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Reefing Radio – “Does Size Matter?”

Chris, Gareth, and James tackle one of the most common questions in reefing: what are the real differences between running a small tank and a large one? Inspired by a listener upgrading from a nano to a four-foot setup, we dig into the trade-offs between scale, cost, and enjoyment.

We cover:

• Stocking strategies – why small tanks highlight tiny fish & critters, while big tanks let you go big on tangs and foxfaces

• Aggression & space – does a larger tank really reduce conflict, or just give you more battles to manage?

• Coral growth – bonsai colonies vs basketball-sized torches, and how aesthetics shape your choices

• Maintenance – the speedboat vs oil tanker analogy: stability, water changes, and how much muscle it takes to shift 60 litres

• Equipment – what you can get away with second-hand, and why return pumps aren’t the place to cut corners

• The “perfect size” tank – from cubes to peninsulas, we each share where we’d land if we had to start again

From James flooding his kitchen to Gareth finally rehoming his foxface, it’s a wide-ranging chat packed with lessons learned and plenty of debate on whether bigger really is better.

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