[WiJosh]

was looking for everyones thoughts on the bow front tanks. positives, negative. best ways to set them up etc.
Thanks
Josh

 

[Nighthawk]

I don't know what it is about them but I don't like them. I prefer the old fashioned rectangular glass box.

 

[cichlidfantasy]

Depends on what size, I know there's a popular 36 gallon bow front tank... but that's no good for cichlids. Should be okay if it's at least 4ft.

 

[F8LBITEva]

I love bowfronts, the bow gives a 'deeper' look like it goes in further than it really does. To me, they look sleek and modern. You give up a few inches of footprint where it tapers in on the sides and they are usually expensive the bigger it is. I think they are great, go for it.

 

[alicem]

I think they are very interesting looking.
So different from our "rectangular glass boxes", which all mine are.
Guess that's what I like about them, they're different.

I've heard they can be difficult to light for live plants.

When I've seen them in stores they seem pretty pricey.

 

[WiJosh]

does anyone have any pictures of a stocked bowfront the could post or pm me? would be much appreciated

 

[F8LBITEva]

dp

 

[F8LBITEva]

here's my old 46G bow tank before I upgraded to my 75, now i wish I would have kept it for my plants and rainbowfish.

 

[elroach]

 

[lab911]

46 Gal. Bow Front. I have changed the rocks to all lace rock and have added a lot more!

 

[lab911]

Here is a more recent pic. Like I said, a lot more lace rock has been added. Looking to add more live plants but they are hard to find. I love bow fronts. Like everyone else has said, it is different from your ordinary rectangle tanks. I am hoping to upgrade to a 72 bow front in a few months. The 46 is nice, but I want bigger!!

 

[CichlidWhisperer]

Lab 911,

I love your rock... would love to learn more about how you set it up...

Carol

 

[Jerseyfish]

29gal bowfront (discus)

72gal bowfront (community w/angels and dwarfs)

I personally like the large bowfront, because its a more attractive piece of furnature, and the frontal bow is subtle enough to not really obscure viewing. The 29gal bowfront is a pain, because the back left and right bottom corners are nearly impossible to see accuratly unless the tank is bare, due to the more noticable bend in the front glass. I'm hoping to get a replacement for it in the future.

 

[nick a]

They are more like a piece of furniture or an accent to a room. This 72 is in our dining room and the arc fits perfectly with the walking pattern from kitchen to dining to hallway for bedrooms & bath. The corners of a rectangular 75 in the same location would be much more of an obstacle and not flow anywhere near as smoothly. The arc also gives you (especially when viewed from an angle -like pic#2) an illusion of MUCH more than 48". For me, the BFs are perfect for stand alone tanks---don't blend well with groups of boxes etc... They are also the perfect application for canister filters --which only require an inch or so clearance behind the tank to the wall. I've been moving all my tanks out to my new fishroom---this one HAS to stay in the dining room (my wife suprised the #&!! out me when she told me that!).

The downsides that I can think of are;
A) picture taking is quite a bit more challenging than a flat glass tank (unless you have some fancy flash equipment).
B) DIY stands/canopys require a higher level of skill than box type tanks.

 

[mrlimpet]

wow, some beautiful tanks there!
i agree with all that's been said. here are my bowfronts for a few more ideas...

46G tanganyikan tank...

72G SA community tank...

 

[boostspike]

I don't know what it is about them but I don't like them. I prefer the old fashioned rectangular glass box.

same here... infact, the curve in the glass give me a headache. :? . My wife has (2) 46g bowfront tanks for her goldfishes.. my head hurts when walking by it..

 

[xenergyx]

what about a surfline tank? I've yet to see pics of one of those set up....

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

see my TANKS below or YOUR TANKS for pics of my 450g bowfront along with lots of rock stacked high as well...

 

[lab911]

CichlidWhisperer---I just buy what I think will stack together. Lace Rock is like working with a heavy puzzle. I keep stacking and re-stacking until I get the perfect fit. Some of the rocks are standing straight up while others are stacked horizontally. They all have nice little niches so once you find the two pieces that fit together nicely then you can just continue to add to it. I do have slate as my base rock so the cichlids can not dig under the lace rock and cause it to topple over. I first lay out all of my rock and piece them all together like below and then I try to duplicate it in my tank. I do not use silicone. I want to have the freedom to rearrange the tank as I add more fish or if I get a bigger tank.