Question: Cost aside, is a smaller reef tank easier to care for than a larger tank?

[newreefer_59]

Other than the obvious size of water changes, etc.....is a smaller tank easier to keep, or can there be other issues with a smaller tank that you may may not have with a larger one. I know this is a general question, but I am asking for a novice friend.

[Oilers]

I think a smaller tank is actually harder to keep. I have a 150G tank and a 28G nanocube. I have much more problems with the cube than the DT. IMO, bigger tanks are more forgiving than smaller ones.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

"The solution to pollution is dilution" (i.e. small volume = easily contaminated or negatively chemically affected). Overfeeding once can lead to Ammonia, Nitrite/Nitrate spike or a dead snail can do the same in a pico or small nano; whereas a large tank volume could absorb something like that happening without a large effect.

Small tanks its often more important to have covered because evaporation over a couple of hot summer days can lead to significant evaporation and salinity change. At the same time, you have to be aware of temp. spikes cause small volumes will change more rapidly than large volume systems.

For small systems, I've come to appreciate all-in-ones. Have a Red Sea Max (34g) and really like it. Will be setting up a BioCube 14 next week and that's as small as I would want to go.

The real "trick" with going small is to control the natural urge to overstock. The BioCube14 will be getting a pair of donated tank-bred fancy clowns & an established, "eating frzn" goby.

Anthony

[Oilers]

"The solution to pollution is dilution" (i.e. small volume = easily contaminated or negatively chemically affected). Overfeeding once can lead to Ammonia, Nitrite/Nitrate spike or a dead snail can do the same in a pico or small nano; whereas a large tank volume could absorb something like that happening without a large effect.

Small tanks its often more important to have covered because evaporation over a couple of hot summer days can lead to significant evaporation and salinity change. At the same time, you have to be aware of temp. spikes cause small volumes will change more rapidly than large volume systems.

Anthony

Very well said. I totally agree.

[mrhasan]

Bigger tank = more forgiving when things go wrong
Smaller tank = lower cost in maintenance and setup (to some extend)

One of the prime advantage of smaller tank is how easily you can carry out maintenance on it than a larger tank (although it can required more maintenance than a bigger system). Another advantage would be how quickly a smaller tank will attain the matured look than a bigger tank. In the end, its more of a personal choice. And I always say, a smaller tank with proper maintenance is much better than a bigger tank with no care.

[fishpoops]

I got an AIO 28 gallon tank in april, I find with this tank maintenance is comparable to a fresh water tank, with the exception of making the water. 5-10 minutes a day when I don't test, 1/2 hour if I do a few tests at the same time. Water changes are about the same. if you have everything ready to go it doesn't take too long.

It's kinda like cleaning a house, a little bit every day saves you from having to spend hours on it all at once.

as for larger SW tanks I cannot say as I have been told I have to budget for a bright shiny object for the boss before I get one of those... :help:

[paddyob]

No with smaller comes potential for chemistry swings to be exponentially more noticeable



Example. Evaporation raises salinity. High salinity can be a detriment to some things.

[Dearth]

As most already stated it can be more difficult to maintain a smaller system but IMO the rewards are often way better.

Pluses

Easier to maintain
Easier to find a place to put a tank
Easier to see your fruits of your labours
No need to mix water every few days
Smaller fish are often more active
Huge water changes are not the logistical problem as in larger systems

Minuses

When things go bad hey go bad fast
Death of almost anything in a small tank can create issues within a matter of less than an hr
Evaporation is a major pain
Salinity changes can be huge if salt creep falls in


IMO having a much larger prorated skimmer will save you so many issues and I have found mine has saved my tank on a few occasions. I have a 33 gallon tank and my HOB skimmer is rated for up to 75 gallons and I have had fish death not noticed for up to 24 hrs and hasn't overly affected my tank.

Smaller tanks can be strikingly beautiful as it is both easier and harder to aquascape and coral again can be both easier and harder to maintain due to supplement and lighting needs of some types of coral

Unfortunately you are limited to smaller species of fish but again they can be way more active than the larger species and more entertaining to watch

This is controversial with many but I don't test my water regularly I think the last time I tested it was 3 months ago all I test usually is salinity every water change but in smaller systems water parameters can change fast so its a personal choice

I am slowly upgrading to a 95 gallon but my 33 gallon will always be my favorite

[gobytron]

No.
One is not easier to take care of than the other.
They both require daily maintenance and monitoring.

[JmeJReefer]

I have been running nanos for a few yrs. evap./ temp/salinity changes are a given. I have found that a slightly more "techy" nano ei; controller, auto top off etc. will help a lot. However, diligent husbandry and WC's can control parameters easily too. Keep tabs on livestock and steer clear of frozen foods.

On the plus, small costs! Less lighting, less powerful pumps and skimmers etc. maintenance costs stay under 300-400$/yr and quite frankly, bigger systems never appealed to me from the start and still I prefer nanos!
IMO, if an lfs promotes a 10 gallon starter system, they should at least tell the newb that its the daily maintenance that is the biggest challenge.

If ur slightly OCD about a clean and maintained tiny tank, nanos r for you!

My two cents.
:biggrin:

[Acrowhora]

IME,it takes more work to keep the water params stable,as i only have a 33 gallon sps tank.slowly upgrading to a 65 gallon(only need 2 more radions) and some dry rocks,and i'm good to go:mrgreen:

[lastlight]

I know I am personally spending more time maintaining my current 93 cube than I was the 404 in the basement. I'm enjoying doing the little things religiously like going in with the turkey baster and toothbrush at least every other day to keep my rock clean and detritus out of the tank as best i can. I blast everything and it collects in some filter floss style material laid on top of my filter socks. I spray this out in the laundry tub every single day to do what i can to keep stuff from breaking down in the water and put it back. there's no way I personally could have tinkered on this level with the scale i was previously committed to. in this way a smaller tank for me has been more work and more reward.

[Baker]

Im going to play devils advocate here. I have a 3 gallon picotop with an ac70 fuge, and i barely do anything to this tank. I do a 50% water change every couple of weeks and clean the glass every few days. I add maybe 1 1/2 cups of water to it every day. It has one 3/4" green chromi and 4 red scarlett hermits and the most important part is the snails and when I started this tank I only put super mature purple rock and fine live sand in it. My all in ones are a pain in the a** and am going to be shutting them down and setting up normal tanks. My 55 is the same as the pico, i just do my water changes. Not that im very experienced but I think the water changes are the most important thing along with good live rock. Just my 2cents.

[msjboy]

Ask your friend to check the specialized nano-reef.com for folks who go from 5 gallon - 40 gallon sized tanks. Lotsa info, setups there.

[daniella3d]

If you plan it well, a small tank is easier to take care of because it require less amount of water for the water change.

The most important part is to have a ATO (auto top off) so that salinity will not vary with evaporation. Second is a skimmer.

I had a nano for many years and still do, I spend much less time on my nano than on my large tank. It is a 15 gallons with a 10 gallons sump, with ATO and a Deltec 300 skimmer. I do water change 20% every two week, so around 5 gallons, or just a bucket.

The main limitation is you cannot have a lot of fish in there. Maybe 2 or 3 at most and small fish wereas with a large tank you can have pretty much what ever fish you want.

For the small tank, I do not need to dose, I simply do the water changes. With my larger tank I must dose for calcium and kh, plus with the tons of corals I have more cleaning and trimming to do.

[Myka]

There is a happy medium. A bigger tank means bigger problems, but it also means that problems tend to come about slower. Smaller tanks are smaller problems, but the changes happen faster. I think 75-120 gallons is probably the easiest size.

[Coral Hoarder]

i have way less problems with my 29 gal then my 125

[intarsiabox]

Any size of tank requires the same type of maintenance and monitoring so I wouldn't say easier for a small tank but I will say faster to do maintenance. The one exception may be having to lug fewer buckets of water around. Small tanks are great if you resist the temptation to add too many fish or things that will easily out grow the tank.

[donkey77]

i have an deep sea aquatics neo nano, and the one thing i learned, know your LR, water changes once a week 10-15 percent , dont over stock, i dont add nothing just the water changes, i cant stress this enough water changes water changes, once a week, keep it simple any ways need another beer

[Proteus]

I had a 180 and loved it. But cost was gettin to me. I found that because I had lots of room I was constantly at lfs. Lol

Now my new lil tank 30g is my favorite. I still spend to much money but its on better equipment. And my tank looks fuller with less.

I found doing a WC every three days (5g). To keep params in check was not enough. Though dosing is easy. But swings can be more severe.

[asylumdown]

my 4 gallon pico in my signature is the easiest tank I've ever had to care for. 100% water changes, no sand, no fish.

I ignored it for 3 weeks because I got busy with school and the glass got so covered in algae I couldn't see inside. When I finally did a water change I just took the rock and corals out, put them in a bucket, and scrubbed down the tank in the sink until the whole thing looked brand new again. 24 hours later and it's pristine again. It's more like a piece of modern art than a tank though, I would never put fish in it the way I maintain it.

my big tank is 'easy' to maintain in that all the grunt work has largely been automated, but it's still a tremendous PITA in terms of time and money. When something does go wrong, or it needs extra attention, it's easily half a day's worth of work that I could probably spend on something more productive. Also, it goes through $100/month just in salt, so... there's that.

[gerryo]

I agree with mrhasan's statement, "a smaller tank, with proper maintenance, is much better than a big tank with no care."

I have a 28g Nano and a 54g Corner, and maintenance takes 15 minutes on the 28 and 2 hours on the 54.

I have 1 Clown in the 54 and no fish in the 28. I will be putting a pair of Clowns in the 28 real soon.

I also have a very efficient skimmer on the 54 (Tunze 9410) and an even better one on the 28 (Reef Octopus 1000).

Gerry

[Razor]

A larger tank is much more stable.

[mrhasan]

A larger tank is much more stable.

Wrong.

A larger tank is "easier" is to keep stable. It won't be stable automatically. Smaller tanks are just "harder" to keep stable. A properly cared small tank will be much more stable than a "i just need a bigger tank to keep it stable miraculously" big tank. Infact, I am pretty sure bigger tanks are prone to more crashes more than smaller tanks.

[deepRED]

Wrong.

A larger tank is "easier" is to keep stable. It won't be stable automatically. Smaller tanks are just "harder" to keep stable. A properly cared small tank will be much more stable than a "i just need a bigger tank to keep it stable miraculously" big tank. Infact, I am pretty sure bigger tanks are prone to more crashes more than smaller tanks.

Changes happen slower with more water volume, it's not rocket science. In a small tank, you'll notice problems quicker, whereas in a larger tank, you may not notice the problem until it builds up.
Saying bigger tanks are more prone to crashes is false. If both tanks are properly maintained, the larger tank will always be more stable.
It's that in larger tanks, people think things are ok, just because they don't see drastic changes.
That's why regular maintenance is crucial, whether your tank is big or small.

[mrhasan]

Changes happen slower with more water volume, it's not rocket science. In a small tank, you'll notice problems quicker, whereas in a larger tank, you may not notice the problem until it builds up.

Ofcourse its not rocket science :) Or else why did I write "easier" to maintain? Bigger tanks are never easier other than the fact that it has more volume of water and hence need a lesser reflex from the owner to correct what's wrong.

Saying bigger tanks are more prone to crashes is false. If both tanks are properly maintained, the larger tank will always be more stable.

You have answers this part of the statement by yourself ;) "It's that in larger tanks, people think things are OK". That's where the problem is. Everyone keeps on telling "bigger the better" but little do they say things "CAN" terribly go wrong with bigger systems too and they also need maintenance (with more amount of water). How many times have you seen smaller tanks with "all dead over night" than a bigger tank? Algae problem = smaller tank. Crash = bigger tank. Some searches will reveal that :)

It's that in larger tanks, people think things are ok, just because they don't see drastic changes.
That's why regular maintenance is crucial, whether your tank is big or small.

Replies in quote :)

[magikof7]

You are going to get about an equal amount of for and against bigger vs smaller tanks.
It also depends on what you want a reef or a Fish only.

After a year with my 29 biocube (reef) I can tell yo, it was perfect for learning the ropes with. I was even able to add a gravity return Refugium when many said it wouldn't work.

Now after about a year I am starting to see the big problems with Nutrients, Algea and water chemistry. My Pumps are failing because I can not put a bigger one that will fit in the back chamber. I have gone through a few now. The debris and stuff I blow off my rocks is considerable so I know there is a problem with the water circulation ( I can't run big enough pumps). I can't get enough poweheads in there without blasting corals.

I can't keep a lot of my favorite corals because there is just not enough space. I can add a reactor with GFO and drill the tank to add a sump and a better skimmer but Why? when I can spend a little more and do an upgrade so I can keep the fish and corals I want.

If you are looking for a challenge or something to learn with then a smaller tank is the perfect thing for you. It gave me about a year to learn and discover if I wanted to continue with the Hobby before spending a large amount of money on a larger tank.
There is something rather satisfying in being able to do what some say can't be done and watching it all grow.

Honestly I think, it all comes down to research on what you like and don't like and knowing yourself enough to be able to be honest with yourself on weather or not you are able or willing to put in the time and effort and come through the crashes ("heaven" forbid) and dealing with the frustration of running any size tank. :)

I am now Upgrading to a 60 gal. (Most likely in a year it will be even Bigger lol it's the way of the Hobby I am afraid)

[chi]

I want to do a zoa only tank with my nano. Probably get the whole thing covered in space monsters palys. Will probably look pretty cool. Got the idea from the dendro only tank at the vanc aquarium. Small confined space but visually stunning.

[deepRED]

Replies in quote :)

I wasn't asking any questions, I was mainly stating facts. :)

I completely agree with you, large tanks give the hobbyist a false sense of security, and many use that as an excuse to let things slide before its too late.

But if you are educated and experienced in what you are doing, a larger tank is always more stable, I can't see how you can argue that. It may be harder to maintain in terms of sheer volume of water changes etc... But it will always be more stable given equal maintenance routines.

I see what you're trying to say, and it's a bit of a chicken and the egg argument, because we all know what should be done and what people actually do is different. :)

[mrhasan]

I wasn't asking any questions, I was mainly stating facts. :)

I completely agree with you, large tanks give the hobbyist a false sense of security, and many use that as an excuse to let things slide before its too late.

But if you are educated and experienced in what you are doing, a larger tank is always more stable, I can't see how you can argue that. It may be harder to maintain in terms of sheer volume of water changes etc... But it will always be more stable given equal maintenance routines.

I see what you're trying to say, and it's a bit of a chicken and the egg argument, because we all know what should be done and what people actually do is different. :)

I wasn't "answering". I was just "replying" ;)

Anyway, I am not arguing about the stability. I have already written bigger tanks are "easier" to keep stable. And like you have said, the false sense of security of the famous quote "bigger is better" ( :lol: ) is something that cause problem. In the end, a well maintained tank is what matters, whether its big or small. You have time, money and dedication: go for a bigger tank. You have time and dedication: go for a small tank.

And regarding maintenance, in my previous 20 gallon, I would do 10gallon WC weekly and that wc had more impact on the overall health of the system than a 10 gallon weekly water change on my current 70 gallon system. Pro: I don't have to worry about pinpointing every parameter. Con: if things go wrong, that means pulling more buckets of water around.

And bigger tank brings more headache and I am pretty sure many will agree to that :razz:

[deepRED]

I wasn't "answering". I was just "replying" ;)

Anyway, I am not arguing about the stability. I have already written bigger tanks are "easier" to keep stable. And like you have said, the false sense of security of the famous quote "bigger is better" ( :lol: ) is something that cause problem. In the end, a well maintained tank is what matters, whether its big or small. You have time, money and dedication: go for a bigger tank. You have time and dedication: go for a small tank.

And regarding maintenance, in my previous 20 gallon, I would do 10gallon WC weekly and that wc had more impact on the overall health of the system than a 10 gallon weekly water change on my current 70 gallon system. Pro: I don't have to worry about pinpointing every parameter. Con: if things go wrong, that means pulling more buckets of water around.

And bigger tank brings more headache and I am pretty sure many will agree to that :razz:

Agreed.

For me, for someone just starting out I will suggest an all in one or else a 40 gallon breeder. I find it's a good balance with not being super tiny and not too big. Easy enough to do water changes and you don't need a garbage can sitting in your living room to mix water.. lol....

For someone who for sure is going to stick with it and not shut the tank down in half a year, I too prefer in the 75-125 gallon range. Seems to be a good balance of ease of maintenance and stability, and you can keep a larger range of fish, corals and inverts.

I've had 300+ gallon tanks and picos, and I can say each presents it's own challenges.

I'm currently running 800+ gallons of tanks, so I have a pretty good idea how long it takes to do stuff.

[mrhasan]

Agreed.

For me, for someone just starting out I will suggest an all in one or else a 40 gallon breeder. I find it's a good balance with not being super tiny and not too big. Easy enough to do water changes and you don't need a garbage can sitting in your living room to mix water.. lol....

For someone who for sure is going to stick with it and not shut the tank down in half a year, I too prefer in the 75-125 gallon range. Seems to be a good balance of ease of maintenance and stability, and you can keep a larger range of fish, corals and inverts.

I've had 300+ gallon tanks and picos, and I can say each presents it's own challenges.

I'm currently running 800+ gallons of tanks, so I have a pretty good idea how long it takes to do stuff.

That's a very strong point you have placed. Lots of people are tempted by "nemo" and "dory" other that sheer dedication and either ends up with a small tank getting bashed by tank police or ends up with big tank without knowing whether or not they can maintain the tank in the long run. I knew I was up for fun challenges when I started my 20 gallon (since nano = hard to keep is a very common notion in forums) but someone without idea of how to maintain a saltwater generally (since many forums which are not "nano friendly" makes it seem like big tanks don't need maintenance) and ends up getting a big tank depending on the notion of bigger the better and BAM!

Off topic: would love to see your 800 gallon tank :mrgreen: A thread for it perhaps? :D One of the popular notions of this forum is: pic or it never happened :lol:

[deepRED]

That's a very strong point you have placed. Lots of people are tempted by "nemo" and "dory" other that sheer dedication and either ends up with a small tank getting bashed by tank police or ends up with big tank without knowing whether or not they can maintain the tank in the long run. I knew I was up for fun challenges when I started my 20 gallon (since nano = hard to keep is a very common notion in forums) but someone without idea of how to maintain a saltwater generally (since many forums which are not "nano friendly" makes it seem like big tanks don't need maintenance) and ends up getting a big tank depending on the notion of bigger the better and BAM!

Off topic: would love to see your 800 gallon tank :mrgreen: A thread for it perhaps? :D One of the popular notions of this forum is: pic or it never happened :lol:



I wish I had a single 800 gallon.. haha.... nope.

I have a 300 gallon, a 200 gallon, and 3x 100 gallon tanks. Only two are reefs and the rest are freshwater. :)

I have no clue where my old tank threads went but I used to have hundreds of posts when I was more active on the forum.
Got married, shut a bunch of tanks down and was MIA for a few years and when I came back all of a sudden I'm a newb again.

[Razor]

If both tanks are properly maintained, the larger tank will always be more stable.

And that's all I was saying. ;)