What should I be considering when picking out tank size?

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otohime

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I am new to this hobby. I got my very first tank a month and a half ago, a small 15 galleon tank, and learned everything I could. Cycled it, planted... plants, added fish. Everything seems okay, except I have this thought: "I need bigger." I'm not necessarily wanting big fish, but I would love more fish and more room for the fish to swim.

However, I don't want to make the same mistake as I made this time and buy a 30 galleon when I really need a 55 galleon or buy a 50 galleon when I need a 75 galleon. But nor do I want to jump into something so large that there's no way I can manage or I make a mistake and something terrible happens.

Does anyone have a good recommendation for sizes for a beginner? What all should I be considering? What are the advantages and disadvantages of bigger/smaller?

Some additional information: I have a space in my house to put a tank. I could technically get something up to 6 feet, but right now, I'm thinking between 30-75 galleons.

As a mentioned, I'm not necessarily wanting any large fish (though that could change). Right now, I like the shoaling fish and watching them swim. It would be cool to have a large school. Probably medium size fish as well. Room for a group of catfish and a couple gouramis or something like that.

I am on a budget. Well, not a budget per se, but I don't have all the money in the world. I plan to look for deals on craigslist for the tank itself (that's where I got my current tank). In general, do you find the maintenance of larger tanks costing a lot more money? Or is there much difference between each size up?
 
If you get a big tank you need to make sure the floor can take the weight of it. If you have a concrete floor then it's fine, but if you have wooden floors you should get in a structural engineer or builder to say whether or not the floor can take the weight of a big aquarium.

One litre of water weights one kilogram, so if you have a 400 litre (100 gallon) aquarium, it will weight at least 400kgs, (nearly half a tonne). You also have the weight of the tank, stand and any rocks or heavy ornaments going in it.

If you have a solid concrete floor, then the weight is not going to be an issue and you can get double tier stands that have one tank on top and one tank underneath. Double or even triple tier stands allow you to keep multiple aquariums in the same spot. The tanks simply go one above the other and have a gap between them so you can clean them. The gap between the tanks can be any size but the minimum amount of space is 8 inches and 12 inches is better.

Fish tanks 3 foot long or more generally need 2 people to move them and if you rent, they can be a nuisance to move. However, bigger/ longer tanks give you more options to what fish you can keep and how many fish you can keep.

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If you want a community tank then get something that holds at least 100 litres (25 gallons), preferably more than 200 litres (50 gallons).

Length and width are more important than height and aquariums that are 2ft long x 1ft wide x 2ft high are pretty much useless. Tanks that are 2ft long x 2ft wide x 1ft high will give the fish more swimming room. However, most tanks are higher than they are wider, but if you have the option, go for length and width rather than height.

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As far as maintaining tanks go, they are all the same. Use a gravel cleaner to clean the substrate and syphon out some water, then fill the tank up with clean dechlorinated water. If you have big tanks you use a big gravel cleaner and have a couple of big storage containers for water holding.

You clean the filters, gravel and do water changes the same time regardless of tank size, eg: every week for water changes and gravel cleans, and every 2-4 weeks for filters.

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Drawbacks to big tanks: need a solid floor, are hard to move, require more water so can be an issue if you live in a desert.

Advantages: look good and can hold lots more fish and bigger fish.

Big tanks can help stabilise room temperature due to the water acting as a heat mass. This can be nice in winter when the tank helps keep the room warm, but in summer can be an issue and keep the room warm as well :)
 
Very informative, thanks.

I'm not sure about the structure of my floor. It's carpeted but guessing it's wood.

Would a medium size tank, say in the 200 liter / 50 galleon range, be considered heavy enough to compromise the structure of the flooring?
 
Most wooden floors that are in good condition and not rotting or damaged should be able to easily take a 200 litre aquarium.

If you have a 3 seat couch and 3 adults sitting on the couch, that will be over 200kg in weight so if the floor can hold a couch and people, it should be fine with the tank.

If you have concerns you can help spread the weight out a bit by putting sheets of 1 inch thick ply-board under the feet of the stand. You cut sheets of ply-board that are slightly wider than the tank and make them about 1 foot long x however wide the tank is. Then put one piece under each end of the stand. The weight will be spread out more evenly over the area of the ply-board.
eg: the aquarium is 4 foot long x 18inches wide. You get some 1 inch thick ply-board and cut 2 pieces about 12 inches x 20 inches and put one piece on the floor at each end of the stand. The stand gets put on top of these 2 pieces of wood.
 

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