# which tank dimensions would be best??



## mark-h (27 Jul 2010)

Hello all, 
I have been lurking about view this forum for a while and love all the advice and inpirational tanks, i am currenlty saving to get myself a braceless optiwhite and all the other gubbings (DIY stand) so that one day i'll have a lovely planted tank   
I am limited with space in my kennel house and was hoping someone here would be able to advise me, i am looking to get a tank 60cm wide (in an ideal world 90cm but can't) 45cm deep (for greater depth perspective), now was thinking 45cm in height, however i'm not sure how that would limit the options with regards to aquascaping as it is a funny shaped cube, if i was to go for a 30cm tall tank it would maintain more of a panoramic ratio aspect.  Does anyone have 60*45*45 or 60*45*30(h) so that i can see how they look.  I'm bad at decision at the best of times so this is really bugging me   
Please can anyone advise which would be best - i know its proberly more of a subjective view and everyone will have their own views, but any examples would allow me to visulise it.

Regards
Mark


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## tyrophagus (27 Jul 2010)

If I was you I would go for a 60w x 45d x 60h.  My tanks 45cm high and I wish I had an extra 15cm.  If you could fit it in I'd even consider a 60cm cube


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## mark-h (27 Jul 2010)

Hi tyrophagus,
Thanks for your reply, i really dont feel i'd have the space for a 60cm cube, however in the time its going to take me to save up and sell assets, i may have made some more space


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## tyrophagus (27 Jul 2010)

Mark have you seen this post. Interesting as it makes me think about the benefits of going shallow. 
http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12395&start=10


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## George Farmer (27 Jul 2010)

60x45x30H cm for me but it depends on your own goals and tastes.

Garuf has a 60x45x45cm I think.  I'm sure he'll chime in at some point and give you his opinion.


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## mark-h (27 Jul 2010)

thanks again tyrophagus, shallow may result in different possiblities indeed.
thanks George, my goals and tastes encompass most styles i have so many possibilities running through my head and can't stop them (going mad) and these all depend on tank dimensions, i think the sooner i get a tank and make the stand i can rule out many of the ideas that are plauging me (getting obsessed), hope to hear from Garuf to the benefits of his tank

Mark


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## amy4342 (27 Jul 2010)

Just thought I'd add my 2p worth - I've got a 60 x 60 x 30H cm tank and I've also got a 75 x 35 x 45H cm. IMO, the 45cm height is easier to scape because you're not so limited with things like stem plants. It's much easier to do the more traditional scape. However, adding hardscape or some plants ie swords that protrude does add another dimension to the scape, and is easier in a shallower tank. Personally, I would go with the taller tank since I find the shallower one more limiting.


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## Garuf (27 Jul 2010)

You're right, George, mines 60x45x45, It's a brilliant set of dimensions and as amy says you're non limited in hight, where difficulties arise is when working using golden section or sloping as you can quickly find that even a modest slope really eats up the substrate, regarding golden section this isn't such an issue but more a consideration as the more vertical dimensions mean that it can make scapes appear squat. I love my tank, don't get me wrong and you really can't go wrong with it, you just have to be aware that the more "panoramic" scapes will appear too short/squat the extra height also tends to mean that branches if aimed for the surface tend to be much more vertical to breach.

Personally I'd go for either 60x38-41x45 or 60x40x50. The depth is truely mindblowing at first and offers such a huge change of thinking that it's a challenge to change your thinking rather than to produce good layouts, they really coax the originality out of you I find that every time I look at my tank I have an idea for something I want to do next that uses the depth better or is a different style.


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## mark-h (27 Jul 2010)

Thanks for your comments amy and garuf, looks like the jury is on the taller option i do however like the dimensions you have mentioned above these seem a nice height and depth within my 60cm width limit, I didn't think of these as was looking at listed tank sizes and not custom sizes. Sounds good to me..

Mark


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## Mark Evans (27 Jul 2010)

Garuf said:
			
		

> where difficulties arise is when working using golden section or sloping as you can quickly find that even a modest slope really eats up the substrate,



The sloping is 'plant' based though right? just because you have 45 front to back or 50 or even 60 for that matter, the more front to back space doesn't mean you have to slope the substrate even more. Sloped substrates are for when your using grass, tennelus etc not stems. 

it's possible to get a 30cm front to back tank look 'deep' 

The more front to back depth we have, I reckon the harder it would be to scape. You then have to be really creative in your plant placement. Paths and the likes would become much more important.


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## Garuf (27 Jul 2010)

True Mark, it in most instances it is plant based, but you can find that it just doesn't look right though simply because the substrate level is out of whack with the tanks height. It looks strangely flat too if like in my scape you intend to run the foreground plants (in my case hairgrass) up to more or less the back pane of glass you can't rely on just the plant so sloping helps. That's just my personal observation from playing with one of these hyperdepth tanks, you're always playing to ramp up the height in a tank with as much depth as height as otherwise you can quickly become out of balance aesthetically speaking, it can be altered with planting especially if you're using stems but it's still something that I found needed "shuffling" about to find the right amounts of each and used more substrate than you probably think. 

Sloping the foreground I always think is a wise idea, especially as a first timer, it really seems to make all the difference initially.   

And yes, the more front to back the more difficult it is but it really brings out whole new ideas that you would have to curtail or would prove difficult in a smaller tank, lines of sight and what you want to appear to have the most impact become far more important than chosing a fixed focal point in the hardscape/plant choice through golden section as with tanks in more conventional ratios.


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## George Farmer (27 Jul 2010)

Something else to consider is the potential costing of a taller vs. shallower tank.

A 45cm may need to have 10mm glass if you're braceless.  30cm would be 8 or 6mm, so less expensive.


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## mark-h (27 Jul 2010)

George, this is true although I plan to save some money on diy stand and diy co2 though going to wrestle with these dimension decisions for a while longer....so many possibilities..


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## Garuf (27 Jul 2010)

I'd sooner get a smaller tank than cut corners on CO2, it's vital it makes my head spin like the girl in the exorcist every time I read people saying they're going to use diy co2 or bemoaning pressurised. 
Mark, where in the world are you, you're more than welcome to visit me in leeds if you wanna see a 60x45x45 in the flesh.


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## Mark Evans (27 Jul 2010)

mark-h said:
			
		

> I plan to save some money on diy stand and diy co2 though going to wrestle with these dimension decisions for a while longer....so many possibilities..



why not try the low tech route?....I'm having good success with this approach.


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## Nelson (27 Jul 2010)

well i was thinking of getting a tank 75x50x50.then thought 60x45x45.
now after reading this i don't know what to go for   .


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## mark-h (27 Jul 2010)

Hi Garuf, I should have been clearer by diy co2 I was meaning 2nd hand fire ex. reg off a mate and buy the other bit as cheaper than co2 kits in shops, I'm fully aiming for a high tech tank (mark), as had and got a nasty small tank with undergravel filter etc. it even had pink and white gravel  you have shed some interesting light on my dilemma though..


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