Survey .....Does size really matter ?

[bigtank]

I like the physical presence of a "big" aquarium, but not a "huge" tank. A 20 or 30 just looks too small to me, and anything smaller looks tiny. I've had a 70 for almost a year with no plans to upgrade it. However I do want more tanks. Oceanic 37s, 58s, and 120s are particularly appealing to me.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd love a 120. I'm stuck with a 37 until I buy a house and get rich. I'm running out of room.

Ty

 

[Rich-n-poor]

well my 37 was really a downgrade for me when i left texas I had a 48 gallon breeder tank which i loved but which wouldn't fit in the car

I liked the depth and width of the tank alot better than my 37 which i have had for about 7 years

Remember it isnt just length but girth that counts too fellas (still talking about tanks here) I like a deep tank

My wife says it isnt the size so much as what you do with it (yes im still talking about tanks here) and likes our 37 better than any of the larger fresh water tanks she has seen

if i had the money I have seen a beautiful 240 acylic at my LFS but I couldnt afford to fill it

the 90 seems to be the best compromise as it is very cubicle in shape high and deep which i like the 37 will fit inside the stand cause i already measured it and it could serve as a sump for the 240 when I hit the lottery

I guess the moral here is size doesnt matter but it sure helps

besides who really wants a smaller one (could be talking about tanks here but then again maybe not )

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Hero Honda Hunk

 

[THillson]

Bigger is better, no doubt about it. I started with a 55, moved to a 65, now I have a custom built 170 gallon (60"x30"x24") with an eighty gallon sump/refugium. Each time I was amazed at the extra room I now had. I was convinced that it would take a long time to fill them up. Well, time can be shortened with some cash and fast growing corals. I had to let my giga clam go because it grew to big in only 1 ½ years, almost 15" long and 8" wide.

I plan on a new house in about two years and it will have a least a 300 gallon tank.

I know it is a big jump in $$$ for a really large tank. It will cost you more in the long run though to start small and then upgrade. Buy the biggest system you can fit and afford

Here are a few shots showing how fast one can fill up even a large tank

March 1999, just after set up

October 2000

There are more in-between shots here.

The only time I would say smaller is better would be in reference to propagation tanks. Shallow tanks with a large system volume are the way to go here.

[ October 10, 2001: Message edited by: THillson ]

 

[davelin315]

My point of view is that no matter what size tank I buy, it always looks small within a month. If I could afford it, I would build a swimming pool in a pool room and fill it with saltwater and toss all my stuff in there. But then I would probably have to upgrade to an olympic size after a couple of months....

 

[npaden]

In 2 1/2 years I've gone from a 60 cube to a 6' 120 and now I have a 10' 415. I think the 415 is going to do it for me. I might could have got by with a 240 or something, but this way I don't have to wonder. This is going to be PLENTY of tank for me for some time to come.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[dbman]

I personally feel very limited by my 55 - all the fish that I see at the store that I say "oh that's beautiful but it wouldn't have enough room in my tank" or the corals that I want but can't figure out where to put them. I think depth (front to back) has a big effect on the percieved size of the tank; it feels more like you're looking through a window into the ocean rather than a flat picture of the ocean. Which is why I'm making plans for my new 72"x30"x28" 280-gallon tank.

 

[fishfarmer]

I've been contemplating an upgrade of my 38, but only to a drilled 50 gal. The reason I would only go slightly bigger is I want a drilled tank, larger footprint and possibly a DSB in the main tank and want to run the same lighting package. I live in an upstairs apartment and don't think I could fit a much bigger system through the door, not to mention the additional space for make up water/supplies. My 38 gal takes up enough of my time now and it practically runs itself.

I would love to get a 75 to 100 gal with a big sump/refugium, but space, time, and money won't allow it.

If you can afford it and have the time and space to devote to a larger system, go for it.

 

[Rich-n-poor]

my wife wants to know if all you guys with the 180+ gallon tanks are trying to compensate for some other deficency ? (um i dont think shes talking about tanks anymore either) ROFLMAO

Gee I hope this post doesnt get me banned from this BB

one final note from all us minireefers my wife says it aint the size of the pond your on but how you rock the boat that makes it enjoyable (I think thats why i married her)

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Ketamine Rehab Forum

 

[SPC]

No, I would say that we have wives that respect our right to be individuals.

Steve

 

[olgakurt]

I had some discussions with Dr. Shimek regarding patch size/minimum size for a fully functioning sand bed. We both were of the opinion that a 30 x 30 or 36 x 36 bed would be the minimum size needed. Neither of us has a tank that large.

I have had one 20g reef going on 12 years (since 1990), it was broken down once during the duration for a move. Just bought a house and moving this weekend so a new bigger tank is likely to follow, but not likely to get that 30" cube I would like.

[ October 11, 2001: Message edited by: olgakurt ]
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Honda Prelude

 

[Jeff Hood]

I have had a 75 gallon reef for the last 8 years and Now I am doing the crazy thing I always wanted to do.
I should be receiving my 580 with in the next week or two. I too like the depth and height of a tank for impact over the long shallow tanks. I figure the depth will make it a challenge but worth the end result.

84x40x40

Jeff

 

[Jeff Hood]

I know cubic inches is great but Don't forget you can make up for that deficiency with High RPMs. You wont have torque but you will make plenty of power

Jeff

 

[IBJJ]

I started out with a 55gal reef. Fun for a year. I lucked out and found a 180 gal at a lfs for 300 bucks. Couldn't pass it up. Now I have my 180 reef and its great. I wouldn't want anything larger though. I currently have the 180 reef, 55 reef and a 60 gal acrylic hex fowlr. The 180 is Pacific and the 55 is Atlantic.

 

[Merkur]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jeff Hood:
<STRONG>I know cubic inches is great but Don't forget you can make up for that deficiency with High RPMs. You wont have torque but you will make plenty of power

Jeff</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

dangit! i was about to say sumthing like that!

Turbochargers: the replacment for displacment. who needs cubes when you have BOOST!

 

[Rich-n-poor]

yes but my wifes says......

she likes the slow steady hum of large displacement over smaller higher revving things (I'm pretty sure shes talking about the V-8 in my truck as opposed to the inline 4 in her car but Im not really sure)

she says it takes a little longer to get it up to speed and running right but the rythum is just what shes looking for ROFLMAO

my guess is a big tank is the same way harder to get going but really rolls along once its firing on all cylinders

All this talk about tanks is getting me excited i either have to find my wife or my LFS soon lol

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Honda Freed

 

[Laurie]

After almost 2 years with a 75 gal. we upgraded to a 200 gal. The difference in the behavior of the fish is amazing. We loved our 75 and we went round and round about whether to get a larger tank or not. I am very glad we did.

I find that the maintenance time has not significantly increased. Just takes a little longer to clean the glass.

Water changes are actually easier because this tank is close to the fish room - no more hauling 7 gal. buckets across the room. A length of hose from the make-up water tub and we're good.

It is a big investment, though, not just in money but in time spent planning and setting it up.

Funny, it seemed so huge when we first brought it home. Now it doesn't look that big at all. Uh-oh!

Laurie