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From: richard@gryphon.COM (Richard Sexton)
Newsgroups: alt.aquaria,rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: Getting a bigger tank. Filter? Airpump?
Message-ID: <24834@gryphon.COM>
Date: 16 Jan 90 21:31:55 GMT
References: <24777@gryphon.COM> <15670@boulder.Colorado.EDU>
Reply-To: richard@gryphon.COM (Richard Sexton)
Organization: Trailing Edge Technology, Redondo Beach, CA
Lines: 43

In article <15670@boulder.Colorado.EDU> atk@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Alan T. Krantz) writes:
>
>This brings up an interesting question - well interesting to me - 
>do people treat tall tanks significantly different than long tanks in
>terms of the fishes and plants purchased? Specifically what fishes do
>well in a short tall tank? I think the 30L has a very nice aspect ratio
>- long enough for schooling fishes - short enough for good plant
>lighting from above ... what are other favorite dimensions and why?

Ah yes. The yin and yang of aquaria.

Strictly speaking, surface area is all that counts. I have about
2 dozen killies (Aphyosemion gardneri Lokoja) about a month old
in tupperware container about 10" long by 5" wide and only 1.5"
deep. The little bugers are doing just great. It's the least 
hassle vessel to change water in; I can change 80% of it in
under 30 seconds. I was thinking about moving them to a 2 gal
tank, but quickly realized that they would have less surface area
and therefore less dissolved oxygen. In my opinion, oxygen is the
limting factor in growth in young fish. I will probably
put these guys straight into a 15 gal tank in a week or two
ans skip the 2 gal tanks stage. (Normally, they are hatched in
a tupperware container, then go into a 2 gal tank, then a 15)

Now, the counterpoint to this is a low tank as a display vehicle
looks like shit. I have several 40 gal tanks that are 36" x 18" x 12".

Great for surface area, but sort of worthless for plants. Once
you have 3" or gravel, and steal an inch form the top, you are
left with 8" of space to grow plants in. I have several
Aponogeton biovinanus inthe tank, and they have these massive
leaves that go all the way to the top of the tank, then go all
the way back down the the bottom and then curl up again. These
leaves are about 24" long. Maybe cryps would be a good choice, but
of course I can't keep cryps. Most plants - val, swords, Apons
all grow big, and of course bunch plants will essentially grow as big
as you let them. There is of course a limit to this. Light
decreases in intensity (very) approximately as the square of
the distance, so a very tall tank is extremely hard to light
properly. Plus there are engineering limitations - above 36"
tall you start talking some pretty serious pressures and stresses.

So it's a tradeoff of functionality vs. aesthetics.