Help deciding on new tank

[RooRoo]

Hey everyone, it's me....again. I had my mind pretty well made up on getting on 75 gallon tank this coming weekend. For those of you who have read some of my other posts, I am a total newbie, with no experience at all fish keeping. I always heard the bigger the tank, the more water, the easier it would be. I am excited about this whole venture, and have been talking fish at work (factory setting) and have found a few people who are into the hobby as well. All have tried to talk me OUT of a 75 gal set up to begin with.

The reasoning they have is 75 gal tank is a lot of work. It's easier to maintain the water quality, they agreed with that, but said the water changes and such are so much more involved and labor intensive. They also stated that general care and chemicals for tap water, hard water (which I have) would be more expensive having to treat more water each time. Their final argument was that I am planning a community tank with small fish, different types of Tetras, platys, swordtails, that type thing, where the largest adult fish is 3 inches. They all said a 75 gal would be overkill for that and a 55 would be more than sufficient, and I would have a better experience and stick with the hobby. They all think if I start 75 I will get frustrated and give up.

I trust you guys here, you've given great advice so far, so what do you guys think?

 

[carey]

I think you should stick to your plan and get the 75g. There really is not such thing as overkill in size IMO. I wish I had opted for the 75g instead of the 55g for my sw setup but it is what it is.

Good luck, looking forward to pictures when you get your tank!

 

[Rosenweiss]

I would say that it entirely depends on how much effort you want to put in. It's true that a 55 is entirely sufficient for the kinds of fish in which you are interested. Of course, a 75 would do well, too, and you could stock it slightly higher.

In my opinion, though, there wouldn't be a whole lot of difference between the amount of work needed in both cases. Both are large aquariums and require a lot of commitment (more than, say, a 20 or 30 gallon). In both you would need to invest in a proper stand, a water change method (such as a python) that would prevent 2 hour water change fiascos, and a water bill that will increase substantially. With both you will need to prepare to spend money on water treatment chemicals.

That being said, if you're already set on at least a 55 and can afford the 75 (with the increased pricing for a bigger filter, heater, and quite a bit more gravel, as well as larger decorations and plants, and a stand), then I'd say go with the 75. The bigger your tank, the more variety of species you can have, and the more places fish that might not usually get along with have to call their own.

All in all, if you're prepared to do the work required to upkeep a 55, a 75 is probably well within your abilities.

Best of luck!

 

[BigJim]

A 75g is 6" wider than a 55g. That's the only difference. I actually like the 75g better than a 55g because the extra width offers more aquascaping opportunities. It also offers more horizontal swimming room and I love the look of a big school of tetras cruising the tank.

It's true that you'll pay a little more for dechlorinator, but I think it would be worth it. Unless your tap water is really terrible, it's fine for the fish. With small fish, you might not need to change out a larger volume of water in a 75g vs. a 55g, negating the whole water treatment thing in the first place.

+1 for the python. It's a great tool for any tank, but especially for large or multiple tanks.