75 gallon vs 120 Long

[Krystal907]

So I've been scouring craigslist and found a 75 gallon with fluval canister, canopy, everything I need (including fish that would need to be rehomed) for $350 or a 120 Long tank only for $400 that housed a lizard. I generally go with bigger is better, but 6' of tank seems so daunting! Should I go with the 75 or the 120?

[tomfromstlouis]

Well, duh.

I cannot say that bigger is ALWAYS better, but if that 120 holds water (you should check first) and you can afford to fit it out, you will not regret the bigger tank. When calculating the total cost, do not ignore a decent stand of some kind; a five (confirm this, probably not 6') footer needs a stable base.

That said, I have a 75 and its proportions can work well. Maybe you should tell us a bit more about what you want in the tank. Tall swords and angels might be better in the 75, but a large school of smaller fish or active swimmers would be awesome in the 120.

[Diana]

Is the 120 really an aquarium, not a reptile cage? I would not trust a glass box that was actually sold as a reptile habitat. Might not be built sturdily enough to hold water.

[Krystal907]

That is the tank. It says 6' and ~120 gallons. Honestly don't even know if it is still available since I havent called yet. Anyway, my dream has been to have a large school of cories and driftwood that comes down and looks like roots. I love plants, but I dont really know how I would want to plant it. I'd like to stick to the S. American vibe. Moss, chain swords, etc.

As for stand, it comes with an ugly plywood stand, but I could always put some nice panels and doors on it or build a new plywood stand myself. Lights will be another story. All the options are so expensive. It would take me a while to amass everything to get the tank I want, so I'd have to start with low tech, minimal filtration, and all the cheap plants I could find.

[Krystal907]

Never mind, it was sold.