Large FW Tanks - something wrong with big?

[1tankneverenuff]

I stick with freshwater 'cause everyone and their mother has SW tanks with great looking fish. And when you get to the more exotic fish, even everyone and their mother has those as well! But, I hardly ever find ANYONE with the setups I have. I still have yet to find any hobbyists with an exotic Plecostomus ONLY tank or a Dottyback/Spiney eel ONLY tank. I think it's bad ass to be one of the very few who have them. I don't like having what everyone else has and I don't have $10,000 to start an exotic and rare saltwater tank .

 

[travis simonson]

GAH!!! I'm glad I found this thread - and a big howdy to you plantslayer

I for one would like to point out that FW planted tanks are nearly as difficult to maintain as SW tanks were back in the day. With the limited knowledge of how to maintain FW plants that is circulating in today's forums it isn't any surprise to me that FW planted tanks are more rare than the beautiful SW coral aquascapes that we see so numerously represented on the photo of the month archives here at AA. If it wasn't already obvious, I'm a planted tank nut. I raise African cichlids because I feel that there are no other FW fish that can rival their beauty. Out of sheer stubborness I feel that I've found a large selection of FW plants that can be kept with these little plant-defiling bastards that truly compliment them in a way that can make a planted FW tank nearly rival the beauty of a SW tank in color and contrast (check my sig). I test nearly one species of FW plant per week in hard (read: Malawi hard) water each week and have found that almost all aquatic plants can survive in much harder water than that which the experts claim they can. My fish love the extra cover

 

[1tankneverenuff]

travis simonson,
Your 125 gallon is absolutely beautiful...

 

[travis simonson]

Come on, let's stay on topic

 

[thanew]

I love fw tank... I really want to create an exotic pleco tank this summer, hopefully I can get ahold of a zebra, that is my dream fish.

anyways, if you have money a large sw tank is nice, but honestly, a larger tank on a budget really seems to favor the fw side, I mean not everything in the tank is really dependent on lights and supreme water quality like a sw tank... not to say you dont need great water quality but you know what I mean, i hope.

 

[dr_girlfriend]

I would love to have a sw reef tank, but just the cost of lighting alone could get you a decent size fw set up. And then the UV's, protein skimmers, live rock, chillers, refuges, wavemakers, wet/dry filters, and the cost of the animals as well. Its just too much for my broke :butt: .
Plus I think a planted tank can be just as beautiful as a reef tank. Travis and several other tanks i've seen can prove that.
But to the topic, I think alot of people get smaller sized fw tanks beacuse they "can". You can't really get away with a small reef tank if you want more than 1 or 2 fish really, not only for size, but marine fish seem to be way more territorial than most fw fish. If its just reef with no fish (other than maybe just a perc or two) than a nano would work. But in a 25 gallon FW you can have a variety of "pretty fish" for not alot of $$$ whcih is what alot of people want.
I had a 125 gallon show goldfish tank before I moved and it was my favorite. *sigh*

 

[Toker95]

GAH!!! I'm glad I found this thread - and a big howdy to you plantslayer

I for one would like to point out that FW planted tanks are nearly as difficult to maintain as SW tanks were back in the day. With the limited knowledge of how to maintain FW plants that is circulating in today's forums it isn't any surprise to me that FW planted tanks are more rare than the beautiful SW coral aquascapes that we see so numerously represented on the photo of the month archives here at AA.

I concur, I think thats been my feeling, and I really haven't seen much in the way of replies to argue against that. It just fascinates me how, aside from the expense of the planted aspect, why its such a draw to go saltwater and spend even more money when getting a large tank.


Aside from that, is your tank stand DIY or professionally built? I like the open design, feel free to pm me if you are willing to share further details.

 

[malkore]

Hmm, well I know a lot of FW planted tank guys with 75's, 90's, and 125's.

you can do a LOT more with a smaller FW tank than if it was SW. SW pretty much demands a minimum tank size of 55 gallons if you want a really great reef set up...where as 20g is the minimum size for a decent FW setup.

 

[TomK2]

GAH!!! I'm glad I found this thread - and a big howdy to you plantslayer

and a howdy right back to you!

I havent delved into the plant tank yet since my two little tanks have been busy with fry and sick/agressive fish. Seeing your planted tank is truly inspirational! I would love a larger FW set up. I think I can go from my 48 X 13 foot print on my 55 to a 60 X 18 footprint (whats that, a 75? 95?), but the wife is dead set against it. She Says it will make my office look too crowded. Saying "but its My Offfice!" hasn't worked so far. So like most, the large FW setup is mostly a space restraint.

 

[Toker95]

GAH!!! I'm glad I found this thread - and a big howdy to you plantslayer

and a howdy right back to you!

I havent delved into the plant tank yet since my two little tanks have been busy with fry and sick/agressive fish. Seeing your planted tank is truly inspirational! I would love a larger FW set up. I think I can go from my 48 X 13 foot print on my 55 to a 60 X 18 footprint (whats that, a 75? 95?), but the wife is dead set against it. She Says it will make my office look too crowded. Saying "but its My Offfice!" hasn't worked so far. So like most, the large FW setup is mostly a space restraint.

As a note - the Bowfront 72 I'm getting close to convincing my wife about, is 48x18, its about 11 on the ends, 18 at the center. I'm pretty sure the AGA standard 75's are 48 x 18 or 22. I've seen 75's and 90's at both 48 and 60 inches, I think its a variation of height (or depth). Part of my desire for the bowfront is simply its shape, rather than having direct corners taking up space, it allows for a bit more practical movement nearby.


Anywho, as for large FW tanks, I'm just dying to get the tank. Simply being able to house so many variations of fishes in one tank, rather than being constrained to a couple of each, or multiple tanks. I'd love to go 90 or 125, but I think its most wise to take my time and establish/experiment with the 72/75 first.

 

[Jchillin]

The 90 has the exact footprint as the 75 (48x18). The difference is the depth (24" rather than 20"). I have a 30g and made two mistakes. 4 angels and 1 sailfin pleco (aka Mr. Cliff Gibbiceps). They cannot remain in the 30g since I plan on keeping them as long as they will have me. The 75 allows me this luxury and I can place a few more darlings.

I was almost "talked" into getting a 90, but since the footprint is still at 4ft, the additional 4" in height wasn't going to really help at all.