30F Shallow (2 gallon)
30F Shallow is a 30 × 18 × 12 cm (11.8 × 7.1 × 4.7 in) aquarium, about 6 L (2 gal) to the rim. Its footprint is 30 × 18 cm and the water stands about 6 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 × 18 × 12 cm (11.8 × 7.1 × 4.7 in) |
|---|---|
| Volume | 6 L (2 gal) |
| Water after substrate | About 3 L (1 gal) with a 6 cm substrate layer |
| Footprint | 30 × 18 cm (11.8 × 7.1 in) |
| Water depth | 6 cm (2.4 in) |
| Substrate needed | About 3 L for a 6 cm layer |
Before it goes in
- 30F Shallow is 30 × 18 × 12 cm (11.8 × 7.1 × 4.7 in) — about 6 L (2 gal) to the rim, and roughly 3 L (1 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 6 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 6 cm (2.4 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 × 18 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 × 18 × 12 cm (11.8 × 7.1 × 4.7 in).
How much water does it hold?
About 6 L (2 gal) to the rim, and roughly 3 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 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 6 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 Subwassertang.
Often compared with
| 30F Shallow | 20C Cube | 2.5 Gallon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 30 × 18 × 12 cm | 20 × 20 × 20 cm | 30.5 × 15.2 × 20.3 cm |
| Volume | 6 L | 8 L | 9 L |
| Footprint | 30 × 18 cm | 20 × 20 cm | 30.5 × 15.2 cm |
| Water depth | 6 cm | 14 cm | 14.3 cm |