I hate to beat a dead horse topic but I’m going back and forth on this. I’ve basically stuck with the Reptile Basics tubs and racks for convenience of the three tub system 8qt, 11qt , 23qt. I’m setting up a super70,45qt. To future proof. I eventually will need this and if I find a massive girl I want I’ll have room for her. I don’t plan on moving my males up to something that large until they should need it. Should I transition from the 23 to the 45 or should I move to a middle man tub? 28qt or 32qt? I don’t really want to start using steralite tubs. If anything the ars55 series tubs. I’ve been eyeing them and they have the 55-20 now or I could just use the tubs in something. Would that be a good route or would I be better off spending my time else where right now? I’m not brand specific on the big two rack builders aside from tubs and being able to buy partial rack sections from one over customization right now.
Honestly I would just do what works for you. If you don’t want to use sterilite then go with the system you’ve been eyeing. I use sterilite for my temporary tubs just cause they do the job and are cheap and the snakes won’t be spending their entire life in it so why spend the money on fancy temporary stuff. My adult racks their “final destination” I guess you could say that’s where I spend my money at. At the end of the day though what works for me my not work for you and the other way around. Do what works for you as long as the snakes are happy and healthy thats all that matters.
I feel like the 23qt are too small before moving to a 40qt size. I might move in the direction of 55 series and turn to the RB as more of hatchling and small grow outs. As planned, I’m not ready to invest in multiple 40qt racks so I’m keeping with around 6 slots for them right now. I’m thinking the 55 will be a good male rack and female grow out out before breeding age/size.
Sterilite 28 and 32qt tubs have nearly the same floor space as the 23qt (plus or minus an inch or two on the bottom, but the height is the main difference), so I don’t see anything wrong with transitioning snakes that outgrow the 23qt into 40+ qt tubs.
As someone who has used all three tub sizes (32, 28, and 23) I treat them as interchangeable. There’s not much reason to go from a 23qt to a 28 or 32 unless you have a very thick bodied snake that isn’t quite long enough for the 40qt tubs. Even then, if you want to move them up and just give them a hide for awhile it should be fine. No need to buy sterilite if you don’t want to.
I think it’s a height thing.