Cube versus rectangle

[pudgeking]

Hello everybody! I am planning on getting another tank today after work.

What I can afford and have space for is a 29 gallon tank, but I am torn between getting a standard 29 gallon and getting the marineland 27 gallon cube tank.

What I am wondering is this, which tank would be more spacious for its volume. The 29 is longer but has a 12" depth, while the cube is 20" by 18". Which tank would have a greater capacity in terms of bio load and in terms of larger fish? My guess is that as long as the fish are shorter than the 12" depth of the standard 29 (which they would be), the 29 would give more swimming space than the cube, but I'm not sure.

Let me ask it this way: would a 6-8 inch fish be happier in a standard 29 or in the cube?

 

[Oughtsix]

My experience is that fish generally stay at a single depth so the surface area of a tank is the determining factor.

I had a 110g tall tank (Until it developed a leak). It was the same 48 x 18 foot print as a 75g. My practical stocking capabilities were pretty much limited to the stocking capabilities of a 75g. What the extra 10" of height on my 110g Tall bought me was a larger water volume and greater buffering capacity in the foot print of a 75g tank.

I would really like to get a 48" x 24" foot print for my next tank. The extra 6" front to back will give the inhabitants more swimming room.


A 6" to 8" fish is too big for a 29g tank no matter what the tank dimensions are.

 

[pudgeking]

I'm not saying I'm planning on putting a fish that size in the 29 gallon, it was simply a way of understanding my question. I'm wondering which tank would be roomier for a fish. Assuming that height is the same, is a square footprint or a rectangular footprint preferable?

 

[Chub_by]

It depends. Fast/constant swimmers prefer longer tanks, for all the others deep is good. What do you intend to keep in there?

 

[Gill Blue]

pretty much agree with chub.
cories will like longer tanks more than deep because it gives them more area to dig. a longer as opposed to higher will also give you more area to divide into multiple areas for fish that are territorial.

 

[pudgeking]

Yea I think I will go with the standard 29, although I like the look of a cube tank and I probably won't be putting fast swimmers in there, because I like lazy fish. Not sure what I'm going to put in it yet, but I will move my hoplo catfish there from my smaller tank