I need help choosing an aquarium
- Thread starter maxwellag
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
EndlersEatGuppies
Aquarium Advice Addict
What companies r u looking at?
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
Perhaps the place to start is to figure out what fish you want to keep? Is there a particular species that you find more interesting than others? If for example you like Fancy Fantail Goldfish a 5g is not nearly big enough, but if you're interested in shrimp a 5g is just right.
As for who's best, they're all really about the same in kit form which is an easy way to start, or you could put a system together that will save you from having to upgrade a filter or light. If aquatic plants interest you, that is another consideration when choosing a system.
Here's a link to my favorite kit and it's capable of keeping small schooling fish, shrimp and low light plants (all or part)
Fluval 7.9 US Gallon Ebi Nano Shrimp Glass Aquarium with Cover - 10511
ShadoeFox
Aquarium Advice Freak
Is the five gallon due to space issues or financial? I ask because most five gallons I've seen cost easily as much as a ten or even larger kits some places.
I want to keep a betta and maybe a snail or two in there. I am interested in all companies. It could even just be the tank and hood without a filter because I have an extra 10 gallon filter that came win my 10 gallon, but I upgraded the filter with an aqua clear 30, so I can use it for bigger tanks in the future. I kinda like the fluval edge and chi...
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
maxwellag said:
Trouble with the open top tanks is fish jumping out. That's what I like about the EBI, it has a cover.
EndlersEatGuppies
Aquarium Advice Addict
Most tropical fish do have a tendencies to jump.
Homedog98
Aquarium Advice Addict
maxwellag said:
How about a ten? There are more stocking options, and your bettas personality will shine even more in a ten!
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
I didn't see a cover on the Edge at our Petco. That's good to know.
EndlersEatGuppies
Aquarium Advice Addict
Homedog98 said:
She does have a good point there. If u did want a 10g u could have other fish in there.
James_in_MN
Aquarium Advice FINatic
maxwellag said:
From my own personal experience, that tank is terrible.
- The feeder door is too small
- If you need to get in the tank for anything, including water changes, you have to completely dismantle the hood of the tank.
- In my opinion, that filter isn't good enough for a 5 gallon tank, and not the best designed either.
- Water was getting to the light, even with the clear plastic shield it sat on.
You'd be better off with a different kit, or building your own.
I am leaning towards the hexagon biowheel one. I have no prob with taking the whole hood off to do maintenance. I do that already for my 10 gallon. I need to know if a flow rate of 35 gph is enough for a five gallon aquarium. For people that don't want to do the math, that means the water gets filtered 7 times in one hour.
Homedog98
Aquarium Advice Addict
That's the deal I'm on with my folks... 4 weeks to new tank!!!
James_in_MN
Aquarium Advice FINatic
maxwellag said:
Which 10g tank do you have that you have to take the whole hood off for maintenance? My guess is, the whole hood on that tank is one piece, correct? Well, with the Eclipse Hex 5 gallon tank, you have to take the piece off that covers the filter, then you have to take off the light, then you have to take off the clear plastic shield the light sits on, just to get into the tank. The light at times would have water on it, and the clear plastic shield always had a bunch of water condensed on it as well. Overall, it was very annoying having to constantly do that.
I also don't think that filter is enough for a 5 gallon tank. Maybe a 3 gallon or 2.5 gallon, but not a 5.
maxwellag said:
Well, I'd like to think that I have enough brainpower to figure out how much water to put in a 5 gallon tank.
You'd honestly be better off buying a different kit. There's quite a few others that don't nearly have the same irritation trying to get into it, as well as a better filter for the tank it comes with. I have the Aqueon 10g aquarium kit, which has worked out quite well for me to this point. There's also a 5 gallon kit (I'll try to find it today in Pet Supplies Plus) that looked like a pretty decent QT, hospital, shrimp, or betta-only tank.
