2.5 Gallon
2.5 Gallon is a 30.5 × 15.2 × 20.3 cm (12 × 6 × 8 in) aquarium, rated at 9 L (2.5 gal). Its footprint is 30.5 × 15.2 cm and the water stands about 14.3 cm deep once a 6 cm substrate layer is in — the two numbers that decide what you can plant in it and what you can stock it with.
At a glance
| Size | 30.5 × 15.2 × 20.3 cm (12 × 6 × 8 in) |
|---|---|
| Volume | 9 L (2.5 gal), as sold |
| Water after substrate | About 6 L (2 gal) with a 6 cm substrate layer |
| Footprint | 30.5 × 15.2 cm (12 × 6 in) |
| Water depth | 14.3 cm (5.6 in) |
| Substrate needed | About 3 L for a 6 cm layer |
Before it goes in
- 2.5 Gallon is 30.5 × 15.2 × 20.3 cm (12 × 6 × 8 in) — rated at 9 L (2.5 gal), and roughly 6 L (2 gal) of actual water once a 6 cm substrate layer and the hardscape are in.
- That layer takes about 3 L of substrate, which is what you order by.
- 3 of the 160 animals in this library list a minimum tank at or under 9 L (2.5 gal). The biggest of them that still fit are Malaysian Trumpet Snail and Ramshorn Snail. Nerite Snail and Assassin Snail need more than this.
- The water sits about 14.3 cm (5.6 in) deep over the substrate. Plants that get taller than that — Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis' and Water Sprite — reach the surface and start growing along it, which is a look you either want or trim.
- Its footprint is 30.5 × 15.2 cm, and that is the area a carpet has to cover — the number that decides how many pots you buy, not the volume.
What are its dimensions?
30.5 × 15.2 × 20.3 cm (12 × 6 × 8 in).
How much water does it hold?
It is sold as 9 L (2.5 gal), and roughly 6 L (2 gal) of actual water once the substrate is in. Stocking works off the second number; minimum-tank-size advice works off the first.
How much substrate does it take?
About 3 L for a 6 cm layer.
What fits in it?
3 of the 160 animals in this library list a minimum tank at or under its volume, and the water depth of about 14.3 cm sets which plants can grow without reaching the surface.
What fits in it
- Animals this size will hold: Ramshorn Snail, Malaysian Trumpet Snail and Bladder Snail.
- Plants that stay under its water line: Anubias nana 'Petite', Dwarf Hairgrass Mini, Frogbit and Lobelia cardinalis 'Mini'.
Often compared with
| 2.5 Gallon | 20C Cube | 30F Shallow | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 30.5 × 15.2 × 20.3 cm | 20 × 20 × 20 cm | 30 × 18 × 12 cm |
| Volume | 9 L | 8 L | 6 L |
| Footprint | 30.5 × 15.2 cm | 20 × 20 cm | 30 × 18 cm |
| Water depth | 14.3 cm | 14 cm | 6 cm |