Big or Small Tank: which eats more time?

DBR_Reef · Sep 4, 2016

A reefer just posted on another thread that he chose a small tank for his new build in an effort to save time, which got me thinking, which takes more time, a small tank (less than 55g) or a bigger tank (greater than 75g). I’ve never had any tank under 90g, primarily because I wanted the stability a larger tank offers. But I figured I would ask those of you who have had both- which took more time, and why?

Sabellafella · Sep 4, 2016

To be honest. Other then the the initial setup, i waste about the same amount of time on both my tanks. Ones 30 and ones 120 gallons. I clean skimmer, change floss, change carbon and fish feedings take about the same amount of time. But stuff like, cleaning the glass, filling topoffs and dosing containers, waterchanges takes just a tad bit more time(not by much) to do on my larger aquarium. Dont understand why one would worry about saving time lolol this hobby is the most time consuming of them all! I guess in a way yea, i love my tanks. But im always busy at home and dont have much time to do "extensive work" on my aquariums as much as i would like too. So i made a routine and made everything as simple as i could

Nick92515 · Sep 4, 2016

It should be, tanks under a year take twice the amount of time to maintain as those a year and older.

JasReef · Sep 4, 2016

My larger tank with all sps is more automated than the small one. I have conflicted thoughts on getting rid of the small one but then I look at the lps and softies in it and decide not to. Toady at least. lol

bif24701 · Sep 4, 2016

JasReef said:
My larger tank with all sps is more automated than the small one. I have conflicted thoughts on getting rid of the small one but then I look at the lps and softies in it and decide not to. Toady at least. lol

This is partly true for me, however I still spend about the same amount of time on my tank. I have APEX, skimmer neck cleaner, ATO, dosing pumps, very easy simple water change system, but I chose to send extra time on my tank.

Waters · Sep 5, 2016

I spend much more time on my larger tank due to the water changes, cleaning of the glass, and sump maintenance.

DRoth335 · Sep 5, 2016

I think there should be more size differentiation than <55 and >75 gallons as those are both relatively small :-) Having said that, while the tasks are the same it does take more time to maintain a larger tank (more gallons during water change, more viewing panes to maintain etc.). To me, a big differentiation is whether a large tank is glass or acrylic. For me, a large acrylic reef tank (280) was a major pain to keep the viewing panes clean and ultimately became the driving force for swapping it out for a glass 300DD. Just could not keep the coralline from taking over from the bottom up (it was also 30" deep which was a double whammy!) Our 210 was minimal maintenance compared to the acrylic 280. The 300DD is much lower maintenance than the acrylic. Just my $.02 worth.

sil40sx · Sep 5, 2016

If both built from scratch, with the similar standard equipments, and appropriate livestock, then logically the smaller tank is waaay faster.

DBR_Reef · Sep 5, 2016

sil40sx said:
If both built from scratch, with the similar standard equipments, and appropriate livestock, then logically the smaller tank is waaay faster.

I get your point, but I have everything automated, minus testing and glass/gravel cleaning, on my tank. So my main time expenditure is parameter testing. I would think you would have to do this more frequently with a smaller tank, as parameters are likely to fluctuate more?

reeferfoxx · Sep 5, 2016

DBR_Reef said:
I get your point, but I have everything automated, minus testing and glass/gravel cleaning, on my tank. So my main time expenditure is parameter testing. I would think you would have to do this more frequently with a smaller tank, as parameters are likely to fluctuate more?

Parameters fluctuate more without ATO. Once the coral start using up the nutrients, you'll spend the same amount of time testing as with a large tank. But if you are meticulous about coral growth, I would think you would spend more time pruning and cleaning in a large tank.

brandon429 · Sep 5, 2016

My one gallon vase w beat any tank on the forum in top off control/salinity stability machinery-free by not requiring freshwater addition more than once a week to the tank, not a holding device. I lose an ounce a week w enough gas exchange to run the tank, a consideration of tunable evaporation rates via lid fitting vs what the benthic micro animals are doing at six am.

If the Ophiuroid stars and pods are all up top rim it's not enough inflow/outflow but you tune one to require about every three days top off ideally, faster is better metabolism but on a vacation I can get 10 days no top off whatsoever between .23 and .0245 which is acceptable for picos and associates.

Evaporation control makes small reefs win with less time spent, easy hands down. Five mins a week work, no support machinery other than air pump, battery backup, heater and light makes for weak-link free reefing
it is easier to reef in a correctly setup vase than any other reef but that's for coral not fish. Open topped picos are clearly harder to control. The vase in my sig is ten yrs

reeferfoxx · Sep 5, 2016

I would like to know more about how small tanks eat more time?

brandon429 · Sep 5, 2016

I wrote it wrong is corrected it was to say ironically a one gallon is most stable for natural changes we have to offset but obviously more prone to elbow smashes than a 160 lol

Tomisue · Sep 5, 2016

Sabellafella said:
To be honest. Other then the the initial setup, i waste about the same amount of time on both my tanks. Ones 30 and ones 120 gallons. I clean skimmer, change floss, change carbon and fish feedings take about the same amount of time. But stuff like, cleaning the glass, filling topoffs and dosing containers, waterchanges takes just a tad bit more time(not by much) to do on my larger aquarium. Dont understand why one would worry about saving time lolol this hobby is the most time consuming of them all! I guess in a way yea, i love my tanks. But im always busy at home and dont have much time to do "extensive work" on my aquariums as much as i would like too. So i made a routine and made everything as simple as i could

Do you have a skimmer on the 30 gal?

Sabellafella · Sep 5, 2016

Tomisue said:
Do you have a skimmer on the 30 gal?

Yea its tiny. I still kept it because it would help keep my ph at optimum levels. I do 25% water changes once a week so i barely need it. I barely clean it but i empty it the same time i clean my other tanks skimmer cup