Fishkeeping is a rewarding interest, however it could possibly appear difficult to start with once you’re uncertain which merchandise you’ll want. Deciding on an aquarium is step one, and a 20-gallon aquarium is right for newbie aquarists. Some corporations embrace starter kits with every thing you want besides fish, and others promote naked tanks with out lights, filters, or heaters.
We’ve examined the very best tanks available on the market and picked ten of our favourite manufacturers. Our opinions and purchaser’s information might help you select a dependable aquarium on your residence.
A Fast Comparability of Our Winners (2022)
The ten Greatest 20-Gallon Aquariums
1. Aqueon LED Aquarium Starter Package – Greatest General
Dimension: | 24.2” L x 12.5” W x 19.5” H |
Weight: | 33.2 kilos |
Sort: | Freshwater starter package |
Should you’re on the lookout for a newbie package with every thing you’ll want, you may strive the Aqueon LED Aquarium Starter Package. It scored the prize for the very best general 20-gallon aquarium. Not like different tanks that require an extended stand or desk for assist, the Aqueon has a vertical design with increased partitions to take up much less horizontal house. It has a modern fashion and comes with a low-profile LED hood and Quietflow LED energy filter.
We had been impressed by the variety of equipment the Aqueon consists of within the package. It has a thermometer and setup information, submersible heater, water conditioner, premium fish meals, and a fish web. The one draw back to the aquarium is the preset heater. Should you’re planning on maintaining cold-water fish, the heater will make the water temperature too heat.
2. Marina LED Aquarium Package – Greatest Worth
Dimension: | 24” L x 12” H x 16.5” H |
Weight: | 35 kilos |
Sort: | Freshwater starter package |
The Marina LED Aquarium Package beat out the competitors for the very best 20-gallon aquarium for the cash. Though some fish are cheap, you may spend a bundle on a tank and different provides once you buy different manufacturers. The Marina tank is ideal for maintaining betta, goldfish, or cichlid. The clip-on filter design lets you change filters in lower than a minute, and the long-lasting LED lighting supplies daylight-like illumination on your fish and crops.
The package additionally features a Nutrafin Aqua Plus water conditioner, fish meals, and a organic complement. The tank is appropriate for newcomers preferring cold-water fish, however you’ll want to purchase a heater should you’re maintaining warm-water species.
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It covers all you’ll want to know in regards to the ultimate tank setup, tank dimension, substrate, ornaments, crops, and a lot extra!
3. Penn-Plax AquaSphere 360° Fish Aquarium – Premium Selection
Dimension: | 24” L x 24” W x 18.5” H |
Weight: | 16.55 kilos |
Sort: | Spherical fishbowl with filter |
Though the Penn-Plax AquaSphere 360° Fish Aquarium isn’t out there in a 20-gallon tank, we needed to embrace it on our record due to its distinctive design. It’s out there in 10, 14, and 24 gallons. It seems like an extraordinary fishbowl on the web site, but it surely’s a large tank that can impress your friends once you showcase your marine creatures. The bowl comes with a prime filtration system, a low-voltage LED mild, and two skimmers.
You’ll be able to change the lighting shade to crimson, blue, or inexperienced by merely touching the LED panel. The 360 is appropriate for saltwater and freshwater programs, and most aquarists had been proud of the tank’s efficiency. Nevertheless, some prospects instructed shopping for one other filter as a result of the Penn-Plax filter was too loud for bedrooms.
4. Tetra ColorFusion Aquarium
Dimension: | 27.88” L x 16.13” W x 20.38” H |
Weight: | 34.6 kilos |
Sort: | Freshwater starter package |
The Tetra ColorFusion Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank KitT is ideal for newcomers, but it surely prices a bit greater than lots of its rivals. Should you’re on the lookout for an extraordinary tank, the ColorFusion might not be for you. It’s one of the crucial enticing tanks we reviewed, and it exhibits off your fish and crops with fashion. The LED show could be set to cycle by way of a number of colours or keep lit with one hue.
The package features a UL heater, Tetra Whisper 20 filter, color-changing LED, two Wonderland plant multipacks, and one blooming white anemone. Most prospects had been happy with the ColorFusion, however some talked about that the Whisper 20 filter is far louder than filters on different 20-gallon tanks.
5. Tetra Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank Package
Dimension: | 27.88” L x 16.13” W x 20.38” H |
Weight: | 34.15 kilos |
Sort: | Freshwater starter package |
Tetra’s ColorFusion is a wonderful product, however should you’re not on the lookout for a elaborate color-changing show, you may strive the Tetra Aquarium 20 Gallon Fish Tank Package. It has the precise dimensions because the ColorFusion, but it surely’s extra inexpensive. The package comes with a UL heater, Tetra Whisper 20 filter, 4 synthetic crops, a boxwood plant mat, and a 20-gallon glass tank. All you’ll want to add is gravel, fish, and fish meals. A lot of the prospects who commented on the Tetra tank had been newcomers, and so they had been proud of the sturdy tank. Nevertheless, some fish dad and mom talked about that the sealant on the hood doesn’t maintain the unit safe.
6. GloFish 20 Gallon Aquarium Package
Dimension: | 27.88” L x 16.13” W x 20.38” H |
Weight: | 34.39 kilos |
Sort: | Glofish starter package |
The GloFish 20-Gallon Aquarium package supplies a colourful fluorescent show by illuminating the tank with brilliant blue LED mild. It’s designed to spotlight the colours of your glofish and create a surprising focus on your residence. Glofish are genetically modified fish with good colours, however their look is unimpressive once they’re in one other dimly-lit tank.
The aquarium is made from scratch-resistant glass, and it comes with a GloFish mild stick, yellow anemone, Tetra Whisper 20 filter, three GloFish crops, and a UL heater. Though most fish dad and mom had been happy with the aquarium, some had been disillusioned the lid was constructed of flimsy plastic.
7. SeaClear Hexagon Acrylic Aquarium
Dimension: | 15” L x 15” W x 24” H |
Weight: | 20 kilos |
Sort: | Hexagonal starter package |
Most aquariums have plastic borders that conceal the seams of the glass, however the SeaClear 20-Gallon Hexagon Acrylic Aquarium has invisible seams which might be designed to final. The acrylic tank is lighter than any model on our record, and the hexagonal design requires much less house than rectangular aquariums. The package consists of an AquaClear 30-gallon filter, synthetic crops, pure lava rock, fish web, and thermometer.
The seamless design offers you an unobstructed view of the tank, and most prospects had been happy with the aquarium’s trendy look. Nevertheless, a number of aquarists had been disillusioned with the sunshine fixture as a result of it stopped working in a short while. Additionally, it’s one of many few aquariums that doesn’t embrace a bulb for the sunshine.
8. SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set
Dimension: | 24” L x 13” W x 16” H |
Weight: | 20 kilos |
Sort: | Acrylic tank and light-weight fixture |
Glass tanks can get heavy after including gravel, water, and crops, and also you want a sturdy base to assist the burden. With the SeaClear 20 gal Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set, you don’t have to fret a couple of stand collapsing underneath the tank’s weight. The acrylic building has invisible seams, so your view isn’t obstructed by black plastic trim.
Not like lots of the 20-gallon tanks available on the market, the SeaClear is appropriate for freshwater or saltwater setups. Though the tank is meant to be a lot stronger than glass, some prospects seen that the highest of the aquarium turned warped over time. In comparison with different starter kits, the SeaClear doesn’t embrace many equipment.
9. Aqueon Aquarium
Dimension: | 30.25” L x 12.5” W x 12.75” H |
Weight: | 22 kilos |
Sort: | Rectangular glass tank |
We reviewed a number of starter kits that include equipment, however some beginner aquarists choose shopping for their gear individually as an alternative of in a bundle. The Aqueon Aquarium 20 Gallon Lengthy is an oblong 20-gallon tank that’s moderately priced, however you’ll want a hood and filter, lighting, gravel, and the rest you wish to embrace contained in the tank. Some prospects had been proud of the Aqueon tank, however a number of complained that the tank arrived broken or damaged.
Transport issues will not be unusual, however the Aqueon had so many complaints we couldn’t place it increased on the record. Though injury can happen when packages are mishandled, the Aqueon’s points appear to be associated to a design flaw moderately than a heavy-handed supply driver.
10. Tetra Shippable Clear Aquarium
Dimension: | 28” L x 20” W x 17” H |
Weight: | 33.2 kilos |
Sort: | Rectangular glass tank |
Fishkeeping isn’t a low-cost interest, however you should use the Tetra Shippable Clear Aquarium should you’re trying to save cash. The Tetra was probably the most inexpensive product on our record, and also you’re unlikely to search out one other 20-gallon tank with a greater worth. As a result of it’s comparatively new, we couldn’t discover many feedback in regards to the tank’s high quality.
Nevertheless, we discovered extra damaging opinions than constructive ones, and one buyer talked about the plastic trim cracked after filling it with water. If the tank had been constructed with extra sturdy supplies, we’d have thought-about it for our greatest worth choose. This mannequin could also be higher for turtles or different small reptiles than fish.
Purchaser’s Information: Shopping for the Greatest 20-Gallon Aquarium
If our opinions haven’t helped you choose your favourite aquarium, you may have a look at the following tips for choosing the precise tank on your residence.
Starter Package or Naked Tank?
Starter kits are designed for newcomers, and so they prevent the difficulty of buying gear and provides. In some respects, it can save you cash once you order a package. If you should buy a tank, hood and filter, heater, and LED mild for underneath $200, it appears like an inexpensive bundle.
Nevertheless, the value on some kits could point out that you just’re not getting the very best high quality equipment. Our prime picks had fewer issues than the opposite kits on our record, however try to be ready to exchange a element when shopping for an entire bundle.
For example, the Tetra ColorFusion aquarium (#4) is a extremely rated aquarium package, however some prospects couldn’t tolerate the filter’s sound. It didn’t have any structural issues, however a loud filter can disrupt your sleep should you maintain an aquarium in a bed room. One other issue to think about when shopping for a package is that you could be not want a few of the equipment to care on your fish. In case your fish don’t want heated water, there’s no cause to buy a bundle with a heater.
You’ll spend extra once you begin with a tank and purchase the elements individually, however you’ve the liberty to choose premium aquarium filters, lights, decorations, and provides. You might spend extra initially once you buy top-of-the-line elements, however you’ll spend much less on changing defective gear.
Selecting Fish for 20-Gallon Tanks
A 20-gallon tank is ideal for newcomers, however you need to be cautious when deciding on fish. Earlier than selecting a fish, analysis it completely to find out how giant it’ll develop. Goldfish are sometimes saved in spherical bowls and small tanks as a result of they’re hardier than different species, however that doesn’t imply that they’ll reside lengthy lives in insufficient environments.
A 20-gallon tank is appropriate for a single goldfish when it’s younger, however it could possibly develop over 12 inches lengthy, relying on the species. A 75-gallon tank or bigger is extra applicable for grownup goldfish. A number of the species you can maintain in a 20-gallon tank embrace:
Neon tetras
Guppies
One betta fish
Platy fish
Danios
Decorations
Vegetation, rocks, and different decorations add shade and elegance to your aquarium, but it surely’s straightforward to overload the tank with pointless objects. Some fish swim round consistently, however others choose to cover behind crops and hover. If in case you have fast swimmers as an alternative of hiders, it’s best to decrease the variety of decorations to provide them extra space.
Should you’re new to fish maintaining, you might have extra luck beginning with synthetic crops as an alternative of residing ones. They’re not as enticing as actual crops, however they won’t die if the water chemistry isn’t ultimate. After you’ve had an aquarium for a few months, you may change to reside crops.
Aquarium Take care of Vacationers
Sustaining a 20-gallon tank is a major accountability if you would like your fish to thrive and reside for a number of years. You must examine the water temperature, filtration effectivity, water alkalinity, and situation of the marine life every single day to make sure the system is functioning appropriately.
While you depart city, you should use an computerized feeder to maintain your pets from ravenous, however you’ll want a good friend to cease by to examine the tank’s situation. Should you train a member of the family or good friend find out how to examine the aquarium and take care of the fish, your fish won’t undergo if one thing goes unsuitable. An influence outage won’t have an effect on a battery-operated feeder, however your fish can die when the filter and heater are off. A home sitter can transfer the tank to a different location till the ability is restored.
Though feeders are handy, some models won’t work on all tanks. For example, the AquaSphere 360 is a wonderful aquarium, but it surely can’t be fitted with a feeder utilizing a clip-on attachment. Clip-on feeders require a straight edge moderately than a rounded one to perform.
Conclusion
We hope our opinions and information will show you how to in your quest to search out the right 20-gallon tank. We researched a number of high-quality aquariums, however the Aqueon LED Aquarium Starter Package was our best choice. We preferred the space-saving design and the precious elements and provides included within the package. Our 2nd place winner was the Marina LED Aquarium Package. Though it doesn’t have a heater just like the Aqueon, the Marina is filled with sensible gear, and the clip-on design permits fast filter adjustments.
