What is a good size tank?

[imac]

I have a nano cube and feel is too small to move things around and wanting to starting a new tank. So help me choose!

Should I get:

20R 24x13x16
20L 30X10X14

26L 36X10X16

29H 30X12X18

40R 36X15X16

Should I get galss?

Thanks!

[jstoehr]

Bigger is always better! Glass is up to you. Has its good and bad points.

[PhantomFE3]

bigger is better, given those choices i would go with the 40 gallon tank, nice and long, not too tall, and decently deep.

[Dudester]

Advantages of acrylic:
1. improved clarity (although Starphire glass has about equal clarity, just very expensive)
2. lighter weight
3. increased strength
4. improved thermal stability
5. easier to drill for modifications

Advantages of glass:
1. more scratch resistant (although scratches can't be buffed out like with acrylic
2. tanks tend to be built with better access from above
3. less expensive than acrylic

There are more, I'm sure, and you can find a good summary of advantages/disadvantages of both in Robert Fenner's book "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist." I don't yet have a tank but will probably go with Starphire glass. Ultimately the choice is a very personal one and is entirely up to you. Just plan out your design well ahead of making a purchase and you won't go wrong.

[acuoio]

Originally posted by Dudester
4. improved thermal stability


This can work to your advantage or disadvantage. Acrylic (plastic) conducts energy (heat) poorly. If you live in a warm climate, you might run into problems with heat (especially with high powered lights).

[sportbiker29]

Just go as big as your budget can afford, sometimes bigger than your budget!

[acuoio]

Oh yeah, forgot to give you the reason why bigger is better. Basically, the more water there is, the less the water quality is a factor. The small amount of money you put into a bigger tank should even out in the long run by less fish/inverts lost.

[cecilturtle]

Best tank under a 100 is a 58. Then I would have to go with either Oceanic 30 cube or Oceanic 37. Thick glass. Nicely built. Last two can be had for peanuts and make great 1 MH setups. Throw a hangon skimmer and your in business....

[Jow13]

If i were to go with a tank under 100 gallons again (i had a 75) i would get a 24x24x24 cube. One MH and and you still have decent depth and height. In fact i might just do this once i get my current set up finished. i'm always getting ahead of myself

[Narkon]

Normally go with the biggest your budget can afford.

Now I that I actually have a house, with no money so saving it up, space actually came into concern. My house has few long walls that don't have windows or something else in its place, so I was left with a 5 foot 6 inch space, so I am going with a 150 gal 60x24x24, to fill it up, could have went with the 48x24x24, but really like the extra foot, so will be arranging lights myself.

I think the 24" cube is a great idea, but you seem to like the narrow width so go with the 40 gal.

Unless you live where you have a basement, and plan on putting in a 300 gal sump in the basement. :eek:

On a serious note, did hear of a person putting a 29 gal in his 1st floor hall, and placing a 50 gal sump in the basement.

[Viper9]

Actually it was 150 gal. sump/fuge

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=337387&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

B

[Agu]

imac,

[welcome]

I think the tank you chose depends on the lighting you want on the tank. And the lighting is determined by what animals you want in the tank. For example..........

If you want clams and SPS the lighting should be MH , one of the Oceanic cubes works great with a single MH pendant.

What are your stocking plans ??

Agu

[imac]

Well.. I have 2 64w CSL PC lights. Hoping to use the same light since I have limited $$. I want to keep it simple first, maybe few fishs. Just few corals. I have about 40lbs of live on order.

[Entropy]

I think the ideal starter tank is the 75g (reef ready preferably) from All-Glass. It is fairly inexpensive, big enough to house a lot of livestock, has enough water to keep it stable, and uses standard 4 foot lighting (VHO tubes, T5's, 2x metal halides, etc.). It is 18 inches wide which is enough to landscape nicely and it is tall enough to give a great view but short enough to be able to use the 175w metal halides which are fairly cheap as far as MH goes.