Should I get a 180g or 210g reef tank?

Discussion in 'Fish Tank Brands and Kits' started by marlinman, Apr 2, 2009.

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  1. marlinman

    marlinman Zoanthid

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    Well, I bought a stand and canopy today that I've been looking at. It's the R & J Aquatics Extreme series in honey oak color, it could easily be confused with finished oak. I noticed that my lfs had recently optained about 6 of these in various sizes in stock. I had sent an email to Aquarium Cabinets Stands Canopies
    They told me it came in 6 colors but I actually liked the honey oak. When I asked the owner if I could get one in black she said that it would cost about $1100 because all the stands and canopies had come from a store that went out of business and she got a killer deal so I jumped on the one on the floor for $699. Now I still haven't fully decided on whether to get a 180 gal or 210 gal tank?:-/ I do know I trust All Glass as I have a 120 from them and I've had a 150 in the past. Your talking some serious water here so I gave up on the Perfecto 220 because it was 30" high. The 180 is 25" high and the 210 is 29" high. With a reef, corals can fall off the rocks with snails as the culprits. Believe it or not that 30" is just a hair too tall for me. The only thing is the 15" canopy could tend to overwhelm a short tank. So now the deliberation begins and I will consider which way to go. I ordered an 8 x 24W 23" T5 retrofit kit from my buddy at www.buildyouraquarium.com and I ordered identical new bulbs from the www.reefgeek.com to match my 8 x 54W 47" retrofit kit. The canopy is huge! 15" high. It's really designed for metal halides but I'm a T5 guy. I'm going to build a shelf and attach the lights to a sheet of 1/2" plywood and make it so it can slide forward and back. This way I can push the lights out of my way when I'm working on the tank plus it keeps the heat away from the top so it doesn't warp. I may still get a MH anyway but only if I feel it's necessary. I'll post pictures as I move along on this project.
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2009
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  3. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    Id be more than happy with either option marlinman - when tanks of that size are in question is a whole new game , if someone asked should I get a 20 or a 40 - Id say "go for the 40"
    but 180 - 220 - either would be awesome
     
  4. marlinman

    marlinman Zoanthid

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    I think my fish would like the 210 with the 29" height but my corals may prefer the 180 with the 25" height. We'll see, decision time is coming soon.
     
  5. Stingray

    Stingray Blue Ringed Angel

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    220, if you got the space and time and money, go for it...
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2009
  6. lunatik_69

    lunatik_69 Giant Squid

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    I agree. Not much of a difference between the two, only that the bigger you go, the more expensive it gets. If you really love the hobby, have the time and money is not a problem, go for the 220. As far as the lighting, (3) 400w MH should do the trick(if not more). You could always PM Otty, who has a 265g tank, for advice. Keep in mind that Otty is filthy rich and only buys high-end equipment. If you like all the bells and whistles, get ready to spend anywhere between $5000-$10,000. I have a 145g system and I think its save to say that I've dropped at least $3000-$5000 in the whole all ready. Good luck with whatever you choose and keep us posted.....................with pics ...........of course.



    [SCROLL]Luna;D[/SCROLL]
     
  7. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

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    Not much difference in the two tank sizes, however, I would definitely go with 400 watt halides to grow corals, clams and other light loving animals!!!!! T-5's with that deep a tank would not be as advantageous as the halides, in my opinion!
     
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  9. nctinter

    nctinter Skunk Shrimp

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    Tough call. I have been in that situation. I have a 29" tall also and wish sometimes I had the shorter tank. But I do love the way the height looks. It can be a pain to reach things and more lighting is needed if you want to keep some corals. I think my fish love it though. I found a 135g on craigslist drilled on one end for $300. I thought about pickin up and making it a peninsula just for corals and make my tall tank fowlr. Sorry, I know, not much help
     
  10. Av8Bluewater

    Av8Bluewater Giant Squid

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    I don't think I would want bigger than my 180 unless it would be longer. Im 6' 2" and can barely reach the bottom.
     
  11. yumareef

    yumareef Astrea Snail

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    My tank is 24in deep and I can barely reach everything. I would not want a deeper tank, but that's just me
     
  12. PackLeader

    PackLeader Giant Squid

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    At that size, might as well go for the bigger one, but it's really up to you. I agree with above poster's, T5's are not going to cut it with that size tank being a reef. You could probably get by with 250W's on the 180, being that it would only be 25" tall. But would still need a chiller if your going to run that canopy.