Best tank size

[Beastije]

So my boyfriend threw a wrench in my plan of replacing tank with a specific dimension tank, because he told me it will be better to make a stand that covers the whole wall where both cabinets are (one has the tank, one does not) because at least it will look uniform and I wont have to look too hard for a stand that looks/feels similar.
This however means I no longer have a set limit on the tank size, and I dont think that is good news for me

What is the best tank size you were working with as a medium tank. I already have a bathtub sized one, I dont want to spend money on new large equipement. I have an Atman 200 filter and a 60cm long light, that I am willing to sell and buy a 80cm one for example. But I dont want a new filter, new lighting, new things, because I didnt want to spend so much, I just wanted to upgrade.

Ofcourse the new cabinet dimensions will be 160x50x70 cm and that could fit a 160cm tank, but I absolutely dont want that. I am looking between 80x50 and 100x50, or could be 80x40, 100x40, some nonstandard 90x50,... Would appreciate a recommendation about what dimension made you most happy.
I am not planning any plants that are hard to grow, super low tech, no heater not event that many plants, lots of stones and boulders, the plan is still minnows, garra flavatra or sewellia (or in the larger dimension perhaps both?) and I absolutely cannot change my mind again on the stocking, since I did so around 6 times and these fish fit my idea, the biotop and my water parameters.
Thanks

 

[Colin_T]

It's an awful size cabinet, just over 5 foot long.

I prefer to keep tanks standard length (3ft, 4ft, 6ft) because everything is made for tanks that size. Once you go 5ft 4 inches, you buy stuff for a 6ft tank and cut it down.

I would go for a 4ft x 18in x 18inch and have a gap on either side between the tank and wall.

Don't go too high (more than 60cm) with aquariums because they are harder to clean. And too wide (more than 60cm) is painful as well. I prefer 45cm high and wide for easy access. And I have long arms too.

 

[GaryE]

The best size depends on what you want to keep. I have a 2 meter tank here, from back when I kept eartheaters. It was ideal then, but I am leaning toward retiring it (it's too old to sell) and replacing the space with a couple of smaller tanks. What I want to do now with my tanks is different, and I like smaller fish that don't shoal.
So as you evaluate possibilities, consider what you want to see in the new set up. What fish do you WANT? Then consider what size tank will do best for them.

I have a couple of 120 cm tanks which I built a stand for. They're side by side, and I put a false brace up where they meet, giving the illusion of a 240cm set up with a poor woodworker designing for it. It's easier for lighting.

In north America, the 150cm tank is an unpopular standard, btw. But a 120 cm light does the job if you aren't going seriously into plants. 15cm of indirect lighting at each end is nothing.

 

[Beastije]

I dont like large fish, I am really into small fish. But the thing is, I already have what I consider a major large tank, south america biotope, it has been running under a year, I spent the year before reading about the stocking and achieved perfection (well you know)
The "main" tank I have is 50 ember tetras, 6 (for now) hatchetfish, 13 sterbai corydoras, 4 otocinclus (also for now, want to bump the numbers) some fan shrimp, some snail I love. The setup is done, the stocking is done, I love it.
I also have a mini tank with shrimp.
What I wanted is to have a middle tank, low on stocking, low on cleaning (like every two weeks, not every week), low on electricity (so no heater). The 54l I had was too small but a 100liter, 150liter or 200 liter would do. As I said I dont want to spend too much money and I also dont want to spend too much on water, since the prices of everything are going up. I have my eye on the stocking mentioned above, I have some stones already gathered, just need to pick the size. Too big is too much hassle for my at this moment. As everyone, I am an adult, with a job and a gastro business, so two jobs basically, two dogs, boyfriend, some langauge that Iam trying to pick up, you know, life. So really looking into a small less hassle tank.
The question is, is 80cm a good option, or should I go the 100cm. And if I go for the 100, how long before a two species stocking will bore me cause it will look empty. Or maybe the cloud minnows will breed nicely?
I am really undecided now.

 

[Colin_T]

The question is, is 80cm a good option, or should I go the 100cm. And if I go for the 100, how long before a two species stocking will bore me cause it will look empty. Or maybe the cloud minnows will breed nicely?

The bigger the better. It takes a similar amount of time to clean and water change a big tank as it does to do a small tank.

Bigger tanks will stay cleaner for longer so you could possibly do a water change once every 2 weeks instead of every week. You would have to monitor nitrates and see how they are. if they go up a lot between water changes, either reduce the food going into the tank or do more frequent water changes.

If I had to choose between an 80 and 100cm tank, I would go for the 100cm.

 

[anewbie]

For some fishes a standard 10 is great; for others a 20 long; but you will need something larger for that oscar. I mostly go with dwarf cichlid and use tanks in the size between 10 and 40B; but i will be setting up a 8x4 and 10x4 aquarium next spring and those are for geo and clown loaches.

 

[Beastije]

Thank you all, I am pretty decided to go 100cm length, 50cm width and 40cm height, since it will stand on a taller stand and I know how hard managing too tall tanks is.
Will buy a new light of 85cm, will try to sell the 60cm and try to cover the cost. And with reasonable stocking I am sure the once every two weeks will work, and I dont even have to worry about algae, since I want garras or sewellia, and they will gladly eat it away too.

 

[Colin_T]

I would use the 60cm light and have it over the middle of the tank. Have your plants in the middle and maybe low light plants or open water on the ends. If the plants don't do well with the 60cm light, then upgrade to a bigger light unit, but I have run small lights on bigger tanks and the plants were fine.

 

[Beastije]

I would use the 60cm light and have it over the middle of the tank. Have your plants in the middle and maybe low light plants or open water on the ends. If the plants don't do well with the 60cm light, then upgrade to a bigger light unit, but I have run small lights on bigger tanks and the plants were fine.

Interesting option, this 60cm also has 6 light intensities and I only use it on the 2nd lowest ( was third lowest, but I have too much algae now, due to too little plants). So higher intensity in the middle might work, would put the plants along the 60cm marker
I initially wanted some larger plant to hide the filter, since it is a 20cm large cube, but maybe will hide it with a stone in front of it and with the dimmer light at the end, it might work

 

[Beastije]

Btw, how does it work when using two smaller filters in a large tank? I always had a canister filter for a large tank that was designed for it, but what if you have two not sufficient filters. Do you put them across from each other, but how does that affect the flow, or next to each other to somehow create a stronger flow...
And isnt it a problem if the flow doesnt reach all the places in the tank, since that affect nutrient distribution to the plants, debris collection,...

 

[Rocky998]

Btw, how does it work when using two smaller filters in a large tank? I always had a canister filter for a large tank that was designed for it, but what if you have two not sufficient filters. Do you put them across from each other, but how does that affect the flow, or next to each other to somehow create a stronger flow...
And isnt it a problem if the flow doesnt reach all the places in the tank, since that affect nutrient distribution to the plants, debris collection,...

Sometimes I see two small filters on two separate sides of the tank.
Or when I upgrade my tank, I plan on running two filters for a bit (my old one and the new one, it won't be permanent)