How many have multiple reef tanks?

tpack17 · Feb 17, 2018

Thinking about buying another large tank to go with my 150g. Want to split up LPS and sps. Any regrets? One thing I do not want to do is spoil the enjoyment where it becomes work. Any thoughts?

Crabs McJones · Feb 17, 2018

Take your maintenance you do now, and times it by two. Double the water changes, double the equipment, double the livestock, double the fish and possibly coral food. If you think that's going to be to much work then i'd just stick with the one tank you've got. However many reefers have 2, 3, even 4 or more tanks and are able to successfully run them. All depends on your ability to handle the workload :) I myself am happy with one, but am looking to set up another soon :)

PEP12 · Feb 17, 2018

crabs_mcjones said:
Take your maintenance you do now, and times it by two. Double the water changes, double the equipment, double the livestock, double the fish and possibly coral food. If you think that's going to be to much work then i'd just stick with the one tank you've got. However many reefers have 2, 3, even 4 or more tanks and are able to successfully run them. All depends on your ability to handle the workload :) I myself am happy with one, but am looking to set up another soon :)

could not agree more it is double the work and of course the cost as well, I have 2 x 500ltr tanks 1 of 3 years and the other 4 months, if reefing gives you pleasure then go for it I have no regrets in maintaining the 2

andrewkw · Feb 17, 2018

Splitting up LPS and SPS is not going to be double the work. Is it going to be more work? Sure, but having an lps reef and and sps dominate are completely different maintenance wise. Just because you have 2 tanks doesn't mean you have to run them the same.

Pntbll687 · Feb 17, 2018

I have 2 tanks, a large 200g and a 29g. At first it was a lot of work when both tanks were being set up and getting settled. Algae issues, water changes, fish issues. I thought about getting rid of one of the tanks.

But I stuck it out, and everything is pretty simple now. Make sure the top offs are done, once a month water change on the small and every few months on the large. I try to run as low maintenance as possible so I can enjoy the tanks instead of working on them all the time. I also keep mainly lps, with only a few sps at the moment, this cuts down on parameters being checked all the time and other equipment like calcium reactors and what not.

Be ready for the initial start up work. But for me both tanks are enjoyable with minimal maintenance. If I were to add another large tank, I would make sure they are both plumbed together and have one large system.

CindyKz · Feb 17, 2018

I have a 75 gal mixed reef and a 32 gal softie AIO. I do water changes together but otherwise the maintenance is different for the two tanks. The cost has been tough (the 32 was supposed to be a "budget" setup, which isn't really working out) but I don't work all that hard on it - softies are forgiving so no dosing required. Most of my energy is spent on the larger tank. And I love having a tank in the living room to look at. So for me, totally worth it :)

Susan Edwards · Feb 17, 2018

I've had a 66 gal for just over a year set up in my office. Just got running a 125 gal in the living room. I plan to streamline maintenance. Older tank requires testing less often, new tank will requre more. I'll just set a schedule. right now, new tank is cycling. I also set a budget with an amt for maintenance (food, test kits etc), am also making some of my foods, and have a budget for adding fish and coral. Older tank might get 2 more fish and a few more coral so will buy some for old, most for new. hard part will be in deciding which tank to go enjoy. Good thing I have a laptop!

Centurio · Feb 17, 2018

I have three. A 125g LPS. A 93g SPS and a 60 gallon Nem tank. Additional tanks increase the work proportionately. If you have the time and the finances and love doing it then it won't bother you. I live alone. Kids are grown and I work from home so it's a great time sink for me. It's actually not the time that gets frustrating -- it's that multiple tanks means two times more issues. With one tank you can go a few weeks with a tank emergency. Equipment going out, disease outbreaks, malfunctions, water parameters doing weird things, etc. The stuff we all hate because it happens at inconvenient times. Two tanks means two times the inconvenience. So consider not just day-to-day operations, but the big stuff that hits once in a while.

tpack17 · Feb 17, 2018

Thanks for your replies.

maroun.c · Feb 18, 2018

I ran a separate DT, Nano cube and a Dual frag tank setup for few years and it was a pain to test, dose, heat and chill 3 different setups. so in the end I sacrificed a bit of redundancy (best to have different setups when tragedy happens to at least have some back ups) in return for some more stability (bigger over all water volume and added stability and ability to absorb small mishaps) and I now run 5 tanks (3 of them frag tanks) connected to a single sump so basically one Top off, dosing, Testing, chilling and heating.

Jaysushi · Feb 18, 2018

I don't have two tanks, but I have thought about the same thing. Instead I want to start a nano tank.
I do not mind the workload that comes with it. I mean my only tank now is a Cadlights Versa 42 which doesn't require too much maintenance. I've been doing 5gal weekly water changes.