Aardvark1134
Well-Known Member
People have different opinions usually based on their experience so if you respond with what you believe is the best range for each dimension, please include why you believe that or most important consideration for each dimension. I think this information could be very useful for people looking to get a new tank.
I'll start with my opinions:
Length is probably the most important when considering large fish like tangs and angels. It also is the most important when having fish be able to get out of another's aggro range. The only real draw backs to a long tank are how much space it takes up and that you have to light and fill it up with stuff. With that in mind I recommend as long of a tank as your space and budget will allow. Note: most places in the US you loose lift gate delivery for anything over 94 inches long.
Width has a big effect on your aquascape and how the tank looks. It can also make maintenance very hard if can't get behind the tank and have a wide tank. Remember your tank must fit through your door or window. So if you have a 36 inch door keep either width or height below 34 inches as if both are over 34 inches good luck getting it through your door. Width also has a big effect on what size sump you can get under your tank as many of the nice sumps are 20-22 inches wide. If you have an internal overflow you will loose some tank width to that so get a little extra width if you are using internal overflow. Most lights are only good for 24-30 inches wide. If you have a 30+ inch wide tank consider you may need to run 2 rows of lights to get rid of shading. Overall 24-30 inches seems to be the sweet spot where you can get a good aquascape without making lighting and maintenance complicated.
Height or Tall Height has a major effect on how much weight is on each of your floor joists. Assuming it's not concrete anything over 20 inches and you will want to make sure your floor can hold it. Anything 30+ inches will likely need some work done to make the floor able to hold it for a decade. Most lights other than metal halide are best used on tanks no more than 24 inches deep. There are things like LED narrow reflectors you can use on deeper tanks or just pile a ton of them up top. But in most cases LED starts to become very expensive if your tank is over 24 inches tall. Both glass and acrylic tend to need to be thicker as soon as you go past 24 inches. This may limit your power head selection to special ones as many can't handle the thickness of a tank 30 inches tall without custom mill spots. A lot of brands make rimless only up to 20 inches tall, if you want a taller rimless you are usually looking at a custom tank. Most people can't reach the back bottom of a tank over 24 inches deep which can make maintenance a real pain. For these reasons I would say 20-24 inches tall is the best range for most people. Typically for tanks 30 inches or taller, places recommend a metal frame for.
I would like to hear some other peoples opinions and why they feel that way.
I'll start with my opinions:
Length is probably the most important when considering large fish like tangs and angels. It also is the most important when having fish be able to get out of another's aggro range. The only real draw backs to a long tank are how much space it takes up and that you have to light and fill it up with stuff. With that in mind I recommend as long of a tank as your space and budget will allow. Note: most places in the US you loose lift gate delivery for anything over 94 inches long.
Width has a big effect on your aquascape and how the tank looks. It can also make maintenance very hard if can't get behind the tank and have a wide tank. Remember your tank must fit through your door or window. So if you have a 36 inch door keep either width or height below 34 inches as if both are over 34 inches good luck getting it through your door. Width also has a big effect on what size sump you can get under your tank as many of the nice sumps are 20-22 inches wide. If you have an internal overflow you will loose some tank width to that so get a little extra width if you are using internal overflow. Most lights are only good for 24-30 inches wide. If you have a 30+ inch wide tank consider you may need to run 2 rows of lights to get rid of shading. Overall 24-30 inches seems to be the sweet spot where you can get a good aquascape without making lighting and maintenance complicated.
Height or Tall Height has a major effect on how much weight is on each of your floor joists. Assuming it's not concrete anything over 20 inches and you will want to make sure your floor can hold it. Anything 30+ inches will likely need some work done to make the floor able to hold it for a decade. Most lights other than metal halide are best used on tanks no more than 24 inches deep. There are things like LED narrow reflectors you can use on deeper tanks or just pile a ton of them up top. But in most cases LED starts to become very expensive if your tank is over 24 inches tall. Both glass and acrylic tend to need to be thicker as soon as you go past 24 inches. This may limit your power head selection to special ones as many can't handle the thickness of a tank 30 inches tall without custom mill spots. A lot of brands make rimless only up to 20 inches tall, if you want a taller rimless you are usually looking at a custom tank. Most people can't reach the back bottom of a tank over 24 inches deep which can make maintenance a real pain. For these reasons I would say 20-24 inches tall is the best range for most people. Typically for tanks 30 inches or taller, places recommend a metal frame for.
I would like to hear some other peoples opinions and why they feel that way.
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