Shopper’s Guide to Aquarium Sizes
A great deal of excitement comes with starting your first aquarium journey. However, we get asked a lot, “What’s the best aquarium size for beginners?” The answer will depend on various factors including what kind of fish you want, how much room you have, and how much time you have for maintenance. We’ll help you to understand what the best aquarium size is for beginners, and what you should be thinking about.
Why aquarium size is important
The size of your aquarium is an important factor in the health and welfare of your fish, and generally speaking, the larger the tank you have, the more stable it will be, meaning it is less likely to fluctuate, for example, when it comes to temperature and/or pH. Smaller tanks can be trickier to maintain because when you do have fluctuations, even minor ones, it can be stressful for fish. Here’s a rundown of the various sizes of aquariums, and what their pros and cons.
Small Aquariums (2.5 to 10 gallons)
One category of tanks we refer to as small or nano tanks, which are popular with new aquarists because they are cheaper and less space-consuming overall. However, they come with their own challenges.
- Pros: cheaper purchase costs and maintenance, suitable for smaller areas such as apartments or dorms, good for small fish and shrimp species.
- Cons: water quality can change quickly and need to be monitored, not a lot of options for fish and plant stock, not very “forgiving” when beginners make mistakes.
Popular small fish species for these tanks can include Betta fish, guppies, and neon tetras. If you are planning for a small aquarium, you will need to be prepared to do more water changes and maintenance.
Medium Aquariums (10 to 30 Gallons)
Medium aquariums can be balanced between the two extremes of maintenance ease and numbers of species of fish. Most beginners find that a tank in this range offers enough overview of the experience of fish-keeping without getting to overwhelming.
- Pros: more stable water conditions than small tanks, larger assortment of fish and plant options, small community tank is possible.
- Cons: higher initial investments and on-going costs, takes up more area than small tanks, still relatively more regular maintenance.
A 20 gallon tank is a common recommendation for most beginners to get started with, as it will be large enough to stock a very small community of fish such as tetras, corydoras, as well as a couple of bigger fish such as angelfish.
Large Aquariums (30+ Gallons)
Large aquariums are fantastic if you are willing to put in the time and money, they have the opportunity for a lot of enjoyment. They provide the greatest stability in regards to water quality and support the highest number of different types of aquatic life.
- Pros: Stable water temp, pH, hardness, etc., for maintenance and fish selection. Able to keep larger fish and more species selection. Complex aquascapes and ecosystems can be created.
- Cons: Higher upfront cost for tank, equipment, and maintenance. Space is also a limiting factor, and will add to the burden of setup. A possible more difficult to set up with more advanced filtration and heating systems.
Let’s assume you decided to go ahead with a large aquarium, maybe a cichlid tank or a larger community tank. You should have sufficient space and resources to maintain it appropriately.
Important Factors When Selecting Size of Aquarium
When selecting an aquarium size that is best for you, you will also have to consider the following details:
- Space: Where is the aquarium going to be located? It is important to make sure that there is enough space for a comfortably located tank, equipment, maintainability, etc.
- Budget: You will want to budget around the complete setup, including the price of the tank, filter, heater, substrate, decorations, and fish. Price is usually proportional to size and this is often greater for larger tanks.
- Fish Species: You will need to conduct research on which type of fish you would like to keep, as different types of fish have different space requirements. For example, one small species may thrive in your small aquarium and a different species which is a similar size would be better off in a larger aquarium.
- Maintenance: You will want to think about how much time you will need to maintain the aquarium. Larger aquariums will have more equipment and maintenance but will likely not require concurring water changes.
Needs to Set Up Your First Aquarium
Once you have decided on the correct aquarium size, it is time to set up your aquarium! Here is a basic step by step guide to setting up your aquarium:
- Select a Location: You will want to select a location that is flat, stable, and located away from excessive sunlight and room temperature heat sources.
- Purchase: Your tank, filter, heater, substrate, decorations, and condition the water.
- Set Up: Rinse (without soap, it’s toxic) the aquarium items as needed, you may want to leave the tank outside for a few days in the sun to kill any bacteria if you take care setting it up. Leave the tank and decorations for sun to sit for as long as you like and then fill the tank with water and use the water conditioner as needed.
- Only cycle: You will want to allow at least 4-6 weeks for cycling the aquarium before you add fish to develop beneficial bacteria to the substrate.
- Start adding fish in small numbers: You will want to add fish slowly as you monitor water conditions, each new fish will contribute to water conditions, and it critical to educated as you learn about your interests.
Closing Thoughts
Deciding on the best aquarium size for beginners will naturally depend on your circumstances including space, budget and fish selection. The initial allure of small tanks does come with the benefits, and the product balance is usually medium aquariums for new fishkeepers. Just remember no matter the aquarium size you purchase, patience and follow-through are essential to developing a healthy habitat for fish. Happy fishkeeping!
