Quick question...do you guys and gals prefer all in one kits or prefer buying lights ,heaters etc seperate?I'm upgrading very soon and I find the all in one's look a bit cheap and nasty.I might take my time and build what I want 
kit aquariums
- Thread starter jock7575
- Start date
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sealife
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Personally, I dont like "Kit Aquariums". They feel so amateur.
I love doing up tanks and buying massive filters, awesome lights and making the tank look rimless sleek and professional.
The look of the tank to me is just as important as the fish. Its a peice of house furniture.
Kit Aquariums remind me of kids aquarium. (no offence to anyone)
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I love doing up tanks and buying massive filters, awesome lights and making the tank look rimless sleek and professional.
The look of the tank to me is just as important as the fish. Its a peice of house furniture.
Kit Aquariums remind me of kids aquarium. (no offence to anyone)
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sealife
Aquarium Advice FINatic
It's so much fun putting a tank together.
This is mine:
http://postimg.org/image/5pteed407
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This is mine:
http://postimg.org/image/5pteed407
Sent from my GT-I9305 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
sealife
Aquarium Advice FINatic
lol
Its only 4 foot.
I have a smaller cube tank too. Pics are in my profile. I'll try post one here soon.
You'll see its so much nicer than a kit tank.
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Its only 4 foot.
I have a smaller cube tank too. Pics are in my profile. I'll try post one here soon.
You'll see its so much nicer than a kit tank.
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sealife
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Here we go:
http://postimg.org/image/bslfr0oqj/
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http://postimg.org/image/bslfr0oqj/
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katiekelsey
Aquarium Advice Freak
I don't like kit aquariums. I think the kits are put together with low quality items.
ScotJudd
Aquarium Advice Addict
Agree with Katie, kits are cheap because they include cheap filters etc.
Buy cheap, buy twice!
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Buy cheap, buy twice!
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ImACoolguy
Aquarium Advice Addict
Tanks are your own expression for your passion. You choose what you want on it and that satisfies you.
Like said, kits usually come with a cheap filter and heater. I buy all my stuff online from scratch and make it my own.
In this hobby, quality equipment pays off in the long run, especially in essentials like heaters and filters
Caleb
Like said, kits usually come with a cheap filter and heater. I buy all my stuff online from scratch and make it my own.
In this hobby, quality equipment pays off in the long run, especially in essentials like heaters and filters
Caleb
Last edited:
I bought a kit aquarium in 2003 when I was getting back into the hobby after a 20 year absence. It was a Marinland Eclipse 12 and I liked it. But it certainly did not support live plants. Now, I wouldn't think of buying a kit, but they can be a great way to get into the hobby. With many kits, things can be upgraded as time goes on and knowledge increases.
nwsharksfan
Aquarium Advice Activist
The one think I like about the kits is that some of them are modern and designed in such a way that maximizes the aesthetics of the tank. I don't have the expertise to set up a tank where the powerheads, heaters, intake tubes etc. aren't obvious. The fancy kits however definitely seem overpriced for the hardware they provided.
guppygourami
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I would only use the everyday kit (not the really nice and expensive kinds) for a kid's or school's aquarium. My experience with kits has been okay but I prefer to get really cheap tanks and gravel and basic contents and then spend a whole lot on aspects like lighting, plants and filtration. It depends on how much you're willing to spend and the purpose of the aquarium. Little betta kits are good for entertaining children but for a large show tank I would much rather go without a kit. And like someone said above, choosing all the equipment is really fun
abw0004
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Kit aquariums are good when you are just starting out and have no earthly idea of what you are doing. I did that with my Fluval Accent 25 gallon kit. Fluval is a good company, but came at a premium for a "nice" tank. Now that I know what I am doing, any other tank I would get I would buy piece by piece. This past month I have been upgrading my Fluval accent. Everything inside of it has been upgraded, along with the filter, and lights while adding a CO2 system. To an untrained eye, it looks nothing like it has for the past 3 years. It is completely up to you.
My only advice is if you are not doing a kit, I would recommend (if you can afford it), buy the nicer equipment now so you only have to make a one-time purchase and piece of mind.
My only advice is if you are not doing a kit, I would recommend (if you can afford it), buy the nicer equipment now so you only have to make a one-time purchase and piece of mind.
