100g tank or 100g water?

[BubblesandSqueak]

trying to do a search I didn't see this come up. When it's recommend that a certain fish is required for a 100 gallon; is that really the tank or the water volume for swimming? once you put in sand and rock, the swimming volume is reduced quite a bit. just curious. I'm not planning on squeezing something in, just after getting a larger tank, I noticed the actual water volume (especially with rock design) is much smaller. Also makes me wonder about the swimming just left to right vs meandering over a more expanse depth. (seriously? depth? I always think depth is height)

 

[Kfactor]

I would say the tank dimensions

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

I would say the tank dimensions

seriously though, when you think about it, people come up with some pretty elaborate scapes that are really obstacles for a straight swine flow. I don't have any of these types of swimmers. but if I did, I think I would want to try to establish something better. ideally, I would probably want to build a whole room with a glass viewing wall so that had an upper full swim area but lower hiding reef.

 

[piranhaman00]

Using gallons is just about the dumbest thing in the fish keeping hobby. It’s all about footprint.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Using gallons is just about the dumbest thing in the fish keeping hobby. It’s all about footprint.

I agree but a a 12” depth vs 24” depth foot print for same volume is big

 

[Kfactor]

if you want to keep bigger fish i would say build a tank to keep the fish you want . that said it all comes down to cost of up keep

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

if you want to keep bigger fish i would say build a tank to keep the fish you want . that said it all comes down to cost of up keep

I’m just wondering what the theme is. Is it gallons or footprint? I’m not planning on housing something questionable. Just what h the term means. Gallons or space?

 

[JZ199]

I feel like gallons is kind of an archaic suggestion for fish, I definitely think it's more about the footprint/tank dimensions

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I’m just wondering what the theme is. Is it gallons or footprint? I’m not planning on housing something questionable. Just what h the term means. Gallons or space?

It's generally been the gallons of standard tank sizes... So a 120 gallon is 48x24x24, and a 125 is 72x18x24.

 

[Gill the 3rd]

It's generally been the gallons of standard tank sizes... So a 120 gallon is 48x24x24, and a 125 is 72x18x24.

Exactly. A lot of website recommendations are using stock tank sizes as the recommendations such as 40, 75, 125, 180, 210, etc. so you know the dimensions of the tank. I agree with everyone else that the dimensions are more important than the actual gallons.

I see what the OP is talking about. I think the gallon recommendations are based on a reasonable amount of swimming space. Most people aren't jamming so much rock in the tanks that the fish have no swimming space.

I think you really have to look at the type of fish you are keeping and their individual care requirements. For example - a blue hippo tang is going to want a lot of swimming space, but a lawnmower blenny is going to want a lot of rockwork. Most people try to have a good mix of both.