Best aquarium heaters & chillers according to redditors
We found 695 Reddit comments discussing the best aquarium heaters & chillers. We ranked the 136 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 695 Reddit comments discussing the best aquarium heaters & chillers. We ranked the 136 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Another betta picture hits /r/all! And no one else has already said it, so I guess it's my turn.
Pay attention to your heaters! According to my Amazon purchase history, I purchased this one 2.5 years ago. Not a bad run, I think. Pretty sure it got knocked into the glass a couple times, too.
Edit: Link to Pro Heater by Aqueon
Edit edit: Thank you for everyone's awesome comments and suggestions! You guys schooled me on how to avoid this in the future! After some research, I'm going to contact Aqueon to see if I can get the heater replaced, and purchase this GFCI safety power strip. Will also check out a thermostat controller.
Edit edit edit: Thank you, /u/carlthecarrot, there is a warranty on the heater. I sent Aqueon and email, and all they needed was a receipt and a photo. They are already shipping me a new one.
The tank looks like a 2.5 gal. So here's a list of some inexpensive things you can grab to make him love his new home even more!:
If you get all of these from the links it should run you somewhere around $20.
Now slowly plant some real plants in the back over time like java ferns and it would look amazing. I love your design. Do you have a heater? If you live somewhere cold you’ll want to get your buddy one of those before the winter comes. https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Submersible-Aquarium-Electronic-Thermostat/dp/B000OQO69Q?keywords=5+gallon+heater&qid=1538425836&sr=8-3&ref=mp_s_a_1_3
I have this one in both my tanks and I like the way it works. If you need any help or advice I’m here. I’m still learning myself but I can try to answer.
Equipment List
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Chemicals and Food
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OnePlus 2 Manual Camera Settings
For those interested my light is an AI Prime LED set to the 14k spectrum.
Beautiful fish, but you said the plants were plastic. If you aren't careful bettas might cut their fins on the plastic plants. I highly reccomend some silk plants, or even better, live ones! Live plants really bring the tank alive.
I have a five gallon tank, and I use [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1462643179&sr=8- 12&keywords=betta+fish+heater) heater. You'll want a way to get the temperature like a floating or suction cup thermometer.
I never know if posts like these are troll posts or not. I'm assuming that by having to confidence to post a picture of your fish, you've at least browsed through other people's posts and seen the proper conditions that a betta fish should be kept in.
I'm really hoping that either this is a troll post, or that you just have no idea that the conditions you've kept your fish in are borderline inhumane. :/ He has horrible fin rot, and is missing the whole top part of his fins. Before you come back with "but he's been with us for FOUR years, he must be okay!" I can keep a dog in a closet for years with food and water and he'd probably live a long time too. Ever heard about that woman who was kidnapped and kept in confinement for 18 years? A being's conditions won't kill them immediately, but the stresses of their environments will cause them to lead miserable lives.
In case you care about him, he needs a few (super, SUPER easy) things.
The total cost of getting your friend an ideal setup is about $53. You'll notice a huge difference in the behavior of your betta, and he'll be much happier. I can't stress this enough; he is not happy, and your friend of 4 years deserves better. This post was NOT made in anger, but rather in concern for you and your fish. Please take this advice, and remember to cycle the tank!
It sounds like Swim Bladder Disorder, which, while alarming to see, is actually not life threatening in most cases. He will most likely heal on his own in time, if you give him a good suitable environment for him.
I recommend Seachem Prime as a water conditioner, it's the board favourite around here and the good thing about it is that it converts ammonia (produced from fish waste and anything else decomposing in the tank, is toxic to fish) into a harmless form for 24 hours. Since you do not have the Nitrogen cycle established in your tank, this property will be very useful in keeping your fish comfortable while the cycle gets started.
If you don't know what it is yet, please read this article about the Nitrogen Cycle and then this guide to Fish-in Cycling. This is not optional information in fishkeeping!
By the way, those fake plants you have--bettas have very delicate fins that are easily torn on the typical plastic aquarium plant; here we have something that's referred to as the "pantyhose test", which is basically what it sounds like--stretch a pair of pantyhose over your fingers, and run it over any tank decorations you have. If the decorations snag the pantyhose, they are rough/sharp enough to tear a betta's fins. For this reason, silk fabric plants are recommended for betta tanks over plastic plants. Make sure any hides you have for him don't have any holes small enough that he'd get stuck (I learned this one the hard way), bettas are curious fish and like to stick their heads in everything.
I posted this list of affordable but good tank supplies for someone else yesterday, so here you go:
Here is a list of affordable supplies:
Aqueon Quietflow Filter, $14. I replaced the filter cartridges inside this unit with ceramic filter media (gives nitrifying good bacteria a place to grow for biological filtration) and Seachem Purigen (absorbs organic waste) along with a good chunk of filter floss (way cheaper than buying filter pads) to make it more effective, but it's not strictly necessary if you're on a budget.
Hydor Theo Submersible Glass Heater, $20. This is my favourite heater, I've set up five tanks so far using this model. It heats up well, holds the temperature steady automatically, and it's adjustable, so if you ever need to turn up the temperature (sometimes needed to treat illness), you're all set.
Seachem Prime, $5
API Master Testing Kit, $19. This is extremely helpful to have when setting up your tank, so you can test the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your water. All three are toxic to fish in high quantities, in order of most to least bad.
If your betta is sulky or a picky eater, you can try tempting him with freeze-dried bloodworms (but feed very little, as they expand when they get wet and are super fattening) or soaking his pellets in garlic juice.
Edit: Also, yeah, do not feed him "generic" fish pellets. Bettas are carnivores and need to be fed as such. I suggest Hikari Bio-Gold betta pellets.
I was in your shoes not too long ago, it's overwhelming! Here's a list of things that I bought, but I am not an expert so if others have better input go for that:
Equipment
Shop for whatever is cheaper, I have a huge heater because I had an extra one from before. I've read that it's not necessary but also have read that if you want them to breed you need to stimulate warm water. For now, I keep the heater off and leave it at room temperature of 72F. They seem very happy! Most important in my opinion, add plenty of plants and a marimo ball or 2.
Lastly, I'm unsure of the siphon, I think it's good to have a bucket and siphon just in case your water parameters are looking bad so you are prepared to do a water change. From what I read, shrimp have a very low bio load and should be able to sustain themselves. Make sure to do tests regularly.
EDIT I just read that this is your first aquarium, so here is a detailed write up:
Setting up your tank
After your tank has cycled
Please don't skip the important step of acclimating your shrimp! They are very sensitive to water changes and this ensures that they will survive.
Here are my water parameters, people have all kinds of ranges but this is what works for me:
I hope this helps... again, I was in your shoes not too long ago, it was really overwhelming. But after a lot of research I think my tank is in a good place :). Other users, if there's anything in my list that seems incorrect please let me know!
This is a lot of questions to answer all at once.
First up, I'd just start getting all 5 gallon ball lock corny kegs. It doesn't really matter if you're putting 1 gallon or 5 gallons into them and it'll give you more flexibility. They're also cheaper in a lot of cases than the smaller versions (because you can get them used). Since you already ordered one ball lock, stick with them so you can use the same disconnects on all of your kegs. I'd get one more ball lock for now, if you can swing it ($65-$70ish).
Next, you need to get some fittings. Google "Ball Lock Quick Disconnects" and get a few sets of those. MFL is great for interchangeability; barb is cheaper because it saves you on fittings. If you're on a budget, just get the barbed disconnects. I'd get two sets of these (a set is one grey "gas" and one black "beverage"). ($20).
Next, you need a bottle of CO2 and a regulator. Since you're penny pinching, get a single-pressure regulator. ($50). You'll also need a manafold to provide pressure from your single regulator to multiple kegs at once. Figure out how many beers you're going to want to have on and then get a manafold with the matching number of lines. This will be $10-$20. Go to a local welding store and get a bottle of CO2. You're "renting" the bottle if you do it this way, so the up-front cost is higher than the realized cost. The cost of the gas itself is going to be ($7-$10). A 5# bottle will be better, but you can make this work with a 2.5# bottle as well.
Then, all you need is some tubing and a cobra tap. Get 3/16" line for your beer and 5/16" for your gas. Both of those should be well under $1/foot. You want about 10' of 3/16" per keg you're serving and as short a length of 5/16" to go from your regulator to manafold and your manifold to kegs as possible. Total, all of the line should be ($10ish). A cobra tap is ($3-$4) per, so that depends on how many kegs you want to serve at a time.
If my math is right, that'll put you at about $190 and you'll be able to serve two beers at a time. Each additional beer will cost about $15 to get flowing (so $205 to have 3 beers at once, $220 to have 4 at once, etc.).
The real key is temp control though. If you want to just get the kegs cold the day before you serve you can. It's not ideal (and you'll have to burn more CO2 to keep those warm kegs carbonated) but you can do it. You're going to want to peruse craigslist and find an old fridge/chest freezer sooner rather than later though. They can be had for cheap. If you get a chest freezer, you'll need a temperature controller to convert it to a fridge.
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.
HOLY CRAP.
Okay, I'm going to save you from a dead fish here, alright?
Water contains a few chemicals for treatment to make it safe for us to drink, one of them is chlorine, in that same family...there is also chloramine.
These burn the hell out of fish's gills. Its dangerous.
Get yourself a bottle of seachem prime. Its a dechlorinator. This will make it safe your fish to even exist in the water.
Second, read about fishless cycling
Since it sounds like you're getting the betta soon. You can read about fish in cycling
You can use that handy dandy bottle of seachem prime dechlorinator to also detoxify ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate for about 48 hours per dose. ONLY PRIME DOES THIS, not any other dechlorinators.
You see, filters on fishtanks contain a happy little bacteria colony that takes fish waste (Ammonia) turns it into a harmful nitrite, then turns it into relatively harmless nitrate. It keeps your fish stress free and also, if those toxin levels get to high--it kills them/ or makes them susceptible to disease. You can check the levels with this test kit
Bettas enjoy low flow in their fishtanks because they aren't the strongest of swimmers. I recommend a sponge filter. They also like their tank between 78-80 degrees. So a good heater is a MUST.
If you can manage a little over $35 I'd recommend this tank from [Amazon] ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KIRR8BY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_oGiMzbMSHNNS5). After that some nice aquatic plants like an [Amazon sword] (http://www.aquariumcarebasics.com/aquarium-plants/amazon-sword-plant/) or [Anubias] (http://www.aquariumcarebasics.com/aquarium-plants/anubias-barteri/), bettas love broad leaves, and a heater. Finnley will be the happiest guy in town.
It's very kind of you to not just let him die! If you get him spiffed up you may be able to find someone who likes fish to take him in, so you don't end up feeling burdened...
but in the meanwhile, there is some basic stuff you can do. If your measurements are correct, then he's probably in a 2 1/2 or 3 gallon aquarium, which while not the best, will certainly suffice. This means the main things you'll need are a filter and a heater.
It would also be nice if you got him some stuff to hide in, so he doesn't stress. They make aquarium decorations, but a clean, well rinsed ceramic coffee mug or unpainted terra cotta planter will do the trick for cheap.
By the way, can you post the name of the water conditioner that you found in the tube? It will help me be able to figure out if it's a dechlorinator or not, which is the most important thing.
Also, does the tank have a lid? Bettas will jump out of water, especially if the water quality is bad.
Anyway, there is plenty of inexpsensive, decent equipment for a tank that size:
I personally happen to like this filter for a tank that size, and it's very easy to install/maintain.
Here's a nice little heater that's worked very well for me. You'd want to maintain his water between 75 and 80 degrees, so it's always a good idea to have a thermometer to make sure the heater is doing its job properly.
From there, maintenance is pretty easy. Feed him just 3 or so of those little food pebbles a day, and once a week give him some of the bloodworms for variety. The main thing is to not overfeed, because they have very small tummies.
Once a week, change out about 25% of his water, and rinse out your filter pads with old aquarium water if they need it. They make little syphons especially for this, because the suction they create helps you vacuum poo out of the substrate.
I recommend this bad boy:
https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hydor+theo&qid=1566856882&s=gateway&sr=8-1
​
Heating such a small tank is difficult and you run a lot of risk of over-heating using heaters that aren't adjustable and/or don't have thermostats. This little one should be small enough to fit in the tank, is a reliable good brand, and with the flexibility of being able to adjust accordingly you should be able to get better, more consistent heating. Just make sure you're carefully monitoring the temperature with a reliable thermometer and checking it periodically throughout the day to make sure your heater is working correctly and you have it on just the right setting!
Also get ready for comments about decor, filtration, and upgrading. The recommended minimum on this sub is 5 gallons. I won't get onto you for the size, though if you plan on keeping this tank as his permanent home you will want to consider a few more live plants, popping in a sponge filter, and reading up on the nitrogen cycle if you haven't already. Small tanks like this are tricky and require a lot of upkeep, but it is doable with the right equipment, lots of live plants, and enough knowledge......though if you're a less experienced aquarist you may want to consider an upgrade to something easier to cycle and manage for yourself. Good luck!
Turquoise cutie <3 She looks a lot like a betta I had a few years back. Signs of yours being a girl: chubbier shape, shorter fins, egg spot (salt-speck on her belly).
The gender isn't always known, especially on the baby bettas. Someone takes a quick look and decides "boy" or "girl". One of my current ones was labeled "girl" but "her" fins started growing long, and his beard started growing out, and he started getting upset at every little thing...
Now that your question is answered, on to something more important.
This can be a passionate and sometimes hostile environment, but everyone else is spot-on - your fish would be happier in a bigger home. Let me tell you my personal experience. I've kept betta in bowls and I've kept betta in aquariums, and I can tell you that a betta in an aquarium is like an entirely different animal. They get so beautiful and develop so much personality when they're given a better space. A larger, filtered aquarium reduces maintenance for you, too. My two tanks get maybe 15 minute of maintenance each per week, with just one partial water change during the week, and they both stay sparkling clean. /r/plantedtank and /r/nanotank can show you just how much a nicely-kept aquarium can contribute to your home decor as well!
Pet stores will tell you that a quart of water changed once a week is fine, but that's because they can make ten times as many $30 sales of bowl, decor, and fish as they can $80 sales of tank, decor, heater, and fish. Also, they'd love to see you in again in a few month's time to buy another fish. :(
/r/bettafish has a great care sheet with some advice. To start you out with, I have this tank and it's fairly cheap and super sleek. Add an $18 heater from Amazon and transfer the decor over from your present tank and you'll be money. Bigger is better if you can swing it, but if you're on a budget or don't have much room, 3.7 gallons will make a nice studio apartment for your fishy friend. There are store-brand 10 gallon setups that are even cheaper (Walmart's Aqua Culture, Petsmart's Top Fin/Grrreat Choice) and you can often find used ones for cheap or even free if you look around on Craigslist/Offerup/Letgo/etc., go to garage sales, or look at thrift stores.
Hey all
Thanks to this sub and after a ton of research here and elsewhere, I finally got my first planted/aquascaped tank set up. This is an update to my hardscape post HERE
You’ll notice that I got a different rimless tank. I wasn’t happy with the number of stocking options a 5g tank was going to limit me to, so I found a slightly larger (and $$$) option. Also, now I’ve got an extra tank laying >:) I’m super stoked with how it turned out but I might setup CO2 in the future to get it to really pop. I’ll put specs for the tank below since I always find that helpful from other posters. Almost everything was bought through Amazon (since North America sucks for aquascaping materials):
Tank: Landen 10.7 Gallon Rimless
Light: Fluval Planted 3.0 Nano LED (Petsmart purchase)
Filter: Penn Plax Cascade 500
Lily Pipes: JARDLI Glass Lily Pipe
Heater: Tetra Submersible Heater 50W
Substrate: Fluval Stratum (Petco purchase)
Inert Substrate: Carib Sea ACS05839 Super Natural
Some kind of rock from my LFS, spider wood
Ferts:
Seachem Excel: .75ml every morning before the lights come on / Seachem Flourish: .75 ml twice a week
8 hours of light/day
Plants (sorry, I don’t know Latin names, and I’m lazy):
Java Fern, Anubias (of varying kinds), Java Moss, Christmas Moss, Dwarf Hair Grass, Micro Chain Sword, Crypts, Subulata (?) (the tall grassy one in the back right)
Livestock:
1 Dwarf Gourami, 5 Ember Tetras, 1 Otocinclus, 2 Ghost Shrimp (if they haven’t gotten eaten yet)
If it was me, I would clear out the whole tank, wash it out with vinegar and rinse the substrate really well. Not much else you can do really....
You may want to invest in a temperature controller. They are well worth it. I had a heater fry and luckily I had a controller that shut everything off. This is the one I currently use.
Alternatively, I have one of these on one of my tanks. It advertises that it is shatterproof and includes an internal shutoff to prevent overheating, but have not had the misfortune of having to test it (yet. knock on wood).
2.5 gallons is still extremely small. If you are upgrading and have the space for even just a 5 gallon tank it is a much more suitable home. They generally run $15.00 at petco/petsmart.
I understand space constraints, but the larger the tank the easier the body of water is to maintain. A 2.5 gallon means very frequent water changes and prone to instability. It also means such a small tank that filter output flows are going to be really hard to control, and very few items are going to fit in or on it. If 5 gallons or 10 gallons will fit in your living space, their footprint isn't much larger and they are easier to maintain and more versatile!
Also, since you don't have your fish yet and aren't forced to perform a fish-in cycle, save your fish and yourself some stress and take your time and work your way through a fishless cycle: http://www.kevinbush.com/cycling/the-fishless-cycle/
5.5 gallon tank from petco - 12 dollars (or if you can go today 10 gallon for 10 dollars plus tax)
Heater - 12 to 15 dollars (I like this one but there is also this one here)
Filter - 13 dollars to 25 dollars (It may need baffled or This one though it's a bit more expensive but I prefer it just remember a filter is just something to push water through it. Also can look into sponge filters)
Substrate - 0 for bare bottom or 10 dollars for some cheap sand at petco This sand to be exact.
Light - 42 dollars This is what I'd buy but you can find cheaper or just do grow lights in little plug ins
I'd keep at least 30 for plants but you can get some cheaper live plants or maybe find some cuttings for free.
Total is 47 dollars for a proper set up not including plants since I don't know what you can do in your area. With my over priced light for your set up it's 89
You might be able to order it online and pick it up at the store. Otherwise I'm struggling to find a kit that fits the budget that isn't completely crap quality.
You really want a 5g min for long-term care, but a 2.5g tank is a better alternative than a bowl. This heater is a good choice.
The 5g version of that tank would of course be much better, but I don't know what your friend can afford.
Make sure he gets some hides too - live plants ideally, but silk plants are fine too. No plastic plants!
Too small for a bristlenose, and you want 6 neons (this tank is too small for them as well). I don't know much about kuhli loaches, but this is probably a tight fit for them too.
This is also a very, very heavy stocking for a 13.7 gallon aquarium. As this is your first tank, I highly suggest going for a small stock and getting a feel for it - solving problems with a low bioload is much easier, and will give you much needed practice for when things occur down the road.
I would recommend that you get solely a male betta for now. Your decor choice is good, and I applaud you for going with sand over gravel. It's much better, objectively.
If you can find them at your local fish store (LFS), pick up some Malaysian trumpet snails (MTS). They'll aerate the substrate and cycle waste into the sand, as well as eat uneaten food and decaying plant matter.
In terms of filtration, you could probably get away with an air pump and a sponge. If you have a fair chunk of money to dedicate to this aquarium, my filter of choice for tanks under 15 gallons is the ZooMed 501. If that is outside of your budget, an AquaClear 20 would be great. I would have the outflow disperse over your driftwood to avoid churning up your sand. If you need creative ideas, feel free to post here again and we can help you figure something out. The primary advantage of the canister is that it is dead silent, and comes with a spray bar which greatly helps to disperse the flow (bettas do not appreciate lots of flow in their environment).
I would do your damnedest to keep the tank out of sunlight, as this will contribute to rampant algae problems. It should have a dedicated light. You can purchase a clamp light and 6500K CFL bulb from home depot for about $15 total. Very wise investment, and this allows you to grow plants!
You need to keep the tank (for a Betta) at 78-80F. If your ambient temperature is not this, you will require a heater. My personal favourite heater for small aquariums are manufactured by Hydor. Aim for 50W for the set up. Here is a link to one.
There is a very good link regarding cycling in the sidebar. It can be found here.
While I do not know your water's composition, I would still recommend treating it with SeaChem Prime. This helps out with some heavy metals as well. While I am not sure if it will benefit you, it is fairly cheap and you'll get a ton of uses out of it for the cost. Hopefully someone with a similar water source to yours will chime in, as I myself am on municipal supply and must dechlorinate my water.
Earlier when I mentioned lighting, I mentioned plants. These are a great addition to your aquarium and your fish will appreciate them. For beginner plants, I would recommend looking into Anubias and Java Fern. They do not grow in substrate, but rather on decor and can be fastened to your driftwood with zip ties or string. They absorb nutrients from the water column, helping to clean your tank while providing refuge for your fish. I would also recommend a floating plant, as it will dim the lights and provide your betta with cover. Frogbit is great, and very cheap in my experience. It grows very well. None of these plants require you to do ANYTHING extra aside from get that light I mentioned. There are fancier alternatives, but they are not necessary for this set up with the above plants. I highly recommend setting your lights up on a timer and keeping them on for 8 hours a day. If you notice algae, reduce light.
I hope this helps. If you have anymore questions feel free to let me know. Really great of you to come and ask for advice BEFORE purchasing an animal, kudos to you.
Be sure to check out /r/bettafish and /r/plantedtank. Within you'll find lots of guides and extremely knowledgeable people. I would highly recommend reading the majority of links from the side bar in those two subreddits, as well as this one. There's a trove of information at your disposal. Here's a link to /r/Aquariums' wiki.
Finally, here's a care sheet specifically about Bettas!
Hopefully that wasn't too long winded for you. Best of luck in the hobby.
It’s a Hydor 25W. I’ve got no problems keeping it at 78F. I keep my house at 70F in the winter and it’s been fine.
Hydor 25W Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater - Original Theo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_JouwGeQvRRrUk
Depends on how much you can spend, but I really like this tank for a 3gallon tank. It's attractive, reasonably priced, real glass, and it comes with the filter and a light that is strong enough to grow the lower light easy plants that are popular in betta tanks (anubias, java fern/moss, marimo balls, whatever)
You will also need a heater, unless you live somewhere where the ambient temp where you keep the tank is going to be in the mid to high 70s year round. It is kind of tough to heat a tank as small as 3gallons without overheating, but I have had really good luck with this heater. Its the smallest heater with a thermostat ive found, so it will turn itself off when it reaches the desired temp. Bettas are tropical fish and will do best with their water around 78 to 80 degrees.
Easiest way to change the water is going to be buying a siphon, or just a ~3' long piece of fountain tubing from the hardware store, and using it as a siphon, and then pouring clean, treated water back in with.. whatever thing you wanna use to pour water in your tank :P
Necessities
api liquid test kit
sponge filter
airline tubing for sponge filter
air pump for sponge filter
thermometer
fluval spec v kit. Comes with filter, decent light that can grow some lowlight plants, idk what else but I hear it's pretty good, I would look around on other sites to find it cheaper
dechlorinator if you don't already have it
heater, I happen to live somewhere where the temperature of my tank floats right in the bettas range, but if this isn't the case for you then you'll need a heater
You'll need something for a lid, can't find anything on amazon but you have a few options: going to a petstore and looking for a 5 gallon lid, going to other websites to look, or making a DIY lid, which can be done with greenhouse panels, or even wood if you don't mind cutting.
Substrate is optional, but if you want it you can either get pool filter sand, which you can find at your local Home Depot or lowes (assuming you're in the US), you'll have to rinse it first but it's really cheap, $8 for 50lb which is more than enough.
I would buy the tank in person at a store or on some site like Craigslist where you can find used tanks for cheap
Also, don't forget to cycle your tank, if you don't know what that is I would do some research on it, it's possibly the most important thing in keeping any aquatic creature
Off the top of my head, will continue to edit to add stuff
Buy tank separately, filters, heaters, and lights that come with tanks tend to be low quality so buy separately. I'd say go with 10 gallon for two reasons.
I buy all my supplies on amazon cause i have prime and it's cheaper, i'm a college student so cheapness is everything. This is a good cheap filter and this is a good heater i also recommend a digital thermostat cause it's easier to read the temp rather than squinting your eyes to see the tab thermostats.
Something like this would probably work well!
YVW.
links to stuff:
I'm adding a thing. Get a programmable thermostat. It's $40. Hook your exhaust fan to it, and set it for 75 degrees (mine go off at 73, and on at 78). Change that number, if you are in winter, or summer. . .these plants do fine as long as their range isn't huge. You can flower at 80 degrees, or 65.
okay, enough typing. hope this goes amazing for you. if nothing else. . .you'll have the right gear. especially the right light and a reliable inline. that's 90% of worries.
Aside from thanking everyone who replied, I want to take the time to update on whats going on.
After I posted, I was leaning into purchasing a Fluval Spec V to house Fishy. 170). I started looking for other options such as buying another tank, buying at a LFS or commissioning a tank.
A reputable tank maker quoted me US$45.00 to make a 15 Gallon tank, with the following dimension 16.25''x16.25''x13.25'' (LxWxH) made with .88 mm glass or aprox 1/3''.
In turn, I would have to buy a filter, a heater and light (as well as substrate and plants). Here is what Im leaning towards, advice would be very much appreciated, as its my first tank in about 10 years:
Heater: Eheim 25 watt.
Filter: Aquaclear HOB Power Filter 20.
Light: Finnex Stingray 16'.
An acquaintance suggested I buy this filter instead:
Aquaclear Power Head + Aquaclear Powerhead Attachment.
Even suggested I fit my tank with two of those instead of the HOB filter.
Being a noob, I dont really know much about those types of filters.
For plants Im thinking something like this:
Fluval Anubias 12'.
Fluval Lizard Tail.
Substrate: Im looking forward to adding real plants in the future.
Soil - ADA Africana.
Sand - something along that color.
I already own an APC UPS, similar to this one or even the same one (i dont really remember).
Again, any tips or suggestions are welcome.
Here's what you'll need:
Fluval Spec 3
Best tank I've ever used. Built-in 3-stage filter concealed in the back, plus space for a 25w heater in the same compartment the pump is in.
If you get this tank I reccomend two things:
Get a Fluval Pre-filter sponge to place over the pump-output to diffuse the current
Set the pump to the lowest possible flow (It's still pretty strong so that's why you'll need the pre-filter sponge)
FILTER
Nothing fancy. A basic "hang-over-back" filter is all you need. Make sure to get one rated for your size tank! If you get one that's too big, you'll create way too much flow in the tank and it will tire out the fishies. This one on Amazon is rated for a 10-gallon tank.
HEATER
Again, nothing fancy. You just need a basic heater for your size tank. Don't get an "adjustable" heater because those take time to calibrate. Just get a "pre-set" heater. Pre-set heaters always keep the tank at about 78-degrees, which is perfect for guppies. Again, don't get one that's too big or too small. Too big will heat the tank too quickly and too small means the heater will get over-worked and eventually wear out. This one on amazon is good for a 10-gal tank as well.
WATER CONDITIONER
Tap water often contains chlorine to keep bacteria from growing in the pipes and making people sick. Its a safe level for humans, but it kills anything that lives in water (e.g., fish and plants). Water conditioner contains chemicals that neutralize the chlorine in tap water, making it safe for fishies again. Just follow the instructions on the bottle. Its OK to add the conditioner straight to the tank itself. As long as you have a filter circulating the water, it'll quickly make the water safe for fish and plants again. This is the water conditioner I use in my tanks.
OTHER COMMENTS
Employees at these stores often give some really stupid advice for more complicated issues, like the best way to make your plants grow or how to breed fancy fish, but they usually do an OK job with recommending the most basic stuff like a heaters, filter, and water conditioner. Its really hard to fuck this up because all of these products say what size tank they're rated for right on the box. Just double-check to make sure you're buying a product made for your size tank.
Once you have these three things, just follow the instructions that came with each product. Its super straight-forward. When you finally have all of this set up, come back here and we can give you some more advice for the long-term care of your guppies.
EDIT: Just to add a few things. The most likely culprit at the moment is either the chlorine in the tap water or the water temperature. If you used tap water and you didn't treat it, the chlorine that's often in the water is probably burning the guppies gills and making it harder and harder for them to breathe.
If you did treat the water or if you're using filtered/well water, then the next most harmful condition is the cold temperature. Guppies are tropical fish and will die if left in cold water for too long. They can survive for a little while in cold water, but they'll eventually die if you don't get the water into the high-70s.
Finally, the least likely problem right now is the lack of a filter. Fish excrete their waste directly into the water and over the course of a few days the tank will gradually buildup a concentration of ammonia. This ammonia will poison the fishies when the concentration get's too high. Conveniently, there are bacteria all over the place that love to eat ammonia and turn it into a less toxic chemical called nitrate, which is very safe for fish even at high concentrations. The filter provides a medium for these bacteria to grow and constantly circulates the water through the bacteria colony so the bacteria can constantly turn ammonia into nitrate. Once the bacteria colony is established, they convert the ammonia into nitrate faster than the fish can excrete more ammonia, effectively keeping the concentration of ammonia at a constant zero. All you need to do to culture a colony of ammonia-eating bacteria is to set the filter up using the instructions that came with the filter. Nature will do the rest: The bacteria are everywhere, so once the filter is going those bacteria will move in to the filter and start growing all on their own. Another benefit of the filter is that it oxygenates the water column. This is important for tanks with lots of fish, but because you only have two guppies, lack of oxygen probably isn't an issue.
Looks more like a heater.
Edit: yup. it’s a heater.
Buy a cheap 20 dollar tetra heater :) it keeps it at 76 which isn't great but it's better than no heater.
Edit: its even on sale right now on amazon! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_ph_1?qid=1449305138&amp;sr=sr-1&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&amp;keywords=tetra+heater
Well, I have a planted tropical 75G myself with black sand and small rock substrate. I use a Fluval 406 which does great work keeping the tank clean and never encounters any sand problems. Besides being absolutely silent, it's a really great canister for cleaning and customizing your filter media. I have a moderate bio-load and it handles it easily with a bit to spare. I keep the temp steady with one of these heaters which keeps the water a constant, unwavering temperature. I also hate HOB filters and tank clutter in general, so that was a great choice for me. The result isn't too bad I think.
Finally at work so I can give some links, lol
Here's a cheap sponge filter, I love these for bettas because they have a gentle flow and no mechanical intake for the betta to get sucked into. The bacteria will live in the sponges so make sure to never clean them with tap water or else you'll kill them! You'll also need an air pump and some airline tubing to get the filter going. I've used all of these and it's a pretty simple and cheap setup.
To actually measure the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels, you'll need a test kit. I know some people and stores use strips, but they are hilariously inaccurate. You can have levels of 70+ ppm of nitrate (which is usually deadly) and the strips will tell you that you have 0 ppm. The liquid kit also lasts a lot longer! Your tank is cycled when ammonia is at 0 ppm, nitrites are at 0 pmm, and nitrates are at 0-20 ppm.
To make it easier to clean his tank, you can use a siphon. It sucks up the water for you, all you need is a bucket/tub to catch it in. Makes cleaning a lot less hectic!
Just a side note, Betta are actually tropical (and cold-blooded fish), so they need a heater. This is good for a 10 gal, it's what I use :) You can also get a glass or electronic thermometer to make sure the water is staying at the recommended 78-80 F. If you already have a water conditioner this is optional but Seachem Prime is what I use as it binds and neutralizes low levels of ammonia.
Here's the sub caresheet/wiki, and here's a guide to fish-in cycling (which basically just means cycling the tank with a fish already inside). I know this is a lot of info/expenses all at once but if you ever have any questions you're always free to PM me! I'm happy to help to the best of my ability. I'd recommend getting him a 5 gal or bigger ASAP, and with clean warm water his fins will be healing in no time :)
Hydor 25w adjustable heater. Heres a link on amazon. I've shopped around and this is the cheapest best small heater for a 5g and below.
http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-25W-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1382724963&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hydor+adjustable+heater
looks like they went up , I picked it up for 16 bucks a couple months ago.
Just purchased this for my Fluval Chi 6 gal: Hydor 25W Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater - Original Theo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9mYiybMJJ8980
What other fish are you putting at risk to keep him in the DT?
Edit: ALso the medication you'll need should not be dosed in DT anyway. You could get a cheap heater (i use them in all my QTs - they have them on amazon but they also have them at WalMart for just as cheap)
I never imagined that I would be a fish owner, but I have found myself with one, and I have a huge soft spot for all animals, so I can't stand to see them neglected so I want to provide the best home the little guy I can! Here is the list of what I've gotten so far. Let me know what you think and if I have made any mistakes!
Aquarium Rocks
He already has ~5lbs so I figure 10 lbs should cover a 5 gallon tank pretty well.
Betta Balls
Gravel Vacuum
Seachem Prime
Thermometer
Heater for 5 gallon tank
5 Gallon Tank
API Freshwater Test Kit
He already has a betta log, betta hammock, a small decorative plant, Tetra betta pellets, and some bloodworms for treats. Hopefully this covers all bases for little Zazoo! (Yes, my gf named him after the bird from the Lion King. Lol) If you have any other tips for a complete beginner, I'd love to hear them! Thank you for your suggestions!
unfortunately chillers arent really cheap. this one has good reviews and is rated for your tank size. it’s recommended to go above the tank size for the max cap (like filtration) so this is a good choice.
Avoid kits, IMO. They inevitably will have some cheap stuff you don't need.
You can get cheap substrate at Petco or similar. Basic gravel is probably fine.
Aqueon filters rate well and are inexpensive.
Their heaters are also decent and don't break the bank.
If you're not getting serious about plants, you can just use a cheap LED hood light that is available where they sell tanks.
Are you familiar with cycling, as in the nitrogen cycle?
Imma link to one of my old threads from another forum that shows some of the setup of my shrimp tank.
> The idea is to have one beta and maybe a couple of cherry shrimps. Maybe there's another fish that I can add instead of the beta?
I wouldn't recommend a betta for a tank that size. Some people do occasionally recommend tanks as small as 2.5 gallons for bettas; but that's pushing it a bit too far, IMO. Technically, you can keep a betta alive in one for an extended period; but the fish doesn't appreciate it (they're a bit listless; they stop swimming around and exploring and just sorta sit there). That tank is mostly only fit for small inverts.
> I got this kit to start with the cycling. Good enough?
Yup. That's the go-to kit; covers all the basics. Make sure you're brushed up on fishless cycling techniques (that article is a bit preachy; but it explains things well I think).
> Can I just get plastic plants?
Yeah, you can;. They're easy for sure. They're not really the same though (they're decorative, and can look quite nice; but they don't have any of the other benefits offered by live plants). Personally I tend to prefer live. There are a good number of unkillable plants that are pretty newbie friendly. I recommend java fern.
> Should I add a moss ball? Found this one that seems ok.
You can. Shrimp tend to appreciate that sort of thing.
> Do you know if the light is enough, or should I add a heater like this one?
I do recommend a heater. Cherry shrimp don't really require one (a betta would); but you can get really big temperature swings in a small volume like that. A heater with a thermostat would keep an even temperature. I dunno about that heater though. It doesn't appear to have a thermostat; it just heats all the time (meaning the temperature of your tank is somewhat unpredictable and will vary with the room temperature; which is useless for most purposes). I've used this one for a number of years without issues.
> Aside from that I know I also need a thermometer and gravel, but I'm sure I'll probably need more stuff that maybe you could recommend!
I might go with sand over gravel. Gravel might mess with the sense of scale a little bit in a tank that small (small tank, small shrimp, big pebbles... it'll look weird). Aside from that, I recommend:
Highly recommend this one. I have 3 of them and they are excellent heaters, I've use them for both 5.5g and 10g tanks.
I use this sponge filter with this heater in my own 5.5 gallon - they work great and are pretty cheap!
This is seriously a wall of text. Sorry. I know it was a simple question, but there is a range. I also wanted to make sure you knew where the cost was coming from, so that's why this is so awkwardly long.
Lets start with what you will need. Generally speaking, you can keep bettas in smaller bowls than you normally would. I personally have my betta in a 1.5 gallon bowl. If you do any research, you will find people saying that you must must must have them in a 5 gallon tank. This is not necessarily true. The way I was trained, is that for every inch of fish, there needs to be a gallon of water. My little guy is only and inch long, so he is in one gallon of water (plus some, because decorations). They can get up to two inches, maybe even three, but it is not common. I plan on upgrading to a five gallon tank anyway soon (I have to move first), so if he gets any bigger, it won't be a huge concern for me. The great thing about bettas is that they can be kept in smaller areas. That being said, you have to do more work the smaller the tank you get. So for example, I have to make sure that my water is still clean, just like any responsible fish owner. This means, with a smaller bowl, that I have to change it more frequently (which I personally don't mind doing). Water quality is hugely important in the health and happiness of your fish. Now, the bowl I have is a nice glass bowl that looks like this and it would cost $25-$30 (but I got it for free from a coworker). A tank that is the 5 gallon recommendation that you will see in a lot of places can cost anywhere from $40 to even $100 dollars, depending on the brand and stuff (there are some tanks that come with filter, heater, light bulb, water starter, etc). Lids are not necessary, but some bettas will jump. If you do get a lid for your bowl/tank, make sure that it have air holes in it. Bettas have a primitive lung, called a Labyrinth organ, which allows them to also take oxygen from the air. Without this ability, bettas can drown.
Another great thing about bettas is that they are fine without a filter, and in fact don't really like the filter moving the water around (like I mentioned before, they are naturally found in rice paddies, which have standing water with little to no flow). So that is a cost you don't have to worry about. Now, if you wanted to get a tank and have other fish and a betta, you would have to have a filter. Bettas can live with non-aggressive schooling fish, and females bettas can live together (generally). Of course, with all fish, you may get some that you have to house alone. I know of a couple who had a guppy they had to return because it was literally killing all the other fish in their tank. A guppy. Yeah. It really just depends on the personality of the fish in some cases.
One thing that some say a betta doesn't need is a heater. While this is technically true, I would really recommend that you have a heater for your betta. This is the one I have, and it works well for my bowl. Bettas are a tropical fish, and they do need to be kept warm, generally between 76 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Along with the heater, I would recomend getting a thermometer to keep on the inside of your tank or bowl, and those generally only cost a few bucks. Bettas are a tropical fish and they do need the warmth. Without it, your fish will be miserable. It will live, probably, but it will be sad.
Another thing you will need is decoration. Not just to make your tank look pretty, but also to give the fish someplace to live. Fish, just like people, need a place to go if they get stressed or scared. A simple hideout will do, or even some plants. Here are examples of decorated tanks. One and two. Two, though, doesn't really have a decoration for the fish to hide inside of, which I would really recommend. When shopping for a decoration for your betta to hide in, rub your fingers along the entrances and the inside. If it feels rough, it may be dangerous to have for your betta. Their long, thin fins can be easily torn. It is also for this reason that I recommend against plastic plants. I would shop only for silk plants or live plants (though if you have a live plant they can murk up your water). If you have gravel and a house, your betta will be fine. It doesn't need plants. For every one gallon of water your tank holds, get a pound of gravel/sand for the bottom of your tank. So I have 1.5 lbs, a 5 gallon tank would need 5 lbs of gravel or sand. I would say that decor for your tank could run you about $15 if you just get the bare minimum for a bowl, maybe up to $30 depending on if you have a tank that you need to fill. Everything after that is just gravy.
You will need a water conditioner. I used Tetra brand Betta Safe water conditioner. You can get it here from Amazon for just a few dollars. If you buy it in store, it will be more expensive (anywhere from $5-$10). The reason you need water conditioner is so that you can use tap water to fill your bowl. Tap water has all sorts of stuff that is bad for your fish (chlorine, namely), and the water conditioner gets rid of that. Fill your tank, add conditioner, and 5 minutes later you're reader to add your fish. You don't have to cycle your tank (run the nitrogen cycle) for bettas, but you do need to be aware of the ammonia levels. If you go into your local pet store, they should be able to test your water and let you know if your ammonia levels are suitable to have a fish in. This is generally free.
You will also need food. Some people get multiple types of food (pellets and frozen blood worms). I get my pellets that already have blood worms in them, so I don't have to worry about it. Most people only feed their betta sparingly, like twice a week. It should only be what they can eat within five minutes, others do 1 pellet on the week days and 2 pellets on the week ends (AM and PM). It's really up to you. Neither way is going to be better for your fish, just make sure you don't over feed. This can murk up your water or even lead to digestive problems. Food should only cost about $5.
The fish, depending on the type of betta, can run anywhere from $3 to $20+ dollars. The cheapest fish at the place I work is the female veiltail betta. Females don't have the flashy fins or the pretty colors that the males do, so they are generally cheaper. The male veiltail is only a dollar more though. The most expensive fish that we sell is the Elephant Ear Halfmoon Plakat Betta, which can run up to $40. The fish is all based on your personal preference.
So, adding all that up:
Tank: $25-$100
Heater: $12
Thermometer: $5
Decor: $15-30
Water Conditioner: $2-$10
Food: $5-10
Fish:$3-40
Your grand total would be about $67 dollars before tax on the lower end and $196 before tax on the highest end discussed in this post. That $67 is plenty to start your betta on the road to a happy life in your home, on a counter or someplace (not in front of a window or near a vent, of course). If you wanted to upgrade later on, like I plan to, you could do that to, and build up your supplies over the long run. You can also check sales (for example, my store is having a 30% off fish sale this week, so I would check some pet stores in your area and see if there would be similar deals at other stores), and you can always check craigslist for used things tha tprevious fish owners don't want or need any more, :)
This is probably waaaayyyy more of an answer than you were expecting, but I like fish, and I had nothing better to do than write this. Now, some other people may have better advice, and that's totally cool and awesome, and I encourage you to look for all the advice you want. I have worked at this pet store for less than a year, and have only been a betta owner for a few months, so I'm sure that loads of people have more information that they can give you if you seek it. If you have any more questions, though, feel free to ask me. I'll do my best to answer them for you :)
Edit: I noticed the other commenter say something about the filters, and I just wanted to say that this is a differing opinion from what I have seen. The way I was trained is that they don't need and don't like filters, but I can see that this would be an issue if you have a larger tank. If you have a larger tank, definitely get a filter because it won't move the water too much and it will make life much easier for you!
Hello! It's good to see someone new to bettas doing their research ahead of time! Aquarium kits are kind of tricky: they seem nice since it's a all-in-one package, but since bettas can be rather delicate fish, the equipment that come with the kits tend to be too powerful.
I recommend checking your local pet store (if you're in the USA, PetCo and PetSmart are pretty common) and see if they have any individual fish tanks available on sale. For a filter, I recommend investing in a sponge filter + an air pump. These types of filters are very gentle, low flow, and quite effective for smaller setups like a 5-gallon. Also keep in mind that bettas live optimally in heated water. Since your setup is small, you have a couple options for heaters:
If you haven't purchased fish yet, read up on the nitrogen cycle and consider doing a "Fishless Cycle" to get your aquarium prepared for your betta.
Good luck with everything!
EDIT: Also, don't forget to pick up an aquarium thermometer! :)
Bleu has been happily living on my desk in my home office for about 2 weeks, the tank has been setup for about a month. He's currently the only inhabitant and I will likely be adding a few striped khuli loaches or some shrimp in the near future I haven't decied which direction to go yet. I also am trying to track down some floating plants but haven't had any luck at my LFS or Petsmart, I might check Petco in a larger city this weekend that's about an hour away or some LFS in that area.
Equipment:
10 Gallon tank from Petco $1/gallon sale
Aqueon 06105 Pro Heaters Submersible Aquarium Heater, 50-Watt
Marina Stainless Steel Thermometer
Perfecto Manufacturing APF33200 Glass Canopy Aquarium, 20-Inch
Marineland Single Bright LED Lighting System 18-24-Inch
Quantity 2 Marina S10 Power Filter
Penn Plax Hide-Away Stackable Stone Aquarium Ornament
Natural sand substrate
1 Java Fern
1 Wisteria (I think...)
I'm going to move the Java Fern today I read last night you aren't supposed to bury the Rhizome so I need to get it attached to a rock or piece of drift wood. I think a decent size piece of drift wood would help the barren look as well on the right until I can get some additional plants. The tank itself has been doing great the filters are very low current which is perfect for Bleu. I've been using the API freshwater master test kit to keep an eye on things and doing about a 25% water change every two weeks.
Best advice is to take your time and buy what will make you happy. You'll only spend more money in the long run if you compromise now. Luckily, not everything needs bought at once. Tank, filter, and heater are necessary purchases now. Lighting and decor can be figured out more slowly.
I can recommend what I'd get in your position.
If you're going to buy a kit, this is a good one. Personally, I like this heater, but they do sell a cheaper version. So, about $100 for the tank, heater, filter, and light.
If you want to buy the parts separately, you can get a 10 gallon tank for $10-$15 or cheaper checking craigslist. You'll also need some kind of lid to cover the tank. You can buy glass ones or some people get a piece of glass or acrylic cut to cover it. Tank + lid: $25-$30
Aquaclears are my favorite filters for my tanks, but you could use a sponge filter. You'd need an air pump for the sponge one. So, $20-$25 for a filter.
Real plants are nice, but not necessary. You can do fine with fake ones, just make sure the edges aren't sharp. If you do want plants, the Spec V light should be plenty for low light plants. If you want to buy the light separately, this or this would be fine. I've had a Nicrew one on my larger tank before and it's enough for low light plants.
Or you could just get a clamp on lamp from the store and a daylight bulb. That whole set up would be about $10.
Until you get a new set up, I would recommend water changes at least once a day, if not more. I would also strongly recommend buying a water testing kit.
Got it all on amazon!
Filter
Light
Heater
Edit: You might want to go bigger on the heater than what I got. I think mine is good up to a 10g.
Sure thing! Here's a list of the main equipment:
Lighting - Finnex FugeRay Planted+ Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights
Light Risers - OEM FINNEX LIGHT RISERS FITS PLANTED+, RAY2, FUGERAY, ETC.
Filter - EHEIM Classic 250
Co2 - Tank / Diffuser / Drop Checker
Heater - EHEIM Jager Aquarium Thermostat Heater
Addon - Finnex Breeder Box with Light
Had someone ask for an inventory list and thought I'd post it up here for visibility.
Coralife Biocube 14 - $199
Lighting System - $141
Filtration System - $122
Arline System - $32
Decor - $140
Flora - $114
Fauna - $46
Tools - $12
The higher wattage essentially makes for a more powerful heater and steadier heat output (The number of watts kind of equals the amount of power going into the device; a bit like horsepower in a car). Like, a 10gal is recommended to get a 25watt heater, but a good amount of people in this subreddit suggested a 50watt so the heater wouldn't have to work too hard or too constantly to keep the water at a stable temp. I went ahead and decided on this:
https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003U82YEY?th=1
heater, but there are others. I've noticed that while I'm cycling my tank my heater turns on for short periods of time and both my manual temperature gauges remain level. I haven't had a temp spike yet.
Granted, I know not everyone can spend a fortune on aquarium equipment, but this was one of the few items the subreddit urged me to splurge on. Smaller heaters are known for breaking - either boiling the fish alive, or stopping and allowing the fish to freeze. The neat this about the one above is that i can manually set it and it's that exact temp in the tank.
Woah, yeah cut down on the feeding haha! Maybe limit it to 3 pellets and feed him twice a day. The bloating should go down. Watch to make sure he eats everything, otherwise the leftover food will rot and dirty the tank. You can also fast your fish one day a week to prevent constipation.
I don't have a solid answer for the marimo ball, but it's probably fine with whatever sunlight/tank lighting you already have.
Keep doing water changes (at least 25-30% of the water 1-2 times a week). When you upgrade the tank you might need to buy a more powerful heater. I would suggest this adjustable one. And if you don't have one already, consider buying a thermometer when you get the new tank :)
/u/ by MiiisssterMiiissster Here's a good replacement on Amazon.
I bought a large beverage tub, the kind you'd put a keg in for a party. Then placed an aquarium heater in it. My basement was dropping my carboy down to 62 and with this setup I was able to keep it at 72-74.
Kind of a poor picture but you get the idea.
http://imgur.com/OniXLA6
Here is the heater I bought:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00513MZ1I/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1416786670&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SY200_QL40
http://www.amazon.com/ViaAqua-50-Watt-Submersible-Built-In-Thermostat/dp/B005440HLO/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1404404207&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=heater
This one looks like people've been using it for both ~5g and 20g tanks, so it should be versatile enough for you to grab it for your tank now.
I’ve really never liked buying kits and I always have bad luck with them — you almost always get stuck with shitty tanks, heaters & filters while paying way more than what they’re worth. Most cheapy HOBs also don’t provide any real biological filter media either — just charcoal (which is useless & potentially harmful over time) and filter floss that they want you to buy replacements for.
If I were you, I’d invest in a 10g tank (14 usd at petco & 10 usd during the dollar per gallon sale), this heater or a similarly priced one, and a cheap sponge filter like this. Same cost for a bigger, better tank with a reliable filtrarion that you won’t have to suppress the flow on. You can also go with a 5g, but that’s a minimum and if she’s an active fish, she’ll definitely appreciate the 10g. it’ll also be easier for you as a new fishkeeper to keep the water parameters steady in a larger tank.
You may need to buy a light or lid, but you do have the option of buying a light that will grow plants or the cheapest LED you can find.
I'm currently using this one in my 3 gallon cylindrical and it works beautifully. I set it at a nice 80 degrees back in June and it's never let me down.
I would definitely cycle the tank...it'll save you a lot of work later on. I think it's safe to say that it's absolutely essential for having a successful, healthy aquarium.
As far as heaters go, I recommend the cobalt NeoTherm 25watt heater. It's on the pricier side but it is adjustable and accurate, safe. I use it to keep my 2.6 gallon tank at 78, it is super accurate. Very high ratings. Doesn't get dangerously hot or anything.
Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Heaters with Plastic LED, 25-Watt
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AGHH8Y/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_-MaAub0X0HE8C
Anything 10-25w should be sufficient, but definitely do your homework on them as a lot of the inexpensive heaters have a good chunk of people complaining about malfunctions.
I've recently used:
http://www.amazon.com/Cobalt-Aquatics-Neo-Therm-Heaters-Plastic/dp/B008AGHH8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415980376&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Cobalt+25w+heater
Large for smaller setups, but very accurate and stable; reviews do it justice.
http://www.amazon.com/50-Watt-Titanium-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B008OTJEGA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415980631&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=50+Watt+Titanium+Aquarium+Heater
This one I liked because it's small and fits well in the pump section of my Fluval Spec V; I ended up giving it to my roommate as their 3.5 needed something smaller than the Cobalt above and it works just fine.
Expensive I know, but with all the 10-15 dollar heaters either frying of freezing fish I didn't want to skimp on one. I do have a marina 10w in the tank with my guy right now that's not pulling its weight so it gets swapped out today.
Edit - repeating myself.
Marina fluval 25watt heater, adjustable, submersible and only 11$
Oh sure, they'll live miserably in their tiny bowl for about 2yrs. That's about how long it takes for them to die from cold + poor water quality. Thing is bettas can live for 5 to 8 years in the proper conditions.
1.5gal is actually fine if you have a heater and do a 100% water change every other day.
If you can't do anything else right now, do frequent water changes. Even if it's just 100% twice a week. And obviously use conditioner too.
2.5gal tank with lid: $15
Water conditioner: $10
25watt adjustable heater: $20
Coffee mug for a cave, and some uber cheap play sand & fake plants from a craft store. DONE. Merry christmas.
IF THERE IS 1 THING YOU SHOULD GET: A heater. Please just get an adjustable water heater.
I've been using one of these for my betta tank which is 2.5g and it's been fine for the past 6 months. I wouldn't say it's the best since it doesn't have any indication of the temperature you're changing it to, but if you take the time to monitor the temperature as you change it, it should be fine.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AFELT92/ref=mp_s_a_1_34?qid=1419625323&amp;sr=8-34&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70
This 5-gallon kit is very affordable and includes those things. However, the filter is very strong and needs to be baffled:
http://www.petsmart.com/fish/aquariums-stands/top-fin-led-aquarium-starter-kit-zid36-36002/cat-36-catid-300013?var_id=36-36002&amp;_t=pfm%3Dcategory
I wouldn't wait to get a heater unless your indoor temperature is pushing 80. I'd get an adjustable one, since sometimes Bettas can get sick and the treatment involves turning up their water temp.
For a small tank a 25W heater is fine, but for some reason on Amazon the 50W Hydor Theo is usually cheaper...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061UQ6G/ref=twister_B00ZX0DDS8?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Also add the API master test kit to your list. It's a big upfront buy, but it's worth it over the long haul.
For water conditioner, I suggest Seachem Prime. I've been through several, and wish I'd bought Prime to start with.
There's also this tank from Petsmart, which is a pretty darn good deal for 5 gallons plus tank plus corner filter (I got the Top Fin 5.5 gallon, and it comes with a sucky hang on back filter that was WAY too strong for my betta Drax) or if you wanted something a bit smaller, there's this option. BUT, that tank doesn't have a light, heater, or filter. I recommend the Hydor Theo heater for the 5 gallon tank, and the Hydor mini for the 2.5.
As for water parameters, are you conditioning your water at all when you do water changes? If not, the chlorine/chloramines in the water might be getting to him. I totally recommend Prime by Seachem - gets rid of chlorine/chloramines/temporarily detoxifies ammonia.
Otherwise, having live plants can do a world of difference for a betta; they tend to like more of a jungle environment; as long as the plants are "low tech/low light" and get some light throughout the day, they should survive in a tank with regular water changes. And the best part about all natural plants? They don't tear betta fins! :) I'd recommend ordering some from www.liveaquaria.com or www.plantedaquariumscentral.com - both are highly regarded among the planted tank community, and their rates are super reasonable.
EDIT: The reason I recommend these guys as opposed to getting plants from Petco or Petsmart is because both of those corporations tend to sell mis-labeled and non-aquatic plants as true aquatic plants - I fell for this and ended up having to get rid of at least three of my aquarium plants because of my mistake. >.<
Also, if you get the 2.5 gallon and think you can afford it, I totally recommend the sponge filter + air pump combo for filtration; excellent biological and mechanical filtration once the tank is cycled, and it's pretty cheap to boot. Well, cheaper than other options. (I think I paid...$20 for all of my sponge filters - 4 of them - then $10 for 8 feet of silicone air tubing + a set of 5 check valves to prevent back siphoning. The main cost was the air pumps themselves at $9/apiece for three of them. So...$57 grand total for four filter setups? I keep shrimp as well, and they need sponge filtration, so I jumped in feet first, I guess. :P) Otherwise, Marina's I25 filter would work well also, provided your betta can stand a little more current/won't get his fins caught in the intake.
In the meantime, if he's fighting his reflection, it can sometimes help to put some light-colored paper on the outside walls of the tank; it can reduce the reflections he sees.
Golly, sorry for the novel of a post!
https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484007071&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=hydor+theo
Your fishy would love a tank heater. You'll have to do a little research in order to get the right wattage. With a 20 gallon tank, you'd be looking at around 100 or more watts.
My Betta has a coco hut and he really likes to hide in it (make sure that the one you receive is the "correct" size - the first one they sent me was way too small, so I returned it and ordered a new one). Give it a good boil or two before putting it in your tank.
Also, I use Aqueon betta water conditioner and have had good luck with it. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_11?url=search-alias%3Dpets&amp;field-keywords=betta+water+conditioner&amp;sprefix=betta+water%2Cpets%2C120&amp;crid=AGT714XS0TZG
Omega One Betta Buffet pellets are great and so are New Life Spectrum Betta Formula pellets. :)
When you expand, this might be a handy tool for you: AquaAdvisor
Right now, if I were you, I would purchase:
HOB Nano filter
Siphon Water changer/gravel vacuum - Carry your aquarium over to a drain. Keep an empty two liter handy to pour freshwater back in.
You cycled your tank, right? If not, you may want to pour some of this in there to help.
Water Test Kit Keep track 2x a week. Small tanks are more difficult since water conditions can go bad quite quickly. Keeping an aquarium is not about fish, it's about chemistry.
Spiral CFL bulb to replace the incandescent you probably have. Incandescents suck and heat your aquarium way too much.
Thermometer Glass, with suction cup.
Light timer Trust me, keeping that light on all day is only going to cause algae, and won't make your plants grow quicker. 6 hours in the beginning, 8 hours max.
Heater 25 watt, keep at 80 degrees. The gradient lines will NOT be accurate.
------
Low-tech tank care Study this, and pay attention to the dry fertilization part.
Okay if he can eat them he probably is full when he stops. Don't feed him more if there are some at the bottom. Remove those or they will spike your ammonia and harm him.
Do you have a Petsmart near you? This is a 5.5g with a filter and light for only $30. Here is a heater get the 50W for only $17.
Those are the most important things and only about $50. You will also need a water conditioner if you don't have one already - don't waste money on a betta-specific one, just get something like AquaClear Plus. Anything else isn't critical.
Being removed from the tank (and needing to do 100% water changes) are very stressful on the fish. Normally you would leave the fish in and use a siphon to remove debris/poop from the gravel/substrate and ~20% of the tank water. Then get new water, condition and add. Fish stays in.
TBH fish will jump no matter how they feel. Some species are just notorious jumpers regardless of how the water/environment is for them. My LFS had some wrasse jump twice while I was there to buy corals and me and the employee both were trained for that particular-sounding splash lol. Some people train their bettas to leap for food! But yes, the fish can jump if it's unhappy. But not jumping does NOT mean the fish is happy, and jumping doesn't mean the fish ISN'T happy.
As far as equipment goes, get an AquaClear 20 (or 30) filter, an Aqueon (or other reliable brand, I've used Hydor with good luck) ADJUSTABLE heater. A thermometer. The lights you get depends on what you plan on doing with your tank. You're also going to need a water testing kit, a dechlorinator (most people will recommend Seachem Prime).
Is this going to be your first aquarium?
If it was me, I'd start by doing this:
I hope this helps! I know it can get a little pricey but it's more than worth it to ensure Flameo's healthy and happy.
Thank you all so much for your patience! thoothsk is right, i should have given more information. I hate when people call me for tech support and say "my computer isnt working, can you come fix it" when they just need to load paper into their printer or some other equally as frustrating lack of detail. So here goes:
Pic Of Tank
1.10G Heater so the temp is about 78
So, i think that is all the answers, and again. Thank you for your patience. I should have given more details.
My main question is should i throw these 6 java fern plants out, or are they salvageable in the condition they are in, if i give them time? I believe i will not order from this vendor again.
EDIT: i have no fish in the tank. :) I have a 55G tank that i used to put lots of fake plants in because i love the look of plants, so this 5 gallon is my attempt at starting plants first. Fish when allll is well.
EDIT 2:
First of all - the tank is too small for neons. So I'd take those back.
I have a similar issue with my Fluval Spec, I ended up moving the hose about halfway off the pump ad it slowed down the flow a lot. Almost made it pointless - but it still does the job. I'd see if you could do something similar with that. You could probably jerry rig some kind of spray bar out of pvc maybe?
Also I'd consider investing in a smaller heater for your betta if you haven't already.
So petsmsrt sells these 5 gallon kits for $30, (There's also a 10 gallon kit for $30, but my store doesn't usually have them). They have everything except a heater and substrate, but I've heard you can buy pool filter sand to use as substrate, which would be cheaper, and there are some heaters on Amazon you could get. I put some links and a total cost (other than substrate) below, and it comes out to about $90.
5 gallon: https://www.petsmart.com/fish/tanks-aquariums-and-nets/aquariums/top-fin-essentials-aquarium-starter-kit-40713.html?cgid=300129
Heater: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sAnVAb4BGEVMS
Thermometer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQIU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_IznVAbV5P8XSD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_HwnVAbNSCPJWW
Total cost:
30×2 + 11×2 + 3.50×2 = $89
Definitely! The tank is a pretty standard rimless glass, which i bought from my LFS. The other parts I purchased online:
The substrate is pool sand, and the dark green moss is actually a marimo moss ball that i took apart and glued to the rock with superglue :)
You DO need a heater. I have a betta in a temporary 2 gallon hospital tank and I use this heater. 50W is plenty, just make sure the heater can be completely submersed.
I think if you used a chiller like this one - but I dont know how effective it would be, they say it for a 10 gallon tank of water it pulls about 10F.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JSVLBO/ref=s9_simh_gw_g199_i1_r?ie=UTF8&amp;fpl=fresh&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=desktop-1&amp;pf_rd_r=0XN098C60EAC6C7S685M&amp;pf_rd_t=36701&amp;pf_rd_p=2079475242&amp;pf_rd_i=desktop
Fair warning, incoming essay haha
27 gallons is perfectly fine. The first thing you will want to read up on is the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling. The best way to cycle your tank is to ask a local fish or pet store if they can give you some used filter media to jump start your cycle. If not, buy an API test kit and follow the steps in those guides then your tank will cycle in about a month.
For filters you have two main options Hang off the back (HOB) or canister. HOB are easy to maintain and clean which seems great as a beginner. They need to be cleaned every couple-few weeks. Aquaclear are great HOBs. For your size tank I would get an aquaclear 50 or two of the 20/30s (one for each side).
I prefer canister filters. They give you more options for customization, can hold more media, and don't need to be cleaned as often as HOB. Buuuut they typically come at a steeper price. The most popular brands are eheim, fluval, and sunsun. I have eheims and love them. Reviews for sunsuns can be hit or miss, but they definitely have good value for their price. When picking a filter you generally want a turnover rate of 8-10 times your tank size. So 27 gallon tank, youd want about 216 - 270 gallons per hour (gph), keep this in mind when picking a canister.
If you plan on tropical fish you will definitely need a heater. Aqueon pro and eheim make good heaters. If you go canister, you can get an inline heater which are nice because you don't have to look at it or try to hide it in your aquarium.
For planted tanks you need a substrate. The cheapest option is to use pool filter sand along with some root tabs. Look into the walstad method if you wanna keep it low tech and cheap. The only problem with this method is that if you ever want to move plants or hardscape around it can be a bit messy. The more expensive route is to buy some aquasoil. There are a few types, but the most well known is ADA aquasoil. These substrates are packed with nutrients that last at least a couple years usually. In between is to use a porous substrate like Fluorite or eco-complete. These come with a little nutrients, but will need fertilizers to continue its benefit.
Fertilizers area great way to keep your plants happy and healthy, but for many plants are not really necessary. If you decide to use them you can buy them in liquid or dry form. I suggest buying dry because it is much cheaper, but you will have to figure out how much you need to dose. Luckily there are calculators out there that can do it for us!
Lighting you have many options. My favorite are finnex LEDs. They are middle of the ground pricing wise and do their job very well in my experience. Here is a good guide for lighting. When researching a light you want to use you should do so by finding its PAR value at the level of your substrate. Low is about 0-30 PAR, medium 30-50, and high 50+ PAR. Low you don't need pressurized CO2 to avoid algae, medium it is recommended, but you can get away with a densely planted aquarium and use of seachem excel, and high you need pressurized CO2.
I like to use hardscape in my aquariums. Things like rock and drift wood give a natural appearance to aquariums, provide shelter for livestock and take up space. If you get into aquascpaing, hardscape plays a major role.
Plant selection will depend on your lighting, fertilizer, and CO2. Here is a list of good low light/low tech plants. If you want more demanding plants do your research and ask questions if you have them!
Fish selection depends on you and what you like. See a fish you're interested in? Do NOT automatically trust a sales man at a petshop or fish store. Do your own research on the fish before buying and ask questions about people's experience with the fish and its compatibility with your tank. In a 27 gallon you can fit 1, maybe 2, groups of most smaller schooling fish and then some bottom feeders.
A general stocking plan would be 10-12 of a schooling fish like neon tetra (or something of that size), 10 salt and pepper cories, 6 otocinclus, and some red cherry shrimp.
The most important advice I can give you is to do your research. Doing your research will save you time and money. People are generally friendly and helpful on this subreddit so don't be afraid to ask more questions.
yeah.. considering this down the road
I'll check it out! I like the idea of DIY but thankfully money isn't really an object when it comes to my build. I think i'd rather get a nice looking canister and have it on display a bit. I was thinking of getting possibly a hydor inline heater
With a Fluval G3.
I'm a Hydor girl myself; got their 300W in-line heater to go with my Hydor 350 canister filter; perfect temperature regulation and added bonus that it's outside of the tank!
Pretty much every submersible heater review I've seen on Amazon included multiple stories about water getting in and frying someone's fish. Hydor was no exception.
That said, Amazon reviewers gave the highest reviews (I included number of reviews in my assessment) to the Aquatop Quartz Glass Submersible Heater and the Aqueon Submersible Aquarium Heater. I'd go with the 150W (up to 40g) for both.
I'd personally go for the Aqueon here because I like the dial better. Hope this helps. Good luck!
I like the Aquaclear 20 a lot. It moves a lot of water, you can customize the media (like adding more biomedia, Purigen instead of carbon, etc), can easily adjust flow, and is VERY quiet. I've used the Whispers and they're alright, but tended to blow my biggest betta around. It is possible to baffle it with a cut water bottle (google it) but I prefer the Aquaclear hands down.
Heater: Eheim 50w (adjustable), Cobalt 50w (also adjustable, and looks sleek). A lot of people like the Hydor heaters as well.
Thermometer: the Marina one. Strips tend to not be as accurate.
not soon soon. there is a high chance they might but they might not, if you can see if you can take them back or give them to a friend that has a cycled tank if possible till your tank cycles, if you can't and you want to give them the best chance of survival, you will have to test ammonia the water daily and if the ammonia is above 0.25ppm do a 50% water change. then just test nitrite every 2-4 days. your goal is to:
all of that will take awhile to do and don't be to shocked if a couple die.
it will also help if I know what filter you have. you might also want to pick up a heater
I'd go for an adjustable heater. My 25 W heater can't quite keep the temperature at 80 F in the winter.
http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-50W-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B00061UQ6G/ref=pd_sbs_petsupplies_2?ie=UTF8&amp;refRID=0BZ5NEB4ZFK67VQSEJ4S
I know you're on a budget, but don't skimp on the heater! The fish are always the cheapest part of a tank.
I got this for my 5.5 gallon. Works good so far. https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B00061UQ6G
I'm still new but this is what I have read:
I'm getting this heater for my betta. Although this heater is cheaper and has some decent reviews; link also lists other simular ones. I'm getting the more expesive one listed in the first link, cause I like that it atcts like a heater and thermomiter.
As far has plants go, if you get faux, make sure they are silk and don't have any sharp or rough edges on them or it could tear your fishes fin. I have read that one good test is to take the plants and decorations and run them through a panty hoe. If it doesn't cuase a run, it's safe. Live ones are better since they help get rid of toxins. Having a 1-3 real Marimo balls are always good. If your new to tank keeping I would search for plants that work well in low light, and can handle brackish water incase you need to do a salt treatment.
Get the API Fresh waster master water tester. Strips are ok, but not uber accurate sometimes and can end up costing more money.
Seen some people say they like the Fluval tanks, just have to adjust the filter so the current isn't too strong for the betta and might have to mod it to get a heater in the filter bit. I currently have a 2 gallon, but eventually would like to get him in a 5 gallon. I would not go bellow 2- 2.5 gallon.
I give my betta fish frozen brine shrimp; just one a day. Some people do the flakes and pellets, but frozen food is better. you have to be careful not to over feed them, or they will bloat and get swim bladder issues. Feeding them a blanched deskind peice of pea helps keep them regular.
Again, i'm still really new to betta fish, but this is what I have read online. The sticky INFO: Betta Care Sheet has a lot of good info to read.
Actually, you can get an adjustable heater for small aquariums. The Hydor Theo (Canadian Amazon link!) is what I have in all of my 5g Betta cubes. They're rated for 2-7g tanks and are by far the best purchases I've made for my bettas.
Non-adjustable heaters aren't worth the money. Water temps that fluctuate constantly is stressful for any fish and should be avoided.
The 25w Theo is available at US Walmarts for $19.
Sure! It's a Fluval Chi, five gallon tank. I am not using the stock filter/light.
Currently, I have a HOB filter (hang on back), but I have a sponge filter coming tomorrow. I have berried shrimp, so I need to change it out. Also, I find the HOB creates too much current. I wasn't planning to use it long term. I got this tank for free from a friend, so I just set it up with whatever I had lying around.
I am using an Eheim 50 watt heater on the tank, which is serious overkill. I'm only using it bc that's what I have. A 25 watt heater would be more than sufficient. This is what I have in the other tank:
Hydor 25W Submersible Aquarium Heater - Original Theo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_rMMrub08HC07X
This is the sponge filter I'll be using:
6.2" Height Fish Tank Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter Black w Air Input Tube https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E6PP36G/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_6MMrub1C6PG0F
For substrate, I'm using black blasting sand with root tabs.
Lighting is clamp light with a 60 watt equivalent 6500K bulb.
Stock is RCS and two kinds of snails, ramshorn and MTS.
I dose Excel and K, there are too many kinds of plants to list them all but a few are:
pygmy chain sword, bacopa, red camomba, hornwort, duckweed, java moss, guppy grass, and that's all I can remember ATM.
You have tons of people already going at you with the "just go for the 5 gallon" so I won't bother with that (2.5 gallon is still perfectly acceptable. I have a 1.5 gallon with a happy betta). Anyways, for filter you have a few options. I've used all of these filters as well.
Finnex Pure-5 Power Filter: https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Pure-5-Power-Aquarium-Filter/dp/B004NP66M4
One of the very best filters for small set ups. A definite feature you'll love is the adjustable flow it has. Make sure to baffle it up if necessary. I personally use this one the most in my tanks.
AZOO Mignon Filter 60: https://www.amazon.com/AZOO-AZ13097-Mignon-Filter-60/dp/B005VEWCMO
An amazing filter that is very quiet and very powerful. Comes with a pre filter as well so your betta's fin will be super safe. Baffle it up though since it is quite powerful but it's also adjustable.
Fluval Nano Filter: https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-A455-Nano-Aquarium-Filter/dp/B004BZKDZC
This one is for when you do get a 5 gallon or bigger. This one is an amazing filter if you are willing to do some DIY on it. One of the major problems is the impeller is sometimes loose in some units and you'll have to wrap some teflon tape on it. If this bothers you, I'd skip this one but this is seriously a great filter.
Another option for filters is a sponge filter which is always cheap and readily available/easily made.
For heaters, you have a few options as well but I'll just list the ones I usually use. NOTE: I personally buy new heaters every year because the possibility of overheating still exists.
Tetra HT-50: https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q
Don't let the 50 watt scare you because this one is probably one of the best and trusted non-adjustable heater. It is non-adjustable though so it will keep it at around 24-26°C.
Hydor Original Theo: https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8
One of the most trusted adjustable heaters. Useful for when you need to raise the temperature of your water. I haven't really used this one as much as the Tetra one but it does the job for me.
XiLong Heater: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Water-Heater-Fish-Tank-Adjustable-25-50-100-200-300-Pretty-Aquarium-Submersible-/261412637763
This one may seem like a sketchy buy but I honestly prefer it over the Hydor Original Theo. I use this for my 5 gallon and it keeps the temperature very very stable. Cheap as hell too.
I have a 5 gallon I’m selling with a light, heater, and HOB filter for $60 so definitely put your zip code! But before I upgraded my tank I had a simple sponge filter with air pump from amazon, a Nicrew light, and driftwood from a local store that cost me $10... in total my first set up was... air pump , sponge filter , Nicrew light (that was $14 when I got it...) and the tank $10, lid $10, driftwood $10= about $8”:) or you can do this HOB heater
Oh and for plants in this sub, there’s tons of people that sell good, tons of plants, good priced! I got TONS OF PLANTS for $20-$30 from bquad. But he isn’t the only one
Yes. The more plants the better!
If you're looking for suggestions, the best heater ive found is https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=Hydor+Submersible+Glass+Aquarium+Heater+-+Original+Theo&amp;qid=1557360095&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-2
You can buy used for $15.
Java moss, java fern, anubias and moss balls are really easy to care for.
The bigger the tank the fewer the water changes.
You can get water tested at the pet store, dont buy water test strips (theyre not accurate), and if you can, the master freshwater test kit is the best.
Betta can live for 7 years with proper care. They are incredibly hardy, and even with poor conditions, they can survive for years, and the pet stores capitalize on this. It is much more profitable to sell you a fish repeatedly like a decor item, with high mark up little tanks than it is to sell fewer fish with good setups.
This one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=twister_B00ZX0DDS8?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Just wanted to point out that while it's true that a 10g setup would cost roughly the same as a 5g, but sometimes space is a factor.
With that in mind, you can expect to spend roughly $40-60 depending on where and how you're shopping. Currently PetSmart has 5.5g and 10g tanks that come with an LED hood for $30, and PetCo has the $1 per gallon sale (10g minimum) if you're looking for a convenient route.
You should decide if you'd like live plants or not. That will determine many factors for your tank, such as what kind of substrate and lighting. Having a planted aquarium doesn't mean it'll be high maintenance or high cost, and going planted is almost always the better choice over artificial. That being said, a betta can live just fine in a tank with fake decorations.
Tank: $10-30 At my LFS, a 5.5g rimless is about $11. At a place like Petco/Petsmart, you're probably looking at $15-25. You should probably check out your local Craigslist while you're at it, too.
Substrate: $5-20 There's a lot of variety here.
Sand. Gravel. Rocks. Out of these three, I prefer sand. Some plants can still grow in it, it looks nice and is easier to keep clean since fish poop doesn't migrate to the bottom of the tank as much as with gravel/rocks.
If you're tight on a budget but would like lots of plants, check out the Walstad Method, which uses potting soil (organic) capped with sand, uses natural lighting and low/no maintenance plants. This method would probably set your back about $10-15 in substrate and plants.
If you've got a little extra money and want plants, you can buy soil made for aquariums (found in actual fish stores, not Petco/Petsmart), CaribSea (~$20 for 10lbs), etc.
Mix aquatic soil and sand or rocks if you'd like a compromise. For my heavily planted 5g, I used 2 liters of Mr. Aqua soil (~$20) and black sand ($3) to give you an idea.
Filter: $10-15 Sponge filters are dirt cheap and fool-proof, but require an air pump and some tubing. Some people prefer a hang-on-the-back filter; I use this one ($12) and stuff the insides with a sponge and ceramic media (I don't buy the refill cartridges). HOBs like this are advantageous because you can customize the filter media.
Heater: $10-15 Hydor 25w, $15 will do just fine for a 5g. There are cheaper ones, but keep in mind that many cheap heaters aren't adjustable and/or don't have light indicators or built in thermostats. If that's okay with you, then by all means.
Light: $0+ If you're not doing plants, no light is necessary. If you're doing the Walstad method or just have low light plants, you just need natural light or a lamp. If you're growing plants (other than moss/anubia/java), you can use a desk lamp but you'll want to look into getting some daylight (like 6500k) compact fluorescent ($5?) or LEDs. There are special lights that sit or clip on your tank made for growing plants, but they're more expensive at around $40+.
Thermometer: $1-3 Anything more than that's probably a waste.
Decoration/Plants: $5+ Just make sure no decorations have rough or sharp edges. It would be nice to give him a hiding spot, some people just use a small clay pot for plants. If you're going planted, you should check out anubias and java moss/ferns, as they don't require substrate or much lighting to thrive, and can be found anywhere.
Check out /r/AquaSwap and you'll find people selling plants, and you'll often find kind members who will just give you trimmings you can propogate yourself for free if you cover shipping ($5-7, usually), all you need to do is ask. It probably wouldn't be hard to find someone who could sell you equipment and accessories (new or established sponge filters, regular filters, heaters, etc) for a decent price.
I got this same tank for Christmas and plan on making it a shrimp tank. I ordered some eco-complete off of Petco.com, since their shipping option was the cheapest. It was poorly packaged, but arrived quickly and intact. I ordered a Hydor 25 Watt Heater because it'll fit in the back area. One thing to consider if you're planning on putting the heater back there, is making a modification to the flow tube so the heated water circulates more evenly. This also helps keep the flow rate lower so bettas and shrimp don't stress out from the hight current. Also, keep in mind that keeping shrimp and fish together is risky - some bettas won't bother them, but it really depends. My experience with RCS is that if can fit in someone's mouth, it's gonna get eaten (I had 7 RCS in my 20 gallon and they were gone in a week - still not sure if it was my corys or my danios, but it was a shrimpocalypse). I know someone with a Spec III whose betta hunted down 3 ghost shrimp over the course of a few months and they're quite a bit larger than RCS and are also not a bright, enticing red. Hence, why I am now setting up a separate shrimp tank.
When I started up my 20 gallon long, my LFS advised me against adding all but the hardiest of plants (such as anubias nanas) while cycling since supposedly ammonia can melt/burn some plants. I plan on ordering some Christmas Moss and trying to create a wall or carpet using mesh, and I'll be moving some of my anubias and crypts over from my 20g.
I've been thinking about s. repens in this tank as well, since I think it would be great to have a low, carpet type plant in my shrimp tank. But from all that I've read, it sounds like that's a light and CO2 needy plant. Supposedly it will grow in in lower light, but is more likely to grow high and slowly, and won't necessarily produce that beautiful carpet effect. I've never had Frogbit, but looking at it, I would be worried that it could block a lot of light from anything buried in the substrate, and with an already weak light that could be more problematic.
ETA: The 25w heater should be fine for the Spec V, but if you tend to keep your house cold (60F) I would opt for the 50w.
I have the same heater as you do currently, and I plan on switching out to this one whenever I can. I seriously recommend it, as the temp is adjustable so you can decide the temp that you want
Hi :)
I was going to say good choice on the Marineland tank. I would say depending on what you want to put in there you might want to make some mods.
first with this hidden filtration tank, you will want to set the water pump to the LOWEST setting... because of the footprint water gets pushed around quite quickly stressing fish with long fins out... i.e. betta which is really good with this tank if you can get the water flow just right (they love swimming up and down and playing).
Second if you want shrimp, note the vents in the back of this tank are large enough for them to crawl in... so you might need to improvise and add a 'slab' of filter floss in front of the filter tray that comes with the tank... it gets a tiny bit tricky for the 5 gallon because the tank is quite tall...
finally tall tanks or square tanks do limit your choices of fish to less active nano fish. As with shrimp, nano fish will need to have filter floss added in the compartment behind the return vents. Fish like tetras would not go well in this tank since they like swimming over long distances - prefer long tanks.
Your heater doesn't appear to have the ability to set the temp. Not sure where you are geographically but assuming your room temp is around 20-23c your heater probably set in at about 24 to 25c. Either way a pre-calibrated to 'tropical fish' heater limits your choices in fish. i.e. red cherry shrimp can do ranges between 16c - 27c but seem to thrive in 22c. your heater choice might make them uncomfortable. In addition, while the Marineland instructions say don't put the heater in the back, you can if you know what you are doing - such as pushing the heater down lower and using proper suction cups so it sticks to the wall and doesn't touch anything such as the plastic pieces. The heater I would recommend which is slightly more pricey but comes quite recommended is the Hydor Theo 25w.
https://www.amazon.ca/Hydor-25W-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8
Also I would say skip the air pump, since the tank you added has a nozzle that can be angled at a wall in a way which creates
signficant surface tension and proper oxygenation in the tank. the way the glass lid fits creates a pretty nice fit so the pump cables coming out would just detract from the clean looks. If you put the air pump in the back compartment, its pointless since you can't see the 'cool bubbles' and also reduces the amount of volume of water in the back. From a filtration standpoint, you want more water to pass through the back than less for better filtration. Hence I recommended the Hydor since the heater is extremely short for an adjustable thermostat heater.
Hope that helps! A bit long I know.
EDIT: another thing, i noticed you are looking at a 50w heater... that is totally not necessary, unless you keep your room way below 20c and need to keep your at 30c. Also from experience, i find the tank circulates the water fast enough that I find the tank warmer than the thermostat on the heater. It could be a faulty thermostat, but the heater works perfectly fine in my long tanks (matching to my digital thermometer without any issue).
Thanks for the reminder to establish the tank first. I'll read up on that. As for the heater, I believe the one I linked to is adjustable? Isn't that the knob on top? I hope I'm not looking at the wrong type. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPG8?_encoding=UTF8&amp;isInIframe=0&amp;n=2619533011&amp;ref_=dp_proddesc_0&amp;s=pet-supplies&amp;showDetailProductDesc=1#product-description_feature_div
Thank you for your help!
Tank - https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Spec-Aquarium-2-6-Gallon-White/dp/B009S8NO26/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479225276&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Fluval+spec+III
Heater - https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479225297&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hydor+25+watt+heater
The tank requires a small amount of modification to make the flow suitable for bettas but these two pieces of equipment provide an excellent set-up for a betta.
As long as you don't keep your home really cold, this will probably do: http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-7-5w-Heater-Bettas-Bowls/dp/B006JVQ67K
If you want to be sure its good enough, these are pretty high quality for the cost (probably too large if you have the 2.5gal): http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-25W-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1422690305&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hydor+heater&amp;pebp=1422690295593&amp;peasin=B0006JLPG8
Ha, love the name idea!
I'm not sure if you have read around and are aware of the proper care for a betta (if you have then ignore me) but if you haven't I'll go ahead and say a two gallon bowl isn't the best place for him, and is also another reason for the downvotes. He can live in it but he's not going to thrive. He does need a heater and a filter, if you have those then that is awesome, if not you can even get them as a broke college student.
If I can tell you one thing I'm positively sure of, there is always room for a fish tank. ;)
I'm just going to link you a cheap list of good stuff for little moneys:
Sponge Filter
Air Pump
Airline Tubing I bet you can find this in stores for less. Also less as an add on item.
Check Valve Most likely less at a store.
Heater, Heater 2 Costs a good bit more but I really love these.
Tank, Tank 2 There are many other options to look at.
If you go with the cheapest it will run you just about $58 with prime.
Hope the list gives you something to think about. If you've got any questions at all I'd be more than happy to answer them if I can.
Edit* Added a link.
I have this Heater for my 5.5 gallon. I'm pretty satisfied with it, although it struggled to keep up when we had a cold snap (like 55* Fahrenheit inside) with no house heat turned on. It was easily remedied by wrapping a towel around my tank.
Take a look at the 25 watt version of this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006JLPG8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
:D That is the same tank I've got and am looking to Craigslist here soon. There's nothing wrong with it as a starter tank, I just didn't like the difficulty of rounded side when trying to look at Superman. I am also not a fan of the amount of condensation that accumulates on the lid as it gets messy whenever I've tried to take it off.
With heaters, I'd suggest a Hydor or an Eheim as the reviews for both are very favorable, have a better heat transfer, and you can adjust the temperature yourself instead of guessing and hoping your heater is going to set itself to whatever it says on the box.
The filter does circulate quite well but you could shove an additional piece of filter media to slow the flow.
Do you have a thermometer? They shouldn't be that expensive. Get a real one and not a stick-on. http://www.petsmart.com/fish/thermometers/grreat-choice-floating-thermometer-zid36-5203381/cat-36-catid-300077?_t=pfm%3Dcategory
What kind of plants, substrate, and got any other decorations in it? Here's what mine looked like when Superman got his new home (and no, ADF didn't make it). And here's another shot of me showing off to some folks that didn't think I'd have a lot of nail polish.
Here it is!
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1511206121&amp;sr=1-4&amp;keywords=fish+tank+heater
(Sorry about the long link lol)
I've loved it, its been great.
For 5 gallons I love this heater, it stays at 78 degrees which is way better than "10 degrees above your room temperature" or 75 degrees. I got mine at walmart. For the filter I use a small air pump and this sponge filter. It's tiny but has both a sponge and rocky filter media, which you can replace with your own small biomax ceramic filter media. I found it could handle my betta's waste just fine.
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edit: oops I just realized the heater I mentioned is yours haha. Mine works really well! I really haven't found a better one that's appropriate for such a small tank.
Main expenses in a small tank will be coral frags. Maybe you can get them cheap at local aquarium club, in the reef store if they offer single head frags for $5-10 each, on on AquaBids or AquaSwap here. If online, shipping could cost more that few corals, it should be fast or animals could die.
Don't start with xenia or gsp, add them a lot later. LPS are a safe bet, with few exceptions, but they need feeding.
Before starting, get familiar with small scale reef keeping, if has different rules than keeping 5-300 gal reef tanks. EcoReef Zero is as simple as it could get. Another version of it. Caveat: this large coral costs a lot, but you could use single head frag (piece of coral, as a plant cutting for plants) of neon green candycane as well, or rescue open brain (not trachyphillia or scolymia, see images online, cynarina or doughnut coral are OK if mouth is not open and there are no rotten flesh). If small biomass coral, keep some biomedia in the tank, from piece of live rock to Seachem Matrix in the filter, or both.
Next: you will need salt mix, AquaForest and Red Sea Coral Pro salt mixes seems to be gentler in small systems than all others, but Matritza reef vase (do search for this) uses the cheapest Instant Ocean salt mix (it has high alkalinity, harsh on corals IMHE). Bucket for mixing, and something to measure salinity. Refractometer with AccuraSea or other calibrating solution at 35 ppt salinity. Floating hydrometer is cheaper and accurate, but you will have to use high glass cylinder to be able to see from the side and use temperature related conversion table, unlike with refractometer.
Test kits: many are the same as for FW, ammonia, nitrite for cycling, KH for alkalinity, if you keep up with water changes, maybe you can live without nitrate and phosphate test kits. Find brandon429 and his subgallon pico and reef bowl, he used saltwater from LFS without testing at all.
Lights could be as Maritza reef vase uses, 12-24W ABI PAR38 LED, 2/3 blue, 1/3 white. In gooseneck mount or desktop arm lamp, shade removed. It has to be positioned high, 9-14" above water level.
Heater (50W Tetra or Aqueon preset at 78F are enough).
Source of water flow is tricky:
The cheap and good is noisy, as with Maritza reef vase or Reef bowl, air pump, witch airline tubing and check valve.
Or the smallest internal filter, like this, I'm using Tom Dive clean, with or without filter media cage.
Even smallest fountain pump will work, but, unlike Tom, it will heat water in the summer.
Now how difficult:
This gives general idea about what you have to expect.
I use the Tetra Submersible for my 5g (Tetra 26447 Submersible Aquarium Heater, 50-Watt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_yktVRIl36l2jU). It keeps the tank at 78F and is $10
My first betta tank was the 2.5 mini bow which wass pretty okay but after a few months I got a 5.5, it was actualy cheaper anyway... I did this because I would have more space for decorating and my fish looked kind of cramped in the 2.5. Also the minibow is more tall than long, and bettas prefer to swim left and right thean up and down so there's that too.
Food: get the omega one brand, not aqueon.
heater: I use(d) this in both my 2.5 and 5.5 https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1500312805&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=tetra+heater
conditioner: I use the api stress coat dechlorinator
don't waste your time with betta water, just use a water conditioner in your tap water
Setup Questions:
1.
If you're looking to have planted tank, check out real substrates that can grow plants better. I originally bought Sand by Imagitarium at Petco and thought it would work , but found out that this was just finely blended gravel and had no nutrients in the substrate.
http://aquariumadviser.com/best-substrate-planted-tank/
I am currently using the Eco-Complete and my plants seem to grow really fast in them . You can use those "Flourish tabs by seachem , but I haven't experiment them enough to see any changes . My Anubias lasted like 3 months until a plastic ornament melted one of the limbs that touched it and turned all brown and transparent. It's a hardy plant, but right now it seems to turn black from some kind of algae that's ruining the other limbs.
2.
Look into this heater. I have this in my Marineland 5 gallon and my Top Fin 10 gallon . It keeps it at a constant 78-80 degrees. It automatically turns on and shuts off by itself. Depending on the room temperature it can go up to 79-80, but the heater shuts off around 78 and just turns on and off on its own . I think its great and even have an extra one in-case I need a backup.
3.
Look up "seachem stability" as well. Prime dechlorinates water, but you still need a bacteria to help the culture of bacteria to build to keep ammonia 0 , nitrite 0 , and nitrates fine . It's a good bacteria to cycle the tank and does not require any refrigeration like other live bacteria. I've used API quick start, but it was okay. I think I needed patience which was the key. There's also Tetra safe start, and Dr. Tim's nitryfing bacteria, but all these vary if you look at reviews on different experiences.
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1500069473&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=50w+heater
4.
Look up different bacterias like quick start, seachem stability, tetra safe-start, Dr Tim's Bacteria , and any of these should speed up and/or help your cycling process. I still add them when I do water changes as well.
5.
I originally added a betta running my tank 1 week thinking it was good, but didn't realize how long cycling can take. The problem with doing a fish cycle, is that you need a hardy fish to create ammonia to help start up the process. Some people think its not humane, since this can burn out the fish in bad waters. My original betta survived long enough and one week after it was finished cycling, he sank to the bottom (RIP Chiron).
Betta is apparently good for doing a fish cycle, since they use the air in the top of the water to breathe if the water is not cycled. Problem with this , it burns out their gills and can cause problems in the future with them . This is probably what happened to my original betta.
(As Bad as it sounds , I have a female betta in my 5 gallon I'm cycling right now and she looks worse everyday. I had to move her from the 10 gallon I had , because the other fish was picking her fins because she was a baby and still small. I'll have to see what happens next)
Maintenance :
You can use sites like Aqadvisor.com and it will let you add the fish you have and the filter you have, along with the size. Choose 5Gallon and add the list of fish you have and it will tell you how many percentage is recommended depending on the stocking level you have. (This site is REALLY helpful , since lots of ppl online will say you're overstocking your tank all the time)
2.
Online instructions say:
Use 1 capful (5 mL) for each 200 L (50 US gallons)
If you have a syringe it's easier.
IF 5ml is for 50Gallons, then 1mL is for 10 Gallons. Then half of 1mL is 0.5 mL for 5 gallons .
Whew that's a lot of information . Let me know if you have any questions . I've had my aquarium for about 4 months now and I've done a LOT of research , so these are all my test and trials for these things and I see that I would ask these same questions and would tell you from my experience and what I've learned.
If you have any other questions about plastic ornaments, I would look into real wood/decorations for a more natural aquarium, but I'm bearly getting into this and is a lot more money, research , and work .
U have a filter?
Well heres some heater ideas, take a look at the reviews for each and Id look around some more on amazon and just keep look at reviews.
Aqueon Adjustable Aquarium Heater, 50 W https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7D222G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_lPmQDbCGKR2TY
Fluval M50 Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater (50 watts) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027VMPXA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8PmQDb1QKYVD6
If you cant find an adjustable this preset seems to be pretty reliable
Tetra HT Submersible Aquarium Heater With Electronic Thermostat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cSmQDbBAY33CS
Thanks for the response. I just checked the temperature with a food thermometer (not sure how accurate that is for this purpose) and it read 72F. A quick Google suggests this is maybe a bit lower than they prefer.
This is the heater - supposed to heat to 78F. Tetra HT Submersible Aquarium Heater With Electronic Thermostat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_epTSAbZE62AQM
The main thing that makes me think it isn't just lethargy is that it really looks like he struggles to reach the surface. As though he's literally sinking - but maybe that doesn't rule it out?
I have used this heater on several small Betta tanks.
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q
It is inexpensive, and automatic.
Be careful of those slim heaters that just raise the temps x amount of degrees. This one has a built in thermostat and regulates temp automatically to about 78 degrees.
this little guy does the trick just fine
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479069667&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=small+aquarium+heater
5g - Personally have many Chi IIs since they were very cheap when I found them and I just bought the store's stock. After around 6mo of running them I've decided I don't like them. The stock light is horrible, the stock filter is horrible. I had at first modified the filters to include ceramic biomedia from a cycled tank and I am glad I did because I found that the media that comes with the tank will quite actually fall apart when you try to clean it. Filter flow isn't strong enough to kick off debris from the bottom of the tank so you have to vac. I hate having to vac. If you want plants, you'll have to modify the light too. I ended up ditching the stock filter/light on all of them and hanging some Aquaclears on them with clip lights. Tip: You can baffle the flow of the Aquaclear by leaving the stock filter on the tank and just not running it. I've always put those cheapo adjustable Aqueon 50w heaters in these, this one. Just have to set it a little lower for the 5g.
I have a friend with a Fluval Spec V that I helped set up and his is doing well. We set it up with low light plants (lotsa java fern and water sprite) and just pointed the outflow at the glass. The water sprite baffles most of the flow that isn't baffled by the glass, but you can also put a sponge on the tip if you don't wanna get water sprite. For this tank, he went with a 25w Cobalt Neotherm which stays true to temp.
For HOB filters on every tank I have (up to 60 gallons!) I run Aquaclears. You do have to baffle it if you're putting it on a smaller tank but I promise it's really easy and takes like 10mins the first time. For heaters, I've done the aqueon one I listed above, this weird thing that is really cheap and I honestly have no complaints about or the Cobalt.
As far as lighting on a bare tank, that really depends what you want to do with the tank. Do you want a basic setup? Couple low light plants? Full carpet? Are you going to run CO2?
Same! I have the perfect heater for you. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OQO69Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Lights: One cheap, one expensive. I have the nicrew, it does fine for my 10g (in my post history)
NICREW DeluxeLED Aquarium Light, Full Spectrum LED Light for Planted Tanks, 20 to 24-inch, 18-Watt, 1200 LM, 7500K https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071LJKNWS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xqXQAb6EVJ4YC
Finnex Planted+ 24/7 Fully Automated Aquarium LED, Controller, 20 Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U0HMWHW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dsXQAbP4XB4J
Filter: One cheap option, one more expensive. You could probably downgrade the first filter for less gph (under 100) is probably better.
Marineland Penguin 200, Power Filter, 30 to 50-Gallon, 200 GPH https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009IODZG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_XsXQAb35KHD23
Finnex PX-360 Compact Canister Aquarium Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002VFF8U4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_UuXQAbQFZ3NTZ
Heater: Get two of these so you can heat up water for your water changes.
Aqueon Adjustable Submersible Aquarium Heater, 50W https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YAJJZS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ZvXQAbGD1J83W
Haha, sure. This is actually just a test run for my next grow, which will be RDWC. Im going to use the container that the plants are in now as the reservoir, and put the plants into each of their own 5 gal buckets. I just wanted to make sure I get a successful DWC grow under my belt before going all out.
I had a successful grow in coco coir, but damn that was a ton of work. Having to water them 2x a day and then transplanting them into bigger pots was a mess. I have a bad back and already, this grow has been soooooo much easier.
I built this reservoir as cheap as possible, and here is how I did it.
-Bought a big plastic tote from Home Depot(I think it's a 25gal?)
-Bought the cheapest aquarium chiller off of Amazon I could find and installed it in the container. Here's the link.
IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller - 4 in. x 4 3/4 in. x 7 1/2 in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JSVLBO/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_U.GpDbBCZKDGA
After running this for a few weeks now, I can say I might want to add a second one because this one struggles to keep the temperatures down on this larger reservoir. It's not that big of a deal though. I just drop in a frozen bottle of water in the morning and then change it out for another frozen one at night. When I do this, it keeps my res temp right at 68F with a room temperature of around 79 to 80 degrees. You would not need to use frozen bottles of water if you had a smaller res though. I've tested this before on a different smaller 15gal res that I built the same way, and it keeps the temperatures right at 68.
-Bought a can of spray adhesive also from Home Depot which I used to wrap the container in foam. I happened to have a big foam panel at my work and I cut it to fit the container. (my wife helped me, bc I'm terrible at wrapping Christmas presents). I believe the foam was around an inch or 1.5inches thick. You can use almost anything to insulate the container though if you can't find any foam. The more insulation, the better for keeping the temperatures down.
That's pretty much it. I still need to find a way to secure the air stones to the bottom because the water bottles floating around, kind of move the air stones around. Maybe I can find some suction cups or something.
Let me know if you have any more questions
I bought a chiller, https://www.amazon.com/IceProbe-Thermoelectric-Aquarium-Chiller-Works/dp/B001JSVLBO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1468425558&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=aquarium+chiller
which was my biggest purchase. It needed a thermostat controlled outlet, and I think that was $20-$30. I also got a small tank filter, ~$30, and a really simple clamp on light fixture with a like daylight LED bulb, so about another $20. The tank I got was probably about $50, it was a 10g customer acrylic tank I bought when the 30g I had shattered when I tried to have it drilled for the chiller. So for axi and all, about $300. I still have it all and would be willing to part with everything but the light and fixture, if you want to make me an offer.
I'd you don't mind spending a few more bucks, it would be pretty simple to set up a small water reservoir with an aquarium chiller, negating the need to keep throwing in ice.
What size tank and how many degrees (F) do you want to chill? That's the crucial bit. If you want a true refrigerant chiller, $150 ain';t gonna do it. a 1/15hp unit is twice that.
Thermoelectric chillers are less efficient/effective, but can be had for less money
IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller - 4 in. x 4 3/4 in. x 7 1/2 in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JSVLBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pYyvCb4BFVD71
Something like that should be pretty easy to make - the only thing stopping me is I don’t feel great about having another hole to seal/possible leakage from it.
For Ftss users... Has anyone tried using an iceprobe Peltier chiller plugged into a small cooler for 2-3 gallons of chilling reservoir? I was thinking of trying it out to keep the low temp stabilized... and using an ice bottle to get the temp down initially (so I don't stress the system as I've heard peltiers take awhile to get the temp down). I'd use an temp controller to maintain as low as possible. I'm just looking for something easy and small as a lot of the options are overkill for my one 7 gallon fermenter.
https://www.amazon.com/IceProbe-Thermoelectric-Aquarium-Chiller/dp/B001JSVLBO
IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller - 4 in. x 4 3/4 in. x 7 1/2 in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JSVLBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IRUZDbKDQKH7E
I have the Aqueon Pro 50 watt heater for my 10 gallon tank. Here it is on Amazon
It works great and it’s easily adjustable.
You can also get one on Amazon for a little less than in the store. I really like the Aqueon Pros they're not glass, sturdy, reliable, adjustable. I don't know if the one mentioned by the other person is cheaper though. You can also see if Drs Foster and Smith or Chewy have it cheaper.
Location? If it's in America, you can grab any good heater for this price.
Cobalt Neotherm $42
Aqueon Pro $25
Eheim $24
I wouldn't really recommend any heaters other than this trio besides maybe the Fluval E series, but they are too chunky for my liking.
I currently use a 50 watt Aqueon Pro Heater, I highly recommend this heater. Since your tank is 10 gallons, a 50 watt would be good enough for you.
Amazon Link
I got my Sammy at Petco and while he was kind of skittish and lethargic for the first week, after seven or so days in a filtered, heated, 5 gallon tank he was the coolest little guy- loved to come up and say hi, watched people all the time, super interactive. Like having a puppy in fish form. Also he was the cutest mofo ever.
That said, I'm only buying fish from a local place I found now, just because they're so awesome. Comparable prices, but way more knowledgeable and more selection; all their fish are happy and healthy (none of those I-wish_I-were-dead bettas!) and just a cool place to go look at stuff. If you can find a place like that, I'd highly recommend it!
*I almost forgot about the tank! I have this one, with a custom-cut glass lid that a local shop did for me for $15, and I have this heater. I LOVE it, it works great, and Sams looked so elegant in there (now that Sammy's gone, it's the home to two dwarf puffers who also seem to love it). Some may say that heater is overkill, but I went through three others of increasing wattage (including the one made for the tank), and none had the kind of horsepower I needed to get my tank to a safe temperature up from the ~50-60 degrees it is in my room in winter. When I was younger, I had this tank,, which comes with the lid already. I think that lid is really pretty important- my first betta died by jumping, and aside from being really sad, I found him in the morning, after he'd dried...to the carpet...and was a bit difficult to peel off. So kind of added insult to injury.
Either way, I'd definitely recommend starting with a kit, as it really just tends to be cheaper to get them all together. I like real plants, but I always ask for low-light ones myself-I am just too lazy to get extra lighting! But the real plants can help keep things happy and healthy, especially in a tank that small. I use sand over a planting substrate, because sand was nice and soft for my froggy and the substrate was what the plants wanted.
Hope this helped! I realize it's a TON of info. TL;DR, Petco fish can be fine if you don't pick a sick one and take care of them; 5g tank should really be the minimum; tank kits are going to be easier and cheaper; don't forget a heater!
The reviews on this heater are justified. It felt like military grade hardware when I took it out of the box and it wasn't too expensive.
I'd go with the 250 or 300w option. Here
I'm going to give you 2 complete tank set up recommendations.
1: the 20 gallon long.
Aqueon 20 long from petco, or find it on craigslist
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/filters/products/aquaclear-filter-1?variant=27576121864
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/intake-sponges
As filter option 1
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/filters/products/aquarium-co-op-coarse-sponge-filter?variant=29459429163077
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/air-pumps/products/never-clog-air-stone
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/air-pumps/products/check-valve
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/air-pumps/products/ziss-premium-air-valve
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/air-pumps/products/fluval-black-airline-tubing
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/air-pumps/products/aquatop-air-pump
As filter option 2.
https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003I5UC0W?th=1&amp;psc=1
Heater. It's a bit oversized but it's good up to like 40 breeder. Itd be better to have 2 75 watts but that's way more expensive.
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/lights/products/finnex-stingray-led-lights?variant=17546663300
Light that will grow plants in a 20 long perfectly fine.
Its dirt cheap because they OCCASIONALLY only last 2 years but FREQUENTLY dont make it past 3 years. It's a great light for 3 years of run time though.
Water test kit recommendation.
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/water-testing/products/api-freshwater-master-aquarium-water-test-kit
Cycle kick start
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/dechlorinators/products/fritz-zyme-7-live-bacteria-freshwater
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/plant-supplies-1/products/easy-green-all-in-one-fertilizer
Ferts
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/live-plants
I recomend you do not pay shipping for substrate. Look at you local fish store for ecocomplete.
https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/fish-medicine/products/quarantine-meds-trio
My usual meds.
Second recommendation is a aqueon 40 breeder
Same everything else but sized for 40 gallons.
Obviously this looks like an aquarium coop ad. But hey, they're my go to.
Plants, anything marked "easy" on that site.
So for a 20g tank, get like what a 75watt heater? http://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003I5UC0W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1452755802&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=eheim+jager+aquarium+heater+thermostat
I don't think you'll want to risk your fishes lives because of a few bucks, even if you can get them cheap. Get a good heater, I strongly recommend this one, and a good filter, even better if you get two. This and this are good ones.
Thanks! It's the Aqueon Mini Bow 5 Gallon. I think I have the old model, there's a newer one which seems to be more available on Amazon at this point. That comes with a filter. I just got a large silk plant today to put under the flow because it is a little strong for the betta. I have this heater. I had a lot of trouble with the really cheap Aqueon heaters. Didn't seem to work at all. I have the 10watt now because I bought it when I had a smaller tank, it manages to get the 5gal up to 76, I should probably order the 25watt now though. Didn't remember the one I have is too small! I also got this gravel vacc which you definitely want with an upgrade so you can do 25% water changes every week. Its really easy to use! Just need a bucket or container of some sort to put on the ground to collect the water. Good luck!
you def want something adjustable, with an internal thermostat. depending on your room temperature, a 10 or 25 Watt heater will probably be enough. This marina heater is a pretty good option
This is what we've been using in our 2 gallon shrimp tank for about a year:
http://www.amazon.com/Marina-C10-Compact-Heater-10-Watt/dp/B003TLWWOO/ref=pd_bxgy_petsupplies_text_y
We have a pretty cool house (60 - 65 degrees air temp in the winter) and it still keeps the water at 75 degrees.
Bettas are tropical and will not do well at 70F for very long. 76-82 is a good range to shoot for. ViaAqua has a decent and reliable 100W heater for around $13. Eheim Jager heaters are rock solid and super reliable for a little more than $20. I'd suggest getting a heater ASAP.
Fish in cycling will also be rough on your betta, but is manageable with frequent water changes. Is there anything else in the 10 gallon? What kind of filter do you have? Do you have a water test kit to monitor the nitrates and ammonia?
Edit: Can you move the tank to a warmer part of the house until you're able to get a heater?
People will yell at you for keeping it in a bowl and some people will even recommend they have to have 10g of water to be healthy.
A bowl is not healthy for the fish, but I've kept bettas in 2.5g tanks with no problems. The most important part is getting a filter and a heater, and not over feeding.
You want more lateral space than height, so a cubic or cylindrical tank isn't optimal. A simple 2.5g from Petco is what I use and is fine; it has the foot print of a shoe box. Bettas aren't really vertical swimmers, then are lateral swimmers; they also benefit from more surface area, which a rectangular tank gives.
I run this filter on my 2.5g and haven't had problems with it for a year. It will do better if you clean it every month.
Heaters are tricky; my best advice is to get a digital thermometer like this one and watch the temperature. My 2.5g hasn't dropped below 79 in a couple months, and I'm not running a heater. In the winter I use a heater like this one to keep the temperature steady. When you do start using a heater, you want to watch your temperature closely to make sure you aren't over heating the tank!
I use a desklamp with a Spiral CFL light bulb as lighting; but I also keep live plants. Your lighting completely depends on what you have in the tank. Keeping some plants isn't hard, but it is a balancing act that you have to get used to. You also have to do a little research about the type of plant and it's needs. If you want plants, give me a PM and I'll give you some easy plant recommendations. If you don't want plants, get a 10watt spiral CFL "Daylight" (6300K) lightbulb and put it in a desk lamp that is a couple inches above the water; or just put the tank in a window that gets some light through the day.
Food is simple; a small pinch of flake food or a little bit of freeze dried blood worms every few days is fine. Obviously live food is better, but it is also more work and more expensive.
___
TL:DR
Here is my 2.5g now after I trimmed it and before I topped it off. It has ~20 Black Bar Endlers in it now instead of a Betta. If you want a tank with live plants like that it takes a bit of planning, but isn't too bad.
I'm giving you this list because cost increases with size. A great 2.5g will cost you ~$60-100 upfront, and not much in the long run. A good 10G will cost you ~$100-200 because you will need a stronger filter, larger heater, larger tank, stronger lights. A bowl is the cheap option, and your fish will lose its color, likely lose some fins due to fin rot, and I would be surprised if it lives a year. A tank with a filter and heater will solve all those issues.
I recently started a 10g after doing a crapload of research. This is what I ended up with:
A lot of folks I talked to said the live rock and water changes would provide sufficient filtration, but I do enjoy the extra water clarity from having carbon and purigen in the filter.
Awesome, I like your style!
I still stand by this guy for an all-in-one solution.
Cut off temp regulator nub, do test batches with 5 gallons of water until the temp is right, and keep the thing wrapped in a down coat. The test batches are because the heating curve of the temperature regulator thingy is non-linear outside of its specified range, so turning one degree up isn't the same past the regulation point.
For another layer of insulation I also keep it inside a rubbermaid container. Super cheap, very well insulated, and easy to flush with CO2 through the airlock holes.
My girlfriend and I use Eheim Jager on all of our tanks. They are nicely made, adjustable, and super reliable!
My betta is in an aqueon 5 gallon tank with an Aquaclear 20 filter and an Eheim Jager 25W heater. Water parameters at perfect 0/0/<5.
I also have a Finnex Planted+ clip-on light, but unless you're growing live plants, it might be too much light.
Also - some sites for reference
Care Sheet for Red Eared Sliders
Austins Turtle Page
Turtle Times
Read through the forum here for helpful info. It's a very robust community of posters from around North America and beyond. I learned a lot from posters here.
Also, depending on the ambient room temperature, you may need a water heater for the young turtle. Younger turts are more susseptable to resperitory illness and things of that nature so make sure to read up on the temp requirments for these guys. You can find very affordable heaters
Heater
Air Pump I stopped using because with all the plants it was unnecessary
Lights
Filter is a Penn-Plax 20 gallon dual carbon / sponge filter, I can't find a link for it, sorry
I use this sponge filter with a Wal-Mart air pump and tubing. For the heater I use this Guy. I have a 5 gallon as well, and so far, so good!
Alright, it actually went down in price since I bought it... of course haha, it's this one in case you're wondering. Good luck with your tank!
http://www.amazon.com/ViaAqua-50-Watt-Submersible-Built-In-Thermostat/dp/B005440HLO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1396743443&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=aquarium+heater
This looks good! I have to say though, 100 watts for a 10 gallon tank is too much. It'll cause the temperature to fluctuate, which could be stressful or harmful to your betta. This one: https://www.amazon.com/ViaAqua-50-Watt-Quartz-Submersible-Thermostat/dp/B005440HLO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1492728826&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=adjustable+aquarium+heater
Is a good option, or you can go up to 75 watts if you want to keep it on the warm side (thats what I did)
I live in Southern California where it gets slightly colder over the winter and even though we keep the house warm I got a tank heater with a thermostat just in case. My main concern was the temp fluctuation since most shrimps like it consistent.
The heater rarely cuts on but keeps my mind at peace! I have this one for a teeny tiny 5gal: https://www.amazon.com/ViaAqua-50-Watt-Quartz-Submersible-Thermostat/dp/B005440HLO/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479953784&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=viaaqua+quartz
2 amazon purchases should do it -
3-gallon aquarium, light, and filter $30
under-gravel heater $12
I'm not sure on the fin rot. But as far as the heat solution they do have small under gravel heaters that are good up to about 3-5 gallons.
My girlfriend got one of these for her oddly shaped tank. Works pretty well.
I'm not sure what I'm getting right now, but I've been thinking of snails and dwarf frogs. I'd like to have a lively tank :)
This is the heater I have for him right now :) I'm going to see how well it works in the new tank before buying a new one.
Bettas prefer should be kept in temperatures of 76-82 degrees F
Recommends 78+ [/r/bettafish caresheet] (https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3ow6vz/info_betta_care_sheet/)
While they can survive at 72-86 the ideal range is 76-82 bettacare101
Edit: Most likely the heaters you tried to use didn't have enough power. For a 5 gallon tank a 25 watt heater would work. Heaters that you can sent the temperature of work much better. Example
Here's a great filter and here's a great heater for that tank. I would try changing 0.5 - 1 gallon of water once a week once your tank is cycled. Keep an eye on the test results and adjust your water change routine based on what keeps your levels low enough. Make sure you add water treatment (Prime) to that tap water before you add it to the tank.
Some options (but do check reviews, obviously you want to see more good/positive reviews, and minimal bad/negative reviews)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AGHH8Y/
https://modestfish.com/best-aquarium-heaters/
This is what I use in my 5.5gal betta tank: https://www.amazon.com/Cobalt-Aquatics-31000-Neo-Therm-Heater/dp/B008AGHH8Y
So far so good!
Little to tall, found this one looking at that one though. Pricey, but thin and short.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AGHH8Y/
I have the same tank! I actually just rinse off the one I have in old tank water every time I do a water change (not tap water, it will kill the bacteria). I never change the cartridge.
I also have this heater. It is a little pricey, but I used to have a cheaper one and the temperature was not adjustable (preset to 78) or stable, it would drop during the night. This heater is great, you can pick the temperature and it stays constant.
You really do need a heater for a betta. They like their water between 78°F and 80°F, and water doesn’t warm up as readily as air.
I have a [Cobalt 50w heater](Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Heater, 50 watt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AGWZCC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3pceAbCDMFY9M) and I love it. It’s a little more expensive than the other two heaters I’ve tried (Marina and Aqueon Pro), but it has a thermostat built in and the temperature is always accurate when I check my thermometer every day.
I'm looking for a small heater to replace a 10w I have. Are you talking about this one (https://www.amazon.com/Marina-Submersible-Heater-Aquarium-25-watt/dp/B00AFELT92)?
I have this one and it works just fine.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFELT92/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Aq4CzbBKHAY07
I just picked up this heater for a 5.5 gallon betta tank and I'm really happy with it - [Link](http://www.Marina.com/ Submersible Heater for Aquarium, Mini, 25-watt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFELT92?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf). I think it's worth the extra few $ so that you can fine tune the temperature.
I'm thinking I'm gonna have to buy a heater for the 2.5g shrimp tank I'm also cycling, since the one I already had on hand is keeping it too warm. I'm probably going to go with this one.
Mini Marina/Fluval 25w heaters work well for my 3 and 5 gallon shrimp tanks. Very reliable, too.
Almost any sponge filter will do, but most prefer the type that suction onto the side of the tank like a dual sponge filter. Even better, some have compartments for biological media like the Qanvee 100A or 200A. Another great option, and the best IMHO, is a Matten filter.
No no no no no. Do not medicate with malachite green/formalin for tetras. It will kill them faster than the ich will. Just salt.
Salt to 1 tsp (teaspoon) per gallon of aquarium salt (buy it from a fish store, not table salt) and if the fish is valuable to you then you'll need to get an adjustible heater and crank it up to 86 degrees. If you can't get it to at least 85, don't even bother increasing the temperature or you'll only make the problem worse If you need something small, this is the smallest adjustable heater I've seen.
Here's a post I made a while back for another redditor that had an ich issue.
This heater has a thermostat and it's small https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AFELT92/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1497820886&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=marina+25+watt+heater
I personally like the adjustable heaters. I have this one in my 2.5g hospital tank and this one in my 5.5g main tank.
Oh man I just have two sort of dinky heaters. One (50 watt) I found on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003C5JNXK/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1. I turned this one all the way up (88 degrees), but the temperature was only registering at 76 degrees, and the water felt quite cold. I bought a second, black little heat pad at Petco, which caused the thermometer to read 78-80 degrees. Now that I have a glass top on the aquarium, the thermometer consistently reads 83 degrees. My thermometer is just the yellow one that came with the tank, so maybe it is inaccurate. I tried to go for a higher quality thermometer and heater, by purchasing this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GBT46PP/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1 which arrived yesterday, but when I turned it on it started smoking, so I will have to return it. Is there a good thermometer/heater combo that you know of? Thank you!
Okay okay! 10 G is great for a betta. You really can't have too much space.
Heater: I have three of these heaters, one in each of my 5-G betta tanks and my 20-G community tank. The variable temperature is great, and 50 W will be fine for a 10-G.
Filter: Like others have said, you need a filter that baffles the water. Bettas don't like a current. Something like this works well. My friend has it in his 10-G, and I'm impressed by how low it keeps the current.
I've done something similar to this in my 5-G and it works extremely well.
Cleaning: My favorite gravel cleaner pump is this one. It has the bulb, which makes it easy to use. The small size is, IMO, too small. Get the medium for your tank.
Are you planning on fake or real plants?
There are heaters with metal casings, but they are expensive. if your turtle is smashing against the heaters and physically breaking the glass, that could be only solution unless you want to do an in-line heater, which would require a canister filter. If the heaters are just dying due to shoddy materials/worksmanship, get yourself an Eheim Jager. I've never had a problem with any of mine.
Filtration - yes, canister filter is your best option. The one that is specifically for turtles is probably the ZooMed, and you should stay away from it. It's not going to be enough, and it's kinda a pain to deal with. Fluval makes some great filters, but if you're on a budget, SunSun is good, OR if you're handy, you can make one yourself. Search DIY fishkeeper on youtube for DIY canister filter.
Heating - there are a ton of heaters on the market, again, the 'turtle heater' at the pet store is probably not your best bet. Make sure it's protected somehow so your turtle doesn't damage it though. Eheim Jager is hard to beat, and not terribly expensive. http://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003I5UC0W/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1457984903&amp;sr=1-7&amp;keywords=aquarium+heater
Substrate- none is perfectly fine. I keep a bare bottom tank right now, and it stays super clean (assuming you have good circulation and filtration). Sand works really well too, just make sure to clean it thoroughly before putting it in the tank, and don't get the stuff with tiny rocks. DON'T use small gravel.
Egg laying - if you do an above tank basking area, you can put a sandbox in it. There's a ton of other good reasons to do an above tank basking area, and it doesn't really take up too much space if you do it right.
Here's my setup on a 40 gallon tank.
http://imgur.com/a/4iIeX
I have a much larger setup I'm working on now. My little guy is too young to sex, so I don't know if I'll need a nesting area or not yet.
I bought this Marina C10 on Amazon.com and it keeps the temp around 77 degrees. Marina C10 Compact Heater, 10-Watt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TLWWOO/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_T246wbTQ0TJ6C
Tiny heaters do have some scary reviews.
I use the Marina Compact 10W in two tanks (a 2g & a 6g) and they work well.
Here is the mobile version of your link
>Betta fish need 5 gallons minimum. 2.5 is not going to suffice. Heaters are also not made for anything less than 5 gallons.
They make heaters for smaller tanks. This one keeps it at 78 and turns off when its hotter.
EDIT: If you really don't have the space, I'm gonna go against the grain and say 2.5g is fine. However, the small tanks are not very good bang for the buck. You can spend about the same amount for a 5–10 gallon, which is the sweet spot in value and it takes up only a little bit more space than a 2.5g.
I can only answer question #4 as I've never had a blind better, but I have this heater: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TLWWOO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
in 3 of my betta tanks (2 of which are 2.5 gallons and one 2 gallon). They were only $10 when I bought them from Amazon, but it seems they are out of stock and only available from private sellers on Amazon for $14. Maybe you can find the same brand somewhere else for $10, but either way, they are good quality heaters and work great. They keep the temperature in the upper 70's, which is great for bettas.
Thanks! I forgot to mention how much I love serpae tetra as well and hope to include them.
Any suggestions for a hood? This Marineland LED has some questionable reviews but I'm having trouble finding suitable alternatives.
Looks like the Aquaclear HOB would be a little large for the hole in that particular hood (6.5" pre-cut hole and the filter says 7") but I'm not afraid to cut it to make it larger. I suppose if I get a submersible heater there's no other equipment that would require additional holes hole to be cut into the hood, right?
Any heater preferences?:
Fluval
Aqueon
Eheim
I've never had any luck with preset heaters. Get something with a dial like this Jager. They're one of the best out there, especially for the price.
https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003U82YEY/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1467249296&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=50+watt+aquarium+heater
Eheim heaters are definitely the best, most reliable heaters I have used (by a lot). I use this one on my 6 gallon: http://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003U82YEY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1405822008&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=eheim+heater
I've got a 10g from petsmart with a 20$ Eheim heater and a basic HOB filter that's been doing just fine. All you've gotta watch out for is too much current annoying the betta and potentially hurting flowy fins. I'd also recommend some live plants- I've both heard good things and had good experiences. They're sorta fun to aquascape too, check out some of the pictures on google people do phenomenal stuff. Be careful though- one day you'll realize you've spend 100$+ on the addiction haha. Also I like having some sand in there, it looks great and is easy to clean. Do some research on it. I had good results putting some heavier gravel underneath the "Waterfall" of the HOB filter, as sand kicking up can fry a filter motor.
To answer your questions:
Also in something like a 50G tank I'm not sure that the biological filter could even be maintained by only one betta, theres so little waste! It would be questionable without some tank mates/live plants. A small bio load means little good bacteria, which means they are more prone to crashing. The flip side of this is a large too large bioload with no room for more bacteria (Ex> 20+ fish in a 10G)
Heater link:
http://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003U82YEY/ref=sr_1_9?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1419403587&amp;sr=1-9&amp;keywords=eheim+heater
Sorry to be that person but a 6 gallon is too small for tetras in the long run. They need a lot of swimming space. As for dwarf puffers, they have a higher bioload, and often are picky/messy eaters, who need a heavily planted tank. (I have three in a planted 10 gallon and maintain it twice a week and feed them live food daily.)
The Fluval edge would be great for a nice planted tank with a great scape, consider a dry start! (Not sure what the lighting will allow.)
For a 6 gallon I would always suggest a betta, or shrimp (Nercradinas), they will both appreciate a planted tank. Make sure your tank is cycled first.
As for a heater, I would suggest the Eheim Jagger 50W as it was suggested to me and I think it works well and is not too over priced ($21.83 on amazon) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003U82YEY/ref=twister_B00TQZ7G7K?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1. I have one in my saltwater tank and can adjust the temp, but always have a thermometer to make sure the temp is correct, and it is not running non-stop. The pre-set heater does work well too, but I find adjustable heaters may be helpful.
It's not overprice. It's actually a very fairly price and well thought out kit. There's some unnecessary things, and the stock nuvo lights are fine (I actually have them only cause I got a sweet deal), but I would rather get the tank only and different lights. Here's my
attempt to piece that kit together with more ideal parts:
NUVO FUSION 20 BY INNOVATIVE MARINE ($200 anywhere)
This kit includes the TANK WITH THE LIGHTS, which are $400 MSRP. Just get the tank at $200. Use the $200 you would've spent on a better light and fixture:
AI PRIME HD AND MOUNT ($225 for light MSRP, $30 mount, MSRP)
This is a much better light. Stronger. Controllable (able to control all spectrums, set a sunrise sunset schedule, all from a mobile app). The Nuvo lights are just on and off, with no switch. You have to plug them into outlet timers. The AI PRIME is way better, for only a little more.
20 LBS. OF REEF SAVER ROCK ($52 bulk reef supply)
This is actually a good price per pound.
100 ML INSTANT OCEAN BIO-SPIRA (NOT NEEDED)
If you cycle your tank properly, this isn't needed.
4 OZ CLORAM-X AMMONIA REMOVER (NOT NEEDED)
You shouldn't be using a chlorinated water source to begin with, so declorinator only enables bad habits. Get RODI water from a local reef store, or make your own, or at the very worst, use vending machine water.
20 LB. SPECIAL GRADE ARAG-ALIVE! LIVE REEF SAND ($30 amazon)
You definitely want at LEAST special grade sand. Google it. Grain size matters. Too fine, and you'll get a sandstorm when the water is moved.
https://www.amazon.com/CaribSea-Arag-Alive-20-Pound-Special-Bimini/dp/B000EM2BRO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479312554&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=arag+alive
HW-MARINEMIX REEFER SALT MIX (DONT GET THIS SALT)
Instead, get the gold standard:
INSTANT OCEAN REEF CRYSTALS ($50 for enough to make 160 gallons, Drs Foster and Smith, also, FREE BUCKET!)
Make sure you get REEF CRYSTALS if you want corals (it's the orange box/bag), or you can get just the regular INSTANT OCEAN (purple box/bag) if you're doing fish only. This is the most trusted and widely used and available salt. I recommend you use it, so your corals always get the same consistency of nutrients, since this salt is sold everywhere and reliable.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4856
REFRACTOMETER FOR READING SALINITY WITH CALIBRATION FLUID (THESE ARE UNNECESSARY)
Accurate? Yes. Pain in the ass? Also yes. Always having to clean these and calibrate them sucks. Get a standard plastic floaty arrow hydrometer instead.
HYDROMETER ($11 amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Ocean-tk504-SeaTest-Hydrometer/dp/B00019JOSO
TUNZE CARE MAGNET NANO - 0220.010 CLEANER MAGNET (UNNECESSARILY OVERPRICED ITEM)
Everyone knows that when it comes to cleaning magnets, Mag Floats are the go to. Sure you can pay more, but you don't always get more.
MAGFLOAT SMALL ($12)
https://www.amazon.com/Gulfstream-Tropical-AGU030SM-Mag-Float-Aquarium/dp/B003WRKVUC
MARINE S PELLET FISH FOOD - HIKARI (THERE ARE BETTER FOODS)
The best widely available pellet fish good is New Life Spectrum.
NEW LIFE SPECTRUM THERA A ($10 most online places)
They have big pellets and small pellets. Make sure you get the small pellets.
HMA-S 50W FINNEX DIGITAL SUBMERSIBLE HEATER (YOU COULD BUY YOUR OWN FOR CHEAPER)
EHEIM JAGER 50W HEATER ($23 amazon)
These are pretty well regarded and reliable heaters. Avoid getting the $15 chinese heaters, for a few bucks more this is a brand you can trust.
https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003U82YEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479313472&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=50+w+heater+jager
HPS-100 FINNEX DIGITAL SUBMERSIBLE (GET ANOTHER FOR CHEAPER)
It's cool that the BRS team thought of this, but you can get your own large cheap heater for mixing water. Since it's a nuvo 20, and water changes would be around 2-5 gallons, a 150 watt or even 200 watt heater could warm up the water to match the tank pretty quickly.
EHEIM JAGER 150 WATT HEATER ($25 Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-Aquarium-Thermostat-Heater/dp/B003M7P9YU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479313666&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=150w+heater
HYDOR KORALIA EVOLUTION POWERHEAD 600 ($29 Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Koralia-Evolution-Aquarium-Circulation/dp/B004F461UA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1479313724&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hydor+koralia+600
So as you can see, you can do it with better parts and remove unnecessary things, but you'd be paying $697 before tax. Personally, I would still rather part it myself, because I know I can find used AI primes with mounts for $150-$200 (check the classifieds of reef forums or you local club). Also, I don't have to buy some of this stuff because I'm already in the fish hobby and have leftover heaters, or have friends who are that can help me get started. But if you're in a hurry and want to start, or this is your first endeavor into fish keeping and have no fish keeping friends, the BRS kit is not bad at all and the convenience is nice.
PROTIP: If you do plan on buying something this big from BRS, i'll let you in on a trick. First, make an account if you don't already have one. Then, add the kit to your cart. Then, leave it there for a few days. You'll get an email reminding you that you have it in your cart, and since it's a large purchase, they'll give you a coupon (i forget the percentage) to encourage you to buy it. Then use the coupon and buy it lol. WINNING!
Eheim is usually everyone's go-to tank heater brand.
Just a heads up. When I began betta keeping, once I realized they needed heaters, I bought heaters similar to this. They didn't work AT ALL. I ended up getting bigger tanks and better heaters.
Just letting you know in case yours mess up, break, or flat out don't work.
Although, the small betta heater I first mentioned does seem to have a little under 70% 4+ star reviews, so hopefully they are making these things better these days.
This is the best heater i have ever bought. I have them in 3 out of 4 of my tanks and soon to be 4 out of 4.
This is my second heater for my little Betta tank. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00425AXQA/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Heater is actually pretty big, had to mount out diagonally. That other one had some scary reviews where the betta was found wrapped around the heating element..
This is the heater I use in my 3 gallon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00425AXQA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I got this: ViaAqua 100-Watt
On Amazon it was $14 and change
I'm using this one. I stuck a separate thermometer into the water, too, since it's really hard to read the heater's setting when it's submerged (I assume because it's designed to be viewed through an aquarium).
Would this be a good choice?
ViaAqua 100-Watt Quartz Glass Submersible Heater with Built-In Thermostat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00513MZ1I/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_QQj9ub0SDDDV6
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00513MZ1I/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_QQj9ub0SDDDV6
Or what is the minimum temperature I should look for? 65?
Edit: also, I realize my main concern is keeping temperatures down (I live in Vegas). These aquarium heaters probably don't do a good job of controlling at keeping at 65-68 if the ambient temperature is like 80. Am I right?
You don't want to keep male and female bettas together, they'll fight and he'll kill them I suggest starting with a 5-10 gallon tank for scales and getting it set up nice a proper for him, then if you want you can set up a 20 gallon sorority after scales is all settled in, petco is having a dolor a gallon sale right now it only for like the next week though so you can get a 10 gallon tank for $10, I recommend the 10 gallon because bigger is better and depending on the betta you may be able to keep a school of Cory cats in the tank. For the filter I suggest getting the aquaclear 20, but if you don't have the money there's really nothing wrong with a tetra filter I have a 20 gallon tetra whisper on my 10 gallon and it's a little noisy and not quite as good as my aquaclear but it works fine for a betta, I suggest putting a pre-filter on it though just to be safe all my filter have pre-filters. And for the heater this is the heater brand I use it's not the best but I've personally not had an issue with them, you may have to upgrade eventually but it's a good starting point, good luck and feel free to message me with questions I'm not the most experienced but I can point you in the right direction
(I wrote this on my phone so I apologize for grammar and spelling in advance)
> viaaqua heater
http://www.amazon.com/ViaAqua-50-Watt-Quartz-Submersible-Thermostat/dp/B005440HLO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1463287941&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=viaaqua+heater like this?
would a 50 be too much for my 5ish tank though?
Some bettas do fine with a filter like that and some don't. I have a sponge filter in my betta tanks, but previously used a Top Fin Power 10 (the recalled one actually) in a 10 for a different betta than the ones that I have now, and he didnt seem to mind it at all.
50 Watt ViaAqua. The price is right and I have had 0 issues. Adjustable and submersible.
I got all 3 of mine at PetSmart. Fish are delivered on Fridays, so that would probably be the best bet for getting a healthy one. Less time in the cup often helps, and they are sent in heavily treated water for stress and illness (although admittedly, it does in fact happen) If you have a LFS that is not a chain, that might be worth checking out.
I've recently set up my first tank. Here is the five gallon I bought :
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007KKU8QE/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1396415050&amp;sr=8-2&amp;pi=SX200_QL40
And here is the heater I bought for it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005440HLO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1396415198&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40
Damn :/ really? I was going to buy this one
Look around the major pet stores and online to see if they have any holiday deals going on.
Something like this: Hydor 7.5w Slim Heater for Bettas and Bowls, 2 to 5 gal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006JVQ67K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8uV9ybSGXNPEG
This is what I have for him right now. Do you have any recommendations as a heater for his 2.5G? Also, I heard that aquarium salt may help, do you agree with this? Thank you!
Holy crap, I'm taking note of Hydor heater for 5g right now. Thank you. Could you explain what HOB is? Judging by context I assume it's related to weakening filter flow, right? Could I buy a sponge off Amazon as well?
Edit: I'm assuming you were talking about this one, correct?
http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-7-5w-Heater-Bettas-Bowls/dp/B006JVQ67K/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1418362865&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=hydor+heater
You could use a 7.5W under substrate heater for that. Link
There's no need to be afraid of fires, these things are very well protected with grounding and there isn't really a risk.
That said, 0.5 gallons is really too small for a betta. If you can I would upgrade the tank ASAP to a 5 gallon or 2.5 gallon as a bare minimum. In such a small tank he won't have the best water quality and the conditions can change very quickly.
It's a win-win - Dreamy will have more space to swim, he'll have better water quality, be healthier and the larger the aquarium the easier it is to maintain. You have more space to aquascape too!
I found the tank and almost everything else at a LFS in Seattle called aquarium zen. Filter, soil, light, plants, planter, trellis, foam pad. The dimensions are very weird but I think it can make a beautiful tank. You have to either deal with a very shallow soil layer or a small water column. I tried doing both by making it bank in the adjacent corners.
My main problem is heating. The tank is so small I have to use a small heater so it doesn't take too much space and ruin the look. But small heaters are not powerful and its winter, so I've had to crank up the rooms heat. But that causes more water to evaporate so I've had to do more water changes than I'd like...yadda yadda yadda.
I have a small betta heater that ive been thinking putting directly underneath the output of my filter to act as a deflector. I would then attempt to grow moss over top it to hide the fact that its there. I hope this will provide sufficient heating while hiding the fact theres a heater. I could put it under the soil too, but I've already laid down the soil and don't want to disturb it.
I have the first tank you posted, it works great! And also, you should consider putting some dwarf frogs in there (maximum two) but probably not any fish. You would need a bigger tank to add some fish!
here's a good tank heater:
http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-7-5w-Heater-Bettas-Bowls/dp/B006JVQ67K
you're also going to need a filter, even if the people at petco say you don't.
http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-25846-Whisper-BioScrubber-3-Gallon/dp/B000HHQ712/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1426271069&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=1-3+gallon+filter
I got rid of the under gravel "filter" that came with the tank and installed this one instead, leaving out that stupid plastic tube that came with the tank.
With all of these resources you should have a super healthy happy betta!
Yeah I'm in the process of moving the pleco to my brother's 55 gallon. PetSmart insisted a bristlenose would be fine in a 5g until I was told on here its far from it.
So if I were to take a plastic bucket and fill it with water, put the heater on the bottom and float the hospital tank in that it will work alright? For what its worth its just this type of straightforward slim heater: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006JVQ67K/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1398868220&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SY200_QL40
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001B4KG2Q/ref=pd_aw_sbs_2?pi=SY115&amp;simLd=1&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51cgOhWUtTL
Tank
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006JVQ67K/ref=s9_top_hm_b3FMi1z_g199_i2
Heater
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0027IZ6KW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1419281694&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SY200_QL40&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51A5Tlq5o1L&amp;ref=plSrch
Hammock (optional, I have one for all 3 of my betta, it gives them a nice spot near the surface for resting, I think it would be a nice pick-me-up for a sick betta)
This tank is cheap and I cannot recommend it enough. I got it because a friend had it and I saw how awesome it is. My only suggestion is to move the tube with the filter toward the edge of the tank, as it is kind of obstructive in the middle and you really don't need the little prop thing it comes with.
http://i.imgur.com/FQgJjqP.jpg
My setup with all of the above, including the filter modification. Comes in about $20 under budget too, which id suggest spending on a first aid kit. You never know when your fish could get sick, and it is much better to have everything you need on hand than have to make an emergency pet supply run.
> It will be more expensive up front, but will cost you so much less in the long run to get an API master liquid test kit (https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1496952787&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=API+freshwater+test+kit). The strips actually end up being way more expensive in the long run and can be inaccurate.
How often would I need to re-purchase this, if at all?
> Get an adjustable heater (https://www.amazon.com/Aquatop-Aquarium-Submersible-Heater-50-Watt/dp/B006MLVLDQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1496952864&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=aquatop+heater+50w)
This is one of the models I was considering! Glad to know I wasn't looking at crap. :D
> When you run out of water conditioner get Seachem Prime. It lasts forever as you only need literally about 1 drop per gallon. It also happens to be the best conditioner out there in terms of keeping your fish safe.
What makes one conditioner better than another? Chemical makeup and concentration? I'll go ahead and get this when I run out, I'm just curious.
Also, another question... What's the general stance on things like moss balls? What sort of live plant should I get for an office that has zero natural sunlight, and will it grow in the gravel, or do I need a different substrate?
Dang, that's the same price I paid for my heater at my LFS. This is the one I currently have.
I'd probably do
https://www.amazon.com/Aquatop-Aquarium-Submersible-Heater-50-Watt/dp/B006MLVLDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1491409668&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Aquatop+50+watt
Just a standard heater.
The heater I absolutely swear by is the AquaTop Quartz Glass Submersible Hester, 50 watts. It’s $17 from Amazon. Leave it in the tank for 30 mins BEFORE you plug it in. I have one in my 5.5 gal, one in my 10 gal and a backup! They’re awesome, not too expensive and super reliable! You can also manually set up your desired temp.
As for the ammonia: have you looked into trying Dr.Tim’s Aquatics One and Only Live Nitrifying Bacteria? It's about $7 from Amazon and it’s great for kickstarting the tank cycle! It’s also safe for in-fish cycling. You also cannot overdose so I recommend dumping the whole bottle in and follow up with 10% water changes everyday until your tank is fully cycled (took my 5.5 gal about 5 days).
Hope this helps!
Edit: I just saw that you said you have a 3.5 gal tank. The heater I recommended might be too tall (9 in) to stand upright but it's fully submersible so you could have it in there at an angle. As far as it being potentially too powerful, it heats the water up very slowly and will stop once it gets to the desired temperature so I wouldn't be too concerned about it. The important thing is to get a reliable heater in there!
Edit 2: fixed links.
I have 2 Cobalt Neo-Therms at home. Highly recommended, just set it and forget it. It's a little more than you want to pay but worth it.
What heaters are these? If they’re heaters with a present temp they’re really not reliable. I have been using the 25W Cobalt Aquatics NEO-Therm on my 4.6 gallon and it does a good enough job. I’ve set it to 78 F and it fluctuates between 76 and 79 F.
I've got one of these 25 watt Neo Therm heaters https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008AGHH8Y/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1 which is a bit pricey but I've been pleased with it. It's a bit wide but flat so pretty low profile overall. I've never had any problem with it. (The picture on the product page seems to be a higher wattage model that's longer, the 25 watt is less than 8 inches)
I have a used version of the Cobalt Neo-Therm heater in my 5g. I like the smaller size and the temperature indicator and adjuster makes it easier to set to the temperature I want. Currently there are a couple used $30 ones:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008AGHH8Y/
The filter is the one that comes with the edge, basically an aqua clear with a sponge prefilter. The heater is on the right—is that what you’re looking at?
Cobalt Aquatics 31002 Neo-Therm Heater https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AGWZCC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IJj7BbZSFD5C3
Thanks! The heater is: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008AGWZCC/
It fits pretty snug back there, so that's a bit concerning, but it's working out fine so far.
It's a bit unclear what your experience level is. You mention "upping my game" but then say it's a "starter" tank.
I have a 2.5 gallon Fluval Spec III which has been running for about a year so I can give you some insights.
A refractometer is an excellent tool to invest in and will help you make accurate measurements.
Any salt mix that advertises as being "reef" formulated is probably fine, I seriously doubt there are big differences between brands.
Aim to do a 30-50% water change every week. Even if you slack off you will still generally end up doing it every 2 weeks which is a good pace. Water changes are essential to replenish trace elements and remove wastes.
For smaller tanks, Cobalt Neo-Therm Heaters are a good choice and have a slim profile. 50 watts is plenty for a 5.5 gallon tank (I have a 25 watt).
Get a two glass thermometers, one for the "display" of the tank and one for the rear chamber. Check them daily.
Get a suite of SALTWATER SPECIFIC test kits that cover pH, Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, Calcium, and Carbonate Hardness (alkalinity). Test strips are nice to have for spot checks but are not to be relied upon. The only parameters I actually check regularly are pH, Calcium, and Alkalinity. Once the tank is stable, other parameters are unlikely to fluctuate much between water changes.
Invest in a good light! Seriously, it's one of the most important pieces of equipment so don't skimp out. You could get away with something like this if your corals aren't picky (I did for months with this light and it actually grew SPS alright) or a dodgy Chinese LED fixture from eBay, but I recommend something like the AI Prime HD (which I just upgraded to). It has built-in wifi control so you can set things like color temperature, auto timing, and weather patterns.
For a small tank, an auto top off (ATO) is essential. I have a Smart ATO Micro and I love it, works perfectly. Without an ATO your water will evaporate, your salinity will fluctuate, you can't risk leaving it alone for more than a day, and if you neglect it your pumps might even run dry and destroy themselves. Trust me, this is $124 well spent.
Upgrade your return pump from stock. I put an AquaTop SWP360 in the back of my Spec III and it works really well, good flow and just the right size. In a 5.5 gallon tank you might get away without an additional powerhead for flow, but I'd recommend a small (small) powerhead for good measure. (Pro tip: repurpose the stock return pump for that!)
What else...
Get GFCI power strips so that you don't electrocute yourself.
If you're getting a Fluval Spec III or V, consider investing in this excellent media basket.
Well that's some good advice to start from... let me know if you have questions.
http://imgur.com/NmBvujH.jpg
I use this in my standard-size 2.5g. It's just baarely short enough to fit when the bottom tip's dug into the substrate. But your tank looks taller than mine.
So this one would be good for my set up? I will need to see if my tank is tall enough. Marina Submersible Heater for Aquarium, Mini, 25-watt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFELT92/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_qF21AbAKT0S6H
Yep, I completely get that. The sponge filter and pump to run it would be >=15$ on Amazon (the links are from Amazon), and would be a huge improvement.
This looks like a pretty solid heater, and is adjustable which is far better than a preset one. Don't bother buying one in store; they're always crazy overpriced
Marina Submersible Heater for Aquarium, Mini, 25-watt
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AFELT92/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gdINybA93N2VN
Also 15$
Don't depend on plants to filter your tank. It's very difficult to have enough plants to be able to use up all of the fish's waste, especially in such a small tank. It would also be very expensive to get the proper light, substrate, and fertilizer for a heavily planted tank light that
Java ferns are great for bettas, but make sure to keep the roots above the substrate. Mine loves sleeping both on the leaves and in the roots of his.
I have this heater for my 2.5gal. The heater is only 6in long, is adjustable, and would definitely fit in your tank, either stuck on the side or resting on the bottom.
I have found that the small circular pad heaters or "slim heaters" don't heat as well. They also aren't adjustable. If you bought the Marina Mini it turns on/off automatically based on the temp you set it at.
Make sure to buy a thermometer and let your heater get to room temp after it arrives. Look up "calibrating aquarium heater," it's basically waiting until it's the same temp as it's surroundings so it can use that as a base temp. Then you put in the filled tank and change the temp by adjusting the knob. Don't turn it up to 80 all at once. Turn the dial a little bit every few hours so Spirit acclimates to the new temp.
I love Spirit's coloring! And he's made such a big bubble nest, so cute.
Oh also FYI bettas don't need aeration. They have a labyrinth organ!
And you need to turn off the light at night (just cause you said "always provided")
If you get sick of hornwort (they can get messy) try getting an anubias.
Props to following the care guide.
I have 3 of these Marina adjustable 25w heaters, in tanks from 2.5 gal to 5 gal, and they are working fine.
Anecdotal, but I have this 25w in my 5 gallon, set as high as it can go, and it barely keeps the water at 75 now that it's almost winter and the ambient room temp is lower. So yeah, I'd go with the 50w.
The cheap $2 glass thermometers work fine, imo.
Easily. I mean, if your situation is unlinke mine, you could taste test after a day or two and see where it's at and cut it when it's what you're shooting for.
My set up for sours is really pretty simple. I have a dedicated PET carboy with a carboy heatwrap and an InkBird temp controller. It's super efficient as far as I'm concerned. Just wish I had something for cooling down rather than just relying on ambient basement temp to cool, just haven't found the right fridge to gut or any other reason to jump up into a keezer build.
I typically pitch my wort directly onto the fruits I'm using, as that increases my contact time, as well as gives ample time to get the majority of the sugars fermented out, as to preclude bottle bombs. I've only tried to cheat and add the fruit after the primary souring once or twice as an attempt to knock down the temp faster when it's wamer, like summer time.
I like to think that this is somewhere in between kettle souring and "proper" souring, as I'm not killing anything before it goes into the bottle, but I am also not aging for months on end. Ultimately, I can't complain with the results I've gotten so far. I think Jeff and the guys at Bootleg are killing it and the products they're making are super high quality. I recommend my technique, because it works for me, but I'm sure there are some other brewers who scoff or have better set-ups for doing quick sours.
The Inkbird or whatever controller you end up using will have a temperature probe to put in the thermowell you are going to use.
https://www.amazon.com/Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-Inkbird-Digital/dp/B077N22T3W/ref=sr_1_9?s=home-garden&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1519254178&amp;sr=1-9&amp;keywords=inkbird
If you look at the picture in the link above, the cord with the silver tip is the temp probe that you will put into the thermowell to be able to measure the temp of the wort.
Get an inkbird. Will turn on/off based on your temp you set.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077N22T3W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_WLLWAbRZQ3MNF
Inkbird
Dude, get a STC1000 Temperature Controller eire it up and get a Heat Cable I set it to say 60 f and forget about it. All for about $30 and if your not good with electronics get a Inkbird Temperature Controller. Put the cider someplace cool and that's it oh and get a mini fridge. And if it's just a 1 gallon batch I got this crock pot plugged into my stc 1000.
Just get a canister filter with an inline heater like this one. It's what I did and it works fine. Not sure you need an air pump.
Haha, yeah I can't believe I had forgotten about Inkbird. Talk about a brain fart.
It's probably too big of a heater. However, it was the ONLY in-line heater on the market and at the time, I was under strict aesthetic requirements in regards to my tank. (Roommate just didn't want something looking messy). Thus, in-line heater it was. If you're curious, this is the offending heater.
Where I live it gets juuust cold enough that the fish need a heater. The heater I have right now is working fine, but if I can go back to in-line someday, I really would if I can be certain that it can't kill off my tank again. It really was amazing while it didn't bring upon the fiery Apocalypse.
I've had one of these for 2 years with no issues at all. The Amazon ratings tend to agree as well. https://www.amazon.com/Hydor--Line-External-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0002Z7VQE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1473222391&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=aquarium+in+line+heater
In the winter I throw an submersible heater in just to be safe.
It's not the best quality, so you will probably have to replace parts of it over time, but it's a good starter kit.
If you want to get some slightly higher quality gear for a comparable price, I recommend:
Boom, that's $100 and you get pretty much everything that's included in the kit but it will last longer. I don't think the light will let you grow much more than low-light plants, but it probably won't be worse than the light that comes with the kit.
Ya that heater sucks lol
Try this one: Hydor 50W Submersible Aquarium Heater - Original Theo https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00061UQ6G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zRR3BbSX83K84
I have three of them when I used to have three nano tanks
Edit: Oops I just read that you have a 2.5g. Depending on the room temp, it might be too much for the 2.5g. I used to have one in a 3 gallon and during the summer, it would def be too hot for the tank and I would just turn it off. Not ideal. Sorry for the shoddy suggestion after all!
You could also try the Hydor 50W submersible heater. I have both the Aqueon and Hydor, both have been working well for me so far (I only just got Aqueon recently since it was on sale and the Hydor wasn’t, tho).
Here’s a link to both (sorry for long links, am on mobile and new to posting on reddit lol):
Hydor 50W Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater - Original Theo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061UQ6G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zA8NDb59F8D0Y
Aqueon 50W
https://www.petsmart.com/fish/heating-and-lighting/heaters/aqueon-submersible-aquarium-heater-5175676.html?utm_id=500%7Cpg1050514657%7C770857006021&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwrfvsBRD7ARIsAKuDvMNJs6NtT1jcpvDHP0otwaHA7ZZbS42ymE6w28uEeV_rf9zxEUdGR14aAuk7EALw_wcB&amp;lsft=utm_source%3Agoogle%2Cutm_term%3A5175676%2Cutm_medium%3APLA%2Cutm_content%3AGSC%20-%20Medium%20-%20Specialty%20-%20Fish%20-%20Strong%20SS%20%7C%20*Catch%20All%2Cutm_campaign%3AGSC%20-%20Medium%20-%20Specialty%20-%20Fish%20-%20Strong%20SS&amp;utm_medium=PLA&amp;utm_source=google
Two questions:
What scissors do you guys use to trim plants in the aquarium? I have a 10 gallon with some dwarf sag that I desperately need to tame down.
Also, what heater would you guys recommend for a 10 gallon? I had this one about a year or two ago but was curious which ones you guys liked.
I just bought this about a week ago and have not had any issues yet. The back compartment water gets warmer than the actual aquarium but I have my heater set to 80 and my thermometer reads around 79/80. You have to unplug the heater every time you do a water change because the water drops lower in the back section in comparison to the front.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00061UQ6G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I also have the Evo saltwater version, only the light and packaging are different.
Last night my low ambient temp indoors was 61.6. My Spec V is has a 25w heater in the main display chamber and the tank was 70.3 when I woke up. The Evo has 50w heater in the pump chamber and got as low as 73.6.
I have an external temperature controller for the heater in the Evo but the heater's internal thermostat always shuts it off. Point is, I think the 50w would possibly work OK if it was allowed to heat up the back chamber enough, but the internal thermostat kicks it off no matter how high I set it. Currently I'd like to get a cobalt neo-therm as a replacement.
I've read of people perforating the tubing in the pump chamber to allow more heat exchange but that will also reduce flow. For my saltwater I want more flow and upgraded the pump, so the perforations would go against my goal but I may end up doing it in the end if I have to add a wave maker.
Inefficiency is my OCD kryptonite, so I can only bring myself to use LEDs. You can get higher output levels with other technologies but your plants and corals can only use so much. People obsess over buying the brightest thing possible then spend another small fortune on a PAR meter to figure out it's way too bright and dial it down to 30%. The plants don't need a wide spectrum of light, so most of what you're after is what it looks like to you. It looks like the the fixture you linked uses standard bulbs so you have a lot of options to test with. I really like the look of the stock light and the plant growth is more than OK for me.
I'm not sure you'd need to mod the tank unless you want one light on each end? The lid is super thin so it will be easy to cut if you need to. I was pricing pieces of glass as a replacement to make it octopus-safe and depending on thickness it's around $13-35 in Seattle. I prefer to run them topless - I don't like the light diffusion of the lid, but the trade-off is evaporation and you might have critters that like to escape.
so many options! :)
I think I do! It doesn't say Theo on the box, but this is the one I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00061UQ6G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
hydor theo, aqueon pro.
https://www.amazon.com/Hydor-Submersible-Glass-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484376709&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=hydor+theo+25+watt
https://www.bigalspets.com/aqueon-pro-submersible-heaters.html?sku=68181 (smaller but more expensive)
don't bother with that sunsun canister filter, it's even a bit much for a split 10gallon... sunsun hw-603b is the model i believe they're telling you to go with. the cost of that plus the inline heater would be annoying cost-wise..
I love this heater! Hydor 25W Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater - Original Theo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rzphAbHYQSV4C
Oh so cute. Well all you need is a 5-10 gallon tank. There is a sale going on now with either petsmart or petco where you can get $1 per gallon. After that you need a filter. If you get a 5 or 10 gallon tank you can get a nice hang of the back filter for cheap. I got this one for my betta when I was holding him in a 2.5 gallon before putting him in a bigger tank. It needs an air pump to work though I got a cheapo and it works great and is almost unnoticeable.. Spend a little more on a heater though because I got a cheap betta heater and it broke somehow and the heater itself started melting and I thougth it was going to explode. The one I use now is hyador.
I also got him that leaf hammock for him to sleep on. For food I bought frozen blood worms of the hikari brand. This will last a long long time it comes with a bunch of frozen cubes each cube has like a hundred worms. So I cut up the cube and keep a portion in a medicine cup. I add tank water to the medicine cup and the portion melts and i use a pippete to feed the worms. And you feed it to him 1 - 3 times a week. The rest I got pellets. The brand was omega something in a blue container. I drop those pellets in a small medicine cup squirt with water let em soak for a minute then drop them in his tank.
Also !! You need a water conditioner I use seachem prime. It makes tap water safe for your fish, normally it has chlorine and other chemicals to make it safe for humans but those chemicals will hurt fish. Prime helps make it safe for fish to breathe and prime has a slime coat bonus.
I think an estimate on how much you will spend for him is around 60-70$ and he will last a while with clean water, good food, and good maintenance.
To make feeding and dosing prime easier. Get a cheap plastic pipette and glass dropper. I tend to spill things when measuring by the cap so the glass dropper is easier to dose prime. The plastic pipette is used to soak and feed the pellets and blood worms.
This is what you're looking for.
Hydor 25W Submersible Glass Aquarium Heater - Original Theo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_HF32wb67MTTVA
Ideal betta temp is between 78-80F, so 75 is ok but not ideal. It's also more important to keep a stable temp than to be in ideal range-- so for example if your house is much cooler at night then it will stress him out. An adjustable heater will help stabilize the temp. This 25w is a nice choice in your price range.
Also I don't think temp requirements have anything to do with tank size. Water has the same heat capacity in any quantity.
You'll need about a 15 watt heater. It can be more, but that will be the minimum.
Here's one
I use a 25w Hydor for my 5g. Been using it for a year and a half on the lowest setting and my tank temp has remained stable and consistent. Temp is usually a couple degrees warmer than the setting because of the little tank so 71F is closer to 75F.
Is this the one you're talking about? https://www.amazon.ca/Hydor-25W-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1493295511&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Hydor+theo
Also, thank you for your advice, have a good one! :)
Yeah HOB means 'hang on the back' sorry! They're very popular and efficient and look like this. I would say that they have more of a gentle flow than some other filter types, because the water gently waterfalls down the output (in comparison with filter types with spray bars). If they are too powerful, it's really easy to just stuff a piece of filter media/sponge in the output, which will drastically reduce the flow. Just buy some extra filter wool and you can use it to block up the flow.
The hydor heater I have for my 5g is this kind.
This is a good one that a lot of people recommend. I've also used cheap chinese ones with no problems though - just get a thermometer too because the dial might not be super accurate. It's useful to have an adjustable one so you can turn the temp up or down to fight illnesses (down for columnaris, up for ich).
Both of course.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006JLPG8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Here's a heater, wattage is abit high, but adjustable temp which don't work with smaller ones. A bit pricey too, I found this one has better reviews, but you can go for a cheaper 25 watt one, as I haven't found anything smaller to have adjustable temp. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006JLPG8?cache=96fab02d9701f6a90f7c7a080f6bb7ef&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&amp;qid=1408216336&amp;sr=8-4#ref=mp_s_a_1_4
I bought my tank about a month ago and have been letting it run, as per the advice I received here. It is now finally ready to house a fish. I don't want to hurt or stress out my fish at all so I waited til everything was set. Plus my tank decor only just arrived due to the original package getting lost by UPS.
I may buy a betta this weekend if I see "the right one" but I am ok with waiting!
Here is a list of things I got, based on the general reddit consensus. I wished someone had included a list like this so here you go
Fluval 5 gallon (includes filter/light)
Hydor heater (hides right in the side part of the Fluval tank)
Thermometer
Sponge thingy to make the filter stream not too strong for bettas (I zip tied it on)
http://m.petsmart.com/h5/hub?id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petsmart.com%2Ffish%2Faquariums%2Ftop-fin-5.5-gal-aquarium-starter-kit-zid36-17829%2Fcat-36-catid-300065%3Fnull
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006JLPG8/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1421727524&amp;sr=1-4&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003JW8YY0/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1421727616&amp;sr=8-7&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41GG306TQ7L&amp;ref=plSrch
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003U84S3O/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1421727654&amp;sr=8-5&amp;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41XQDTcfiPL&amp;ref=plSrch#immersive-view_1421727666581
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ZW9AU6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421727698&amp;sr=8-1&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51bvqaKNWgL&amp;ref=plSrch&amp;pi=AC_SX200_QL40
What the fuck are you talking about
link to the heater https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1492131630&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=tetra+heater&amp;linkCode=sl1&amp;tag=setupvid90-20&amp;linkId=c1e4b806dc5206b961f05f1d8e6afb29
I just want some heat on the land area of the tank.
And im new to this site because this yahooanswers is fucking garbage
I guess for first tanks, start kits seems like the easiest way to go. From my experience to save some money are (although with this hobby, you can't save that much money, haha) to buy the tank during the Petco sale, and buy all the equipment online (Amazon is a good place).
So if you buy each part separately:
$29 = 29G tank -Petco
$10 = Heater -Amazon
$15 = Whisper 30 -Amazon
$15 = [DIY Sliding Aquarium Top] (http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-50-Watt-Heater/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1396577787&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=tetra+heater)
$69 = Total
Not much more expensive than the kit. The 29G comes with a mail in rebate that I'm don't know if it works with your purchases online or not. If it works, you'll get back $10 for the filter and $4 for the heater. Bringing your total to $55.
I would actually buy a more powerful filter than the one included. Probably one rated for two times stronger. A lot of people like aquaclear filters - I don't have personal experience with it but I will buy one next time I need a filter.
You're going to need stronger lights anyways, so I didn't include the light costs.
This is just my opinion! You can do what you'd like for your tank :)
To piggyback off of Betta fish, besides the tank you can get your filter, heater, and light for pretty cheap.
Here's what I have:
filter
Air pump
light
heater
Altogether it might not be the cheapest items, but they work fantastic for me and my Betta and shrimp tank. Plus it costs less to get good filters and supplies first than it is to buy a beginner set and upgrade everything over time like I did.
this is what it all looks like in my tank.
ah. do you think this one is a good replacement ?
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q
I feel like I post about this all the time, but I like it a lot.
This one?
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q
I have a 30 and a 10. Both have this kind, appropriate for the size : Tetra 26447 Submersible Aquarium Heater, 50-Watt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_Uc9kmlg6mAQ3i
Moving tanks is easy if you have a plan, and lots of buckets/totes and water.
There is lots of advice out there, you should probably just read all of it and decide what seems best for you:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-dos-and-donts-of-moving-with-a-saltwater-tank.83072/
https://www.petcha.com/how-to-move-your-reef-aquarium/
With 3 tanks it might require more home depot buckets than I needed, but it's always helpful to have more FISH ONLY (with label) buckets.
Some cheap heaters and a multi-stone air stone pump will turn the buckets into stable mini tanks, and you can get the livestock out of the tanks and into buckets with clean tank water with a bit of new water, then they will be fine while you disassemble the tank. Since you probably aren't going far you should be okay without running the heat/air while in transit, but having buckets with life support in them means you won't need to worry about fishes while you are doing tear down/setup.
Put some water in totes, or whatever it seems will work best to hold the various live rock formations. Put rock without corals on the bottom, maybe get a blue LED flashlight because it will make finding corals easier when it comes to put the rocks back together if you have soft corals / mushrooms that will probably retract while in transit. You should probably "piss off" corals like acans/euphyllia with by swishing in the water or gentle powerhead blasts, so that when you pull them out of the water they aren't so full of water that it damages the flesh from the weight of the tentacles/etc. Definitely submerge any super valuable corals, but most corals can deal with being out of the water for short periods of time, especially if you put some paper towels over them and occasionally pour some saltwater over top.
Make a bunch of water, then make some more! Maximum heaters in your saltwater mixing bucket! Getting enough warm saltwater water to fill the system again was the main reason we didn't finish the "move" until about 4am, after starting around 6pm.
Run fresh carbon once you get it running again to help get rid of stress toxins released during the move.
This heater is super cheap and really small and works great in my betta tank.
Tetra 26447 Submersible Aquarium Heater, 50-Watt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_S.mHzbS3D5D6Y
A betta would be so happy in a 10 g tank
This one works like a champ, and the page has options to choose larger sizes for bigger tanks if needed. It's a pretty slim heater once you get it fixed in there, and, it's under $20 ;)
Here ya go.
40 bucks for the filter/heater/Hood.
Also make sure you get some water conditioner.
Oh and if you are doing plants you should get some fluorescent bulbs.
As someone that's gone thru the same scenario as you I'm going to give you some possible options you can take that will make things way easier on you. The initial investment may be on the higher side but it's the equivalent of a couple dinners and a movie for some high quality stuff that'll last a long time.
If that's too much money this is also a good budget tank: https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-29095-Cube-Aquarium-3-Gallon/dp/B008CA7W7E/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506546844&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=aquarium+kit
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q
This tends to work fine for me for my 10g.
On second thought, the reviews are VERY mixed, use with caution, I have had good results with it, others have had it fail to hold the proper temp, others have had it increase water to 102*
So uh.... Proceed with caution.
Forgot, this one is really nice as a backup too. Looks much better with the titanium grey and green light.
https://smile.amazon.com/Tetra-Submersible-Aquarium-Electronic-Thermostat/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=tetra+heater&qid=1554815752&s=gateway&sr=8-3
When choosing a heater are there ones for different filter sizes? Looking on amazon I'm having a hard time telling.
Edit: Found [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1427840524&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=10+gallon+heater+for+aquarium) one. I see that it is a consistent 79 degrees F. Would this be alright?
Also, would it be safe to keep to mollys together in this tank? If not what can I put in the tank with a molly? Also, i read somewhere (sorry I can't provide source) that shrimp and snails help eat the food the fish don't get? Would it be a good idea to get one or no?
I've had the [3-gallon version of this aquarium](http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-Eclipse-Seamless-Integrated-Aquarium/dp/B0002Z7VRS/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
) for almost five years. Started with feeder goldfish because I didn't know any better... they didn't do too well. But it was a testament to the filter that they lived as long as they did.
Now I've got one betta in there and it's super low maintenance. It comes with a charcoal/mechanical filter plus a biowheel as a biological filter.
I did end up sealing the top black part to the aquarium so I could fill the tank up to almost the top without it leaking. That plus this heater and some decorations are pretty much all that I added to it.
The filter intake never bothers him, and he used to love swimming into the filter outflow, so it obviously wasn't too strong for him.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OQO69Q I know this is 50W, not 5W, but it's only $10 and works well. I do wish it was smaller to take up less space in my 2.5 gallon tank, but I'd rather have a larger reliable heater than a smaller, crappy one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OQO69Q/
I have two different tanks with this. Works great.
this one
What do you think about it?
I have used this one and keep it in the section that has the pump mechanism, shielding it from the main tank..
Aqueon Submersible Aquarium Heaters 50W https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YAJJZS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_YnE5EVFDf2qqh
Im not trying to berate you, sorry if you feel like that... but regular weekly or maybe even 2weeks since you one have one fish are a must. Its not something a "professional" says, Its a fact and I can prove it to you, if you got a master test kit and tested your water you would see your nitrates build up as time with out a water change, nitrates are less harmful for fish then ammonia but still harmful and the only way to remove nitrates is by water change. Thats why I recommended at least 1 a week water changes, you can test this your self, You may discover you only need to do it once every 2 weeks since its only one fish, but a month seems extreme.... like i said keep testing your water and you will know for sure.
unless the ornaments are covered in algae you don't have to scrub them.
yes change 25% out weekly thats 2.5 gallons. you can let new water sit with the chemical in it if you wish just make sure its similar in temp as the tank water when you re fill.
you can leave the fish in the tank when you clean it no point stressing him out more by moving him(people clean fish tanks with fish all the time, just dont leave the siphon in un attended)
leave the bio wheel alone if it gets clogged then you can rinse with tank water, you should only rinse filter media with old tank water as chlorine from tap water will kill of your good bacteria and then you will get ammonia and nitrite spikes because there is no good bacteria to help break it down.
Cleaning a 10 gallon tank should take you 5-10 minutes once you get the hang of it.
as for heater I am assuming you are using a heater similar to this: http://www.petsmart.com/fish/heaters-thermometers/top-fin-betta-aquarium-heater-zid36-27538/cat-36-catid-300016?var_id=36-27538
Those types are not adjustable most other heaters are based on thermometer readings....
http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Submersible-Aquarium-Heaters-50-Watt/dp/B000YAJJZS/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1458515465&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=aquarium+heater&amp;refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A7043859011
I think you need around 50 watts for a 10 gallon tank, try aqueon as they are adjustable and will only come on when their internal thermometer drops. 25-28 is good.
good luck if you need any more help or clarification feel free to ask. :)
I've got two of these in there.
The Tent is 48"x24"x60.
The only one HLG has in stock is the 260W kit. https://www.horticulturelightinggroup.ca/collections/all/products/260w-qb-v2-led-kit
Should i look elsewhere or wait or do you think 260 would be good for 4fx5fx2f tent?
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For temps what do you think about an Aquarium chiller https://www.amazon.com/IceProbe-Thermoelectric-Aquarium-Chiller/dp/B001JSVLBO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1549562152&sr=8-3&keywords=Aquarium+Chiller
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IceProbe Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller - 4 in. x 4 3/4 in. x 7 1/2 in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JSVLBO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TvtUCb9SX3S98
Edit: Keeps the reservoir at 70 degrees
I would try to shade the area, insulate the bucket and then add an Ice Probe. Check out the amazon links. I use the Ice Probe and double insulated my 5-gal bucket.
https://www.amazon.com/IceProbe-Thermoelectric-Aquarium-Chiller/dp/B001JSVLBO/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=iceprobe&qid=1570125812&s=gateway&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Reflectix-BP48010-ubble-Pack-Insulation/dp/B000BPAULS/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=reflectix&qid=1570126123&s=gateway&sr=8-1 (cheaper at Home Depot)
I'd recommend spending a bit more and getting an adjustable heater. Once mine fails I'll be replacing it with that for sure.
Edit: This is the one I have. Although mine is a 150 watt because it's a larger tank. Highly recommend it!
I have the same tank and I'm using the Aqueon Pro 50 watt. It's been perfect for 4 months.
http://smile.amazon.com/Aqueon-Heaters-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B003C5JNXK?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;redirect=true&amp;ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
I replaced the filter with a sponge filter.
My betta loves this:
http://smile.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Floating-Betta-Log/dp/B0027ITKBS?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=XFU5W5TP6HEO&amp;coliid=I11ZTSLNOA7LUT&amp;psc=1&amp;ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl
I'd go with this https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-100106105-Pro-Heaters-50W/dp/B003C5JNXK 50w, i think you can't go wrong with those from what i've researched, if you want peace of mind and price isn't an issue that is, glass heaters always have a chance of going bad.
Sadly doesn't look like they sell them in Europe :( there's the newa pros which look similar but not sure if they're as good.
And i do the same, i'd rather keep my taiwans/pintos at 23c all day long than having the heater off and having it jump from 23 to 20 etc.
>
I'm particularly interested in Red Cherry Shrimp. But when I look to see how many I should put in, there are about 200 different answers. Can anyone give me a specific range of how many I should put in?
Do NOT put 10 shrimp in there. Put maybe 3-4... make sure you get a mix of males and females, any decent fish store guy should be able to sex them. Get 2 males and 2 femals, they will breed like MAD. In about 2-3 months, you'll get 20+ shrimp in there. One clutch of eggs from one female will get you around 10 shrimp. After releasing the eggs, they will be ready to breed again in approximately 1 month. You'll notice that as your tank gets crowded, the shrimp will stop growing to full size, you can try and sell them for a buck or two.
>I'll be going to college soon. Obviously I'm not planning on bringing Shrimp on a plane. But would a 4-5 hour car ride be too much stress? If thats the case I'd just leave them at home and give my brother instructions on how to take care of them.
A car ride is fine, put them in an opaque container with a bit of moss for them to cling onto. Remember, these dudes come (usually) from asia on a plane.
>Are there any specific heaters you can recommend me? I'm going to school where it is cold and room heating is not really a sure thing so I'd like to be able to ensure the shrimp are well heated
Cherry shrimp are VERY adaptable. If you're comfortable, the shrimp should be comfortable. What you're after is stability in temperature. If the room temp fluctuates a lot, get a heater. If you have a Fluval Spec (a very popular 2.5gal tank), then this fits right into the water pump compartment.
"I feel like my heater struggles to keep up"
Why don't you buy one off amazon? A heater that struggles to keep up.. i'm not sure what is supposed to even imply.
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484167793&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=fish+heater