How Big is BIG? Aka when exactly does Size matter, and Why?
- Thread starter JohnM99
- Start date
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
Here you go. That's my fish tank in my living room. 
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
Except that once a large tank gets off, it takes a long time and a lot of effort to get it back again. It is harder to get it off, though. I accidently dumped 80-90 gals. of freshwater into mine and it only took me from 1.025 to 1.023. Just a nice day of rain on the reef.
maroun.c
New member
Guess whatever you think is big now will look rather regular=small in few months.
Had multiple small tanks then went up to an 80G which looked huge then (12 years ago that was a big tank) to upgrade to a 150 G 2 years ago. again what looked huge now seems short and thin Even my wife said that with our next house move the tank wouldn't look nice where we plan to have it and that I "must upgrade if I intend to keep the tank in the new appartment"
I have space for a max of 15.4 feet in length 3 feet in width and whatever I would like in height I guess I'll keep it around 6.5 feet long 78x3027. I would think that would be the biggest I can go without needing serious upgrades on my equipment (except for a small upgrade on flow) Also should maintain a close miantenance fee. I could still go just a bit longer but that wouldn't bring any advantages in terms of keeping animals that otherwise wouldn't live in what I'm considering or bring a tremendous difference in the look of the tank. so unless I cover the whole wall with 1500 P + tank I would stick to aroudn 300 whic would not minimize the living room it's in. one has to consider the space the tank is in too...
Luckily I didn't have to knock down anywalls or ruin my living space as it's still under construction and things were designed aroudn the tank and it's need. I also had all tubing from and to filtration room incorporated in walls and made provision for additional powercables and increased their thinckness....
so far have the following incorporated:
3 1 inch tubes to filtration room. (in wall)
1 3/4 inch drain from tank to appt drain. (underfloor)
1 1/2 inch tube from water mixing to tank (underfloor)
4 4 inch vents from stand and canopy to outside the building (in wall)
3 conduits which will each fit a max of 4mm powercables which should be much more than I need.
1 conduit from house electrical box to attick where I will house a 10 Amps UPS for BU ....
at this stage I state that 300G is rather big (might be contradicting this statment few years down the road)
Had multiple small tanks then went up to an 80G which looked huge then (12 years ago that was a big tank) to upgrade to a 150 G 2 years ago. again what looked huge now seems short and thin Even my wife said that with our next house move the tank wouldn't look nice where we plan to have it and that I "must upgrade if I intend to keep the tank in the new appartment"
I have space for a max of 15.4 feet in length 3 feet in width and whatever I would like in height I guess I'll keep it around 6.5 feet long 78x3027. I would think that would be the biggest I can go without needing serious upgrades on my equipment (except for a small upgrade on flow) Also should maintain a close miantenance fee. I could still go just a bit longer but that wouldn't bring any advantages in terms of keeping animals that otherwise wouldn't live in what I'm considering or bring a tremendous difference in the look of the tank. so unless I cover the whole wall with 1500 P + tank I would stick to aroudn 300 whic would not minimize the living room it's in. one has to consider the space the tank is in too...
Luckily I didn't have to knock down anywalls or ruin my living space as it's still under construction and things were designed aroudn the tank and it's need. I also had all tubing from and to filtration room incorporated in walls and made provision for additional powercables and increased their thinckness....
so far have the following incorporated:
3 1 inch tubes to filtration room. (in wall)
1 3/4 inch drain from tank to appt drain. (underfloor)
1 1/2 inch tube from water mixing to tank (underfloor)
4 4 inch vents from stand and canopy to outside the building (in wall)
3 conduits which will each fit a max of 4mm powercables which should be much more than I need.
1 conduit from house electrical box to attick where I will house a 10 Amps UPS for BU ....
at this stage I state that 300G is rather big (might be contradicting this statment few years down the road)
JohnM99
Premium Member
Just started reading through your long thread, Andy - very interesting. I see you have kept filefish - as you have seen my avatar is Aluterus scriptus (scribbled file)- not because I have ever been foolish enough to try and keep them - but because I have seen them while diving. Majestic, unearthly, gorgeous fish. Came across a 4' pair off Cozumel a few times - unforgettable. I am amazed you have succeeded with the orangespots.
Will have to read more of your thread to hear how you actually got your tank together.
waynem - I will have to check through your thread too - just saw your initial drawings - obviously carefully planned.
John
Will have to read more of your thread to hear how you actually got your tank together.
waynem - I will have to check through your thread too - just saw your initial drawings - obviously carefully planned.
John
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JohnM99
Premium Member
maroun - good point about the perception of "big" - I remember my first 15 gallon tank as a kid in the 60s - seemed massive.
Also - one's spouse may react at first "that thing is so huge - why do you need such a monster?" but after a while, they get accustomed to it - and then you sneak in the big boy............. preferably, while they are out of town................... and then buy some jewelry or something..:furious: :furious: :furious:
Also - one's spouse may react at first "that thing is so huge - why do you need such a monster?" but after a while, they get accustomed to it - and then you sneak in the big boy............. preferably, while they are out of town................... and then buy some jewelry or something..:furious: :furious: :furious:
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
John--They are still chugging along. I've had them since New Year's Eve and they haven't even seen a coral since March 1.
This is what their eggs look like:
This is what their eggs look like:
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
John: Here's a video from tonight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mgnGgyNYG4
Day 229 in my care and 169 days since the last time they've seen a coral.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mgnGgyNYG4
Day 229 in my care and 169 days since the last time they've seen a coral.
nyvp
Active member
my last tank of 560/g 120x36x30 was very easy to keep up and going. Everything good or bad moves very slowly. I got very lazy because my parameters didnt fluctuate . Once a week i would check things out and then add what ever was needed.
Next one will be either 130x42x42 (1000) or 130x60x48 (1500). Im going to be using the 21" skylights and powerheads to keep electric to under 1000 watts total.
Next one will be either 130x42x42 (1000) or 130x60x48 (1500). Im going to be using the 21" skylights and powerheads to keep electric to under 1000 watts total.
I went from a 70 to a 125 took an 8 year break and now have a 550 display going to be a 750 gal system. The big break point for me was moving from a stock size (tops out with the Marineland 300 AFAIK) to a custom size. My 550 has the same 72" x 36" footprint as the stock 300 but increasing the height to over 48" increaed the cost about 5-fold. I still looking forward tot he challenges of working in a tank this deep.
"Umm fish?"
Premium Member
They were adult size when I got them, probably 3.5-4 inches. The only growth that I really think I've seen is around the middle. They were _really_ hard to train onto frozen foods and honestly almost starved on me. Rail thin. Hardest to train by far than any other animal I've tried.
I began to see courtship in the male in early March, so within a couple of months. The female took longer, but she was the harder one to get to eat frozen. But they've been spawning for several months now.
They were _really_ hard to train onto frozen foods and honestly almost starved on me. Rail thin. Hardest to train by far than any other animal I've tried. I began to see courtship in the male in early March, so within a couple of months. The female took longer, but she was the harder one to get to eat frozen. But they've been spawning for several months now.
