40 or 75? Which should It be?

[Borsig]

Trying to decide between a 40B with a 20L sump, or a 75 with sump as my first reef.

I dont have any plans other than to start slow and add things over time, I already have 2 other fresh tanks to take care of, but they are pretty low maintenance.

Is the 75 that much more labor / money intensive than the 40? I've read that it isn't. Whatever equipment i get will probably scale up to 120 gallons. I already have 40's and 20L laying around, but used 75 setups are abundant and cheap. Cost is a factor, and I am inexperienced, but have had rife lake stuff for decades.

Im leaning to the 40, but something says the 75 will be easier, and proably not much more cost or time consuming.

 

[a4edwin]

Look for a 60 breeder

 

[Borsig]

Look for a 60 breeder

I've only rarely seen one. They seem pretty expensive, more than a 75 here.

 

[Pistondog]

75 give more fish choices, and more room for corals.

 

[PeterC99]

I had a 34g RSR and upgraded to the 88g R2R. Maintenance is a little bit more than the smaller aquarium. The big difference is the price. You need more lights, bigger pumps, more 2 part, etc.

Your knowledge of yourself and your vision should be your guide. Which aquarium do you want more and what do you see in that tank?

 

[a4edwin]

On the labor and cost question I think the labor would be negligible and cost would be obvious the difference in the price of the tank and you’ll use more salt when your mixing. Pumps and lighting depends on what you want. other than that the differences are minuscule. But I’d Look for a 60 breeder.

 

[WVNed]

I have had tanks from 8 to 240 gallons. I have a 75 and 240 running now.

My first thought is saltwater equipment doesn't really scale well. Most of it is meant to be used in a particular volume of water and doesn't work well beyond it. Lighting fits a particular tank length.

Costs scale really well. The bigger the tank the more it costs both in equipment up front and maintenance over time.

If cost is a factor go with the 40 breeder which makes a nice tank. There are only a few fish that could be kept in the 75 over the 40. You could keep more though.

 

[Borsig]

I read you can't keep tangs in a 4ft tank anyway, and that's the max that will fit in my space.

 

[WVNed]

People do it. A tomini and a few others will do okay by themselves in a 75 for a long time. No you cant keep several in a 4 foot tank.

 

[Borsig]

Isnt the 60 breeder a new release? 189.00 seems steep. I can get a reef ready 75 for that used easily. Or a new one isn't much more.

 

[newbie2014]

I had a 34g RSR and upgraded to the 88g R2R. Maintenance is a little bit more than the smaller aquarium. The big difference is the price. You need more lights, bigger pumps, more 2 part, etc.

Your knowledge of yourself and your vision should be your guide. Which aquarium do you want more and what do you see in that tank?

I have had tanks from 8 to 240 gallons. I have a 75 and 240 running now.

My first thought is saltwater equipment doesn't really scale well. Most of it is meant to be used in a particular volume of water and doesn't work well beyond it. Lighting fits a particular tank length.

Costs scale really well. The bigger the tank the more it costs both in equipment up front and maintenance over time.

If cost is a factor go with the 40 breeder which makes a nice tank. There are only a few fish that could be kept in the 75 over the 40. You could keep more though.

^^^^THIS.
I switched from FW to SW a few years ago, and I used the same non-drilled 40B tank. Maintenance was easy; weekly 10% WC is less than one 5gal bucket. Had I quitted the hobby, I wouldn't be too much in the red either.

Off topic, but what about cubes: 50g or 60g? So easy to light.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I have a 40 Breeder with 20 gal sump. I think if you go larger you will have a substantial cost increase in equipment prices.

 

[Mppp]

75 as it may prevent you from wanting to go bigger one day whereas a 40 will not!

 

[Fatmike92]

75 for sure.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

75 as it may prevent you from wanting to go bigger one day whereas a 40 will not!

Not necessarily. It depends on what you want to put into the tank. Read Ron Reefman's articles here. The key question is what fish and corals and how much money do you want to spend? How much work and ongoing maintenance costs? Bigger is not always better.

 

[MichaelP]

The biggest difference is water changes. If you have a close by spot for a water mixing station or area to store water then I would go 75 if not the 40 Breeder

 

[polyppal]

logic would dictate get the biggest tank you can, though there's a special place in my heart for 40b's...

 

[Jekyl]

90 or 120 imo

 

[GarrettT]

Just get the 75 and save yourself the expense. Upgrading and is where you start to really lose money.

 

[CollectOyster04]

Isnt the 60 breeder a new release? 189.00 seems steep. I can get a reef ready 75 for that used easily. Or a new one isn't much more.

It is. Same length/width as the 75, just not as tall.