75G vs 24G tank

[Anonymous]

What is really needed for a great reef. Softies/LPS/Clam maybe?

If I were to get a new reef ready tank/stand canopy. I could get some sort of tank for a sump.

Thinking of 4 T5 lights.

I have form my old setup:
Litremeter III
icecap 660
Precision marine Kalk reactor
mag12
Tunze Stream 6000 w/controller
maxijets
won titanium heater 300
Ranco dual stage controller.
refractometer
RO/DI/DI (needs new membrane and prefilters)

I need a good skimmer as well.

Talk to me - What else do I need?

I am also still debating on a small 24G Nano cube with 150W Hqi for simplicity and less maintenance but not sure. If I did this I would need a chiller as well. The large tank should be OK I would think.

Which would be better - Pros-Cons of either tank

 

[Ben1]

Well my son has the 28 gall nano cube with a 150 20k ushio and I like it. He can grow SPS in there pretty much anywhere and has a nice all in one, no complications tank. I took out the stock skimmer and added a remora instead and needed to add a 1/15 hp chiller as well but its a very easy system to run. W/C are no problem since the tank is small 5 gal W/C are plenty and easy to carry out.

The only issue I could see are limitations on space.

That said it seems with all you already have a nice 75 would be easy, you could retro some T5s with your 660 and have most every thing else but the skimmer.

Seems like its going to be more if you have the space and time for a 75 or want something a bit smaller and less to maintain as long as you dont mind how fast a 24 gal would fill up.

 

[Anonymous]

Like Ben said, you have to decide if the 24G has enough space for what you want to keep. And like he said, a 5G WC is a piece of cake.

A 75G is alot more work, but you get to keep a lot more animals too.

I have a 24G and am quite happy with it.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Are the 24G stable? If I got one with the chiller and keep some LPS/Clams and maybe 2-3 small fish can it work good? Do I need a skimmer for the 24G - do they work well enough to matter?
If I got the 24G I would have the chiller in the cabinet as well as a small container for top off.

I am still debating this but the ease of maintenance is key.

 

[kimber45]

anytime you have less water volume your going to risk quicker fluctuations in water conditions if something goes wrong.

having said that it's also completely possible to have a completely stable 24g tank.

I've been out of the hobby for about 10 years but used to run very successful 55g and 20g tanks. I still have all my equipment for my 55g long but unfortunately i have gotten rid of almost everything from my old mini reef so i have to start over.

I'm going with a custom size rimless of 30x14x16 which comes out close to 30 gallon. I'm also taking the minimalist approach so no sump just rock,sand,and skimmer. for that same reason instead of mh lighting I'm sticking with HOt4's because i don't want to run a chiller and I'll be mostly keeping lps,small leathers,mushroom or two, and maybe a clam or two which i think the (4)t4's should be perfect for.

i think the most important thing to factor is exactly which type of animals you wish to keep. most anemones and toadstool leathers will grow much to large for that size tank. which is a bummer for me because i have a "thing" for pin leather toadstool(sarcophyton sp.) and Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor) but realize theses animals would grow much to quickly for my 30 gallon. heck i had one of each in my old 55g and within a year or so they where completely dominating my tank. they couldn't even open all the way because they would hit both the front and back glass.

anyway sorry for rambling on. i'm getting excited about setting this thing up.

i'm going to the tropicorium tomorrow to see whats up with them. haven't been there in over 10 years.

good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Ben1]

(Entacmaea quadricolor) but realize theses animals would grow much to quickly for my 30 gallon

I added a rose BTA to my sons tank last year and it moved over the last month killing a Pink Jade acro, a yellow blue polyp monti, an ORA tort frag, and a setosa frag. I want to pull it out but he likes it and its his tank so I guess Ill let the ramage continue. I stocked his SPS wiith misfits and frags from my tank so its no real loss but it is bothersome.

AS far as stability goes I have had no issues with his 28g, it has a SSB. The skimmer that came with his tank was junk, so I replaced it with a remora, and IMO this helps him have a nice tank with less mainance. If he didnt have the skimmer he would have to have another way to remove the excess nutrients and extra or larger W/C IMO is a bigger PITA then having to clean the skimmer. So IMO its worth investing in a skimmer for it.