50 - 60l Tank
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aly_starh
Fish Aficionado
On ebay, various cheap prices!
~betta_246
~betta_246
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
I know it seems like more work but why not work on them as separate parts? The commercial people who put these things together as kits seem to often do such a lousy job!
Its just that these forums are so good at helping you research these individual pieces of hardware, that it just seems ashame not to take advantage of it! Starting with the tank, I've realized that there are people who take home any old tank and later realize the glass quality is not all that great, it waves or its bubbled or chipped or too thin or whatever. I don't know what to advise (I've seen some recommend "all-glass" which I guess might be a brand available widely, or some of the "kit" people also use good glass..)
Then there's the heater, which I'd place as the easiest to get an ok product of, compared to lights or filters. Lights might require a touch more care, with issues of how -much- light you want, to meet your plant goals. Then finally, the stakes jump way up, in my opinion, for the choice of filter. Filters are just very core to the hobby and it just seems a real shame to assume a commercial kit will have a decent one... and only find out later its not and have that mess of having cycled the wrong device for your long-term need!
I realize if you're the type person more interested in the fish themselves, or the look of the aquascape from an artistic standpoint that perhaps taking time to research hardware (or water chemistry for that matter) may just seem like the most boring thing on earth. Anyway, that's my little speech, lol, so I'll shut up now!
Its just that sometimes I can't help but hope that we detail nerds can interest someone in the nuts and bolts... (ok, I'm fading out)
~~waterdrop~~
Its just that these forums are so good at helping you research these individual pieces of hardware, that it just seems ashame not to take advantage of it! Starting with the tank, I've realized that there are people who take home any old tank and later realize the glass quality is not all that great, it waves or its bubbled or chipped or too thin or whatever. I don't know what to advise (I've seen some recommend "all-glass" which I guess might be a brand available widely, or some of the "kit" people also use good glass..)
Then there's the heater, which I'd place as the easiest to get an ok product of, compared to lights or filters. Lights might require a touch more care, with issues of how -much- light you want, to meet your plant goals. Then finally, the stakes jump way up, in my opinion, for the choice of filter. Filters are just very core to the hobby and it just seems a real shame to assume a commercial kit will have a decent one... and only find out later its not and have that mess of having cycled the wrong device for your long-term need!
I realize if you're the type person more interested in the fish themselves, or the look of the aquascape from an artistic standpoint that perhaps taking time to research hardware (or water chemistry for that matter) may just seem like the most boring thing on earth. Anyway, that's my little speech, lol, so I'll shut up now!
Its just that sometimes I can't help but hope that we detail nerds can interest someone in the nuts and bolts... (ok, I'm fading out)~~waterdrop~~
thanks for your replies.
Waterdrop, i would be more than happy to get everything seperately and definitely if it means getting better products. i just naturally assumed by doing a package deal i would get all suitable hardware...
its quite daunting and to be honest i have no idea where to begin, my biorb was all set up/cycled for me. i know how to cycle and have everything i need. but the aquascaping i have no idea with. a long way off i know as i dont even have the tank yet.
thanks again
Waterdrop, i would be more than happy to get everything seperately and definitely if it means getting better products. i just naturally assumed by doing a package deal i would get all suitable hardware...
its quite daunting and to be honest i have no idea where to begin, my biorb was all set up/cycled for me. i know how to cycle and have everything i need. but the aquascaping i have no idea with. a long way off i know as i dont even have the tank yet.
thanks again
waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
Yes, I spoke up partly because I think the sad truth is that the package deals are -not- usually very good, or at least not in all respects a lot of the time. Now, I would still give it some time for people to respond this coming week, there are lots of great packages we hear about, in the UK in particular, so its all relative...
Let me propose that you just break it down into the individual pieces of hardware and try not to think of it as daunting but just as your initiation into the "slow and engrossed" approach to a relaxed hobby. If you get sick of this you can just give it up, get something and "go for it!" It can indeed be frustratingly slow but I'm just saying to post up some questions here and perhaps in the hardware section and be taking some notes and it will start to fall into place! People have opinions about all the different hardware and they're ready to post them pretty often!
Now back on the "kit" approach, I do recall that we have a member "dorsey" I believe who is quite an "AquaOne" fan, so perhaps those would be good search terms for looking at old threads. I have no idea if I'm quite getting the name right or that they have tank kits in the sizes that interest you... and I think I remember he used to modify the filters somewhat or something but that's an idea I can remember.
~~waterdrop~~
Let me propose that you just break it down into the individual pieces of hardware and try not to think of it as daunting but just as your initiation into the "slow and engrossed" approach to a relaxed hobby. If you get sick of this you can just give it up, get something and "go for it!" It can indeed be frustratingly slow but I'm just saying to post up some questions here and perhaps in the hardware section and be taking some notes and it will start to fall into place! People have opinions about all the different hardware and they're ready to post them pretty often!
Now back on the "kit" approach, I do recall that we have a member "dorsey" I believe who is quite an "AquaOne" fan, so perhaps those would be good search terms for looking at old threads. I have no idea if I'm quite getting the name right or that they have tank kits in the sizes that interest you... and I think I remember he used to modify the filters somewhat or something but that's an idea I can remember.
~~waterdrop~~
my first tank was a Fish X Box 60 - By Interpet its a 64 litre. It was £90 and comes complete with interpet filter and heater. Also has flourecent lighting for nighttime and daytime.I brought it from ...dare i say it... pets at home 
It depends what you want in your tank, as a first tank i thought it was great, looked nice good price and it was fine for me untill i wanted more diversity. pic it still runs today with no problems (2 and a half years later)
But the options are endless......
It depends what you want in your tank, as a first tank i thought it was great, looked nice good price and it was fine for me untill i wanted more diversity. pic it still runs today with no problems (2 and a half years later)
But the options are endless......
GuppyGoddess
Fish Herder
Hi,
In the UK does Marineland brand available? That company makes Eclipse in 3, 6, and 12-gallon sizes. The kits come with the filter and light, but the heater has to be purchased seperately. If you do plan to buy a kit, hunt for some online reviews. I checked Petco and Petsmart for reviews (both are chains here in the US that sell various stuff) and decided to buy two eclipses.
I'm a beginner, so these seem easiest for me, especially since I wasn't sure how serious of a hobby this would be for me. The Eclipses also look really sleek and stylish. The only bad thing about them is that the entire top has to be taken off if you want to put your hand in the tank and/or clean it.
If I ever plan to buy a 10+ gallon, I'd probably buy the parts seperately. I think the kits are best for smaller equariums.
In the UK does Marineland brand available? That company makes Eclipse in 3, 6, and 12-gallon sizes. The kits come with the filter and light, but the heater has to be purchased seperately. If you do plan to buy a kit, hunt for some online reviews. I checked Petco and Petsmart for reviews (both are chains here in the US that sell various stuff) and decided to buy two eclipses.
I'm a beginner, so these seem easiest for me, especially since I wasn't sure how serious of a hobby this would be for me. The Eclipses also look really sleek and stylish. The only bad thing about them is that the entire top has to be taken off if you want to put your hand in the tank and/or clean it.
If I ever plan to buy a 10+ gallon, I'd probably buy the parts seperately. I think the kits are best for smaller equariums.
I recently bought a 55 gallon package because I was in dire need of a tank that size and it was all I could find. Today, the filter is still in its original packaging, the temperature strip they gave me is waiting to fill a need in another tank that I am setting up in a nursing home, the water treatment samples are still unopened, the food sample is unopened, the submersible heater they gave me leaked water through a seal and I am now using it as a non-submersible. The tank has a filter, a thermometer, the fish are fed and the water is treated but the stuff in the kit is pretty much still on the shelf. I used available surplus in my fish room for most aspects because it was superior to the stuff in the kit even though the things in the kit were "matched" to the tank. Those things are now surplus and may become future donations to club auctions because they are not up to my standards. Someone may find a use for them but not me.
lightyakomie
New Member
- Joined
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im decently new to the hobby and i dident think id get too much into it ethire my first tank was a 38 gallon and it was a kit it came with a marineland filter and it seems to be awesome so far but soon after i had it hooked up about 4 months later lucky me bought a 72 gallon but i bought everthing seprately
i bought a aquaclear filter and my personal opinion there crap and overpriced and to change the media was over priced too so i bought a marineland filter and it works wonders but again thats my personal opinion but kits are totally fine as long as what comes in them are good quality but if u feel like they arent then u should totally go towards buying everything seprately
but thats just my exsperience and hundreds upon hundreds later lol
i bought a aquaclear filter and my personal opinion there crap and overpriced and to change the media was over priced too so i bought a marineland filter and it works wonders but again thats my personal opinion but kits are totally fine as long as what comes in them are good quality but if u feel like they arent then u should totally go towards buying everything seprately
but thats just my exsperience and hundreds upon hundreds later lol
aly_starh
Fish Aficionado
i have that tank!
how do you find the undergravel filter in it?
I was trying to find something I could have without an undergravel filter as I would like to have sand. can anyone recommend one which either comes in a package or that is a tank of that size that just comes alone. i cant really find anywhere useful online. thanks
I was trying to find something I could have without an undergravel filter as I would like to have sand. can anyone recommend one which either comes in a package or that is a tank of that size that just comes alone. i cant really find anywhere useful online. thanks
aly_starh
Fish Aficionado
The jewel rekord doesn't have an undergravel filter. Its a filter box on the side which houses sponges etc. I took this out and replaced it with and Interpet internal filter.
apologies, was getting confused with another tank. what are the difference/advantages of an internal filter to the one that comes as standard? sorry, the only experience i have is with a biorb
mickspark81
Fish Fanatic
Yeah. I purchased the jewel rekord 800 (110 litre) for my first tank.
Came complete with heater, internal filter and 2 x lights
The lights and heater are ok but the filter i wanted to replace with a cannister. Flow rate too slow imo and looks ugly.
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