120-litre aquarium budget: the complete price, item by item
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
A complete 120-litre aquarium costs 350 to 550 € new, fish included, and 200 to 300 € by combining second-hand finds and smart purchases. It’s the best pleasure-to-constraint ratio in fishkeeping: big enough to be stable and host a true community, compact enough for an ordinary living room — though still 160 kg when full.
Contents · 5 sections
How much does the tank + cabinet duo cost?
The equipped 120-litre kit (tank, LED, filter, heater) runs 180 to 280 € new. The dedicated cabinet adds 80 to 150 € — essential, as few ordinary pieces of furniture can take 160 kg. Buying used halves this item: tank + cabinet sets go for 100-180 € in the classifieds, with the precautions detailed in new or second-hand aquarium.
What budget for the interior setup?
- Nutrient substrate + gravel or sand: 35 to 55 € for a 5 cm layer.
- Driftwood and stones: 25 to 50 € depending on how ambitious the decor is.
- Plants: 30 to 50 € for 10 to 12 easy specimens.
- Net, gravel cleaner, bucket, algae scraper: 20 to 30 €.
- Liquid tests + conditioner + bacteria: 35 to 50 €.
Setup subtotal: 145 to 235 € — the item beginners systematically forget to budget.
And the fish — how much to plan for?
For a classic 120-litre community — a shoal of 12 tetras (25 to 40 €), 8 corydoras (25 to 40 €), a pair of dwarf cichlids (15 to 25 €) — allow 65 to 105 €, spread over a month to respect gradual stocking. Resist the urge to add more: our guide how many fish in an aquarium sets the limits.
Where to save without regret, and where never to cut?
Save on the tank and cabinet (second-hand), the decor (foraged and boiled wood, vinegar-tested stones) and the plants (cuttings from a club or online). Never cut corners on the heater, the tests or the conditioner: the three items whose failure costs fish. Between kit and separate components, our dedicated comparison settles it according to your profile.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really start a 120-litre tank for 200 €?
Yes: a second-hand tank + cabinet set at 120 €, a new heater at 20 €, economical substrate and decor at 40 €, first plants at 20 €. The fish come later, month by month.
Is a 120-litre tank more expensive to run than a 60-litre?
Barely: 12 to 25 € per month versus 8 to 18 €. Its stability, on the other hand, avoids many treatments and losses, often making it cheaper over the year.
Should you keep a margin for the unexpected?
Yes, a 50 € reserve for the first year: a failed heater, a treatment, a backup pump — the typical surprise costs 15 to 30 €.
See it in the Planète Pets shop: Hollow moss-effect resin log for aquariums (€20.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Fishkeeping universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
