A fish tank costs the tank plus about ten other things, and the running costs continue every month. The tank is rarely the biggest line. Filter, heater, stand, test kit and stocking add up faster, and a 100-litre tank uses roughly 54 kWh of power a month on the assumptions below.
So, how much does a fish tank cost, and how much is a fish tank once you add everything it needs to run? The honest answer is a list, not a single number. The tank is one item of about a dozen, and the price of each swings with tank size, brand and what you keep in it. This guide gives you the full list, the running costs, and a way to price your own setup.
It sits inside our Tank Setup guides, and if you are brand new, read it alongside the fish tank sizes chart first, because size drives almost every cost below.
How Much Does a Fish Tank Cost? The Setup List
Everything below is a one-off cost, except where noted. This site does not print dollar figures for equipment, because fishkeeping prices move constantly and a number goes stale within months. What stays true is what each item is for and what pushes its price up or down.
| Item | What pushes the cost up | Can you skip it? |
|---|---|---|
| Tank (glass) | Volume, thicker glass, curved or rimless design, or a kit that bundles other items | No |
| Stand or cabinet | A purpose-built cabinet costs more than a sturdy piece of furniture that carries the weight evenly | Only if furniture is genuinely strong enough |
| Lid or hood, and a foam mat | Custom-cut glass and built-in lighting cost more than a plain cover | No: jumpers and evaporation |
| Filter | Flow rate, type (sponge, hang-on, internal, canister) and how much media it holds | No |
| Heater and thermometer | Wattage matched to your litres; a reliable thermostat costs more than a bare-bones one | Only for coldwater fish, or in a warm room |
| Light | A plain LED costs less than one built for growing plants | No, fish need a day and night cycle |
| Substrate | Gravel, sand or planting soil, and the number of bags your footprint needs | No |
| Water conditioner | Bottle size, and whether it deals with chloramine | No |
| Test kit | Liquid kits cost more than strips and last longer; some shops test a sample for free | No |
| Plants and decor | A few hardy plants cost little; a fully planted layout does not | Partly |
| Fish | Species, adult size and how many; this is the line that surprises people | Not really |
Some of these are usually bundled. A starter kit can include a tank, filter, light and sometimes a heater, though a kit filter still needs to match the fish you plan to keep.
1. Choose the Tank Size First
Size is the biggest lever on the whole bill, so decide it before you price anything else. Bigger tanks cost more in glass, stand, substrate and heating. They also hold their water quality steadier, so a small tank is not automatically the cheap and easy option. RSPCA Victoria goes further and says a fish tank cannot be too large for its fish.
Shop fish are often young, so price the tank for the adult size of what you want, or you pay twice when you upgrade. The fish tank sizes chart converts common tanks between litres, centimetres and weight so you can compare like for like.
2. Add Up the One-Off Costs
- Tank, stand, lid and mat (or a kit): get quotes for the size you settled on, not the cheapest one on the shelf.
- Heater: match wattage to volume. Aqua One’s glass heaters follow roughly 1 W per litre, so a 100 W model is listed for tanks up to 100 L. A 60-litre tank does not need 100 W.
- Filter: pick by the flow and media volume, not the brand. Canister filters draw 12.5 W to 35 W depending on the model, and small internal and sponge filters draw less.
- Light, substrate and decor: the cheapest parts to start with and the easiest to upgrade later.
- Water conditioner and a test kit: buy these before the fish. Many Australian supplies use chloramine, at least in some areas, so pick a conditioner whose label names it and check your water utility’s own information.
- Fish and plants, last: add them only once the tank has cycled. Retailer guides put that anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks up to 4 to 6 weeks, which is why the cycling timeline matters for your budget.
3. Work Out the Running Costs
Running costs are what most ‘how much is a fish tank’ articles skip. Electricity is the one you can calculate, so here is the arithmetic in kWh, which stays true whatever your retailer charges.
| Device | Watts (spec) | Hours a month | kWh a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heater, 100 W, runs half the time | 100 | 360 | 36 |
| Canister filter, 20 W, always on | 20 | 720 | 14.4 |
| LED light, 14.5 W, 8 hours a day | 14.5 | 240 | 3.5 |
| Total for a 100 L tropical tank | about 54 |
Read this as a worked example, not a measurement. It uses one tank size, one filter and one light, and the heater’s duty cycle is an assumption. The wattages come from Aqua One’s own product ranges. Your heater might run a quarter of the time (about 18 kWh) or flat out in a cold room (72 kWh), and other models will differ.
To get dollars, multiply the kWh by the rate printed on your latest bill. The heater is the dominant load, so a warmer room or a coldwater species that needs no heater cuts the number most. In northern Australia in summer you may need a fan or chiller instead, which changes the sum again.
Other recurring costs are smaller but real: water conditioner every water change, food, replacement filter media, and test-kit refills. A weekly 20 to 30 per cent water change is the usual advice from RSPCA Victoria, so conditioner use scales with tank volume.
Where the Money Goes Wrong
- Buying the smallest tank to save money. Small volumes swing in temperature and water quality faster, which costs you fish.
- Buying fish before the tank has cycled. Ammonia and nitrite from an uncycled tank harm fish, and replacing them is the most avoidable cost on this page.
- Trusting the kit filter without checking. A kit’s filter has to suit the adult fish you plan to keep, not just the tank. I found no Australian source that tests this, so check the maker’s flow rating yourself.
- Skimping on the heater. Budget heaters are a welfare risk according to one Australian fishkeeping guide, though that is an opinion, not a test.
- Leaving out the stand. Water weighs 1 kg per litre, so a tank of 200 litres puts about 200 kg of water on the surface before the glass and substrate.
How to Cut Costs Without Cutting Corners
Buy the tank size you will keep, not the one you can barely afford. Put money into the filter, heater and stand, and save on decor, which is easy to add later. Ask your shop whether it tests a water sample for free, which stretches a test kit, and learn the basics from our guide to testing tank water.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a fish tank cost to run?
Electricity is the main running cost you can calculate. A 100-litre tank with a 100 W heater, a 20 W filter and a 14.5 W light uses about 54 kWh a month on the assumptions above. Multiply by your own rate, then add conditioner, food, media and test-kit refills.
How much does a small fish tank cost?
Less to buy, but not always less to keep. A small tank needs a smaller heater and less substrate. It also swings faster in temperature and water quality, so it asks for more attention. Price the adult size of your fish first.
Why does a fish tank cost so much?
Because the tank is only one of about a dozen items. The filter, heater, stand, light, substrate, conditioner and test kit are each bought before the first fish. Fish and plants come last and can exceed the rest.
Is it cheaper to build a fish tank?
Sometimes for large custom sizes, but not for standard ones. Building adds glass cutting, sealing and leak testing, and a poorly sealed tank can cost far more than it saves.
Do I need to buy a heater for a fish tank?
Only for tropical fish in a room that drops below their range. Coldwater species can skip it. Check any species against your state Fisheries or Biosecurity department first, because some ornamental fish are restricted or banned in parts of Australia and the rules differ by state.
