Home › Equipment › Best aquarium by size Best aquarium by size - tank buying guides
11 tank-size buying guides covering the most common aquarium sizes from 5-gallon nano to 220-gallon show display. Each guide includes top picks across budget tiers, dimensions, filled weight, livestock compatibility, and full setup essentials.
Best 5-gallon aquarium For betta or shrimp nano. 16"×8"×10", ~50 lbs filled. 3 picks · full setup guide Best 10-gallon aquarium For planted nano or community starter. 20"×10"×12", ~100 lbs filled. 3 picks · full setup guide Best 20-gallon aquarium For community freshwater or nano reef. 24"×12"×16" (Long: 30"×12"×12"), ~200 lbs filled. 4 picks · full setup guide Best 29-gallon aquarium For community freshwater. 30"×12"×18", ~290 lbs filled. 3 picks · full setup guide Best 40-gallon breeder aquarium For planted or breeding setup or nano reef. 36"×18"×16", ~400 lbs filled. 3 picks · full setup guide Best 55-gallon aquarium For large community freshwater or smaller cichlid. 48"×13"×21", ~550 lbs filled. 3 picks · full setup guide Best 75-gallon aquarium For mixed reef or large freshwater. 48"×18"×21", ~750 lbs filled. 4 picks · full setup guide Best 90-gallon aquarium For large community or mbuna or mixed reef. 48"×18"×24" or 36"×18"×30", ~900 lbs filled. 3 picks · full setup guide Best 125-gallon aquarium For large reef or oddball freshwater. 72"×18"×21", ~1250 lbs filled. 3 picks · full setup guide Best 180-gallon aquarium For large reef + full tang stocking, large oddball setup. 72"×24"×24", ~1800 lbs filled. 3 picks · full setup guide Best 220-gallon aquarium For show-tier reef or display-quality oddball. 72"×24"×30" or 84"×24"×24", ~2200 lbs filled. 3 picks · full setup guide