Walmart Aqaurium Kits

[Cronos]

I'm thinking of starting an aquarium for the first time in my life. Was wondering if those aquarium kits sold at Walmart are any good? Any thoughts and opinions??? Thinking of getting a 29g - 40g tank or somewhere in between. Your thoughts and opinions will be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Sati]

But I've heard good comments here on the board from people who've purchased their tanks.

 

[Menagerie]

Cronos, Welcome and hello!
I would look around for tank kits. My fiancé and I bought a tank kit last weekend at Petsmart, but we looked at three different places before purchasing. Once we got home, we changed the filter it came with and added a bubble wall to ensure the water would be aerated enough, since the tank we bought has very little surface area. Each tank is different!
What are you planning to put in your aquarium? This will help people give you better advice!

 

[Christmasfish]

kits

My son bought one, it is a case of get what you pay for. It is adedquate.
A 10 gallon is 10 bucks genrally, a cheap hood runs min 15, cheap filtersets start at about 15 and a heater runs 15-20 for that size. So to get 60 bucks of stuff for 30 is not all bad.

But.... his heater failed almost out of the box. And one light burnt out in the first 2 hours (lucky he had bought blue bulbs to "rest his fishes eyes")

I suppose wal-mart would exchange the tank heater...but I just wont trust any brand that fails out of the box. I bought a Hagen.
I wouldnt bet the life of anything rare, sensitive or expensive in one again. I stayed up for 6 hours partial changing water out for the chocolate gourami to keep the water at a nice 75-78 (they prefer 84!) until opening time at Petsmart. i DONT want to do that again!

 

[Cronos]

Thinking of adding some guppies for starters and maybe a few plants.

 

[William]

I wouldn't buy a kit, IMHO.

Just get the tank and hood from petsmart/petland/ectect.

Go to www.bigalsonline.com and buy a penguine mini, a heater of your choice, 50 watts minimum

You could probably check at your local stoneyard for cheap, small pebbles to use as substrate, and maybe a few larger rocks as decoration [ Remember. Drip a little bit of viniger on them first, if they don't sizzle then it won't effect your tank params ]

It will cost a bit more, but you will have much higher quality equipment and with little to no problems.

I bought a kit when I first started, and I have since changed out EVERYTHING that it came with, Filter, Heater, everything.

 

[@HOME]

I too recently purchased a kit from a pet store thinking it was the best way to. For the tank itself, it works, it holds the contents inside the walls. After one week I changed the filter to a better one, and the heater failed aswell but luckily before anyfish. The store let me use it as credit towards a better name. I've kept the hood and light that came with it because i didn't see the need. After having purchased the new filter for the tank, it would have been cheaper buying things seperate. Just like was mentioned above, shop around, talk to the experts and look for things on sale. I might save alot by buying some of the stuff at one store, other stuff at another store and then some online. It all depends on how much you want to spend. To keep in mind that more expensive doesn't always mean better. I would and did spend the money on the crucial more integral parts of the setup like the filter for example. Good luck and happy shopping!!!

 

[oscarbreeder]

Welcome to Aquarium Advice.
My 10 and 29gal tanks came from Wal-Mart and they are still up and running with only 1 small problem the heater on the 29 did go out.

I have a 55 from the LFS and the heater went on it to so you never can tell.

The Wal-Mart kits are cheaper tho.
Good luck with what ever you decide.

 

[grimlock3000]

My 10g started off as a WalMart kit for $50. The heater sucked, then died, and the included filter was decent (at best). The hood is decent as well, but again nother special. For the same $50, I could have spent the money better by getting the tank itself locally and everything else online. Friend of mine bought a 29g and a 55g Wal Mart kit, BOTH the heaters died and he lost some fish. That makes 3 dead heaters out of 3 possible from these tanks. If you add in Christmasfish and oscarbreeder, that is FIVE DEAD HEATERS OUT OF FIVE. I have no idea how they can sell that, I would think they would put a bit more work into the heaters since it is critical to keeping the fish alive.

I would not factor the heater into the purchase of the Wal Mart kit. Assume that you will have to buy another one from the start. Also, if you plan to have a hefty bioload, the included filter is not that great either, so you might not want to include that in the price either. You can get filters and heaters really cheap online luckily...

Shop around locally for a tank, and hood combo. Sometimes a pet store will throw in some freebies too, then you can buy a heater and filter online. Many times you can get a much better setup for a little bit more money. If stuff is expensive locally, go for the Wal Mart setup, just do not use the heater under any circumstance.

 

[William]

IMHO, the standard kit at Walmart [ With Incadescent Bulbs ] is better than their Delux [ With Florescent hood and heater ]


If you put the Compact Flourescent Screw Bulbs that they have at wal-mart, in the incadescent hood, you'll get 20 watts of light. and I had a heavily planted tank in this that flourished until the tank broke [ defective wal-mart stand broke the tank ]

 

[lreilly]

I bought a 10 gal from Wal-mart (standard kit) for $30 last mothers day. Everything is still working but the thin glass has started to bow on the front. I also did the bulb upgrade and plants are doing great. My bigger tank I spent more on at the lfs.

 

[William]

Even my All Glass 10gal bows a little. its no big deal, as long as its not much, IMHO.


If its more than a 16h of an inch, then I'd worry..

 

[lyquidphyre]

Like everyone is saying- definately look around. My boyfriend got the 29 gal kit not too long ago and everything seems to be fine. He plans to upgrade the filter at a later date. I don't like the heater that came with it but even then I bought a really good heater for $8 at my lfs.

The tank and the hood are the two things I think are nice and a good deal.

My tank was given to me so I had to get everything else (hood for $30/40, heater for $8, filter for $20 something- I got a nice one on sale) so that right there is almost the cost of a 29 gal kit at Wal-mart that will at least get you started until you can upgrade.

But if you can price all the individual items at various places for cheaper than the kit, go for it. If you don't mind upgrading later, I suggest the kit.

Also, if you upgrade you can always use that filter for a smaller tank which is an excuse for another tank =o)

 

[lyquidphyre]

Like everyone is saying- definately look around. My boyfriend got the 29 gal kit not too long ago and everything seems to be fine. He plans to upgrade the filter at a later date. I don't like the heater that came with it but even then I bought a really good heater for $8 at my lfs.

The tank and the hood are the two things I think are nice and a good deal.

My tank was given to me so I had to get everything else (hood for $30/40, heater for $8, filter for $20 something- I got a nice one on sale) so that right there is almost the cost of a 29 gal kit at Wal-mart that will at least get you started until you can upgrade.

But if you can price all the individual items at various places for cheaper than the kit, go for it. If you don't mind upgrading later, I suggest the kit.

Also, if you upgrade you can always use that filter for a smaller tank which is an excuse for another tank =o)

 

[lyquidphyre]

Ack! stupid computer! If one of the advisors could be so kind and delete that extra entry....