Mike19

Hello All,

I think its almost time for another tank


im having trouble deciding between two tanks they are virtually the same just different sizes. one is 80Gal and the other is 183Gal. i know that bigger is better but im thinking in regards of the weekly 20% water changes. (20% of 183Gal is alot of water).

capekate

Hi Mike
that is quite a bit of differences in your choice of tank size. It will all depend on a few things, as you said, the water changing in the 183g tank is going to be a back killer unless you use something like the Python system. The other thing you will have to take into consideration is the floor support for the larger tank. Is your floor able to handle about 1,526.22 lbs of weight? Gallon of water weighs roughly 8.34 lbs and multiply that by your water volume and that does get to be a pretty heavy tank not including the stand, gravel weight etc! Other than that if you have the time, space and floor support for a larger tank.. then I say go for it! lol...
I'd love to have a tank so large but I do think about the work that goes into maintenance of a tank that size.

Jess

Wow! I would go with the larger tank myself. Again you have to know your house and what it will support. Good luck!

pepetj

Mike189.

It is true that it will take a bit more time. But it is also true that the biggest the tank the better as keeping water parameters steady for longer time.

I keep a 145gal tank and do 40 to 50% partial water changes weekly because I keep Oscars in there, otherwise I would be doing them every other week without problems. I use a very easy maintenance set-up, it takes me 45 minutes to an hour if I do it without a rush; I have done it in 25 minutes, at my lunch brake, using a more powerful water pump.

An internal powerhead I use 24/7 for aiding in mechanical filtration (placed almost at substrate level) is what I use to get most of the water out.

I use a simple but large size (my tank is 26" height) vacuum to clean the sand substrate at the same time the powerhead pumps water out of the tank. I use a garden hose (aquarium use only) to bring that water out into a bath tub.

Once I'm done, I re-assembly the powerhead as mechanical filter (attaching the canister I take out for rinsing weekly), add water conditioner for say 80gals of water -just in case- and use another garden hose (aquarium use only) to bring the water in. Keep in mind I can do this because the water temp from the faucet is quite the same as my tank temp, other wise this would need to be addressed.

Every time I perform a water change I make sure some water runs through the input hose before placing it at the tank, in order to minimize bacterial that may have grown there going into my tank. Some water always stays in that hose for a few days, this is the same hose I use to fill my mid-sized tanks too.

There are easiest ways of doing this, even a DIY python system. I just don't like using the same hose I take old water out to bring new one in. Afterwards I add whatever is needed (e.g. vitamins, trace minerals).

It is very rewarding to keep large tanks. You'll surely find more comfortable ways of doing maintenance as you go about it week in week out.

Pepe
Santo Domingo

Mike19

thanks pepe, im leaning more towards the larger tank it will allow me more variety and combinations in the future. im thinking of oscars also (not the tidiest of fish lol) on fishlore it says tank size 55Gal is that each or for a pair?

Red1313

I believe that it's 55 each but I could be wrong.

pepetj

In most forums I've search, this is the info I honestly consider tried and true:

55gal for ONE Oscar and no tankmates; you could keep two Oscars -much better if paired-off -without other tankmates in a 90gal tank minimum as long as it has a 48"Lx24W" footprint, otherwise they might get stunned in their growth; also your filtration system needs to be impeccable (10+ times your tank's volume filtered in one hour for HOBs, 6+ times for Canisters and Wet/Dry sumps). If you want two Oscars and have flexibility in choosing tankmates, then the 183gal looks like a dream tank.

The volume of water is important in Oscar fish keeping due to their huge bio-load, but the swimming space is also needs to be considered. Some fancy looking tanks offer higher volumes of water by providing unusual tank height but incredibly short wideness, I would avoid those tanks for this type of fish.

Oscar fish is a great pet! I can tell that form my limited but highly rewarding experience with them. My pair has grown from 3.5 and 5" from June (LFS), to 4.5 and 5.5" July (Home but in a smaller tank), 5" and 6" August (their Home tank) until 11 and 12" December 2008.

Pepe
Santo Domingo