Are you just getting into the world of aquariums? If so, then the first thing you are going to need is a tank.
There are many options to choose from, but finding the right one for you is the hard part. This article will take a closer look at some of the best fish tanks.
Comparison Chart
MarineLand Contour 5 aquarium Kit 5 Gallons, Rounded Glass Corners, Includes LED Lighting, Multi-Color, 5-Gallon (ML90611)
Best Fish Tanks: Reviews
SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set
Suppose you are looking for a large aquarium that can hold many fish and plants. In that case, the SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set is an excellent high-end option.
Be aware that this is not the most affordable option around, but as they say, you get what you pay for, and here you get quality.
Product Highlights
The SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium is a 50-gallon tank. It is quite sizeable, and it should allow you to create a very diverse aquarium setup. This aquarium comes in various sizes, including 15, 20, 26, 29, 30, 40, and 46 gallons.
Moreover, the 50-gallon model is a rectangle, but other sizes come in a hexagon. The dimensions of the 50-gallon tank are 36 x 15 x 20 inches.
It’s important to note that this aquarium is made of acrylic. While some prefer the look of glass, acrylic is about 17 times stronger. It’s more impact, crack, and chip resistant than glass and more durable overall. It weighs almost half as much as glass.
The SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium comes with several extras. It has a reflector panel for the rear of the tank, which helps you get a better view, plus reflectors like this make fish tanks look larger than they are.
Moreover, to get you started, this fish tank also comes with a 24-inch light fixture. The light itself is not included, but the fixture is.
The Good
The good part about the SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium is that it’s an all-around high-quality acrylic fish tank. It comes in many sizes and shapes, it’s exceptionally durable, and it comes with a couple of extras.
The Bad
The bad part about the SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium is the price. Comparatively speaking, this is by far one of the most expensive fish tanks you can purchase. However, many would agree that it is well worth the investment.
Pros
- Very durable
- Large size and spacious
- Many size and shapes to choose from
- Reflector included
- Light included
- Lightweight tank
Cons
- Scratches easily
- Very expensive
MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarium Kit
If you are looking for an aquarium kit that comes with all the bells and whistles to get you started, but you don’t want to spend a lot to buy it, the MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarium Kit is an excellent option to keep in mind.
Product Highlights
First of all, the aquarium measures 11.75 x 11.75 x 16.75 inches, and it is 5 gallons in size (although there is also a smaller 3-gallon option). This is the perfect fish tank for beginners who just want a small tank or for people who only have space for a small tank.
You may not be able to fit too many fish inside it, but it looks excellent. Glass looks nice, and it doesn’t scratch as easily as acrylic.
Moreover, this fish tank has rounded edges that provide a sleeker look and more viewing angles. The aquarium has a small black base, as well as a black backing to hide the filter.
This aquarium kit comes with its own 3-stage filter. This filter uses mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration. It comes with an adjustable filter pump to adjust the filter’s output. The filter uses basic media cartridges that are very simple to replace.
The MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarium Kit also comes with a transparent glass canopy, so you can keep the fish and water where they are supposed to be while still getting a great view from the top.
Above the glass canopy, there is an LED light strip with blue and white lights. The lighting has dual settings—one for daytime and one for nighttime illumination. The LED lights are fixed on a hinge, so you can tilt them back, making it easy to access and clean the aquarium’s interior.
The Good
The simple fact is that the MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarium Kit comes with everything you need to get started, including the tank, a filter, a lighting system, and a glass canopy.
For a very reasonable price, it’s the perfect kit for beginners and kids alike.
The Bad
The tank is actually a bit smaller than advertised, which can be annoying. Moreover, although all included components are decent, they are not spectacular. They will get the job done, but some, mainly the filter, probably won’t last all that long.
Pros
- Sleek aquarium
- Does not scratch easy
- Filter included
- Lights included
- Glass canopy included
- Reasonable price
Cons
- The filter has limited durability
- Slightly smaller than advertised
Tetra Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank Kit
This 20-gallon tank kit from Tetra Aquarium is so far the most affordable fish tank on the list, and it also comes with the most components and extras.
If you want a medium-size fish tank that comes with everything you need to get started—and for a great price—the Tetra Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank Kit is something to look into.
Product Highlights
This is a 20-gallon aquarium, with dimensions of 27.88 x 16.13 x 20.38 inches. This is a good size for both beginners and those who just want something moderate. It’s large enough to fit a few fish and plants, yet not so large that it takes up a ridiculous amount of space.
Keep in mind that this aquarium is made out of glass, which is an excellent material to use. Glass is quite durable. It is highly resistant to scratching, and it looks really nice. This aquarium is made in the USA, and it is built to last.
The Tetra Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank Kit comes with extras—everything you need to set up a good fish tank. It comes with 5 artificial plants, just to create some scenery; many people like artificial plants because they don’t require any care.
You also get a Tetra Whisper Filter, one that is super quiet, uses the 3 major forms of aquarium filtration, and is very easy to maintain. The small filter hangs on the aquarium’s back; it is powerful enough to filter the tank’s entire water volume up to 3 times per hour.
You also get an LED hood included with the Tetra Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank Kit.
It’s a black hood that sits on hinges, so it’s easy to open and close, and it will keep your fish where they are supposed to be. The white LED lighting provides a bit of illumination, although it’s nothing overly special.
Finally, with your purchase, you also get a 100-watt aquarium heater, which should be more than enough to keep this tank at a suitable temperature for many varieties of fish.
The Good
We like how the Tetra Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank Kit is an all-in-one kit. Besides the tank itself, it comes with plants, a filter, a light, a hood, and a heater—everything you need to keep your fish happy and healthy— and all for a very reasonable price.
The Bad
What is not so great about the Tetra Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank Kit is that the included components aren’t the highest quality. They aren’t bad per se, but you can find better filters and lights than those included here.
Pros
- Good looking tank
- Scratch-resistant glass
- Moderate size is ideal for many situations
- Comes with a filter
- Light included
- Hood included
- Heater included
- Plants included
Cons
Filter and light are not the most durable
Marina LED Aquarium Kit
Suppose you are looking for a moderate-size tank, one that won’t cost you a fortune and comes with extra aquarium accessories. In that case, this Marina LED Aquarium Kit might be a good option for you to look into.
Product Highlights
One thing you might like about the Marina LED Aquarium Kit is that you can choose from various sizes, including 5, 10, and 20 gallons.
That said, we recommend the 20-gallon tank, as it is large enough to create a nice aquascape with plenty of fish, yet not so large that it takes up an unnecessary amount of space. This is a glass aquarium, not acrylic, so while it is quite heavy, it looks fantastic, and it doesn’t scratch easily.
Moreover, this kit comes with a Marina Slim S20 clip-on filter. This compact filter doesn’t take up much space and can easily be clipped onto the tank’s rear.
Maintaining this filter is easy, thanks to the special filtration cartridges. Also, keep in mind that this filter uses all 3 major forms of water filtration across 4 stages.
When you purchase the Marina LED Aquarium Kit, you also get a black hood that can be easily removed for access to the tank; it also helps keep the fish contained.
A basic LED lighting system is integrated into the hood. This lighting system provides natural daylight, although it cannot be adjusted.
When you buy this kit, you also get a small fishnet, an aquarium care guide, Fluval Max fish food, a biological cycle booster, and a small bottle of water conditioner.
The Good
We like the Marina LED Aquarium Kit because it comes with the biological cycle starter and the water conditioner. This allows you to start cycling your tank as soon as you get it, so you put fish in it much sooner.
It’s also an excellent and affordable tank that comes with nearly everything you need to get started.
The Bad
What we don’t y like about the Marina LED Aquarium Kit is how the light cannot be adjusted; it is only white light. Moreover, the light won’t last that long. Besides that, we think that this is a perfectly good option to consider.
Pros
- Good design
- Scratch-resistant glass
- Easy to maintain filter
- Basic lighting system included
- Fishnet, water conditioner, cycling solution, and more
- Comes in various sizes
- Good price
Cons
- Light is not all that good
- Seals may come undone with prolonged use
Fluval Vista Aquarium Kit
Suppose you are looking for something small and affordable, just something basic to hold a few fish and plants, and an aquarium that provides a 360° view of the interior. In that case, the Fluval Vista Aquarium Kit is another excellent choice.
Product Highlights
By far, the best feature of the Fluval Vista Aquarium is its panoramic view. This means that all 4 sides are transparent, so you can get a 360° view of the interior. Combined with the unique rounded corners, the panoramic design makes this one of the best-looking aquariums on our list.
Keep in mind that this is a 16-gallon tank with dimensions of 24 x 12 x 15.5 inches, making it the perfect size to fit some fish and plants without taking up too much space. We need to point out is that this tank is recommended for freshwater fish only.
When you purchase the Fluval Vista Aquarium, you also get an AquaClear filter. This is a simple hang-on-the-back filter, which barely takes up any space within the tank; the filter itself is very quiet.
Moreover, this filter uses simple-to-change media cartridges that make maintenance a breeze. The filter is more than powerful enough to process the entire water volume of the 16-gallon tank a few times every hour.
You may also like the soft start LED light that is included. This is an LED light with white light designed to mimic natural sunlight.
This soft-start feature gradually turns on to simulate a rising sun, instead of just going from dark to total illumination like many other lights. This light is also very energy efficient.
The Good
The good part about the Fluval Vista Aquarium is that although it is not the cheapest aquarium kit around, and although it doesn’t come with as many extras and accessories as some of the others we have looked at today, all of the included components appear to be very durable and of very high quality.
The Bad
Something negative about the Fluval Vista Aquarium is that the filter is so powerful that it may suck in plants or small fish, so you should cover the water intake area with mesh.
Also, the hood’s interior seems to gather a lot of condensation, which may negatively impact the LED light over time.
Pros
- Very durable components
- Panoramic aquarium design
- Good size for most applications
- Very powerful filter
- Soft start light
Cons
- Some small issues with the hood
- Filter may suck in tiny fish
Fish Tank Buyer’s Guide
Before you buy the first fish tank you see, there are some essential considerations that you should keep in mind. Let’s take a look at the 5 most crucial purchasing factors when choosing the right fish tank for you.
Fish Type
The first thing to consider is what type of fish you are getting. Fish can be freshwater, saltwater, or brackish water fish. Not all fish tanks are designed for all kinds of water.
For the most part, saltwater is more challenging to maintain, and it can adversely affect some materials. If you are going for a saltwater setup, make sure that the tank is designed for it.
Tank Size
The next thing is the size of the tank. The size you get should be determined by your fish’s number and size and how much space you have for the tank. Remember, with most fish, the general rule of thumb is that you need 1 gallon of tank space for each inch of fish in the tank.
Filtration Equipment
Next, you want to look for filtration equipment. All aquariums need filters, and you should look for something that can process at least 2 to 3 times the tank’s water volume per hour.
The filtration system should use all 3 major forms of water filtration (mechanical, biological, and chemical). You want a filter that’s not too loud or space consuming.
Tank Lights
Your fish tank will need lights because fish need something that mimics natural sunlight. A good LED setup with white lights is perfect. That said, if you can find an adjustable LED light that also comes with blue lights for nighttime, you’ve got a winning combination.
Construction
Finally, look at the construction of the aquarium. This more or less comes down to whether you want a glass or acrylic tank. Glass looks great, and it is scratch-resistant.
However, it features less impact resistance than acrylic and is much heavier too. This is a tradeoff to think about.
FAQs
How to Care and Clean a Fish Tank?
You could write a whole book on this matter, but essentially:
- Vacuum out the bottom about once per week to remove waste.
- Clean and maintain your filter.
- Scrub algae off the tank walls.
- Perform weekly water changes.
Why is my Aquarium Water Cloudy?
Your aquarium water may be cloudy because:
- It has not been properly cycled yet
- There could be dissolved organic compounds in the water
- There could be a buildup of waste
- Sand or gravel could be emitting small particles into the water
- The filter may not be working efficiently
- You might be seeing algae
Will Fish Only Grow Relative to the Tank Size?
No, this is an absolute myth.
How Long do I have to Wait for the Tank to Cycle?
Generally speaking, it will take between 3 and 5 weeks for a tank to cycle.
Why is There so Much Algae in my Aquarium?
Algae feed off ammonia, and it likes lots of natural sunlight, both leading causes of algae bloom in aquariums.
Final Verdict
As you can see, there are plenty of great fish tanks out there. If you want something simple that comes with all of the bells and whistles, we recommend the Tetra Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank Kit. That said, everything we have looked at here today is worth considering.