Large or small?
- Thread starter jazzyg1
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Jeepguy242
Valuable Member
large
more water= more stable
more water= more stable
SashimiTurtle
Turtle
Bigger is not always better. Bigger means more maintenance, more equipment, more lights. Smaller isn't nearly as stable, parameters can fluctuate very quickly. Find what your budget is, and what space you have available and go with something that you will like. That's the most important decision. For stability, anything over 40 gallons total water will be fine, over 120 and you start looking at more expense with extra lighting and flow.
A great starter budget tank is a 40 breeder with a 20 long sump. Enough room to keep quite a few fish and grow some nice sized coral, but not so big you break the bank on lighting.
A great starter budget tank is a 40 breeder with a 20 long sump. Enough room to keep quite a few fish and grow some nice sized coral, but not so big you break the bank on lighting.
Go big, I did. Space, and where you place your tank is everything. Tanks that are 6 ft long have great benefits. This is a long term hobby, and you need room to grow, plus it’s easier. All systems have maintenance. Buy quality equipment that cleans easy, like the skimmer. Keep It Simple Stupid, or KISS, is my best advice. I did everything manually for the first 3 yrs, and only started auto functions now. You will learn a lot the first year, and even more the second, but that’s where you must go to understand the full concept of creating your piece of the reef at home. Oh, get your partner involved! They will understand why you ran off with your tank, and why you spend more time with your tank than anyone else!
Oops!!! And a very fine Welcome to Reef 2 Reef! There’s lots of opinions, but better yet, more information to kill a horse, or make you dizzier than usual
Oops!!! And a very fine Welcome to Reef 2 Reef! There’s lots of opinions, but better yet, more information to kill a horse, or make you dizzier than usual
reefertank
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I started small with a 5 gallon nano, and it was inexpensive but it was a pain in the butt. I quickly upgraded to a 90 gallon, and MUCH easier to maintain. I would say go big.
Thank you . Id rather buy big and be done was looking at 300 litres plus sump as im in australia which is 90 gallons. Everyone says no start small but id rather get the set up id like and learning from there rather then going small and have to sell it of
reefertank
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Good plan and good luck, read though these forums they will help you.
NinnJinn
Well-Known Member
Once you get over the initial shock of the cost of setting up a large tank you will be glad that you went with a large tank.
No one on here including myself can stress patience enough. Take your time and do everything right the first time. you will thank yourself later.
By doing everything right the first time do NOT expect your new tank to be up and running with fish Within 10 weeks.
No one on here including myself can stress patience enough. Take your time and do everything right the first time. you will thank yourself later.
By doing everything right the first time do NOT expect your new tank to be up and running with fish Within 10 weeks.
reefertank
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Don't be afraid of used equipment a lot of times you can find somebody getting out of the hobby selling their entire set up on Craigslist or let-go or any classified ad at a fraction of the cost of what it would be new it literally save you thousands
NinnJinn
Well-Known Member
Exactly! That's the route I took with my 125gallon. I probably saved a good 5 to $600.
He was getting out of the Hobby and just kept piling stuff that he had into my enclosed trailer.
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3 things to help you determine that factor:
1) What fish are you interested in keeping?
2) What is your budget?
3) How much space do you have?
While it is true that the larger the tank, the more stable it is, the startup cost is also considerably higher (ie more lights, more rock, sand, equipment, etc.). So what I would do is spend some time answering the 3 questions above and let that determine your setup.
Oh, and as mentioned above it wouldn't hurt to look into used equipment. Just make sure the tank doesn't leak and isn't all scratched up. I had a mixed bag when I upgraded to my 90 gallon and got a pre-drilled corner overflow 90 gallon, stand, sump, protein skimmer, return pump and virtually all the plumbing for $350. Everything seemed great until I decided to try and test the lights out on the main tank and this is what showed up (thank goodness I tested the lights before filling it):
I got rid of the tank and bought a new one and it has been running good ever since.
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PatW
2500 Club Member
Maintenance on a large tank does not increase that fast. A large tank of say 300 gallons does not take that much longer to clean the glass than a 50 gallon. You still have to look at it and decide to do it. Then get your equipment out, scrub, clean the equipment, put it away. Yes the larger area takes longer but not that much longer. Testing will take the same amount of time. A large tank of ten times the volume might be about twice as much work.
Some things are easier with a large tank. It is far more stable.
Other things are impractical. Doing a massive, over 50%, water change is not likely. Removing all of the rock and scrubbing it is in the fat chance category.
And there is the greater expense and just space requirements of a large tank. Also once you get bigger than about 180 gallons, you are getting into the custom construction kind of tank.
And there are certain fish like tangs that require room to move. A few tangs are ok with a 4’ tank. Quite a few will go with a 6’ tank. The more exotic ones really need 8’ and up which is impractical for most reefers.
Some things are easier with a large tank. It is far more stable.
Other things are impractical. Doing a massive, over 50%, water change is not likely. Removing all of the rock and scrubbing it is in the fat chance category.
And there is the greater expense and just space requirements of a large tank. Also once you get bigger than about 180 gallons, you are getting into the custom construction kind of tank.
And there are certain fish like tangs that require room to move. A few tangs are ok with a 4’ tank. Quite a few will go with a 6’ tank. The more exotic ones really need 8’ and up which is impractical for most reefers.
