Scared about upgrading to a 75

[yearofthenick]

Hey guys. I've found myself less and less satisfied with my 20g High with HOB and have been wanting to get a tang or two. I've been debating about whether or not to upgrade just so I can accomodate a tang, and have thought about simply going up to a large nano, like a 28g Nano Cube or 34g RSM. I've had the RSM before and really enjoyed it, although I nearly got excommunicated from this forum for putting a hippo tang in it. Ironically enough, the promotional video for the red sea max had 3 medium sized yellow tangs in there, but reaming me for the wrong tang/tank ratio is another convo for another time.
To make a long story short, I found a 75g tank for sale on craigslist. It's a pretty sweet looking tank and a great price too. But to be honest, I don't know how willing I am to start dealing with plumbing to sumps/refugiums, extra power consumption, more expensive equipment.... all this for a hippo tang?
So do I have any alternatives? I hate that I'm using a HOB and all this peripheral stuff and really like the all-in-one designs that come from the RSM and JBJ's, but they're too small for tangs. I thought about getting the RSM 250, but they're friggin expensive for 66 gallons.
Anyone have any words of wisdom or comfort? I do love this hobby and don't want to get out of it, but if I can't have anything outside fo clowns and gobies, I may as well back out of it for a while.

 

[mecc]

I can't speak on the salt water side of the hobby ( working on getting my first salt tank setup) but for a freshwater hobbiest I can say this, If you are not sure about it due to extra costs involved I would say you may consider not jumping into a large tank right now. When I made the move to my 60 gallon (fresh) I wanted it so bad I could taste it. granted there is more cost on the salt side than fresh but I know that if you don't feel ready than hold off. I always told my friends that were interested in a tank that if they weren't ready or fully committed not to get one untill they knew that's what they wanted, not so much for the sake of turning down a new hobbiest, but for the sake of the animals that will be housed in the tank. I don't know if this will help but I would hate to see you get the tank then 6 months later really not into it.
I would think about it greatly if it was me.
you may consider buying what you need in small parts until you have what you need if cost is an issue. That's what I did with my 60 Got the tank and stand first so that made me visualize my goal more, then picked up the substrate and filters, then the lights, then my heaters and some decorations. next thing I knew I had a tank up and running been that way for 2 almost 3 years now.

 

[lil.guppy]

If you have done all your research and found EXACTLY what products and brands you want to use and have the money for these products set aside, then I would say go for it!

 

[spanko]

I say turn the 75 into an AIO.

 

[truperc]

I agree with Spanko. Convert the tank, if you prefer to have an AIO

 

[robertmathern]

I say if the tank is as sweet as you say it is and I am sure it is buy it. Slowly get the best equipment you can for it then over time set it up and go from there. You have a tank so you can go for a while with what you have and slowly build up a tank that way its not a huge hit on the wallet all at one time. Honestly everyone is scared about how to plumb there systems but from the few tanks I have built up now I can say plumbing is the funnest part of the tank build. To make the tank exactly how you want it. I am sure you have done your research to now what you need and how it works. And if not we will see more questions. But trust haveing a tang is what made me build my 180 and I am so glad I did and I dont even have a tang in there (I did but it died RIP

) but if you dint shoot for it you will always kick yourself everytime you walk into a LFS and see that tang that you could of had if you just had a bigger tank.

 

[yearofthenick]

Originally Posted by TruPerc
http:///forum/post/3163646
I agree with Spanko. Convert the tank, if you prefer to have an AIO
Well it has it's own overflow. I think it's a 75g reef ready - center overflow.
I think my biggest problem right now is that I can't seem to keep my tank balanced. Even though I have an aquaclear 70 and a Koralia 1, I still think it needs more flow. Because it's an aquaclear, it doesn't have a proper filter pad and as a result, all the crap gets caught in the sponge filter and leeches nitrates. Unless I clean it on a bi-weekly basis, it starts to get ugly. I don't feed much (1/3 cube frozen mysis once a day) for two clowns and a sixline. I also have a spotted mandarin in there that eats the mysis. Everyone is happy, fat and healthy, but my corals don't do so well. Again, I think it's because of poor flow and nitrates.
And if I took this same DIY mindset on my 20g and applied it to a 75g, It could be even worse. I don't know how strong of a pump to get. I don't know how to factor in pipe height to compensate for flow loss. Worst of all, I don't know if I want to tear everything apart whenever I want to clean.
That's why I'm thinking an all-in-one would be better because it's been pre-designed to work. If I want more flow, I just throw the koralia 1 in there. If I want to give it a good clean, I don't have to worry about moving pipes and unscrewing things - it's all self-contained.
At the same time, I don't have the cash to put down on a RSM 250. There's a special deal going on 28g JBJ's but I can't keep a tang in there.... or can I?
I'm thinking I'll get the 28g and move it to my office when I'm ready to get the RSM 250 for home.

 

[eric b 125]

things can get tricky with building your own tank, but that's half the fun: figuring things out. also, you get to design it, not some dude who's trying to figure out how to make the most $ for what is being sold. you've been on the forum long enough to know that any questions you come across get answered here. i started w/ a 55 and a month later i upgraded to a 125 because i wanted a tang. right now youre debating whether to make an upgrade of 75% or 375%. you are in a position where you have the upgrade bug, so IMO you might as well make it worth your time and go for a 75 gal that will accomodate more of what you want and keep you busy for a while longer before you get the itch again.

 

[aquaknight]

I know a 75gal seems huge compared to a 20g, just be careful and stock correctly (esp. with the limited tangs for a 75g).
We're waiting if not

 

[yearofthenick]

Haha thanks guys.
Well another cause for concern is the landlord. He's OK with my having a fish tank, and although we've never discussed how large of a tank I can have, I've got a good feeling that asking him to upgrade to a 75g just isn't going to fly.
I'm getting really excited to have my little 28g. I KNOW I'm going to upgrade, and have been wanting a tank for my office, so I think I'll get the 28g nano cube for now and when I move into a larger place (or hopefully buy my own house - this economy is best if you can swing a loan) then I'll get myself something big... preferrably bigger than a 75. Ideally I'd like to get a 120 or a 180. I used to have a 120 made by aqueon and it was perfect.
I think this is the best route to go, guys. Thanks for helping me work this out!!!