The term "the biggest tank you can afford"

[thefuture]

i wanted to make this thread because i think alot of newbies that get into the hobby get blinded by this term and they make a lot of assumptions about it. i wanted to know what people thought it meant by the "biggest tank you can afford" cause it could literally mean buy the biggest tank you can afford today or buy the biggest tank you can afford after the consideration of all drygoods and livestock that will support the ecosystem you are trying to create. as of now im batling these assumptions and i thought it would be great to have it clarified by most of the expereinced reefers.

[T-6 Driver]

What it should mean is the biggest tank you can afford including all the pumps, livestock, etc. A good LFS should tell the customer that in the big picture the cost of the tank is tiny. Of course I'm preaching to the choir here.

In any case, a large tank without proper skimming, flow and lighting will fare worse than a smaller one properly equiped.

[T-6 Driver]

What it should mean is the biggest tank you can afford including all the pumps, livestock, etc. A good LFS should tell the customer that in the big picture the cost of the tank is tiny. Of course I'm preaching to the choir here.

In any case, a large tank without proper skimming, flow and lighting will fare worse than a smaller one properly equiped.

[Humuhumunuku]

Yes, its going to cost more for the equipment on my tank than the tank and stand cost to begin with

[thefuture]

true but most LFS actually dont care for the animals, they are just in it for the cash. i have noticed this over and over again. This one LFS by me always has dead fish in thier tank and they dont even net them out, they just leave them to rot and i can tell they dont really feed thier fish because this tang was nibbing on an old rotten piece of fish. eww how gross.

[raddogz]

This upcoming 120g tank upgrade will be at the upper limit of what I can afford also sustaining a 58g tank as well.

The starting equipment and the livestock always seems daunting, but it's the day to day upkeep that wears everyone out. It's taken me almost two years to gather all my equipment new and used, but I'm pretty sure it will be worth it.

Well, that and the increase in utilities as well...<sigh>

[mikenpam]

Go as big as you can afford to properly equip your tank, maintain it and pay utilities. You can stock it overtime and maybe not having too much money will force patience. I have a 90 and if all keeps going well I will upgrade to a 180 or 210 in a year or so.

[drunktank]

i always tell my customers, get what u can fit into ur house/car/wallet

i explain the cost and tell them buy slow, if u WANT a big tank buy the tank, then gather together all ur necissary equipment and read up on the hobby- then come back for fish :)

[Leviathan]

Personally I think its a fairly good piece of advice for a beginner ( IF taken to its true meaning ) which to me means all things equipment wise included. A larger system typically has more stability for someone just learning, but if you buy a huge tank at the expense of quality equipment then you are defeating the whole theory behind this statement to begin with.

[agfahy]

As a general rule I tell people to plan on spending $20 per gallon. If they can't handle that, ther're not ready to start.
If I'm at the fish store its more like $30-40 per gallon.

[SaltyNovice]

I'm new and I took it to mean the largest tank that you can afford - including the equipment! And I got news for everyone - "the equipment" - is more than a newbie can imagine. I was always thinking I could get by without this or skimp on that. Well, I'm here to tell you - The best layed plans "will not be enough". You need to plan for more. I would say if you are tilting on two different sizes - go with the smaller of the two. I think "right now" - I went too big with my 120 - at least for a newbie. I think I will be real glad in a year or two, but it has taken all the patience I can muster and I've had a whole lot of practice at patience!!! JMHO! :eek:

[The Reefer91]

i'm following this meaning all the way. my first tank will be a 180g. i know, i know, OMG WHAT!?!?! :p i just don't want to upgrade lateron down the road, and i've done enough reading and planning i think i can handle it. plus, my LFS actually is a good one(cause it's family owned) so they are willing to help. plus, what's more stable than a 180g? (hmmmmm............210g :p)

[NoSchwag]

In my case it was "the biggest tank I could fit on that wall in the livingroom".

[colettem]

One of the biggest expenses is the corals. I spent £100 buying 4 corals last weekend and my tank still looks empty. Don't know anyone yet I can get frags from and acropora costs about £56 in the shops here. I think it's going to take a lot of investment to get my tank looking the way I'd like it to.

[Anemonebuff]

Do not forget future costs as well. Electricity, new bulbs, salt, RO/DI replacement,.......................and.............................................................. ............................

[kevin gu3]

$20 a gallon is way low for a 90! By half. All these are low-end prices for what I consider basic reef equipment:

350 Tank
100 stand and hood
600 lighting
200 sump, return pump, and plumbing
300 calc reactor, regulator, tank, pump
300 skimmer and pump
100 internal current pumps
050 heaters
050 test kits
250 RO/DI system, auto-shutoff and reservoir
500 live rock
100 gravel or sand
500 coral
200 fish

$3600 total. Its possible to skimp on some and DIY on others, but this is much closer to ballpark than $1800. Its also possible to spend a whole lot more.

[phenom5]

i would definately say $20/gal is low...3x that per gallon easy, if not more.

and to answer the original question...get the biggest tank you can afford to setup is the way i look at it. doesn't do you much good to buy a 300g tank if you can't afford everything you need to get it up and running.

and as a side note, my other advice to anybody just getting into the hobby. find a local reef club. that can save you a ton of money on equipment & livestock.