Next tank setup, looking for suggestions

[Tylo255]

First off I have browsed these forums for years while doing nanos and taken advice, so thanks for the help fomr a lurker so far!

I am now in the position where I could do something more than a 20 gallon and can actually get serious (hopefully I can finally have some of those open water swimmers). I'm looking to have a tank in the 55-120 range where I can get a sump and all that jazz plumbed in. I've been looking into a 75 gallon since the dimensions seem pretty aesthetically pleasing and I want a nice aquascape, but not sure what all I'm losing out on from a 120 gallon aside from being able to keep some larger tangs? Mostly wondering what the stocking differences would be between say 75 and a 120/125, or maybe somewhere in between would be good.

Secondly, in terms of the reef portion I live in HI where keeping any stony corals is illegal. I can get zoas and some softies or anemones, and as far as I know, that's about it. In terms of anemone tank mates, is it possible to keep a BTA dominated tank stocked with other fish, or are they prone to caught eventually. I do currently have a 20 gallon with artificial corals, which is alright, but for sure would prefer to do something real, or even perhaps mixed? Also CUC is limited to what I can catch, which so far has been a few snails that don't seem to do much and hermits.

Any advice appreciated!

 

[lapin]

Howdy and welcome

 

[cmaxwell39]

First of all welcome to the forums officially. Glad to have you join in and not just silently lurk in the background.


I am going to assume you are talking standard dimension tanks, so the biggest difference between the 75 and the 120 is going to be 6" front to back. While that might not seem like a big deal, the extra 6" gives you so many more options when it comes to aquascape. My personal preference is to have the extra depth (front to back).

 

[Hydrored]

Welcome, I recommend going as large as you can afford from the start.

 

[Auquanut]

Welcome to R2R! Glad to have you out of the shadows. While I agree that I personally would go as big as possible, I suggest that you try to look down the road as to what you may want livestock/bioload wise. You may wind up happier with a 75. Which is awesome for a reef tank. As far as not being able to keep stony corals, that's not great, but I have seen some AMAZING soft coral tanks here! Maybe someone will share.

 

[Henn]

First off I have browsed these forums for years while doing nanos and taken advice, so thanks for the help fomr a lurker so far!

I am now in the position where I could do something more than a 20 gallon and can actually get serious (hopefully I can finally have some of those open water swimmers). I'm looking to have a tank in the 55-120 range where I can get a sump and all that jazz plumbed in. I've been looking into a 75 gallon since the dimensions seem pretty aesthetically pleasing and I want a nice aquascape, but not sure what all I'm losing out on from a 120 gallon aside from being able to keep some larger tangs? Mostly wondering what the stocking differences would be between say 75 and a 120/125, or maybe somewhere in between would be good.

Secondly, in terms of the reef portion I live in HI where keeping any stony corals is illegal. I can get zoas and some softies or anemones, and as far as I know, that's about it. In terms of anemone tank mates, is it possible to keep a BTA dominated tank stocked with other fish, or are they prone to caught eventually. I do currently have a 20 gallon with artificial corals, which is alright, but for sure would prefer to do something real, or even perhaps mixed? Also CUC is limited to what I can catch, which so far has been a few snails that don't seem to do much and hermits.

Any advice appreciated!

I would like to suggest a Marine Pond like mine. There are several generations of Dwarf
Seahorses that live in a floating Corral. The walls are Nylon Fabric Tulle and provide all the live food. The remaining Pond has some real interesting stuff. A tank is so normal. Any good resin tank can be insulated to become a Tidal type pond. My Pond (s) have 48 sq ft of area with 250 gallons. They fill with Macro Algae. They get covered in winter, like a green house. Stony Coral is out, it fades, but Inverts like brittle stars and urchins abound. My Gorgonians are huge and Ricordea do well. Please consider a Marine Pond. All the fixtures are DIY from a Home Center. The ponds have Ocean Quality water and are larval friendly. It is like things used to be.

 

[Tylo255]

Thanks for all the input! I’ll look into the affordability of a 120 and go with that if I can.

I have looked into seahorses actually, but they all seem high maintenance and you pretty much have to limit yourself to them which seems not great to me for now, maybe as a smaller project down the line.

I guess the other concern I had is can I keep smaller angels, wrasse, and tangs in a tank with BTA? Or is it a danger to the fish?

 

[fishguy242]

hi welcome to the reef going to love it here!!
lots of fun/info/fun/help/fun....
depending on size of tank,amount of nems,to determine fish

 

[Tylo255]

hi welcome to the reef going to love it here!!
lots of fun/info/fun/help/fun....
depending on size of tank,amount of nems,to determine fish

Thanks!

I see pics of tanks where anemone pretty much just covers all rock work, those look ***** amazing to me, but could they also be stocked with open water swimmers.

I guess the root of my question is if I have a 120 gallon and it is covered with anemone, could some angels and tangs also be able to inhabit it?

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Evening

First off #WelcometoR2R @Tylo255 and @Henn

If you are thinking tangs I would go with a traditional 125. It gives length for tangs to swim. I run a 75 and 180. 75 is perfect for dwarf angels and bristle tooth tang like tomini. The down side of the 125 is the length will require extra light and flow due to the length.

My first tank was full of leathers, gorgonia, whips, etc. nothing stony. Loved it and light was easy.

 

[Eleni18]

Thanks for all the input! I’ll look into the affordability of a 120 and go with that if I can.

I have looked into seahorses actually, but they all seem high maintenance and you pretty much have to limit yourself to them which seems not great to me for now, maybe as a smaller project down the line.

I guess the other concern I had is can I keep smaller angels, wrasse, and tangs in a tank with BTA? Or is it a danger to the fish?

You can keep all reef safe fish with BTA. I have a huge BTA hosting 2 clownfish and tangs, cardinals, mandarins, gobies, no problem

 

[Victor_C3]

First of all welcome to the forums officially. Glad to have you join in and not just silently lurk in the background.


I am going to assume you are talking standard dimension tanks, so the biggest difference between the 75 and the 120 is going to be 6" front to back. While that might not seem like a big deal, the extra 6" gives you so many more options when it comes to aquascape. My personal preference is to have the extra depth (front to back).

Another good point to make is you’d still use much of the same equipment with a 120 as you would a 75. Lighting would certainly be the same, which is usually the most expensive part for many people.

 

[Tylo255]

Alright, yeah, now that I have a diagram of the tank sizes looks like everything is four feet until 125 gallons. And I’m not looking for tangs specifically, but anything that will give me a lot of movement, if I end up with a 75 and have dwarf angels, wrasse, and some chromis that’s fine. More into the look than the size I suppose

 

[Victor_C3]

Alright, yeah, now that I have a diagram of the tank sizes looks like everything is four feet until 125 gallons. And I’m not looking for tangs specifically, but anything that will give me a lot of movement, if I end up with a 75 and have dwarf angels, wrasse, and some chromis that’s fine. More into the look than the size I suppose

If movement is what you’re after, stay away from cardinal fish. They congregate in groups, but the usually just in one spot, hover all day, and seem to never move.

I do like your logic with tank size though. A 120 is only 6” wider than a 75 so you might as well get a 120. If you’re going with a 120, 125 is only 5 more gallons. However if you’re going with a 6 foot long tank then you might as well jump up to a 6’ x 2’ x 2’ tank and have 180 gallons. Another six inches wider and your at a 240 gallon tank. Once you’re at 240, you might as well go big and just go out and get a 600+ gallon display...

It never stops!

 

[Henn]

Thanks for all the input! I’ll look into the affordability of a 120 and go with that if I can.

I have looked into seahorses actually, but they all seem high maintenance and you pretty much have to limit yourself to them which seems not great to me for now, maybe as a smaller project down the line.

I guess the other concern I had is can I keep smaller angels, wrasse, and tangs in a tank with BTA? Or is it a danger to the fish?

_ This System needs to be spread around, please copy it and share the methods. We must not only love these things, we must grow them or they will be gone.

This type of Pond has a simple two part filter system. The key to all these pond systems, fresh or marine, is Knitted Shade Cloth ( pure HDPE ). It has more Bio Activity than any type of Dry Coral. The outside surfaces are Aerobic and where the Ribbons of material overlap, there are flat low oxygen areas formed. This Ribbon effect does not happen with Round Thread Cloth. The Ribbons are plastic with no Anaerobic Depth. It is the Knitted Junctions that provide perfect sized Anaerobic Chambers ( lots per square inch ). The oldest Marine Pond has been running for 5 years without any filter cloth maintenance. The only addition to two Matrix Buckets ( 200 gph pond pumps wrapped in Shade Cloth ) is the Constant Protein Skimmer. It is the only water exchange method. From 0 to 15 gallons per day. An Air Lift has a water return under water and a riser. Any gack that forms bubbles will throw over a check valve ( 24/7 ). PS: The Tulle Fabric Corral that floats in the Pond, does all Seahorse maintenance. These Seahorses have not seen any BRINE SHRIMP in at least 4 generations. They share the Corral with breeding Lettuce Nudibranches ( more larval food ) the Peppermint Shrimp, outside the Corral provide Larval forms as well. This system has been used inside as well. My Pond Nitrate is around 2 ppm and stops Hard Coral. The Ricordea grow fast as do the Gorgonians. The Serpentine Starfish are nearing dinner plate size and the Pencil Urchins are like base balls. The smallest successful Dwarf Seahorse Breeder setup here was a 35 gallon garden pond with a Tulle Fabric Coral dipped in. It takes about 1 month to grow in the Corral Walls. Under the Corral is the normal Clean Up Crew. A Cleaner Shrimp once devoured a dead Seahorse in 5 minutes, thus the Floating Corral. The Corral can have No Fish, No Crabs, No Hydras ( the original reason for giving up BRINE SHRIMP and developing the Tulle Fabric Cage ). Looking down into the Pond is different but more natural for fish. Using only large matrix Shade Cloth produces a crystal clear water that is faintly gold green with Larva and Plankton. There have been Black Pacific Mussels and Green Lip Mussels spawning here for several years. My next addition will be a Giant Clam ( with food and Sunlight it may get giant ).
Having a Pond inside is easier than a tank. It sits on the floor, is three feet across, 18 inches deep, and holds 35 gallons. One Air Lift does Protein and one Matrix Wrapped Pond Pump in a Bucket does all filtering. The Pump Output just shoots out the side to produce a circular current under the Corral. The water never leaves the Pond and looking in from any side is nice.
If my Ponds were not stuffed with inverts and fish the Nitrate Levels and Phos. Levels would allow for Hard Coral. As it is the 40 square feet of Bottom are a real Canvas.

 

[Devaji]

aloha my friend,

my 2 cents.
I lived on Maui for a while I rescued a 55 gal did NSW for water changes it was nice to have a tank.
that said, as you know electricity is $$$$ so you must factor that in. reef lights do suck down the juice.

IMHO here is what I would do keep the 20 as a reef.
then build a BIG plywood tank for a FOWLR you have free Sw lights will be cheap to run no heating needed run a ATS< UV and skimmer for filtration and then you can get the permit form the DLNR to catch your own fish for the tank.

IDK just a thought....

if you just want one tank softie are cool so under rated check out mike C tank he has some YT vies and where as a build thread here.

 

[Victor_C3]

aloha my friend,

my 2 cents.
I lived on Maui for a while I rescued a 55 gal did NSW for water changes it was nice to have a tank.
that said, as you know electricity is $$$$ so you must factor that in. reef lights do suck down the juice.

IMHO here is what I would do keep the 20 as a reef.
then build a BIG plywood tank for a FOWLR you have free Sw lights will be cheap to run no heating needed run a ATS< UV and skimmer for filtration and then you can get the permit form the DLNR to catch your own fish for the tank.

IDK just a thought....

if you just want one tank softie are cool so under rated check out mike C tank he has some YT vies and where as a build thread here.

Just mentioning....

To power my aquarium setup with 115 gallon display, 8x bulb T5 fixture, 600 watts of heaters 2x LED grow lights and 2x return pumps 2x MP40s plus accessories I spend around $12-$15 a month in additional electricity.

I use between 8-10 KWh per month, depending on the time of the year.