beginner here!

[Coug555]

I am such a newb, please don't bash. I just wanted to know a good beginner salt water tank size would be in gallons. I want something big enough to be very nice looking with some reef stuff and store a bunch of cool things but not so big to overwhelm me and get confusing. Thanks for any help!

[rwilliams254]

125 gallon tank. :)

[Grins]

lol..I actually agree with RW.

However, I'd maybe do a 40g breeder as a beginner SW tank. It is deep enough to play with the rockscape, bigger than a nano so you can control the water quality a bit better but not so big that it will cost a fortune to get set up with rocks and lights should you want to keep high light needing species.

[Marcus Fenix]

the bigger the tank...the more the water will be stable. big tanks equal less risk

[Grins]

You know what we should be asking? What do you really want to stock in the tank? Is there a certain fish? Coral? Anemone? What do you see when you envision your starter SW tank?

[clown-lover]

I agree with you grins... But I think a well rounded starter tank is one of the 46 bow fronts with a 30 gallon sump underneath. That way the tank itself isn't to large to be overly time consuming in maintance, big enough to get some fun things, and with the sump enough water volume to hopefully combat any water stability issues.

Then with the sump most everything is hidden and all you really have is the return line.

[Coug555]

what i am mainly looking for is a reefscape with good variety. i am not loking for big fish. i would like to have a good variety of small fish and shrimp and other goodies.

[emonemo420]

definately 55...they are readily available at petsmarts! and even walmart

[arpy]

I've been very happy with my 75g. I think I would have been okay with a 55g for a little while, but I've already been eyeing a 125g.
Would a 75g fit under a 125g? :drool:

I think the 125 would have been a bit to expensive for me to start with after figuring the cost of live rock... I would still need much more (but I'm too stubborn/spoiled to use base rock).

All things considered, if I had to do it over, I would pick the 75g again to start with.

[Coug555]

Isn't a 55 still a little big for a beginner like me?

[clown-lover]

It depends on what you want to spend really.. Depending on how good you are with "Do It Yourself" and what tools you already own it can cost anywhere from 35.00 to 65.00 a gallon to establish a reef system from scratch. And the best part is the tank is probably one of the cheaper things your gonna buy, except maybe heaters.

And then it is going to depend on where you want to go with the tank.. FO, FOWLR, or REEF.

Where I live, I pay high price for most everything simply due to the costs of getting stuff here. I pay at least 9 to 10 bucks a lb for LR, I pay almost 50.00 for a cheap brand 160 gal salt bucket. 75 for the good stuff. 15 fish elsewhere cost me 30 to 40 here.

So whats your budget is a better question.

[Coug555]

I really don't have a budget. I just don't want to end up being a bad fish keeper and taking on more than I know.

[Grins]

Isn't a 55 still a little big for a beginner like me?


It is what I started with.

[clown-lover]

Then I would go with the 55. Its bigger than the 40 bows, will give you room to add fun stuff, has length for anything that needs to swim.

[Coug555]

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the help.

[Almondsaz]

Isn't a 55 still a little big for a beginner like me?


My first tank was a 45 and when you get it you think...wow it's really big. Then you start to aquascape and maintain the water and you feel like it is a small tank. It is only a little overwhelming when you first set it up...then you will be glad you got at least that. And 55 is a nice size tank that should last a while dependent upon your long term goals for the tank (Fish only - Reef).

This will probably start a rash of comments...from what I have read if you want to get a bow front, you should be considering acrylic due to the construction. My LFS also told me that.