Welcome, @AquariumDani !
Good start it sounds like. Your salinity isn't too overly high and an easy fix (remove some saltwater and add in RO water...probably half gallon swap would bring you in line). Nitrates of 5 ppm aren't bad at all. I think that's a great range even with most corals.
When thinking of upgrading, think less in terms of gallons and more about functionality. For instance, if you decide you really like tangs, a 6 foot tank is much better than 4 feet. For visual appeal and aquascaping potential, extra width from front to back is so much better than going taller. When I went from 18" wide to 24" wide, it really opened things up. I wish I had gone even wider. Height is the least important in my opinion, as fish tend to swim more laterally than up and down.
Buy quality equipment the first time, even if it means having to delay a purchase. It's best to buy powerheads or pumps or a skimmer that can scale up with your tank upgrade versus having to buy those items twice. This isn't always possible but there's tons of good people on this site that can help you plan out a future upgrade the most efficiently way possible!
Good start it sounds like. Your salinity isn't too overly high and an easy fix (remove some saltwater and add in RO water...probably half gallon swap would bring you in line). Nitrates of 5 ppm aren't bad at all. I think that's a great range even with most corals.
When thinking of upgrading, think less in terms of gallons and more about functionality. For instance, if you decide you really like tangs, a 6 foot tank is much better than 4 feet. For visual appeal and aquascaping potential, extra width from front to back is so much better than going taller. When I went from 18" wide to 24" wide, it really opened things up. I wish I had gone even wider. Height is the least important in my opinion, as fish tend to swim more laterally than up and down.
Buy quality equipment the first time, even if it means having to delay a purchase. It's best to buy powerheads or pumps or a skimmer that can scale up with your tank upgrade versus having to buy those items twice. This isn't always possible but there's tons of good people on this site that can help you plan out a future upgrade the most efficiently way possible!
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