Complete Guide To The Best 125-Gallon Aquarium Tanks
Thinking about creating your own 125 aquarium?
Well, it is not a difficult task at all.
While there are many factors to consider for aquarium designing, you can easily get your hands on the perfect one with rigorous, thorough research beforehand.
Check out this useful guide to buy an ideal aquarium for your house, or work place. I am going to expound further on the subject of the fish tanks, what are the important things to consider before purchasing one, what could be the potential tank mates, size and water conditions.
You will be amazed to see such vast variety of aquarium tanks and how you can decorate them in so many different ways.
Let’s sink deep into this topic and discover the colorful world of aquariums!
STEP 1: CHOOSING YOUR IDEAL AQUARIUM
Talking about the fundamentals of introducing an aquarium to your humble abode, it is important to consider the right type and size of aquarium you need.
While fish keeping can be a hobby, maintaining such a large aquarium as 125-gallons require a lot of work, patience, and vigilance on your part.
A 125-gallon tank has a lot of space and you can exploit it to introduce a large species of fish, other creatures, extra items like rocks, plants, gravel, and can turn it into a freshwater, saltwater, reef-base or marine aquarium.
The tanks are available in various shapes and the stands are also very elegant.
Now, I am going to review some of the best 125-gallon aquarium tanks in this article.
MARINELAND 125-GALLON AQUARIUM – TOP QUALITY TANK
Marineland aquariums is one of the most reputable brands in the market. They offer aquariums of various shapes and sizes- from a 2.5 gallon desktop aquarium to a larger 265-gallon tank.
This 125-gallon aquarium tank is a perfect blend of beauty and functionality.
The product dimensions are 72”*18”*22” as length, width and height respectively. It is rectangular in shape.
It is ideal for freshwater, saltwater, or reptile environments and as the size suggests,
compatible with a wide variety of filtration and lighting. Moreover, the outer body is made of scratch-resistant, distortion-free glass.
You can get the product at a very reasonable price on its official website.
Features:
- Product Dimensions: 72*18*22 inches
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Top and bottom made of plastic frames
- Silicon sealed top frame
- Aquarium weight(dry): 160 lbs
- Aquarium weight(filled): 1160 lbs
- AQUEON LED AQUARIUM AND STAND ENSEMBLE 125-GALLON – BEST FOR BEGINNERS
This aquarium is rectangular in shape with dimensions 72.5*18.5*23.75 inches. It comes in a kit that includes a black and grey furniture stand that measures 72*18*28 inches, glass canopy, and two LED strip lights. The fish species that can be kept in this aquarium are tropical fish and goldfish.
Features:
- Product Dimensions: 72”*18”*28”
- Rectangular in shape
- Two fluorescent light fixtures
- Comes with a furniture stand
- Fish species to be kept: tropical fish and goldfish.
- CLEAR-FOR-LIFE 125-GALLON HALF-CYLINDER ACRYLIC AQUARIUM – UNIQUE STYLE
Clear-For-Life brand is one of the most trusted aquarium brands out there. The tank measures 48 inches in length, 24 inches in width, and 30 inches in height.
It is in the shape of half-cylinder which looks very elegant, stylish, and out of the box. The fish tank is made in acrylic material.
The back panel is available in light blue, dark blue and black color. It is ideal for saltwater as well as freshwater setups, thanks to the larger biological area, and high flow Rio brand powerhead.
The filter compartment is covered in the tank dimensions. The fish tank has a durable top panel with cut outs for added structural support.
You can purchase it at low prices on FishTanksDirect official website.
Features:
- All in one filter(mechanical, chemical, biological)
- Silent filters (submerged)
- Manufactured in the United States
- Panoramic design with arc front and flat back
- Outer body stronger and safer than glass
- TSUNAMI 125-GALLON RECTANGULAR ACRYLIC AQUARIUM – DURABLE MATERIAL
This 125-gallon aquarium is 60 inches long, 18 inches wide and 24 inches high. It is rectangular-shaped and made of acrylic. The acrylic material is durable and the thickness is half inches on all sides.
The aquarium is available in three different colors, namely, Clear, Blue, Black. You can customize the product according to your choice. Get your ideal one on FishTanksDirect at reduced prices.
Features:
- Product measurements: 60”*18”*24”
- Made in the United States
- Stand material choice available: No wood, oak, maple
- Filtration types: Wet/Dry Sump, Reef Sump, Canister
- VISIO VERSAQUARIUMS EUROSTYLE MODEL 125 – MOST RELIABLE
If you are looking for a reliable 125-gallon aquarium then this is an ideal choice for you. The Visio Versaquariums has 125 gallons quantity and the product dimensions are 60*18*24 inches.
It is rectangular in shape and the body material is glass. Stand is also available with the tank.
It has a built-in wet or dry filtration. The aquarium comes in stylish, contemporary design with black melamine stand that is 30 inches tall. You can buy it from FishTanksDirect at a reasonable cost.
Features:
- Measurements: 60*18*24 inches
- Ready-to-run, simple add water
- Black silicone
- Panel in black and sapphire textures
- Available at lower prices online
STEP 2. BUY A STAND BEST SUITED FOR YOUR AQUARIUM
An aquarium stand is a must if you are planning to buy an aquarium. It helps to keep the aquarium safe from any disturbance and gives your aquarium a great finish.
A lot of stands are available online and in the market but you need to look for the one according to the size of your tank.
For a 125-gallon tank, you will see a lot of stand ideas on the Internet. The stands come in different wood materials like oak and maple. And they can vary in shapes as per the shape of the fish tank.
You can check Amazon for best 125-gallon aquarium stands at a lower price. Moreover, you can also make your own customized stand. If you want to learn more about it, then check out our website.
The good thing with 125-gallon aquariums is that you can do not need to purchase a stand separately. It is included in the kit.
One of the best aquarium stands available on Amazon is:
It is sold by Altra Furniture. The stand dimensions are 21*70*31 inches. The item weight is 171 pounds. The stand can hold upto 125 gallons of tank and it comes with a fixed shelf or adjustable shelf behind each door.
There is also a large slide-out shelf above the doors. The best part is that it is very easy to assemble.
STEP 3. BUYING THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT
After choosing an aquarium and its stand, it is important to buy other necessary equipment like heater, filter, pump, and hood.
The heater provides necessary heat in the aquarium, the filter removes the dirt and impurities from the water, and the hood keeps the aquarium safe.
Here I am going to explain at length about the above-mentioned equipment.
- HEATER
For big aquariums like 125-gallons it is advisable to use 2 heaters. The wattage of the power depends upon the number of degrees you want to raise the temperature above the room temperature.
Two heaters will balance the temperature and heat the tank more evenly. In addition to this, the two heaters will also prevent any fluctuations and large temperature drop if one stops working suddenly. They will last longer for not having been overused.
It is recommended to use heaters of at least 300 watts for this sized tank and easily maintain a constant temperature.
The best ones are:
- MARINELAND PRECISION HEATER FOR SALTWATER OR FRESHWATER AQUARIUMS
- TWO 250 WATT AQUEON PRO HEATERS
- MARINELAND VISI-THERM SUBMERSIBLE AQUARIUM HEATER 400 WATT
- FILTER
Choosing a best filter for your aquarium could be a drawn-out process. For big aquariums like 125 gallons, it is comparatively easy to find an ideal filter. Some of them come with three-in-one filtration support-biological, mechanical and chemical filters.
The cycling and bio-filtration process encourage growth of good bacteria in the water which serves as a great nourishment for the fish.
Some of the finest filters for 125 gallon fish tanks available in the market are:
- HYDOR PROFESSIONAL EXTERNAL CANISTER FILTER
- PENN PLAX CASCADE CANISTER AQUARIUM FILTER
- AQUA CLEAR FISH TANK FILTER-60 TO 110 GALLONS-110V
- HOOD
There are so many advantages of using a hood to your aquarium. They give greater protection to tank and prevent the fish from jumping off the tank.
It prevents evaporation of the water,and helps in maintaining a constant temperature in the tank. Moreover, it provides space for hanging the lights which gives a beautiful touch to your fish tanks.
Below I have mentioned some of the super amazing hoods for 125-gallon aquarium:
STEP 4: SETTING UP THE FISH TANK
Now that you have the desired aquarium, aquarium stand, heater, filter, hood, pumps, etc., you can continue with the tank preparation.
It encompasses everything from cleaning the tank to adding water and introducing the fish.
- First, rinse the tank with warm water.
- Rinse off any gravel or rock before placing them into the new tank.
- With a clean bucket, fill one-third of the tank with aquarium-specific water at room temperature.
- Now add the decorations you want in the aquarium tank. These can be instrumental in hiding the air pump and filtration system.
- Fill the tank but leave some gap between the water and the cover.
- Attach the filter and cycle the tank before adding the fish. It will help get rid of the dangerous toxins and prepare a clean environment for the fish.
Run the air pump, power filter, and heater for 24 hours to stabilize the temperature.
STEP 5: ADDING THE FISH
Do not add the fish directly to the aquarium water as the temperature gap may be harmful for the fish. To know about the procedure of introducing fish to a new tank, in detail, check our website.
The fish species which you can keep in a 125 gallon tank are:
- Roseline Torpedo Shark
- Kuhli Loaches
- Blue Dolphin Cichlid
For mixed-reef aquarium, you can go for the fish types like one yellow tang, one scopas tang, one two spot tang, one tomini tang, one foxface rabbitfish, one yellow coris wrasse, one Randall’s shrimp goby, and one unidentified tang.
You can also put shrimps, crabs, stars, snails, clams, sponges, tube worms, bristle worms, zooplanktons, etc.
The fish species could vary depending on the water in the tank, for example, saltwater, freshwater or marine aquarium.
STEP 6: TANK MAINTENANCE
The fish tank maintenance is as important as the above-mentioned steps. It is not just a matter of feeding a fish and walking away. Cleaning your tank, cycling it on regular intervals, feeding the fish, filter the water, and spending some quality time with your water buddies helps in better aquarium maintenance.
You need to closely monitor your fish, if there is any unusual activity going on, ensure proper lighting and filtration, maintain water quality and cycle it, and take care of all the issues that could possibly arise.
If you have any queries or want to know more about our products, and explore more, comment in the comment section below. You can contact us for better assistance.
Here are some of the most common questions asked regarding the aquariums and set up process.
FAQs
- What is the typical size of a 125-gallon aquarium?
The typical size of a 125 gallon aquarium is 72”*18”*21”.
- What is the weight of a 125-gallon aquarium tank?
The approximate weight of a 125 gallon fish tank is 206 lbs when empty and 1206 lbs when filled.
- What kind of heater is suitable for a 125 gallon aquarium?
For aquariums of 125-gallon, I will advise you to use 2 heaters. This is because the wattage of the power depends upon the number of degrees you want to raise the temperature above the room temperature, and two heaters will help in heating the tank more evenly.