Cost difference between a 180g or 210g?

[sneakerpimp]

I was about to order a 180g drilled tank from my LFS, but then saw that I could go taller to a 210 gallon....

Would there be much of a cost difference? Any other down sides to a taller 210 gallon tank?

 

[FLFishFanatic]

Welcome to AA!

Yes, there would be a cost difference. Have you tried looking on craigslist for tanks?

 

[jeffwisely]

yeah big cost difference. try craigs list but i know that there is a sale on a 210 or 215 can quite remember. but its about 800 out the door. if you can get it cheaper go for it. but this ons is set up with overflows

 

[sneakerpimp]

Welcome to AA!

Yes, there would be a cost difference. Have you tried looking on craigslist for tanks?

ya, where I live that doesn't work out.

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

I would recommend going as large as you can for as cheap as you want to go. If you do that then you will know you spent as much as you wanted to spend and got as big as you could afford.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Theres a few things to consider:
Space
Livestock
Money

Obviously it's gonna cost more. But the bigger the better because a bigger tank has more room for error as levels don't flucuate as much.
Also though the extra height will mean you'll need stronger lights to get light all the way to the bottom. Which means more cost also. Which brings us to our final point: Everything will cost more. Pumps, powerheads, more things used more quickly, stronger lights means more expensive etc. So really those things are what you should make your decision on.

 

[sneakerpimp]

Theres a few things to consider:
Space
Livestock
Money

Obviously it's gonna cost more. But the bigger the better because a bigger tank has more room for error as levels don't flucuate as much.
Also though the extra height will mean you'll need stronger lights to get light all the way to the bottom. Which means more cost also. Which brings us to our final point: Everything will cost more. Pumps, powerheads, more things used more quickly, stronger lights means more expensive etc. So really those things are what you should make your decision on.

I'm using 4 rows of HO T5's.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Total of how many bulbs? How many watts does it add up to?

 

[cmor1701d]

T5's probably won't light the bottom very well. That means no clams, or other light loving animals on the sand bed. Unless you are committed to going all out you should probably stay with the 180. Same footprint, slightly less water volume. The bigger is better tends to drop off once you get to a 125. That's where I started. If I had the room I'd like to go to a 96" tank, longer rather than taller. <g>

 

[sneakerpimp]

Total of how many bulbs? How many watts does it add up to?

It would be 8 lights.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Yeah as cmor said above it's not enough for the sandbed so all light loving corals etc would need to be up higher.

 

[sneakerpimp]

Yeah as cmor said above it's not enough for the sandbed so all light loving corals etc would need to be up higher.

And there is a chance it will be a FOWLR.

 

[Mitchell0605]

Then the slightly taller tank is good as you have more room for fish in the different levels of the tank.

 

[cmor1701d]

FOWLR is a short term tank. Once all that lovely rock blossoms with life it's time start adding some softies, then some lps, then some sps and you have a full blown reef. Takes about a year or so till the bug hits

 

[Mitchell0605]

Yeah FOWLRs never last.

 

[sneakerpimp]

Went with the 210g.

I don't need corals.... but maybe a few softies.

 

[Mitchell0605]

You'll need coral's soon enough.