# Fashion for deep tanks.



## skylark3 (Sep 10, 2013)

I'm looking around for new tank, and am wondering where this fashion for deep tanks has come from. The surface area dictates how many fish you can have and all this deep water has to be heated, and more light is needed surely. I have an 18in deep tank and often get my sleeve wet when working in it. I looked at a 24in deep tank in the shop and could hardy reach the bottom at the front never mind the back (24in wide). Do you have one of there monsters and how do you manage to clean it without getting wet? Have you ever actually fell in?


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

I agree, though I'm guessing people's thinking is that you get more capacity while taking up less space. Apparently deep tanks are good for certain fish such as angelfish, but I agree that on the whole the surface area is more important, and especially for active fish such as danios etc and bottom dwelling fish such as corys.


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## Dan1234 (Dec 3, 2012)

Surface area dictates how many fish you can keep? can't say I agree with this and can't say I've ever heard this even mentioned when stocking aquariums. While surface area may have a slightly bigger impact, total water volume also has a large impact on keeping water quality high and also for the general comfort of the fish. 

As Naomi stated many many fish would find it extremely hard going living in 18 inches. I personally wouldn't keep any fish that gets bigger than say 5-6 inch in 18 inches of water. I once tried my Discus pair in a 18 inch high tank, it looked cramped and like they hardly had anywhere to go.


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

I agree with both Naomi and Dan. 

Surface area is important for oxygen exchange, yes, but 18inch depth just isn't enough room for some of the deeper bodied species. I have an angelfish which isn't fully grown yet, and basically my tank isn't deep enough for a full grown angel to be comfortable. If I had the money to upgrade I would do. And having seen the size of some of the fish in our LFS displays I couldn't imagine them being in a shallower tank either. 

For some species yes length is very important - faster, torpedo shaped fish (e.g. tinfoil barbs, some of the sharks, and others) do need more horiztontal room. 

And for the rest - a happy balance in between. 

So I think it just depends on the fish species and the habitat they are from. Lets face it, some of the lakes cichlids come from are way deeper than most household fish tanks, and don't have the benefit of a filter circulating the water (which if set up right takes water out from the bottom and chucks it back in at the top).

Just my thoughts.


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

skylark3 said:


> I have an 18in deep tank and often get my sleeve wet when working in it. I looked at a 24in deep tank in the shop and could hardy reach the bottom at the front never mind the back (24in wide). Do you have one of there monsters and how do you manage to clean it without getting wet? Have you ever actually fell in?


I use quite a long gravel cleaner, but the tip of my short sleeves does sometimes get wet. The place I last worked at had deeper tanks, i'm not sure how they did it other than they had to stand on a stool to reach the top! I think very big systems have alternative means of cleaning them (not sure how effective undergravel filtering is...but maybe?)

Makes me chuckle to think of someone falling in their aquarium. Would you be able to get out without it breaking, I wonder?


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## skylark3 (Sep 10, 2013)

Thanks for your thoughts on this. Things have moved on since I set up my tank 20+ years ago, at that time my tank was regarded as big. Many tanks were only a foot deep. Mine at 18in deep is fine for the tetras and platys which I have now, though I have kept angels in there in the past. The deeper tanks do look good when they are set up.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

My goldfish tank is a bit of a monster, at 24in deep, 56in long and about 22.5in wide... but I can safely say that I've never fallen into it! Despite having to stand on a chair to clean the glass 

Never gotten my sleeves wet either, though I have on occasion leaned so far over the tank that I've managed to get my *ahem* 'chest-area' a bit soggy   The downsides of having a fuller figure 

For cleaning, I have a long gravel vac, and a sponge on a long handle to wipe the glass.


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## skylark3 (Sep 10, 2013)

I guess we all have to make some sacrifices for our hobby.


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

This spawns a topic: most embarrassing thing you have ever 'dropped in' your aquarium.. or something along those lines.

I can't say personally I have ever had a wet chest... my hair normally gets it.


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

After opening up this discussion on another fish forum I am on, someone posted this:

Fish fan Jack Heathcote turns cellar into Britain's biggest home aquarium | Mail Online


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

I used to have pet rats, and one of them fell into my old Arcadia Arc tank once... fortunately it was only a little tank so he managed to jump straight back out before I even had chance to rescue him.

It was pretty hilarious, though probably not good for the fish


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