Deep & Skiiny vs Shallow & Wide

W

wolfnature

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Dec 20, 2002
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Everett, WA
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Hello everyone.

I am looking to get a new aquarium soon (upgrading from my 10g) and am still going back and forth on what size to get, so I am looking for some opinions.

Is it better to have a tank that is skinny (like 12 inches wide), but deeper (like 24 inches deep)? Or is better to have something that is wider (like 18 inches), but more shallow (like 18 inches)?

I'm thinking that the wider one would give more surface area, which I know is important, but I'm not sure about the benefits of deep versus shallow. I would appreciate any opinions from people in regards to what is better for the fish and also what looks better if there is a difference. Basically, just any opinions that you would have on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. :)
 
Couple things to think about. You're right--the ratio of surface area to depth is important, but can be addressed with proper circulation and aeration.

I like the flexibility of the tanks with more front to back space for aquascaping. I use a lot of driftwood, and narrow tanks prevent me from making piles of wood. I plant all my tanks, and more 'floor' allows more plants as well.

Another thing to consider is the fish you want--some fish like lots of horizontal swimming room, some don't care, some the size of the adult fish will dictate the size of the tank. For example, angels prefer deeper tanks, danios need lots of swimming room, while an oscar needs to be able to turn around without banging into the sides.
 
deeper tanks tend to be more aesthetically pleasing. however most fish would prefer a tank with a large surface area as they have more horizontal swimming room. this is an important thing to consider if you have benthic (bottom-dwelling) fishes as they need a large gravel area to swim in.

just think of it this way, most fishes swim horizontally and thus a tank that provides the most horizontal space would be ideal. not to mention the beneficial effects of greater oxygen exchange from the larger water surface area.

for greater flexibility, i would think that a longer and wider tank is better compared to a deeper and shorter one, assuming the same number of gallons in each tank.
 
My tank is 36"Lx12"Wx24"H and it's great, but I sure wish it was 18" W so I could do some better aquascaping. A foot wide doesn't leave you much room and 24" high isn't as good for planted tanks (greater distance from plants to light isn't great). I would stick with a tank that is ~20" H and at least 18"W. Something else to think about is a 48"L tank is easy to get lights for as most fluorescent "shop" lights are 4'.

Just a thought...
 
Thank you for your response so far, I really appreciate the opinions and thoughts.

I realize that this question is kind of subjective from person to person, but was curious to see what people would say. I was leaning more towards a wider and shallower tank to begin with and am now thinking that's what I'll do. Thanks again.
 
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