big tank for newbie?

[Jlux23]

So I got rid of a few of my tanks and picked up a 120 with plans of keeping it fresh for a silver arowana but the thought of making it into a saltwater sounds awesome too but I'm wondering if it would be too much for me to get into as someone new to salt water. On the other hand I've been told the smaller the tank the more work and my 20 long is doing awesome

Any suggestions?

 

[1fishkeeper]

I love the larger tanks but thats just me. The only problem with a larger tank is cost and upkeep costs. But if your wallet can handle it I say go for it.

 

[Jlux23]

It's not so much the cost that worries me i I just wonder if the upkeep will be too much for me

 

[Myteemouse]

AUTOMATION is key

ATO's, timers, RODI unit with line to ATO bucket, Controllers, DJ strips !!!!
all is good if you have little to do every day but feed...

 

[thatguy559]

i have a 120g and the only thing i do is feed the tank and clean the glass. i test my water before water changes. like adam said automation is key. i have my aqua jr on my salt water tank and my turtle tank.

 

[Jlux23]

So basically as long as im not lazy about maintaining it it would be ok

 

[Dalbery]

You've found the best place to do your research and decide for yourself. Any questions you have will be answered by using the search function on here. The more planning you do up front the less work you'll have to do later. I have a 230 gallon tank and it really isn't that much upkeep as far as the tank goes. The major pain is all the beautiful corals you see and want to get

 

[arowana206]

120 gal is small for silver Arowana. I would say go for salt water if you have all the equipments. Other than that, buy a bigger tank for arowanas and use the 120 gal as a sump. It's my 2 cents.

Good Luck
Thang
200 gal acrylic w/ an adult Austrailian Arowana and 2 pacu and 1 red flowerhorn.

 

[saltwaterfishes]

I have a 65g main tank....have not upgrade since I started 3 1/2 years ago. But you'll run out of room real fast in a smaller tank.

 

[Jlux23]

If I could keep a bigger tank in my apartment I would bit a 120 would do just fine for a good amount of time I was gonna buy a baby. But if I was to do salt water in this tank my next question would be how to find out weather the glass is tempered or not so I cam find out if I can drill or not is be pissed if it shattered on me

 

[ReefLogic]

Bigger tanks have higher start up and require more equipment, but they are easier to work with as problems take longer to accumilate.

Case and point:
Take a 10g tank and a 100g tank and throw a tablespoon of food coloring in it....which one looks more affected?

 

[NC2WA]

Jlux23,

Sent you a PM

 

[Jlux23]

So how do I find out if the glass is tempered or not

 

[pewpewlazerbeam]

So how do I find out if the glass is tempered or not

Often times tempered glass has a label etched into the corner saying it IS tempered glass. But not always.

This link is usedful if it has no stamp

http://www.salt-city.org/showthread.php?t=9542

 

[SpecialTang]

So how do I find out if the glass is tempered or not

If you look through the end of the glass and see a green tint to the glass it is tempered. If it is has no or a light tint it is safe to drill.

 

[peddy10181]

Go as big as you can pay for. I went from a 75. To adding a 180. Now the 180 is gone and I am working on a 475. All with in 1.5 years. You illways want bigger lol

 

[Jlux23]

Well in the next few months I'm hoping to move out of my 2 bedroom apt into a house with a big garage to put a monster tank in haha

 

[returnofsid]

If you look through the end of the glass and see a green tint to the glass it is tempered. If it is has no or a light tint it is safe to drill.

Please don't rely on this. Green tint indicates the lead content of the glass, not whether it's tempered or not. For instance, Starphire glass, which is more clear, due to a lower lead content, will appear more clear than non Starphire glass, when viewed through the edge. However, on most standard 40 breeders, which are NOT tempered, if you view the glass, from the edge, you'll notice a green tint.

There is a test you can do, with polarized sunglasses, and a flashlight, to determine if glass is tempered or not. But first, you need to have to sample pieces of glass, on that you know is tempered and one that you know is not. You will see a pattern in the glass, and that pattern is different between tempered and non tempered glass.

 

[Jlux23]

Well would it be safe to say my 20 long is tempered? That way I could maybe use that

 

[Jlux23]

And while I'm thinking about it the 20 is in the cycling prosess and there is stuff growing on the glass should I be letting it do its thing or is it safe to clean it off the glass ... gettin pretty nasty lookin