The Best Rimless Aquarium Tanks (These Will Blow You Away)

If you want a great looking tank that catches your eye, getting a rimless aquarium is the way to go.

A good rimless fish tank eliminates distractions and makes it easy to enjoy the beautiful fish and aquatic life inside. It’s the perfect option for aquarists who want their tanks to be a work of art.

In fact, there’s been a trend of interest in rimless aquariums in the last few years. This is because the aesthetic advantages they bring are so obvious that many fish owners are making the jump.

Will you be one of them?

The Best Rimless Aquarium Tank Options

Now that you have a better understanding of rimless aquariums and the advantages they bring, it’s time to jump into our list of the best rimless fish tanks.

We spent a lot of time researching and getting feedback from rimless aquarium owners about what kind of tanks they like most, and why. To do this we looked at reviews online, reached out to owners directly, and got our hands on them directly.

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After going through this process, we’re super happy with our list of the best rimless fish tanks.

Give it a read and pick the one that’s best for you.

1. The Landen 60P 17.1 Gallon Rimless Aquarium Tank

We absolutely love this tank. It looks great, is built like a tank, and came recommended by a large number of rimless aquarium owners.

Landen 60P 17.1 Gallon Rimless Low Iron Aquarium Tank

  • 91 Percent Transparency
  • Premium quality, hand-made by expert craftsman, high standard work on silicone rim
  • Tank Dimensions: 23.6″ L × 11.8″ W × 14.2″ H
  • 6mm thickness

The visibility that this tank provides is second to none. If you’re someone who cares purely about the aesthetic impact that a tank can make, you’ve probably found your winner (assuming the size works for you).

Despite the beautiful design and fantastic build quality, it’s actually rather affordable. This was one of the things that surprised us the most when we first reviewed it.

In our opinion, customers wouldn’t bat an eye if this rimless aquarium was priced in the $250 dollar range. But it’s not…

If the size fits for what you’re looking for, you should probably pick this up before Landen comes to their senses!

This frameless aquarium also comes with a great black foam leveling mat that makes it easy for you to get your tank set up perfectly. A large part of the reason why you’re getting this tank is the beauty of it, so you might as well make sure the darn thing is level.

It’s worth noting that like a lot of rimless aquariums, you’re going to have to run out and pick up the other tank essentials. This isn’t a kit.

That means you’re responsible for picking up filters, lights, pumps, and all that good stuff. 

Pros:

  • Looks fantastic and offers high visibility
  • High-quality build
  • Affordable considering how well-made it is

Cons:

  • Doesn’t come with anything (filters, pumps, lights, lid)

2. The 8 Gallon Rimless Aquarium With Included LED Light By JBJ 

This is an almost 10 gallon rimless aquarium that really impressed us with the sleek, beautiful design. It favors a long design that allows fish to have more room to swim back and forth, despite the tank being on the small side.

JBJ Rimless Desktop 8 Gallon with LED & Filter

  • Complete kit with Black color touch LED light and filter
  • Ultra clear low iron flat panel glass aquarium with glass lid & clips
  • Easy replacement media cartridge
  • Option for a glass canopy

It looks just as much like a fancy piece of modern art as it does a fish tank. If you’re someone who likes modern design in homes or furniture, this could be a match made in heaven.

Despite the fancy design, this almost 10 gallon rimless aquarium can get the job done when it matters. It comes with a well-made LED light that can be dimmed to a few distinct settings.

You also have the option to use an included glass canopy as well. It’s designed to not take away from the rimless design, so you can use this if you have fish that tend to jump.

Pros:

  • The design is stunning
  • It comes with a canopy
  • The included dimmable LED light does its job well

Cons:

  • The clips that attach the canopy to the tank can be annoying to remove
  • This product can be hard to find due to random availability issues

3. The Penn Plax Curved Corner Glass Aquarium Kit

If you’re looking for a rimless aquarium kit that’s a bit larger than the previous one on our list, this is a great option for you.

Penn Plax Curved Corner Glass Aquarium Kit

  • 3.4 and 10 gallon options
  • Unique bent glass design that’s frameless and seamless in front for unobstructed viewing on all sides
  • Includes tank, cascade internal filter, LED light, mat, and hinge style plastic lid
  • Made with the highest quality glass for durability and clarity

Unlike its little brother, this Penn Plax kit features a neat curved glass design that mixes things up visually. We think it looks great, and many others agree with us.

The size ranges go from 3.4 gallons all the way up to 10. This means if you’re one of the many people looking for a great 10 gallon rimless aquarium, you’ve in business!

Just like the other Penn Plax tank on this list you can count on this tank to be reliable and stand the test of time. The glass is very high quality and can take a beating without any issues.

This kit comes with the essentials as well. In it you’ll get an LED light, filter, mat, and a lid.

The lid is plastic and didn’t blow us away in terms of quality, but at this price point, it’s obvious that Penn Plax focused on investing in the main tank. We don’t fault them for that at all, but it’s worth noting for this review.

Overall we think that if you need a new rimless fish tank, this kit will do the job for a very reasonable price.

4. The 3N Clear Rimless Tank By Ultum Nature Systems 

This tank lineup surprised us because it wasn’t on our radar at first. A lot of the time when we put together buyer guides for various aquarium products, we already know a lot of the potential candidates to make the list.

Ultum Nature Systems 5N Clear Rimless Tank

  • 91% clarity
  • High quality German silicon
  • Includes black nano foam leveling mat
  • Seamlessly blended corners

But for whatever reason, this rimless aquarium jumped onto our radar and made the list!

One of the things that stands out when you look at this tank is how clear the glass is. Since the main benefit to the whole rimless movement is to enhance the viewing experience, this is obviously quite a big benefit.

If you talk to people that own this tank you’ll hear the majority of them comment on this. The clarity has really made a big impression!

It’s made very well and the strength of the silicon that holds the glass together is top-notch. You can have confidence that this tank will last you a long time.

Just like the Landen tank above, the Ultum 3N comes with a well-made Nano foam leveling mat. It does the job and doesn’t distract you from the tank.

Provided that you’re interested in small tank sizes, this lineup gives you a lot of flexibility. It stopes a little shy of 8 gallons, so if you were looking for 10 gallon rimless aquarium this might be an option for you.

Pros:

  • Extremely clear glass
  • Well-made leveling mat
  • Glass is held together very firmly
  • Plenty of different sizes

Cons:

  • Not suitable if you want a larger tank (don’t offer over 5 gallons)
  • You’ll need to buy the rest of the gear because it doesn’t come with anything (filters, pumps, lights)

5. The Penn Plax Vertex Desktop Aquarium Kit

This rimless aquarium by Penn Plax is a tank that just works.

Penn Plax Vertex Desktop Aquarium Kit

  • The frameless tank is made from finely constructed bent glass that’s 1/8” thick
  • Includes tank, hinged lid, Cascade 20 Power Hang-On Filter, full-range digital thermometer, and quick-net fish net.
  • Comes in 2.7, 5, and 10 gallon options
  • Extremely clear for optimal viewing

Simple as that.

There isn’t one thing that stands out with this tank kit. But the reason why it’s on our list is that it’s a very strong all-around option. 

It looks great, can be used for a variety of aquatic life, and won’t fall apart on you. The build quality is exceptional and with such a small size (2.7 gallons) you’ll have a tough time doing damage to it.

It also includes the essential pieces of equipment to help you get started. Having a filter available to you right out of the box makes the whole setup process a lot nicer, especially if you’re a beginner.

The footprint of this rimless aquarium is nice and compact. It’s taller than it is long with dimensions of 10 x 8 x 9 inches which gives you the flexibility to squeeze it onto the corner of a desk or table.

Pros:

  • Full kit that covers all the essentials
  • Small footprint which allows you to place it anywhere
  • Long history of reliability across an impressive number of customers

Cons:

  • The filter is a little on the large side for a rimless fish tank that’s smaller than 3 gallons

Which Is Our Favorite?

We’re big fans of every rimless aquarium on this list, so picking our favorite is tricky. However, if we had to do it we’d probably go with the Landen 60P 17.1 gallon tank.

Landen 60P 17.1 Gallon Rimless Low Iron Aquarium Tank

  • 91 Percent Transparency
  • Premium quality, hand-made by expert craftsman, high standard work on silicone rim
  • Tank Dimensions: 23.6″ L × 11.8″ W × 14.2″ H
  • 6mm thickness

This tank offers so much for such a reasonable price, that we think it would be a mistake to pass on it (if you have the space for it).

The build quality, design, and affordability it something that doesn’t come around very often in the aquarium world. If you want a rimless aquarium that will keep you happy for years to come, give it a shot.

How Are They Different From Other Tanks?

The difference between a rimless aquarium and a standard tank is pretty simple.

With a normal braced tank, there will be some support material that runs along the top and bottom of the glass. The purpose of this is to provide additional strength and support for the aquarium.

This system works quite well and for a while, it’s been the most commonly used option for tank owners of any size. From new owners with a 10 gallon or experienced reefers with a 75 gallon setup, almost everyone used to go with this option (before the rimless fish tank movement happened).

A rimless aquarium has none of these supporting braces that their framed counterparts have. This gives you a fantastic view of the fish without anything getting in the way.

Something that often surprises new rimless aquarium buyers is the lack of lid. Having a lid on top tends to mean you’re covering some of the upper tank, so most of the time they aren’t used.

Once you switch to a frameless aquarium you’ll look at your fish with a whole new level of enjoyment. Being able to see everything that’s going on, no matter what angle you view it from is a blast!

What Are The Pros And Cons?

Just like most things in the aquarium world, there are pros and cons to getting a rimless fish tank. Even the best rimless aquarium setups sometimes have to make compromises.

Pros 

As we’ve touched on a bit already, the main advantage a rimless aquarium provides is aesthetic.

You might not realize it, but the frames that come on most tanks take up a lot of space. This means you’re looking through a smaller window when viewing your aquatic life.

It might not seem like a big deal, but once you see a rimless aquarium the difference becomes very obvious.

This means you can see your fish wherever they might be. Even if they’re nibbling at the top where the water surface is, you’ll be able to see them!

It’s kind of like how phones and computers are shifting to smaller and smaller borders around the screens. It’s much more immersive to see everything in one clean view.

Another benefit to a rimless fish tank is the lack of a lid. This can be a double-edged sword (more on that below), but it does make it very easy to get to the top of the tank if you need to work on anything.

Some of you may have had the experience of wrestling with an awkward lid or canopy when trying to get into your tank.

It’s annoying.

With a rimless aquarium, you don’t have to worry about that!

Cons

As much as we love rimless aquariums, it’s not all upside. Sure it’s no contest visually, but functionally you might run into some issues.

The funny thing is, the main downsides are all related to the lack of a lid/canopy.

While not having a top on your tank will help make everything look clean and pretty, there’s a reason why people used canopies in the first place.

The first and most obvious issue with this is the potential for water spillage. Without a top, any splashing will absolutely end up with water on the ground.

What causes this?

Feisty fish, devices that move water around in your tank, or you being a doofus and bumping your aquarium are all common culprits.

To be fair, this doesn’t happen as much as you might think. Being careful and keeping your water level right go a long way.

But accidents can happen!

The other downside of not having a lid is the possibility of your fish making a great escape. If you have fish that are big jumpers then a rimless aquarium is not for you, plain and simple.

This comes down to knowing your fish and their behavior. If they don’t feel the need to fly like an eagle you’re probably fine.

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