Big tanks are a trap :p

[LARedstickreefer]

Bigger tanks (say, 90 gallons and up) have one significant advantage over smaller tanks in that many of the best algae consuming fish get pretty large and are unsuited to very small tanks. In many larger tanks, algae just becomes a nonissue with the right fish.

This is part of my plan for my upcoming Cade 900 reef upgrade.

I’m going from a Red Sea reefer 170 to the Cade 900 (85g display) so that I can have more space, more useful fish, and more stability.

I’m also going to be keeping this simple. Bare bottom, two rock “pillars”, and very few water changes per year (I’m already an AFR guy).

Going for a minimalist system.

 

[Troylee]

I have a 300 it took a lot of work to get it going but the last 6 months I haven’t spent more than 15 min a week on it! I feed the fish and wipe the glass clean every few days. Easy peesy if you ask me! Water change once I awhile takes me 20 min to change out 60-100 gallons.

 

[Reefvision]

good day reefers,

I have had a 90 gallon reef tank for 2 years now. I love it but I hate the maintenance it's just time consuming.
it feels like a trap, 4 years ago I had a 30 gallon reef tank. I had so much fun with it. It didn't matter what the problem was, a major water change was done in no time. and so I was drawn into going bigger. 2 years later it feels like a trap and I want to go smaller again.
I was wondering what you guys think about this.

thank you in advance !

Ps: I went bigger so I could keep more fish. then I found out that all beautiful fish eat coral or you need half a Seaworld in your living room to keep them

 

[BZOFIQ]

I don't know anyone who wants a tiny house.

 

[rtparty]

I setup my "dream" system a couple years back. 250g peninsula. I have a whole build thread on it. It was never a dream and mostly a nightmare. I have zero desire to ever go back to that size unless it is a custom built home with the tank being a major emphasis in the build.

The 250 literally killed my joy and desire to even have a tank. I sold the whole thing off minus the tank and stand. It is now a dart frog vivarium and that is 100x more enjoyable than the aquarium. No work, just as fun, and I can enjoy my life again.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I setup my "dream" system a couple years back. 250g peninsula. I have a whole build thread on it. It was never a dream and mostly a nightmare. I have zero desire to ever go back to that size unless it is a custom built home with the tank being a major emphasis in the build.

The 250 literally killed my joy and desire to even have a tank. I sold the whole thing off minus the tank and stand. It is now a dart frog vivarium and that is 100x more enjoyable than the aquarium. No work, just as fun, and I can enjoy my life again.

Wow! Do you have a smaller one you prefer? How small?

 

[rtparty]

Wow! Do you have a smaller one you prefer? How small?

Setup a 25g a couple weeks ago once I could enjoy things again. I will start a thread later about it as this tank is kind of a "concept" tank for me. It is as simple as I could make it and brought me back to my roots. No controllers, no Wifi this and Wifi that, no gizmos and gadgets, no skimmer. Just simplicity and biology handling everything.

I am sick of seeing people struggle for a year with all sorts of issues, every tech piece available, and eventually leave the hobby.

Same story over and over. "I bought all the good stuff the influencers and forum pushers told me to. Why can't I grow coral?!?!?" I hope to show something different.

 

[codycolina707]

not daily but weekly then I do a water change and vacuum the sand, clean it and blow off stones, it takes me almost all day

Weekly I do a water change and vacuum the sand that takes a lot of time, window cleaning, blow off stones, cleaning sump, algea reactor

Could get a sand sifting goby I don't really touch my sand tbh 150g tank water changes i have a closet by my tank i would just fill a 50 gallon trash can and have return pump and hose to fill my sump drain 30 to 40 gallons plug in the pump would take like 20 mins I don't even do that know I use apex dos for 3 gallon water changes daily but might even cut that out of the loop another 50 gallon trash can with kalk that I dose using two cheap dosing pumps so besides feeding the fish and cleaning the glass it's hardly any work

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Setup a 25g a couple weeks ago once I could enjoy things again. I will start a thread later about it as this tank is kind of a "concept" tank for me. It is as simple as I could make it and brought me back to my roots. No controllers, no Wifi this and Wifi that, no gizmos and gadgets, no skimmer. Just simplicity and biology handling everything.

I am sick of seeing people struggle for a year with all sorts of issues, every tech piece available, and eventually leave the hobby.

Same story over and over. "I bought all the good stuff the influencers and forum pushers told me to. Why can't I grow coral?!?!?" I hope to show something different.

I was also thinking of setting up a small tank (probably smaller than yours) if I decide to get back in the game. Maybe just automatic water changes and minimal supplements if needed.

 

[CHSUB]

I had a 300 gallon completely automated: waterchange, feeding, fug, calcium reactor, sulfur deNO3. However, was still a lot of work and the “expectation of perfection” became hard. After 8 years,never going back to “big systems”.

 

[Quietelk]

I don't know anyone who wants a tiny house.

Tiny homes are a whole thing, though. Just hit up YouTube. My favourite is this musician who has her tiny studio painted to look like a giant amplifier.

 

[rtparty]

I was also thinking of setting up a small tank (probably smaller than yours) if I decide to get back in the game. Maybe just automatic water changes and minimal supplements if needed.

AFR and 4g weekly water changes is all I plan to do. Run a bag of carbon here and there or maybe some Purigen if I feel the need. Only filter floss to keep the water a little more clear.

I’ve already ordered Tampa Bay live sand and fish from Dr Reef. That should all arrive in the next 2-3 weeks since the hurricane pushed sand delivery back.

While the tank only has rock and water, it has still been a ton of fun picking everything out since I have severely limited myself to keep with my main goal of KISS. Every decision is based around “How would I get my best friend into the hobby and make it easy for them.”

 

[Jimbo327]

It's fun having a big tank.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I had a 2000 ltr system in my old house, now I've got a 200 litre. I don't enjoy it any less.

What is that in gallons? Sounds very large!

 

[Kmst80]

What is that in gallons? Sounds very large!

A gallon is roundabout 4 lt. So you're looking at around 500 gallon

 

[Stevorino]

Yup… I feel like this every once and a while.

Sometimes I wish I just had a nano with an auto water change on it that could go for a long time without major maintenance

 

[BeanAnimal]

A gallon is roundabout 4 lt. So you're looking at around 500 gallon

Are you sure?

 

[rtparty]

Are you sure?

3.8 L per gallon

 

[BeanAnimal]

Are you sure?

Was Garf's old aquarium 439 gallons... or was it 528 gallons

Bonus questions: How many pints of beer is that?

 

[Kmst80]

Are you sure?

Yup. I got a ~200 gallon and there are 768 lt in there