# Really tall tanks



## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

So a few times I've seen people on here that happen to have really tall tanks. I mean like, 30 inches in height!

I was browsing through craigslist recently where I saw a 110 gallon tank in really good shape, with the stand, for 200 bucks.

Only thing that sucks about it is the dimensions... 48x18x30

I had a hard enough time working in a tank that's 24 inches in height... I can't even imagine 30 inches!

What do you guys think about tanks that are super tall like that?


----------



## NotCousteau (Sep 25, 2014)

I like my tanks short and squat (33 long, about 13" tall). Neither tall nor short is better or worse than the other objectively; just a matter of personal taste.


----------



## xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx (Jul 12, 2011)

I prefer shorter tanks, like my 45 gallon long is 48"x12"x19" and my 30 gallon tank is 36"x12"16" and because I'm short (5'6'' lol) it makes it easier to reach the bottom of the tanks.


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Step stool will help with taller tanks.
I'm 6 foot two inches tall, and to work near the substrate in 80 gal standard tank,I'm up to my armpit's.
For jungle theme tank's such as I like,the depth is of little issue for I just stick the plant's in the substrate and wait for them to grow to the point where I need to trim,top,or remove some.
This takes month's in low tech (for my tank anyway).
Could see where the tall tanks would be bothersome to difficult in those tanks where carefully manicured aquascapes are desired or frequent trimming needed such as those tank's injecting the gas where growth is faster.


----------



## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx said:


> my 30 gallon tank is 36"x12"16" and because I'm short (5'6'' lol)


Yeah same here. I have to get up on a chair to work on a tank that is 24 inches tall. I have been tempted from time to time though to pick up the Aqueon 45 gallon tall setup from Petsmart since it's really nice and they usually always have it on sale for 200 bucks. Measures from 36x12x24... but then the height always reminds me what a PITA it would be to work and aquascaping would be kind of difficult.

My first planted tank ever was actually 30x18x24... I really liked the dimensions, but once again a real PITA.


----------



## Xiaozhuang (Feb 15, 2012)

Taller tanks are hard to light, hard to scape, hard to get good even flow.

Extremely steep light gradient means taller plants grow much faster than say ground covers, low plants are easily shaded out if stems are allowed to grow tall. Smaller footprint means less planting area per water column; means less plant mass to combat algae per volume. Small surface area means less gas exchange/oxygen issues in some cases.

Small foot print means hard to have sloping substrate and steep perspective. 
Hard to trim cos it means wet sleeves if trimming ground covers/low plants.
Finding hardscape that is tall enough maybe costly, or more technical work required to build-up hardscape.

Tall tanks may be suitable for displaying certain plants/fish. Like ludwigia inclinata cuba/pogostemon stellatus. Large angel fish seem suited to tall tanks too. So for specific setups they can be nice.

But generally, taller tanks are more trouble than they're worth.... Especially with lighting... a few inches make a big difference.


----------



## secuono (Nov 19, 2009)

That's the same tank I used to have, I always complained about the depth. Could never reach the bottom, even the plants didn't like it. I used over 6-7 inches of sand and it was still too deep. The tank is fine for cichlids or reef tank and if you never move anything, but otherwise, awful. 
At least one thread on this forum I have complaining about it.

Same wood, in the 110 and then in the 75g.


















Other pics, note that there's more sand every time I take a picture....
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQEsg0EqNhAeDPzvRhR2BsDpKP2bAnoJoz-TgJvL8mTyp3qj6VQyA
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRlkG6c37rd8b8Y_0J8JNNThvcJ41aJovTTavePqKStJ9HPR5Ph2g
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRTCkSfxpFLxPACnDSj70k9diYDQLHFxddf7dYkoGvOENM17Xyb
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSuj4x1zLH6iqcFj3jv0F6RSpL2G3VsB2M4nZiyyOTkrthIBMdSZw


----------



## ZillionGuppies (Jan 21, 2014)

I have a 135 gallon tank that is around about 30 inches tall. AND it is on a tubular steel stand that's about 42 inches tall. 

I love it.

I love having a tank that I can walk up to and look at without having to bend over.

As far as servicing it, I use tools to help deal with the depth. I have a sort of painter's platform stool that I stand on when I'm working on it. I also made a few tools to manipulate things down on the substrate out of grade 316 stainless steel rod. The platform stool is ultimately convenient because it never gets taken down. It doubles as a chair to sit on and a place to prop my feet when I'm sitting on the sofa watching tank. Watching tank is my version of television. It costs about as much as premium cable but you only get one channel and it is WAY more interesting:hihi:

Cut the cable. Watch The Real World: Guppies instead roud:


----------



## flight50 (Apr 17, 2012)

I think tall tanks are better suited for SW tanks. The only (2) scenarios I would attempt a tall tank in FW is for a forest theme with slopes or for a tall mountain range with several levels. Lighting as mentioned would be troublesome for sure to get it to the substrate. I am 6'3 with long arms at 29" from finger tips to under pit. I prefer water to come up to my mid bicep at the most.


----------



## Blackheart (Jul 5, 2011)

flight50 said:


> I would attempt a tall tank in FW is for a forest theme


Yeah one thing I had great success with was using Rotala as a background plant and just letting it grow real tall and bushy kinda like that. One good thing for tall tanks.


----------



## candymancan (Nov 1, 2014)

I have no issues in my newer 44g pentagon.. Or using my older like 15 year old 27g hexagon.. Both tanks are 25 inches tall.. The Hex is 18 inches deep on all corners, and the pentagon is 25 inches deep and 30 inches long.

The only issue with my pentagon is i cant quiet reach the very back of the tank i had to get a little 1-2 foot tall item to stand on to reach plants in the very back.. My hexagon i have no issues with its the the height plus depth on the pentagon..

As for lighting... and flow.. I have no issues lighting my Hexagon.. I have 2 old T8 light fixtures you know the ones you get standard buying tanks i tore the guts out of one and wired a duel Power Compact ballast so my 27g hex has a duel PC light my plants are growing great and the entire tank is lit up perfectly.. I put the other T8 light near the back with a plant grow bulb since its dim as a sort of transitional light when i turn the lights on and off so i don't spook my fish.. 

My pentagon is a tad trickier to light but i have a duel power compact fixture over it (4 lights essentially ) and it sits about 8 inches above the water line it fills the entire tank with light.. The only issue is the very back isn't lit on the top because of the deep tank so i have a 14 inch T8 back there to get the top lit.

As for water flow and so forth.. I have no issues ? I have a top fin internal 40 in the tank and its got a spray bar on it i can turn it 360 degrees in the tank.. If i want a complete whirl wind of water flow in the tank you just turn it at an angle on one of the pieces of the glass and due to the almosyt circular shape of the tank it makes well a whirlpool effect in the tank. not powerful like a whirlpool but you get the idea lol.. The reason anyone would say they have issues with flow in these tanks.. is because they are using HOB filters.. and power heads... the internal filters eliminate the need for powerheads and are much much quieter then HOBs


I like tall tanks.. Like someone stated, with tall and deep tanks you don't have to sit in the chair or bend over to look at the fish.. My moms 30g tank for example its a typical 30g 36 inches long and so forth but its so short what like 16 or 17 inches tall that you have to bend down or sit in a chair and bend your neck down to look at fish on the top of the water.. I don't have to do that with my pentagon or hexagon.. The 55g is well in between.. And while i agree some fish need the length of say a 40g breeder or 55g tank.. The problem with these tanks is they are too darn shallow.. 12-13 inches deep ? I don't like my 55g because you don't have much options as far as placing wood or plants go and fish cant only really swim left or right and that's it..

With my pentagon its 30 inches long so its got some length but with it being 25 inches deep and tall my fish can swim 360 degrees in any direction....

Now i have seen some REALLY tall tanks like youre talking about.. i would think anything higher then 30 inches is too much unless its like a 200g tank. Ive big ass hexagon tanks that are like 36 inches tall but they are still only like 22 inches deep on all corners.. That's just too tall and narrow

This is my newer pentagon 44g.. Plants still need to grow out


----------



## Clear Water (Sep 20, 2014)

I love the 110 size but the height is pain in the ass. My 150 is that tall and I can barely reach the bottom. But like others have said it like having your own personal window to a river. With a tank that tall you have to have some special tools to make maintenance easier. 

I have plants all way to surface. If you want to see how long jungle val will grow put it in that tank. Also have driftwood that reachs to the top of the tank with moss on it so don't let people tell you can't have plants that grow pass the 24" mark. 

Also if the tank looks good that's a dam good price and if it were around were I live I would buy it.


----------

