90 or 75 gallon?

[Tiger3147]

I have a stand/canopy for a 75/90 gallon aquarium but have yet to purchase the aquarium its self. What i am wondering is for the extra 50 bucks or so i can get the 90 gallon so i figure why not. but the canopy is already retrofited with 4 110 watt VHO's and i worry that it will not be enough for such a deep tank.

Upgradeing my lighting at this point is just not posible with a shallow canopy at only 4 inches i would need a whole new canopy on top of a MH retro fit kit. However 50 bucks for 15 more gallons of space sounds like the better deal and i know i will just want the bigger one as soon as i get the 75 home anyway.

So i guess my question is if i go with the 90 what would i be able to keep as opposed to the same set up on the 75. I can always upgrade my lighting later but i wanted to make sure i would have enough options with the 90 in the meantime.

 

[jjmatti]

Why bother?? Go with the 75 gallon for now and it will make a great frag tank in the future... Once your a few months in and your fully addicted to this hobby you wont even think about a 90. you will want to go straight to a 265...
I remeber when I got my 75 and had 1 Oscar in it.. I thought the tank was HUGE !!!! Now I look at it and it is so tiny...

I vote 75 Gallon... For the sake of saving money now just to spend it all later.

 

[Stile2]

I think it depends not on size, but dimensions. What are the dimensions?

Keith

 

[Tiger3147]

Well thats what i am worried about the 90 galon is a 24 inch deep tank. So lighting it would be difficult with VHO. but i guess i could just keep things higher in the tank? is that what you ment by deminsions.

 

[davocean]

90 is such a good size IMO
I've been happy w/ mine for years
Yes, of course I want something twice the size, and mainly for my nems that have become huge, but when that time comes you're going to need all new stuff anyway.

 

[benray4fun]

Tiger,
I have a 90g with the exact same 4x110w vho's and I can keep just about anything including anemones. You'll be set for a year before you have to replace the bulbs and you can order or build your own custom canopy with halides installed, but you only get one chance to get a 90g for fifty bucks... so I say vote your heart and go with the 90g. Don't forget it takes a year before a deep sand bed really comes to life anyways...

 

[Stile2]

If the 90 is 24" deep then I say go for the 90. How wide, front to back? And how long?

Keith

 

[Tiger3147]

same deminsions as a 75 just deeper i belive that is 48 inches long and 17 inches back?

 

[Stile2]

IMHO, 17" front to back will limit aquascaping, but I would still go for the 90.

 

[Tiger3147]

ah, its acually 18 inches back to front if that inch really makes a huge diffrence.

 

[kclewis]

i had the same problem, if you want to call it a problem, and went with the 90. now i wonder why i even considered the 75.

 

[giants4pc]

How much extra weight is it. I have a 75 and want to upgrade to a 90. My sump was designed for a 75 and mine is acylic. I wonder if it could withstand the extra weight. The stand/sump is made out of thick acylic.

 

[Tiger3147]

Yea i can see myself thinking the same thing. It just scared me when i found little to no 90 gallon set ups on here without MH. I guess at worst i can keep things closer to the light in the mean time. Anyone have some pictures or threads about VHO only tanks near this size or is it just not done that often.

 

[Tiger3147]

Yea i worried about the weight for a moment too but i figured those 15 gallons and 50 or so pounds of rock would not make or break me in a apartment. But that may just be wishful thinking.

 

[giants4pc]

however...glass weighs more than acylic...that needs to be factored into the equation as well.

 

[Tiger3147]

Ah, i missed that slight detail, i tend to do that alot these days

 

[Maker]

Go with the 90 gallon. The extra height really shows off a reef aquarium. You're VHO lighting will be plenty for that tank. If you do decide to get SPS corals you'll want to place them higher in the tank I would think.

FWIW, my LFS has a 120 gallon tank (6" deeper than the 90) setup with 4 110w VHO for about 2 years now. It is gorgeous! The colors really pop out at you!

Maker

 

[ste6168]

i dunno, i would go for the 75g just because i have one and love it... I think the 90's although i think the height is to much, the same reason i do not like 120's. IMO your options should be between a 75 and 90, but a 75 and 180. I know you have a stand and canopy already for a 4 foot tank, but who cares... factor in the 180 now cause your going to want it in a year.

 

[trmiv]

Get the 90. I actually bought a 75 and ended up selling it and getting a 90 before I set it up. The 75 was just too short, I wanted that extra height.

 

[Biggie]

Had 90 as my first tank still makes me happy, So I doubled it and got a 180 and keep the first 90 as hospital/frag tank now Im 3 times 90 happy! More water more happy!!