I love tall tanks and would much rather have one...although I do have long arms and can reach the bottom of my 110(30" tall) without any real issues.
Tank footprint questions
- Thread starter Jambarino
- Start date
Tanks taller than they are wide just look plain wrong to me. Unless I'm keeping a specific taller species (angelfish or discus come to mind), I'll always choose the lower version. Also easier to light if you do like live plants, though you are giving up on some of the taller species.
I'll take a 75 gallon over a 90 anytime, and a 33 long over a 55 anytime. One of the older 100 gallons looks better than the 150 or even the 125 (to me at least).
I'll take a 75 gallon over a 90 anytime, and a 33 long over a 55 anytime. One of the older 100 gallons looks better than the 150 or even the 125 (to me at least).
When you say "wide" are you referring to the length or to the depth from front to back? I would agree a tank that is taller then it is long would look goofy.
Depth from front to back ...
Though most of the fish I keep are bottom dwellers ... so height isn't as important.
Though most of the fish I keep are bottom dwellers ... so height isn't as important.
I hate tall tanks! They're a pain to work with and I'm 6'3". You can make up the lack of water volume on a 75g with a sump.
I also think it depends on the tanks dimensions and the height o the stand. I had a 6x18"x27" 150 sitting on a 30" stand and that tank was by far the worst to work with. I also had an 8x2x2 240 that was hard to work with because the stand was so tAll. My 300 is 6x3x27" (exactly double my old 150) but since it's 3 ft wide the stand had to be short to fit through doorways so it's not too bad. Another reason I hate tall tanks is because all my tanks have canopies and that makes it 10xs worse
I also think it depends on the tanks dimensions and the height o the stand. I had a 6x18"x27" 150 sitting on a 30" stand and that tank was by far the worst to work with. I also had an 8x2x2 240 that was hard to work with because the stand was so tAll. My 300 is 6x3x27" (exactly double my old 150) but since it's 3 ft wide the stand had to be short to fit through doorways so it's not too bad. Another reason I hate tall tanks is because all my tanks have canopies and that makes it 10xs worse
true,
but you can't make up the extra swimming room, esp. if you keep fish that swim all over the place like most barbs, silver dollars etc.
for my 29.5" tall 150g, I use a step stool when working on it. and a long python tube. its easy.
if you don't want to stand on something, there are reach assists available from the LFS.
you can be 90 years old and service a tall tank (over 24") easily if you have the right tools to do it.
that being said, I wouldn't want a tank taller than 30" tall. that would be brutal.
but up to that, it should be no problem. if you have short arms or are shorter, just get the right tools for the job.
Tall over short anyday. My favorite tank is still my 110 tall (same footprint as a 75 or 90). I love how it feels like you're looking at a bigscreen tv. They make 30"+ tools for anything you might need to do inside of a aquarium. Short tanks also give you limited swimming levels so it limits the variety of fish you can keep. JMO
75's, 90,s and 110's all have a 48 x 18 footprint. 75 = 20" tall, 90 = 24" tall and 110H = 30" tall.
A 30" tall tank sounds very excessive to me... BUT I LOVE MY 110H tank and would never want to go shorter!!!!! I am 6'3" also and God gave me the tools to reach to the bottom of the tank.
I do wish my 110H was more than 18" front to back... but still 30" tall. 24" front to back would be perfect!
A properly built tank should never leak whether 20" tall or 30" tall and I wouldn't worry about a taller tank leaking when selecting a tank. (My 110H is an old tank I bought used with 1/2" glass... man is it heavy but it was definitely worth the back ache of moving it).
The bottom of my tank is stacked quite high with slate for all sorts of caves. This allows me to keep a lot of smaller Cichlids with my bigger Cichlids. They all swim above the caves and hide / sleep down in the caves. I feel like I have plenty of fish activity at all water levels.
I guess it comes down to fish species, fish size, tank population and personal preference.
A 30" tall tank sounds very excessive to me... BUT I LOVE MY 110H tank and would never want to go shorter!!!!! I am 6'3" also and God gave me the tools to reach to the bottom of the tank.
I do wish my 110H was more than 18" front to back... but still 30" tall. 24" front to back would be perfect!
A properly built tank should never leak whether 20" tall or 30" tall and I wouldn't worry about a taller tank leaking when selecting a tank. (My 110H is an old tank I bought used with 1/2" glass... man is it heavy but it was definitely worth the back ache of moving it).
The bottom of my tank is stacked quite high with slate for all sorts of caves. This allows me to keep a lot of smaller Cichlids with my bigger Cichlids. They all swim above the caves and hide / sleep down in the caves. I feel like I have plenty of fish activity at all water levels.
I guess it comes down to fish species, fish size, tank population and personal preference.
