How quickly did you go from 1 tank to 2?

[Daniel@R2R]

So I'm curious, how quickly did you go from 1 tank to 2. I've had my tank up about a month and a half and I'm already trying to plan a new tank. This is addictive.

Yep. When I first started, I went to 2 tanks in a matter of a few months. Haha! This hobby is addicting

 

[WVNed]

about 13 years
though after 2 more months I had 3

 

[Salps]

For me it is never. I've had the same 90 gallon running 12 years now. I would love another tank but it is really not practical given my house.

 

[Scurvy]

I'll plead the Shultz!

Edit: I managed to post in the wrong thread entirely...I really do know nothing!

 

[ScottB]

The jump from 1 tank to 2 took five years. Kids home, work travel, etc.

The jump from 2 to 4 took two months tops. In my home, I don't want to run more than 2 water systems. But the number of tanks connected to that I can be flexible with.

 

[Jcagle09]

Uh oh, I may have just found my new tank. Lol

 

[Jcagle09]

I'll plead the Shultz!

I love that show. Still watch it all the time.

 

[Peace River]

The jump from 1 tank to 2 took five years. Kids home, work travel, etc.

The jump from 2 to 4 took two months tops. In my home, I don't want to run more than 2 water systems. But the number of tanks connected to that I can be flexible with.

I like this thought process!

“No, no, I’m not adding another 10 tanks - they’re all plumbed together so it really is only one tank!”

;Hilarious ;Hilarious ;Hilarious

 

[Scurvy]

I love that show. Still watch it all the time.

Its been some years since I've stumbled across it... was on a lot though when we only had 7 channels. Right after Mash and just before Benny Hill

 

[sharpimage]

About a year in, I bought a second tank. For my office. Stayed dry for 7 or 8 months as I was dreading the work of setting it up. Finally came to the conclusion I only want 1 tank. With that said, the 1 tank I have, has grown or shrank 5 times in 4 years.

 

[ScottB]

I like this thought process!

“No, no, I’m not adding another 10 tanks - they’re all plumbed together so it really is only one tank!”

;Hilarious ;Hilarious ;Hilarious

It is so true though. I cannot imagine managing >2 water systems at home. Too much additional work. But adding another tank to the system adds only a small fraction of ongoing maintenance work, IMO.

 

[Peace River]

It is so true though. I cannot imagine managing >2 water systems at home. Too much additional work. But adding another tank to the system adds only a small fraction of ongoing maintenance work, IMO.

While I definitely agree with your point from an effort perspective, any outbreak can spread much more quickly when the systems are connected.

 

[Oldsalt]

I set up my main 1500 litre (~340 gallon) tank (including sump) almost 2 years ago. When my Banggai Cardinal fish started to breed I set up an 'annex' made of a new 15 litre (~ 5 gallon) plastic trash bin that was narrow enough to fit in front of the sump. I plumbed it to the sump with a valve so I could control the flow in and out. It needed to be mild for raising fry. The beauty of this is that I didn't need to cycle a separate tank for raising fry. I put some substrate in and added macroalgae for the fry to feel secure. It was naturally full of pods that they could eat between meals.
Last week a neighbour was throwing away a complete marine 150 litre tank with a stand, hood with 2 T5's, Eheim canister, 2 heaters, air pumps and other miscellaneous equipment. I set it up with LR and substrate from my main tank. I had a spare skimmer (air driven) that was rated for 300 litres so I got a great set up for virtually nothing. I will use it as a QT and/or another grow out tank when it's cycled. I initially thought of plumbing it to my system's water like the annex but it wouldn't be good for a QT that way. My male Banggai is carrying a huge mouthful of eggs as of Tuesday this week. I'm going to put him in this new, separate one a few days before he releases the fry (always on day 21). The annex is still running and has over a hundred 2 month old clown fry in it that I sell to my LFS regularly.

 

[JasonK84]

I set up my main 1500 litre (~340 gallon) tank (including sump) almost 2 years ago. When my Banggai Cardinal fish started to breed I set up an 'annex' made of a new 15 litre (~ 5 gallon) plastic trash bin that was narrow enough to fit in front of the sump. I plumbed it to the sump with a valve so I could control the flow in and out. It needed to be mild for raising fry. The beauty of this is that I didn't need to cycle a separate tank for raising fry. I put some substrate in and added macroalgae for the fry to feel secure. It was naturally full of pods that they could eat between meals.
Last week a neighbour was throwing away a complete marine 150 litre tank with a stand, hood with 2 T5's, Eheim canister, 2 heaters, air pumps and other miscellaneous equipment. I set it up with LR and substrate from my main tank. I had a spare skimmer (air driven) that was rated for 300 litres so I got a great set up for virtually nothing. I will use it as a QT and/or another grow out tank when it's cycled. I initially thought of plumbing it to my system's water like the annex but it wouldn't be good for a QT that way. My male Banggai is carrying a huge mouthful of eggs as of Tuesday this week. I'm going to put him in this new, separate one a few days before he releases the fry (always on day 21). The annex is still running and has over a hundred 2 month old clown fry in it that I sell to my LFS regularly.

I need more information on this “annex” system. How is it plumbed to the main system? Any pics?

 

[Bill Bolton]

So I'm curious, how quickly did you go from 1 tank to 2. I've had my tank up about a month and a half and I'm already trying to plan a new tank. This is addictive.

Unless you have a lot of previous experience, stick with one tank until it is established, and you have good luck with coral polyp extension, growth and all the livestock is thriving. Too many people jump in, and start 2, 3 or 5 tanks, setting each up half done, and never have success with any of them. Start slow. Once you have a tank that is well balanced and thriving....take what you have learned and ONLY THEN, plan the next tank. Learn to walk before you run.

 

[Terri Caton]

3 months
32 gallon and now 139 gallon

The 139 was an established tank being taken down in a doctors office. No brainer.

 

[TheKyle]

2 years for me. This is when I finally felt like my 210g reef was stable and on auto pilot so I needed a new project while I sit back and enjoy the reef. Since I skipped the freshwater phase in my hobby, I decided to try my hand at a planted freshwater tank. Feeling like easy mode compared to a reef.

 

[Terri Caton]

Unless you have a lot of previous experience, stick with one tank until it is established, and you have good luck with coral polyp extension, growth and all the livestock is thriving. Too many people jump in, and start 2, 3 or 5 tanks, setting each up half done, and never have success with any of them. Start slow. Once you have a tank that is well balanced and thriving....take what you have learned and ONLY THEN, plan the next tank. Learn to walk before you run.

I think one problem is that lots of us think we'll start out with a smaller one because it will be easier...not. A larger tank is so much more forgiving.

 

[Bossman]

5 months before the 2nd tank. 2 years in and I have 4. Three are in the living room and one in the bedroom. No more tanks.

Well maybe a pico just for fun...

 

[The Aquatic Arsenal]

I started with an IM 25 lagoon back in 2015. We wanted to get into breeding freshwater fish around a year later and found a clownfish breeder that was getting out of the hobby. We got that setup in march of 2017. That was 7x 20 gallon tanks plus 100 gallon rubbermaid trough for a sump. That setup was upgraded to a 23 tank setup shortly after. We have an identical setup for growing the fry out. This is all before we started the business lol.