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I gave in...I bought a new tank.


j.falk

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Begin rant:

 

I currently have a 20 gallon nano tank set up in my home office.  

 

I've been considering getting a bigger tank.  In fact, I have been obsessively thinking about getting a bigger tank for the past 4 weeks.  It's all I can think of and all I talk about to my wife.  She is, without a doubt, sick and tired of hearing about fish and aquariums.  The other day she said to buy a new tank already and stop talking about it.  

 

My options would be:  30 gallon (standard), 40 breeder, 53 breeder.

 

To be completely honest with you, I am in love with the 53 breeder.  I absolutely love the look and size of it.  I'm so in love with it, that I already bought one two years ago...and then sold it at a loss before ever getting a chance to set it up after I got into a fight with my wife over money issues at the time.  We were in the middle of renovating our house and I bought the tank on a whim thinking I would put it in the room getting renovated where everyone in the family could enjoy it. I have regretted selling that tank ever since.

 

The downside to the 53 is that I would have to buy all new equipment to run it (cha-ching!) and the place where it was originally going to go has now been claimed by the dog's kennel.  The only option for it these days would be in the basement...a basement that anyone rarely goes into and one that leaks a few times a year.  The up side is that the water mixing station is in the basement so I wouldn't have to lug buckets of water up flights of stairs to fill / maintain it.  

 

Now the 30 gallon would be an ideal tank for the home office.  I have the room for it, the tank is fairly cheap and I can use all of my existing equipment with it.  Cost effective is a very good thing and it would give my clownfish adequate room for the rest of their lives.  The downside to the 30 is that it would create added humidity to the office making it almost unbearable.  I used to have a 34 column in the office and the humidity it gave off was suffocating.  I really don't want to deal with that again.  Also, with the 30 gallon, I would have to drive an hour one way to go get one as the local Petsmart does not carry that size in stock and they cannot order one in for me (I've already asked).  That adds $40 in gas to the pricetag and the store with the 30 also has the 53 breeder in stock.  Sigh...

 

Now what Petsmart did have in stock was a Marineland 40 breeder for $79.99 which is cheaper than if I drove out of town to go get the 30 or the 53.  It's the same footprint as the 53, just not as tall.  The downside is that I don't like the "viewing window" size of the tank nor the depth.  I know, I know...most people like depth...and I do too but only with the 53.  The 40 breeder feels "squat" to me...and it would also have to go in the basement...and I would have to buy all new equipment to run it.  So I'd save money on the tank, but end up paying more in the long run for equipment on a tank that I'm not really in love with.

 

What to do...what to do?  Buy a new tank or forget about all of it and appreciate what I already have?

 

There is also the fact that we are planning to move in 3 years after my stepson goes off to college.  Is it wise to buy a big tank if we are planning to move in the near future?

 

Sigh...the stress of thinking about all of this is driving me crazy.  OCD sucks. 

 

End rant.  

 

 

 

 

 

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None of those tanks are big enough to solve the problem you're having with those tangs. You either need to get a massive tank or tub for them (longer than you are tall), or you need to get rid of them. You could check on local reefkeeping forums and see if anyone can take them. Then (assuming all your other fish are small) you could just keep the 20 gallon.

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6 minutes ago, Tired said:

None of those tanks are big enough to solve the problem you're having with those tangs. You either need to get a massive tank or tub for them (longer than you are tall), or you need to get rid of them. You could check on local reefkeeping forums and see if anyone can take them. Then (assuming all your other fish are small) you could just keep the 20 gallon.

What tangs?  I have a 20 gallon aquarium that houses 2 clownfish and some corals.  Those are the only two fish in there and I don't want any tangs in my tank.

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Snow_Phoenix

I was a bit confused over the tang comment too - had to re-read your post to see if I've missed it. 

 

Truth be told, if it was me, and I knew for sure I'll be moving houses in 3 years, *I wouldn't get a system above 40G. Depending on how far your new home will be from your present home, you must take into account the difficulties in moving any of the animals with you (if you plan on taking any of them along, or if you're selling them off - then ignore this). I shifted houses ~3+ years ago and I had to move several small tanks over, which was easy. But I actually struggled with moving my 30G (!) over (it was a FW discus tank with eels), and even though I set up a new 70G in my new home, none of the livestock made it through the move/transfer except for 2 fish. (And all I did was move <15km away from my original home)

 

The larger the tank, the difficult the move is going to be (if you're bringing them with you). 

 

But at the same time, I get that you really fell in love with the 53G, and it's your 'dream' tank in a way. If you can find a way to rehome the animals (or take some with you) in 3 years time, and you truly, truly want this tank - then heck yeah, go for it. Just make sure the budget fits. Larger tank = larger/more equipment = more expenses to take into account. Might want to get the wifey onboard too - no tank is worth having a constant argument with your spouse. Just my two cents. 

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1 hour ago, j.falk said:

The only option for it these days would be in the basement...a basement that anyone rarely goes into and one that leaks a few times a year.

That's where my tanks ended up.  For leaks, I put the tank stands on DuraGrid floor tiles and keep the electrical off the ground.  I also ended up putting a dehumidifier down there.  Just stock and buy equipment keeping the future move in mind.

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If you are seriously moving and absolutely must set up a new tank before the move the 30 makes the most sense to me. Fits in the home office where you will enjoy it more than a basement tank. Plus being able to use the equipment you already have means more money for coral. BUT if the 53 is your dream tank! Wait till after you move and do it.

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I've never seen the 53 gallon tank before, and I have to admit I like it so much better than the 40 breeder. I agree that the 40Bs are kinda squat, and while I know that lagoon-style shallow tanks are really popular, I like a more traditionally proportioned viewing window and tank to stand ratio.

 

Will you be satisfied with something other than your dream tank, or will you continue to think obsessively about "the one that got away"? Or can you find a way to temporarily relieve the itch? I'm also facing some uncertainty about whether I will be moving or remodeling in the next 1-3 years, so my plan is to wait to set up the big tank until we are sure of the final location. At that time, I will use the move/remodel as an excuse to upgrade to my dream tank. In the meantime, I've decided to tide myself over with a little desktop tank that will be "easy" to move when the time comes. 

 

I will also say, don't put a tank where you won't enjoy it. What's the point of that? In highschool I made the mistake of setting up one of my tanks in the family TV room, and the budget skimmer and pumps were so loud we couldn't hear the TV very well, or had to crank the volume unpleasantly loud. Plus the tank made the small room pretty warm. Soon no one spent any time in the TV room, and once I left home the tank was almost completely neglected. My parents just consolidated that tank plus another that sprung a leak into one much larger tank, and it is SO MUCH better all around. They regained the use of the TV room and the new tank is AWESOME, is prominently located in their living room so they feel compelled to take good care of it, and with just one tank they were able to budget for higher end equipment to cut down on the noise and heat issues. Can you find a better way to arrange the furniture/dog crate so that the tank isn't relegated to the basement, or causing you issues in your office?  

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Ever walk into a local fish store and notice a smell?  It's not offensive, but it's still a distinct smell.  I know the wife isn't too keen on having our main living areas smell like a fish store.

 

Ever spilled water when doing maintenance?  With the tank in the basement, you don't have to worry as much about ruining hardwood floors (or even carpet, walls, or subfloor).

 

I suppose it depends on how nice the basement is.  Some are much nicer than others.  But if it's a pretty nice space, it can be a perfect spot for a tank.

 

I know you're just thinking out loud here, but just wanted to convey my experience.

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Ah, dangit, my bad. Got you mixed up with someone who has a much-too-small tank for multiple tangs and is talking about upgrading to a still-too-small tank. 

 

My suggestion would be to not try to move an entire tank larger than 20-30 gallons. You COULD get a larger tank now, and then in a few years, move only a portion of the contents. Your favorite fish and corals, enough rock to cycle the tank, and so on. It might be a good way to check how you feel about a bigger tank, because if you turn out to not like it, you can get a smaller tank when you move. 

 

What's your basement like? It would potentially be a good place for the tank, unless it's unpleasant to be there.

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Moving any tank is work besides a very small tank.

I would set up a tank because plans can change at any time in our lives. 

 

With proper prep and planning you could move the 53g just like the 40g.

 

If i was in the position, i would

 

1. Create an area in the basement that would be mine. A man/woman cave and have the tank there. 

Once the area is made for you, you'd spend more time there. Bonus you get the tank you love(you may always want it if you don't do it)

 

Bonus, your work station for the tank is there too.

 

 

2. Do the 30g in the main area of the home where it will work because its cost effective and you don't seem to like the 40 as much.

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7 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Moving any tank is work besides a very small tank.

I would set up a tank because plans can change at any time in our lives. 

 

With proper prep and planning you could move the 53g just like the 40g.

That first sentence 1000x. I will say, having moved so many times with my tanks, one thing to consider is whether you can lift the tank by yourself while it's empty onto and off of the stand, carry it around the house, and possibly up/down stairs.

 

If you are going to need help to lift the tank, it really doesn't matter how big it is at that point (within reason) since you are going to need help no matter what.

  • Like 3
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@Snow_Phoenix - We are in Illinois now and my wife loves Arizona so it's a possibility we might end up there.  I think I could part with all of my livestock with the exception of my two clownfish.  I am fortunate to have a local friend who could hold onto them while we are traveling and then overnight them to me once we are there.  

 

You hit the nail on the head with the 53.  It is my dream tank and I do realize the cost of the equipment to set it up will not be cheap and then the expense to maintain it on a monthly basis might be more than my budget will allow.  That's actually the main reason I haven't pulled the trigger on it yet.  The 20 I have right now is very cost effective.  Almost everything running on it (with the exception of the light) can be replaced for $25.00 or less...including the tank. 

 

@seabass - The basement we have is not (in my opinion) an ideal place for an aquarium.  I have considered putting a larger tank down there many times and the main reasons I don't is because of the water leaking issues, the mold growing down there issues, the bugs that come down through the chimney, the temperature down there in the winter, and I'm not sure what the humidity coming off the tank would do to the flooring above it/walls of the basement.  Our house was built in 1926 on a brick foundation that is slowly falling apart more every year.  We've looked into the price to have it repaired and it's thousands of dollars that we don't have.

 

My wife also does not like the fishy smell of aquariums.  In fact she didn't like aquariums at all until I bought some cleaner shrimp.  She loves the things.  She says she likes how they "dance" whenever someone goes up to the tank. 

 

Spilling water?  What?  Never.  

 

I've spilled more water than I care to admit.  Hell, I just did it the other day.  I went to pour a bucket into the aquarium and instead of going inside it hit the rim and ran down the front of the tank.  Grr!  After 20 years of keeping tanks you'd think that wouldn't happen anymore!  LOL

 

@debbeach13 - My wife wants to move but she doesn't know exactly where.  She is serious about it (as we both hate where we live right now)...but without knowing exactly where we would go yet then who knows what the future will bring?  We might end up stuck here if things don't go as planned.  I agree the 30 probably is the smart move for the time being...but have you seen a 53 breeder?  They are the perfect mid size aquarium in my opinion.  

 

@chipz - High five!  I fell in love with the 53 as soon as I saw it.  Not as big as my old 75 gallon and not too small like my current 20 gallon.  I think they are the ideal tank for a nice small community fish focused reef.  

 

I'm OCD all the way...so if I end up buying the 30 gallon for the time being, my mind will still think about the 53 since that is the one I really want.  

 

My original plan for the 53 was to put it in our tv room (which is a renovated sun room) so I'm glad you shared your experience.  A large tank in that small of a room probably would have made things very uncomfortable for everyone wanting to use the tv.    I've also considered putting a tank in our main living room, but there really is no ideal place for it in there as it's mainly used for exercising and gets heavy traffic since it's the center of the house.  

 

@Tired - I used to have a 75 gallon when I kept freshwater Oscars...but it was just too big for my tastes so I ended up selling it after a few years.  I really like my 20 gallon that I have now because it's easy to maintain and very cost effective...but I want something bigger for my clowns to have some room to grow.  I went out to a friend's house awhile back and saw his clownfish in his 150...same exact kind that I have and his were MASSIVE.  I never realized they got that big...and it got me thinking maybe my 20 gallon isn't such an ideal tank for them in the long run.

 

@Clown79 - While the basement would be ideal if it were a fully finished basement, unfortunately it is not and it is falling apart more and more with every passing year (think foundation crumbling) which is one of the main reasons we want out of this house.  The upkeep is keeping our bank accounts drained as the house is falling apart faster than we can keep fixing it.  This house is in every sense of the word a money pit...just like in the old 80's movie.  I've repaired and renovated 75% of the house so far and I'm done.  I told my wife earlier this year that I don't want to do anymore renovations on this place.  It's just not worth it to keep sinking thousands of dollars into something that we will probably never be able to get it back out of.  

 

@jservedio - Since I already bought a 53 breeder two years ago, I know I can move it by myself.  I bought it while my wife was in Arizona visiting her brother and it was surprisingly not as heavy as I thought it would be.  The main concern with a move would be livestock survival and making sure the tank goes from point A to B without being damaged.  Every time a tank gets moved there is a chance of cracking it...a small bump into something at just the right angle and the tank is done for.  I found that out with a brand new Marineland cube tank that I bought and tried to carry upstairs by myself.  $200 gone with one tiny mistake.  Learned that lesson the hard way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I'm a fan of 36" tanks in general.  All of the options you named are good ones IMO.

 

I think they are the "best" "small" tank size....big enough to allow *some* fish without complete guilt*....generally still small enough to be installed, operated and moved by one person.

 

I started with a 30 Long (36x12x16), and then found a "38 Gallon" (36x12x19) on clearance....eventually those (respectively) became my sump and display.

 

I like the whole "the problem is the solution" mindset....so will give an alternate take on each tank you're looking at...

 

40 Breeder (36x18x16)

problem=problem:  narrow viewing pane 👎 

problem=solution:  makes an excellent tank for top-down viewing, which is the best way to view most reefs.  👍

 

30 Long (36x12x16)

problem=problem:  pricetag relatively high; it is the smallest size option being considered. 👎

problem=solution:  it's not that much more expensive, and up-front costs are almost insignificant in the long run; also, it's really just another 36" tank, so will have about the same additional cost requirements as the others;  it'll fit into more narrow spaces than the other tanks, such as "bookshelf" spots.  👍

 

53 Gallon (36x18x21)

First off, this is really 58.9 gallons...only three inches shorter than a 65 Gallon.  Nominal sizing is funny sometimes.

problem=problem:  more/new equipment needed; no space for it.  👎

problem=solution:  given the 36" rectangular footprint that all three tanks share, they should all three be able to use more or less the same gear;  likewise for the space where the tank sits...they should be interchangeable in most spaces.  👍

 

Could you elaborate on what gear you have (if any) that would not translate to the 53 gallon?

 

Likewise can you elaborate on the spot you have where a 30 Long would fit but the 18" tanks would not?

 

I also concur with others that a basement tank isn't such a bad proposition if that's what it ends up coming down to.  (Mine was a basement system for about 10 years before the recent upgrade/consolidation.) 

 

You might even end up improving your basement space overall to make it nicer, which could add value to your house when you sell.  👍 

 

My own case:

I was able to transfer everything from the 38 Gallon (more like 35 actual) up to my 50 Breeder (an old brace-less model...too heavy to move solo), but I did add a little more heat.  In particular, lights and flow translated.  I did leave behind about 30-50% of my live rock since giving the totally overgrown corals more room was the main objective.  It's possible that your location for the 30L might be adapted to a tank with an 18" footprint.

 

* I still basically never had fish in my 36" systems.

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6 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Could you elaborate on what gear you have (if any) that would not translate to the 53 gallon?

 

Likewise can you elaborate on the spot you have where a 30 Long would fit but the 18" tanks would not?

 

I also concur with others that a basement tank isn't such a bad proposition if that's what it ends up coming down to.  (Mine was a basement system for about 10 years before the recent upgrade/consolidation.) 

 

You might even end up improving your basement space overall to make it nicer, which could add value to your house when you sell.  👍 

 

My own case:

I was able to transfer everything from the 38 Gallon (more like 35 actual) up to my 50 Breeder (an old brace-less model...too heavy to move solo), but I did add a little more heat.  In particular, lights and flow translated.  I did leave behind about 30-50% of my live rock since giving the totally overgrown corals more room was the main objective.  It's possible that your location for the 30L might be adapted to a tank with an 18" footprint.

 

* I still basically never had fish in my 36" systems.

Lighting - I only have one AI Prime HD and they only do a 24 x 24 inch area.

Water Pumps - I would need bigger ones as my Koralia nanos aren't going to cut it with that type of water volume.

Heater - I have a 50w running on the 20...that's definitely not going to suffice on a tank more than twice the size.

 

I've been repairing the basement walls for the last 5 years...when I fix one spot, a new crack opens up elsewhere.  It's been a constant battle.  The basement (at least not the one in this house) is not the answer to this dilemma.

 

An 18" deep tank is too big to go in my office where the 20 sits now.  The 30 would fit, but just barely and not eat up a lot of valuable space that I need to work.  Plus when I had the 34 gallon column tank in the office, it caused stress cracks in the ceiling in the kitchen right below it so I am worried about the additional weight the 30 would add if I were to go that route...not to mention the high humidity again.

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4 minutes ago, j.falk said:

Lighting - I only have one AI Prime HD and they only do a 24 x 24 inch area.

Water Pumps - I would need bigger ones as my Koralia nanos aren't going to cut it with that type of water volume.

Heater - I have a 50w running on the 20...that's definitely not going to suffice on a tank more than twice the size.

This will all likely apply to all three tanks you are considering....so at this point it's still up to you which to pick.  👍

 

5 minutes ago, j.falk said:

I've been repairing the basement walls for the last 5 years...when I fix one spot, a new crack opens up elsewhere.  It's been a constant battle.  The basement (at least not the one in this house) is not the answer to this dilemma.

Definitely can't argue that other than to say a "utilitarian" installation would still be very possible in that kind of location.  "Worth it?" is still the question.  Sounds like maybe not.

 

7 minutes ago, j.falk said:

An 18" deep tank is too big to go in my office where the 20 sits now.  The 30 would fit, but just barely and not eat up a lot of valuable space that I need to work.  Plus when I had the 34 gallon column tank in the office, it caused stress cracks in the ceiling in the kitchen right below it so I am worried about the additional weight the 30 would add if I were to go that route...not to mention the high humidity again.

Sounds like weight is the real limitation....other factors can possibly be dealt with in various mostly-simple ways...reinforcing an upstairs floor (above a finished space) isn't so easy tho.

 

That's unfortunate since the 53 and 40 are effectively ruled out, and even the 30 is borderline based on what you mentioned about the column tank.  I'm not sure I'd even push it that far.

 

Is the spot just positioned poorly with respect to the floor joists underneath so that only one is holding the tank's weight?  If there's any way to run the future, larger tank  rotated 90º from the current tank's orientation, there's an excellent chance that the weight problem will evaporate as it the new tank would "catch" at least two joists with its 36" length.

 

I hate to say it, but without a solution to the weight problem I don't think I'd go past 20 gallons.

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If you saw utterly massive clownfish, they may have been a different species than yours. Yours are probably ocellaris, AKA "nemo" clowns. Maybe perculas. The females of both get around 3 inches long, the males stay smaller. Giant ones, as in ones the size of your hand, are probably maroon clowns. Assuming you have ocellaris or perculas, they're fine in a 20gal. Especially since clowns tend to pick a host and stay more or less in the host.

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29 minutes ago, Tired said:

If you saw utterly massive clownfish, they may have been a different species than yours. Yours are probably ocellaris, AKA "nemo" clowns. Maybe perculas. The females of both get around 3 inches long, the males stay smaller. Giant ones, as in ones the size of your hand, are probably maroon clowns. Assuming you have ocellaris or perculas, they're fine in a 20gal. Especially since clowns tend to pick a host and stay more or less in the host.

They were Ocellaris...the female is approximately 5 inches and the male is around 2 1/2 - 3 inches.  Keep in mind they are in a 150 gallon tank.  I keep going out to his house to look at them because they are awesome to see in person and they don't stay in one spot...they run the entire length of the tank.

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16 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Is the spot just positioned poorly with respect to the floor joists underneath so that only one is holding the tank's weight?  

Yep.  That's exactly it.  It's the only place in the room where a tank can sit.

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Frag Factory

Go get the 53, spending all this money and time on a tank you don't like from the start is not going to be fun. You will never be happy...

 

This is coming from experience.

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46 minutes ago, j.falk said:

Yep.  That's exactly it.  It's the only place in the room where a tank can sit.

That is a bummer.

 

Floors – even above a finished story – can be braced, BTW, but as you might imagine it can be a pretty intensive construction project...maybe not what you're willing to ante up for at the moment.

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3 hours ago, j.falk said:

@Snow_Phoenix - We are in Illinois now and my wife loves Arizona so it's a possibility we might end up there.  I think I could part with all of my livestock with the exception of my two clownfish.  I am fortunate to have a local friend who could hold onto them while we are traveling and then overnight them to me once we are there.  

 

You hit the nail on the head with the 53.  It is my dream tank and I do realize the cost of the equipment to set it up will not be cheap and then the expense to maintain it on a monthly basis might be more than my budget will allow.  That's actually the main reason I haven't pulled the trigger on it yet.  The 20 I have right now is very cost effective.  Almost everything running on it (with the exception of the light) can be replaced for $25.00 or less...including the tank. 

 

@seabass - The basement we have is not (in my opinion) an ideal place for an aquarium.  I have considered putting a larger tank down there many times and the main reasons I don't is because of the water leaking issues, the mold growing down there issues, the bugs that come down through the chimney, the temperature down there in the winter, and I'm not sure what the humidity coming off the tank would do to the flooring above it/walls of the basement.  Our house was built in 1926 on a brick foundation that is slowly falling apart more every year.  We've looked into the price to have it repaired and it's thousands of dollars that we don't have.

 

My wife also does not like the fishy smell of aquariums.  In fact she didn't like aquariums at all until I bought some cleaner shrimp.  She loves the things.  She says she likes how they "dance" whenever someone goes up to the tank. 

 

Spilling water?  What?  Never.  

 

I've spilled more water than I care to admit.  Hell, I just did it the other day.  I went to pour a bucket into the aquarium and instead of going inside it hit the rim and ran down the front of the tank.  Grr!  After 20 years of keeping tanks you'd think that wouldn't happen anymore!  LOL

 

@debbeach13 - My wife wants to move but she doesn't know exactly where.  She is serious about it (as we both hate where we live right now)...but without knowing exactly where we would go yet then who knows what the future will bring?  We might end up stuck here if things don't go as planned.  I agree the 30 probably is the smart move for the time being...but have you seen a 53 breeder?  They are the perfect mid size aquarium in my opinion.  

 

@chipz - High five!  I fell in love with the 53 as soon as I saw it.  Not as big as my old 75 gallon and not too small like my current 20 gallon.  I think they are the ideal tank for a nice small community fish focused reef.  

 

I'm OCD all the way...so if I end up buying the 30 gallon for the time being, my mind will still think about the 53 since that is the one I really want.  

 

My original plan for the 53 was to put it in our tv room (which is a renovated sun room) so I'm glad you shared your experience.  A large tank in that small of a room probably would have made things very uncomfortable for everyone wanting to use the tv.    I've also considered putting a tank in our main living room, but there really is no ideal place for it in there as it's mainly used for exercising and gets heavy traffic since it's the center of the house.  

 

@Tired - I used to have a 75 gallon when I kept freshwater Oscars...but it was just too big for my tastes so I ended up selling it after a few years.  I really like my 20 gallon that I have now because it's easy to maintain and very cost effective...but I want something bigger for my clowns to have some room to grow.  I went out to a friend's house awhile back and saw his clownfish in his 150...same exact kind that I have and his were MASSIVE.  I never realized they got that big...and it got me thinking maybe my 20 gallon isn't such an ideal tank for them in the long run.

 

@Clown79 - While the basement would be ideal if it were a fully finished basement, unfortunately it is not and it is falling apart more and more with every passing year (think foundation crumbling) which is one of the main reasons we want out of this house.  The upkeep is keeping our bank accounts drained as the house is falling apart faster than we can keep fixing it.  This house is in every sense of the word a money pit...just like in the old 80's movie.  I've repaired and renovated 75% of the house so far and I'm done.  I told my wife earlier this year that I don't want to do anymore renovations on this place.  It's just not worth it to keep sinking thousands of dollars into something that we will probably never be able to get it back out of.  

 

@jservedio - Since I already bought a 53 breeder two years ago, I know I can move it by myself.  I bought it while my wife was in Arizona visiting her brother and it was surprisingly not as heavy as I thought it would be.  The main concern with a move would be livestock survival and making sure the tank goes from point A to B without being damaged.  Every time a tank gets moved there is a chance of cracking it...a small bump into something at just the right angle and the tank is done for.  I found that out with a brand new Marineland cube tank that I bought and tried to carry upstairs by myself.  $200 gone with one tiny mistake.  Learned that lesson the hard way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was a great movie! 

 

I totally understand. It takes a toll on you constantly working on a home that needs constant repairs. Not to mention the dent it puts on a bank account.

 

It doesn't sound like the basement is ideal.

 

Maybe going with your second favourite option for now,  with the plan to upgrade to the 53 after moving is a good option.

 

That gives you 2 things to look forward to.

Getting out of the money pit and your 53g.  

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Snow_Phoenix
1 hour ago, j.falk said:

They were Ocellaris...the female is approximately 5 inches and the male is around 2 1/2 - 3 inches.  Keep in mind they are in a 150 gallon tank.  I keep going out to his house to look at them because they are awesome to see in person and they don't stay in one spot...they run the entire length of the tank.

I've seen 5" female Occys - mostly wild clowns before, so I do agree that they can get very large. There was a retired pair of mated black snowflakes (aquacultured) that I saw at my LFS. The male was around 2"+, but the female was almost 6". By far the largest 'nemos' I've ever come across. 

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Get the 53...it's what you actually want!! 

 

Moving never stops me from getting tanks...if I didn't get a tank because I was moving then I would never have a tank. Three years is a long time and a lot could change. Enjoy life now. 

 

I am pining over the new IM 200 EXT and man that hurts my wallet...but mannnn do I want it!! 

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5 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Three years is a long time and a lot could change. Enjoy life now. 

Needs to be in bold and bigger print.   Maybe even some color...and some bells ringing.

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So...I bought a new tank.  I ended up with a 30 gallon due to the fact that Petco was sold out of 40 breeders and the store that had the 53 had already sold it and said they wouldn't be getting anymore in stock anytime soon.  I'm happy with my decision...this new tank is not too big and not too small.  Plenty of room for my clowns to grow.  🙂

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