Is this tank useful?

[mechanic380]

I found a used tank that is very well priced. It is a 60 gallon hexagonal tank, and is about twice as tall as wide. I looked at a 50 gallon tall tank today and that would make this thing huge. My question is would this really be suitable for aquatic newts? I wanted to try and get a couple pairs of T. Marmoratus or dobrogicus or maybe some other species. I will be purchasing it this weekend if some experienced members here dont have a reason why I shouldn't. Finally, I have read in threads that you can use a much smaller filter for newt aquariums, like 10 gallon for a 50 gallon tank. Is this acurate?

 

[Jennewt]

It would certainly work, but you'll have a lot of unused vertical space. If you use the typical water level for aquatic newts (8-12 inches), there will be a lot of space above the water.

Yes, you can usually downsize the filter.

For newts, the size that matters is the length and width, not height.
60hex = 27x24" = 648 square in.
55 gal = 48x12" = 576 square in.
So the 60hex is larger, but not by much. And you can get the same square footage from two 20-long tanks, which are quite inexpensive.