300GALLON TANKS AND UP!
- Thread starter pbass510
- Start date
I dont have a 300g... yet.
I am going from a 120g (60x18x26) to a 210g (72x24x29) and can tell you that it has been a bit overwhelming at first. Everything is on a larger scale! I went from small canisters to 2 monster FX5's along with an update on just about every piece of equipment. I am still having to go under the house and reinforce the floor esp. since the tank runs in the same direction as the joists and a lot of weight will rest on just one. Once I set up this tank I really dont think it would be a big deal going to a 300g, after all a lot of what I'm using could be used on a larger tank. But that next step of 500g or larger seems to be scary to me.
I am going from a 120g (60x18x26) to a 210g (72x24x29) and can tell you that it has been a bit overwhelming at first. Everything is on a larger scale! I went from small canisters to 2 monster FX5's along with an update on just about every piece of equipment. I am still having to go under the house and reinforce the floor esp. since the tank runs in the same direction as the joists and a lot of weight will rest on just one. Once I set up this tank I really dont think it would be a big deal going to a 300g, after all a lot of what I'm using could be used on a larger tank. But that next step of 500g or larger seems to be scary to me.
I personally have found larger tanks are easier to set up and maintain. The initial investment is often more, but if you can do it, do it. I've kept fish my entire life pretty much but up until oct of 09 all I had was a 20g. I got a 55, then 120 and have had 65s,75s,90s,125s135s, 150, 180, 240 and my new setup is a 6x3 300. Each step up led to another learning experience. My 55 had an ac70. The 120 had 2 xp4s. I had moved up to 2 fx5s w the 180. Then came a sump w my 240. Now w my 300 I'm learning different overflow methods and how to build a DIY sump.
Obviously that's quite a number of tanks in less than 2 yes and I think I find the set up and tear down and mechanics of tanks even more fun thank keeping fish.
As far as maintenance cost goes, water is included in my rent and I have my 240 and a 75g growout and my electric bill has yet to exceed 150 yr round.
Obviously that's quite a number of tanks in less than 2 yes and I think I find the set up and tear down and mechanics of tanks even more fun thank keeping fish.
As far as maintenance cost goes, water is included in my rent and I have my 240 and a 75g growout and my electric bill has yet to exceed 150 yr round.
pbass510;5139389; said:
Right now I have my 240, but that will be torn down web the 300 is done and a 75g for a growout for my Tigrinus. I just waited for the really cheap craigslist finds and have been able to buy and sell my way up to the 300 I have now w little ou of pocket money
creepyoldguy;5139028; said:
Agreed, my 370g certainly isn't more that double the work of my 160g when it was set up similarly. There's a bit more glass to clean and sand to stir up, and the water takes longer to siphon out and fill back up, but its only a small increase in time per water change.
pbass510;5133879; said:
You would have to be a fool to spend "most" of your money on any hobby. I think you'll find most of the people keeping monster tanks have worked their way up over many years, saved long and hard and planned to make it happen.
I have a 300 (right beside a 210) and I guess it feels fine. I get to set and enjoy watching a lot of fish interact with each other and the maintenance is a breeze. I do a 25% water change every couple of weeks. Swap out filter socks (and wash them) when I do a water change and every month or so I will swap out the polyfil mat (buy in bulk at wal-mart). Every three months or so I swap out the media in my reactor.
Other than that I just scrape the glass occasionally and call it a day. I am a firm beilever that the larger your tank the easier it is to maintain.
As for cost, other than the cost of running the pumps, lights, and water there really isn't much expense at all other than the $20 or so a month to feed the occupants.
Other than that I just scrape the glass occasionally and call it a day. I am a firm beilever that the larger your tank the easier it is to maintain.
As for cost, other than the cost of running the pumps, lights, and water there really isn't much expense at all other than the $20 or so a month to feed the occupants.
I have to say bigger tanks are much the same as comparing cars going from domestic to import. Sure the input cost is larger but the end result is cheaper over the long haul.
For example I just left my tanks alone for 15 days straight as I took a holiday. I lost one fish a freddi that I had just taken out of Q/T and put back in the main tank. Other than that no issue whatsoever with the tanks. I would hate to try to do that with a 75g or thereabouts.
In terms of time contstraints, for actual water changes I spent maybe 10 minutes of actual time doing work and the rest is spent doing other activities while the empty and refill action goes on and I use a phython for that.
For example I just left my tanks alone for 15 days straight as I took a holiday. I lost one fish a freddi that I had just taken out of Q/T and put back in the main tank. Other than that no issue whatsoever with the tanks. I would hate to try to do that with a 75g or thereabouts.
In terms of time contstraints, for actual water changes I spent maybe 10 minutes of actual time doing work and the rest is spent doing other activities while the empty and refill action goes on and I use a phython for that.