Why small tanks?

[HappyGuppy]

I'm not sure exactly where this would have been most appropriate to post, but I think here should be acceptable.

It is funny but recently I have explained this issue to a few people.  I figure I'll just post my reasons why here and can just point to it if need be later, and for others to better understand.  I find it interesting that spontaneously this topic came up independently a few times recently.

Why are my tanks small?

There are two reasons why for the past few years most of my tanks have been fairly small.  But that is on the cusp of change too, which I'll explain.

I've owned larger tanks, but I sold them off years ago as I realized that I couldn't really have them.  See, I've got young kids.  I decided that it was simply too dangerous to have large display tanks in main living areas.  Think topple, electrocution, glass shards, and indoor tsunami.

Just recently I've upgraded the fish tank in the kids' play room from a small 5g acrylic tank to a larger glass one.  That was a bit of a hard swallow, but I think they now understand what to do & not to do with the glass tank (like, don't break it!!!).  With that accomplishment I am now seriously contemplating a 40g long or 55g tank in the living room; will custom build stand bolted to the wall, and pray that nothing ever happens to the glass.  Perhaps I'm over paranoid... but then again I've seen how my kids play.  However I am feeling a sense of trust growing as they mature too.

So over the years I tucked multiple tanks in various nooks & crannies in my home, most notably the basement and my office.  I managed a couple mid sized things (30 to 40g) but most were smaller. 

I discovered a benefit to the smaller tanks though.  You could try more of various things.  A large tank is certainly cool indeed, but you are locked into one theme or usage.  Multiple smaller let you have more fun - like breed things, try different aquascapes, keep incompatible stuff, line breed, and even different water parameters (freshwater, brackish, marine, greenwater).

My son, 6 years old, is already afflicted with MTS and is bugging me to buy 3 large tanks now.  He is having a bit of an affect upon me.  Furthermore i would like to have one larger tank as my kids are getting older.  However I must say that I do like small tanks too for the reasons I've mentioned above, so I do intend to work with 10 & 20g tanks for a while yet.

So there you have it.  For anyone who ever wondered why I don't have bigger tanks now you understand why. 

[Fishnut]

I have both

I have a 72 in the living room, a 30 in my son's room, a 20 in my office (soon to be upgraded to a 40) and a 15 gallon in my husband's office.  In the basement is the 180 gallon and my rack of 5 - 10 gallons.

I know every kid is different, but my son has been taught from the start that tanks can be touched but not banged.  We also have certain soft items that we encourage him to throw around, while teaching him what items are not appropriate to throw. It seems to be working because he doesn't bang the tanks at all but there are plenty of gooey finger prints for me to wash off on a regular basis.  Since he's so careful around the tanks, the fish aren't scared off by his hand.  He loves it when they swim up to his finger!

Kids are smart!  If you really want a big tank, go for it!

[HappyGuppy]

Kids are smart!  If you really want a big tank, go for it!

Twist my rubber arm   Just been cruising kijiji.  Would love to find a 4 foot wide tank with hood.  Even a 3 foot for now.

The tanks the kids currently have (big one in play room and tiny tanks in bedrooms) are showing me that I might indeed be able to trust them... though I do keep a micro-cloth for cleaning the glass above the tank for sticky fingers too.

Oh the joy the joy the joy of possibly enjoying a bigger tank!

[Nerine]

I was raised in a house full of tubs and tanks of water and all sizes!! and yes every child is different!! But I think children who are raised in homes who have tanks have much more respect for them when they are out in public too (nothin worse than seeing a child banging on the glass at a public aquarium)!! My son has a 20, 2 5's and a 10 in his room and buckets on the floor eek haha and I just snuck a 20 g into the first living room ...soooo

My mother in law is very worried that my 55 will fall over, or that the 20's and the 5s will topple, I am actually more worried about the small tanks doing damage as they are just that, small and if I can budge it, well could a child do the same? But I think now that she's been around my 2 year old, she realizes the respect he has for the tanks, yes we still keep an eye on him, children can get silly at times and climb on the furniture or throw something!

I'm glad you're upgrading!! It's so much fun to have the big tanks!! You're smart thinking of the little ones first! I'm glad your little guy is into the hobby as well

[robt18]

Small tanks are for breeding, big ones are for display (mostly).

My bigs are 120, 110, 90, 55, 40... all display, although my 55 is theoretically going to be a combined effort. My 5x29s, 4-5x20/15's and whatever else I need set up at the time are all breeding/grow out.

I'm itching to start my makeshift portable pond of my balcony this summer should be an adventure.

[HappyGuppy]

Rob, stop it already.  You're gonna dehydrate me from all my lost saliva drooling away!  I can't believe you have so many huge tanks!