Favorite Size Tank

I really like 10 gallons and 5 gallons, I think they are a nice manageable size.

 

I have a 45 and a few 10s, and I hate the 45. It's very tall and narrow, and I need a stool to be able to reach into it comfortably. It was a pain to scape too. I wanted a 40 breeder, but my mom liked the 45's shape better because the footprint takes up less space. As soon as I move out, I'm switching it over to a 40 breeder or a 55. I'm so over this tank.
The 10s are easy to clean and I can carry them on my own, but I'd really like to try a 20 long because they have so much more space and stocking options.

 

For just function a 40 breeder is a nice size. For the most show for the money, you can't beat a 55 show. My personal opinion is bigger is better, but try not to get a tank that's over 30" tall because of cleaning.

 

29g has to be my favorite size. Its not too small or not too big! its enough space for the types of fish I like. Its easy to work with as far as planting it etc..

 

I started with a 20 gal, and I just setup a 29 gal 5 days ago. I really like the possibilities of stocking with a 29. I am planing to go the my LFS today and start introducing BoesamninI Rainbows.
I think as long as you do enough research, are ready for the work/cost, and have enough experience, any size <150 gal will be awesome.
The pastor at the church my grandfather works at has a huge 125 gallon, where he keeps dozens of Rainbows, one or two Plecos, and 3 Cichlids, which I think are Convict Cichlids. It is a beautiful tank, but I would put more plants.

 

I like taller tanks. It feels like you're walking into the water with the fish.

 

No true, for me upto 40gal water change is faster with a bucket and make 1 or 2 trips (at most 15min).

Over 40 gallon tanks, I use a pump to syohon directly into the laundry room drain, same pump to get new warm dechloriated water from a 55gal barrel the laundry room back upstairs, usig that method it takes me 25min to setup and change 20gal of water, and 30min to change 40gal of water.

Same deal with cleaning/replacing canister filter media, very little extra time cleaning a fluval 206 vs 406.

I was using a 5 gallon bucket to do water changes on the 120 so yeah the 55 is much better.

 

I was using a 5 gallon bucket to do water changes on the 120 so yeah the 55 is much better.

I gave up 5 gallon buckets long ago!

 

I gave up 5 gallon buckets long ago!View attachment 518424

OH MY GOSH!!
How big is that tank?!?!
How much time a week do you spend cleaning?
Do you hire a dump truck to do water changes?

 

I do a 70% water change about every 3 weeks, clean the filters about every 4 months and clean the front about 1 time a month. Using garden hose and a faucet for water changes which is hooked up to hot and cold water. It's a 360 gallon. If you go for a really big tank, and don't skimp on the equipment, big tanks are easy.

 

I'm wondering what experienced aquarists opinion are on tank sizes/dimentions. We all have the experience to have an informed preference or hindsight of what we would have done differently.

SO... What size tank(s) are your favorite and most importantly why? pros and cons. (or what's your least favorite size and why)

My favorite was my 150 gallon (but that's also the biggest tank I've had) and I think if I had a bigger tank IT would be my favorite!
Pros:
1. Just the SIZE allowed me to have more/bigger fish.
2. Maintenance was so much easier with the big tank and a big canister filter.
3. The deep substrate allowed more stable water conditions and fewer fluctuations in water chemistry even with massive water changes.
4. On really HOT days, I could just jump in and swim with the fishes!
Cons:
1. I had to use a step ladder and go in up to my armpits to reach the bottom of the tank!
2. Anyone new to to 'fish-sitting' for my big fishes always asked "You just want me to feed them FISHFOOD right?"
3. A big tank is really hard to scoot over when a tarantula gets in the house and you HAVE to get him out from behind the stand and put him back outside BEFORE you go to bed!

 

4. On really HOT days, I could just jump in and swim with the fishes!

I dream about getting a pool sized tank, and putting thousands of fish in it.
Then putting on my swimming-suit and diving in.

 

I do a 70% water change about every 3 weeks, clean the filters about every 4 months and clean the front about 1 time a month. Using garden hose and a faucet for water changes which is hooked up to hot and cold water. It's a 360 gallon. If you go for a really big tank, and don't skimp on the equipment, big tanks are easy.

Are those all Mbuna, (can't see all of them clearly, my zoom isn't zooming)? Beautiful!

I gave up 5 gallon buckets long ago!View attachment 518424

What are your tank dimensions? I want one!!!

 

Are those all Mbuna, (can't see all of them clearly, my zoom isn't zooming)? Beautiful!

Mostly mbuna, about 130 to 140 fish.

What are your tank dimensions? I want one!!!

96"x24"x36"

 

I gave up 5 gallon buckets long ago!View attachment 518424

Me to but even the Python wasn't long enough. The tank was in the basement, I live in an apartment so no utility sink or drain, so I swapped my neighbor for a 55 gallon that sits under the TV in the living room.

 

This is my 29 gallon. I will get more plants and 2-3 more Boesami rainbows, and I will be all set!

 

I love my 10 gallons for Bettas! But 20 longs you can put so many fish in. Guppies, shrimp , snails, endlers, corys, loaches, tetras, crayfish, divide it for bettas, and many more!

 

I have a 45 and a few 10s, and I hate the 45. It's very tall and narrow, and I need a stool to be able to reach into it comfortably. It was a pain to scape too. I wanted a 40 breeder, but my mom liked the 45's shape better because the footprint takes up less space. As soon as I move out, I'm switching it over to a 40 breeder or a 55. I'm so over this tank.

One thing annoying about the 40breeder is the 18" depth makes it look akward around a lot of common furniture. Sticks out from the wall much more than shelves/cabinets/tv stands, much less than desks/dressers/sofas much harder to find a place for it if using it as a display tank. Another reason why I like 33 long and 40 long

when you're a broke high schooler, a 10 gallon is your favorite. It's heap small and easy to fill with live plants from.

If cost is a factor, 10's are by far the cheapest tank per gallon. Around here they're $8-$9

 

Resurrecting this thread =P

Ive said a few times the largest 21' inch "standard" tank is the 75gal. 21 is the max height to reach the bottom without submerging anything past my shoulder Making that my favorite large tank. BUT I just found out Aqueon's 125gallon tank is also 21" tall. Making THAT my favorite tank (though I never owned one).

I have to make sure my floor can support it. But I think Its my next tank.

 

We just found out a 45 gal tank is about the limit for our residence

 

80cm shallow (see signature)

 

I like five gallon tanks for bettas, but with my hermit crabs it seems no matter how many gallons I upgrade it still isn't enough.

I am a small tank fish keeper, none of my tanks are over 30 gallons, except for my crabitat which doesn't really count.

 

We just found out a 45 gal tank is about the limit for our residence

Its a very good size, its more than big enough for 95% of tropical species you can buy, maybe limited to just one fish if you want a big one but still good. (My largest tank is homemade, holds 47gallons, I want a larger one but it really was the perfect size, I have 21 fish in there, 7 different species)

 

Aqueon's 125gallon tank is also 21" tall. Making THAT my favorite tank (though I never owned one).

I have to make sure my floor can support it. But I think Its my next tank.

Yup... my floor absolutely cannot support it. Any wall that has that much space is parallel to the floor joists. With the spacing the full weight of any tank I get will have its full weight on a single beam.

New plan: second tank identical to the one I have, space them 18" apart so theyre on the opposite sides of the main beam... thus different joists, scape them identically, make the new tank a hard water, or aggressive, nano fish (something else drastically different than what I have now, maybe get glowfish but with very warm/reddish lighting so no one can tell theyre glofish)

 

I did my measuring, load calc's, etc. I could get a 2nd 40b. Or a 75 gallon and run it with a 29 gallon tank as a sump with petcos $1 per gallon sale going on this month that's what I did.

I even upgraded my 10 gallon betta tank and my 10 gallon quarantine tank to a 20H and a 20L.

75g tanks are $90
20H was $20
20L was $21
29g was are $19

the 40B was priced at $70

only one tank was $1/gal but all but thr 40B are a great price YMMV

 

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but just curious to what everyone's favorite tank size is to work with? I recently came from a 40 gallon breeder which I do like, down to a 33 long. Looking back on it I think either the 33 long or 40 long is my favorite size. Another very uncommon size I really like is a 50 long. 48x12x18. Just a little shorter than a 55.

How about you?

 

I'd get a big tank if I could get my family agree to get rid of some furniture.

 

I like the 75. It's still a manageable size to keep in your living room without visually taking over the room, but it's big enough to keep most of the common types of large-ish fish in for their entire lifespan. Not oscars and arowana obviously, but most bigger cichlids can do well in one.

My second favorite is a 20 Long. Great size for a sturdy sofa table to hold, but big enough to keep some interesting "specimen" fish like Apistos or Kribs or Rams, or a school of smaller fish. The long aspect ratio dimension gives the illusion of a miniature of a larger tank.

 

I am loving my 15 gallon. I wasn't sure about it at first. Its a Fluval Flex and is a square shape. I absolutely LOVE it! Its big enough for a betta and friends. It's small enough for me to move by myself if I have to. Water changes are easy. I actually really like the square shape.

I'm considering getting another one and upgrading my other betta from his 5g.

 

12gal long
14gal cube
150gal
fluval flex 32gal (I like all of the others too)
90gal high

 

I just set up a 60 gallonon a homemade stand. I used to hate cleaning it, but now that I have the tank on a lower stand it is much better.
I just like the full 2' side view because you get to see the fish all spread out instead of them being more compressed in a 55.

I do like the 55 just since they are so common. If something happens, I don't have to spend a fortune and wait for a new oddball size tank.

 

I don't have an exact size in mind, but tall tanks look way better to me. Despite the difference of 15 gallons, I would rather have a 60 gallon(48x12x25...ish) than a 75 (48x18x20) purely for aesthetic reasons.

 

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but just curious to what everyone's favorite tank size is to work with? I recently came from a 40 gallon breeder which I do like, down to a 33 long. Looking back on it I think either the 33 long or 40 long is my favorite size. Another very uncommon size I really like is a 50 long. 48x12x18. Just a little shorter than a 55.

How about you?

I like the 40 breeder. Second favorite is the 20 long

 

I have a space issue...as in not enough of it....so 20 gallon long

I have a hexagonal which is a right royal pain in the rear muscles when it comes to maintenance

If I had space I would like a 300 litre....or without space one of those really tall column aquariums....in the corner, by the sofa, next to the potted Ficus.... Keep dreaming girl...ain't going to happen

 

I don't have an exact size in mind, but tall tanks look way better to me. Despite the difference of 15 gallons, I would rather have a 60 gallon(48x12x25...ish) than a 75 (48x18x20) purely for aesthetic reasons.

I agree, though I wouldn't mind more floor space for bottom dwellers...

I have a space issue...as in not enough of it....so 20 gallon long

I have a hexagonal which is a right royal pain in the rear muscles when it comes to maintenance

If I had space I would like a 300 litre....or without space one of those really tall column aquariums....in the corner, by the sofa, next to the potted Ficus.... Keep dreaming girl...ain't going to happen

Having had to clean a 2 ft tall tank, I can't imagine the horror cleaning a "really tall column aquarium" would be!

 

I agree, though I wouldn't mind more floor space for bottom dwellers...



Having had to clean a 2 ft tall tank, I can't imagine the horror cleaning a "really tall column aquarium" would be!

Step ladder + vet gloves that go to armpit + extended loo brush

 

I'm also a member of the 40 gallon breeder fan club. I have a 65 too, which has the same footprint, but the extra height makes maintenance more difficult.

 

I've seen people clean 600 gallons by just crawling inside and scrubbing it down by hand..... as much as I'd like a few hundred clown loaches, I don't think that I would EVER clean that tank! LOL

 

12gal long
14gal cube
150gal
fluval flex 32gal (I like all of the others too)
90gal high

Is that a legitimate 32” width on the fluval 32? I originally planned to go with one but now that I’ve added a 5th betta I think I may have to adjust. I love the look of it.

 

I don't know. There is one at my LFS and it looks so cool!