40gal Breeder vs 55gal

[NanotankBank]

So a big tank debate I see is that people prefer the 40gal Breeder over a 55gal and I’m curious as to why. I hear it’s because the 40gal breeder has more width, so there is more surface area for bottom dwellers. And while that is true, after doing the math, a 40gal breeder has 648 sq inches of space as opposed to 624 in the 55gal. So yes, there is 24 sq inches more of space, but I find that when given more space, people place more decor or plants. So at the end of the day, is it really worth it to get a 40gal breeder that is less desirable to watch from the outside due to the lower height and short length? 
 

P.S. I understand sometimes if u have a big fish that needs room to turn, the 40gal is the better option 

[Cmike15]

My grandmother had the 55, it can be a tank for Discus although they usually need a 70-90 when they get big. The 40 breeder is better for plants and maintenance in my opinion. The 55 shows off schooling fish i think giving more swimming room back and forth. 

 

40 gallon Breeder

36" x 18" x 16"

58 lbs

458 lbs

 

55 gallon

48" x 13" x 21"

78 lbs

625 lbs

I read this site, https://aquariumfishcity.com/40-breeder-vs-55-gallon/ after writing the above. It might help give more viewpoints. growing up i liked 10's, 20L's, 55's but i kept hearing others say how they liked 40B's so it's up to you. The 40 is usually cheaper.

 

[Maximus]

I had a similar dilemma when choosing a tank, and I went with the 55. It's been pretty straight forward to plant and decorate generously while allowing for plenty of floor space for bottom dwellers, it just took planning. For instance, I use a lot of moneywort and vallisneria in the very back. It grows tall and doesn't take up a lot of space in the substrate. The driftwood I put in there comes straight up and then curves out so that it consumes more vertical area than horizontal. I have 6 Kuhli Loaches that are barely noticeable when it comes to taking up space... I might go and get a couple more. There are also 7 Sterbai Cory "down there", but really they come up the sides of the tank all the time to play in the HOB's current and up into the moneywort, but they do rest on the very bottom.

 

I guess my point is that you can select plants/decor/fish that all play to the dimensions of whatever tank size you choose. Nothing wrong with a 40 or 55.

Edited March 30, 2023 by Maximus

[nabokovfan87]

On 3/30/2023 at 4:45 PM, Cmike15 said:

My grandmother had the 55, it can be a tank for Discus although they usually need a 70-90 when they get big. The 40 breeder is better for plants and maintenance in my opinion. The 55 shows off schooling fish i think giving more swimming room back and forth. 

 

40 gallon Breeder

36" x 18" x 16"

58 lbs

458 lbs

 

55 gallon

48" x 13" x 21"

78 lbs

625 lbs

I read this site, https://aquariumfishcity.com/40-breeder-vs-55-gallon/ after writing the above. It might help give more viewpoints. growing up i liked 10's, 20L's, 55's but i kept hearing others say how they liked 40B's so it's up to you. The 40 is usually cheaper.

A 40B is essentially (not exactly) a 3 foot long 75G tank.  It's a bit deeper, not quite the same depth, but the advantage for both the 75G and the 40B is that you have a ton of room front to back.  The added room is nice if you want larger size fish that need room to turn around.  Even 4 inch or larger fish, personally I tend to want to have room for them to get around hardscape, for the hardscape itself, and turn without much issues.  This also dramatically changes how your filtration performs and impacts the substrate.

A 55G is going to be ever so slightly taller, so if you don't want your shoulders wet, it's something to consider.  It's a tall tank, but I eventually changed out my 55G community tank with one that had more room front to back.  The fish I had all should've been very happy with how the setup long term, but it was a situation where I wasn't.  Trying to fill the vertical space can be challenging if you're not expecting to.  Taller stems, substrate height, and hardscape can be great ways to handle the vertical challenge.  Having a longer tank 3-4 foot long is really nice if you've only ever had something 20L or smaller previously.  It's much more cinematic looking at the tank!  That is definitely one of the advantages if you have a particular scape in mind for a 4 foot long tank.

If you can walk into a shop and see both, pretend like you're doing maintenance or something and give yourself a feel for how the tanks are to work in.

Best of luck deciding @NanotankBank !

 

On 3/30/2023 at 3:32 PM, NanotankBank said:

a 40gal breeder has 648 sq inches of space as opposed to 624 in the 55gal.

Ultimately the math is similar, but it's very different in terms of feel and use of space.  Think of it like sitting at a table and using a stool vs. using a bench.  With the bench you are able to move around a bit easier left to right.  With the stool, you have to be careful not to tip over (tall stool in this case) and movement is much more constrained.  Ultimately, one tank is about 25% longer than the other, but you're also looking at ~33% shallower (front to back).

[NanotankBank]

On 3/30/2023 at 8:44 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

A 40B is essentially (not exactly) a 3 foot long 75G tank.  It's a bit deeper, not quite the same depth, but the advantage for both the 75G and the 40B is that you have a ton of room front to back.  The added room is nice if you want larger size fish that need room to turn around.  Even 4 inch or larger fish, personally I tend to want to have room for them to get around hardscape, for the hardscape itself, and turn without much issues.  This also dramatically changes how your filtration performs and impacts the substrate.

A 55G is going to be ever so slightly taller, so if you don't want your shoulders wet, it's something to consider.  It's a tall tank, but I eventually changed out my 55G community tank with one that had more room front to back.  The fish I had all should've been very happy with how the setup long term, but it was a situation where I wasn't.  Trying to fill the vertical space can be challenging if you're not expecting to.  Taller stems, substrate height, and hardscape can be great ways to handle the vertical challenge.  Having a longer tank 3-4 foot long is really nice if you've only ever had something 20L or smaller previously.  It's much more cinematic looking at the tank!  That is definitely one of the advantages if you have a particular scape in mind for a 4 foot long tank.

If you can walk into a shop and see both, pretend like you're doing maintenance or something and give yourself a feel for how the tanks are to work in.

Best of luck deciding @NanotankBank !

 

Ultimately the math is similar, but it's very different in terms of feel and use of space.  Think of it like sitting at a table and using a stool vs. using a bench.  With the bench you are able to move around a bit easier left to right.  With the stool, you have to be careful not to tip over (tall stool in this case) and movement is much more constrained.  Ultimately, one tank is about 25% longer than the other, but you're also looking at ~33% shallower (front to back).

Being 6’4” with arms almost too long, I don’t need to worry about maintenance. I think the smart move is take the best of both worlds and get a 75G 😂

[Ninjoma]

Another option to consider is a 65g tank. It is the same footprint as the 40breeder, but taller. 

[Scapexghost]

It really depends of what you want to stock. If i was doing angels, id rather have the 55

[anewbie]

For myself the 55 is a horrible aquarium; it is too tall; and not wide enough. I like the 40B; 65; and 75 depending on needs. If you have tall fishes (angels for example) you want at least 18 inch height; taller depending on species. 18 inch is a good target for min. width for larger (> 29) aquariums. This of course is a matter of personal taste as lots of people love 55. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 3/30/2023 at 7:06 PM, NanotankBank said:

Being 6’4” with arms almost too long, I don’t need to worry about maintenance. I think the smart move is take the best of both worlds and get a 75G 😂

When I looked at the cost of the 55G on sale compared to a 75G on sale.... Yeah I had to get a stand again 😞 

I use the old one as a set of shelves, but it's very much worth the extra $40 or so to get the bigger one for me. Can't recommend it enough.

Just make sure your floor situation is fine. Cement floor you should be able to handle pretty much everything 75G and under, but definitely do the research in terms of that.

 

On 3/30/2023 at 8:10 PM, anewbie said:

For myself the 55 is a horrible aquarium; it is too tall; and not wide enough. I like the 40B; 65; and 75 depending on needs. If you have tall fishes (angels for example) you want at least 18 inch height; taller depending on species. 18 inch is a good target for min. width for larger (> 29) aquariums. This of course is a matter of personal taste as lots of people love 55. 

I can't wait to use my 55G stand for a 30L.... one day.  Very much agreed to this ^^

[Maximus]

I also agree with the people taking issue with the 55's height. I'm 6'2" and have long skinny arms that should be perfect for working in a tall tank, but I struggle sometimes when I need to do anything in the substrate. Sounds like you may be a bit bigger, so might not be an issue for you, but still something to think about. At times, it has less to do with just getting the arm down there, and more to do with how it's difficult to do that plus see the bottom clearly at the same time. 

[PaleoShrimp]

I have a 55 gal that I got a great deal on. Im 6’4” as well and I don’t find working in it a problem (this also depends on the height of your stand). I really love it!  I only have cherry barbs in it right now but I love watching them swim through the whole height of the tank. My hard scape and plants are also at different levels within the tank witch makes the height more fun/interesting. I would go into a store like petco that has a bunch of different sizes of tanks. You can test how easy it would be for you to work in them and also imagine what you might do with each size.   I had a plan of what I wanted to do with mine when I got it. 

[Goldie Blue]

I think it all depends on what kind of fish you keep and the look you're going for.

I have a 55 gallon community tank, that was my first tank. I am 5'7" and yeah I have to get on my tip toes to reach the very bottom if I am wiping the glass down but it's never been as issue. I do hate the separation in the middle of the tank when cleaning and having to lift my python out and put it back in. 

I also have a 40 gallon breeder that my axolotl recently went into, and I hate this tank. I put it in a stupid location that makes it almost impossible to reach the back wall. It is so awkward to clean and maintain, and I think it would be this way for me even if it wasn't in a bad spot. The lid for it is a huge beast of a thing that I am afraid I will break. I have to have a step ladder to do anything down on the ground level or in the back. 

I have 5 tanks, and out of all of them I like my 55 gallon the most. Basically, the 55 gallon will be long and tall, and the 40 is shorter and fat all around. 

[BuzzDaddy21]

On 3/30/2023 at 6:32 PM, NanotankBank said:

40gal Breeder over a 55gal and I’m curious as to why

Only reason I don`t care for a 55 is the width and for that reason is why I like the 40B.

In the next several months I will move up to a 75 Gal., I have a HF workbench that will support 1000Lbs. and naturally it will have a plenum and an Fzone can and no idea about stocking.