are smaller tanks less work? maybe an all-in-one?

[rb647]

Hi everyone, I have had a 100+ gallon system for years and it is too much of a commitment for me. I don't have the energy to properly care for it, so I am going to downsize. Have you all found that a smaller tank or an all-in-one like a biocube (or whatever is popular these days) is less work? Or is it simply the same amount of work on a smaller scale?

hopefully I am making sense

 

[fishtank]

Coming from someone that has only had a system for a little over a year and only having a 60g cube I would have to ask what you class as too much work? I have 2 kids under 2 1/2 and a family that needs some extra attention but my reef gives me something to take my mind off of things but yet not over the top. To the extent that I am looking to upgrade.

 

[lsu_fishfan]

INO the larger the tank the easier it is to maintain water parameters, etc. But it is easier to keep a smaller tank clean.

 

[scramer74]

I like my small tank, I don't have to do any dosing and all that. Water changes take 5 mins.

 

[jbdreefs]

I have a 20 gallon currently and have had a 60 and a 125. In my opinion, the only time savings relates to water changes. It just so happens that water changes are the thing I hate the most... So, I find a smaller tank "easier". I still test parameters and dose to keep my parameters where I want them, I just dose a smaller quantity. Still have to feed the tank. Still have a skimmer to clean as well as other equipment items.

I would also say that any pro of a smaller tank is nearly offset by the risk of something going bad quickly because of the smaller water volume.

 

[jimmystephens]

Smaller tank can be easier. But the best advice would be to get livestock that doesn't demand alot of care. Easy coral like softies and some easy fish like clowns or damsels. Not saying u can neglect them but they are less sensitive.

 

[grgsd]

We have a 110 in our garage. We have a 30 gallon long Innovative Marine set up. I have a two year old, two cats, and two dogs. I'm appreciative of the small foot print of this IM tank. The 110 was a giant pain honestly.

 

[davidinga]

I have a 210gal that is super low maintenance imo.

It's really more about how you set it all up vs how big/small it is.

 

[outdrsyguy1]

My 110 would be a lot less work if I wasn't trying to grow acro's. Some beatiful, flowy lps and maybe a few super hardi sps (digi's, birdsnest, etc) would be super easy imo. don't overstock with fish and you won't have to worry about carbon, gfo, water changes, etc. I'm really surprised at the difference in quantity of food fish seem to do fine on. It's really easy to make em fat. I feed mine once a day and they are getting hefty. I think smaller tanks are cute, but so very limiting in what you can actually put in it (both in fish and corals).

I think the poster above hit it right when they said, it's really the water changes that make the difference. That and what your trying to keep

 

[snowmansnow]

I'd say smaller is easier , there's a lot to be said for modern automation too


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[crew]

Automation is a huge part in how "easy" a tank is to take care of. If you compare tasks on a huge tank vs. a small tank, you wont see a huge swing in time for most of them.

Testing parameters will be the same on both tanks, regardless of volume of the tank, you are still testing 2-10mL of water depending on the test. Hanna Checkers are a good way to speed up the time it takes to test water.

Dosing will be similar on both tanks. You might dose 4x on a 100 gallon vs. a 25 gallon, but the amount of time you will save on pouring in additives is seconds at best. Instead, look into getting dosing pumps that do this for you.

Feeding will be similar on both tanks. You will definitely have more fish in the larger tank, but you could also put more food in at once. I don't think there is anything you can do to speed this up other than look into a controller that turns everything off and on for you. That would be a good way to save a minute or two/day.

Water changes will be the biggest difference you see. Changing 25 gallons of water takes WAY longer than changing 5 gallons of water. If this is the issue, maybe look into automating the process a little bit. For me, the biggest change that I've made was using a brute to move 25 gallons at a time instead of doing the 5 gallon bucket nightmare.

Cleaning the tank will be faster on the smaller tank for sure, but the smaller tank may also get dirtier, quicker due to water parameters.

 

[hiimsean]

When I started in the reef hobby I had a 5.5g with an HOB filter with mainly zoas and it was super easy IMO. I had a heater and some purigen in the HOB filter, I added a JBJ ATO with a 5gal jug that would last weeks, an auto feeder, and my light on a timer. It was super simple and worked. I'd mix water in a 5gal bucket and that would last me a month or so.

Things can go south a lot quicker in a smaller tank though. Imagine a few gallons of RODI in a 10g vs 100g.

 

[declanisadog]

HiImSean;1035345 wrote: When I started in the reef hobby I had a 5.5g with an HOB filter with mainly zoas and it was super easy IMO. I had a heater and some purigen in the HOB filter, I added a JBJ ATO with a 5gal jug that would last weeks, an auto feeder, and my light on a timer. It was super simple and worked. I'd mix water in a 5gal bucket and that would last me a month or so.

Things can go south a lot quicker in a smaller tank though. Imagine a few gallons of RODI in a 10g vs 100g.

This is pretty much exactly how i started, except in was a 3gallon. I just had a gallon jug full of freshwater, and would top off every night before bed. I'm actually seriously considering starting another one like this for my desk at work...

 

[crew]

Declanisadog;1035348 wrote: I'm actually seriously considering starting another one like this for my desk at work...

Me too - I think my wife might kill me.

 

[bcavalli]

Like other said its best to automate as much of the process as possible. It's hard keeping up with daily life and a tank. Water changes are probably the hardest part of keeping a tank up. If you can at least automate that part, everything is fairly simple.

I setup mine so it takes me about five minutes to flip a switch open some valves and do a 25 gallon water change. If you want to go the full automation route, just about every process now can be controlled by an Apex.

 

[rb647]

thanks for the opinions everyone. good stuff. I have a lot to think about.

 

[bulkrate]

I have a 9 gallon Eheim Aquastyle, and a .25 gallon desktop pico at work and they've done well for the past couple of years. The downside of them is the limit of what cool things you can keep... been a lot of times that I've seen something I REALLY want, but on research determined it just wouldn't work out.

The key to keeping them stable is sticking with a well-researched stocking plan (and accepting the limitations that come with the smaller water capacity) and CONSISTENTLY performing required maintenance. Whether you get the latter through controllers/automation or just plain setting aside a few minutes each day for it is up to you. It can be done well either way, but the leeway for letting things slide is way lower the smaller you go.

Cautionary warnings aside, as I have it set up I can leave for a week long vacation and let both tanks cruise on basic feeding and top-off pet sitter instructions without coming home to any real problems.

 

[picoreefguy]

id definitely say that a smaller tank is easier to keep when it comes to work. and its usually less messy. but as far as parameters go larger is better. so id suggest meeting somewhere in the middle and a biocube would be a good middle ground. small water changes, enough water to keep parameters stable and have a few fish.