What tank size would be better if i would like to start a reef tank?

Answer 1

The bigger the bettter,that's the rule

In the selection of a tank size, the basic premise is that a larger tank is way better than smaller ones. However, the site of the aquarium and your own budget must also be considered in the setting up of a tank.

There are four main advantages of big aquarium tanks, and these are:
1. A more stable system, as you can place more live rocks and filters.
2. A more unlikely thing for the water parameters to fluctuate.
3. A provision for more aesthetic purposes, and
4. Decline of water quality is gradual compared to smaller tanks.

Answer 2

As large as possible for the room you have available and your budget. Saltwater is a little different than keeping a freshwater tank. The fish are more aggressive/territorial, so they require more space. Most are fairly intolerant of poor water quality and rapid changes in the temperature, pH, salinity, etc. So the larger your tank, the more stable it will be because of the added volume of water.

My own first tank was a 29 gallon, and 30 is usually around the minimum recommended size. Even bigger would be better. I said I'd have to be able to keep the fish and inverts alive in the 29 for 6 months and do all the water changes and cleaning before I could get anything else. Well, by the time the 6 months was up, I was ready to move everything into a 55 I had, and I set up another saltwater tank. I now keep three of them. Larger tanks let you get larger species of fish, or more of smaller species. And you're going to find there are a lot of nice fish you'll want to try.

I would suggest you start by researching some fish that you like - either ones you see in stores, or from websites. Find out how compatible they would be, what their adult size is, and what the minimum tank size would be to keep them (some small and medium sized fish need lots of swimming room so the size of the fish may not always be a good indicator by itself). Once you get an idea of the fish you'd like that can go together, plan your tank size and equipment around that (and possibly go a little larger so you could expand).

Here are some websites where you can find info on the fish and saltwater tanks in general:
http://www.saltwaterfish.com/
http://www.peteducation.com/index.cfm?cls=16
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/

Good luck with your tank!

Answer 3

I'd say no less than a 55gallon. You want your fish to be able to have lots of room and coral in it. Plus its not that bad to clean and with salt water you need to be right on top of that. Also a 55g will only run you around 150 $ depending on where you get it. Walmart sells a decent 55g tank for that price. (Coral is very expensive, like 8-9 per lb.) Have fun with that project.

Answer 4

55 gallons is a good size to start with and they do run for about $100-$150, but then you have to buy live rock ($5.00 per lb.) and then fish that don't eat corals. I heard all puffers and triggers eat corals. OH yeah, then you have to buy a light. You need about 3 watts per gallon for soft coral and that should run you about $200.