90 or 120 Gallon

[CjBurden]

The extra front to back space is spectacular in a 120. I opted for a 90 as well and regret it but have learned to live with it as it will be the last tank I purchase while in this home. Light and flow should seriously be comparable in cost. Only increased cost factor should be possibly skimmer size, and cost of water/salt/additives.

....and rock, sand, fish, coral, and inverts to make it look equally full as a 90 would...


but yes, the extra front to back space IS amazing. Thats why I went for the 120 myself. I love it!

 

[NJAB]

for building your own sump i would use glass on glass it'll adhere a lot better and i would use what the pros you for silicone. I used Momentive RTV108 it bonds super strong and is approved for food surfaces so it contains no moldicides or anything like that.

 

[Bpb]

....and rock, sand, fish, coral, and inverts to make it look equally full as a 90 would...


but yes, the extra front to back space IS amazing. Thats why I went for the 120 myself. I love it!

Oh I don't entirely know about that. If I were to have a 120 instead of my 90, it would really be for more negative space. A fully grown in sps 90 gallon will make it hard to even run your mag float without breaking stuff. 120 would give plenty more grow out space. At any rate...

I would recommend against the rodi hook up directly to the sump. Have a float switch go bad and at worst...you redice your salinity by say...5% (in my case, 100ish gallons total volume, with a 5 gallon bucket of rodi added when full). Hook up your rodi filter, and if the shut off fails...well it's curtains for you and your tank. Seen it happen. Friends 300 gallon system was ran this way, and his rodi shut off failed right as he left for work on a 12 hr shift. Flooded the house and worst...killed nearly everything in his entire system. Lesson hard learned

 

[CjBurden]

Oh I don't entirely know about that. If I were to have a 120 instead of my 90, it would really be for more negative space. A fully grown in sps 90 gallon will make it hard to even run your mag float without breaking stuff. 120 would give plenty more grow out space. At any rate...

I would recommend against the rodi hook up directly to the sump. Have a float switch go bad and at worst...you redice your salinity by say...5% (in my case, 100ish gallons total volume, with a 5 gallon bucket of rodi added when full). Hook up your rodi filter, and if the shut off fails...well it's curtains for you and your tank. Seen it happen. Friends 300 gallon system was ran this way, and his rodi shut off failed right as he left for work on a 12 hr shift. Flooded the house and worst...killed nearly everything in his entire system. Lesson hard learned

While I agree that the opportunity for more negative space in a 120 is nice, I did specifically use the modifier "equally". Some people would want the tank just as full as a 90, though I'm not one of them as I see you aren't either.

 

[maddmaxx]

I still say a 120g is a much better option....

 

[msujohn]

I ended up buying the 90 gallon tank today. I still have to make the following decisions:

- What do I do for a top, do I get a glass top or get the DIY screen top
- LED lights, really don't want to spend more than $400 if possible
- ATO need to determine which system is the best.
- Refugium light, Can i get away with a shop light and LED bulb from home depot? I just plan to grow Chaeto.