cabinets. It’s a Seapora 90 gallon reef ready, with a corner overflow on the left side.
I’ve never quite loved the look (the fact that I’m so close to being able to fit a 60” tank drives me crazy.) But I’ve recently run into what I’d call a true dealbreaker. I have a YWG and a Hector’s Goby, and since introducing the Hector’s, the two keep disappearing into my overflow or sump. There isn’t aggression, they seem to pal around together, gradually drift towards the overflow, and get pulled in. I put embroidery mesh over the slots, but they still find their way in, I imagine from leaping through the very small gap between the top of the overflow plastic and the bottom of my lid (glass top, if it matters.) These aren’t the first fish that have gotten back there, but they are the only ones who keep managing it. And between the stand height and position, I can hardly get my arms back there to retrieve them. Add onto that that I can’t access the back of my tank in anyway, I’m wondering if I made a mistake putting it where I have.
So the way I see it, I have a few options:
1. Scoot the whole tank forward and to the left, and leave a small entry point to the nook, which would then be a sort of very small “fish closet.” This would also have the benefit of letting me upgrade size to a larger tank, as I would no longer be capped by the 48” length. And I would have visibility on more sides, I can currently only view the tank from the front and the left side (which includes part of the corner overflow.)
2. Keep the tank in the nook, but “upgrade” to a shallower tank, so I could reach farther back and down. I still wouldn’t have any access to the back of the tank, but would keep the tank from “imposing” into the room. The way we have everything set up, the “nook” functions as an off shoot of the living space and isn’t tied into it.
3. Move the tank to a completely different location. Either as the new room divider or along the opposite wall. I’m removing all of the limitations of the nook layout, but having to reconfigure every other aspect of our living space. This is my least favorite option, I believe, but I also don’t want to be married to a bad choice, so if this makes the most sense, so be it.
4. Somewhat radical, but move the tank back and cut access from the room behind the wall, which is an entryway/office space. Maybe have a removable panel on that side. I would gain some visibility from the back, but wouldn’t be able to access or see the side of the overflow at all. If I went this way, I almost feel like I’d have to swap out for a tank with back overflows. Also the most “intense” project which I’m not totally in love with for that reason (I’m a tradesman and can probably DIY, depending on what was involved, it’s more about undertaking a significant project for a tank size I’m not totally in love with.)
I’m posting my napkin drawing of the area, if it helps. Off the right side (I guess the left side of the drawing) is an exterior wall, with two windows and a TV centered in the 46” space between them. Our couch is opposite the TV. I hope that helps lay out the visuals, though I can answer any questions that may come up. I’d like any feedback at all from people who have undertaken similar projects (in wall tanks) and are happy or regret it, or people who can see this layout with fresh eyes and have something to suggest. Assume any aspect is flexible, I’m willing to get a different tank if that is necessary,
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
