Which tank?

[maevepotter]

I'm looking to go a little larger on my tank. I currently have a 29 gallon and I feel like I need more space, especially front to back. I have all corals and anemones currently in 20g "qt" 20g. With the anemones I'd like a bigger tank to reduce fish injury odds.

I've been offered a used 65g reef ready framed tank (ideally I'd like rimless)

Also Petco's $1 a gallon sale is back on and I had been planning on 40 breeder.

I'm new to hobby and we don't have our own rodi yet so buckets are a concern. Also small house where space is an issue.

Would a 65g fit on the Petco brand imaginarium metal stand? We also have wood and were thinking about building our own.

Will the 65 be a pain because it's so tall? Yet also the 40b looks a little squat to me.

Stock:
2 ocellaris clowns, mated
1 linear blenny
1 dottyback
1 yellow tail damselfish

Corals
1 Duncan
1 hammer
1 Xenia
1 leather
2 teeny xenias of another type on live rock

Anemones
1 very injured BTA
1 Maxi mini carpet anemone

Thanks for your opinions!

 

[VB313]

I'm looking to go a little larger on my tank. I currently have a 29 gallon and I feel like I need more space, especially front to back. I have all corals and anemones currently in 20g "qt" 20g. With the anemones I'd like a bigger tank to reduce fish injury odds.

I've been offered a used 65g reef ready framed tank (ideally I'd like rimless)

Also Petco's $1 a gallon sale is back on and I had been planning on 40 breeder.

I'm new to hobby and we don't have our own rodi yet so buckets are a concern. Also small house where space is an issue.

Would a 65g fit on the Petco brand imaginarium metal stand? We also have wood and were thinking about building our own.

Will the 65 be a pain because it's so tall? Yet also the 40b looks a little squat to me.

Stock:
2 ocellaris clowns, mated
1 linear blenny
1 dottyback
1 yellow tail damselfish

Corals
1 Duncan
1 hammer
1 Xenia
1 leather
2 teeny xenias of another type on live rock

Anemones
1 very injured BTA
1 Maxi mini carpet anemone

Thanks for your opinions!

40 breeders are very popular and a lot of people have success with them on here

 

[maevepotter]

Also ideally I'd like to be able to get a fish or two more...

 

[lacrosseboss18]

I say go with the 65g tank. Little more water volume...

I had a 65g and I really enjoyed it. I personally like tall tanks. It’s not so wide that the height would be a concern.

Are you trying to fit the tank into a space and that’s why you’re considering these 2 tanks?

 

[BornHandy]

Personally like the 40 breeder, but that 65 could be tempting if it were free. The only worry I would have with it would be lightning on such a tall tank. You will need pretty good lights to punch that deep. Either one is a win in my mind.

You might also consider a 75 gallon for the dollar per gallon sale. 48" thanks tend to have more lighting options than 36" tanks in my experience.

 

[maevepotter]

It's not free, but $100. Bit more than I was looking to spend but I'm tempted because it's reef ready. As far as I can tell, you can't find them for under 350.

I want a tank with good depth front to back. So anything 18-24 inches deep. I was looking to stay around 36" because of the small space. Our current tank is 18-19" tall and I feel like it's a little tall as is, let alone adding 6-7" to it. It must be very hard to get to the bottom of a 65.

How many fish would be considered ok for a 40 vs a 65 ?

Also I like the cube 24x24s but I hear it's better for the fish to have more side to side swimming room.

Bottom line I don't want to get in too deep since I'm new but I want room to grow a bit, and not sure if 40 is enough. Given my current stock what would you say I could add in regards to fish in both?

I heard hippo tangs probably out of question right?

 

[maevepotter]

Oh in regards to lighting, I'm using the kingbo bulbs on Amazon. Apparently they have pretty good par. I just joined my local club so I might borrow a par reader.

 

[lacrosseboss18]

Yeah hippos get Huge. Not too familiar with those lights. You could also purchase a Chinese black box on EBay.
Also what type of corals are you looking to stock. Looks like you have a lot of soft corals. You going to dip your toe into sps?

 

[maevepotter]

Yes I'd like to do everything haha... I started with softies and LPS since I heard they are more beginner friendly. Also I do like them a bit more, but I do love acropora etc.

 

[lacrosseboss18]

Also check out YouTube.
See what other people have done with their tanks.

40g breeder

65g reef

 

[maevepotter]

I think next, I'll be wanting acans, torches, and chalice corals, also a fungia plate.

 

[maevepotter]

Great idea thanks for links.

Here's a discussion of my lights. Apparently they are more powerful than a kessil a80
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...&share_tid=443259&share_fid=1020&share_type=t

 

[TheWalkman99]

Is the 65 already drilled and ready for a sump?
24” can be difficult to work on the bottom. I’m 6’2” and I use a step stool when doing a bunch of work on the bottom of my big tank.

 

[maevepotter]

Yeah I'm 5'7" and looking at this video I'm a bit concerned. On the other hand it would be ideal for a true deep sand bed?


I don't know if it's drilled. I would assume? It says reef ready.

 

[TheWalkman99]

It’s not a bad looking tank. I’m
Assuming since it has an overflow it’s probably drilled.
Then if you want a deep sandbed then yeah go for the 65

 

[BornHandy]

The number of fish per gallon is pretty subjective. For example, 5 fish that are small, like firefish gobies are far less bio-load than a single 5" fish. This is just my opinion, but I think people run into problems when they try and put too many fish in their tanks. If you stick with the idea that the tank is for corals first, and fish second, I think you will find more success than if you try it the other way around. Make a list of the must haves, like maybe a 6 line wrasse for their utility, a pair of hifin gobies for their small size, and low bio-load, a pair of clowns for their visual appeal, and maybe a canary blenny for a water column dweller. That is six small fish, and in a 40 breeder with plenty of live rock, there may even be room for a few other small fish once the tank has matured a bit.

New information, so let me amend my original advice. There are two schools of thought, so I will bring both.

First is the 40 breeder. Smaller tank, less complexity with no overflows. This means no sumps, no sump pumps to combat head height, no plumbing and the possibility of leaks associated with it, on and on... It is also more budget friendly as you don't really need to worry with all the extra equipment that comes with a drilled tank. A nicely done 40 breeder with all HOB equipment will be much more enjoyable than a 65 gallon that may have more potential, but that potential is never reached because it is out of budget.

A drilled tank opens so many doors, and there is no substitute for having most equipment out of sight, so there is no denying the advantage of a reef ready 65, but there is also no way around the fact that it will be much more expensive than the 40 breeder in the long run. More rock, more salt, more light, more corals, and more fish. Not to mention - bigger heaters, the need for a sump, a pump that can move the water and so on. On this hand, there is a ton of extra options and potential for a more enjoyable experience if you are willing to part with the cash. The real danger is the temptation to buy bad equipment because it is cheap, and end up with an aquarium that provides more headache than enjoyment, when you may have been able to get good equipment for a smaller tank for the same money.

Just because you said you didn't want to spend $100.00 on the 65, I am leaning on the 40 breeder. A masterpiece 40 breeder will always look better than an under-stocked and under-equipped 65 gallon reef ready that just never reaches that "finished" look.

 

[oceaninabox12345]

My advice would be to go as big as your budget and house allows. You wont regret going bigger. With lights, i purchased a couple chinese blackboxes off of Amazon. 3 years old and working perfectly, everything growing amazing. I believe they were 98 dollars. You could get a hippo tang in a 65, but plan on eventually getting rid of her when the time comes. I have one in a 120, and she will be fine until she gets bigger. Currently shes just a little one.