Zero Trouble with Acrylic Tanks: 6 Elegant Aquariums Perfect for Home

If you’re buying a fish tank, one of the first questions you need to ask yourself is – what type of tank should I get? Oftentimes it’s a choice between glass and acrylic fish tanks.

There are some plastic fish tanks out there, but they’re not for anyone except little children and uninformed people who still think that very small tanks are therefore much easier to maintain. On the contrary, these plastic tanks are often so small they’re virtually impossible to care for properly.

Many beginners believe that acrylic aquariums are better simply because they’re generally more expensive. But that’s not always true, and in fact, in some ways, glass aquariums may be a better choice. If you’re still undecided about what type of aquarium you want to get, you should first carefully consider the pros and cons of acrylic aquarium tanks.

Several Angelfish in an acrylic aquarium

Advantages

Drawbacks

Is this safe?

Who is it for?


Acrylic Aquariums Reviews

If you’re convinced that going acrylic is best for you, then your next step is the find the best acrylic aquarium you can afford. Obviously, you have lots of options to choose from, so we will feature a few that you may find interesting. These don’t have any warranty info, so you’ll need to check in with the company first, and these warranty promises can change at any time.

1

Kollercraft API Aquaview Corner Aquarium Kit

This is very compact at 2.5 gallons, and it’s tall instead of wide with 9.5 x 9.5 x 11.2 inch dimensions. You also get a very interesting pentagonal shape on the sides although it’s seamless.

It comes with an internal filter and 7-color LED lighting.

With its size, you’ll need to limit yourself to a handful of very small fish.

Pros

  • It’s made from shatter-proof acrylic.
  • ​It offers a very clear view.
  • ​It doesn’t take much space at all, so it’s perfect for a small office or dorm.
  • ​It makes for great décor.
  • It’s quite affordable.

Cons

  • The size limits your fish options.
  • The size also makes maintenance more difficult, especially when you want to avoid scratching the inside.
2

Tetra Crescent Acrylic Aquarium Kit

This 5-gallon tank has a not quite-rectangular look, and it measures 16.6 x 11.2 x 13.2 inches. It’s perfect for a Betta fish.

It has a mechanical filter and also uses activated carbon to removes discoloration and odors, while the tank is lit by hidden LED lights.

Pros

  • It’s still quite affordable.
  • It’s very light weight at just 1.1 pounds.
  • Some owners report that it still works fine after a year.

Cons

  • The size and configuration makes it difficult to move things inside.
  • The size and shape also limits your fish options.
  • You’ll have to tweak a few things, like the filter and the lights.
3

GloFish 29045 Aquarium Kit with Blue LED light

This is also a 5-gallon tank with a curved front like the Tetra. It measures 15 x 9 by 14.5 inches. It has a Microfilter and Medium Bio-Bag along with 15 blue LED lights.

Unsurprisingly, the manufacturers recommend GloFish for this tank, so start with just 1 or 2 (preferably just 1). Bettas should also be fine.

Pros

  • With GloFish, it really looks great.
  • It’s very quiet.
  • Relatively easy to maintain

Cons

  • Again, the size limits you to a betta or a GloFish.
  • It’s a little bit more expensive that other comparable tanks (like the other Tetra 5-gallon).
4

SeaClear 20 gal Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set

At last we come to the bigger tanks. This one measures 24 x 13 x 16 inches.

You’ll have to buy a separate filter, but it comes with a reflector and an electrical 15" light fixture.

At 20 gallons, you can fit in 20 inches of fish at the most for freshwater. For saltwater, you can have 9 inches at the most.

Pros

  • It’s large enough to offer you some fish variety.
  • You have holes through which you can fit in your separate filter and heater.
  • You also have holes you can use to feed the fish.

Cons

  • The lid doesn’t come off, so it can get awkward moving things around inside.
  • You’ll need to buy a separate filter.
5

SeaClear 29 gal Show Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set

This one measures 30 x 12 x 18 inches and is quite hefty at 20 pounds.

Again, you have a reflector, but now you get an electrical 24" light fixture.

For freshwater, you’re limited to 29 inches of fish. For saltwater, you’re limited to about 24 inches.

Pros

  • You get more even more fish variety.
  • You again have the convenient cut-off holes at the top.

Cons

  • This time the light is inadequate, so you’ll need to buy a light fixture to replace it.
  • You’ll also need to buy a filter separately, as well as a heater.
6

SeaClear 50 gal Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set

Aside from the 36 x 15 x 20 inches size measurements, its setup is basically the same as the other SeaClear tanks on this list.

But with its larger size, you can now go up to 50 inches of freshwater fish. For saltwater, about 37 inches of fish is the limit.

Pros

  • Now you can add quite a bit of fish.
  • Your fish also has a better chance of survival, especially when you limit the size and number.
  • It’s really beautiful.

Cons

  • With a larger tank, you may need more accessories than the holes on the lid can accommodate. That may require some drilling on your part.
  • You’ll really have to replace the light.

My Pick

The bottom line is - you need to get the biggest you can afford, so hopefully you can afford the SeaClear 50-gallon. Its size makes it easy for you to ease into caring for your fish, and drilling through acrylic isn’t really a problem.

For me, this big tank is the best acrylic aquarium of the lot, and you’ll actually save money in the long run.

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