reef sizes

travisginger13

travisginger13

Member
i am looking to up a new reef tank and i was wondering what is the best size and dimensions for a reef tank. and a skimmer to go with it. please give your input.
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
that really depends on how much space you have an how much you are willing to spend, there is no trully perfect size, it also depends on what fish you are wanting to keep in your reef tank
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
well, if I were going to do it again, I would start with a 20 or 30 long. Reef tanks are always better shorter then taller. More light can reach the corals.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
I would decide 1rst based on the type of fish you desire to keep. Befor you worry about specific dimensions you have to decide if you want tangs or anthias that require larger tanks or reef fish that dont particularly require a lot of room. I cant recommend any specifics as far as gallons but if you dont have ANY general idea of a size in mind. you dont want something too small because smaller volumes are harder to keep stable and you dont want anything too big because the maintenance, complexity and expense. thats just a generalization (nothing wrong with nano's and huge tanks are awsome as well). something in the 65-90g I would consider medium sized.
As far as dimensions DEPTH (front to back) make reefs look awsome but can take a lot of rock to pull off. cubes or partial cubes are great for this (something like 36l"x36d"x24"h would be nice). Corner tanks also pull off the depth well. these are just personal preferences though. Some people prefer long tanks. keep in mind shallow tanks are easier to light and longer tanks are better for fish that require swimming room.
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
longer an wider is always good, a 40g breeder is a nice size, not so tall that u gotta go over board for lights, same with the length, an its a nice width, overall, a very nice tank
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
personally, I don't like 55 gallons. They're not wide enough at the base. Can't really stack rocks just right to get the desired affect. Though, many people start with a 55gallon when they first get into the hobby.
 
travisginger13

travisginger13

Member
yeah i got it more for the fowlr side, but now we are moving and the wife wants to do more reef this time. i think maybe a 50 breeder is what we might go with. still looking though.
 
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