izzypop Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 So I am trying to decide on creating front access for my inwall or not. I think the picture frame look without front panel access looks better but wanted to get opinions from others with inwalls. Front Access or Not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 It is my biggest regret. I am even thinking about raising the header 2 feet to allow for front access. Mine is on a load bearing wall and I placed the header ( 4 X 10 ) right above the tank. My tank is in the garage and I need a stepladder to get into it. The top of the tank is over 6 feet high. One of the best reasons for front access is that you can see what you are doing. I have to turn off all my pumps and let the water settle to see into the tank, or use a piece of acrylic as a viewing pane ( but then I can only use one hand ), and I only get a top down perspective. Trust me you will be happier you have front access. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
izzypop Posted September 5, 2006 Author Share Posted September 5, 2006 Thanks for the info. Sounds like your setup is very similar to mine. I have heard good and bads on both. I don't want any light to come through the front access at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveweast Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 You'll only need frontal access if you did a poor job of planning in the first place. To me, there is nothing worse than frontal access. Frontal access: 1) completely ruins the picture on a wall look.....assumimg that's what you're trying to acheive 2) it usually allows light bleed into the viewing room. 3) it allows more tank noise to enter the viewing room 4) most large, high end wall tanks are accompanied by nice highly finished viewing rooms that will now be subject to water drips. There is no way that I would risk damaging my imported wool carpet or teak hardwoods to accidental saltwater messes or additional humidity. As for the usual complaints....it just means that not enough planning went into the project. The most common ones are: 1) I can't see into the tank without turning everything off..... I use an acrylic viewing plate that floats on the surface... this allows for perfect viewing....even photography....even on the choppiest of surfaces. The panels are just little 8 inch square boxes. 2) I can't clean the colored rear panel...... I have a clear rear panel that has a thin colored panel that presses up against it. This allows me to just slide out the colored panel for easy cleaning or viewing from the rear....and, I can change the background color if I ever choose to. 3) the lights are in the way...... The lights must be designed to easily be removed from the tank top. Lights are the number one item that can limit access if not properly thought through. 4) I can't see how I'm placing corals....... This is a somewhat legitimate complaint; but, with the acrylic viewing boxes, you'll get used to it and I find it to really to be no problem. 5) I can't clean the front panel..... I use a magnet for everyday cleaning. I also can clean any coralline from the rear by using my little viewing boxes again. From the rear... looking into the tank, the front panel will be like a mirror and very easy to see what I'm cleaning. I also use a nylon scrapper that my tank manufacture gave me. It is slightly softer than the acrylic....so it can't scratch the acrylic. The key, though, is don't let corraline build up in the first place. It's easier to run the magnets once everyday as you pass by than scrape for hours because you let the coralline build up. If properly designed, the rear access only aquarium will have better and more efficient access than the frontal access. If you design a "frontal access" tank for a "rear access" tank....you're just asking for disappointment. Big tanks are not merely bigger small tanks.....the design should be completely different. It seems that lately there have been several big tanks that were designed like a small tank on steroids. I spent alot of time thinking about maintenance and access before I set up my big tank. I tried to think of all the nuisance problems that I had with smaller tanks and how to solve those problems. Everything was designed around easy access and easy maintenance.......without it.....big tanks become a big pain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly guy Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Steveweast.........floating viewing boxes????? Would like more information on this and what exactly you are talking about. Dont mean to hi-jack izzypop.. : ) just curious I dont have an inwall but i DO like to take top down pics................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
izzypop Posted September 5, 2006 Author Share Posted September 5, 2006 Thank You for that Steve. I had my mind made up about no front access for the key things you mentioned but went through the second guessing game. I feel good about the decision now. The black acrylic sliding panels sound really neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveweast Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 I have two sizes of floating view boxes.....one is very large (about 18" X 20") and was built to nearly fill the open space not covered by the center or edge bracing. I use this one for photography. The small ones are made from scrap acrylic (any thickness will do) and are about 8" square with 2" sides glued to them.....thus forming a box that floats. I use these for daily coral fixing or maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitterbait Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Joel also has some viewing boxes at waves too. just a short walled acrylic box. Steve, is glare an issue with the boxes when your taking pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefboy Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 good luck with no front access youll wish you had put it in, hope your tanks not deep or your going to need a snorkel, but hey just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Steve makes some very valid points. It has made me rethink my strategy. I think I am going to make the rear access to my tank better. I would like to have standing access all around the tank. I really like the finished look of the tank without front access. Here are the pics you asked for Izzy: This is an older picture that shows the picture frame look. This is a newer one after I added more rock and re-aquascaped it. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
izzypop Posted September 6, 2006 Author Share Posted September 6, 2006 good luck with no front access youll wish you had put it in' date=' hope your tanks not deep or your going to need a snorkel, but hey just my opinion.[/quote'] not much info here, why do think front access is needed? Tank will be 26" high I think I'll manage without a snorkel Jay, Very nice. Thanks for the pics. Do you have any of the back part in the tank. Curious on what the stand looks like and your garage setup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveweast Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Let's see....my tank is 6ft X 8ft and 30" high.....and I can reach every inch of the tank by hand (no tools required). It all comes down to planning and having sufficient access around the rear of the tank in your fish room. Jay....although I'm not a fan of the mirror (distracts from the tank), I like the clean picture frame look alot. It would be ashame to loose that look. I hope you can solve your access issues from the rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DChemist Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Let's see....my tank is 6ft X 8ft and 30" high.....and I can reach every inch of the tank by hand (no tools required). It all comes down to planning and having sufficient access around the rear of the tank in your fish room. Wouldn't that require at least a 46" reach? Or do you have a way to get over your tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 What do you mean by 46"? The tank is only 30" deep? Maybe im missing something. After reading through this thread there is no doubt in my mind if I ever did a in-wall that i would do a setup like Steves or Jays. I thinking having access (in the front) takes away from what you are trying to accomplish with a in-wall. Setup looks good Jay just the way it is. Work on your access from the rear and make it easier on yourself. The couple times Ive been to Steves house there has been no question that how he has his setup is the best way to do a in-wall tank. Later Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilsReef Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Wouldn't that require at least a 46" reach? Or do you have a way to get over your tank? http://oregonreef.com/sub_access.htm http://oregonreef.com/sub_tank.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Good call Neil. I totally forgot about the website. Later Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefboy Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 well if you desighn tank and wall to ware u can access from behind with no problem then great but if your buget or room requires less space then access from front is required especaily if u veiw through tank but if your stacking up the back then you should have less problems but in my opinion and i work on a few with no access to the front with great access from the back i wish they had front access but like i said just my personel preference ,gess im lazy lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveweast Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 well if you desighn tank and wall to ware u can access from behind with no problem then great That's the whole point that I'm trying to put forward....you can design away problems and nuissances. Of course you have to live within your means and situation....and if that means a smaller tank or a non-built in situation...then so be it. Built-in wall reefs are becoming more popular every day.....but, with them, seems to come a conventional mentality. Folks are treating their built-in setups like regular, small cabinet based setups on steroids.....and that's where they run into problems (especially with access). Any problem can be designed away with enough thought. If the picture framed look was NOT as important....then that would open up more access options. But, in my case, it was the # 1 design feature....it was picture frame or no tank. Thanks Neil for posting those pics. The reason that I included them on my site was to show that I could easily touch the dead middle of the tank without tools. You'd be surprised how many folks doubt that I can reach every inch of a 6ft X 8ft X 30" tank without tools......of course, when they see it in person, it all becomes clear. My solution to the access problem was to create a catwalk around the entire perimeter where I could stand next to the tank and walk around it. Imagine how much better your access would be if your tank were on the floor with no cabinetry or lights to fight.....it all comes down to planning. If I didn't have the room for 8ft of depth, I would have made it 6ft...or 4 ft....or whatever it took to acheive acceptable access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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