How much difference does size make..?

I‘ve been back at the lfs again this afternoon looking at my ‘new’ tank…Fluval Roma 125 ltr and working out how many sleeps until Christmas…

Then I realised that there was a Fluval Roma 200 ltr for about £60 more (almost double the water capacity). But, am I running before I can walk..?

I currently have two tanks 25ltr with Blue (a Betta), a 57 ltr with guppies ( they are such fun to watch). I’m almost doubling the tank size each time I gather another one (MTS in highly contagious stage).

50% water changes for my two current tanks are manageable…but 100 ltrs a week, 10 buckets..?

How much extra work is there in a bigger tank..? Can the water change be reduced slightly working with the theory that the larger the of quantity of water, the more balanced it stays..?

Probably the wrong forum to be asking this question, but is bigger always better..?

You need to get a python water changer. Makes changes easy peasy.

For a python WC, you would need to measure distance from tanks to faucet and get an extension hose if necessary. Also you would need to make sure your faucet will be able to attach to the python properly. Some modern faucets may need an additional adapter to attach the python.

You still should do large water changes. I do 50% water changes every 7 to 11 days on my 29 gallon and 35 gallon established tanks.

Bigger tanks allow a wider range of fish (those needing a minimum tank length of 100cm plus all those of 80cm), as well as more in number.
I use a garden hose and syphon to drain, then the garden hose with a tap connetor to fill. No buckets. My 180l maintenance takes about half an hour and the 125l maintenance takes...about half an hour!
So your extra cost will be the extra £60 (easy to justify), the water bill increase (but you can reuse some tank water on houseplants or in the garden), and a hose/ tap connector OR python. Oh, and extra fish!

I would only be worried about some difficulty in maintenance if you go over something closer to 400 liters to be honest

Fishmanic said:

For a python WC, you would need to measure distance from tanks to faucet and get an extension hose if necessary. Also you would need to make sure your faucet will be able to attach to the python properly. Some modern faucets may need an additional adapter to attach the python.

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Since your first reply I’ve been on YouTube! I’m not sure that a Python would work for me as I don’t have a mixer tap, but two separate taps (hot and cold water). I’ve seen several videos with users using a small submersible pump and a bucket…is the theory the same..?

realzalio said:

I would only be worried about some difficulty in maintenance if you go over something closer to 400 liters to be honest

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No chance of having a tank that size in my flat

Naughts said:

Bigger tanks allow a wider range of fish (those needing a minimum tank length of 100cm plus all those of 80cm), as well as more in number.
I use a garden hose and syphon to drain, then the garden hose with a tap connetorView attachment 147312 to fill. No buckets. My 180l maintenance takes about half an hour and the 125l maintenance takes...about half an hour!
So your extra cost will be the extra £60 (easy to justify), the water bill increase (but you can reuse some tank water on houseplants or in the garden), and a hose/ tap connector OR python. Oh, and extra fish!

Click to expand...

I know what fish I want, another thread has helped me narrow that down, but I will be able to have more of them. Just worrying about the water maintenance really - it’s a lot more than I have at the moment

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height) of the 120 and 200?

If you only have a few fish in a big tank, you don't need to change the water as often or change as much. However, most people have more fish in a bigger tank so need to do big regular water changes.

Get a large plastic storage container or wheelie bin and put it inside near the tank. Fill it with tap water and add some dechlorinator. Add an airstone and let it bubble away for half an hour or so.

While the water is dechlorinating, you can use a garden hose and 2 litre plastic drink bottle to gravel clean and drain water out the door onto the lawn. Then use a small water pump and length of plastic hose to pump water from the storage container into the tank. You can make a U out of pvc pipe and put it on the end of the hose from the water pump. The U goes upside down and hangs over the side of the tank.

Yes, but that is true whether you get 125l or 200l. Go large!

NannaLou said:

I know what fish I want, another thread has helped me narrow that down, but I will be able to have more of them. Just worrying about the water maintenance really - it’s a lot more than I have at the moment

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How much difference does size make..?

According to some women, none.
According to other women, lots

Colin_T said:

How much difference does size make..?

According to some women, none.
According to other women, lots

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@Colin_T really…? I’m trying to have a sensible conversation

Lack of a mixer tap is a pain I've been there before too - just putting it out there is it an option to upgrade to a mixer? You can get them with a double base leading to one spout so you don't have to get a new sink? But its not too big an issue really, have you ever seen George farmers technique?

He puts a bucket under his tap (you could probably find one big enough to go under both taps?) with a pump in that takes the water to the tank, he uses a powder dechlorinator and lets it mix in the bucket before it goes to the tank and if it overflows its only going to go to down the drain in the sink. Only issue with this one is if you have a long length to run the hose and/or if it runs through a walkway other people and/or pets use? The latter is my issue so I use a big builders bucket on a dolly to wheel over to the tank where I then pump the water in.

To get the water out have a long hose running out a window or door or to the loo or a sink, let it drain to a set level - connect the hose to hard piping so you can make a hook to keep it in place. And you can use a smaller syphon to a bucket to hoover your substrate.

Wills

NannaLou said:

@Colin_T really…? I’m trying to have a sensible conversation

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When I see a title like that, and nobody else responded with my comment, then I am going to say what we are all thinking