Thoughts on best size and shape for a farm tank

[VJM]

Hi everyone, and Happy New Year!

I have realized that I really want/need a farm tank. It would be just for raising plants and babysitting plants for future scapes, as well as doing a very deep dive on learning how to grow plants successfully. I am planning on setting up a larger tank or two down the road, and I want to have my growing skills dialed in before I do.

I was thinking a 20 gallon long, but the 50 gallon (48x 24x 10) low boy looks intriguing.

Anyone have any thoughts as to the most rational size? I don’t want to get into a position where lighting and CO2 are difficult purely because of the size and shape of the tank.

 

[Unexpected]

Depends on how many plants you want to farm and how often you want to trim. 1 larger tank allows more plants and vice versa. Shallow tanks will require more frequent trimming.

I farm a 40 breeder and a standard 75. Obviously, the 75 can hold more plants. Cheap hydroponic specific lights are available and this is what I use. You would need to have a larger GPM pump, but there are great budget filters out there. And any DIY Yugang reactor is cheap.

 

[JayP]

I would definitely skip the 20 gallon. I started with a 20 tall and moved to a 40 breeder. I'm about to move up to a 60 breeder but haven't decided if I want to keep the 40 as well. I had used the 40 breeder farm to also house some fish and shrimp temporarily. The fish are now gone and I've rehomed some shrimp but eventually just want plants so I can push CO2 a little more without worry.

 

[VJM]

Definitely getting a “go big” vibe. Any feedback about a max height before lighting starts to get to be a pain?

 

[MKEnovice]

Wanted to revive this thread. Wondering if you went ahead with the Zoomed Low Boy? I am searching for a farm tank as well. Found a good deal on a rimless frag (36x18x8) on Facebook Marketplace but its only 8 inches tall. Love the look of the rimless but don't know if there is much difference in 8 vs 10 inches.
Also, how does one deal with humidity in the basement with these shallow tanks. Do you have dehumidifiers/hygrometers? Is there a specific relative humidity where wood starts to mold?

 

[Minorhero]

Wanted to revive this thread. Wondering if you went ahead with the Zoomed Low Boy? I am searching for a farm tank as well. Found a good deal on a rimless frag (36x18x8) on Facebook Marketplace but its only 8 inches tall. Love the look of the rimless but don't know if there is much difference in 8 vs 10 inches.
Also, how does one deal with humidity in the basement with these shallow tanks. Do you have dehumidifiers/hygrometers? Is there a specific relative humidity where wood starts to mold?

Mold is an issue of circulation and humidity both. If you have some air movement you will avoid most mold issues. That said, I absolutely keep a humidifier with a hose (Not a bucket) for an overflow running all spring/summer long and sometimes into fall / winter depending on how many tanks I have running. This changes a lot based on the basement as in another house, I didn't have this issue at all. But if you know you have a humidity issue currently sans tank, well another tank won't make it better.

I personally will never go under 10 inches in height for a tank ever again. The biggest issue is evaporation. During the winter its easy for me to get a 2 inch drop in water just from evaporation in a week. In taller tanks I barely notice it. In a shallow tank with 1.5 inches of substrate..... well you can do the math. Now imagine what happens when you go on vacation for 2 weeks.

 

[VJM]

I am in the midst of selling my house and moving, so tanks are getting shuffled around. I am going to revisit a farm tank in the new house, but am leaning towards just setting up something lightly aquascaped and having more plants/random plants.

 

[JayP]

I've opted for a used 75 rather than the 60 breeder so less frequent trimming. I wouldn't want a "short" tank for just that reason unless you're only farming front and midground plants.

 

[snowballs99]

20 gallon long would let u keep 2-3 stems of most plants you want. As well as less water volume to change weekly.

Are ur future tanks 5 gallons or 50 gallons?

 

[JayP]

20 gallon long would let u keep 2-3 stems of most plants you want. As well as less water volume to change weekly.

Are ur future tanks 5 gallons or 50 gallons?

Collectoritus is a real and serious condition.

 

[snowballs99]

Collectoritus is a real and serious condition.

I have collected enough bucephalandras to completely fill up a 20 gallon long + 15 gallon long. I have to find places to stick new stems.

The worst part... These buces aren't even in good condition, so most have barely grown out.

 

[BranchScape]

I have collected enough bucephalandras to completely fill up a 20 gallon long + 15 gallon long. I have to find places to stick new stems.

The worst part... These buces aren't even in good condition, so most have barely grown out.

I just want to say I am here for you and can help you lower your bucephalandra burden if you want.

Jokes aside how do you have so much if they haven't grown out? Did you order bulk online from Indonesia and still adapting it?

 

[snowballs99]

I just want to say I am here for you and can help you lower your bucephalandra burden if you want.

Jokes aside how do you have so much if they haven't grown out? Did you order bulk online from Indonesia and still adapting it?

Had them all in low tech caridina tanks.
Every few months they grow nice n bushy. Then I do something to melt 80% of the leaves and some stems.

This time I fed a mulberry leaf to my caridina shrimp. 3 days later all bucephalandras started melting hard and shedding leaves.

It was only buces. No other plant. All caridina shrimp were fine. Go figure

 

[BranchScape]

Had them all in low tech caridina tanks.
Every few months they grow nice n bushy. Then I do something to melt 80% of the leaves and some stems.

This time I fed a mulberry leaf to my caridina shrimp. 3 days later all bucephalandras started melting hard and shedding leaves.

It was only buces. No other plant. All caridina shrimp were fine. Go figure

That stinks. Had similar issues before. Buce are strange plants. some varieties seem bullet proof. Others melt when you look at them funny. I won't ever buy unknown varieties form a source like Daku now because of that. Great deal but total crapshoot.

 

[snowballs99]

That stinks. Had similar issues before. Buce are strange plants. some varieties seem bullet proof. Others melt when you look at them funny. I won't ever buy unknown varieties form a source like Daku now because of that. Great deal but total crapshoot.

I think I've made a post before.
80% of no name buces will look nearly identical when grown.

I've never seen buceplant post submersed versions of the species they been selling for years now lfmao. Ppl like the lotto feeling.

The ones with unique shapes or colors usually have specific trade names and a much higher price point. Etc, buce brownie ghost 2012 is a commonly known one.

 

[BranchScape]

I think I've made a post before.
80% of no name buces will look nearly identical when grown.

I've never seen buceplant post submersed versions of the species they been selling for years now lfmao. Ppl like the lotto feeling.

The ones with unique shapes or colors usually have specific trade names and a much higher price point. Etc, buce brownie ghost 2012 is a commonly known one.

Agreed on that. They do post submerged photos but not on their website which is lame just their insta.

I did just order a few trade marked/named varieties . I just bought Brownie Ghost 2012, Catherine. Kedagang and Green Godzilla to grow in my new tank. I love Green Godzilla it doesn't change at all when submerged and is just a chunky Buce.