Best Fish Tanks 2020 – Buyer’s Guide & Reviews
To keep your aquarium inhabitants, fish tanks play an important role for providing a safe place to live. To create a calming atmosphere in your fish tanks, it is necessary to maintain a constant water temperature that should be ranged from 24-28 degrees Celsius (75.2-82.4 °F) which ensure cleanliness the aquarium and provide comfortable living conditions for aquarium inhabitants. Each fish shows its own behavioral characteristics and needs special conditions for maintenance. Before keeping fish in the fish tanks, you should carefully study the habits and habitats of aquatic inhabitants. It is vital to create a natural environment for keeping in captive condition. Because, some fish requires hiding places, high concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water, while other takes everything as food. In this case, you should know what kinds and forms of fish tanks are needed. Therefore, before purchasing fish and plants you must choose the best fish tanks and other necessary equipment to keep your aquarium environment healthy.
Review of Best Fish Tanks
To save your lot of money and times I have done market research and reviewed all the best fish tanks which you can try to buy for keeping your aquarium fish happy. You can also gather more information about each fish tank to get the best one which fulfills your requirements.
Comparison Table of the best Products
Name of Fish Tanks | Tank size | Materials | Our Rating | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
SeaClear 50 gal Acrylic Aquarium | 5o gallon | Acrylic | ||
Tetra Led Half Moon Betta Aquarium | 1.1 Gallon | Acrylic | ||
Fluval Spec V Aquarium Kit | 5 gallon | Etched glass | ||
Marineland ML90609 Portrait Aquarium Kit | 5 gallon | Glass | ||
Marina LED Aquarium Kit | 5, 10, 20 gallon | Clear glass | ||
Marineland Contour Glass Aquarium Kit with Rail Light | 3, 5 gallon | Clear glass | ||
Coralife LED Biocube Aquarium LED | 29 gallon | Clear glass | ||
Tetra 29095 Cube Aquarium Kit | 3 gallon | Acrylic | ||
Tetra 29234 Half Moon Aquarium Kit | 10 gallon | Acrylic | ||
Fluval View Aquarium | 4 gallon | Acrylic plastic |
Here we briefly described product features, pros and cons for each fish tank. This will help you to take the decision effortlessly to purchase the perfect fish tanks. Now you touch and get into the detailed review of each product.
Our Rating
The SeaClear 50 Gallon Aquarium is a very attractive and good looking fish tank among the pet fish keepers due to its nearly break-proof and leak-proof designs. It is rectangular in shape and is made using the finest cast acrylic materials making it 17 times stronger than glass.
This acrylic material does not rust in saltwater; so you can utilize it as for freshwater or saltwater aquarium. This type of materials also secures your fish, plants and other submerged inhabitants. This fish tank features a fluorescent light fixture, heater, back filter, and one convenient hole and an air-injection nozzle.
The acrylic materials give extraordinarily clear views and enable you to make an incredible submerged world. If you add this tank in any room in your home, you will get plenty of mental satisfaction. This type of tank is best suited for fish like Bettas, Cichlids, Goldfishes, and turtles.This tank has top side opening for cleaning purpose. To filter the wastes and food particles, the tank gives extra space for using protein skimmer guaranteeing ideal cleanliness inside your aquarium. Today it comes with three distinct colors-clear, black and cobalt blue with 36 x 15 x 20 inches dimension.
Product Specifications
Pros
Cons
In general, this SeaClear 50 Gall fish tank is perfect home for your aquarium fish.We prescribe you to purchase this attractive and gorgeous tank to keep your fish happy and sound.
Our Rating
Tetra LED Half Moon Betta Aquarium is a very beautiful and attractive fish tank. It is a half-moon shaped tank with clear plastic canopy and feeding hole. You can easily feed your fish using this feeding hole. It has an adjustable battery operated LED lighting system which you can set up it either above or below the aquarium to make bright, reliable, and energy efficient lighting for easy viewing.
This LED light on this tank helps you to see your aquarium beauty any time. It is a small sized tank with a capacity of 1.1 gallon making it suitable for betta and other small fish. This betta tank is available in the pet market. It is suitable for desktop or any other room.The tank also features with cord hole to connect a heater in the tank and a USB port for charging. You can also be powered using a micro USB Cable with AC adapter to plug the unit into any outlet. This type of half moon shaped tank will be a great addition to any small space at home or at the office. This half moon shaped tank provides plenty of room for your fish to flash and swim. If you use this tank to keep your betta and other small fish, they will get more space to swim due to its half moon shaped structure and you can easily feed the fish through the feeding hole in the lid. If you look for small sized tank for your home, apartment or your office then the Tetra LED Half Moon Betta Aquarium with a capacity of 1.1 gallon is appropriate for you.
Product Specifications
Pros
Cons
Overall, Tetra LED Half Moon Betta Aquarium is a very gorgeous and attractive designed fish tank. If you look for small sized tank for your home, apartment or your office, it is appropriate for you. We strongly prescribe you to buy this tank to keep your fish happy.
Our Rating
The Fluval Spec V Aquarium Kit is a very smart designed fish tank. It is the ideal aquarium that you can keep it in small areas. It features with powerful LED lighting system consisting of 37 energy-efficient LED lamps that arches above the aquarium which provides full spectrum natural daylight, ideal for plants, fish and decor.
This popular nano aquarium makes 20% brighter lighting performance which enhances fish colors and plant growth.This type of tank comes in black and white color and provides suitable home for your aquarium fish and plant. It also features frosted glass background which cover the filter and gives this tank a sophisticated look. This tank also has aluminum highlights and black accents which contribute to the tank’s modern style. This design is suitable for use as a marine or freshwater aquarium. It has a powerful circulation pump with adjustable output nozzle that maintains a continuous flow of water for superior aeration and circulation. It does also contain a strong yet compact 3-stage filtration system (mechanical, chemical and biological) which continuously purifies the water. Fluval Spec V Aquarium includes BioMax bio rings, a porous foam block with suitable handle, activated carbon rings which provide excellent filtration performance. In this case foam box holds debris, activated carbon neutralizes chemicals and small impurities, while BioMax Bio rings give space for the helpful bacteria. These features are ideal for all tank setups either saltwater or freshwater aquarium. It is easy to set up and maintain.
Besides this, more models of Fluval Aquariums of different sizes are sold in the business sectors which incorporate the Fluval SPEC Desktop Glass Aquarium and Fluval Spec III aquarium. Every one of these tanks has same elements and advantages. The following table shows comparison among the Fluval Spec Aquarium Series with some key features.
Key features | Fluval SPEC Desktop Glass Aquarium | Fluval Spec III aquarium | Fluval Spec V aquarium |
---|---|---|---|
Tank capacity | 2 gallon (7.6 liter) | 2.6 gallon (10 liter) | 5 gallon (19 liter) |
Tank dimensions | 7.25 x 9.25 x 10 in | 10.8 x 11.8 x 8.7 in | 17.2 x 10.6 x 6.3 in |
Filtration system | 3-stage | 3-stage | 3-stage |
Filter output | 40 gph (152 lph) | 46-66 US gph (175-250 lph) | 55-80 gph (210-300 lph) |
No. of LED lamps | 31 | 32 | 37 |
LED Lumens | 821 lm | 821 lm | 821 lm |
Power | 10 watts | 10 watts | 10 watts |
Color temp | 7000 °K | 7000 °K | 7000 °K |
Kit Includes
Pros
Cons
Overall, Fluval tank series look great in any space, home or office, and creates a calming environment that is both appealing and relaxing. We recommend you to purchase the best one from Fluval tank series to keep your fish happy that fulfill your requirements.
Our Rating
The Marineland Portrait aquarium is a very beautiful and appealing curved glass aquarium. It is renowned among the pet fish keepers due to its good looking appearance and easy to maintain. It is reliable and great fish tank to keep your betta fish happy.
It has 3-stage hidden filtration system with a rite size cartridge Z, a Bio-foam and an adjustable filter flow pump. For easy feeding to your fish and caring tank water quality, this tank has a unique glass canopy on the top side that slides back and forth of the aquarium. This feature is also good for kids to stand at the top and look down at the fish swimming around. This tank also has a special room to set up submersible heater for further use. It is designed with bright white and blue energy-efficient LED lighting system for easy viewing of the tank. The white LED system creates a sparkling light in the water that mimic the underwater effect of sunlight, and the blue LED system produce a soothing moonlight glow which make your aquarium more attractive.
Product Specifications
Pros
Cons
Overall, The Marineland Portrait aquarium is a very reliable due to long-lasting performance. We prescribe you to purchase this gorgeous tank to keep your betta fish sound and healthy.
Our Rating
Marina LED aquarium kit is the best fish tank among the beginners and experienced aquarium hobbyists. It is a clear glass fish tank with bright white LED lighting and filtration system making the tank more popular among the pet fish keepers. This tank comes in three different sizes with volume capacity.
For keeping various tropical fish, 20-gallon tank is ideal while you can use 5-gallon and 10-gallon tank for Betta fish, shrimp and other small fish. This tank also features a lid and light combo, Aquarium environment Fish net, Marina filter and quick-change filter cartridges, Nutrafin Cycle Biological Supplement, Nutrafin Max fish food, and Nutrafin Aqua Plus water conditioner. In this case, Nutrafin Cycle Biological Supplement makes a naturally very much adjusted and healthy aquarium environment while Nutrafin Aqua Plus Water Conditioner helps to make tank water secure for fish and aquarium environment Fish net is made using fine delicate mesh to protect delicate fins. Marina also provides an Aquarium Care Guide to easy set up and keep up your aquarium.
It has a unique and streamlined design which provides a spotless clean and smooth look. It does also contain adjustable flow filter which allows you to control the water flow for your aquarium fish. Marina also provides an Aquarium Care Guide to easy set up and keep up your aquarium. Today in the pet market, it comes in various sizes with volume capacity of 5, 10 and 20 gallon. The following table shows comparison among different tank sizes with some key features.
Tank size | Dimension (L x W x H) | Filter |
---|---|---|
5 gallon | 16 x 8.5 x 10.5 inch | Marina Slim S10 clip-on filter with quick-change filter cartridges |
10 gallon | 20 x 10 x 12.5 inch | Marina Slim S15 clip-on filter with quick-change filter cartridges |
20 gallon | 24 x 12.5 x 16.5 inch | Marina Slim S20 clip-on filter with quick-change filter cartridges |
Product Accessories includes
Pros
Cons
Overall, Marina LED aquarium is a nice looking tank. For keeping various tropical fish, 20 gallon tank is ideal while you can use 5 gallon and 10 gallon tank for Betta fish, shrimp and other small fish.
Our Rating
The Marineland Contour Aquarium is a very attractive and popular fish tank due to its gorgeous body shape and good looking appearance. This tank is a great choice for beginners or experienced hobbyists. It is a good looking shiny, stylish and an eye-catching aquarium that can be a centerpiece of your living room, dormitories or office.
It has rounded and contoured corners which provide gorgeous panoramic views. This tank features 3-stage filtration and LED lighting system. In this case, advanced 3-stage filtration keeps the aquarium water crystal clear and healthy for your betta or other fish while LED lighting system creates daylight and moonlight effects in your aquarium using blue and bright white LEDs. The white LED makes a sparkling light in the water that mimics the underwater effect of sunlight and the blue LED produces a calming moonlight glow which makes your aquarium more attractive. Filtration system also has a filter cartridge with polyester floss, carbon and a Bio-Foam sponge. Polyester floss and carbon eliminate waste and organic materials while bio-foam sponge gives space for beneficial bacteria to remove deadly chemical substances like ammonia and nitrite. For easy feeding to your fish and caring tank water quality, this tank has a unique hinged or sliding glass canopy.
This tank is available in either three or five gallon sizes in the market today. The following table shows some key features with comparison between 3 and 5 gallon aquariums.
Aquarium model | Capacity | Dimensions | Weight | LEDs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Contour 3 (ML90610) | 3 gallon | 12 X 12 X 12.5 inch | 10.5 pounds | 6 White |
Contour 5 (ML90611) | 5 gallon | 11.8 X 11.8 X 16.8 inch | 12 pounds | 6 White |
Pros
Cons
Overall, the Marineland Contour Aquarium is the perfect for any beginner or experienced fish keepers due to it’s built in filtration and LED lighting system. To keep your fish happy, we prescribe you to purchase this tank from different tank size options that fulfill your requirements.
It is equipped with cooling fans, higher flow rate quiet submersible pump, LED lighting and filtration system. In this case, cooling fan helps to minimize the heat generated from the filter and LED lights while water pump circulates water. The cooling fans and the filter do not make almost any noise.
It also features a compact and customizable filtration chamber, dual intakes, and modifiable return nozzle with customizable media tray that is suitable for easily setting up refugium. This tank also has a hinge-top design making the tank attractive. On the top of the lid a timer is present for easy adjustment of the light in the day or night. In this case, the bright white LED for daytime makes a sparkling light in the water that mimics the underwater effect of sunlight, sparkling blue moon glows for nighttime which produces a calming moonlight glow which makes your aquarium more attractive while Color Enhancing LEDs creates a maximum beauty.
Product Specifications
Pros
Cons
Overall, Coralife LED Biocube Aquarium LED is one of the best choices among the aquarium hobbyists to keep aquatic inhabitants happy.
Our Rating
Tetra 29095 Cube Aquarium is a very popular fish tank among the pet fish keepers due to its cube shape body. It is made using seamless acrylic material making the tank lighter in weight, durable and rust resistant. It is a cube shaped clear plastic tank with stylish design which make an excellent showpiece. It is suitable for using in offices, classrooms, dormitories, and drawing rooms.
This tank features LED lighting and Tetra(R) 3i filtration system. In this case Tetra(R) 3i filter keeps the aquarium clean and safe from any unnecessary harmful substances and makes your tank the perfect underwater environment while the LED lighting system fix on the hood to make illumination each corner of the tank properly. This tank also has suitable feeding hole for feeding fish easily and timely. This feeding hole also uses to clean the tank properly. This Tetra 3 gallon cube shaped fish tank is one of the cheap fish tanks which are available in the pet fish market today with all the essential kits. It is a perfect fish tank among the beginners or experienced fish keepers due to its easy installation system and maintenance.
Product Specifications
Pros
Cons
Overall, Tetra 29095 Cube Aquarium with 3 Gallon size is an appropriate for you to keep your fish happy and healthy.
It features a low-voltage 24 Bulb LED Light with safe, low voltage adapter, a 50 watt Tetra Heater and an air pump driven Whisper Power 10i Submersible Filter. In this case, LED Light that clips to the back and top of the tank which gives a nice glow and provides an ideal environment for any plant life, submersible heaters make your water temperature stable while Whisper Power Filter keeps your tank harmful chemicals free of your water and providing a healthy habitat for your fish. This desktop aquarium is suitable for home or office use due to its compact size and half-moon shaped structure which provides 180 degrees of seamless viewing. It is ideal for small freshwater and saltwater species.
This tank is also suitable for tall stem plants such as Green Myrio (Myriophyllum pinnatum), Cabomba (Cabomba caroliana), Green rotala (Rotala rotundifolia) etc. This tank also has a half moon shape front glass panel and the frame-less top edge design which really give a new life to your underwater friends through a different viewing angle. But the lid or top of the tank has a hole for giving space for filter, heater and feeding purposes.
Product Specifications
Pros
Cons
Overall, Tetra 29234 Half Moon Aquarium Kit is a very attractive and gorgeous fish tank. We recommend you to purchase this tank and keep your fish healthy and happy.
Our Rating
Fluval View is an extremely well known fish tank among the beginner`s pet fish keepers because of its alluring and beautiful shape and outline. It is a 4 gallon tank with dimension of 15 1/4" H x 9" D x 17 1/4" W. It requires little space and you can keep it on desktop, shelf, and display place in bed room and workplace.
It is more or less oval in shape which gives an unmistakable view of your aquascape. It highlights LED lighting, filter and pump with removable cover for easy feeding and cleaning purposes. For this situation LED lighting system incorporates general daytime mode utilizing 10 white bulbs and evening time mode utilizing 1 blue bulb. It is a clear transparent tank with curved front and concealed filtration system. For this circumstance you can see your fish from all sides. This tank is made utilizing acrylic plastic materials which make sound aquatic condition and make your fish healthy. On the back side of the tank lovely printed plant picture is available which makes you tank more appealing. This tank also contains cartridge-style filtration system, biological supplement and water conditioner.
Product specifications
Pros
Cons
On the whole, it is the ideal tank for keeping your excellent Betta and other small fish.You can also use this tank for keeping cold, temperate or tropical fishes.
Types of Fish Tanks
All aquariums can be divided according to their purpose. We believe that this information will be valuable, and help you to know the aquarium terminology and also help you to choose the best fish tanks based on the needs. Fish tanks come in various types including:
Freshwater fish tanks: This type of aquarium is very popular among the most aquarium enthusiasts due to its easy to clean and maintain. It is used for pet-keeping, decorative, or research purposes. It is the best choice for beginner’s fish keepers. In this type of fish tank, the average water temperatures ranges between 72 and 84 0 F (22-28 0 C). Modern freshwater fish tanks are made using acrylic glass or transparent glass. Various types of aquatic inhabitants such as fish, plants, amphibians, and invertebrates (snails and crustaceans) are kept together for recreational purposes. Decorative items for your freshwater aquarium should be gravel or sand, plants (live or plastic), rocks, driftwood, and other plastic sculptures..
Freshwater fish tanks: This type of aquarium is very popular among the most aquarium enthusiasts due to its easy to clean and maintain. It is used for pet-keeping, decorative, or research purposes. It is the best choice for beginner’s fish keepers. In this type of fish tank, the average water temperatures ranges between 72 and 84 0 F (22-28 0 C). Modern freshwater fish tanks are made using acrylic glass or transparent glass. Various types of aquatic inhabitants such as fish, plants, amphibians, and invertebrates (snails and crustaceans) are kept together for recreational purposes. Decorative items for your freshwater aquarium should be gravel or sand, plants (live or plastic), rocks, driftwood, and other plastic sculptures.
Brackish water fish tanks: This type of fish tank contains a mix of freshwater and saltwater. Salinity of this type of water does not exceed 1-2%. In this type of special environment, some species of animals and plants live together. For example, Puffer is the most common brackish water fish. Besides these, guppies and some mollies are found not only in freshwater, but also in brackish water. This type of fish tank does not prefer many pet fish keepers because it is very hard to maintain its water quality conditions.
Besides above fish tanks/aquarium type, there are also more types of fish tanks/aquariums. You can also gather more knowledge about each type of aquarium that will help you to choose the right tank for keeping your fish happy and healthy.
Some Recommendations to Choose the Fish Tanks
Before buying fish tanks or aquarium, you should think about what kind of fish tank is better to choose. First of all, it is necessary to determine the budget, it must also be taken into account that with the purchase of the best fish tanks, you also need to buy more: a filter and aeration, a thermostat, soil, fish, scenery, plants (living or artificial), aquarium accessories such as net, siphon, magnetic scraper, etc. as well as start-up preparations for setting up the bio-system.
In addition, place or location plays an important role where the fish tank will stand. Tank size, volume, shape, etc mainly depends on the location and space. For example, if you decide to put the tank in a corner of the room, then we recommend you to purchase a corner fish tanks. Such fish tank fits well in the corner; it does not take up much space and will give a good panoramic view of the tanks. Besides these, you should also think in advance: what and who will be in the aquarium. For example, some fish needs an aquarium of a large volume, other needs a small aquarium, other needs a long aquarium, and the other needs aquarium with lids due to its jumping capability. Hence, all factors should be kept in mind before buying your the fish tanks.
From personal experience, we recommend you to buy a rectangular aquarium with a volume of 25-50 gallon. The volume of such an aquarium allows you to get many hydrobionts: fish, plants, snails, shrimps, etc. The size of such an aquarium meets your requirements and it is inexpensive to buy. Always you should choose an aquarium with a large volume. Because it is easy to take care of and maintain. Besides these, it is easy to adjust the bio-balance of aquarium inhabitants.
We also recommend you to buy a panoramic aquarium or an aquarium with a convex front glass. This type of aquarium has 6 faces or walls which give more viewing angles and looks more interesting than the aquarium with straight glass.
Before buying the fish tanks, you should also pay attention to its cover. Covers can be plastic, wooden or glass. You should also think about lighting system. In this case, you should pay attention to the fluorescent lamps, their number, power and characteristics. If there are many aquarium plants in the aquarium, it is better to solve the issue of lighting immediately. In this case, it better to consider the option of adding lighting under the cover.
During buying the fish tanks, you should carefully check it for chips and microcracks. If the smallest crack is present, it will sooner or later turn into a huge hole under the pressure of water. This rule is particularly relevant if the aquarium is purchased through an online store. Thoroughly you should check everything when the fish tank is delivered to the house.
Which Aquarium or Fish Tank is Suitable for You: Large or Small?
To select the fish tanks and make your pet fish comfortable in their tank, you should think about their shape and size that makes them comfortable. During choosing a large or small fish tank, you should consider the following aspects:
Small Sized Aquarium
Small aquariums are not stable and require more care from the proprietor.
Pros
Cons
Large Sized Aquarium
Large sized aquarium is more stable than small sized aquarium and needs less care.
Pros
Cons
Aquarium Installation
Before installation, you should check the aquarium for any leak or crack. To check any leak or crack, you should fill the aquarium with water and keep it on the newspaper and wait for at least a day. If any leak or crack is present, the newspaper will be wet, and repair the aquarium. After repairing, use detergents for washing the aquarium and install it in a proper place. It is advisable to disinfect the aquarium with 2% solution of bleaching powder or 1% solution of copper sulfate. After disinfection, the aquarium should be thoroughly rinsed and wiped with a clean dry cloth.
Placing the Aquarium
Aquarium should be placed on a flat stand. In this case the aquarium should not place near window or in a place where direct sunlight available because sunlight leads to detrimental heating of water and accelerates the growth of algae.
Filling the Aquarium with Water
First of all, the aquarium is filled with water partially. After a day, you should increase the water level in the aquarium. In this case 3-5 cm should be empty from the top edge of the aquarium.
Final Verdict
Fish tanks play an important role in providing a secure space for your pet fish. To keep your fish happy you should also add a calming atmosphere with the safest and most comfortable home in the aquatic world. Today various shapes, sizes, and styles of fish tanks are available in the pet fish market. The above review provided various options which will help you in selecting the best one for your pet fish without much hassle.
You might also love to read our review of Best Aquarium Thermometers.