What is a 10 gallon tank good for?
The 10 gallon is the classic starter tank: cheap, light and easy to find. It suits one small school, a betta with some shrimp, or a few guppies. Small tanks are less forgiving than big ones, so test the water often.
How much water does it really hold?
The label says 10 gallons (38 liters). That is the tank filled to the very brim, measured from outside the glass. In real life the glass, the gap at the top, the gravel and the decor take up room. A set-up 10 gallon tank holds about 8.5 gallons (32 liters). Use that smaller number when you dose medicine or water conditioner. Work out your exact water volume
How much does a 10 gallon tank weigh?
An empty glass 10 gallon tank weighs about 13 lb (6 kg). Filled, with gravel and a few rocks, it weighs about 105 lb (50 kg). That is as much as an adult person, so put it on a sturdy, level surface. The load on the floor under the tank is about 77 lb per square foot (380 kg/m²). Add your own stand and rocks
What size heater does it need?
The colder your room, the bigger the heater. These sizes hold the water at 78 °F (25.5 °C), right for most tropical fish.
| Your room | Heater to buy |
|---|---|
| Warm room, 73 °F (23 °C) | 25 W |
| Normal room, 68 °F (20 °C) | 50 W |
| Cold room, 63 °F (17 °C) | 75 W |
Check your own room and target temperature
What size filter does it need?
For a community tank, look for a filter rated at 30–50 GPH (150–200 L/h). That moves all the water through the filter four to six times an hour. Goldfish and big cichlids need more. Size a filter for your kind of tank
How much gravel or sand?
| Depth | Gravel | Sand |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in (2.5 cm) | 11 lb5 kg | 12 lb6 kg |
| 2 in (5 cm) | 22 lb10 kg | 23 lb11 kg |
| 3 in (7.5 cm) | 33 lb15 kg | 35 lb16 kg |
Two inches suits most tanks. Rooted plants like three. Work it out in bags
How much water to change
A normal weekly water change is a quarter of the water: about 2.1 gallons (8 liters) for this tank. A big clean-up change is half: about 4.3 gallons (16 liters). Plan changes from your nitrate reading
How many fish can go in a 10 gallon tank?
It depends on which fish. The table shows how many of each the tank carries comfortably if that fish is the only kind in the tank. If you mix kinds, keep fewer of each.
| Fish | How many | Keep at least |
|---|---|---|
| Betta | 1 | 1 |
| Cherry shrimp | up to 50 | 6 |
| Chili rasbora | up to 14 | 8 |
| Neon tetra | up to 8 | 6 |
| Guppy | up to 4 | 3 |
| Ember tetra | up to 14 | 8 |
Stocking ideas that work
Nano community: 8 ember tetras, 10 cherry shrimp, 1 nerite snail. Stocking level 70%. A bright school with a clean-up crew. Plant it densely so the shrimp can breed.
Betta tank: 1 betta, 6 cherry shrimp, 1 nerite snail. Stocking level 40%. Lightly stocked on purpose: a betta wants calm water and room of its own. Some bettas hunt shrimp, so give them moss to hide in.
Build your own fish list for this tank
Fish that need a bigger tank
These fish are often sold for tanks this size, but they outgrow it:
- Common goldfish: grows to 12 in (30 cm) and needs at least 75 gallons (284 liters).
- Oscar: grows to 12 in (30 cm) and needs at least 75 gallons (284 liters).
- Common pleco: grows to 16 in (40 cm) and needs at least 150 gallons (570 liters).
- Bala shark: grows to 14 in (35 cm) and needs at least 150 gallons (570 liters).
Questions and answers
What are the dimensions of a 10 gallon tank?
A standard 10 gallon glass tank is 20 × 10 × 12 inches (51 × 25 × 30 cm), measured on the outside as length × width × height. Brands differ by up to half an inch.
How much does a 10 gallon tank weigh?
Empty, about 13 lb (6 kg). Filled with water, gravel and rocks, about 105 lb (50 kg). Add the weight of the stand to find the load on your floor.
What size heater does a 10 gallon tank need?
In a normal room at 68 °F (20 °C), 50 W holds 78 °F (25.5 °C). In a cold room use 75 W; in a warm room 25 W is enough.
How many fish can I put in a 10 gallon tank?
It depends on the fish, not just the gallons. As the only kind in the tank, a 10 gallon tank carries about 1 betta, or 50 cherry shrimp, or 14 chili rasboras. Mixed tanks hold fewer of each.
How many liters is a 10 gallon tank?
10 US gallons is 38 liters. Once set up with gravel and decor, the tank holds about 32 liters (9 gallons) of water.
Other tank sizes
Dimensions are the common North American and European standard sizes; brands differ slightly. Weights assume standard glass of typical thickness, 4 cm of gravel and light rockwork. How we calculate