55 or 40 Gallon Saltwater?

jesshika

jesshika

Member
I am thinking about switching my 55 gallon 4 foot freshwater and my 3 foot saltwater. I need to upgrade the lighting for the 55 and I wanted to make it a reef eventually. The 40 gallon is shorter and wider than the 55 so what would you recommend would be better for saltwater tank? The shorter tank is better for corals?
 
petjunkie

petjunkie

Active Member
40 over the 55 hands down, the 55 is going to cost more to light because it's deeper and will be awful for aquascaping because there's no depth. A 40 breeder is a great reef tank.
 
big

big

Active Member
Another thought, have you ever used copper in the 55 ??? if so make the 40 the reef. Other than that I am one too that says the bigger the better.
 
m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
I agree with using the 40, you'll probably have a better aqua-scape and could do more with less lighting. 55 gallon tanks are ok for reefs, I have one, but I would personally like more width rather than depth. I'm already planning the replacement tank....heh.
 
jesshika

jesshika

Member
Originally Posted by big
Another thought, have you ever used copper in the 55 ??? if so make the 40 the reef. Other than that I am one too that says the bigger the better.
Nope never used copper in any tanks before? why, what does adding copper do? Wasn't it a treatment method for something?
 
reefer545

reefer545

Member
Copper and other heavy metals are straight poison to inverts. THey wont appreciate a tank that has had heavy metal use in it. It is just too hard to get out successfully.
 
natemd

natemd

Member
Use the bigger tank. Take my advice though and save yourself some money and just go buy like a 1000 gallon aquarium now. You will be amazed how in six months your going to want to upgrade your reef to a larger tank. Then in another six months the bug bites again...
 
jesshika

jesshika

Member
The 55 is still fairly new as its only been setup as a freshwater for about 8 months. The 40 is only 3 months old since I upgraded it from a 25 gallon already. The reason I was thinking about switching the tanks was because I will be moving soon and its the only opportunity I will have to change them really. But yea I've got the bigger tank syndrome and I just want more room for fish/corals!
 
m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by big
" bigger tank syndrome" is a very costly disease for most all of us !

I'll agree. I started with a 12 gallon, 6 months later I started a 55 gallon, and now a year into the hobby I'm planning a 180 gallon - of course, by the time I'm actually ready to implement, that size could grow....haha.
 
jesshika

jesshika

Member
I've been in the marine hobby for over 6 years, (since I was about 14) and I've gone through so many tanks and sizes. Probably about 7 tanks altogether from a 5 gallon to a 90. It was a mistake to get rid of everything though. I should have known I would want to keep fish again
 
natemd

natemd

Member
Yea, i have upgraded 3 times in 2 years however I can't until I move again because I live an old school house(1920's) that has been converted into apartments and I don't feel comfortable with anything bigger than my 47gal on the second floor. lol, Poor guy below me would love to have a clownfish flop down in his lap while he is setting on his couch watching tv
 
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