Switch from 4' 150g to 6' or larger tank; what to expect?

ACBlinky

Premium Member
Hi guys!
I haven't posted in this area before, and haven't been active on RC for a while, other than a lot of reading as I really get my head back into the hobby... I never left, but I sort of let my tank 'run itself' as it were, maintaining the status quo and not changing anything for a long, long time. Something happened when we came back from our summer holiday and I decided to get a new, better LED light fixture and some new corals, a couple of new fish, and the tank really started to feel fun again.

Now I'm thinking about a long (loooong) term plan. We have started house hunting, and I think when we eventually move out of our apartment I might like to try going from our current 48" 150g to a six foot tank. I have never had a BIG tank; the one we have now is the biggest thing I've ever looked after. I'm wondering what would I be looking at in terms of upgrading equipment, maintenance, water changes -- is it a lot different? I wouldn't want to care for 400g, that's just out of my league, but maybe 220g... but bearing in mind I'm 5'5" and 130lbs, I do have physical limits especially when it comes to reaching the bottom/sides/back of big tanks. The 150g is really hard to clean, my husband goes nuts seeing me up on the step ladder with long tools scraping the back wall of the tank each month :D

Obviously I'd need to have the tank delivered, which in itself would be challenging where I live, but it could be done. How do you guys get big tanks into your homes? Does a 220g fit through a doorway? What size sump should I be looking at with a tank in that size range? Right now I have a 30-35g sump, which I feel isn't adequate for my tank, so I'd switch that out if possible, unless it wouldn't make much of a difference.

I just purchased a new skimmer, it's a Reef Octo 202 -S; I believe that would work. It seems huge to me, anyway, compared to my old skimmer, and my tank wouldn't be heavily stocked or overfed. I also use a dual reactor for carbon and GFO which keeps things pretty clean :) I figure I'd need another light, since I have a 3' programmable fixture and my old 4' non-programmable LED. I'd be happy getting another 3' fixture (I adore the one I have) and adding the 4' one just for extra oomph.

The tank would hopefully end up situated in a finished (or semi-finished) basement; I have always envisioned a sort of relaxation area with a recliner and the tank, below ground on concrete with access to a sink (laundry room I guess) and an around-the-corner shelf/cabinet where I can store all the carbon, GFO, hoses, brushes, test kits, foods, etc. out of the way. I'd feel safe, with the tank on a concrete floor, but it would also be somewhere that you could 'escape' to watch the fish in a nice quiet place. Right now they're in the middle of the living room and the TV reflects on the tank, it's a crowded, noisy space... I have got to start working towards making this dream a reality!

So -- Tl;dr --> will a Reef octo 202-S skimmer be adequate for a 180-220g tank?
What size skimmer would you recommend? Is a big skimmer important?
Have you guys moved a 220g? Will it fit through a regular doorway or do I need to do something special to get it into a house?
Do you think moving from my 48" 150g to, say, a 220g (I think that's the biggest I might be able to handle) is doable? I"m not a big person, I'm a 5'5" woman, 130lbs, and I want to be able to take care of the tank. It's tough to reach the bottom of a 30" tank, tough to reach 24" back to scrape the walls with tools, am I looking at a huge difference?

Thank you SO much for your thoughts.
 
Personally a 180 is hard to beat. Great dimensions plus a nice volume of water for a variety of fish and real estate enough for plenty of corals. As far as equipment goes lighting will be one area to look at. With 2 extra feet to work with you either need more fixtures or a new lighting plan depending on what you keep. If you are reaching your limit on skimmer size with the 150 that could be a need as well. Live rock, sand, sump size and livestock are other things to consider. 180 is manageable and personally one of my favorite past tank sizes. One you get to the 300 and up range is where things really get a jump in maintenance and cost.
 
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