Tank size suggestions

[bambo]

Good morning everyone. I am planning a new saltwater setup and i am new to the hobby. Im looking for size suggestions. I originally planned on going with an all in one Tideline 62G. 48"L 18"W 15.75"T but im a little nervous it may be so short for what i plan to do. Id like to do a mixed reef with SPS up to down to LPS and softies on bottom. I definatly want to go 48"L. should i step up to a bigger size? Maybe a 4'x2'x2' or a 4'x2'21" or something similar? if i step up ill probably get away from the all in one and go to one with a sump.

 

[Timfish]

'As big as you can go and as deep as you can reach" Would be my first suggestion. If you don't mind having areas that may be difficult or impossible to reach then go taller.

 

[DrkNMighty]

What type of fish do you want to keep? That is a huge part of it.

 

[danreef55]

Going with an AIO system might seem an easy option but in my opinion the ability to create exactly what you want is far more appealing. Here is an example of a remote sump

 

[bambo]

What type of fish do you want to keep? That is a huge part of it.

Not sure yet. Maybe an angle, tang, anthias for sure.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Get what ever size you feel comfortable with and will be able to take care of. Time will end up playing out more than money with maintenance. As you can have all the money in the world to buy the largest tank, but if you can't maintenance it or have someone do that. It won't be any good. Lots of automations to help but also you'll have to maintain that as well.

What ever you do, do not skimp out. If you want something and has all the features you want get it. You will only end up paying twice usually. One for the item you settled on, then again for the item you wanted.

Also if you are going to keep large fish or corals that get large, get the biggest you can maintain. Small tanks limit live stock. I love picos but that comes with a sacrifice of not having most fish, inverts and some corals.

 

[exnisstech]

JMO if your new to the hobby I would go with a small or midsized AIO just to see if the hobby is really what you expect it to be. I don't have statistics but I feel like more 1st timers leave the hobby than stay. If you decide you love hobby with the ups and downs, disappointments and successes (often heavier on disappointment than success) and want to grow then set up your dream system and move everything into the new tank and you can keep the aio as a second tank or set it up as QT or sell it.

 

[bambo]

JMO if your new to the hobby I would go with a small or midsized AIO just to see if the hobby is really what you expect it to be. I don't have statistics but I feel like more 1st timers leave the hobby than stay. If you decide you love hobby with the ups and downs, disappointments and successes (often heavier on disappointment than success) and want to grow then set up your dream system and move everything into the new tank and you can keep the aio as a second tank or set it up as QT or sell it.

So when I say I’m new I guess I should have said I’ve been out of the hobby for about 15years. But when I was doing it I was only in it a year and a half. I sold my setup because we moved. But have wanted back in it ever since. We just never had the time or money. That being said I have forgotten everything I once learned.

 

[Tamberav]

Good morning everyone. I am planning a new saltwater setup and i am new to the hobby. Im looking for size suggestions. I originally planned on going with an all in one Tideline 62G. 48"L 18"W 15.75"T but im a little nervous it may be so short for what i plan to do. Id like to do a mixed reef with SPS up to down to LPS and softies on bottom. I definatly want to go 48"L. should i step up to a bigger size? Maybe a 4'x2'x2' or a 4'x2'21" or something similar? if i step up ill probably get away from the all in one and go to one with a sump.

Length depends on what fish you want. If you want more than a single small tang, go 6 foot.

Coral can grow in any size.

Depends if you like the look of lagoon tanks or like deep ones. Just a preference there.

Shorter is easier to light (think frag tanks) and easier to do maintenance on but deeper creates a better aquascape.

No matter what you do, you will probably wish you did it differently for a first tank.

I moved and no longer have this tank but this was my 80g shallow, 16" depth. I didn't find any issues doing a mixed tank in a shallow tank. I just put t5 over it with some led supplements and bam.

Maybe think about your lighting/flow/filtration/fish budget and wants then pick a tank that works well with that.

 

[Tamberav]

Going with an AIO system might seem an easy option but in my opinion the ability to create exactly what you want is far more appealing. Here is an example of a remote sump

remote sump is my dream. I hate having it under the stand. goals!

Cramming all the **** in there, being limited on dimensions of sump.. getting all up under there when I need to change a sock or media... no where to keep a mixing water station nearby where I can just flip levers.

it is very less than ideal.

 

[exnisstech]

So when I say I’m new I guess I should have said I’ve been out of the hobby for about 15years. But when I was doing it I was only in it a year and a half. I sold my setup because we moved. But have wanted back in it ever since. We just never had the time or money. That being said I have forgotten everything I once learned.

In that case I would go as large as your budget and space allow. I would never set up a large tank without a sump. I'm not a fan of tall tanks because they are too hard to work in. Front to back depth can be a huge factor. I recently upgraded from a standard 72x24x24" to an 84x30x25" and the extra 6" made a huge difference. I upgraded because I wanted more room for my tangs. In the 24" deep tank the rock was against the back wall and the fish had to swim back and forth in front. With the 30" deep tank my rock is in the center and fish can swim in front in back and through the rocks.
My new tank has the sump in the stand and it works but I sure miss my basement sump where I could stand up and work on things and all my water changes were done down there. I just wasn't up to all the DIY plumbing this time around or I would have gone with a custom build.

 

[danreef55]

remote sump is my dream. I hate having it under the stand. goals!

Cramming all the **** in there, being limited on dimensions of sump.. getting all up under there when I need to change a sock or media... no where to keep a mixing water station nearby where I can just flip levers.

it is very less than ideal.

I wouldn't have done this build if I couldn't have a remote sump. It makes things so much easier. Getting older is not all wine and roses kneeling down to work becomes more difficult. Best of luck with your build. How much space do you have available? If you get a custom stand, you can bounce the height up to 31" or more yielding better workspace. This is an expensive hobby especially when you go larger. We all have to modify desires with reality :)

 

[NC AL]

I was considering the same tank. I went with a Waterbox 65.4 AIO. It is roughly the same size but is about 1.5 inches taller and a little deeper. Its not drastically different, but gives you a little more height while keeping the AIO system. The Water box filter chambers are well built and versatile.

I always want to be able to reach the bottom of the tank with my hand.

 

[steveschuerger]

Well I’ve always had AIO in the relatively short time (3.5Yrs) that I’ve had reef tanks. Partly due to location and now add in that I just like having one less thing to deal with. Largest was 90 gallons which still gave a goodly amount of space to work with. Favorite one in many ways was the IM SR60 . But yeah, go with a large as space/budget allow.

 

[BryanM]

Research the size of the fish you want, there are a lot of people who have 4 foot tanks, who then go out and buy fish that will easily outgrow that tank. I was very limited in what I could get until I went up to a 6footer.

Otherwise, as big as your budget allows.

 

[Tamberav]

I wouldn't have done this build if I couldn't have a remote sump. It makes things so much easier. Getting older is not all wine and roses kneeling down to work becomes more difficult. Best of luck with your build. How much space do you have available? If you get a custom stand, you can bounce the height up to 31" or more yielding better workspace. This is an expensive hobby especially when you go larger. We all have to modify desires with reality :)

its a 6 foot tank by 24 wide. The stand is tall inside but fitting in an perfect shaped sump is impossible through the doors since the doors are smaller than the width of the stand. I have thought about doing 2 sumps and just plumbing them together, then I think I could make most of the space.

It was custom but my first one and a few things I would do different on the next. Learning experience.

I am hoping when we find a house, I can find one with a place for a remote sump. If not, then I will persue the custom 2 separate sump idea just to make my life easier.

 

[Terry Le]

So when I say I’m new I guess I should have said I’ve been out of the hobby for about 15years. But when I was doing it I was only in it a year and a half. I sold my setup because we moved. But have wanted back in it ever since. We just never had the time or money. That being said I have forgotten everything I once learned.

15 years is a long time. This hobby have changed so much over the years. I bought books back in the late 80 and none are useful. Learn new things every day

 

[bambo]

I ended up ordering a 48x24x21

 

[Terry Le]

That is nice size

 

[Real_Swim_Shady]

Hi everyone, I’m new to the hobby too and just wondering, when you talk about the size of the tank, is that just the display tank? Or do you include the sump in that too? Im looking at dosages etc and not sure what size I should be using to get the calculations. For context, I’m planning on getting a 94” x 24” x 24” display tank.