help me get started

[o5b0rn3b]

So the wife approved the idea of me doing another tank when we get buy a house, I'm talking a year or two down the road but my wheels are turning already. I just have a couple questions.

I have a $2k budget on this tank. I'm stuck between new or huge. My moms bf would just love to build me a plywood tank the length of a living room wall, I'm not sure what that costs, and the idea of water changes on a mostly stocked 12x3 gives me chills. Probably water changes alone have me just wanting to buy a new drilled 180 for $900 and call it a day. The extra foot of a 265 is another $1000 so that's not an option for new. Thoughts?

This will also be my first sump, I have a 55 that will be the sump for the 180, I have no plan for the potential plywood build or larger used tank. I've done a ton of sump reading the past few days and I think for the most part I understand it all.

 

[Madou]

I have a $2k budget on this tank. I'm stuck between new or huge. My moms bf would just love to build me a plywood tank the length of a living room wall, I'm not sure what that costs, and the idea of water changes on a mostly stocked 12x3 gives me chills. Probably water changes alone have me just wanting to buy a new drilled 180 for $900 and call it a day. The extra foot of a 265 is another $1000 so that's not an option for new. Thoughts?

I personally would do bigger, because the bigger the tank, the bigger the range of fish you can choose from.
But in the end the question is: "At which point does your hobby turn into a chore?"
That's where you should draw the line, and it's different for everybody.

This will also be my first sump, I have a 55 that will be the sump for the 180, I have no plan for the potential plywood build or larger used tank. I've done a ton of sump reading the past few days and I think for the most part I understand it all.

If this is your second question, I found no question there (Which is good, I have no idea about sumps ).

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Get a bigger tank, maybe a flow tank with a blue sucker and Tigrinus cat, if u put by window or door it can make water changes easier, just use water for a garden

 

[ShanerBock888]

you could always set up a drip system avoid those water changes. There are also simpler ways to make water changes easier. I installed a faucet on my sink that a hose screws right onto, and my 600 gal plywood tank has a hose hookup on the drain too. So no lugging buckets, just a hose to drain and a hose to refill