New to hobby

Pbr445 · May 14, 2020

Hello everyone! Started my very first tank about a month ago! It is currently a 10gal with 2 tiny clowns, 3 snails, 2 hermits, 1 strawberry crab, and a few beginner corals. Used turbo start to get everything going and it worked like a dream and got me right where I should be.
Planning to upgrade to a 20long or 29gal tank here very shortly (next sale at petco or a donation of a 20long that my girlfriend is upgrading from).
Hopefully I can learn a lot here and become much more knowledgeable in everything aquarium!

While I’m here, any suggestions on the 2 tanks I’m deciding between would be greatly appreciated, along with any suggestions on the transferring of everything!

Crabs McJones · May 14, 2020

Welcome to R2R!

F i s h y · May 14, 2020

I always say the bigger the better. My first was a 29 gallon. Welcome to the party!

UCF Alum · May 14, 2020

Nice tank and welcome to the REEF!

Caseyoidae · May 14, 2020

Welcome!

TopShelfAquatics · May 14, 2020

Welcome! Looks like an awesome start!

fishface NJ · May 14, 2020

Welcome to R2R!!!

Parent_usmc · May 14, 2020

Welcome to the addiction

fishguy242 · May 14, 2020

hi welcome to the reef going to love it here!!
lots of fun/info/fun/help/fun....

El_Guapo13 · May 14, 2020

Welcome to R2R!!

The 20 long and 29 have the same length, the difference comes from the 29 being taller. Both can work very well, although you can't have as much of a bioload with the 20 long as you could the 29, due to the 29 having a larger volume of water. So you can keep more fish in the 29. Likewise, the 20 being a smaller water volume could have paramer swings much more easily than the 29 due to the smaller water volume.

That said, if I had the money at the time this past January (and if petco had any in stock, mostly this factor) I would have gotten a 40 breeder instead of the 29 gallon. So if in the next Dollar per Gallon sale you see a 40 breeder, and if you have the room for it, I say go for that instead. Much more room for aquasacping, can hold more fish, and much less likely to have parameter swings.

But if you only have space for the 20 long or 29, I would say 29 gallon. Keep in mind though, with the taller tank, you need stronger light to get the adequate PAR levels at the bottom of the tank for raising whatever corals you have down there. I personally have two Kessil A360X lights on my 29 gallon. And my corals are super happy!!! Excpet my acros. Which did not take the move into the new tank very well. Probably didn't that it was an emergencymove and not a planned upgrade, so I did not have an adequate light on it for like a month. Now I need new acro frags.