180g or 210g?

[sneakerpimp7]

I was about to order a 180g drilled tank from my LFS, but then saw that I could go taller to a 210 gallon....

Would there be much of a cost difference? Any other down sides to a taller 210 gallon tank?

[acevudoo]

whats goin in, and can you reach all corners?

[<3Oscar]

the main downside with the taller tanks is being able to reach far enough down for cleaning/maintence or whatever else may arise.

[acevudoo]

possible heat issues and light degradation aswell... not to mention surface area vs. oxygenation

[whyzee250]

my roommate has a 23" tall tank.....armpits go in the water when reaching for the back corner!

[redfishblewfish]

A couple folks have already said it…..without question go for the 180…the 210 is too deep to reach stuff on the bottom.

[BioHazard]

I would go with the shallower one. It's the surface area that is more important than total gallons, at least in FW.

[12 Volt Man]

I have a 30" tall 150g (like a 125g but 6" taller) and I love it.

yes, reaching the bottom is a pain in the butt - but thats why they invented step ladders and reach assists. remember, you spend all week looking at your tank but only about an hour or so a week doing the actual maintainence. its totally worth it.

the extra height combined with the 6 foot length looks amazing.

with out question, get the 210g. lots more water, much nicer looking tank.

doesn't take up any more space. cost is almost the same other than a bit more for the tank itself.

its a no brainer IMO

but really either tank is obviously nice. but I think you will be happier with the extra viewing area and water volume/swimming room of the 210g

[BettaFishMommy]

i vote 210, bigger is better!!!

[sneakerpimp7]

possible heat issues and light degradation aswell... not to mention surface area vs. oxygenation

I'm using 4 rows of HO T5's.

[TChizzle]

I would go with the 210. I wish my 240 was a little taller(maybe 300g if it was taller?). I just stand on a couple crates when working in the tank and drain about 10-20% of the water to do regular maintenance or to move things around. I usually wait til WC day to get it all done at once though. You'll appreciate the larger volume in the long run.

What fish are going to go into this tank?
Are you going to aquascape it?

[sneakerpimp7]

I would go with the 210. I wish my 240 was a little taller(maybe 300g if it was taller?). I just stand on a couple crates when working in the tank and drain about 10-20% of the water to do regular maintenance or to move things around. I usually wait til WC day to get it all done at once though. You'll appreciate the larger volume in the long run.

What fish are going to go into this tank?
Are you going to aquascape it?

How tall is your 240g?

This is my updated stocking list:
http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/180-gallon-fowlr-fish-stocking-list-88819.html

What do you mean by aquascape?

[12 Volt Man]

just a word of warning, when I used to work at the LFS, customers would be trying to decide between same footprint (but different height) tanks all the time.

eg. should I get the 75g or the 90?

125 or 150?

180 or 210?

in literally almost every case where they decided to go with the smaller tank (usually because it was cheaper and 'its big enough') they ended up regretting it every time.

the tank always looks massive empty.

but when you begin filling it up with live rock, fish, powerheads etc. it loses some of its size appeal quickly.

just make sure if you do go with the smaller tank, you won't end up regretting not getting the taller tank.

good luck with your choice and post pics of this beast!

[kimosabe]

220 all the way man
you will regret not geting it later on
its like night and day difference.
every time you look at your 220 gallon tank you will go 000000h yeeeaaaa
that's what im talking about. not to mention when people come to see your tank they are like omg look at the size of that tank:worthy:

[12 Volt Man]

^
nice tank!

I agree though, 24" tall tanks look normal. 30" tanks look extraordinary :)

[danclark]

go bigger 210 or larger.. i love the larger viewing area on taller or longer tanks. my 120 looks so little compaired to 180 talls and a 210 would be a dream.

[sneakerpimp7]

just a word of warning, when I used to work at the LFS, customers would be trying to decide between same footprint (but different height) tanks all the time.

eg. should I get the 75g or the 90?

125 or 150?

180 or 210?

in literally almost every case where they decided to go with the smaller tank (usually because it was cheaper and 'its big enough') they ended up regretting it every time.

the tank always looks massive empty.

but when you begin filling it up with live rock, fish, powerheads etc. it loses some of its size appeal quickly.

just make sure if you do go with the smaller tank, you won't end up regretting not getting the taller tank.

good luck with your choice and post pics of this beast!

I'm pretty sure I would regret getting the 180g. The 180g is a huge investment on it's own, considering the classic mission stand and cap I have lined up. The 210g costs more on it's own, plus I will have to buy a more expensive pump, protein skimmer and more live rock. I was just afraid the 180g will look short being 6 feet long and having a cap on it.

I think It's going to come down to go big or go home.

[sneakerpimp7]

220 all the way man
you will regret not geting it later on
its like night and day difference.
every time you look at your 220 gallon tank you will go 000000h yeeeaaaa
that's what im talking about. not to mention when people come to see your tank they are like omg look at the size of that tank:worthy:

How tall is your tank?

[redfishblewfish]

One note of caution in the responses you received….it seems like all the “BIG TANK” people are freshwater aquarists. They rarely, if ever, need to fiddle at the bottom of the tank. Saltwater people know that you need to move, pick-up, place stuff at the bottom of the tank with frequency. You cannot reach the bottom of a 210 unless you have orangutan arms…and those old-people grabbers are a royal pain to use.

If you are setting up a saltwater REEF tank, again, I’d go 180. If it is a FOWLR or freshwater tank, go BIG.

JMTC

[Scuppers]

A couple folks have already said it…..without question go for the 180…the 210 is too deep to reach stuff on the bottom.

Well you could get the tall tank and put in 12" of substrate! :nilly:

[bigwave]

The obvious answer is just get one of each. :dance: Then you don't have to worry about it. After a few years you will decide which one is better and let us know. We will be waiting to hear from you...

Don't buy stands, just set them on the floor, it will probably cost about the same as buying 1 + a stand. Of course this only works if you have no sigifigant other, and never get company over to the house!

Otherwise I have a 180 and like it, but the taller tanks are nice also.

My brother had a 210 or 240, I don't remember which, and he did NOT like the extra depth. It was salt water and as mentioned before he couldn't easily get to the bottom of the tank, and he is 6 feet tall. He also didn't feel the few extra gallons allowed him any more fish as the salt water fish needed territories, no matter how many gallons you have. If he were advising you he would say go shorter. Corals, clams anenome and etc all need floor space not gallons or depth (and eventually you are going to get these, admit it.... :-)

Hope that helps.

[sneakerpimp7]

The obvious answer is just get one of each. :dance: Then you don't have to worry about it. After a few years you will decide which one is better and let us know. We will be waiting to hear from you...

Don't buy stands, just set them on the floor, it will probably cost about the same as buying 1 + a stand. Of course this only works if you have no sigifigant other, and never get company over to the house!

Otherwise I have a 180 and like it, but the taller tanks are nice also.

My brother had a 210 or 240, I don't remember which, and he did NOT like the extra depth. It was salt water and as mentioned before he couldn't easily get to the bottom of the tank, and he is 6 feet tall. He also didn't feel the few extra gallons allowed him any more fish as the salt water fish needed territories, no matter how many gallons you have. If he were advising you he would say go shorter. Corals, clams anenome and etc all need floor space not gallons or depth (and eventually you are going to get these, admit it.... :-)

Hope that helps.

I'm 6'4 so the cleaning thing isn't an issue.

[kimosabe]

How tall is your tank?
my tank is 6' long x 2.5' tall x 2' deep, on top of the stand it sits at 5' and with the hood 6' tall

[DGC]

lighting $$$$$$$$$$$$$

[kimosabe]

i have 2 T8's and thats more than enough light

[kimosabe]

I'm 6'4 so the cleaning thing isn't an issue.
a big guy with a little tank naaaaaa
go big, go as big as your wallet will let you

[Sploke]

Get the larger one, at least I would, regardless of tank style. As far as heat issues, more water volume would lead to higher temp stability, not the inverse. For lighting, if you're going FOWLR, then lighting is a non-issue. Even for reef, unless you want to be keeping clams and SPS on the sand bed, there really won't be a difference, just keep your SPS a little higher up in the taller tank. As far as maintenance goes, well, you're going to get wet anyway...

As far as cost difference, just call up the LFS and ask them.

[12 Volt Man]

the cost difference between a 180 vs 210 amortized over the 15-20 year life of the tank is really nothing IMO.

at least, thats how I look at it.

[sneakerpimp7]

I went with the 210g. >:3

[bigwave]

Cool, now all we need are pictures with it filled up!

[kimosabe]

I went with the 210g. >:3
weeeeeeehaaaaaaaaa:grinyes::thumbsup: