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

[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