Tank upgrade in your future? Here are some tips for going bigger!

[revhtree]

MOST of us at some point in time will go bigger or want to go bigger with our saltwater reef aquariums. When it comes to aquariums it's hard not to get sucked in to the belief that bigger is better. Is it better? Not always! That's why it's important to understand and plan before making the jump UP in gallons. So let's talk about it today!

1. When upgrading to a new tank what are some important things to plan for? Share a tip or two!

2. Do you have plans to go bigger and if so what size are you going up to?


Chingchai's 1000gal SPS Tank (Thailand)

 

[James_O]

Yes! I would want a tank big enough for a tang of some sort, because I love them so much!

Would probably look into getting a 55g or a 75g. I definitely don’t want to go bigger than I could handle.

Edit: I would also want it to be drilled, so I can put a sump in. Definitely want a sump.

 

[Dave1993]

if i got a house with a concrete floor i would go 180 gallon currently have a 90

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

As much as I’d want one, my wallet highly disagrees.

 

[Dania]

If I could ever get my own place sure. Probably no bigger than 55 though.

 

[Zionas]

Up to 320g, that’s the biggest I’ll go, but one in the 280-300 range would be just fine. First step once I can go home is to find a first floor apartment with a living room and a section of wall that lets me put it. 7-8ft, but if space allows, up to 9 lol. I’m drooling already, certainly not drooling over border restrictions!

Go big, no regrets.

 

[jshep13]

Yes. 13 years ago, I had a 90 gallon bow front tank that I absolutely loved. Moved to a upstairs condo that couldn’t support the weight. Downsized to a 24 gallon bow front tank. Happy with it, but always dreamed about a larger tank. Finally moved to a house, but haven’t made the upgrade yet.

 

[brandon429]

We collected fifty pages of transfer work here below and no losses.

tank upgrades happen two ways…first way is just move rocks and sand over and it usually works fine, but not so fine that you can do tank moves for fifty pages without recycle losses.


the other way involves rinsing your sand in tap water before the move new set up, even if it’s brand new sand wet in a bag, and installing total cloudless susbstrates in the new tank. That method works for any number of pages. There is zero benefit in skipping the rinse portion, because massive algae outbreaks and cyano problems tend to plague unrinsed tanks (when using old sand, when skipping rinse on new sand you can see the twenty links on page one for extended clouding and decide for yourself if worth it) yet rinsed systems have none of this.

Official Sand Rinse and Tank Transfer thread

If you are reading this thread to cure a tank invasion from a link I sent you, we do not need to identify your type of invasion here we do not need you to test anything at anytime regarding nitrate, phosphate etc Above all, we do not need to see a microscope slide picture of your invasion at...

www.reef2reef.com

do NOT use bottle bac, fight the sellers training that tempts you to doubt water bacteria in water-stuck just fine to your moved rocks





if you move cloudless substrates into the new tank, you will never get any cycle including a mini cycle.

if you want some risk, a likely safe move but not guaranteed and the least work, move unrinsed surfaces

if you want absolute protection for your investment and aren’t hesitant of work shown to be always safe, do a rinsed move

 

[Panama Brown]

Just a couple months ago I upgraded to my Waterbox 180 and just plumbed a IM 25g Lagoon to it. Until I move in 3 years, I dont see a tank upgrade anytime in the near future.

 

[sfin52]

When upgrading to a new tank what are some important things to plan for? Share a tip or two!
New sand. Have plenty of buckets if you think you have enough add a few more. Have extra water, you will spill more than you think. Towels, have a bunch ready. Budget a significant amount of time. Don't make plans you can't break for that day.
2. Do you have plans to go bigger and if so what size are you going up to?
my dream tank is a 120 gal tank. There's always something bigger to think of.

 

[doesitwork]

25G curently, I have the waterbox 165.6 frag tank being delivered today! this should hold me for several years...

 

[Zionas]

2 types of fish really made me want the larger tank: Large angels (not the ones that get huge) and the Harlequin Tusk now that Bali Aquarich breeds the latter.

 

[Siberwulf]

Oh man, quite the opposite. I'm running a 90g right now, and I keep eyeing a nano or pico tank. The thought of baby coral reefs all over the house is...enticing!

 

[Stoney]

One day...

 

[velvetelvis]

I answered yes. Right now I have one 40G maroon clownfish pair/rainbow BTA tank, and one nephtheid/gorgonian/sponge reef that I'm planning to upgrade from a 20G to a 40G.A 20 won't be enough room for all the Stereonephthya and Nephthea I want to collect!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Currently have a 120, my new 180 is being delivered to the LFS today!

 

[Zionas]

Gratz!

 

[parkwaytrash]

I had been out of the aquarium game for several years. I got back in slowly this go around with a 32 biocube, then moved to a 55 and currently putting a 125 together

 

[stephnjeph]

If anything, I will be going smaller. With more and more of the LFS going out of business I have to travel further and further for supplies. I don't mind too much for now but the current closest LFS that I frequent is 60 miles away which is acceptable for the time being but inconvenient. They keep claiming that that manufacturers are pricing people out of the hobby. To an extent I agree, but at the same time I understand P&L in regards to manufacturing and of course supply and demand. It is sad to see so many shops close and so many reefers give up and walk away from the hobby. So if anything, I would downgrade to smaller tanks but only to save money. Only in more of a "not because I want to but because I have to" type of situation. I personally couldn't afford to go any bigger with my tanks.

 

[velvetelvis]

One day...

I'm always saying that if I ever win a big lottery (I'd have to start playing first), I'd build a house with a giant reef tank in the center of it. I mean GIANT, like that one... big enough to go diving every time I need to do tank maintenance!