wondering if it will be a good move to make...

[gpkozmp]

I currently have a 14 gal. Bio Cube that I purchased a little over a year ago and well I am having fun with it and I am starting to really enjoy the whole salt water experience. With that being said as you might already know I want bigger. I am do have a 29 gal. Freshwater tank and I was considering converting that tank into a saltwater tank. My question's are kind of a lot but it will all help me out:
1) Is it a good size to move into, without going to a huge 50 gal. or larger tank?
2) How many fish can I fit into a 29 gal tank?
3) Should I just bite the bullet and start saving up for a larger tank around the 70+ gallon range?
As of now that is all I can think of until I start getting things in place but I really appreciate anybodys help that can be given.
Greg

 

[eric b 125]

whats up greg, welcome to the boards! ask all the questions you want- that's what we do here. while going from a 14 biocube to a 29 you'll be essentially doubling your water volume, you'll have to buy all the equipment for it, too. there are a bunch of good deals on craigs list if you have the patience. i'm not sure if it's a pittsburgh thing, or if its just a general rule, but LFS around here sell tanks for $1 a gallon in december up to 75 gallons, and $1.25 a gallon for anything larger. that doesnt include the stand or reef ready tanks, but you could build a stand and buy an overflow kit from glassholes and save a ton. i vote to go as big as you can. find a size that fits your budget and house.

 

[oceandude]

I agree with the above. I say go bigger. You are going to later down the line anyway. We always do.

 

[gpkozmp]

Thanks guys and you are telling the truth I mean I do want to end up with like a 150 or so tank in the long run but at this time I don't have the budget to keep up with that size of a tank nor the money to buy that tank. I do look on criags list all the time and I am still searching for a deal. I do have an aquatic store here in Colorado that I talk too and they said that it is an okay idea to go with the 29 gal. I think that if I do that I will end up staying at that size for a good while. What fish would you guys recommend to put in a 29 gallon? Once again thank you for your help.

 

[oceandude]

Originally Posted by gpkozmp
http:///forum/post/3155865
Thanks guys and you are telling the truth I mean I do want to end up with like a 150 or so tank in the long run but at this time I don't have the budget to keep up with that size of a tank nor the money to buy that tank. I do look on criags list all the time and I am still searching for a deal. I do have an aquatic store here in Colorado that I talk too and they said that it is an okay idea to go with the 29 gal. I think that if I do that I will end up staying at that size for a good while. What fish would you guys recommend to put in a 29 gallon? Once again thank you for your help.
C/L is always a good way to find a tank. If you buy one from someone there do not be afraid to ask about treatment. Especially ask if copper was used. Regardless, always clean with vinegar. Always.

Kinda hard to give the advice on fishes and such without knowing what your goal is. Is it going to be FOWLR, mixed?
Either way, it's always fun to have a "build". To me it's rewarding.

 

[tjnitro]

Well i will tell you from the time i was a little kid i have had freshwater fish. I was given a 10 gallon saltwater tank with a couple of fish and all the equipment a while back. We had that for a while and decided we would like to have a piece of coral and more fish. The wife and i decided to upgrade tanks. We decided to make a 29 gallon tank. We did this and after the cycle we started adding stuff to it. We soon realized we were so limited on what we could put in the 29 that we have now purchased a 75 gallon tank that is almost done cycling. I know 75 is not huge but we could still fit it in our house (along with the 29 gallon and a few freshwater tanks). So too thought well 29 is allot bigger than the 10 but it wasn't when we got it set up. To be honest it was not that much more to get the 75 gallon tank than the 29. If i would have just bought the 75 right away i would have saved allot of money. This is just my opinion but thought i would tell my story.

 

[gpkozmp]

I am looking to get some nice fish, coral, and some nice rock setup in the tank but I have heard that 4 to 5 fish would be around the limit on a 29 gallon tank. I currently have: 1-Yellowtail Blue Damsel, 1-False Percula Clownfish, 1-Royal Gramma, some snails both turbo, zebra, and the normal little ones, and some hermit crabs in there somewhere. The fish that interest me are: Emperor Angelfish, and a Blue Hippo Tang. Those are the reasonable fish I would like to add however there is always the wish list, lionfish and a large assortments of other fish, but like I said when I have the time and money for those I will get there.
As for building a tank I love doing it I mean my wife and I started with a little 5 gal. hex tank and then we bought the 29 gal. and then we bought a 10 when we moved for a freshwater angel that out grew the 5 and well then came the saltwater 14 gal. and then a turtle tank and to this day we have a freshwater 10 gal. and 29 gal, the turtle tank, and then the 14 gal saltwater. As you all know you always want bigger so we are getting there in due time.

 

[9supratt4]

I love you enthusiasm!! But unfortunately a 29 will no be big enough for any angel or a tang. You would need to go to at least 75 for a small Kole tang...maybe??
When I upgraded....I went from a 55 to a 180 that I found for sale from a local guy and I basically stole the tank!! If I were you, take your time, figure out what will fit in your house and go as big as possible. Sure, it will cost more up front, but I also feel that larger tanks take less maintenance because there is such a larger water volume. Something goes crazy in a 29 it will affect the tank a lot more than the same thing happening in a 75.

 

[gpkozmp]

yeah that is what I heard and the place I shop at told me that if I were to get a larger tank it would be cheaper on me maintence wise than if I went with a smaller tank. Right now in my 14 gal I am changing water every week and a half or so. So with that being said I am still looking online to see what kind of a deal I can find and I know a while ago I found a few people in my area looking to get rid of like 70 and up gallon tanks and well it wasn't in my budget. But as of now I am still searching. I first got into the saltwater when I saw a friends uncle's tank that was about 400 gallons and well he had a system on it that he didn't have to clean it, all he had to do was change the filter's I think monthly or so and even so he had the money to pay someone to come do that for him. It was just a beautiful tank and from then on I have always wanted one. I told my wife that we were going to take the floor out and have a huge fish tank for a floor. She wasn't thrilled about it so when I finish my basement it might be have a built in tank, we will see.