Good first tank size

Assuming space is not an object, what is a good size tank to start with? Years ago, I bought a 55g tank and stand, and to this day it has never seen a drop of water.

As I've been reading up on this hobby, I've found that the tank I once thought was pretty big is actually considered small! Another issue (not a big one) is that the tank is tempered on all sides, so no drilling. Obviously can be remedied by using an overflow box.

My goal is to start out with FOWLR and eventually try my hand with some of the easier corals.

So should I shop around for a larger tank? Obviously, a 55g can be easily done, as I've seen others with even smaller tanks, but I'm just wondering about opinions on the matter since I could still potentially find a bigger tank if it's more beneficial.

 

40 gallon or bigger is good advice.

 

The bigger the better since your parameters will stay more stable with the greater water volume.

 

if space and money is not an issue.. i would go with a 150 or a 180..( if you can go bigger than that then by all means!!) those sizes are pretty much perfect because you can have a really wide selection of fish.
that many gallons will definitely allow you to have really stable parameters once your tank is cycled.

I personally love my 150G tank..

 

I agree with all the above if money is not an issue go big and 150 is nice. If you go small and really like the hobby then you will find yourself wanting to upgrade which would mean upgrading all the other stuff and spending a lot more. go with 150 and you should be happy for many years to come.

 

One of the reasons I ask, is that I was planning to do a sump and a protein skimmer, and something I just read said that a sump on 50g and smaller is almost unheard of and a skimmer is not really necessary on a 50g provided water changes are regular.

 

Use what ya got. Bigger may be "better" but it's way more pricey too. I started with a 10 gallon and at times it's probably a little more work, but it's not too bad. Just keep up with water changes and use a quality salt. once every 2-2.5 weeks works for me. I don't over stock or feed. I don't skim. I don't have a sump. Everything is fine. My corals are GREAT actually. I only have a few softies and LPS but they are growing like mad. I have a 40 breeder that I just setup and I think the dimensions are awesome. It's just like a bigger tank but on a smaller scale. One bad thing about the breeders though....you have to make your own stand and canopy because it's kind of an uncommon footprint among the smaller tanks.

 

Those statements couldnt be more untrue. I've seen several people with 10 gallon tanks that have 10 gallon sumps. And there are tons of opinions and variables about skimmers being necessary.

The 55 gallon is okay, but it makes setting up your rockwork difficult since its only 13 inches deep. And it sounds like you are wanting to do this right and set it up with a sump which is great. For this reason, I suggest selling the 55 just for the fact that it is tempered, and I'm not a fan of HOB overflow boxes. You would be alot happier with a drilled tank and a good overflow system that is reliable and quiet.

A 75 gallon or 90 gallon tank IMO is a good size to start with. I would've loved to have either of these, but I just could not fit a 4 foot tank in my living room, so I had to stick with a 3 foot tank.

 

I highly recommend a 90 if that fits in your budget/space. Great in-between size...allows more fish options than anything smaller (90 seems to be one of the break-over points), isn't as hard on the power bill, lots of stand/equipment options, large enough to have stability (though, obviously the larger, the better), taller tanks are a little more difficult in terms of lighting, aquascaping, maintenance, etc.

Lighting and rock (esp. if you go live) can really get expensive as you go larger.

You could even use your 55 as a sump/fuge in the right stand.

That said, if your budget allows for larger...all the better.

 

Go w/ the biggest you can afford(after researching all the cost that go w/ upkeep) because you'll look back and say "I wish I had got a bigger tank."