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Will getting a bigger tank scratch the itch?

aharries

aharries

New Member
Joined
5 Nov 2020
Messages
7
Location
Northwich, UK
Hi all,



Been keeping fish for a few years now and I know it can (has) become a bit addictive. Once I've completed a project I almost immediately want to start another one.



I've been trying to reflect on my attitude towards this hobby with a view to discovering the true motivations driving me to set up new tanks. Certainly, I do enjoy sitting and watching my fish etc. but I think the part I like best is planning a new project with all the research, learning, decision-making and tinkering that's involved, along with the anticipation of something new.



Maybe the itch will never really go away no matter how much I scratch it?



Which brings me on to my question...



I'm currently feeling an urge to set up a large planted tank in the order of 6 feet. I've never gone anywhere near that big before but I do have room for it.



I'd like to hear from others who have already gone down this path of getting a much larger tank. Why did you do it? Did it give you the satisfaction you hoped for? Was it a huge mistake? Did it finally scratch the itch?



Looking forward to hearing from you.



Best,

Adam.
 
I've always been a fish first aquarium keeper so I'm not sure how much my experience applies. I had multi tank syndrome, getting new fish, new environments and then a new tank to do it again. A 5 foot tank didn't scratch that itch. It made me not feel it for longer. Getting a tank up and running and established took longer as I could add things slowly over time. As things develop and change replanning the tank scratches the itch for a while.

I had to change my attitude to fish keeping to scratch the itch. Focus on balanced environments and developing community within the tank. And even so I have a plan for a 6 foot tank with my first sump rolling around in my head with a tiger barb community.
 
In my experience no. I’ve had so many tanks just over the past couple of years, because I too enjoy the setting up and planning part more.
If I had the space too, I’d probably just keep two 60cm tanks. Set one up, let it grow out and then start setting up the other.
Then I can tear one down, re do it and so on.
 
I think this is a really interesting question. I tend to agree with what has been said so far. A bigger tank helps a little (although I have never gone as big as 6 ft) because it extends the set up period. Once established, though, I still found myself setting up little side projects. I think the comment from @LightingBamboozled is important as this can certainly keep the interest in a particular set up going longer
 
aharries said:
Hi all,



Been keeping fish for a few years now and I know it can (has) become a bit addictive. Once I've completed a project I almost immediately want to start another one.



I've been trying to reflect on my attitude towards this hobby with a view to discovering the true motivations driving me to set up new tanks. Certainly, I do enjoy sitting and watching my fish etc. but I think the part I like best is planning a new project with all the research, learning, decision-making and tinkering that's involved, along with the anticipation of something new.



Maybe the itch will never really go away no matter how much I scratch it?



Which brings me on to my question...



I'm currently feeling an urge to set up a large planted tank in the order of 6 feet. I've never gone anywhere near that big before but I do have room for it.



I'd like to hear from others who have already gone down this path of getting a much larger tank. Why did you do it? Did it give you the satisfaction you hoped for? Was it a huge mistake? Did it finally scratch the itch?



Looking forward to hearing from you.



Best,

Adam.
Click to expand...

I don't think you are ever able to scratch that particular itch, all you can ever do it manage the symptoms.

I've recently set-up my long term dream 1500mm tank (here) - I probably would have liked to go bigger if I'd had space, maybe 2000-2400mm but the current size is eminently manageable.

Did it scratch that long standing itch. In a way yes, with smaller tanks I always felt so restricted in terms of creating a large area for the fish (I'm all about the fish like @LightingBamboozled), but this tank gets me a lot of the way there. I get more pleasure from this new tank than I have over any previous ones, I could sit and watch it for hours if I had them spare.

But it doesn't scratch the itch completely - so then it's about managing the symptom of the itch, and the solution for me to have a smaller tank that I can experiment with, set-up and breakdown on a whim, and even if its left empty for 6 months whilst I plan the next rescape, it doesn't really matter as I still have the main tank to enjoy, so the pressure is off.
 
I have a five foot tank and it didn’t scratch the itch. All it made me want to do was set up something even larger. However I’m much more interested in fish than plants.

If I’m honest I don’t think I’d ever be satisfied. It’d have to take something like me winning the lottery and setting up a massive dedicated fish room to fully satisfy me unfortunately.
 
aharries said:
I'd like to hear from others
Click to expand...
I think it depends on your mental attitude.
I'd say that most hobbyists are impatient. That's why they employ CO2 injection, high-energy approach, and tend to dismantle and re-establish tanks in relatively short sequence. Every day another miracle. I could argue that the purpose of constructing a house is not the construction process itself but residing and living in the final product. It's not made to strike as elegant at the first sight but to provide comfortable living space. And that you may verify only in time. ... I could gather many more arguments.
But this is not a matter to be solved by rational arguments. This is a hobby, a fun, and whatever approach fits your standpoint and brings you pleasure is permitted (with obvious limitations).
 
Wookii said:
Oh god yeah . . .

Day 1 . . . winning lottery ticket . . .

Day 2 . . .

View attachment 210564
Click to expand...
😂😂😂

I think I’d just pay aquarium design group in Texas to come over and set the whole thing up. MD fish tanks posted some videos showing their gallery and client tanks they have created. They’re amazing, but I dread to think how much they cost!
 
Conort2 said:
They’re amazing, but I dread to think how much they cost!
Click to expand...
Funny enough, some two decades ago I contemplated making such a business in the UK myself, being a cheap labor from the East.🙂
Life went another way, and that's only well. I could hardly win many customers considering my conservative, not "flashy" approach compared with fashionable designs. I couldn't betray my principles...
 
LightingBamboozled said:
I've always been a fish first aquarium keeper
Click to expand...
Likewise, but that's one of the reasons I'd like a much larger tank, because I'd see much more natural behaviour (or so I like to tell myself) from the fish. I keep livebearers, and occasionally see pacing from new fish, which I regret (they tend to settle down, thankfully, and fish raised from newborns in smaller tanks don't do it) and I'd love to see my tetras shoaling over a longer distance.
So, I have the itch, though my limit would be 120cm and I'd have to do some decluttering and reorganising even for that. I'm really curious to see the answers to your question!
 
I only have one small tank at the moment and I need (want) a bigger tank. Fortunately, I don’t have the space. From reading this thread, it looks as though that desire to have more continues when you get that dream tank.
 
I personally prefer having one big tank to put all of energy into than multiple medium/small tanks. I currently have an 8 foot 1200L tank at home. I also work with an 8 foot 3000L at my job. I definitely love bigger tanks. You can do much more with them, they are more immersive, and they just give a more impressive feeling than smaller tanks. I thought my 1200L had scratched my itch, until I started working with this 3000L. Now I want a tank like that one lol. I don't think I'd want something bigger just because things will eventually get too costly in terms of time and money. Ultimately, everyone is going to have a different sweet spot for the size tank that will scratch their itch.
 
It is an ambition to have a monster tank,but monster fish def not, but same as @Tankless no room and then the existing time and possible cost? Never know,if you see a three seater settee on eBay the decisions made😂
 
Thanks for the replies. Helped a lot.

I've decided to hold off on getting a bigger tank for now. Even though I technically have room for it, I think it would completely dominate my home office. If it were to get one it would go where these tanks are:

PXL_20230922_090028548.jpg

After reading some of the replies and further reflection, I don't think a bigger tank will scratch the itch.

I don't think there's any aspect of this hobby I don't enjoy - aquascaping, breeding, blackwater, dirtied, planted, iwagumi, biotope etc. etc. so my plan going forward is to lean into that even more and try everything. I'll keep the tank on the left (above) pretty much as it is and use the one on the right as my 'project tank'. I've currently got a female apistogramma in there looking after only two fry following my attempt at a breeding project. I'll either try another breeding project next, or maybe an iwagumi (which gives me the excuse to start playing around with CO2 and lighting systems).

I also have a third tank in my office (how many tanks before it's a 'fish room'?):

PXL_20230922_090013915.jpg

I've had this tank for years and have had several set-ups in it. Since I've set it up in this location it's been getting algae due to the sunlight from the windows to the left and right. I might try a set-up following the Walstad method in this tank, but I've only had this current set-up going for about a month, so I'll keep it going as is for now (maybe add a few Otocinlcus) as I quite like how it's coming along.
 
aharries said:
I've decided to hold off on getting a bigger tank for now. Even though I technically have room for it, I think it would completely dominate my home office. If it were to get one it would go where these tanks are:
Click to expand...

This is something I struggle with too; an aquarium had to fit and suit the space. It can’t be the largest thing in the room (for me) neither can it obstruct a space. I think nanos are lovely for this reason alone!
 
an aquarium had to fit and suit the space.
Click to expand...
In my country, most tanks are still custom made. They always fit exactly into a given space.
The drawback is that we don't get those fancy stickers like ADA, Fluval, and so on.
But the beginners who form majority of purchasing power are quickly changing the market profile towards mass-produced tanks... and everything.
 
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