how much better is a 75 long than a 90 tall?

[benvardag]

this question has intrigued me all day. how do compensate for length versus height? it seems that cichlids do not swim that high, but they do alot of swimming horizontally. in essence, would a 75 long be better than a 90 tall?

[liv2padl]

would a 75 long be better than a 90 tall? absolutely. it's the surface area that's important, rather than the gallons.

[benvardag]

thats exactly what i was thinking, so i guess im gonna buy a 75 long today

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Of course it depends on what type of fish you are thinking of getting. Angels for example would benefit from the extra height. Bottom-dwelling cichlids would appreciate the length.

;)
-Diana

[tricksterpup]

I thought a 90 gallon and a 75 had the same foot print?

[rmcder]

I thought a 90 gallon and a 75 had the same foot print?
They do; 4'x18". A 75 long is 6'x18", so has a 50% increase in area over a standard 75!

[SnakeIce]

a 6' x 18 75 gallon tank would be only 13" tall. I am a proponent that more area is better, but asthetic considerations also apply. A front window that is 72" by 13" tall is a little short for the length. The low hight, being only 3" taller than a 10 gallon tank would change the max fish size imo. It signifies a more intimate viewing distance and thus the fish to match that viewing distance.

One might be able to have a number of pairs of dwarf cichlids or space for breeding small plecos. Several colonies of African rift lake shell dwellers.

A 125 is 72" by 18" and has a hight of 22" which is more suitable for the types of fish one might keep in a 75.

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

I agree with snake, if your getting a 6' tank why not just get a larger volume, and that way you'll have a taller tank which will be much easier to view. The extra bonus for the fish is the larger water volume.

:)
-Diana