Nature lovers often buy fish tanks to fulfill their needs to be with wildlife. Watching fish offers a way to relax and it can also teach kids how to care for the environment and animals. Part of the marine experience is finding the right fish tank.
The best 30-gallon fish tank is out there as there are several from which to choose. A large fish tank like a 30-gallon version will provide a lot of room for fish and a lot of scenery for you. It also can be easier to manage than smaller versions.
Read further to learn more about selecting a great fish tank and what you should know before you buy.
Why Do You Need A 30 Gallon Aquarium?
A 30-gallon aquarium is one of the bigger versions of nano tanks on the market. They can hold a large fish variety with plenty of room to also put in seascapes and special products your fish can enjoy. They may perfect breeder tanks.
This size tank is that it can hold equipment available from multiple brands. That means you don’t have to measure and worry about different equipment pieces fitting when you buy cool items for your fish. Setup is easier than having to find special items for a custom-sized tank.
How To Choose The Best 30 Gallon Fish Aquarium
Choosing the best 30-gallon aquarium involves looking at several factors. All aquariums aren’t the same and you have to look at different aspects to determine which one best suits your needs for beauty, maintenance, and keeping fish healthy.
Here are some of the factors to consider when looking at aquariums.
Space and Shape
Consider where the tank will best fit in your home. Remember, it must be out of direct sunlight. Large 30-gallon aquariums come in different shapes so look at which one is best for you.
Materials Constructing Tank
A large aquarium needs to be well constructed using top-quality materials. This is healthier for the fish and will be easier to maintain. It also will be less likely to get damaged or have equipment failures.
Filtration System
When you choose a 30-gallon aquarium, you must also look at the equipment that will be used with it. Make sure the aquarium has a good filtration system that removes particles and debris. The preferred system uses a charcoal-filled material to filter water but larger tanks tend to have different systems.
Aquarium Heater
Fish can get cold and you may need an aquarium heater to keep them warm, depending on the fish. Tropical fish will require extra warmth and some non-tropical fish do as well. Check for aquariums that have heaters with them or find out what models of heaters would be best with your choice of the aquarium before you buy your tank.
Lighting
All tanks need lighting but you will need more of it with a 30-gallon aquarium. Finding an aquarium that has a set ready to go would make it more convenient. The general rule is to have one to two watts of lighting for every gallon of water.
Visual Appeal
Some aquariums look better than others and even the larger ones come in different styles. Pick a style that suits your home and personality.
Our Best 30 Gallon Fish Tanks
How do you judge a 30-gallon fish tank? You look at the manufacturers, and the quality of construction and check with pet experts for their analysis. Fortunately, you’ll find most of that listed below so you can compare products.
Our reviews are based on open-source criteria, user reviews, and consumer reports. These products were chosen after they were tested and are considered trustworthy brands from personal experience.
SeaClear 30 gal Show Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set
Product Highlights
This rectangular acrylic 30-gallon aquarium has all you need for setup including a reflector and a 24-inch light fixture. It is safe for both salt and freshwater fish and is highly durable so it’s safe around children and pets.
Features
- Impact resistant
- Invisible seams
- Lightweight
- Easy setup
What We Like About the SeaClear 30-gal Show Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set
We love the fact that this acrylic is more clear than glass and so much lighter. It makes moving it around and setting it up a breeze. The material construction of this tank is also 17 times stronger than glass and won’t chip or crack as glass does.
The light fixture is a bonus as it provides good adequate light that you need for fish to be happy and healthy. This product is also made by a well-recognized and established company as North American Pet has been building aquariums for three decades.
What We Don’t Like About the SeaClear 30-gal Show Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set
The top is acrylic too and it doesn’t appear to be as durable as the tank itself and is subject to warping after a short time. It comes with a lifetime warranty but other customers have found it difficult to get the company to honor the warranty.
The acrylic sometimes blurs the details of the fish and can create “ripples” over time. Although acrylic is durable, it is subject to scratches.
Pros & Cons
| Cons | |
| Clear acrylic for great visibility | Acrylic can warp. |
| Lightweight | Lifetime warranty hard to redeem |
| Easy to open for feeding and maintenance | Tank can be scratched |
Aqua Culture 29-Gallon Starter Kit
Product Highlights
This 29-gallon fish kit has a sleek low-profile hood to cover it and it comes with energy-efficient LED lighting and a natural daylight shimmer. Other elements that come with it are a Tetra Internal filter, a heater, some fake plants, and some starter samples of both food and water care products.
Features
- Natural light shimmer
- Energy-efficient LED lighting
- Tetra Internal Filter included
- Integrated cutouts
What We Like About the Aqua Culture 29-gallon Aquarium Starter Kit
One of the better features of this aquarium is there are integrated cutouts that allow for feeding fish without needing to remove the hood. The cutouts also allow you to easily change filter cartridges. The lighting on this tank is phenomenal. We love the fact that everything you need to start an aquarium hobby is included in this kit.
What We Don’t Like About the Aqua Culture Aquarium Starter Kit
This kit can only be used for freshwater fish. It has a design problem where the hood lights aren’t protected from the water and that causes the lights to burn out after a few months. Shipping and packing to keep everything protected seem to be an issue as several purchases reported damaged items when they ordered their kits by delivery.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Integrated cutouts for convenience | Only suitable for freshwater fish |
| Easy to maintain | Lights can get water damage |
| Everything needed is included | Improper packaging in delivery |
Coralife LED Biocube Aquarium
Product Highlights
This 32-gallon glass aquarium from Aqueon has a lot that goes with it including temperature control and a hydrometer. The back wall chamber contains a submersible pump. adjustable return nozzles and dual intakes. It’s compatible with BioCube accessories and there is a Coralife Designer BioCub Aquarium Stand available separately.
Features
- Programmable hood with a 24-hour timer
- Color-enhancing LED lights
- Automatic sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset functions
- Storage for supplies in filtration chambers
- Showcase design
What We Like About the Coralife LED BioCube Aquarium
We love the lights and automatic sunrise and moonrise functions in this aquarium. It gives fish the experience of nature so their biological clocks function well. There are bright white lights for daytime and blue nights for nighttime and the LEDs bring out all the colors making for a spectacular view.
The automatic 30-minute sunrise and sunset functions and the 60-minute moonrise and moonset functions help set the mood of the room for us as well as the fish. It also has a compact filtration chamber that is customizable and we found that convenient.
What We Don’t Like about the Coralife LED BioCube Aquarium
One thing we don’t like about this kit is that it doesn’t come with a heater or a protein skimmer. There have been some complaints about the right front rounded edge cracking for no reason. Lights can fail rather quickly and then you must replace the hood, which costs almost as much as the entire package.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Automatic lights for sunrises, moonrises | No heater |
| Customizable filtration chamber | One corner easy to crack |
| Has 24-hour timer on hood | Replacement parts are expensive |
Marineland AMLPFK29B Biowheel Aquarium Kit
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I1R0E0?tag=sse-2-20 HYPERLINK
Product Highlights
This 29-gallon tank kit from Top Dawg Pet Supply has LED lighting and an updated, contemporary hood. It also comes with daylight LEDs that mimic sunlight on the water and nighttime LEDs that add a different beauty for you as well as a life rhythm for the fish. T
There are three positions for the switch: energy-efficient power supply, long-lasting, mercury-free LED lights that are secure even when the hood is open. It has hinges that make maintenance and feeding easy. It also has bio-wheel filters and cartridges, filtration that requires little maintenance, a heater, thermometer, a fish net, and samples of water conditioner and fish food.
Features
- Easy to set up
- Daytime and nighttime light features
- Easy tank accessibility
- Convenient storage for supplies
- Made in the United States
What We Like about the Marineland AMLPFK29B Biowheel Aquarium Kit
This kit has everything you need to start hobbying with fish and the hinged hood makes feeding the fish and keeping it clean easy. The heater and thermometer are nice add-ons and the LED lights will not burn out quickly as they are well secured and safe from water.
What We Didn’t Like About the Marineland AMLPFK29B Biowheel Aquarium Kit
The extra items like the bio wheel filter and the heater appear to have design issues because both fail rather quickly. Packaging for shipping is also a problem as several report receiving broken tanks and items upon delivery. It doesn’t come with an air pump, which is required for fish.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to set up | Parts wear out quickly |
| Simple maintenance | No air pump |
| Heater and thermometer included | Package leaves some parts broken in delivery |
How to Setup a 30 Gallon Fish Tank?
There are nine steps to be done in setting up a 30-gallon fish tank. None are complicated and it takes about 45 minutes to set up an aquarium in most cases.
1. Insert ground substrate. This should be poured and leveled out along the bottom of the tank as it provides a foundation for aquarium life. Put about 1/4 inch along the bottom
2.. Put another natural substrate that is washed gravel over the ground substrate. You will need to wash it first in water before pouring it into your aquarium. Smooth it out over the ground substrate making the backside a little deeper than the front for best viewing.
3. Install filter and heater. The heater is normally placed inside the filter in a separate area. Insert the filter cartridge and secure the filter to the inside of the tank.
4. Treat tap water with a water conditioner and then fill the tank. You can prevent spraying while pouring by placing a dish in the bottom before pouring. Remove the dish afterward.
5. Decorate with rocks, coral, and other items. Don’t overload your tank as fish need room to swim.
6. Wash plants and add them, placing larger plants in the back with smaller ones in the front. Use aquarium plant fertilizer around all plants. Close the hood and turn on the light.
7. Before adding fish, you must create a safe biological active environment. This allows natural helpful bacteria to grow in the aquarium. Tetra Safe Start should be added to the water to help this happen quickly.
Your aquarium is set up but you need to wait 48 hours before adding fish to allow time for the water to stabilize with the products added and be at the correct temperature. Turn on the filter and heater and let it sit.
8. Test the water to make sure it’s safe for fish. Tetra Test 6 and 1 or a water test app will make sure all the values are good.
9. Add fish. Do this by first placing the bag of fish in the water with them still in the bag so they can get used to the water temperature. Then add a little aquarium water to the bag so they can slowly adjust. After a few minutes, release them into the aquarium.
FAQ
How Many Fish Can Be In A 30-Gallon Tank?
The standard rule is to provide one gallon of water for every inch of fish. A 30-gallon tank can hold up to 30 small fish.
How Big Is A 30-Gallon Tank?
The standard 30-gallon fish tank is 36 x 13 x 16 inches. That gives a rectangular shape that is deeper than it is wide. However, the larger tanks come in a variety of shapes beyond the rectangle.
How to Take Care of and Clean the 30 gallon fish tank?
You will need to clean your fish tank once every two weeks and change the filter once a month. Be sure to look for instructions on cleaning your specific tank because there are some differences between cleaning a tropical fish aquarium and a standard aquarium. There are also differences in how you clean a saltwater aquarium compared to a freshwater tank.
Standard cleaning takes about 30-minutes and includes using magnetic scrapers to clean the inside and outside of the tank, a hand scrubber to clean the back, pulling out plants to clean them, and cleaning the gravel with a vacuum-type cleaner. The fish are fine to remain in the tank during this process.
You will need to add more water at the end of the cleaning as the water gets about halfway depleted during the cleaning.
How Long Do You Have to Wait to Add Fish to a New Aquarium?
Pet experts say you need to wait 48 hours before buying fish for your aquarium. Test the temperature and the water values to make sure it’s safe first.
Do I Need to Keep the Lights off When I Put in New Fish?
Yes, keep the lights off for at least four hours after you add the fish. They need time to adjust.
Should I Keep a Blue Light on the Tank at Night?
No, fish need their sleep too unless they are nocturnal fish. Any kind of light at night disrupts their sleep patterns and causes them stress.
Do I Need Fish Bubblers?
Yes, bubblers in larger tanks add oxygen to your aquarium and feed needs oxygen to breathe. They draw it out of the water while bubblers replace it in the water.
Conclusion
Watching and taking care of fish can be an enjoyable, relaxing hobby. It’s made easier when you have the best 30 gallon fish tank to house your marine life.
Choosing one requires a little research as there are many on the market but all have their features. You will need to look further to see which aquarium fits your home perfectly.