# SHOW YOUR SHALLOW TANK



## zanguli-ya-zamba (6 Aug 2014)

Hi all,

maybe some of you have seen that I want to build a shallow tank. Yesterday I was set on the height of the tank and wanted this dimension 50x40x25 cm.  But I woke up this morning and started to think that maybe 25cm high will be too shallow, so now i am lost again hahaha.

So I have think about my UKAPS fellows and I am sure you can help me to choose.
I wanted you guys if you mind to post in this thread your shallow tank of 25 or 30 cm high like I can have an idea of the height and what can be done with that.

Hope that you will play the game and help me on that pleeeaaasee.

cheers and lets start the show off

Zanguli


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## Alastair (6 Aug 2014)

Hi zanguli, 

I think for a 50cm length tank 25 may be better as your tank isn't as long as most shallows we see, but, depending on how thick substrate you require you may be better opting for the 30cm. 

Both mine and toms shallows were 30cm 

Untitled by Mr-T-, on Flickr






Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk 2


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## James Flexton (6 Aug 2014)

im awaiting delivery of mine on the 14th August 100x40x30. ill do a journal with step by step pics for everything. keep an eye out for that unless you are moving on with this project sooner than that.
i have always shown the full story in my journals, highs and lows so to speak and im sure this will be the usual mix of success and disaster so should be interesting.

good luck with the project


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (6 Aug 2014)

Alastair said:


> Hi zanguli,
> 
> I think for a 50cm length tank 25 may be better as your tank isn't as long as most shallows we see, but, depending on how thick substrate you require you may be better opting for the 30cm.
> 
> Both mine and toms shallows were 30cm



Hi Alastair thanks for your pic mate ! Great tanks by the way !!! 
I think you are right about the length vs height. For a 50 cm long it will have more shallow effect if I use a 25 cm height. 
If I use 30 cm I think that the shallow effect would be "kill". 
Hope it makes sense. 
I think George had a 25 cm shallow tank no ? 
I am starting to be impatient to build that tank lol 

Thanks again


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (6 Aug 2014)

Thanks James I will follow your journal ! I hope to take the decision by tomorrow morning so I order the glasses and start doing it ASAP. 

Cheers


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## Mr. Teapot (6 Aug 2014)

Hi, even at 25cm I'm not too sure you're going to get a shallow effect - its only 5cm less than my little tank that's 45cm wide. The ADA shallow tanks are only 18cm high at 60 and 45cm wide. Have you tried building a cardboard version to see if the proportions are what you had in mind?


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## CMac (6 Aug 2014)

Hi, if you are concerned about the overall look of the aquarium it might be helpful to look at tanks with a similar aspect ratio (not entirely sure its the right term). Your original 50 x 25 would be 2 :1, so have a look at the standard 54L 60x30x30 or ADA 90p (90x45x45). Personally that would be the maximum height to give a shallow overall look to the tank, I would be tempted to go shallower (or stretch it out to 60 x 25 instead).

At 50cm x 30cm would be 5:3 which would be akin to the US standard 29G, which to me looks like a tall tank. But it is entirely down to personal taste really, I have seen stunning tanks in all kinds of dimensions.

Although this doesn't take into account depth (front to back) I find its the front pane that can give the shallow effect

Hope this helps


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## CMac (6 Aug 2014)

Sorry you were asking for pics, here is my first attempt at 60x30x30cm, please excuse the scape (or lack of) but bare in mind the hood and bottom trim hide about 3-4cm of glass.


 

Cheers


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## James O (6 Aug 2014)

Nice bit of homework/research there zanguli-ya-zamba


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## TOO (6 Aug 2014)

"Shallow" is not a fixed concept, but relational to the length of the tank. So if you are set on 50 long I think you need something like 15 or 20 cm high to get a shallow effect. In my two previous scapes (see signature) I used a 75x45x25 tank, which I think is only medium shallow even with 75 in length.

Thomas


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## Tim Harrison (6 Aug 2014)

Does this qualify 60x40x25...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7460/10575948724_b70ab7536d_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7383/10575942104_50a3670830_b.jpg


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (7 Aug 2014)

Thanks guys for you help and for posting pictures. 
Yes Troy that's good ! 
Thomas I decided to go with 25 cm even if it doesn't a full shallow effect. 

Thanks again I will post picture of me building the tank. 

Cheers


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## Zak190z (19 Sep 2022)

Alastair said:


> Hi zanguli,
> 
> I think for a 50cm length tank 25 may be better as your tank isn't as long as most shallows we see, but, depending on how thick substrate you require you may be better opting for the 30cm.
> 
> ...



What is the big bushy plant on the right? Did you grow it in soil or wood. I really like it.


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## dw1305 (19 Sep 2022)

Hi all, 


Zak190z said:


> What is the big bushy plant on the right? Did you grow it in soil or wood. I really like it.


Welcome to UKAPS, unfortunately @Alastair is no longer an active member, but the plant is a <"_Calathea_">_. _I'll add in @tam, @hitmanx and @ScareCrow as I think they have all grown _Calathea_ sp. 

cheers Darrel


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## Conort2 (19 Sep 2022)

dw1305 said:


> unfortunately @Alastair is no longer an active member,


Anyone know what happened to him and Tom? They had excellent aquariums.


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## castle (19 Sep 2022)

Edit


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## Zak190z (19 Sep 2022)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Welcome to UKAPS, unfortunately @Alastair is no longer an active member, but the plant is a <"_Calathea_">_. _I'll add in @tam, @hitmanx and @ScareCrow as I think they have all grown _Calathea_ sp.
> 
> cheers Darrel


Cheers for letting me know dw1305.


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## Zak190z (19 Sep 2022)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Welcome to UKAPS, unfortunately @Alastair is no longer an active member, but the plant is a <"_Calathea_">_. _I'll add in @tam, @hitmanx and @ScareCrow as I think they have all grown _Calathea_ sp.
> 
> cheers Darrel


Any idea mate how do you plant this. I believe this is sitting on top of some wood/bog wood but not sure.


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## dw1305 (19 Sep 2022)

Hi all, 


Conort2 said:


> Anyone know what happened to him and Tom? They had excellent aquariums.


Tom (@BigTom) finished his <"Ph. D at Edinburgh"> and <"moved back to Cornwall">. I don't think he keeps freshwater tanks any more, but he still keeps marine tanks. @Alastair had a bit of a falling out with the forum, and I don't know what he is doing now.

cheers Darrel


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## dw1305 (19 Sep 2022)

Hi all,


Zak190z said:


> Any idea mate how do you plant this. I believe this is sitting on top of some wood/bog wood but not sure.


You would need to keep the growing point above the water level and then the roots would spread down into the tank. I've grown <"_Maranta leuconeura_"> like that, they are related to _Calathea_ spp. but a lot more forgiving.

I'll copy in @sciencefiction <"as well">.

cheers Darrel


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## ScareCrow (20 Sep 2022)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Welcome to UKAPS, unfortunately @Alastair is no longer an active member, but the plant is a <"_Calathea_">_. _I'll add in @tam, @hitmanx and @ScareCrow as I think they have all grown _Calathea_ sp.
> 
> cheers Darrel


I've not had much luck but I think this is due to not giving them enough light as they are all leaning towards the window end of the living room and my aquarium light is resting on top of the tank, so they get very little light from that.
As dw1305 says keeping the growing point above the water level is the main thing. I also think that water movement around the roots is important, otherwise they tend to slowly rot off and eventually the plant dies.
I made some brackets to hold the plants at the correct level.








They've worked really well so far and unless you are looking for them you don't notice them.


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## Zak190z (21 Sep 2022)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> You would need to keep the growing point above the water level and then the roots would spread down into the tank. I've grown <"_Maranta leuconeura_"> like that, they are related to _Calathea_ spp. but a lot more forgiving.
> 
> ...


Thanks Mate. I will try both Calathea and Maranta. Both are beautiful.


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