Desktop aquarium

[Dooboedoo12]

I recently started my first real job and I want to set up a little aquarium maybe for a few tetras just bc clearly I love fish. From setting up my Malawi cichlid tank I can clearly see how much there is too it. I was looking at kits and either no old and fish jump out, filters are attached to the lights so the light doesn't turn off or filter is too strong and sucks the fish in or the filter is just to loud (bad for work)


Does anyone recommend a good way of setting up a small tank or had any luck with a desktop aquarium that can recommend one?

 

[Mebbid]

The minimum for most small fish is a 10g tank. Debatedly a betta can be housed in a 2.5g tank provided it's heated and filtered. I have been planning a walstad planted 2.5g desktop tank myself. I am just waiting a little bit for my soon to come fish chaos to subside before starting up a new tank.

 

[BBradbury]

Office Aquarium

I recently started my first real job and I want to set up a little aquarium maybe for a few tetras just bc clearly I love fish. From setting up my Malawi cichlid tank I can clearly see how much there is too it. I was looking at kits and either no old and fish jump out, filters are attached to the lights so the light doesn't turn off or filter is too strong and sucks the fish in or the filter is just to loud (bad for work)


Does anyone recommend a good way of setting up a small tank or had any luck with a desktop aquarium that can recommend one?

Hello Doob...

Your decision of course. But a small office tank isn't the best idea. You'll have to come in during non working hours to tend to it, because an employer will frown on you spending time on it at work. If the job doesn't work out for you or your employer, you'll have to take time to remove it. An embarrassing situation at best. Then, if there's an accident, it could cause a real mess. There are any number of situations that make an office tank a bad idea.

But, check with the boss. He or she may be a water keeping fanatic just like you and love the idea.

B

 

[Dooboedoo12]

All relevant stuff. It's a city job. I just spent my last 8 hours playing games on my phone. I don't think they would mind a small tank with a tiny fish or 2.

 

[tomtom14]

Hi I have a 10g tank myself. I have 1 thing that has never changed for me might have for other people but it's live plants. I've tried all sorts of plants and the only one that seems to last is java moss. So instead of oxygenating the water with plants i use a airator. Does the same job as plants and I like it more as I have a thing for bubbles your choice it might just be my tank that can't keep the live plants. Hope to see some pics of it when it's set up.

 

[Mebbid]

Hi I have a 10g tank myself. I have 1 thing that has never changed for me might have for other people but it's live plants. I've tried all sorts of plants and the only one that seems to last is java moss. So instead of oxygenating the water with plants i use a airator. Does the same job as plants and I like it more as I have a thing for bubbles your choice it might just be my tank that can't keep the live plants. Hope to see some pics of it when it's set up.

Go check out the planted tank sub forum for some advice. Plant issues are most commonly user error rather than tank problems

All relevant stuff. It's a city job. I just spent my last 8 hours playing games on my phone. I don't think they would mind a small tank with a tiny fish or 2.

Must be nice. I think a betta or a shrimp tank would be perfect.

 

[J1Time]

Red cherry shrimp tank would be super cool on your desk.

 

[Mcgolg76]

If you watched wolf of wall street you would see how it didn't work out so well for the goldfish who lived at the office

 

[Fibsog]

I think you could do the aqueon 2.5 with a betta or maybe a scarlet badis

 

[Fibsog]

Or if you want shrimp the tetra 1g corner aquascene is what i have for mine and it works great

 

[Dooboedoo12]

No one is going to wolf of wall st me even tho I work on wall st. I'd murder them n they know it. I read online shrimp crawl out and lot of small tanks have no lid

 

[IShallNtEatFish]

No one is going to wolf of wall st me even tho I work on wall st. I'd murder them n they know it. I read online shrimp crawl out and lot of small tanks have no lid

Petco has a real cute set up with undergravel filter and light for like 20 or so buck and it comes in different colors. Could be something to look at for a lid

 

[Ohsnapitscharity]

Maybe a 5 with a calm Betta and some RCS ?

 

[gimmethatfish]

I have a 4 gallon Fluval View with a betta on my work desk. He's fine over the weekend. I just do a big water change on Friday and give him a nice big dinner. It's a nice looking tank and narrow, so it isn't obtrusive. I have a few live plants and a snail as well. I know it looks like the fish is laying dead at the bottom in this pic but he just happens to be swimming along down low lol. He's a happy fish.

 

[sabrinarichard]

Hello Doob...

Your decision of course. But a small office tank isn't the best idea. You'll have to come in during non working hours to tend to it, because an employer will frown on you spending time on it at work. If the job doesn't work out for you or your employer, you'll have to take time to remove it. An embarrassing situation at best. Then, if there's an accident, it could cause a real mess. There are any number of situations that make an office tank a bad idea.

But, check with the boss. He or she may be a water keeping fanatic just like you and love the idea.

B

+1, I'd wait to be there a while before setting anything up. Plus, usually when you can play on your phone for 8hours, you're a pretty disposable employee, so just to make sure as said above no embarrassing situations arrive. I tell people at the office to wait at least 5months before setting up anything too permanent, but if you're sure to keep the job, I'd go with a betta, easier maintenance

Edit: I forgot I wanted to add, at my office, at lot is allowed (plants, picture even potato heads) but no aquariums :-(, so maybe look at internal policies

 

[mrvincent]

IMO small fish tank under 10g are harder to keep than bigger. You should start with a 20g kit if you don't plan live plants.

They are easy to maintain, are big enough for noobs (param stability I mean) and you'll learn a lot from it.


I recommand you take a look on some articles (Nitrogen cycle, ick disease, water changes, stocking).

=======================================================

Ah, I'just read it's for the office, hmmm... Small office tanks are not for beginner and your employer may not like it.

A betta tank can work as it doesn't require filtration or lighting, and water changes are easy to do.

 

[Dooboedoo12]

I was looking at beta tanks. I read so many scary things tho about filters being too strong. Lights being attached to them so algae grows or the light or filter breaking after a month.

I'm not a beginner tho. I own a 90 gal Malawi cichlid tank with live plants and the whole deal so I know what to do I just wanted to see how others would recommend to build a tank or success story's.

Looks like someone here has one so I'll look into if I can have one or not first bc that was a great point. If I can't I'll just get a plant one

 

[mrvincent]

I'm thinking of this, your fish won't eat in weekends.. And what's about holidays breaks ?

 

[gimmethatfish]

A healthy betta with a well-maintained tank can go over a week with no food and no water changes. My betta is excited to eat when I come in on Monday mornings but by no means starving. Different people/offices/work environments have different things to consider. I have access to my building and office during breaks, so I could come in if I wanted to to feed and do a water change. A lot of people may have that same option. And my 4G tank has a very stable cycle. I keep a small 3 gallon trash can under my desk and a gravel vacuum for water changes. Obviously I don't put trash in this can. If you work in the right environment, it works just fine.

 

[IShallNtEatFish]

We used to have a betta in one of my classes. Students got to take him home so you could do something like that... Get a nice box that you can carry him and the tank home on the weekends. Or a box like purse you would have to just put a little extra effort in it