Bigger tank feeler thread

ps2cho · Aug 25, 2015

Hey guys

So I plan to buy a bigger house next year and I realized since I have to completely break my current 60 down it may be the best time to get something bigger.

I would like some advice on how big and recommendations.

I would like a variety of tangs so I think somewhere between 120 to 150g. I don't think I want to go bigger than 150 because the price will start requiring huge pumps and evaporation. Two mp40s would be enough for a 150g right?

Sps biased so not too deep...

I'm thinking of having the tank glass and custom made maybe 65 x 24 x 20?

Is that a decent footprint to populate 3 to 4 tangs?

Any general advice since this would be quite a large step up in volume?

Z06-Hec · Aug 26, 2015

Right now I have a 150 Gal, 6 foot long.
Purple Tang 6"
Yellow Tang 4.5"
Blue Hippo Tang 2.5"

I had a powder blue before the Yellow and he was about 4" and always fought with the purple and bullied other tank mates constantly. When I saw him going in on my clams and goniopora i got rid of him.

Then I bought 2 yellow tangs together. So that was 4 tangs in tank at once. After a month of being ok and holding their own, the 2 yellow tangs stopped getting along. The purple and 1 of the yellow, did not let the other yellow eat. Eventually he died. No signs of sickness, and all other tank inhabitants are still fine to this day.

I do also have 2 adult angels and a few much smaller fish, Clowns that stay on their opposite sides of the tank, 1 small wrasse, 1 medium wrasse, 1 large goby, 1 small blenny.

My .02 6 foot is not long enough for more than 3 tangs, could be lucky with 4 tangs. It also depends on the tangs... Powder blue very aggressive, Purple is semi aggressive.. Hippo not aggressive at all in my case.

Cment · Aug 26, 2015

I think 3 maybe 4 depending on which tangs you go with will work in a 150. Just a heads up, DSA makes a 155 (72x24x21) if custom is too expensive...

ReefBum · Aug 26, 2015

I just set up a 187g tank that is 60"L x 30"W x 24"T and I love it. The 30" width really provides a lot of cool aquascaping options. IMO, go as wide as you can.

Z06-Hec · Aug 26, 2015

^ thats a nice tank !
I like the length of mine but hate the height. Wish there was a more shallow option available when and where I bought mine from. I didnt really think of depth too much, but the way i setup my rocks kind of worked out in the depth dept. I have them stacked where I have some leaned on the front glass and some on the back glass and they stay stacked to create some nice passage ways that the fish love to use back and forth.
If I had the money for a custom, It would be long, short and wide.

steve&mari · Aug 26, 2015

@3FordFamily he is the resident tang expert hopefully he will jump in and help advise you.

Trex · Aug 26, 2015

IMO/E, you should go with 72 inches long (( if not longer )) if you want to have 3 to 4 tangs in that tank. 5 feet long will be a bit short for that.

I recently set up a 210 (( 72 inches long )), and really don't see much equipment difference if I would have gone with a 60 inch long tank.

ps2cho · Aug 27, 2015

Ok so if space allows 72 is preferred. I am not super into tall tanks but I want it tall enough to allow space for growth and so my vortech can swell up the entire tank rather than just churning up the sand. I'm considering between 22 and 24". Is that a decent height to still have my Reefbreeders LED lights perform well without issue?

Depth is based on space. I'd love minimum 26 but 30 would be awesome!

Bruce Burnett · Aug 27, 2015

My current setup, tank 72 long by 30 deep by 26 tall and I wish I could afford to go bigger like 560 gallons but cost of tank is out of my ability. I have the following tangs, powder brown, two yellow, kole, tomini tang. I figure that is all I should put in. Remember not only do you need room for them to swim you also need places for them to hide when they sleep. Go with a standard size tank for price. Bigger is always better but more of everything. More makeup water, bigger sump, skimmer, return pump, more live stock, more food, more lights, more wave pumps, more additives. Need to also remember very few of the led lights can keep SPS corals in a large area 30-40 inches below the light. If you use metal halide then a chiller is needed. My lights are 2 ea Orphek Atlantiks and I have SPS growing well on the bottom of tank.

ps2cho · Aug 28, 2015

I have no problems in my 15" tank and I only run the lights at 50% so I think as long as I keep it no taller than 24" I should be fine. I don't even want to go deeper than that anyways for access. Is rather have the footprint than the height.

ps2cho · Sep 5, 2015

So I was watching the BRS160 rock video this morning and got me thinking.

Should I go buy some pukani rock now and let it cook in a tub in the garage for the next 6 to 12 months? I'd love to have a brand new tank with no algae problems!

Good idea? I can clear a corner for a brute trash can to fit in.

Also would the bacteria be fine in 100F heat since it's still summer? Then in a few months it will cool back down to 80F

Breakthecycle2 · Sep 5, 2015

I recommend to everyone gettting a 6 foot tank, don't waste your money on MP 40's. They are not enough. I had two on mine and it was no where near enough flow. Realistically, an MP 60 and an MP 40 would be good, but new you are at $1000+. I switched to a Gyre 150 and love every second of it. I only have to keep it around 70% too.

Danny McElroy · Sep 7, 2015

ps2cho said:
Hey guys

So I plan to buy a bigger house next year and I realized since I have to completely break my current 60 down it may be the best time to get something bigger.

I would like some advice on how big and recommendations.

I would like a variety of tangs so I think somewhere between 120 to 150g. I don't think I want to go bigger than 150 because the price will start requiring huge pumps and evaporation. Two mp40s would be enough for a 150g right?

Sps biased so not too deep...

I'm thinking of having the tank glass and custom made maybe 65 x 24 x 20?

Is that a decent footprint to populate 3 to 4 tangs?

Any general advice since this would be quite a large step up in volume?

What's your budget?

ShawnSaucier · Sep 7, 2015

Happy Labor Day!
Love these types of posts. Getting into a new tank is always exciting and nerve racking at the same time. I went custom a year and a half ago with a 60"x30"x24", which coming from a 60g will seem massive. The front to back depth really helps when aquascaping and working inside the tank. I do wish I had gone that extra foot to 72" and maybe pushed to 36" front to back. My suggestion to you would be to mock up a tank with either pvc or wood (pvc you can use for plumbing or aquascaping later) and see what feels good for you. This would also allow you to design your aquascape with your dry rock ( if that is the route you decide) before you cook it for the 6-12 months as you said. Main thing would be to take your time with the design of your system, research and read up on as many builds as you can. Start putting together your equipment list that can work within your budget.

maroun.c · Sep 7, 2015

My older tank was a 66x20x24 it was a nightmare to scape yet it housed a hyppo 2 yellows a purple and a kole tang.
Must admit that the look of the same fish and the swimming patterns in a bigger tank was a total different experience when I upgraded to my current 400 G 88x34x30 the added length although not much was visible when a fish swims from side to side but the major difference was the width of the tank and seing fish swim from front to back rather than left to right all the time. it was like a 3 D effect compared to my previous tank. the flip side is that it makes the LED lighting choice a bit more difficult and way more expensive.

SerpentSlick · Sep 7, 2015

Cment said:
I think 3 maybe 4 depending on which tangs you go with will work in a 150. Just a heads up, DSA makes a 155 (72x24x21) if custom is too expensive...

I believe DSA makes a cool 165 too. I have a DSA Model 100 Pro and that was my next choice.

ps2cho · Sep 7, 2015

Thanks everyone.

Seems like I am leaning towards roughly 62 x 26 x 22 which is a 153 gal... Plus or minus a few inches each way depending on how I can fit in the new house.

Do you guys think a Gyre 150 and a MP40QD would be enough flow?