The Tetra Cube Aquarium Kit is a great starter aquarium. The tank is essentially a cube made of lightweight but good quality plastic that looks great and is just the right size to be noticeable without taking up too much space. The only downside to the aquarium is that the included in tank filter is really not effective. The filter essentially uses the included air pump to push bubbles through an intake which also forces water into the filter and then through a filter cartridge. The design is simple but the end result is only basic filtration. Fortunately the notched lid easily accommodates the Azoo Mignon external filter AZOO Mignon Filter 60 which works very well to keep the tank clean without the costly filter cartridge replacements.
*** Positive Points: ***
Attractive cube design on a small black pedestal
Inlcuded light has bright LED's so you have good illumination without excessive power consumption
The Lid is pre-notched so it is easy to hang an external filter (such as the Azoo Mignon)
The Lid has a notch for easy feeding.
*** Negative Points: ***
The included in tank filter is not very effective at keeping the tank clean.
The lid easily falls into the tank when you try to remove it.
The LED light is not adjustable.
The included pump is rather low quality and known to fail after 1-2 years use.
This tank is a cut above others in the size and price range. It looks nice, not so much like a childs toy, and the lid has pre-cut sections that allow for a different or additional filter, which you may want to consider.
The included filter is a Whisper 3i, a tiny air driven internal. It actually functions fairly well as a low maintenance mechanical and bio-filter if you replace the floss/carbon "cartridge" with a permanent piece of sponge that is simply rinsed out in tank water regularly. The filter must be situated with the outflow at or above the surface. The hidged top to the filter may or may not stay on, it isn't needed so chuck it if it comes off or you will constantly find it floating in the tank. The included air pump is sufficient to run the filter, but is not strongeven adding certain types of check valves may be too much for it. Plan on situating it above the water level. There is space cut out of the plastic lid that allows for a small HOB if you want more filtration.
The tank itself is a lightweight cube on a black plastic base. The small size limits your choice of inhabitants, but a single male Betta will do well. Two or three male guppies can be gorgeous. Female guppies get larger and if you do mix sexes the males will constantly harass the females and the tank is a bit small to allow them to hide or evade the attention. A couple dwarf frogs, a dwarf crayfish, or ornamental shrimp are other options. Small fish such as tetras or danios need to be in groups and are highly reactive making them better suited to larger tanks. There is ample room for a small heater for a Betta or other tropical. The acrylic/styrene scratches very easily so algae removal or gravel vacs need to be performed with great care. Gravel is optional, most consider it essential but in most cases it is not. Bare bottom tanks are easier to maintain and can be beautifully decorated with bogwood, plants, rock, and/or dried oak or Indian almond leaves.
The LED light fixture is just OK. It isn't particularly bright, and doesn't bring out a fish's colors very well. For even low light plants it isn't really bright enough, but very few small tank kits have good lighting.
All in all this is a good buy. For the price you get a nice looking little tank, plenty big enough for a Betta. Ignore internet experts declaring "Bettas need a minimum of 5 gallons" ... it's unsubstantiated nonsense, and merely someones personal opinion, or someone regurgitating someones elses personal opinion. Common sense should tell any sane person that keeping a live fish in a neon colored 4 inch plastic box is moronic even if it does say "for Bettas" on the package. This tank is perfectly suitable however.
Buy Tetra Cube Aquarium Kit, 3-Gallon Now
I purchased this tank for my beautiful half moon betta Samuri, his gold mystery snail pal, & his newest pal as of yesterday an african dwarf frog. I had him in a 1.5 gallon & just really felt he needed more room. I researched every 2.5, 3, & 3.5 gallon on the market I could find. I was going to purchase the aqueon mini bow 2.5. I have the 5 galllon with 6 guppies and a mystery snail all living together & i love it! But after reading customer reviews on the 2.5 gallon version i quickly changed my mind. The mini bow 2.5 light is directly over the filter cartridge, which A) caused extreme algea blooms very quickly rendering the filter cartridge useless in only a weeks time & B) since the light is directly over the filter the whole tank is not properly lit up. Way too much of a design flaw more me. Then I was leaning toward the fluval spec 3, but its $70, & only 2.5 gallons. I just couldnt justify that kind of money for just 2.5 gallons. I was weary about this tank because i feel tetra products are cheap. It is cheaply made, but it looks very nice. The LEDs are suprisingly bright! The "whisper" filter is decent so far. More of a dull hum, with a soft like rain effect from the bubbles. I set it up about 24 hours ago. My betta has been happily swimming around, & the african dwarf frog is lazily sleeping on the mystery snail (lol). The betta likes the bubbles from the filter. Idk if i will keep the filter i havent decided yet. All depends on how often i have to change the catridge. The tank looks 3 gallons (sometimes it says 3 gallons, but it will only hold 2.5). The black base is cheap but doesnt look too bad at all. The lid is pretty thin. Im just going to be extra careful too not drop it, im sure it would crack easily. Overall I am very pleased with this purchase, and so are my pets!
Read Best Reviews of Tetra Cube Aquarium Kit, 3-Gallon Here
For the price, I wasn't expecting the sun and the moon, and after reading other reviews I went in expecting the filter to be pretty sub-par. I had been shopping around for a more ideal aquarium for my betta that was in a shape I liked in a 3 gallon range, and didn't see many options.
I was a little concerned getting the tank shipped and possibly cracking, but it arrived perfectly fine. It was in a box in a box :)
I just got it set up and I am pleased so far. I like the sizeits just right for me! I feel much happier having my betta in a 3 gal tank rather than a 1 gal, and I think he agrees. I really like the cube shape, and that the edges are rounded. Feeling it, you can tell its cheap plastic, but the look of it is nice, particularly in the dark with the light on. It looks like a glass tank. I imagine the main difficulty will be in treating it gently to keep it scratch-free.
I was also able to carry it from the kitchen to my room with it mostly full though its a little heavy. The bottom base is also cheap plastic which is not flat across the bottom which makes carrying a little awkward, but it held up fine.
The light seems quite nice, I appreciate there is a on/off switch on it (my other tank came with a light that did not have one.)
The filter works ok as far as I can tellthere was nothing in the way of pictures or instructions, but it was only a few pieces and I figured it out. I wasn't sure how high it needed to be placed compared to the water line, I may fiddle with that more later. The current seems like it may be a little strong but just around where the water dumps in, but I can see if I can modify that or just get a different filterit seems like there are other good options that aren't very expensive. I have no idea which way you are supposed to face the filter, or if that even matters. I'm guessing probably not.
As for noise, it makes a soft buzz and some light water/bubble noise. It does bubble up at the back which can kind of push against the lid making a clacking noise as it moves up and down. It seems like you can kind of feel out an ideal height to minimize noise and current. I have mine placed so the spout is around 3/4 inch above the water line.
Several people had commented it is easy to drop the lid in the bowl. I've been careful so far and have not had a problem. I actually kinda like how tightly the lid rests against the top. I also really like that there is a small feeding hole, and at the back sections cut out for the light and filter, so you shouldn't have to take the lid off very often. The filter area is big enough you can substitute most any small filter if you prefer a different one. I think the lid is a great shape to be practical, and tries to be an unobtrusive as possible. I don't like the tanks that have the huge hood on them.
I would recommend people consider this setup primarily for the tank and light, which I think its still a decent deal price-wise.
I'm considering looking into adding a ghost shrimp or mystery snail now that I have a little more space.
UPDATE:
I've had the tank about 5 days now.
After some messing with the filter, the current still seems stronger than the betta likes. I've seen him swim under it, and it pushes him down. He seemed kind of restless too, or rests on plants oddly. Someone at the pet store just suggested to tie a knot in the tubeI ended up kinking it and tieing it with a twist-tie, and that has worked wonderfully. I've cut the output rate by about half. I would say just be careful not to cut it back too much, or if the water level goes down it will stop coming out at all.
As for the filter's effectiveness, I don't really know if its doing much or not, but at least its aerating the water. With my tank setup there shouldn't be a really high level of waste.
I may still go with a better filter in the long run, the one recommended by another post seems really good and not expensive, but this one seems sufficient for now.
My tank now also has a ghost shrimp and a blue mystery snail. There was some dissent with the betta at first, but now they seem to be getting along for the most part. I was surprised, the ghost shrimp really held his ownI picked a fairly large one, but figured if the betta wanted to he could still take him apart. The betta has been poking at him occasionally, but no harm done. I added some more plants which really helped since the ghost shrimp hides unseen by the betta most of the time.
I would recommend these companions for the tankit is really too small to consider other fish. Depending on your betta's personality and level of aggression, it may not get along with the shrimp, but it may so you just have to try with the knowledge the shrimp may not make it. I wouldn't want more than 1-2 shrimp in there so he's not feeling stressed seeing them all the time. So I'd say don't go overboard.
You also shouldn't get more than 1 snail for this size tank.
If you do decide to add companions, particularly with the shrimp make sure there is enough plants and other places for him to hide so he doesn't constantly have to contend with the betta. If you want to ensure the best care for the snail, do something to make sure there is good enough calcium levels for him. This can be as simple as putting in a cuttlefish bone, some seashells, or adding some calcium supplement to the water.
I actually took a bit of screen and cut it to fit on the bottom of the lid to prevent possible snail escape. I don't know how necessary this is since it'd probably be hard for him to get up past the filter and there isn't that much open area on the lid, but I figure better safe than sorry.
The tank is a little cloudy now, but I was experimenting with foods for the shrimp and snail, and they weren't eating the algae wafer right away. I know generally they eat scraps, but there's not much scrap with just one betta if its food he likes.
My betta seems a lot more active now than he was in the old 1 gal bowl. While larger tanks are always preferable, this seems like a great size if you don't want to go too big.
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This is a very nice small space tank for home or office.
I got rid of the filter that comes with the tank(not a very good one) and purchased a mini outside filter that keeps the tank clean and provides a nice water flow.
Because it`s so small i went with live plants a couple ghost shrimp and just three small fish.
Tank looks great with live plants and the clip on overhead light works great.
It`s a good buy!
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I bought this because of the great buy, and YES it was a great buy. I love this tank! it is the perfect size for a starter tank plus it comes with everything to start out with. I thought the filter would be flimsy but it has been great and really quiet too. I would recommend getting something to hold the heater in place a little better but other than that great buy and good quality.
