A 55-gallon aquarium can provide a lot of enjoyment and house a variety of fish species with room for plants and quite a few ornaments if you want some. To help you make an educated decision, we’ve collected a list of the top options available for 50 to 55-gallon aquarium setups.
While they are not huge, 55-gallon fish tanks are still a notable addition to your home as well as a serious weight that’s going to be handled by a piece of furniture. Please consider acquiring a full kit that has a stand included; they are purposely-built to support the aquarium that it accompanies, and you can rest assured that you won’t have any unpleasant surprises.
If you prefer to order/build your own, always make sure that you triple-check the sizes and account for all the accessories and equipment you need for your aquarium. If you choose not to overpopulate your aquarium with fish, then an internal filter might be enough to handle your Nitrogen cycle. If you know you’ll want to see lots of fish in the aquarium, then consider an external filter and the room it requires. Do the same with heaters or chillers – depending on the temperature where you live – you might need one or both of these.
If you don’t go for a full kit, it is crucial that you research the filters, lighting and stand that you will be using as you might have compatibility issues with the tank. They’re not all compatible, some might be taller, some might be wider, and not everything fits everywhere.
Don’t use price as the only differentiator – you must consider the fact that some quality products cost a lot more to manufacture and therefore, it will retail at a higher price. While it is not always the case, usually, these higher quality products will last much longer than the average product does, and that means that the extra cost is compensated by the fact that you do not have to replace them as often.
If you have to compromise because you can’t afford everything you want, it is advisable to buy a bare tank and then add the accessories that you can afford to it. You can replace them gradually, at a later time, as you make additional funds available – you will have that liberty. With a kit or built-in solutions, it might be harder to customize at a later time, so if you buy a cheaper pack just to get it done – you might have to replace the entire thing later.
Please make sure you’ve chosen the aquarium’s location well before setting it up as it will be much, much more challenging to move it after.
Always allow your aquarium to cycle – it takes at least a couple of weeks, and you can speed it up with nitrifying bacteria – I’m including images and links below to a couple of products that have worked wonders for me.
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Please do not torture fish by adding them to a newly set up aquarium that has not had the chance to cycle. They have a very high chance of dying as the water can quickly become toxic for them. Use water tests to check when the new home is ready to receive your beautiful, healthy, and happy fish!
Some of the recommendations below are full kits, while others are bare tanks that allow you to customize your setup. No matter what you’re looking for, one of these is sure to fit your needs.
Tetra 55 Gallon Aquarium Kit with Fish Tank, Fish Net, Fish Food, Filter, Heater and Water Conditioners is a brilliant starter kit from the well-known manufacturer. When you get something Tetra, you know you get quality and something that’s easy to use.
It’s a classic-shaped, rectangular, glass aquarium that comes with everything you need to get started. And even more – you also get food, a digital thermometer, some plants and some guides which might be especially helpful for a beginner.
LED lights will make sure that your fish and plants get what they need for their new home as well as ensure that you get a nice view of everything inside the spacious fish tank from Tetra. The Whisper Power Filter 60 that comes with it is a pretty good filter, although not very quiet. On the bright side, it won’t require too much space underneath, as it will hang on the back of the aquarium. It should also be enough filtration as long as you do not overpopulate your fish tank. Because of the noise though, it is very likely that you will want to replace it with a more silent option.
The two things you don’t get are substrate (gravel), which you can easily get on your own, and a stand. With the added bonus that the filter is hang-on – which actually is a double win – it means that you can get some gorgeous stands like the one from Aquatic Fundamentals, which I am linking to here.
Why would this be any different than the others? Well, you won’t have an external canister-style filter that needs to sit underneath your aquarium so it allows you to get something more “stylish”.
I’m also going to explain the “double-win” – you win twice because, aside from the room you gain underneath the aquarium, you also gain some on the inside. Most fish tanks this size come with an internal filter that actually eats up internal space, leaving less room for your fish. Because the WPF 60 filter is going to hang on the back of your aquarium, your fish get more room and you can look for prettier stands to combine the aquarium with.
Overall, the Tetra 55 Gallon Aquarium Kit is a great choice for beginners and experienced aquarists alike. Great value for money and an amazing lifespan make this our top choice!
Pros:
includes a filter;
includes a heater;
includes a lighting system;
includes a small fish net, food, water conditioner and a guide;
hang-on filter which saves space underneath and inside the aquarium.
This almost complete kit is great for any aquarium enthusiast – suitable for both saltwater and freshwater – but it is built mainly for reef aquariums.
It includes the glass aquarium, a cabinet (white or black) and a complete water management system. You’ll only need to add a water pump and the lights. There’s a great LED lighting option from Red Sea available – scroll down to read more about that.
The glass aquarium is really a good quality product – thick, clear, rimless beveled edge glass that sits on top of a classy cabinet that’s built to perfection. When they come together, they’re beautiful and they look like a single piece, not like an aquarium and the thing it sits on.
Because of the built-in professional water management system with easy to use and set up piping, you won’t have any pipes, hoses or anything hanging out. It’s all hidden inside and works quietly maintaining the quality of your tank’s water.
Pros:
professional, from top to bottom;
gorgeous aquarium and stand;
black and white color options;
very good, compact setup.
Cons:
limited/difficult customization because of the built-in system;
The Clear-For-Life 55 Gallon Rectangle Aquarium is an acrylic tank that measures 48” in length x 13″ wide x 20″ high and is a perfect choice for anyone looking for a large capacity fish tank without the hassle of a heavy, fragile glass aquarium.
The acrylic aquariums from Clear-For-Life are indeed very good; they’re a lot clearer than glass ones and with proper lighting, the colors inside will really pop, which is all we want from our miniature ecosystem. It is suitable for both freshwater and saltwater aquariums.
The round front corners are going to be a lovely feature which you don’t really realize until you actually set it up and notice the difference between having corners (like a regular glass aquarium does) where the scenery is just cut off, and having the round corners like these on an acrylic aquarium where your landscape just continues from the side to the front and again to the side.
With 50% less weight than a comparable glass aquarium and stronger and more durable, you’ll be able to move, install, and transport this tank with ease, and have minimal concerns about leakage or cracks. This product is the tank itself, so you’ll need to select the other necessary components manually. Continued here.
Pros:
great quality on the acrylic;
limited lifetime warranty for leakage;
varied color options for the back.
Cons:
The top hood isn’t great for lighting an aquarium, you’ll be better off with a different solution as it won’t go edge-to-edge and that’s less than ideal for a well-planted tank.
This is the same as Red Sea REEFER 250 Rimless Aquarium 54 Gallon, which is just above on our list, PLUS 2 x of Red Sea’s ReefLED 90 Light Fixtures.
Considering the fact that this is kit is built with Reef setups in mind, these lights are what you must get if you want to ensure that you’ll have the perfect environment for your corals to thrive.
They connect to a mobile app via WiFi, the setup is extremely easy and once you set one of them up, all additional lights will automatically be connected to that and will work as a single item. The app also allows you to customize quite a few things like color temperature, night light, acclimation, simulation of random clouds during the day, sunrise and sunset times and has some very useful alerts for you like loss of connectivity or settings that might be bad for coral growth. You’ll absolutely love the corals in the night light. I am certain of that because I know the huge difference that I noticed when I switched to a lighting system with night mode.
The LED units are covered with an optical-glass, hollow lens that creates homogenous light and a pleasant shimmer within your entire tank.
You can have them set up conveniently on the tank’s rear wall where they can also be moved out of the way with ease when you do your regular maintenance or landscaping. There’s also the option (extra cost) to hang the lights from the ceiling which I find very interesting.
Pros:
professional, from top to bottom;
gorgeous aquarium and stand;
black and white color options;
very good, compact setup;
special Reef lights.
Cons:
limited/difficult customization because of the built-in system;
The SeaClear 50 Gallon Rectangular Aquarium Combo in Cobalt Blue is a classic rectangular acrylic tank that measures 36” in length x 15″ wide x 20″ high – with this in mind, the real volume that you get is actually a bit over 40 gallons so please keep that in mind whenever you’re going to do any water changes and treatments. The fish tank features a nice shade of cobalt blue on the backdrop, creating a peaceful waterscape for your fish to swim against. The clear acrylic allows more light through, enhancing the serenity of your tank.
Molecular bonding is used to join the seams, ensuring a leak-proof experience from the factory, and a manufacturer warranty ensures you can enjoy your aquarium for years without experiencing any leaking issues. For an acrylic tank this size, you probably can not get a better price than this.
The kit includes the aquarium, a 24” light fixture and a reflector. You will need to get your own bulb – which, for the price tag, isn’t a real issue – especially if you consider the fact that different aquarium setups will require different types of lights. It can be used as both a freshwater and saltwater tank but some people have complained that the openings at the top make it difficult to manage a saltwater tank – you can only reach in through them as opposed to being able to lift the entire top off.
Pros:
very good quality acrylic, very clear and lightweight;
good price tag;
renowned manufacturer and lifetime warranty.
Cons:
very small openings at the top which could make maintenance and decoration insertion difficult.
At barely over $200 this starter kit is a really good deal from Aqua Culture – a glass aquarium with a plastic top, suitable for both freshwater and saltwater setups. Assembled Product Dimensions (L x W x H): 50.62 x 14.87 x 23.12 inches and has a volume of 55 gallons.
The tank itself is of pretty good quality. It’s made out of tempered glass, includes a hang-on-back filter, a 1200W internal heater, an external thermometer, 2 plastic lid covers (black) with holes for an automatic feeder in the front and two in the back that could be used for an external filter, air pump, CO2 system, etc.
Led lights – 5 on each lid (10 led lights in total) – some Tetra fish food and water conditioner (to make tap water safe) and a small fish net are also included in this kit.
You’ll need to get your own substrate/gravel as well as any decorations and of course – fish!
As with most starter kits, with time, you will want to upgrade to a much better filter and, if you like plants, a much better lighting system too, to ensure healthy plant growth. Even so, for the price tag it carries and considering everything you get with the kit, this is an amazing deal that will make any beginner very happy and will help them start their first fishkeeping experience. The fact that you’ll be changing some of the included accessories, later on, is not a real concern.
Pros:
includes a lighting system;
includes filter;
includes heater;
includes a thermometer;
has holes ready for automatic feeder and external filter/air pump.
Cons:
Can’t find replacement lights unless you get the entire lid;
Lighting is pretty weak and should be changed if you want to grow anything but “easy” plants.
SeaClear’s System II Acrylic Aquarium – at 36 x 15 x 16 inches and weighing only 20 pounds – is a very interesting lightweight alternative to classic glass aquariums. The kit includes a filter system built into the back of the aquarium, it can accommodate biological, mechanical and filter media as well as a heater (not included). It is also possible to incorporate a Protein Skimmer (System II), which you can acquire at an additional cost, in case you’re looking to set this up as a marine tank. The plastic hood has a fluorescent fixture for lighting but does not include the light bulb. You will need to buy that yourself.
They advertise this as 17 times stronger than glass which might be true from certain perspectives but we know that acrylic is, unfortunately, a bit easier to scratch. It is, however, manageable if you use the right tools for maintenance. The upside is SeaClear’s virtually invisible seams and a very clear view of the aquarium contents. An added benefit is the fact that they’re not as easy to damage/break as the glass ones so if you have small children or pets, there’s little risk with an acrylic aquarium such as the SeaClear System II.
The filter cleaning for this model is extremely easy, it also includes a nozzle for air injection if necessary and their unique molded Turbulence Manifold allows for very good water circulation throughout the entire aquarium.
All in all – a good choice – although slightly on the more expensive side.
Some users have been reporting that this model was delivered, on occasion, with scratches. So please, if you choose this model, please make sure that you inspect it and that it is scratch-free before you set it up. Undoing it will be hard and you might just decide to keep it like that but a scratch on a brand-new aquarium is not a pretty sight.
Pros:
includes a filter;
allows for the addition of a heater and protein skimmer;
The Clear-For-Life 55 Gallon Hexagon Aquarium is an exquisite acrylic tank that measures 29” in length x 25″ wide x 24″ high that provides a very different overall profile from the other options available.
This hexagon aquarium is unique in that you can walk around the aquarium and enjoy a view of your fish from nearly any angle. As such, you could put this tank up against a wall, or place it closer to the center of the room to allow you to watch your fish wherever they may be hiding.
Clear-For-Life’s acrylic welding makes this brilliant because you get a vibrant, bright, clear view from any side and you won’t have any issues with corners either as they are smooth and they connect each of the 6 sides almost seamlessly. Huge difference when compared with classic glass aquariums where any corner is like a divider between scenes.
Please ensure that you get the “clear back” option if you’d like to get a 360° view, otherwise, its back will be a solid color. If you go for the clear back option, you should also consider the fact that any tubes and wires that need to connect something at the top of the tank will be visible through the aquarium. It is important to be aware of that, to set your expectations properly.
This is a tank only product rather than a kit, so you can still select your own components – there are no accessories or components included that can be affected by saltwater so this tank equally suitable for freshwater or saltwater tanks. Coral reefs look amazing in the center of this hexagon.
The Clear-For-Life 55 Gallon Rectangle UniQuarium is an acrylic tank that measures 36” in length x 15″ wide x 24″ high and could be called a partial kit. In addition to the tank itself, you’ll get an integrated filtration system designed to keep the water crystal clear at all times. Of course, as with the previous acrylic Clear-For-Life fish tanks, you get the same cristal clear, amazing view into your aquatic landscape. And, of course – the same warning – beware of scratches!
The top hood is set up to make wiring your lighting an easy job, so you can cross that task off your list quickly unless you want to grow some serious plants, in which case you’re probably going to have to look for a solution that can cover and provide proper lighting to your fish tank from edge to edge. The default top hood will only cover it partially.
As with all acrylic Clear-For-Life aquariums, the top is not completely open and it can not be open completely; Unless you remove the top piece, which is not recommended as that would allow the aquarium to bend/warp. It does have 2 fairly large cutouts which you can use to insert gravel, decorations, fish, plants, etc as well as use for feeding. It might be a bit more difficult to work with the smaller windows instead of a completely open fish tank but we think it’ll do.
The UniQuarium is suitable for any type of aquatic environment and the smart filtration system allows for the easy addition of a heater, protein skimmer or media reactor. It has a well-thought process of cleaning the water, it is supposed to be very quiet and it sits nicely embedded in your aquarium so it does not require any additional space. Furthermore, because it allows you to add all the additional accessories to the filtration system, you won’t need to add them inside and bother the fish and your design. It should be straightforward to maintain, clean and replace filter media.
It does eat up a bit of the actual usable volume though, but take it from me, you’ll be happy to be able to keep everything in the back of the aquarium, out of sight and out of your aquarium stand! I know that some of you believe that external filters are the only way to go – and they are a much better choice indeed – but if you’re careful about overpopulating and clean it regularly then you can have a perfectly healthy environment with this built-in filtration system as well.
For further details of the UniQuarium design, the review continues here.
Pros:
great quality on the acrylic;
limited lifetime warranty for leakage;
a very good and versatile filtration system built-in.
Cons:
The top hood isn’t great for lighting an aquarium, you’ll be better off with a different solution as it won’t go edge-to-edge and that’s less than ideal for a well-planted tank.
This bundle from JAJALE looks like a bargain – made of high-quality tempered, ultra-transparent, seamless curved corner glass and is reinforced with an aluminum frame, measuring 32(L) x 15(W) x 23(H) inches and 32(L) x 15(W) x 25(H) inches for the stand.
The main feature of this aquarium is the seamless curved corners in the front – which is rare for a glass aquarium – the front and sides are part of the same sheet of glass which is heat bent to create seamless curved corners and allow for an immersive landscape.
You get a 3-year warranty on the tank and a 1-year warranty on the electric parts. Of course, it is suitable for both freshwater and saltwater aquariums and included with the tank and stand you also get a filtration system, LED lighting and a water pump.
It is very nice to have two color options as well, something that’s rare for aquariums and stands. It is available in white and black so you can choose the one that would look better in your home or office. If you’re willing to upgrade to a larger tank size, they also provide red, brown and a couple of other color options – but, they won’t come with curved corners.
Pros:
very nice look with the seamless curved corner glass;
gorgeous, sturdy wood stand;
filter and lighting included.
Cons:
not much is known about the manufacturer/seller so you don’t benefit from any “brand name”;
the filter uses up a lot of the space within the stand.
For those that want something “special” or “unconventional” – the Full Acrylic 360° Cylinder Aquarium Tank with Stainless Steel Trim is just the thing. It is a Cylinder-shaped aquarium that allows you to look at the contents from any side and angle you want. The 360° views of your fish will be breathtaking. Its dimensions are 20 x 20 x 69 inches and it weighs just 75 pounds; It also comes in a 70-gallon flavor for those that want a larger “different” fish tank.
It does include lighting and a filter, but the filter is something you’ll want to quickly change because it can not really handle a populated fish tank. It’s also a troublemaker as it often clogs and overflows, so if you’re interested in this model, make sure you find a replacement asap.
For cleaning, you need to be extra careful as acrylic can scratch easily if you do not use special accessories and for a 360° aquarium such as this one, scratches are much more visible – from all sides.
There’s also a black version, which is no longer in stock, but with any luck – if black is what you prefer – it will become available again soon.
There is one thing that they fail to mention – the aquarium does have a seam at the back. It isn’t built out of a whole circular piece, it was welded, however – if placed in the back – it will not bother and it will undoubtedly be able to withstand the water pressure.
For a 360 degree aquarium, the price is simply unbelievable – even if you factor in the filter replacement – if you want something different, unconventional, then this is precisely what we would recommend.
Pros:
gorgeous, unique 360° design;
great price;
takes up little space;
includes a lighting system.
Cons:
nasty filter which needs replacing immediately;
you might see electrical wires as everything connects up top.
This 50 Gallon Starfire Aquarium with Center Overflow doubles up as both a fish tank and a piece of beauty. Standing at 24” x 24” x 20″ and made from sturdy 10mm Starfire glass, this is a cubic design perfect for a fresh or saltwater setup.
Starfire glass is a high-clarity glass that is made from low-iron silica. It is clearer than the conventional and removes the greenish-blue tint that’s usually visible on thicker sizes. It’s probably the best you can get for an aquarium and gets pretty close to the clarity that you can get with acrylic.
The cubic design allows you to hold the full 50 gallons of water in a much smaller footprint than other tanks, so this is a great tank option for smaller spaces. You do not get the full 50 gallons of volume though, as the central overflow will eat up a bit of your space. Add the gravel/substrate and decorations on top of that and you’ll probably need to consider a lot less when you’re doing water changes or treatments.
The fish tank is very reasonably priced and along with the aquarium, you also get a foam mat to place underneath and required plumbing to set up your filtration system with the central overflow.
SC is a great company to deal with and they back their products properly with stellar support for any issues you might have as well as any custom requests should you want to customize one of their products.
This is a tank rather than a kit, so be prepared to buy the filter, heater, and lighting. See further details here.
Pros:
the best glass quality you can get;
amazing support;
quality plumbing included for the overflow.
Cons:
some of the plumbing components can break (it’s plastic after all) and you might need to replace some of them for compatibility with your filters and other accessories.
These tanks are our top recommendations for a 50 to 55-gallon aquarium. Choosing the best one for you will depend on your space requirements, desire to pick out your own components or simply stick with an all-in-one kit, and your budget. No matter what you’re looking for, one of these tanks is sure to fit the bill.
If you’ve got a slightly bigger budget and would a slightly more challenging aquarium try reading our 75 Gallon Aquarium top list.
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If you prefer to order/build your own, always make sure that you triple-check the sizes and account for all the accessories and equipment you need for your aquarium. If you choose not to overpopulate your aquarium with fish, then an internal filter might be enough to handle your Nitrogen cycle. If you know you’ll want to see lots of fish in the aquarium, then consider an external filter and the room it requires. Do the same with heaters or chillers – depending on the temperature where you live – you might need one or both of these.
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