20C Cube (2 gallon)
20C Cube is a 20 × 20 × 20 cm (7.9 × 7.9 × 7.9 in) aquarium, about 8 L (2 gal) to the rim. Its footprint is 20 × 20 cm and the water stands about 14 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 | 20 × 20 × 20 cm (7.9 × 7.9 × 7.9 in) |
|---|---|
| Volume | 8 L (2 gal) |
| Water after substrate | About 5 L (1 gal) with a 6 cm substrate layer |
| Footprint | 20 × 20 cm (7.9 × 7.9 in) |
| Water depth | 14 cm (5.5 in) |
| Substrate needed | About 2 L for a 6 cm layer |
Before it goes in
- 20C Cube is 20 × 20 × 20 cm (7.9 × 7.9 × 7.9 in) — about 8 L (2 gal) to the rim, and roughly 5 L (1 gal) of actual water once a 6 cm substrate layer and the hardscape are in.
- That layer takes about 2 L of substrate, which is what you order by.
- 3 of the 160 animals in this library list a minimum tank at or under 8 L (2 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 cm (5.5 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 20 × 20 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?
20 × 20 × 20 cm (7.9 × 7.9 × 7.9 in).
How much water does it hold?
About 8 L (2 gal) to the rim, and roughly 5 L (1 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 2 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 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
| 20C Cube | 2.5 Gallon | 30F Shallow | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 20 × 20 × 20 cm | 30.5 × 15.2 × 20.3 cm | 30 × 18 × 12 cm |
| Volume | 8 L | 9 L | 6 L |
| Footprint | 20 × 20 cm | 30.5 × 15.2 cm | 30 × 18 cm |
| Water depth | 14 cm | 14.3 cm | 6 cm |