can't decide on tank size.... caution long post..

[DelmarvaLife]

Hello everyone,

I'm sorry if this get long or i ramble. been a long time since i been on here, and i have learned a lot, but i am at a cross roads, I know i want to do saltwater, i bought a 75g RR tank, and had plan to do the whole reef thing. but now, i am thinking of doing my 36g bow front as a reef, and using the 75 for freshwater amazon tank. But i am wishy washy with what i want to do. i can't decide on going with the 75g or the 36g, how ever when it comes to fish, i love the black clowns, first and foremost, so that is the only fish that i know i got to have. how ever i also like the neon blue cleaner gobys, and the red mandarin. the mandarin will most likely be the last fish i buy for the tank, and i know all about it being hard to keep due to food populations. i am up for the challenge how ever it will still be a long while before i will be able to get it. i also love the black cap basslets, and purple fire fish. i like the smaller community reef safe fish. how ever i also like the snow flake eel and the lionfish. but i know they aren't reef safe.

i really was thinking of low/med light corals, was planning on Led lighting i like the RB photon series Leds, i just don't know what size to get for the 36g to do med light corals, i really aint in to stony corals as much, just something that never been my thing, but not saying i won't try them in future.

How ever what really draws me to saltwater isn't the fish, or the corals, but the crabs. With the exception of the hermits, (not a fan) but i love emeralds, pom pom, sally light foot, and other type of those crabs. thats what draws me to saltwater, how ever i know for a cuc that hermits are good and i don't mind them in my tank. but i'm just not a fan of them. I guess growing up on the eastern shore of MD. I am so use to seeing and eating the Chesapeake blue crab, that i got to have crabs that resemble them beings i live in Ga now and miss the salt life. :sad2:

If i do the 36g bf i know it will cost less to get going than the 75, but i know that the 75 will handle better water chemistry, if you had the choice, what would you do. The sump will be a old used 20L that i have in my closet regardless what tank i use.

I just wish i could make up my mind when it comes to size, i mean for a reef i was thinking the 36 just on cost, but the 75 will house more fish. the pros and cons are what is killing me, help me get a balance on this so i can make my mind up please. Sry for needing help on such a stupid matter, but i just can't decide. i wish i could do both one as a fowlr and one as a reef, how ever i don't think i can afford to do both. and i really would like to keep the learning exp down to just 1 tank and not 2, so if your still with me so far sorry for the long post. let me sum it up and ask some basic questions.

if i was to do the 36g as a reef, would this stocking be good?
2 black Ocellaris clowns
1-2 neon blue cleaner goby
1 black cap basslets,
1 purple fire fish
1 mandarin (last fish after a year or so of exp.)

and are their any others that would be good or am i over stocked already.

also what inverts would be best for cuc. and how many of what.

and if i did the 75 it be same stocking list, just with maybe a angel or fox face, and i do like scooter blennys as well but know little about them. just always see them at my LFS. and haven't gotten around to researching them yet, been to focused on other things.

thanks for your time, and opinions.

 

[soulpatch]

If the manadarin is a must on your list then your decision should be easier as you will want the 75 gallon to have more space for pods to grow for them to feed on. Even then you will probably have to suppliment with pods.

 

[Potsy]

I'm in a similar situation in that I have a small reef tank and want to add a larger tank (120 gallon likely) and was debating whether I should upgrade the reef or start a cheaper freshwater setup. I opted to keep my reef as is and start a discus tank. So, I probably saved myself a few thousand dollars with that decision.

Would you rather have a larger freshwater or saltwater tank? If you're going to keep hardy, low-med light corals and small fish, I'd likely go with the small reef. However, assuming you don't already have the 36, and were set on a three foot tank (I'm assuming it's 36"), I'd get a 50 gallon 36x18x18" tank which is what I have. It's a nice compromise and has an pleasing footprint.

I keep a pair of ocellaris clowns (one black & one orange) in it and I must warn you that black clowns can be quite aggressive when they're paired up. I can't add any more fish to the tank without the clownfish tearing them up. Even my neon dottyback is terrified of it. Be sure to add them last.

 

[nuxx]

Go bigger if you can...

Just more stability and expanded choices of livestock.

In the long run, the cost of the tank and equipment with be nothing compared to the costs of livestock and running the tank.

 

[Yash]

I would suggest making the 75 the reef tank. If your 36 dimensions are anything like mine (more tall than long) you're better off leaving it as a FW tank. I currently have a 36 bow front that was a FW tank originally. The dimensions of the tank are just horrible to get a decent rock structure going while having plenty of open swimming space. I am currently planning on moving up to a 150 though that might be a few months down the road until I can save up enough money for the upgrade.

Just my 2c worth

 

[kinnadian]

Everyone eventually wishes they had a bigger tank.

Space limitations to make a nice aquascape, aggressive corals fighting for dominance in a small tank, wanting a fish that needs more room and hoping you can be that one reefer to keep a blue tang in a tiny tank...

You can start with the 36g and upgrade to the 75g, or start with the 75g and want to upgrade to a 120g or 180g

If you can afford it, absolutely go for a 75g. 75g is still manageable in regards to water changes, light requirements, etc etc, but big enough to have some nice fish and also a smaller tang like tomini or kole.

PS Mandarin in a 36g won't last unless you have a similar sized (or larger) refugium exclusively for growing pods.

 

[DKT]

I am going through the same thing... I have freshwater I have wanted reef for as long as I can remember, finally making a move because my two oldest are settled and my youngest is Ellie Mae Clampett and we truly enjoy our critters. She and I are learning together.

I think if I was faced with your choices ~just because I am and know how I have processed things for us I would set up smaller tank as the reef, really learn it and fine tune your skills and understanding. Because if you love it and want to go bigger you will want bigger than the 75 for the reef. The 75 would make a lovely freshwater ~ but if you go huge with something you'll want it to be your Reef display.

We're going 40g range. It's enough for us to learn, get a handle on that all things inside the tank and get a feel for equipment. It's not an overwhelming size or an overwhelming investment to learn the basics. And... if we aren't as crazy about it as I am sure we will be ~ it's a nice size to donate/resell and we haven't broken the bank

You know what you want in the freshwater and can accomplish that. Reef wise, I don't think anyone knows until they get wet and with how much there is to learn to get one rolling and when you think about most who upgrade go to the large zone you'll be able to expand with solid confidence in what you have learned.

Try not to stress about it ~ do what feels right and go from there and be happy you are getting it done and loving it (regardless what tank you pick to do what with). I know once I decided what we were doing it's been a great relief and now I'm in the process of getting us rolling. Anticipating totally digging it and how the reef room will be set up when we eventually move a big beast in there that we know we can set up, what equipment we want and stocking goals.

 

[DelmarvaLife]

Thanks everyone for the help, I have a ton of empty tanks and seem like i am always getting more when i don't need them. I started with freshwater and got the multi tank syndrome. so i can always change tanks when ever needed as i always have empties and always getting more. As far as keeping tangs i am not really a tang person. the only tang i would ever consider keeping IF i had a BIG tank. would be the Achillies tang. other than that i'm not much on tangs. but I can afford to do the 75g how ever lighting is going to kill me in up front cost, only because I going Led, I don't want to have to buy bulbs constantly, like i do with all my freshwater tanks. i'm slowly gonna be converting all tanks to leds. This will be a slow build. as i will be buying things slowly so that i can make it work. so I think i will make the 75 a fowlr tank, and once i get comfortable with maintaining the tank. i will start adding corals. thanks everyone.