Large Aquarium, Width Needed For Turning, What Size Is This Tank?

Hey all,

Think this is my first post here -- I didn't follow along when most people jumped from the e-mail list to the forum.

My basic question first (background below): In people's experience, how does depth of tank (front to back) limit the size of fish you can keep? If you have a tank 96" long by 24" tall, but only 16" deep/wide, what's the biggest fish you could keep in that? From watching fish, it looks to me like they don't need their full body length to turn comfortably, but I'm curious about others' experiences. If I'm going to get a tank this big, I want to make sure I can keep BIG fish in it (if I ever decide to do that).

Anyway, I'm in Vermont now, working for a company than enjoys having some large tanks around. I just saw a local ad for a tank advertised as a 175. I was expecting a 72" long tank, but when I looked at it last night it turns out it's 96" x ~17.5" deep x ~24" tall.

Anyone run into a tank with these dimensions? I usually look at http://www.alysta.co...ks/fishtank.htm or http://www.cichlid-f...arium_sizes.php as references, and this isn't there. Is there a standard size that matches this, or is this maybe a custom?

Thanks, Jase

Glass cages calls this (96x18x24) a "180-8" I don't know what the "-8" stands for. See: http://www.glasscage...iewCat&lCatID=2

Glass cages calls this (96x18x24) a "180-8" I don't know what the "-8" stands for. See: http://www.glasscage...iewCat&lCatID=2

The "-8" means it's 96 inches or 8 feet long. They have a 180 Tall and a 180 Wide that are each 72 inches or 6 feet long.

Glass cages calls this (96x18x24) a "180-8" I don't know what the "-8" stands for. See: http://www.glasscage...iewCat&lCatID=2

Excellent, thanks. That seems like it. So the 18" width actually works out to about 16.5" inside dimension (front and back is very thick glass). So how about amount of space needed for large fish to turn? If I was going to buy a tank like this, I'd want to be sure that it'll accommodate *big* fish safely/comfortably. Can anyone suggest the max size for something like a bass or pickerel in this? Lots of swim room and lots of water, but not all that much turning room...

When I went to look at it, I was actually expecting a 72" tank roughly 24" in each of the other dimensions. That actually seems like it might be better for really big fish.

Welcome aboard Jase!

I think a tank that size is suitable for bass and certainly grass/redfin (but not at the same time). I believe it's not the right dimensions for gar or gallonage for larger esox (chain pickerel or pike).

It's hard to pass up bargains but I feel most tank sizes are really not all that good for large native fish. I'd much rather have 4 extra inches on the 18" dimension and take that away from the 24" dimension. That would really help a lot for larger fish.

Yeah, gar don't bend so easy!

Here in Southern California you can easily get a tank made to any size that you wish. My 62 glass 30"L x 24"W x 20"H was less than $150 in 3/8" glass. I used a local vendor and he delivered it to the bottom of the hill from LA. The wider the tank the more surface area and the better the oxygenation of the water.

BTW like water glass is also a liquid, it flows.

Yeah, gar don't bend so easy!

Ha! I was collecting in Louisiana with Jim Graham, Charlie Grimes, and BG a few years ago. Charlie carried around these little coke bottles - you know, the plastic kind. He would put the fish in them for transport. The question came up about whether a certain fish would fit through the mouth of the bottle, and Charlie said, "it will if you fold it right" Later that day we netted a small needlefish that was bent in half. BG said "I guess that one got 'folded' ".

But back to the subject, pickerel are amazingly flexible. Large pickerel caught in a net look and act just like snakes - they are that supple. Gar - not so much.

Huh... so the seller is asking $325, including a stand (but the stand is kind of low... I feel like I'd eventually want to build a new one, anyway). How awesome a deal is that? Seems like this tank would be in the range of $600 new?

Cheers,
Jase

I just bought a 125 and the dimensions are exactly the same, except for the length. I have a longnose gar and he is currently in a 55 gallon tank, he is about 12 or 13 inches wide and the tank is only 12 inches wide, he has a terrible time turning around , especially when he is hungry, and sometimes it seems like he actually gets frustrated about it and he will freak out

I just bought a 125 and the dimensions are exactly the same, except for the length. I have a longnose gar and he is currently in a 55 gallon tank, he is about 12 or 13 inches wide and the tank is only 12 inches wide, he has a terrible time turning around , especially when he is hungry, and sometimes it seems like he actually gets frustrated about it and he will freak out

I think that you will soon need to look for an aquarium larger than 125 gal for that longnose gar. I see them in the spring in the tribs to lake erie. They can get fairly big. We found this one dead in May this last spring.

By the way I see you are from Barberton, that is where I lived for my first 24 years.