If you may be adding things such as fruit you may want a carboy that's about a gallon larger than you r batch size. You can take up any additional space with marbles.
If you make a 5 gallon batch you'll lose ~ 1/2 gallon to "trub", which is sediment from yeast, grains, etc. So when transferring your 5 gallon batch will become a 4.5 gallon batch. But extra space is better than not enough when it comes to adding stuff. Better to get a 6-6.5 gallon carboy I'd guess.
My secondaries have been to another bucket for 7-10 days for dry hopping IPA's. I probably should have taken up the extra space, but didn't. I don't secondary anything else, yet... I'll be making a barleywine eventually.
I've never done such, but will be soon as SWMBO just bought (3) 3 gal carboys to begin making wine/mead. It was suggested to her that she could also use fish tank rocks to take up the space.
If you make a 5 gallon batch you'll lose ~ 1/2 gallon to "trub", which is sediment from yeast, grains, etc. So when transferring your 5 gallon batch will become a 4.5 gallon batch. But extra space is better than not enough when it comes to adding stuff. Better to get a 6-6.5 gallon carboy I'd guess.
My secondaries have been to another bucket for 7-10 days for dry hopping IPA's. I probably should have taken up the extra space, but didn't. I don't secondary anything else, yet... I'll be making a barleywine eventually.
I've never done such, but will be soon as SWMBO just bought (3) 3 gal carboys to begin making wine/mead. It was suggested to her that she could also use fish tank rocks to take up the space.