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Dual aspect aquascape - Concept

Miniandy

Member
Joined
12 Feb 2013
Messages
148
Location
Uckfield
I wanted to start a discussion on the composition of a large dual aspect aquascape. The dual aspect comes in that the tank will straddle two rooms in my home in the form of a wall or barrier of some kind.

Has anyone tried this and have any tips? Or am I barking up the wrong tree with this as a concept?

Right now I cant even decide upon how I'd approach the hardscape. My only thoughts so far is that as a general concept the tank will have to have two distinct sides with a "barrier" or peak height of hardscape in the middle (front to back) for a portion if not the majority of the length. I may have to build a wide tank to accommodate this (custom build).

Any thoughts would be really appreciated.
 
These style of tank are less well documented

ADG seems to have one on display frequently but they are apt to remove photos/video from their FB page (and seldom post content to their YouTube page)
This UNS 60U Aquarium is from January 2019 (as I recall it was updated via FB for a few months, so you may be able to find more content)

Hardscape

Planted
 
There is a ukaps member with an ADA 120P acting as a room divider - I just can’t get ukaps or google Search to bring it forward :banghead:
 
@Filip Krupa 2000l Beast

Access would be TOP on the list IMO/IME.

1. Being able to access the tank from both sides for planting and maintenance. Esp. if going high tech.

2. Depth of tank (top to bottom) will you be able to reach the substrate level when standing next to tank on either side. Compounded if using braced tank as you have a deeper sides and bracing gets in the way. @Filip Krupa has to get in tank or use snorkel mask)

3. High of tank above ground. The higher you have it the harder the access or you will need to stand on something to reach bottom of tank. But too low and fitting hardware under tank becomes difficult

4. Braced tanks (cheaper) but need to be forward thinking with hardware placement. Whilst open top you just hook them on the sides.

5. Distance from side wall (Mine too close) Impedes access on one side unless your ambidextrous

6. Width(Front to back) often referred to as 'depth of tank'. Needs to be wide enough to get enough hardscape (rocks/wood) in to look good both sides, But if too wide it will impede access again and compound all points above

'Access is the key to success'

Being a bit 'crazy', 'stubborn' and being able to 'afford' helps too ;)
 
There are probably a few on the forum and certainly a lot on the internet.

I believe @Zeus. tank Olympus Is Calling in the featured journals, whilst not as a dividing wall is a peninsular so scaped to be visible from 3 sides.

Another one that springs to mind is Jurijs dentist tank.

Thanks for the links.

The Olympus is calling is very interesting and is similar to the look i'd be trying to achieve. Beautiful tank.

I'd like to see if I can dig out some better pics o the dentist tank, but the vid is useful. It does really use the height a lot more in the hard-scape.

Full of ideas. I need to get my test tank running to see what I prefer.
 
Firstly, thanks for the reply. The same goes for the rest.

Access would be TOP on the list IMO/IME.

'Access is the key to success'

Message clearly understood and having looked around a little more at the journals I've realised this more and more.

Do the long-handled tools help? I will try these on my practice tank, but its possibly more of a problem than I had envisaged. I had been planning on a 30" x 30" format (height and depth), but I'm leaning towards extending this so it could become very significant.

1. Being able to access the tank from both sides for planting and maintenance. Esp. if going high tech.

I've always envisaged this being viewed from both sides, but access will need to be thought out both sides. It’s a good point and something I'll have to factor into both the stand and hood construction.

2. Depth of tank (top to bottom) will you be able to reach the substrate level when standing next to tank on either side. Compounded if using braced tank as you have a deeper sides and bracing gets in the way. @Filip Krupa has to get in tank or use snorkel mask)

My previous large tank had conventional bracing and it didn't really get in the way. However, it was only 24" deep, so noted. I can’t see how the tank I plan building wont have bracing, I’m planning on tank circa 2.4m long.

3. High of tank above ground. The higher you have it the harder the access or you will need to stand on something to reach bottom of tank. But too low and fitting hardware under tank becomes difficult

This is an interesting one, is there anything written up on height or any previous experience? Is there a suggested height?

I was thinking around 0.85m from ground level, but this is only based on my existing tank stand height.

I could drop the sump slightly below ground level, but its probably not needed. I’ll need to modify the floor and lay a slab for this tank to sit on. Current suspended floor in the tank footprint would be removed.

4. Braced tanks (cheaper) but need to be forward thinking with hardware placement. Whilst open top you just hook them on the sides.

I had always intended running a weir to a sump, so hopefully I've got this one covered. On my previous planted tank I ran 3 black plastic sump tanks, interconnected, for filtration and heating. My intention was to run a weir at either end with waste and returns running in the void leaving the main body of the tank undisturbed by gear.

5. Distance from side wall (Mine too close) Impedes access on one side unless your ambidextrous

I won’t have access to either end, I had not considered this a problem. Food for thought.

6. Width(Front to back) often referred to as 'depth of tank'. Needs to be wide enough to get enough hardscape (rocks/wood) in to look good both sides, But if too wide it will impede access again and compound all points above

Yes I am very aware of this fact, height to width will need to be thought out which is why I was looking for examples. The dentist tank, for example, has an excellent use of height, but it feels squished. The Olympus tank looks immense, but I cant replicate that length as a width and get it past the Mrs.

Being a bit 'crazy', 'stubborn' and being able to 'afford' helps too ;)

Crazy – Check
Stubborn – less check, but determined.
Afford – Check (its timing)

Really appreciate your thoughts. Ta.
 
Do the long-handled tools help? I will try these on my practice tank, but its possibly more of a problem than I had envisaged. I had been planning on a 30" x 30" format (height and depth), but I'm leaning towards extending this so it could become very significant.

30 inch :eek:, mines 23inch deep with bracing and it gets hard esp if you plan a carpet. Imagine if your armpit is at the top off the tank, your head is also near the top, so seeing the dtail your trying to get with long tools gets trickly, then you need middle off tank thats 33.5inchs with your head at the top off tank say 10inch down, think you get the picture.

This is an interesting one, is there anything written up on height or any previous experience? Is there a suggested height?

I was thinking around 0.85m from ground level, but this is only based on my existing tank stand height.

I could drop the sump slightly below ground level, but its probably not needed. I’ll need to modify the floor and lay a slab for this tank to sit on. Current suspended floor in the tank footprint would be removed.

I thought about a sunked sump also ;) but most tanks are high off ground about 32inch (800mm) plus tank height thats 5 foot (that's just below my nose level o_O, so I would need a platform to do tank maintiance.

All food for thought, hope it all helps. I was initaily planing a 1000Litre tank until I did the maths and thought about the maintiance :oops:

Good luck keep us posted;)
 
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