favorite tank size

[Nautilus29]

I Just got a christmas bonus from work. I was thinking about using it to get another fish tank. But since I have only had a ten gallon I dont know what size I want.

I decided to take a poll and see what is your favorite tank sizes are, or what you guys recomend for me. I dont know how soon ill get it. Probibly not untill i get more experience with aquariums.

[jman]

try something around a 30 gallon and under70gallon get for the begginners i know and it's just enough space for most of those fish we see in the store. Really depends on what you want as far as fish goes which ends up determining the size tank.

[Cichlid_Man]

If you want my opinion...

Depending how much your bonus is, I would go as big as you can afford.
The reason being, if you are really interested in keeping fish, you will outgrow anything between 30 and 75 gallon..
Just my opinion.
For me, I had a 30 gallon, then went ot 75, and now I am looking at 350.

That's a lot of money. Right now I don't have the money.

you also have to keep in mind if you are willing to do the proper water changes.

If you have a large tank full of fish, that's a lot of work AND water.

[Fishguy2727]

The bigger the better.

[Lady Hobbs]

Adam, I got my 55 gal at WalMarts for $148. Of course another $50 for gravel (you could use sand) and another filter. The filter that comes with it is so-so but not enough. You actually need that one plus a bio filter but those only run around $35. Heater, nets, hood, lights and one filter comes with it.

[f1oored]

The bigger the better (as RG and cichlid man said before me). Just do a lot of research before you buy anything. If you have an itch for something big, buying something small isn't going to solve it. Make sure you look at total cost (filters, fish, food, rocks, heaters, and everything else) before you buy. And for the love of all that is holy.... craigslist.org (don't buy new).

[Nautilus29]

I probibly will get a bigger tank now that i think about it. I was thinking about going with a 29 gallon, but your right as soon as I get that tank i will want a bigger one. Considering im 18, have a full time job, and living at home i think i should be able to afford pretty much anything that I want. The only problem is im really really really stingy with my money. So I guess we will see. It will be awhile before i get a new tank becuase I'm just a begginner and i want to get everything figured out first. But thank you for the advice.

[f1oored]

Just read as much as you can about fish right now. You will learn fast and won't be a begginner for long. start checking craigslist.org now and when you find a great deal you will know it. Keep us informed!

[Fishguy2727]

I personally don't like to go used. You have no idea how that person (or who knows how many before him) have treated the tank. I have found it to be too likely to leak. It costs more to repair the damage to the house than it would have to buy new in the first place. Just thinking about it makes me feel disoriented, ugh.

[Lady Hobbs]

Fish keeping is far from cheap. I can't go to the store without dropping $$$$$ on something fish related. Get what size tank you can comfortably afford and maintained as it should be.

You may be working part time and living at home but you also want money for dates, maybe a car, and others things to. Just don't go fish poor or you won't enjoy them as much.

Just get what you feel you can comfortably afford right now. I agree that bigger is better but one needs to stay in their comfort zone financially as well.

[f1oored]

Adam
Just an FYI, there is a 100 gallon tank and stand on craigslist for 75 bucks. Says good condition. Just a thought! lol

[Fishguy2727]

But I thought the reason we went to work was so that we could afford bigger tanks and better filtration and awesome fish?

[jeffs99dime]

i would buy the biggest tank i could afford. space permitting of course

[Lady Hobbs]

But I thought the reason we went to work was so that we could afford bigger tanks and better filtration and awesome fish?

Ain't that the truth? It's the reason I no longer buy new clothes and go out to eat. :)

I also agree on the used tanks. I wouldn't buy a used tank unless I knew the people that had it and had seen water in it. Tanks that have been left in a garage in storage could have had the seals all dried out, motor oil kept in it......who knows.

[Nautilus29]

The reason why im going to work is so that i can save up and buy a house so that way i can buy a fish tank for every room. So for now ill just use my bonus.

[jman]

i will use the money that i get from work to hopefully dedicate a room to fishtanks. My have to be downstairs because of the weight and all on a floor upstairs.

[Nautilus29]

Well first of all im working full time, My girlfriend isnt high maintence, I have a car, and dont to anything exept hang out with my girl friend and/ or watch and car for my fish.... Im willing to get what i want for a tank. But I told my mom and dad that im going to get a new one and according to there reactions i dont think they want me to get too big of a tank. And considering there letting me live at there house for free ill abide to them. I mentioned a 60 gallon i saw at a store for $100 and dad said are you going to get one that big. But he is just worried that im going to spend all of this money and then loose interest in keeping fish.

And since we all know that could never happen i may look into one close to there. I also saw a 40 gallon in there and i kind of liked that one. I also decided that I am going to get one sooner than what i thought at first. I've been thinking and even if i dont put fish in it right at first It might be better to slowly build it up anyways. like get the tank first then slowly add stuff to it filter stones heater exe, untill i have everything exept fish. That way im not putting a huge hole in my pocket right away.

All in all im going to look in stores, look on this craig website your talking about and look in the paper and if i see something i want ill look into it and maybe go for it. I cant wait till I have another tank although right now im trying to stay focused on the tank that I have, and building it up.

[donb1959]

gcnadam29,
You're a smart kid for your age. Keep it up.

[crackatinny]

The reason why im going to work is so that i can save up and buy a house so that way i can buy a fish tank for every room. So for now ill just use my bonus.

Mate you really have your head screwed on right, with a personality and an attitude like you have, you will go far.:19:

Wish I was a self disiplened as you are when I was your age.

On tank size, I would agree with most, go as big as you can afford to buy and upkeep.

[jeffs99dime]

i second that

[Glasstapper]

I think my favorite sizes have to be the middle sized tanks. I guess anywhere from a 30 gallon to a 75 gallon. They're big enough to experiment with and definitely create a sort of "wow factor" more than some of the smaller ones. My very first tank is my current 45 gallon. Just the starting out and setting up was a little pricey, but it's been very easy to maintain since then, financially.

If it were a larger tank, I'd probably have some trouble keeping up with the water changes. And speaking of keeping up water changes, keep in mind that you may have several tanks eventually, so maintaining a 45 gallon may be do-able, but add on a 30 gallon, a 5 gallon, and a 15 gallon, then we're looking at some maintenance! ;)

[Nautilus29]

I'm leaning twards maybe a 55 or 60 gallon, but I also wouldnt mind somewhere in the 40s too. I can go any bigger than that because if i did i would have to make a bed out of the top of it that way i would have a place to sleep. Although that wouldnt be a bad idea now that i think about it. When i do get a bigger tank Im gonig to make my own stand considering the fact that in the stores a 60 gallon with a stand and some fake plants a a few decorations was like 5 or 6 hundred and a 60 gallon tank was 100. Plus my dad likes to work with wood, and i work in a machine shop where they will let me have some metal for cheaper than normal. So i can build something sturdy enough to hold all of that weight.

[Lady Hobbs]

It would take no more than 6 blocks with a thick piece of plywood on top to make a stand that would do for now. Just don't want those blocks too close to the bed or it will be hard on those toes in the morning. Also, the iron ones are pretty cheap. It doesn't have to be wood.

[crackatinny]

If you also have access to a welder, make a box out of half inch square RHS with about 4 uprights along the front and back, get your dad to box it in with some cheap lining board, a piece of 18mm ply across the top, throw on a couple of doors, and you will have a cheap cabinate that looks a million dollars and very strong.