display tank, maximum size you're comfortable with

[Pier Pressure]

Great topic. After having two 150 gallon aquariums blow out their silicone eleven months apart, I have to say I am happy enough with the 28 gallon. If the entire thing explodes it will not dump more water on the floor than what we lost out of the 150s. See we got ones that we believe were too tall and the silicone just did not stand a chance. Took it back to the store the first time and they would not refund my cash, they only replaced the aquarium. When it exploded again, they did manage to give me 100% cash back.

We were home both times (thank God) and managed to save the fish and start siphoning from the top, and using buckets to empty the tanks before the water could hit the floor. About eight hours of maintenance each time, and that did not get the big tanks out of the basement and back into the truck to go back to the store. If we had not been home or realized what was happening so fast, our house which we own might have had to be declared a disaster area. I cannot imagine how awful that would have been if we were on holidays or at work.

So though I love the looks of the big tanks and love to provide fish with a ton of room to swim and live, we decided it is just not worth it. Still love the hobby - just going to keep going with a smaller tank!

[KrazyKuch]

We have a 180Gal now and are planning a 700Gal for out basement which we should be starting in the near future.......We would have gone bigger had we had room for anything bigger!!!

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Pier Pressure

Great topic. After having two 150 gallon aquariums blow out their silicone eleven months apart, I have to say I am happy enough with the 28 gallon. If the entire thing explodes it will not dump more water on the floor than what we lost out of the 150s. See we got ones that we believe were too tall and the silicone just did not stand a chance. Took it back to the store the first time and they would not refund my cash, they only replaced the aquarium. When it exploded again, they did manage to give me 100% cash back.

We were home both times (thank God) and managed to save the fish and start siphoning from the top, and using buckets to empty the tanks before the water could hit the floor. About eight hours of maintenance each time, and that did not get the big tanks out of the basement and back into the truck to go back to the store. If we had not been home or realized what was happening so fast, our house which we own might have had to be declared a disaster area. I cannot imagine how awful that would have been if we were on holidays or at work.

So though I love the looks of the big tanks and love to provide fish with a ton of room to swim and live, we decided it is just not worth it. Still love the hobby - just going to keep going with a smaller tank!

This is why I love shallow tanks! Well one of the reasons...aesthetically I prefer long and shallow plus thats much easier to light.

My brother had a tall tank also fail. It cracked right down the middle back pane of glass. Eurobraced and everything but still was not enough. I think it was 6'x24"wide and 30" tall if I remember correctly. That was a while ago when he still loved here in Vancouver...maybe 6 years back.

[fiorano]

im running a 125 gallon with a 40 gallon sump. i used to have a 135 gallon but the silicone let go and all the water leaked onto the floor except maybe the bottom 4 inches. no fish were lost though

[Parker]

I do and I don't wish I went bigger. When the tank was sitting in the basement on it's own it looked huge now that the cabinetry is in it looks a lot smaller. I'm right on the edge of what I feel I could maintain day in and day out.

[untamed]

Two years into running my 400 gallon, and I think I would have been completely comfortable running 6' x 6' instead of 6' x 4' (600 gallons instead of 400 gallons). It would not make any significant difference to the maintenance. That's my biggest regret actually.

[Frenchie]

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

This is why I love shallow tanks! Well one of the reasons...aesthetically I prefer long and shallow plus thats much easier to light.

My brother had a tall tank also fail. It cracked right down the middle back pane of glass. Eurobraced and everything but still was not enough. I think it was 6'x24"wide and 30" tall if I remember correctly. That was a while ago when he still loved here in Vancouver...maybe 6 years back.

Oh great you just exactly described my tank... now I'm going to lay awake every night dreading this. LOL, I hope mine is made better.

[mseepman]

Living with a 70 and a 16g right now but working on plans for a new house and a 280g

[c me fish]

Have a 37g corner in the home office right now, but going to set up a 120 sometime this year... can't wait for the tax refund! That's about as big as it's going to get for a long time.

[ILIKECOUGARS]

Started with a 38 gal. then upgraded to a 150 gal. with a 50 gal. sump. Now I wish I had gone bigger.