How Many Tanks Do You Have?

[Alexis]

Hey everyone! How many (working) fish tanks does everyone have? We have the chance of getting a 1.3metre tank for CHEAP from my fiance's friend's Dad. He's selling his tank (that comes with things like filter, light, gravel ETC) for about a third of the price for a new one, and we're seriously considering it.

But I have my own small 38L (9 gallon) tank, which I only very recently acquired, and I love it. Even if we did get the big tank, I wouldn't want to get rid of my small one. Is it weird having more than one? We currently have a 13 gallon, which would be replaced by the 1.3m one, but I would want to keep my small one.

What are people's thoughts on having more than one tank at a time?

 

[three-fingers]

I, personally, love the idea. My mum does not.

 

[AnneRiceBowl]

I have 6 working tanks.

My advice from experience: don't have more than one cycling tank at a time. Especially if you are new! LOL I had 3 cycling tanks when I was starting out, and I thought I was going to go crazy! LOL

You definitely need a "system" or schedule for water changes! And a Python!

 

[Alexis]

I have 6 working tanks.

My advice from experience: don't have more than one cycling tank at a time. Especially if you are new! LOL I had 3 cycling tanks when I was starting out, and I thought I was going to go crazy! LOL

You definitely need a "system" or schedule for water changes! And a Python!

WAH 6?! That's a lot! How big are they all?!

Well, at the moment, we have 2. >_< But things are going well with 2. I'm just not so sure how they'd go with a huge tank like that. LOL. But I still think I'd like to keep my little tank...

 

[Tolak]

16 running at the moment, with several empties. Seriously consider starting a log once you have 3 or more, you will never remember everything. Pythons work well, the only thing you have to worry about is cross contamination between tanks. I have separate lines for draining & filling, with separate siphons for each tank.

 

[AnneRiceBowl]

I have 6 working tanks.

My advice from experience: don't have more than one cycling tank at a time. Especially if you are new! LOL I had 3 cycling tanks when I was starting out, and I thought I was going to go crazy! LOL

You definitely need a "system" or schedule for water changes! And a Python!

WAH 6?! That's a lot! How big are they all?!

Well, at the moment, we have 2. >_< But things are going well with 2. I'm just not so sure how they'd go with a huge tank like that. LOL. But I still think I'd like to keep my little tank...

LOL 6 is nothing! I just started keeping fish again this past November. I started with a one gallon fish bowl, and got my first tank in February. =) Freshwater tropical fish keeps will generally have more tanks, and people who keep certain cichlids with have HUGE tanks.

I have a 30 gallon long, two 10 gallons, a 5 gallon, and two storage containers that are rigged as a tank. The latter are holding tanks and growouts. I am soon to be getting a 75 gallon.

 

[Alexis]

Tolak: WOAH, 16?!! How do you manage them all! That's crazy!!! (A good crazy. LOL) How big are they all?!!!

AnneRiceBowl: 6 is nothing? Wow... and I thought 2 or 3 was going to be lots... XP

Well, my fiance and I have practically decided to go for the 80 gallon (think that's US gallons), and I'll probably keep my 9 gallon, since that's my tank and I can do what I like with it (EG: have as many plants as I like). Wow... keeping fish can be really addictive, huh?!

 

[dylema]

Hi, I have 4 and try to remember to write down on the calender when I do anything (like water changes etc)or something happens (new fry etc). I used to have a chart with each tank and the test readings and dates so I could look back and see what happened when, but I don't test very often now (and usually no probs) so don't write it down if it is normal.

I would have more tanks and bigger if I wasn't renting.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

16 here:

1x 5.5 gal
4x 10 gal
3x 15 gal
2x 20L gal
1x 25 gal
1x 30B gal
1x 40b gal
1x 45 gal
1x 50gal
1x 75 gal

All are heavily planted, even when bare bottom, and separately filtered

 

[Tolak]

Tolak: WOAH, 16?!! How do you manage them all! That's crazy!!! (A good crazy. LOL) How big are they all?!!!

10g x 3
20g x 5
29g x 4
30g x 1
55g x 2
65g x 1

Empties, as far as I can remember, are a few 10's, 20's, a 29, & a 63.

Bare bottom tanks are much easier to maintain than tanks with substrate & plants. Only 3 tanks have gravel, the rest have an artificial plant or 2, maybe a piece of driftwood, or some pvc pipes or caves, depending on what's in them. Large bore siphon hoses move water faster for draining, a hose attached to the faucet fills quickly. I can drain & fill 5 gallons per minute at the same time.

Water changes of 50% on all the tanks takes around 3 hours, I would have it down to 2 hours if I didn't have to wait for the water heater to reheat a couple of times. Maintenance takes 6 to 8 hours total each week depending on what I have spawning & growing out, I usually do some during the week, the majority on the weekend.

16 isn't bad, other breeders in the area have from 25 to 60+ tanks running. Once you get to the mid 20's, you really have to consider some sort of automation where water changes are concerned.

 

[Alexis]

...this might be a stupid question, but why do you guys have so many tanks?

 

[highfire]

I have one at the moment, but was just talking to my son only yesterday about setting up a tropical tank. We have gone so far as to mentally move the furniture in the lounge in order to accomodate it in a suitable position. I would love a tropical tank, so maybe when I get back from my holiday I shall look into it.

 

[The-Wolf]

...this might be a stupid question, but why do you guys have so many tanks?

most aquarist are afflicted with a disease that we affectionatly call MTS (multiple tank syndrome)
MTS is incurable but you can relieve the symptoms by adding another tank.

I'm a level 5 sufferer

 

[BigIan]

between the wife and i we have 6 tanks, and we want more.....

but we need a bigger house first

 

[Alexis]

...this might be a stupid question, but why do you guys have so many tanks?

most aquarist are afflicted with a disease that we affectionatly call MTS (multiple tank syndrome)
MTS is incurable but you can relieve the symptoms by adding another tank.

I'm a level 5 sufferer

HAHA cool!

Well, we only have 2 (one being all MINE). In the not-so-distant future, we will be getting an 80 gallon to replace the one we share right now, BUT we'll be keeping the one they're in, cause I'm hoping to have a go at breeding platies, and I'll need a breeding tank. So that will make 3... sort of. LOL. But I don't think we could cope with 16! I think we're quite happy with 2 for now. LOL.

BigIan: Between you and your wife? So you and your wife have your own tanks? I have my own tank (like I just said), but my fiance doesn't have his own. (Although I WAS thinking of getting him one for Christmas, just so he could have as many plecos as he liked. LOL )