Does a bigger tank mean more maintenance?

[dragon99]

When I bought my current tank 2 years ago, I purposely bought a smaller tank. My previous SW tanks were both 120g. I decided that coming back into the hobby I wanted it to be smaller this time to keep maintenance down. I was initially looking at something like a Reefer 250, but ended up with the 350 because I found a local hobbyist getting out.

After spending more time here on R2R and seeing how the hobby has progressed I don't believe the maintenance assumption holds true anymore (no WC's tanks ;Jawdrop;Jawdrop). One has to look no further than the ULM series to start to understand we are approaching a point where size doesn't necessarily increase maintenance.

Thoughts?

 

[WV Reefer]

When I bought my current tank 2 years ago, I purposely bought a smaller tank. My previous SW tanks were both 120g. I decided that coming back into the hobby I wanted it to be smaller this time to keep maintenance down. I was initially looking at something like a Reefer 250, but ended up with the 350 because I found a local hobbyist getting out.

After spending more time here on R2R and seeing how the hobby has progressed I don't believe the maintenance assumption holds true anymore (no WC's tanks ;Jawdrop;Jawdrop). One has to look no further than the ULM series to start to understand we are approaching a point where size doesn't necessarily increase maintenance.

Thoughts?

I think it depends on the tank.

 

[Dilan Patel]

I run two decent sized tanks and I never perform waterchanges and I have to have an automatic feederfeed at least 5 times in order to get traceable amounts of nitrates :) I just automate evrything.

 

[dragon99]

Absolutely, but I don't think it depends on the SIZE of the tank anymore.

 

[Dilan Patel]

oh no it doesnt. To me it never has I havent done waterchanges for 13 years

 

[ca1ore]

All things being equal, of course a bigger tank means more maintenance. As one acquires more automation, the rote tasks can be reduced but this is not a function of tank size, it's a function of automation. I don't think maintenance increases linearly with tank size; so a 220 is not double that of a 110 ..... but it IS more.

 

[VJV]

This [emoji772]. “All things being equal” being the key assumption here. I do less maintenance in my 200g than I did in my 90 because I have a automated fleece filter (brilliant, swap out the roll every two months), an automated skimmer cup cleaner (again, only clean the skimmer every 2 months), auto feeders, etc. but I still vacuum my sandbed and that takes me twice as long as it did before [emoji4]

 

[Edp251]

I think a lot does depend on individual approach. I am also back in the hobby after decades and went smaller, primarily due to water change volumes and my limited ability to lift and move water around without a massive plumbing project. Interested to hear that so many folks with larger setups don’t due water changes which is not something I considered last time around.