The 5 Best Fish Tanks For Creating A Home Aquarium Business Insider

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Fish tanks are living ecosystems that are beautiful to look at and rewarding to maintain. The hobby can be an expensive one, though, so it’s important to understand the requirements of the fish species you’re interested in before purchasing a bunch of equipment.
Different fish have different needs for tanks, filters, and lights. For example, some fish are freshwater natives while others live in saltwater. There are also fish that prefer cold water to warm. In addition, different fish thrive in tanks of different sizes.
If you are new to fishkeeping, it can be daunting to find the right products for an ideal fish tank habitat. To learn about the essential qualities of aquariums, fish tank filters, and lights, we spoke with four people who are experienced in aquascaping and fish care. With their advice in mind, we combed through the aquarium equipment available at major online retailers to choose the best fish tanks and accessories.
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Best fish tank overall: Aqueon LED 20 Aquarium Kit – See at Chewy
The Aqueon LED 20 Aquarium Kit comes with everything you need to start a new fish tank, including a heater and thermometer.
Best betta fish tank: Fluval Flex Aquarium Kit – See at Amazon
The sleek, modern Fluval Flex Freshwater Kit has 15 gallons of betta swimming space and LED lights to highlight your stunner in almost any hue.
Best 5-gallon fish tank: Marineland 5 Gallon Portrait LED Aquarium – See at Chewy
The Marineland 5-Gallon Portrait Kit includes an affordable tank, three-stage filtration, and LED lights that shine like the sun or moon.
Best 10-gallon fish tank: ADA Cube Garden 45P Aquarium – See at Aqua Forest Aquarium
The ADA Cube Garden 45P Aquarium, which is made of ultra-clear glass, has no rim or plastic frame to mar its beauty.
Best 20-gallon fish tank: Aqueon Glass Aquarium Tank 20 Gallon – See at Petco
The 20-Gallon Aqueon Glass Aquarium Tank is an affordable option with barely visible silicone edges that maximize the view.
Best fish tank filter: Oase BioPlus 100 – See at Petco
The energy-efficient Oase BioPlus 100 fish tank filter has three adjustable water flow settings and comes with a warranty of up to four years.
Best fish tank light: Current USA Satellite Freshwater LED – See at Chewy
Current USA’s ultra-thin, adjustable Satellite Freshwater LED has more than 100 LEDs that can shine in seven different atmospheric modes.
Pros: Can hold fresh or saltwater, accessories included
Cons: None
A fish tank kit is a great way to get a new aquarium bubbling affordably. All of the experts we spoke with agreed that large freshwater tanks are easier to maintain than small tanks or those filled with saltwater.
Aqueon’s LED 20 Aquarium Kit is one of the most complete kits available and can be filled with either freshwater or saltwater. The 24-by-17-by-13-inch glass tank comes with a QuietFlow power filter and cartridge and an energy-saving LED hood. A submersible heater and thermometer are included — something which typically must be purchased separately. Fish food, water conditioning samples, a fishnet, and a setup guide are also included in the package. 
If you’re new to keeping fish, Lily Hwang, member of the Colorado Aquarium Society, recommends doing some research to discover a fish or family of fish that interests you. It can also be helpful to find an expert whose aquariums and passion for the hobby inspire you. “Developing a personal relationship with an aquarium mentor can be a wonderful way to succeed with the aquarium hobby,” said Steve Waldron, owner and manager of Aquarium Zen in Seattle, Washington.
Pros: Includes three-stage filtration system
Cons: Does not include heater, isn’t heavy-duty enough to stand up to corrosive saltwater
There is no difference between a betta fish tank and one for other species, said Waldron. Although it’s not uncommon to see betta kept in tiny tanks, they actually need a minimum of 5 gallons to comfortably swim around. 
The 19.5-inch-tall Fluval Flex Freshwater Kit comes with a sleek, 20-inch-square glass tank that holds 15 gallons of freshwater and a three-stage filtration system. Unlike a two-stage system that has only a sediment filter for removing particulate matter and a carbon filter to remove chlorine and condition the water, it includes a reverse osmosis membrane to remove organic and inorganic compounds. 
This tank also has a 7500K LED lamp with mixed RGB (red, green, blue) and white lights that you can adjust to produce almost any atmospheric color with the remote. Foam and carbon for the filter and biomax media are also included; biomax media is a biological filtration method that controls the ammonia and nitrate levels in the water. 
According to Waldron, betta tanks require a good filter and a reliable heater that can keep the water at a steady 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Most kits, including this one, don’t come with a heater, so you’ll have to purchase it separately. Look for a heater that can be precisely calibrated, such as the Eheim Jager Thermostatic 100-Watt Aquarium Heater.
Pros: Made of glass; can hold fresh or saltwater; filtration system, filter pump, and LED light included
Cons: Requires more maintenance due to smaller size
According to our experts, 5 gallons is the bare minimum amount of water a fish tank should hold. Smaller tanks, such as the classic fish bowl, are unacceptable, especially if they can’t comfortably fit both a fish and a filter, said competition aquascaper and aquarium hobbyist Rumen Ganchev.
Even a 5-gallon tank, though, has its limitations. “It is harder to keep a small fish tank than a big fish tank,” said Hwang. “Small fish tanks require more frequent maintenance and are more prone to sudden spikes in ammonia or nitrate. In general, I don’t recommend anything under 10 gallons for beginners.”
However, if you’re limited on space, the eye-catching 11.8-by-16.8-inch Marineland 5-Gallon Portrait Kit is an affordable option for a small-tank setup. The curved glass aquarium, which can be filled with freshwater or saltwater, has a hidden three-stage filtration system with a bio-foam prefilter and a mechanical filter cartridge. It’s also equipped with an adjustable flow filter pump. A hinged LED light hovering above the tank can shine white like sunlight or blue like the glow of the moon. The kit also comes with a base and a sliding canopy for easy feeding and water care.
Pros: Glass, handmade, holds fresh or saltwater, two-year warranty
Cons: Accessories not included
All of the experts we consulted for this guide prefer the clarity of a glass fish tank over acrylic fish tanks. “In general, glass tanks are harder to scratch and are more resistant to environmental factors such as chemicals and sunlight,” explained Hwang. Both Waldron and Ganchev are fans of the ultra clear glass tanks made by ADA. The brand uses silicon, rather than plastic frames, in their tank construction; silicon is less visible than plastic.
The rimless ADA Cube Garden 45P Aquarium is the most expensive fish tank we selected for this guide. However, its extremely clear glass and handmade construction make it the highest quality of the tanks we considered. This 18-by-10.6-by-12-inch 10-gallon tank’s glass is 5-millimeters thick and its edges are secured with silicon. ADA’s aquarium comes with a two-year warranty and can be filled with either freshwater or saltwater.
Pros: Holds fresh or saltwater, plenty of room for aquascaping
Cons: Accessories not included
A 20-gallon fish tank has plenty of space not just for fish, but also for items that create a beautiful and functional aquascape. Aqueon’s 20- Gallon  Glass Tank is an affordable option for building a larger aquarium.  The 30.5-by-13-by-13.13-inch tank has silicone edges for an unobstructed view and can be used in both freshwater and saltwater setups. However, its glass is not as crystal clear as that found in ADA’s aquariums and it has a black rim on the top and a base on the bottom.
Waldron suggests putting eight rasboras, six cherry barbs, a pair of honey dwarf gouramis, one zebra loach, and eight amano shrimp inside this size aquarium.
Ganchev, who participates in aquascaping competitions, told us that every tank should have at least some plants for its residents to hide among. He recommends selecting in vitro plants from a reputable brand. In vitro plants are created in a lab, with the benefit of being sterile and free of harmful pesticides and microorganisms. “This ensures high quality and more security that you will not end up with algae, snails, or unwanted parasites in the tank,” Ganchev explained.
Anubias moss, Java ferns and bucephalandra species are three varieties that Selçuk Durmaz, an international aquascape competitor, always includes.
Pros: Up to four-year warranty, can be integrated with Oase HeatUp adjustable heater
Cons: None
There are many options to choose from when it comes to fish tank filters, including gentle sponge filters, HOB (hang on the back) filters, and canister filters. So how do you know which one to choose? “It’s important to match the filter to your needs,” said Hwang. “Small species, poor swimmers, or fish with long fins should have a gentle filter, such as a sponge filter.” 
One of Durmaz’s favorite fish tank filter brands is German-engineered, Italian-made Oase. Ganchev likes Oase too. The company’s energy-efficient BioPlus 100 sponge filter has an integrated diffuser with three adjustable water flow settings to aerate the tank and suspend CO2 in the water for plant growth and reproduction via photosynthesis. The activated-carbon filter foam absorbs undesirable substances in the water and helps prevent the build up of biofilm. It can also be integrated with an Oase HeatUp adjustable heater.
The BioPlus fits snugly in the corner of a tank and can remain in place when individual filters need to be removed for cleaning or replacement. Best of all, this fish tank filter comes with a three-year warranty, plus an extra year with free online product registration. 
Pros: LED is more energy efficient, adjustable, wireless remote control
Cons: May not work well for tanks smaller than 20 gallons
Although some of our experts use fluorescent fish tank lights in some of their tanks, they all prefer LEDs. “LEDs are what most lighting manufacturers are working with today, and there are lots of options on the market,” said Waldron.
Hwang also likes that LEDs provide more options for the color or time of day you’d like the light to resemble and offer a better wavelength range to help plants grow. She added that fluorescent lights consume more energy than LEDs and require more frequent replacement.
The Current USA Satellite Freshwater LED is a slim light fixture just 2 inches wide, but its 102 LED lights cast a bright, even light. The bulbs (66 6500k white and 36 445k blue) can be customized in seven different ways, including dusk mode and storm mode, and dimmed as needed.
The Satellite is sold in four adjustable sizes that balance on the side rims of the fish tank. The 24-to-36-inch light is likely to work best with a 20-gallon tank. This is a low voltage light that comes with a 12V DC UL transformer to supply power and a wireless remote.
There is no standard tank size that will work for every fish. However, a fish tank should never hold less than 5 gallons of water. “Some fish like corydoras like to stay towards the bottom of the tank and sift through the sand, so the footprint of the tank is more important than the height,” explained Hwang. “Angelfish, on the other hand, are very vertical fish, so height and length are more important than the footprint. Other fish, such as plecostomus, create a lot of waste, so more water is suggested to maintain a stable water chemistry.” 
A freshwater tank is easier to maintain than one filled with saltwater because freshwater environments regularly fluctuate in temperature and water chemistry. “Saltwater environments are the extension of oceanic ecosystems,” said Waldron. “Environmental conditions in the ocean are very stable, with few fluctuations. It’s hard to maintain perfectly stable conditions in an aquarium, so freshwater organisms are naturally better adapted to the variability of aquarium life.”
No. Fish that naturally live in cold water don’t need a heater. Those that hail from tropical environments like betta fish are likely to require one. Research the species of fish you are interested in to determine the temperature they prefer.
Ganchev and Hwang told us that putting fish into a tank before its nitrogen cycle is complete can be a deadly mistake. In a fish tank, the nitrogen cycle is a series of biological steps to remove harmful nitrogen-derived waste products, including ammonia and nitrite, from the water. Hwang also said that quarantining new fish is important to protect those already living in the tank. “Fish from stores can come with bacterial infections, viral infections, or even parasites, so be careful,” she said. Not taking the time to fully research your fish and equipment options before purchasing them is another huge mistake, according to Durmaz and Waldron. “We must not forget that they are living things,” said Durmaz.
We conducted extensive research and consulted four aquascaping and fishkeeping experts to come up with a set of essential criteria to look for in fish tanks, filters, and lights. We then applied the criteria described below to the equipment available at major online retailers and selected the products that fit best in seven different categories. 
Tank material: All of our experts prefer glass aquariums over acrylic ones because they don’t scratch as easily during cleaning or warp over time. A glass tank stays crystal clear longer.
Tank size: Larger tanks are easier to maintain than smaller ones. “The aquarium, no matter how big, is pretty much a closed ecosystem,” said Ganchev. “The smaller it is, the more unstable it will be. In a bigger tank, it will be easier to achieve a more stable environment for a longer period of time.” For those who prefer smaller tanks over larger ones, 5 gallons should be the minimum size.
LED lights: All of our sources prefer using LED lights with their aquariums. Compared to fluorescent lights, LED lights are more energy efficient and come in more color and intensity varieties.
Kits: A good aquarium kit should have at least three components: a glass fish tank that holds at least 5 gallons of water, a high-quality filter, and LED lighting. A great aquarium kit may also contain a heater, fish food, and supplies for cleaning and maintenance.
Warranty: Because the cost of aquarium equipment adds up fast, we looked for products with warranties so buyers won’t have to spend more money to replace broken or flawed items.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected].
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