55 vs. 75+ gallon

[SimonWoodstock]

Just wondering if the types and amount of inhabitants i could put in a tank larger than 55 gal. would make it worth spending the additional money to get a larger tank + the upgrades on everything else that is needed to maintain it.

im thinking along the lines of 75 or 80 gallons. or do you think stickin w/ the 55 would be just as cool?

Instead of going w/ the walmart cheapo, i was thinking about calling this place close to me that manufactures tanks and asking them for a price on a plain tank. of course, i would have to buy a hood and all that...but i was going to have to replace all the lights and filters anyway.

[Guy W]

your looking at dimensions of 48x12x21 for a 55gal and 48x18x21 for a 75gal. roughly. You can do a lot more with the extra 6 inches of depth. With a 75 gallon I would say most anything but the largest of angelfish and tangs. Basicly anything under 10 inches long would be ok in a 75 gallon, but me personally I wouldn't get a fish larger than 8 inches just to give them plenty of manuvering room.

But the other major up side is the added water volume. The more water you have the easier it is to keep stable. Obviously if you spit in a cup you wouldn't drink that water, but if you were to spit in a 55 gallon drum you probably would (if you were thristy enough). But my point is that more water dilutes contamination more, it's easier to keep tempurature stable, and overall just provides a bit more room for error.

Go with the largest tank you can afford. I started with a 125 gallon tank, I wouldn't want anything smaller unless I was just messing around. Actually now-a-days I think about setting up a 20 gallon nano reef for my office a lot, but for a show tank in my living room I would say a 6 foot long tank or larger is the way to go, unless your going for a really deep tank, like a 48 inch by 24 inch 120 gallon tank, now that would make a sweet reef...

Guy

[mogurnda]

When in doubt, go bigger.

[OrionGirl]

Sigh--in this case, the guys are right. Bigger is better. But not in everything else! ;)

Aside from providing more space (which means either larger fish, or more small ones), the bigger tanks are just easier to take care of and aquascape. I have a 40 and a 55--and the 55 is a pin, simply because the narrowness limits what rocks I can have, and how they can be arranged.

[slipknottin]

Originally posted by OrionGirl
Sigh--in this case, the guys are right. Bigger is better. But not in everything else! ;)


:D lol

[SimonWoodstock]

ok, called Ocen View Aquarium Products Inc. and they said they didnt sell to the public..but they gave me the name of one their retailers, Aquarium Imports.

These are the prices he gave me there. They weren't exact prices, he said that is what he thought they were.......guess he didn't want to go find out. Tell me if this sounds right to you, sounds like quite a big difference to me.

A plain 55gal tank is about $99 and the 75 is $229. Is a $130 price difference the cost of using an additional 6 inches of glass on each side?

Anyway, are those reasonable prices? They have a 55 gal. salt water kit for $250, although i have no idea what it includes. Is that descent if it contains some of the necessities?

One more quick question about OG's comment on narrowness of a 55. I do not want anything to be cramped in this tank, they must have plenty of room. How would a smaller than 55gal. bowfront tank be? Better than a 55 or worse? An example being 46 gal. bowfront, dims. being: 36"x16"x20" high. I know bowfronts are more expensive, but i haven't really shopped around so i dont know what the price difference would be.

Thanks for barring w/ me in the early, annoying, 20 questions a day, stage of setting up a tank.:D

[slipknottin]

I bought a 90 gallon for $230... the 75 should only be around $170 or so.

The 55 gallon tanks are so much more common that their prices are alot lower.

Usually the kits come with alot of stuff you dont need.

[SimonWoodstock]

what about a bowfront?

[MonoSebaelover]

Usually any of the curved glass is MUCH more expensive. Last time I checked a 46 bow would be around 230 I think. If I were you I would go with a 90 if you have the money since it adds more volume both horizontally and vertically. Anyway, just my opinion, anyway hope this helps.

[SimonWoodstock]

thanks, i think i will just try to get a 75 or 90. if not one of those, ill just get a 55. didn't know bowfront were that much more, then again looking at the kits from drsfostersmith...there is a $250 price diff. in the 55 and 46-bowfront kits. i guess that was a good sign.

thanks everyone, ill do a little looking around.

[slipknottin]

MY 72 bow front cost $230 also... So pretty much the same as a 90.