Just set this little tank up for my Betta, as I was looking for something with a low water flow that was not only functional but also beautiful. I wanted something unique but that wouldn't trade form for functionality.
This tank is perfect.
Brilliantly easy to set up, and simple to maintain.
My betta loves it and there is PLENTY of room. It's so spacious, in fact, that I am trying to figure out what else to put in there maybe some cloud tetras and ghost shrimp? because it really is silly how much room he has all to himself.
The filter is hidden behind the white and green background, the whole thing slides out if you need to access it, or you lift the entire top off. There is hood over the filter compartment, keeping it hidden, but no cover over the center opening (makes feeding fish easy, but may be a problem if you have a "jumper"). The light switch is easily accessible and cleverly hidden within the white plastic top, and there is a white, off, and blue LED setting.
I feel there is enough light should you want to add live plants to the tank.
You also have the option of spreading your substrate (gravel suggested, as the intake for the filter is along the bottom and I would suspect sand might pose a problem) across the whole tank as shown, or there is a nifty little reservoir in the center. That's what I did, and it looks great. Plus, any sinking food that falls out to the sides is easily found and eaten by my Betta (as it's not hidden in gravel).
Overall I think for the price, design, functionality, and quality this tank is a GREAT buy.
It would make an excellent gift, and would be suitable for a Betta or 2 small goldfish, or add a heater and set it up for a couple of fancy guppies or other tropical fish. It's taller than it is wide, so keep that in mind when selecting inhabitants. I really love this tank. The filter does make a barely audible hum, in contrast to my Fluval Edge 6 gal (which I am crazy in love with!!) I have in the same room which is absolutely silent. (I use that for 3 little fancy goldfish)
I am pleased with this aquarium, because the filter pump is quiet, access is easy, the lighting is visually effective, and it holds a relatively large volume of water given its small "foot" profile. The disadvantages are the flip side of the advantages and should be attended to carefully by potential buyers. The aquarium has a small surface to vertical depth ratio; therefore, it may be prone to oxygen depletion, yet an aeration system is not included. (I did not need one, because I use mine to house a betta fish who can breathe atmospheric oxygen, and I also find other ways to aerate.) The filter pump is quiet but also powerful, which may trouble some fish, as other reviewers suggested. (My betta fish manages just fine, but he does seek out the less turbulent areas to rest.) The lighting is visually effective, but it probably isn't enough for the plants, and it would have been nice to have a cheap timer or clock to go with it. Given that this aquarium has enough volume for two bettas, I wish there were an easy way to divide it in two. The green images of plants in the background are more pleasing than not, and the fish explored them at first, but they could have been printed on the plastic with a higher resolution. Finally, because the filter pump is relatively powerful, fish can get sucked in against the vent near the bottom of the back surface of the aquarium. They are generally able to dislodge themselves without problems, but I did end up adding more gravel to cover up the openings of the vent, and I am a bit concerned about straining the pump because of that; so my aquarium ended up with more gravel than was needed (perhaps a rock like the one in the picture could do the job). As another reviewer mentioned, there is space in the filter compartment for a heater, and that is where i keep mine. Finally, the filter cartridges do not see to be proprietary and can be found at very reasonable prices online. In sum, this aquarium works great for my purposes, but I am not sure that it would be as effective for different fish.
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This is a great tank for a small number of fish -aethetically beautiful, easy to maintain so far, and very quiet. Set-up is easy. Just be careful when adding the gravel substrate because all acrylic tanks scratch easily. You'll need to purchase a small, compact heater (15 to 25 watts) to fit in the filter compartment, and add water conditioner and a liquid cycling agent if you want to add fish at the time of set up. A small sample of Nutrafin Cycle was included with the aquarium and worked well. Bettas don't like currents and the two small water returns in this tank do produce minimal vertical currents, but my betta figured out pretty quickly how to manage around those. Three weeks post-set-up, he seems very happy with his new space.
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I was expecting a small tank, but it turned out very spacious. We call it the "Betta Mansion." The filter is quiet, but not whisper quiet about as loud as a hardrive spinning on a laptop. It's a great value and I highly recommend it.
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Very easy to set up and maintain. Wish it was a larger tank! Very relaxing to watch and its all one system just plug in after decorating and adding water and fish!
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These lights work well in a small water feature, but could certainly benefit from longer cords between lamps. They sometimes stay on during cloudy days. Photo cell to control on-after-dark feature is located on the bottom of the transformer which puts it in the shade.
