Poll: Have You Ever Upgraded?

dbl · Nov 28, 2017

With the recent storm of sales over the long weekend, it got me thinking. How many folks have ever upgraded their tank at one point or the other. Let's assume a tank upgrade in this case is a larger tank and it's your main display tank. I for one started with a 120g and am still running with it. I actually find it to be the perfect size for me and the space it's located, and don't see an upgrade in my future.

So, let us know if you've ever upgraded (gone larger) from when you first started in the hobby.

Crabs McJones · Nov 28, 2017

I haven't upgraded yet, and my wife says I can't upgrade until we move into our new house (who knows when that will be) but when we do I want to upgrade from my 40 breeder to a 75

Jl330 · Nov 28, 2017

When I had a freshwater tank I started with a 40 breeder and then got my 55 for free so I "upgraded". Sometimes with reefing now I'd rather have the 40, but I've done well with the 55.

I really want a 6 foot tank one day, we'll see. I don't see a benefit in getting a 75 at this point.

ca1ore · Nov 28, 2017

Hmmn. upgrades ...... 20 times, maybe more LOL

Reef of Fillory · Nov 28, 2017

I actually downgraded but not out of choice!

Sold my house, and moved to an apartment which doesn't allow fish tanks. I ended up downsizing to a Biocube 32g until my lease is up and the wife and I will be buying an investment property, live in and fix it up for a few years [with a 120-140 gallon upgrade] and then build "our" house. This house will have a 350+ gallon peninsula, in-wall or 'middle of the room' reef tank.

So I voted for plans to upgrade

andrewkw · Nov 28, 2017

I've upgraded 3 times. Started with a 15, upgraded to 112, added a 90 gallon (different display), upgraded 112 to 180, then downgraded back to the 112 (move). My 180 broke in my long distance move and thankfully I kept the 112 so that's what I'm using for now. This sounds like a lot of changes but this is over the course of 12 years. While I'm not crazy about using the 112 again vs 180 it will do for the coming years and once I'm settled in my forever home I hope to get my forever tank.

I started with a nano which is fine, it's pretty natural to want to upgrade from that, but if you're starting with a regular sized tank you really should try and look at least 5 years into the future and decide if that's the right size for you. It seems dbl you made the right choice with your 120. Upgrading from 120-180 75-120 ect is hardly worth the hassle. When my 180 broke when I moved I thought about picking up another or a 220 but decided it was better to stick with the tank I already have for now. Ride that out a few years then decide on a forever size. I do dream of an 8 foot tank with some big fish but it's still just a dream 180 is probably the max I can handle right now so rather then upgrade twice I'll stick with what I have and see what the future has in store for me. Any reef keeper can make any tank size look good and sometimes you gotta make the best of what you have. If you are in this hobby long enough both good and bad things will happen in your life which will dictate your tank size at times.

Amps Reef Life · Nov 28, 2017

I've done a few upgrades lol

I started out with a Biocube 29 gallon moved to a Red sea max 250 then moved to a Crystalline 85 gallon then to a custom 80 gallon then to a 105 Crystalline and now my final upgrade for a long time is my 180 gallon in wall build that's currently being built out. I have been living in apartments for a while so they did cause some of my upgrades I just bought my first home about 2 months ago. I wanted to go bigger but a 180 was the biggest I could fit in my new fish room.

Radman73 · Nov 28, 2017

Started with a 29gal biocube. Later bought, and then sold, a 135gal upgrade tank. Then bought and built a 60gal cube system that I will continue to run. Currently have my 220gal up and running and bought all of the remaining equipment I need/ want for it right now over the last week. I doubt I'll upgrade again for a long time, though I do have a spot in mind for when the time comes. But, since that would necessitate my mother in law passing away(she lives with us), I hope it doesn't come to fruition for a very long time lol!

Andrew.oh17 · Nov 28, 2017

In the process of upgrading now. We had a 92 gallon corner tank in our old house and I am currently putting together a 180 gallon tank in our new house. Fish and coral are at a friends house in a rubbermaid container. Looking forward to getting the tank up and running.

Tuffyyyyy · Nov 28, 2017

Went from an IM20 to an IM40. I plan on upgrading to an 80-120 gallon at some point over the next few years. Plan at that point is to have the big AF tank, turn the IM40 into a predator reef (probably with a single dwarf lion) and take the IM10 to work.

mfinn · Nov 28, 2017

Wow, I can't remember all the upgrades I've done.
I started with a 35 gallon flat back hex in 1985, and it's been all up hill ever since.

Brew12 · Nov 28, 2017

I'm in the "Plans on upgrading in the near future" category. I currently have my 120g system up and running. I'll be upgrading so soon that I already have the new 187g tank. I have most of the equipment I will need already and what I don't have should be here by the end of the week.

I was hoping to tear down the 120g in 2 weeks and get the new system up and running but I'm behind on building the new stand.

Maddlesrain · Nov 28, 2017

I went from a 72g to a 180g... however, my real upgrade was selling the 180 and going to my current little 22g.

Steven91 · Nov 28, 2017

dbl said:
With the recent storm of sales over the long weekend, it got me thinking. How many folks have ever upgraded their tank at one point or the other. Let's assume a tank upgrade in this case is a larger tank and it's your main display tank. I for one started with a 120g and am still running with it. I actually find it to be the perfect size for me and the space it's located, and don't see an upgrade in my future.

So, let us know if you've ever upgraded (gone larger) from when you first started in the hobby.

I'm currently in the middle of upgrading from a 120 to a 220

alton · Nov 28, 2017

55 to 135 to 200 to 300 down to 180 best move yet. Sometimes bigger is not always better

tgionet · Nov 28, 2017

I went from a 20l to a 40b to a deep blue 57 before anything ever saw any water. Really wanting a large display (180g++) though.

cycled123 · Nov 28, 2017

180g custom on order to upgrade from 37g. Going to keep the 37g going but convert to anemone only tank

5altkreep · Nov 28, 2017

My first real crack at this was a 29 biocube. ( i dont count the 55 from years ago).
Ive upgraded once to a 75, and once we buy a house i would like to go up to at least a 6' tank.

madweazl · Nov 28, 2017

I started with a 29g around '95 and moved up to a 55g in '96 (kept both going, the 29g was my first attempt at reefkeeping and the 55g was an aggressive tank). I got rid of both tanks and grabbed a 40g in '97 with plans to put a 70g tall in the stand at a later date but I joined the Marine Corps in '98 and the 70g plan never materialized. I ended up keeping the 40g until '09 when we moved. With limited space, I grabbed a 26g FBH that I kept for about a year until we moved again where I set up a 50g. That was only up for about a year when we moved yet again which brings us to the current 75g (and retirement!). I picked up a 150g a few weeks ago and am still undecided whether or not to keep both tanks (I really don't want to maintain two). I'd say all but the 26g were upgrades but we had serious space limitations so it was that or no tank at all, and that just wasn't going to happen.

Jason mack · Nov 28, 2017

I started 2 years ago with a 63 liter tank soon followed by and upgrade too 100 liters which I had for a year before upgrading again this time last year to my current tank which is a 350 liter (90g) which is now 1 year old .. I have plans in the distant future maybe too go one size bigger 500 liter (120g) peninsula .. but that’s still a few years away yet !!!