Dilemma to keep fish or a small coral tank if time is a factor.

[foxngn]

Hi All,

I been on this hobby closed to 10yrs. Ever since I got my own family, I don't think I got the time luxury to maintain 2 tank. 1 is a 2ft cube reef, I'm just doing the regular maintenance with daily dosing of All for Reef. Another is a small 30cm tank just for fun with some softies & LPS, that one I even less maintenance, WC also maybe I'm just doing it on a monthly basis.
Even though I don't really have much time, but my passion in this hobby still remains. As such I got this dilemma for future planning.
Whereby I will sell both of my tank. But the dilemma I got is, should I upgrade to a slightly larger tank maybe a 3ft tank just to keep some softies only, but mainly to make it as a fairy wrasse tank, since I like them so much.
OR I'm downgrading it to a smaller AIO tank, mainly to keep some of the current corals I own with current small fish like the tail spot blenny & pink streaked wrasse.


Which one will you choose to go If you were a family guy with less time?

 

[blaxsun]

Myself, combine into a single, larger (non-AIO) tank with a sump.

 

[TeeJay87]

Myself, combine into a single, larger (non-AIO) tank with a sump.

I’m at the early of stages of acquiring a new tank and am looking at AIOs/sumps/etc for the first time (my only experience is with HOB equipment). I’m curious why you suggest non-AIO since my understanding is that many AIO tanks are built ready for sumps.

 

[o2manyfish]

Bigger tanks are better! The only downside to a big tank is the bigger amount of $$$. But they are more stable, they are better capable of missing a water change when a 'life issue' pops up. With a little bit of automation you can't cut the amount of time you are involved by quite a bit.

Dave B