20 Best 30 Gallon Fish Tank (2022 Updated)

I bought this filter for my 20 gal (long) tank. I needed a filter, I’ve used this brand in the past without problems, so I purchased this model. I over filter my large tanks, but not the 20 gallon one as it isn’t necessary given the critters in the tank.

However, this was the only Tetra Whisper filter over 10 gallon size on the shelf. I had to make a minor adjustment in the intake tubing, but it was worth it to get a dependable filter. It’s quiet and highly efficient.

I bought this for a 20 gallon long tank thinking I would lower the flow volume just to have the extra capacity, if I needed it. I bought and returned two of these as they were too noisy. There was an annoying vibration noise coming from the motor(one was a bit worse than the other).

It seems the impeller is not well balanced as I could see the intake shaking. My IQ 10 was great and super quiet. I wound up just installing the IQ 20 and it is quiet and working fine. Seems that they need to balance their impellers better for their higher speed motors.

I purchased this filter about three months ago and i loved it! kept my tank full of goldfish cycled. i went to clean my tank and filter yesterday and when i went to turn the filter on again, it worked for a moment then died.

i took it all apart then back together and i could hear it run but nothing was happening. so franticaly i went and got another filter (another tetra but for a 45 Gallon) this one worked for about an hour then stopped working.

took it apart and together again twice. checked the outlets but everything else on the power strip worked. i went yet again back to petco and got another tetra filter (20 gallons) this on has stayed workinf but im afraid it wont be able to keep up wihe the tank even tho the tank is a 20 gallon and now im too afraif to be that person and return a filter Again.

So in the middle of the night i decided to try and get the 60 Gallon filter working and would you look at that it started. i woke up in the morning to it dead again and a very cloudy tank. i dont have the money to go buy another filter.

just wish the firsy expensive filter didnt die on me so fast.

Bought as a replacement for a TopFin canister filter that cracked. Filter has a lot more flow than my old unit, even though they were both sized for a 60 gallon tank. I actually had to turn this one down.

The spray bar arrangement and return line fit the tank better and actually stay put. There is also an optional powerhead spout that can be used in place of the spray bar. Downside to this filter is that it is noisier than the TopFin.

It comes with activated charcoal instead of bio balls. The primer is a manual pump button. The only way to adjust the flow rate is to open/close the valves since the filter motor speed is non-adjustable.

The hoses that attach to the canister filter screw on instead of using quick releases. The instructions are pretty abysmal and lack a lot of detail. The secret to getting this canister filter primed is to make sure the spray bar is fully submerged.

It works good once you figure out that little detail which is missing from the instructions.

I got this filter because the dimensions fits my cabinet or else I would have got a Sunsun. This filter isn’t as expensive as Fluvals or inexpensive like Sunsun. It right in between. I have it on a 75 gallon.

It is very powerful and keeps the tank water very clean. The bad thing is that it isn’t as quiet as most canisters. I have a Sunsun and Eheim that are very quiet. The Penn Plex Cascade 1000 sounds like a large hang on the back filter, minus the water sound.

You can hear the humming coming from the motor. Sound similar to a refrigerator. Make sure to fill the filter with water, press the button a few times, and cut the tubes to size before plugging in the filter.

If the tubes aren’t cut to length and is long, the filter will not get a good siphon going, and may not start. Overall va very good filter. I just wish that it was more quiet. As I mostly purchased canisters for the quietness and sufficient.

I bought this filter to use as a gravel washing filter for my freshwater tank. It is extremely well made and works like a charm. I’ve read other reviews that complained about difficulty priming the unit but I usually fill it with tank water before starting and have not had any problem even thou I only use it to gravel wash.

However the unit is so well made and reliable, I would have used it as my primary filter if I was at all unhappy with my Seachem hang on back filter. I highly recommend this filter for tanks in the 20-30 gallon size.

I really like this kit. The tank itself is much lighter than I expected for an acrylic tank. It is thin, about 1/8″, and weighs little more than a kitchen mixing bowl. Nevertheless, the tank will weigh more than 40 lb when loaded with water and decorations.

Make sure you place it on a sturdy countertop or table. The decorations alone would cost half as much as this entire kit so this is a good value. It does not come with a heater. Biorb has a couple of different heaters to choose from but they are costly.

Perhaps your local aquarium expert can find another option for you. A 50 watt heater should be plenty. If your home maintains a heat of 74F or higher, you may not need a heater at all. I recommend placing the plants in the tank before adding the substrate material.

This will help hold them in place. The LED light is a huge plus. Guys have spent big bucks in the past to upgrade to this style of light in their tanks. You get one automatically. The air pump is small and very quiet.

It has its own power supply which converts your 120V to only 12V of output. I’ve been keeping fish since 1984 and here are a few things I’ve learned. : 1. Do the water changes as instructed. It is the single best thing you can do for your fish.

Biorb recommends a 50% water change every 2 weeks. This is to keep harmful ammonia, nitrates and nitrites from building up in the water from the fish’s waste. 2. Clean the inside of the tank with a soft washrag when you do water changes.

This will keep your tank sparkling clean to look at and get you lots of compliments. 3. Don’t overcrowd the tank. One fish per gallon max! Your fish will be small when you buy them and they will grow.

They will double and triple in size. 4. Don’t overfeed your fish. Don’t worry if you skip a day. I know guys who only feed once a week. This will keep the tank water from becoming toxic with uneaten food.

I am so happy with this 4 gallon biOrb aquarium-it really does look quite amazing. What a great setup this was right out of the box. This aquarium included everything you will need to get your aquarium decorated and ready for fish, including water conditioner.

Once you set your aquarium up by following the simple instructions, you only need to add a few days of patience to let the water conditioner do it’s thing and the tank is ready to go. I absolutely love the look of this round aquarium and the fish seem pretty happy too.

I have no complaints with the air pump either, it works great and doesn’t make extra or annoying sounds. The only thing this set did not include is a heater. I did end up purchasing a flat 7. 5 watt submersible heater and have it in the back of my tank.

My tank is against a wall so it does not ruin the view at all. The only option for a fish that really doesn’t require a heater is a goldfish and they are not what I had in mind. It really is such a unique little aquarium.

Currently I have two guppies in my tank and the round shape of the aquarium magnifies them in certain spots which is quite fantastic to watch. It has been running for almost two weeks now and the water is still crystal clear.

This would also make a fantastic gift since everything is included for the most part. I was also very pleased when I had to reach out to customer service for some help and they replied quickly, and swiftly resolved my issue.

They recommend changing the filter every 4-8 weeks and they sell a convenient service kit which includes everything you will need. I am very pleased with this aquarium and highly recommend it.

This filter has some very nice features. Like many emerging HOT filters with UV sterilization they seem to be going through some growing pains. It is not possible to run the filter “wide” open without water spilling over the bypass (the area where the intake tube passes into the filter box).

Also, if the sponge clogs up at all the filter starts to bypass. This suggest the sponge filter is on the small side. Time will tell if the impeller housing and UV ballast clamps will hold up. This is a little concerning because the bottom motor drive and ballast drops out of the bottom of the filter presumably for cleaning.

There is an O-ring seal that looks to be high quality silicon but if this ever fails it would allow the intake to siphon your tank down if it ever leaks and someday it WILL leak. Overall though, it has nice features.

Nice design I like the telescoping water inlet, protein skimmer, U V lite ,no idea if it works ,easy filter cleaning. It could use a filter bypass feature to keep water circulation during feeding. Thought it a great idea for a filter and would recommend.

Haven’t seen it around,do they still make it?.

I’m running the 500 on my 20H and love it. You can adjust the filter basket however you like, which is a feature that can be hard to find in an HOB filter (I added Purigen and a nitrate-reducing filter pad, plus some extra ceramic media).

It’s not the quietest filter I’ve ever had, but it’s no worse than the hum of a refrigerator. The adjustable flow is great for feeding time to keep food from being sucked up before the fish have a chance to eat it, but be careful.

The knobs can pop off (though they’ll pop right back in). The filter does need to be primed when you turn it on, but that’s maybe an extra 20-30 seconds of work, so no big deal. For the price you pay and what you get (surface skimmer, UV light, customizable media basket, adjustable flow), this filter is hard to beat.

it works, but i feel its expensive for what it is. If your gonna charge 80-100 bucks maybe take the time to file off the burrs. It really seems poorly made for how much it costs. Id say if you can get one for 50ish it wold be a ok deal.

I bought it because I needed it and it works with the other like it i have. Tho i bought the rest used for under 20 a piece. IT says you can fit up to a 15 gallon on the 2nd shelf, but its pretty cramped with just a 10.

Mostly good – seems sturdy. I got two right metal corners, instead of a left and a right, which was a bummer.

I love everything Aquaclear. It gives me confidence that my tanks are clean with great water quality. My water levels have been very stable and I know that my beneficial bacteria is thriving ever since I switched to this filter.

Having carbon in my tank eases my mind knowing that any chemicals that need to be gone will be taking care of. I have it on auto ship because carbon becomes inactive after a month or so.

Carbon inserts are a must, controls odors and the water is so pristine. I really like these packs perfect fit for my filter. I previously purchased filter packs and they were the wrong size it actually caused water to run on carpet what a mess.

I was going to cut down packets that would have been disaster. So make sure you get the correct carbon packs for your filter and you wont be sorry. They do a great job.

Aquaclear has one of the best filters hands down, and I love this product! My tanks are crystal clear & I would never use anything else. I use to love buying it here, it’s sad Chewy has almost doubled the price from what they used to sell it.

It’s the same price as Petsmart now! It’s a sad day when you can go to your local store & get a better deal.

Very nice, love the seamless style and quietness of the tank. Ensure you hop on the website for sea clear as the directions for set up are not great. Also want to put a charcoal bag or filter in the med tray as indicated in another review.

For someone wanting a low time investment on a self contained tank, this one is for you. Would recommend if you have or know someone that can wire in an additional light into the hood to do that. light works well, but if you want more you have the option to add.

Single light ballast included with light provided with tank.

I purchased this for my 8 year olds 29 gallon tank. The plastic strip is IMPOSSIBLE to slide all the way onto the glass. I have even tried several different types of lubricants and four other people have tried as well.

It will not go on more than 60%. Waste of money.

The plastic on the back they say you can cut it to fit around the filter the plastic to hard to cut and now don’t fit my tank why they say it’s easy to cut plastic plastic way to hard

Super fast shipping ! It is beautiful & fits perfectly ! The only thing to improve is the handles used to open the lid. Other then that buy it it’s wonderful !!! 🙂

This tank is so light coating it’s size. If i buy this tank in glass material, it will weight at least 5 ttimes heavier. It is also very well packaged to avoid any breakage or damage with 8 inch corner paddings on the 4 corners.

It has pre-cut of 2 round holes located on the left and right side, and a long 1 inch at the center at the back of top surface. These are too accomodate your heater, hang filter or intake filter sump of your exterior canister filter.

The 18×18 foot print is perfect for my dresser. It cover half of the surface while i can still use the other half for books and night light.

I have a two year old goldfish who has only ever used Biorbs, we started with the smallest tank and now are using this one. Pros: it’s beautiful and looks very modern. Cons: 1. no matter what I do it grows the worst algae – it’s so hard to keep clean.

2. the replacement products are super expensive. 3. The moisture from the tanks water has broken three lights. Water gets stuck under it and fries it (did I mention the lights are very expensive?). I bought this tank because I was a first time fish owner and thought it was pretty.

Overall I’m happy with it but I question if it’s the best option for my fishes health.

This fish tank is beautiful, but I have been disappointed with everything besides the way it looks. It poorly made, within a month of purchase the pumpstopped working. I contacted the company and spent a lot of time explaining the situation to them and getting them our proof of purchase.

After cnumerous attempts to get a replacement pump, they informed me that they thought it was purchase used (which it wasn’t, we purchased brand new on amazon) so they would not replace the defective pump.

The customer service has been horrible and I’m so disappointed with the quality of the tank.

I was impressed by all media for this filter. I especially use the ammonia relief inserts. They take cleaning to another level for my Discus tank. Along with the charcoal, sponge and polishing pads. Plus a prefilter sponge.

Sounds like overkill but we have some water issues here. Fabulous outcome.

I have used the Aqua Clear Biomax filter insert for two years and love it. I do not change monthly because I use the sponge, carbon and ammonia inserts. I only change the Biomax filter insert every 4 months.

I change one filter media per month. Keeps my aquarium fresh and clear. Even after water changes and cleaning it takes about 15 min for my 20gal tank to get clear again. Love this product.

I use these in a Marineland Penguin 200 HOB filter rather than their intended application. They fit into the reservoir snugly with no cutting or shaping, and they work great for biological and mechanical filtration.

During water changes I pull them out of the filter, squeeze them a few times in siphoned-off aquarium water, and replace. Some gunk comes out but they always clear out nicely and let plenty of water through after cleaning.

I bought a dozen Aqueon tops for a new fish room either from Petco stores or online. The tops have a great hinge and the glass had smooth edges. Two of my longer (30″) tops came in with the plastic handle broken (shipped to me).

This was due to the handle being placed in the end of the carton, and the much heavier glass impacting it during shipping. It might survive better if encased in a foam surround block. Customer service quickly replaced them at no charge.

The plastic portion of the lid is about 1/4″ narrower than that needed. As a result, I have either a gap at the back or front of the tank. Please consider resizing the extrusion. The plastic is tough, making it hard to get on the glass.

I used some silicone grease and had better luck. I resorted to cutting access openings by drilling first, then cutting slots with a bandsaw. Perhaps a reformulation of the plastic with softer properties? Those suggestions aside, the tops work great for me.

They are easy to clean, crystal clear, and keep both fish and water within the tank. My evaporation loss is very low. A nice accessory.

I bought an Aqueon 20 gallon long aquarium last week, and this week I ordered the matching glass lid. The vinyl strip on back is 1/4 inch too short both in length and in width, leaving gaps that allows water to evaporate.

I went back to the Petco store I picked it up from to exchange it and found that they were all cut too short. I even went to another Petco store in a different city, but apparently the factory made a batch of these in the wrong size.

Since the strips are molded to a set width, I suspect that the 2 glass pieces were each cut 1/8 of an inch short, resulting in the 1/4 gap in back, and the vinal strip was cut to the wrong length. As for overall quality, the glass is thinner then my other aquarium lids, and the edges have not been polished so they are extremely sharp.

Be very careful not to cut yourself when attaching the vinyl strip. I applied a little Vaseline to the glass which made it a little easier to install, and used gloves to avoid injury.

The hinge in the middle is black, so it blocks the light that rests on top of my tank. I either have to move the light all the way to the front (and move it each time I open the lid) or to the back and both ways result in an unwanted shadow from my live rock.

I would have preferred the hinge was more transparent. You have to adhere the (also black) handle yourself and cut the transparent acrylic strip yourself to allow space for cords or other aquarium equipment.

I haven’t decided on the tank layout yet, so I have yet to do this final cutting step. The top does help with limiting evaporation. I thought I’d be able to look down through it more, but there’s condensation and water droplets obscuring the view.

I feel confident my fish will not jump out. Fits snug on my rimmed 20 Long tank. It’s good enough for now.

Bought the Brooklyn 29 gallon stand online with home delivery in order to upgrade baby goldfish for another 6 months until they’re large enough to join their friends in the 150 gallon tank. I felt good about purchasing this stand because I already have the Brooklyn stand for 40 gallon breeder and 10 gallon tanks, but this time I was sorely disappointed.

I still think it’s a solid stand as I prefer metal stands over over any stand made from particle boards. This stand came fully packaged as if it has never been opened and returned, however there were gummy hand prints on most of the pieces.

It was very scratched and had two dents on one piece. One bolt absolutely would not thread properly. I discovered that the threads were really messed up, so I had to cut off the end and carefully sand it, so then it went into the stand smoothly.

Overall, it went together as expected with the usual efforts to be careful to align the top and sides carefully to ensure the joining pieces were level so as not to cause stress points on the tank. After putting it together, I realized that one side piece that joins the tip was bent ( not from me as I am not that strong), so I had to take it apart and turn it so that there would not be a stress point on the top.

I do love the stands, but am seriously disappointed in the manufacture of this one. Thankfully, I had the tools to fix the problems. I will spray paint it to cover the bad scratches. Petco should place better quality controls on the Brooklyn stands.

I do appreciate the price point, so thanks for that part. I would have rated it less except that the extra star is to honor the awesome staff at my Las Cruces, NM store.

This is a great tank stand. It seems custom-made for my new Zilla 40 gallon critter cage. There is absolutely no over-hanging – the two are a perfect match. I put it together myself and it was not hard to do.

I would recommend doing this with another person simply because the pieces need to be held up before you screw them in and that was a little tricky doing it by myself. Also if you have your own Allen wrench it will be probably longer than the one included and therefore easier to use.

I used the Allen wrench that was included and it was not bad at all. Not having a bottom shelf presented absolutely no problem for me. With a bottom-shelf probably it would just accumulate lots of clutter.

I am so happy with this purchase as it gives a streamlined look.

I was upgrading my aquatic turtles tank and bought this stand to hold their new 40 gallon tank. It was on sale for only $100 so I was okay with having to add on shelves. It should have been super easy to put together but was not.

The pre-drilled leveler holes were drilled on opposite ends of the side frames. One side we had to drill out the leveler screw holes one one of the side frames to be able to screw in the top shelf. Disappointed in the low quality of the product.

It looks nice now that we have it together, but we will see how long it lasts. We live quit a distance from petco so it was not an option for us to just return or exchange it.

Lovely design, great lights, just one problem – NOT suited bottom feeders as the biological filter substrate is on show and very little floor space for those kind of fish. I wouldn’t say it’s the most ideal tank for many fish to be honest and more for the aesthetic.

In future , I would happily look into getting the Biorb air terrarium as another thing -unfortunatly in the biorb “fish tanks” you are unable to use your own substrate therefore cannot plant your own plants.

You could look into getting small plants on wood or any plants that don’t need a substrate but as I said earlier, very little floor space, so not a lot you can do. Definitely not suited for Goldfish, even the larger tanks as they would prefer something short and long with plenty of ground to graze through.

Hope I save someone from wasting their money if that’s what they are looking for.

Interesting tank to buy. Good size for most nano fish that can be housed in a 5 gallon or less. it is awkward to install a heater in it. Talking around the filter is known to leak if the oring isn’t installed properly and even then hit or miss.

This doesn’t change yours may not do this. You can’t use stuff like sand in this as the gravel in this tank acts as filter media for the sponge filter. This would be an alright tank for a Betta however the agitation at the surface may make it awkward for any gulps for air the Betta may do.

It is a nice centerpiece and some live plants do work in this tank.

The Biorb 8 gallon aquarium is beautiful and easy to set up. It comes with everything you need to get started right away, including air pump, Filer, led light, water conditioner and beneficial bacteria.

according to the instructions, You will have to wait 24 hours after adding the water conditioner before adding the bacteria and some tropical fish will require a heater, which is not included with this model.

The filtration system is designed for ease of use. Just twist an lift out the filter column for cleaning and replace it with another twist to lock it in place and your done. The globe form is simple and elegant and can be viewed from any angle and the led light provides ample illumination.

There is a bonus, The globe shape of the aquarium magnifies the contents so your decorations and fish look larger and you can enjoy the fine details.

The 29 gallon is about 18” tall and about 30” long. The glass bows in the middle due to the thinness of the glass and open area of support. I have many successful aquariums many all glass aqueon but this 29 gallon leaked on me after about 6 months of the glass bowing out.

If you get it full look down the front from the side, you will see what I mean. They warranteed the aquarium with good customer service but I will not buy a 29 gallon all glass ever again. My 125 is rock solid and clean silicone, my 40 gallons have been good but the silicone is very messy, My 20 longs have started to bubble in the vertices seams very quickly.

I believe there larger tanks are built much better than these dollar a gallon specials.

If you can get them to not leak you are in good shape but the wind hits these right you have a major water leak. Bought 2 and I will never put these on my aquarium ever again. Seen video on YouTube on how to prep so it doesnt leak, followed their steps (thats a warning right there).

Could only get one of them to not leak. Had one on aquarium for a month decided to move the canister literally 5 inches, undid the hose bracket and as soon as I reattached flooding began again and could not get it to stop.

I immediately ripped it off my aquarium. never again. How can anyone sleep well at night knowing these are running on your aquarium? Going back to my Eheim 2262. fYI had a major leak 2 months ago that’s why 1 was on the aquarium at this time and did major flooding under aquarium and on hardwood floors.

I wanted to like these. very quiet but 0% faith they will not flood your cabinet etc at any moment. Smh.

I purchased the Whale 350 to replace a canister filter from Amazon (Polar Aurora 3) that didn’t fit under cabinet with my JBJ 65g aquarium. I like the features and compact size of the Sicce, but it makes a much louder hum sound; I had taken the virtually silent Polar for granted, apparently.

After reviewing and following the videos that Sicce support sent me on how to properly set up and solve Whale noise issues, I’m left to conclude that the Whale is just inherently loud.

I really enjoy it so far, my only complaint with it is some of the components are a little awkward. First time i put it together i misaligned one of the 4 clips and it leaked, but the quick valve was easy enough to use to stop the leak.

Another thing I’m not quite a big fan of is the first basket has a tab, but the two beneath it don’t which makes it hard to remove the baskets from the canister. Flow is good, the hum is about the same as a fluval 207 which this replaced.

I’ve had these hoods before, they are nice. I just wish (1) the pieces that need to be removed to accommodate the filter were a little easier to remove without causing damage to what is left and (2) just the light part was sold separately.

The measurements given on the website are not correct. The hood is not only 9″ or so wide. It fits snugly into my 29 gallon tank top which is about 11″ wide. That needs to be corrected. That measurement comes directly from Aqueon so that needs to be worked out.

Also, I bought a Floramax bulb to replace the basic bulb that came with it and it didn’t work so I return the bulb to the store only to be told by the clerk “you probably have a bad ballast in the hood”.

I told him I better not because it just came out of the box. ” I am confident it was just the new bulb because I put the original bulb back in the hood and it works just fine. I am keeping the box just in case something goes wrong with the hood (I always do this) but I feel unsolicited remarks like that are not necessary.

The plastic cut-outs in the back are hard to punch out without cracking part of the frame. Accidentally cracked the back of it trying to punch the holes out. I also have an older aquarium (29 gallon) from the early 2000’s.

This is my third hood on it and it is incredibly fitted. I have a hard time opening and shutting the front lid because it wants to stick. I don’t know if it’s because my aquarium is older or if it was just how the hood is made.

Otherwise, it is as good as to be expected. It’s getting harder and harder to find a fluorescent hood anymore. LED hoods cost almost as much as a new aquarium, so I’m thankful I was able to still find and purchase this.

I bought a tank like this for one of my daughter hamsters. We had to get something bigger for it. I got the 20in long glass tank. Had to buy the lid separate for it but I got the tank half off so it was only $50 for both items.

Now the hamster has plenty of room! So glad I decided to get this. And as you can see I have a naughty cat that has to be nosy all the time!.