Tall Tank Owners Please Weigh In!

I'm considering a tank sometime in the future and have space for up to a 75 gallon tank but I'm constantly in an internal debate about what to get. I love the look of a 20 or 40 long (so 55 or 75 I also like their dimensions) but I don't want to dismiss a tall tank, either.

No matter what I choose, I intend to have live plants but low tech, so I keep leaning toward a shorter (vs tall) tank. I'm also only 5'2" and I've read that it's harder to clean a tall tank when you are as height-challenged as I am.

I haven't decided on the fish yet - I need to research which fish will do well in the type of water I have (pH 7.8 - 8.0, and medium-hard to hard) but I wonder if I choose schooling fish like harlequin rasboras or rummynose tetras if they prefer a longer tank to a higher one with similar volume.

Tall tank owners - why did you choose the type of tank you have and if you love it or hate it, why?

 

Shorter tanks are much easier. I have a tank which is just under 2 feet tall and I struggle when planting plants or shuffling stuff around. Like you say, shorter tanks are better for plants because they are easier to light.

Most fish prefer longer tanks because it gives them more swimming room. A few fish need tall tanks because they are very deep bodied (think angelfish)

 

Thanks BottomDweller. I would dearly love an angel - my mom had one in a 55 gallon when I was growing up and I just loved that fish! Just not sure my arms are long enough for a tank that tall.

Right now if I had to choose I think I'd like to do a really big school of a single species - not only would it look cool, I think the fish would prefer it.

It's a long way off so I have lots of time to consider my options - thanks for posting your view, it helps a lot.

 

I have a 20 and 65 tall. I like them because I personally think it gives me more breathing room when aquascaping.
Sometimes I don't like them though because I would realistically like a bigger foot-print as it allows me to get a wider vareity of fish.

 

Depends on the size. Tall 20G no problem to clean. I would never buy a tall 40G+ unless my living space constraints demanded it. Let me rephrase that, I won't do it again. Had a tall hex once. Very attractive tank but limiting in many ways.

 

I'm short too & had a tall 24" high 60 gallon tank.
Even with a step I couldn't reach the bottom which made maintenance, planting etc very tricky, as much as I liked the tank I eventually sold it as it became a chore to look after & it was always at the back of the queue on water change days when my shorter tanks were much easier to maintain.

 

I honestly have troubles with my 18 inch deep 40 gallon breeder. I'm usually arm deep on my tipee toes if planting new plants.

 

I can't weigh in on the maintenance side of a tall tank as I myself am tall so under 24" is easy for me. I've had a couple hex tanks and I was not a fan as they did make maintenance difficult but I think it was more so (for me anyway) that the tops were fully attached and nearly completely covered, I had to remove the light to do maintenance which made the bottom even darker.

In a tall tank you are fairly limited in both plants and fish, plants not so much until after 24".

If you are wanting to do a large school of something though and being of a shorter stature than myself you probably would be more happy as will be the fish and plants to go with a shorter tank (21" and under). Gives the fish a bigger footprint and will show their personality better. Schooling fish looove the swim space, and even a standard 55 gallon is only 21" tall, 40 gallon breeders are long and wide and in general I believe 18-19" tall. There are tooons of options out there and I think figuring out where you want the tank and how much space you want to dedicate to it is about your only restraint. I personally like to choose my fish and buy the tank best suited for them, followed by the design.

 

I have a 56G column which is a challenge to scape...as any cube-ish tank is. Its 30"Lx18"Wx24"H. With the right materials you can achieve a great look just look for tall thin plants. Vals or tall thin Crypts make an excellent backdrop. Manzanita is almost a *must* because of the ability to go vertical with this type of wood. In tanks which are taller than longer you have to consider your fish choices carefully....I wouldn't opt for extremely active species or those which stick to primarily one tank level.

In my column tank I have a severum...larger growing but they use all tank levels and are not overly active; black ruby barbs as they also use all levels of the tank, and BN plecos as they stick to the bottom away from everyone else. My column tank sits on a 30" stand so it is 4.5ft to the top...needless to say my 5'7" self has to get a step stool to get in there. However with low light plants and moderate lighting I don't really have to get in there very much. A simple 2x24watt HOT5 is all I use for lighting and its growing things just fine.

 

My 125 is 26" from top to bottom and I have to use a chair to work in it, and constantly remind myself not to lean on the front glass...

 

I got a 50 gallon long from petsmart. It is 2" shorter than a standard 55. great height.

 

I have one of those 50G petsmart tanks as well...and really like working with it. Its a great shaped tank IMO.

 

I have a tall 150 Gal which I dreamed about a long time before I got it grows bigger Angelfish than I thought possible love the look of it. Cleaning it has taken all the fun out of having it I would not buy it again that said I have a love hate relationship with it is an amazing tank fish do great in it. Would not recommend it for short people reaching the bottom only happens with half the water out and almost crawling in.

 

There are tooons of options out there and I think figuring out where you want the tank and how much space you want to dedicate to it is about your only restraint. I personally like to choose my fish and buy the tank best suited for them, followed by the design.

Thank you for that approach - I have dogs and you'd think I'd think of that. Why buy a crate and choose the dog to put in it? I really do need to do more research on fish.

I have the space figured out and have 72" to work with. It's an old house so I need to muster the courage to go down to the crawl space and find out which direction the floor joists are running so I'm sure that the floor will bear the weight if I decide on a 75 gallon - I have seen some for sale that are 21" high, they are just deeper than the 55 I have been ogling.

So many options! I really thank everyone who has posted - this is a huge help! I am off to research fish!

 

I got a 50 gallon long from petsmart. It is 2" shorter than a standard 55. great height.

I have one of those 50G petsmart tanks as well...and really like working with it. Its a great shaped tank IMO.

Two votes for this tank ... and they carry it in Canada, I just checked. Let the scheming and planning begin!

 

Lol, go for the shorter tanks. Much easier to manage. I have a 55 that's a bit on the longer end and it a lot easier to manage than my 350g and 90g tall tanks, go for short lol...I practically go swimming when I need to do WC or bottom cleaning (I'm 5'2)

 

have a love hate relationship with it is an amazing tank fish do great in it. Would not recommend it for short people reaching the bottom only happens with half the water out and almost crawling in.

Agile I ain't -- this paints the picture that has made me hesitate about a tall tank, although I covet your beautiful Angels.

 

Lol, go for the shorter tanks. Much easier to manage. I have a 55 that's a bit on the longer end and it a lot easier to manage than my 350g and 90g tall tanks, go for short lol...I practically go swimming when I need to do WC or bottom cleaning (I'm 5'2)

LOL KinsKicks that made me laugh. I don't mind wet sleeves but this is exactly what I was worried about. I'm willing to put the effort in, but what Coradee said really gives me pause for thought - tough maintenance makes them the last to be cleaned and harder to just enjoy.

So much great feedback, thanks folks. Looks like I'm in the 21" and under club.

 

Two votes for this tank ... and they carry it in Canada, I just checked. Let the scheming and planning begin!

I got this for $80 during a 30% holiday sale. Even at $115 a good deal.

 

Another vote to stay under 22". My 38 is 24" deep, and I plan on switching it out for a 72 bow that's 3" shorter. Light choice is harder on deeper tanks. The light I have on my 40B is growing plants like crazy, but not as well in the 38. To touch the substrate I'm armpit deep. The hardest part is I actually can't SEE what I'm doing while planting. I almost never get anything right where I want it. And have to use a step ladder. I'm 5'5". Stand height also makes a difference.

 

I think footprint is always superior than height. My dream tanks would be 20 cm or less deep tanks with a lot of surface area and corydoras. Dont forget about stand height as AngelTheGypsy said. Not the same to do maintenance on a tank sitting in a tall stand than on one sitting on a short one. Because we all have different heights I think it is just easier to say that as long as the tank top sits at least 2 inches below your shoulders it shouldnt be hard to give it maintenance.

 

You can see the 50 gallon long set up in my thread.

50g Keyhole Cichlids & Friends

The stock hoods are quite decent. I am retrofitting the lights because I am setting up a high-light planted tank, but the stock lights are good for fish viewing and low light plants.

 

Thanks a nice looking tank!

Here is mine...it gets awesome growth with only a 2x32watt shoplight without a reflector.



Love these tanks...may have to get another against my SOs wishes. lol

 

I'm 5'4" and have a 22" tall. For day to day stuff it's fine, including vacuuming . I did change my substrate and that was not easy. I also added some plants this week (without tools) and can see that's going to be a challenge. That being said, it does for my space perfectly and visually is more appealing for me.

 

You can see the 50 gallon long set up in my thread.

Thanks, Chris - had a look at your thread and it's lovely! I paid special attention to the tank levelling - never thought of using pennies with a hole drilled through. This old house of mine has some crazy slopes in the floors and I will be shimming any stand a lot.

MC4RKiller that is a gorgeous tank and just the look I'd be going for - jungle awesome!!! I actually have a 2x32 shop light (got it for my seedlings). Do you rest it close to the tank over glass top or have a hood?

Celestialgirl thanks for the weigh in. BTW, I got a set of cheapie tools from Amazon (the "real" aquascaping tools are hella expensive!) and I'm really, really glad I did. I can't believe you added plants without them - they say gardening teaches patience but in 20+ inches of water the planting seems to take more patience than the growing LOL.

 

Its just one of those cheap black $10ish ones from Lowes...it sits right on the glass tops with some GE 6500K bulbs. I ditched the hood the tank came with in favor of glass tops and the shoplight.

Now like said earlier you can keep some very low light plants with the stock hoods. Anubias, Fern, and Moss would certainly chug right along in that lighting.

 

Thanks, Chris - had a look at your thread and it's lovely! I paid special attention to the tank levelling - never thought of using pennies with a hole drilled through. This old house of mine has some crazy slopes in the floors and I will be shimming any stand a lot.

It was surprising just how unlevel the concrete is. I used stacks of pennies and nails, but there has to be something better. My stand is made of particleboard and the wood wasn't thick enough to install those circular feet that allow you to adjust the height.

 

If you decide to go for a taller tank, just do your maintenance mid-water changes. You won't have wet sleeves if 20% or more of the water is out of the tank. That's how I manage my 23" tall tank and it's fine. The aquascaping tools help a lot, too!

 

It was surprising just how unlevel the concrete is. I used stacks of pennies and nails, but there has to be something better. My stand is made of particleboard and the wood wasn't thick enough to install those circular feet that allow you to adjust the height.

Well I am certainly going to benefit from your experience - given the hours it took you to get the tank perfectly level, I'm bracing myself. I am not very experienced yet but my Spidey senses tell me that what you said about seals breaking has everything to do with keeping the tank level.

 

Wood shims under the corners are a good way to level a tank...

 

All of my bigger tanks are tall. I love the way look compared to the long ones, but I have found especially with my 36 gallon that I am up to my armpits if I need to get or move something from the bottom and I am tippy toeing when I do water changes. lol I still use buckets since my largest tank is the 36, but the taller they get that harder it is to do regular maintenance and I'm 5'5 so not even that short.

 

Well I am certainly going to benefit from your experience - given the hours it took you to get the tank perfectly level, I'm bracing myself. I am not very experienced yet but my Spidey senses tell me that what you said about seals breaking has everything to do with keeping the tank level.

Depends on the stand you buy or build. The support on mine is shaped like this (from bottom):

* *
* *
**************************************************
* *
* *
**************************************************
* *
* *

Because the floor was not level (not even flat), I needed to install shims along the length. If the stand you buy is supported at discrete points (corners) it is much easier.

Also, if the tank is not level, when the level of water comes down below the trim, it will look lopsided.

Good luck!

 

We have a 150 tall (28") and you need the proper tools for planting and scrapping (or you risk swimming with your finny friends) Keep in mind that light falls off rapidly in water, so you will need high output lights for a tall aquarium if you wish to plant it.

 

At least I don't have to weed this garden. Lol thanks for the tip about Amazon! I think a set would be a good investment.

 

So, I have a 40b, a 75, both of which are fine... the 40b I can do everything, the 75 I need a stool for planting, but the width makes it easier to do.
I also have the same 38 as angel the gypsy, at 24 tall and more narrow it's a total pain. Lighting, maintenance, everything. I also can't see when I'm planting (not an issue with the 75), my arm barely reaches (5'2")... my least favorite tank!

 

Thanks Jocelyn Adelman - this is really helping my decision. I liked hearing about the differences in your tanks especially because we are the same height.

While this stature makes airplane seats more manageable, it leaves top shelves and tank maintenance a wee bit out of reach at times.

Side note: Why is it that the tallest people on the planet always choose the seat right in front of me at the theatre?

 

Omg, you should see my kitchen... all top cabinet shelves empty!
For point of reference, the stands for my 38 (24tall) and 40 b are just below my waist, my 75 is a touch higher....

 

I'm just under 5'8". My 37 gallon Marineland Ensemble from Petsmart is I believe 18". I can reach the bottom of it, just only with water up slightly under my shoulder. Planting it can be a pain sometimes. I'm slightly worried about planting the 20H I'm getting next week as it will be on my work desk which is fairly high. I think some longer tanks are easier to work with, but I love the look of tall tanks.

 

I think footprint is always superior than height. My dream tanks would be 20 cm or less deep tanks with a lot of surface area and corydoras. Dont forget about stand height as AngelTheGypsy said. Not the same to do maintenance on a tank sitting in a tall stand than on one sitting on a short one. Because we all have different heights I think it is just easier to say that as long as the tank top sits at least 2 inches below your shoulders it shouldnt be hard to give it maintenance.

Haha the hight of my stand is up to my shoulders

 

if you like angelfish go with a tall tank. I got a 4x2x2.5 with 8 angels. I find that taller tanks are more appealing and great for show tank. I also have a 4x3x2 with a flowerhorn. If you choose to have a long fish, get a tank with a huge footprint.