what made you downgrade?

[thirty6]

just wondering what motivates some people to downgrade.... im toying with idea of smaller tank so I can stay in hobby and not neglect the tank as much as I have. The family is growing (this summer) and with work/coaching/basic life something usually has to give and the tank unfortunately has lately. I find myself working on the tank late at night or in morning earlier than everyone is up. I don't work a standard m-f set schedule job to complicate the maintenance issue....

so what made you decide to downgrade and do you regret it?

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

To be the first, there are many reasons I have downgraded in the past.

#1 Time Constraints

#2 Space constraints

#3 "Go fowlr" or easier to maintain - You sort of get bored of not seeing the amazing colors of corals and the fun part of visiting the LFS or another member for corals. You can only fill a tank with X amount of fish.

#4 Kids/College/Work/LIFE

#5 Reduce costs of running a bigger tank - smaller heater, less lighting requirements, wattage, wattage, wattage/efficiency.


What I've found is if you have a tank in place, make it more efficient and find a different time frame which you can work on your tank. Don't play with it as much. Enjoy it rather than tinker.

When I got rid of my tank, each time my wife or kids would say they missed going to the LFS with me or having something else to do during our minimal free time.

 

[thirty6]

Yea. I have made the switch to working on the tank late at night or setting alarm early and doing it that way. I prefer the fish to corals, but your right you can only put so many fish in a tank
My little guy doesn't want to get rid of current tank , doesn't understand a new tank would take it's place ( I don't think anyway)

 

[jvu61]

with the exception of space , I don't think I can ever go smaller. have a 300 now hope to get a 1,000 when I move into my last retirement house

 

[thirty6]

My concern with the downgrade is being limited with selection of livestock, I would love a larger aquarium but it years and years away

 

[edd]

reason I'm down grading is my 300 is in my living room [wouldnt have it any ware else] so its kinda over powering and taking over. will i regret it, most likely. I'm just never satisfied, always looking to change. i think i enjoy the build more than the tank.
as far as maintenance, i don't see much difference weather its a 150 or 300. you have to take out the same stuff anyway, so really just a little longer. but the amount of water is a pain on the larger tank.

 

[thirty6]

Well I have the 150. Would go considerably smaller

 

[greg 45]

If you automate as much as possible / it will make your journey that much easier .

 

[thirty6]

Hey Greg, hope all is well

I tried using a controller once. I'm technologically "slow". Didn't work very well

 

[BKLYNREEF123]

OP

Have you seen Apex Fusion? It makes using the controller much easier. They just added a log for Cal Alk and Mg where you enter current values and it automatically programs the new doser. That being said with a smaller tank you still have to keep up on water changes, changing out media, refilling 2 part containers moving frags ect. Do you think the larger volume requires much more time than does a smaller tank? Cost wise Im sure a smaller tank cost much less, but I dont see a significant savings of time.

 

[thirty6]

^^^ that's what im wondering

 

[Reef Reaper]

Time!!

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Where are those with FOWLRs? They are probably your best bet to know any major differences.

I think hecdr used to run a FOWLR for a few months before he broke it down. Hopefully, he could chime in if he noticed a major time difference or any maintenance differences.

 

[jvu61]

my 300 is pretty easy to maintain. Feed them every day top of the ato once a week and 55 gal water change every month. really pretty easy. I find the less I do the less goes wrong lol

 

[greg 45]

thirty6 all is well upgraded all my equipment / skimmer / controller / automated equipment / moving away from hobby grade equipment.
Tired of being a test bed for new equipment on the market.
I feel bad for everyone purchasing the new gyre / what a joke.
Companies should pick a person off line at random and get there 2 cents not someone who gets it for free / nuf said don't need another time out .

 

[Koyfam16]

I've always had nanos. I would love to get my hands on a 300 + gallon. In my case the expense keeps me at the nano level.
I said when I got my first house I'm getting a huge tank but 2 years later of home ownership and I'm rocking a 5 gallon lol.

I agree with everyone in that if you can automate a lot of stuff or fine a good balance then you can sit back and just enjoy the tank you'll be fine.

Some of the products in the hobby is just so expensive but I say save up and do it right.

 

[thirty6]

Few people have mentioned automate:

What are you automating exactly? I don't dose anything. I do water changes regularly and feed fishes/corals every other day sometimes less than that. Clean sump socks/skimmer too

 

[jdino]

First congrats on growing family.
I wonder the same as above will a smaller tank save u significant amount of time?
I think fowlr is a good start and then keep the rest as simple as possible.

 

[thirty6]

Thank you!
I'm still coming to terms I think

 

[reefs4life]

I downgraded my tank because I hated having a gorgeous 210 in a basement that no one used be in. It eventually started feeling like a job to always go in the basement just to feed the fish and when people came over it felt like I always had to take them down and introduce them to a new part of the house (which was really crappy because it was an unfinished basement).

I finally found a 150 DD and convinced my parents to move the tank in a corner of the living where it would fit perfectly. I can now say that I enjoy my tank again because everyone is always intrigued by it because it's always around and convenient to see. If it wasn't for nursing school, I'd probably be taking better care of it but the smaller size is definitely more manageable. The only downside is placement of coral is not as easy and keeping all the fish I would like to keep is impossible