Biggest aquarium system design flaws

[helicopter]

I was just wondering what systems do you guys think have the worst design flaws and what would you like to see different about those designs.

[David14259]

1) Acrylic Tanks...scratch way to easy. Stay Away, IMO.

[jsoong]

Anything less than 5 gal, including all unfiltered bowls, "betta homes", etc.

Anything small should have a "for experts only" label or maybe banned outright.

[newfound77951]

I agree about the acrylic tanks.....Ok for big big tanks but you have to be really careful with them.

One of my big pet peeves are the HOB filters with the "all in one" filter cartridge that is a tiny little foam pouch with a little bit of carbon in it....so in addition to being way undersized there is no way to change the carbon without changing the foam at the same time = mini cycle every time you clean the filter!

[neilanh]

Heaters that you can set the temp on the dial, but are always off by several degrees.
Don't label it if you can't get it correct.

Oh, and heaters that don't have an indicator light on them. Drives me nuts

Test kits that require you do match colors to get readings

blue intake tubes on Rena canisters

HOB filters that don't self prime, and allow water to pass without going through any filtration

[tropicfishman]

around here you can't just buy a tank with a stand and canopy. No around here they sell everything as " kits " every tank over 55 gallons is drilled and has Wet/ dry filter. A simple looking 75 gallon tank is 950 bucks!!!! I don't want a drilled tank, let alone a wet dry filtration system, I think there floods waiting to happen. It angers me that I would have to order a custom made tank, buy a stand and canopy seperatly and then pay shipping charges on both. the only place the tnak people will ship to is charleston WV and thats about an hour away! A 265 gallon is outrageous! try 3300 bucks for the tank stand and yet agian a wet dry filtration! Sure there " optimal " in filteration but I still prefer canisters, there a whole lot safer, sorry for rambling

[plecoperson]

What's with the "no power switches on equipment", anyways?

Sometimes I want to just shut off one filter, or the heater, or both filters, or....I have the lights on a different power strip, but would it kill them (or cost that much more) to put an on/off switch on stuff?

Oh, and why do heaters have to be so difficult to adjust up and down? It's enough of a pain to set it in the first place, but do we have to get grooves in our fingers, or no traction at all, when we turn the knob? And could the adjustment knob not be outside the tank?

These are my questions.....

[locorosa]

My pet peeve....tanks that don't clean themselves. I'd like something with a handle so you could "flush" about 25% of the water with each push and then have an output valve to refill.
Oooh, and that dumb plastic coupler for the Python...it cross threads way too easy! I am sure a man thought of that one *evil grin*!!!

[7Enigma]

Originally Posted by plecoperson

What's with the "no power switches on equipment", anyways?

Sometimes I want to just shut off one filter, or the heater, or both filters, or....I have the lights on a different power strip, but would it kill them (or cost that much more) to put an on/off switch on stuff?

Oh, and why do heaters have to be so difficult to adjust up and down? It's enough of a pain to set it in the first place, but do we have to get grooves in our fingers, or no traction at all, when we turn the knob? And could the adjustment knob not be outside the tank?

These are my questions.....

Now those are some excellent questions. I HATE having to stick my hand to the back of the tank to adjust the heater (paranoia sets in as I imagine my BN pleco stabbing me with his spine). And I hate at every water change having to unplug the filter from the extension cord so that it doesn't suck air when the water level gets too low...