Recommendations? Tank that's modern, but has a "slosh-proof" lid

[Lady Courage]

Hello all!

As you can see, I'm brand new here and this thread is the #1 reason I joined. Though I'm sure you'll see a bit more of me later too.

Currently, I'm looking to upgrade my tank. I don't want something huge, 5 or 6 gallons tops, 3 more like it. Because... I've just learned I may be going on a year long RV trip in the next 6 months.

So I need to find a tank that has a "slosh-proof" lid. I could just get one of those with the giant hoods, but I really don't care for those... I prefer the look of the Fluval Chi, Ecoxotic EcoPico or Aqueon Evolve. However, all the lids to those look like the slightest slosh of liquid would slip out under the hood.

They say that Class A RV's don't slosh liquid much, but they do recommend one take precautions. I don't expect a water tight seal, but I really need to find something that will keep most of the small sloshing contained.

Thanks so much y'all!!

[homegrown terror]

i've been wanting to design a movement-proof fish tank for months. i think i could do it using gyro stabilisation kinda like this rig for a camera, but with a tank instead:

[inuudo]

You might want to consider the Fluval View. I had one until recently but transitioned my betta to a more traditional 5.5 gallon glass rectangle.

The lid on the View fits securely and has enough of an opening for feeding and for the betta to get air. The box claims that the tank is 15 litres (just under 4 gallons) but I think they are including the reservoir section that the filter housing slides into. I think the actual tank part is more like 3 gallons. The body of the tank is fairly narrow, which might suit your RV living environment better than a wider footprint. One thing I really liked about the tank was the visibility -- it's basically a flattened oval and quite tall so you see your fish all the time.

A couple of things that I didn't particularly like: the lid would vibrate periodically, the filter media seemed substandard (I never cycled the tank -- just did a 20-40% water change every day), and the outflow spouts had to be baffled with sponge to soften the water motion for my betta. Something else that I was ambivalent about was the lighting system -- it's l.e.d. lighting with a switch for white or blue light (daylight/moonlight). I liked the lights themselves, but they are wired into the lid, so if the lid was off there was no lighting.

Despite the drawbacks, I would use the tank again if I had minimal desk space, outlets, or some other space limitation. It is a bit spendy around $70, but it is often on sale.

Here's a photo of mine:

[Lady Courage]

Originally Posted by homegrown terror

i've been wanting to design a movement-proof fish tank for months. i think i could do it using gyro stabilisation kinda like this rig for a camera, but with a tank instead:

Oh my word, that is SUCH a cool idea! I love it! Don't even have the first idea where to get that gyro unit... That's a really cool idea, it would be so steampunk and industrial! And functional. lol I love it. XD

Originally Posted by inuudo

You might want to consider the Fluval View. I had one until recently but transitioned my betta to a more traditional 5.5 gallon glass rectangle.

The lid on the View fits securely and has enough of an opening for feeding and for the betta to get air. The box claims that the tank is 15 litres (just under 4 gallons) but I think they are including the reservoir section that the filter housing slides into. I think the actual tank part is more like 3 gallons. The body of the tank is fairly narrow, which might suit your RV living environment better than a wider footprint. One thing I really liked about the tank was the visibility -- it's basically a flattened oval and quite tall so you see your fish all the time.

A couple of things that I didn't particularly like: the lid would vibrate periodically, the filter media seemed substandard (I never cycled the tank -- just did a 20-40% water change every day), and the outflow spouts had to be baffled with sponge to soften the water motion for my betta. Something else that I was ambivalent about was the lighting system -- it's l.e.d. lighting with a switch for white or blue light (daylight/moonlight). I liked the lights themselves, but they are wired into the lid, so if the lid was off there was no lighting.

Despite the drawbacks, I would use the tank again if I had minimal desk space, outlets, or some other space limitation. It is a bit spendy around $70, but it is often on sale.

Oh, thank you! That's exactly what I was looking for! I will look into that, thank you so much. It's a pretty tank too! I like it's shape and how easily you can see everything in it. Thank you!

[BettaQi]

Originally Posted by Lady Courage

Oh my word, that is SUCH a cool idea! I love it! Don't even have the first idea where to get that gyro unit... That's a really cool idea, it would be so steampunk and industrial! And functional. lol I love it. XD



Oh, thank you! That's exactly what I was looking for! I will look into that, thank you so much. It's a pretty tank too! I like it's shape and how easily you can see everything in it. Thank you!

On sale at PetSmart now!

[Lady Courage]

Thank you so much everyone! I went out of town the other day and lo and behold- Petsmart there had it in stock! So! I have a Fluval View sitting beside me, waiting for me to finish doing my research so I set it up RIGHT. lol I know it's the tank I want, I just want to make sure I get the right plants and such.

I still love the idea of the gyro tank- I mean, SERIOUSLY love it -but I've no idea where to start with that. Did a little research to see where I could find the gryo part, but came up with nothing. The View is much easier. lol

Thanks again! :D

[inuudo]

I'm glad that worked out for you. Thanks for the update. Please post photos when it's set up.

[Lady Courage]

Will do! :D Checkin' out my LFS tomorrow for plants. Didn't even know I had one! But I googled it yesterday and found that the smart and the co aren't the only fish stores in town. Haha!

[Lady Courage]

Well, I've moved Dr. Seuss over to the new tank, though I'm still trying to find all the plants I want/need. But even though I've put a sponge under the output, he is not looking too happy in there.

But I think it might be that he's a very weak swimmer... Gotta be honest- I bought him with a lot of incorrect information in mind and got him a 1/2 gallon, no filter tank. He's been living in that up to this morning.

When I was very young, 9 or so, I was in love with bettas. I did all the research I could get my little hands on and followed all the advice from the "experts". These so-called experts told me it was OK to have my fish in a champagne glass, if I so wanted.

Soooo... I have a really good memory for facts and was confident that I remembered how to take care of a betta well enough to go ahead and get one. But I also care about my animals enough to want to double-check myself. So I got home and did some more research- and discovered all the books I'd ever checked out or bought were WRONG (and I had quite the little collection of betta books!!). Then before I could dash out and buy a new tank I found we may be living in an RV and didn't know what to get, then capital suddenly had to be spent on "important" things, etc.

So Dr. Seuss has been living in a little 1/2 gallon tank for about two months while I tried to find a tank and save up the money to get it. He was very happy, except for being a bit bored. Loved his plant, loved playing with our fingers, went insane over food, enjoyed being carried around the house when I went to change his water and was brightly colored and bubblenest building happily.

And now... The sponge helped, but he's still looking very stressed and dull. I put him in this morning with the water from his tank. The temp is fine, the water is freshly treated and clean, the sponges are in place to baffle the output... Is there anything else I can do? I've heard on the forums here that putting a sponge near the input is good for cycling in a small tank, would that also slow the pull of the water in this tank? Or should weak little Dr. Seuss get some muscle and be OK with the gentle flow in a few days?

I feel bad. The poor baby's fins are torn a bit now! They've never torn before. Been a bit curled (from cramped living conditions, I'm sure) but never torn. Poor Dr. Seuss.

[MyRainbowBettaFish]

i have heard that the 6.6 gallon bookshelf tank is WONDERFUL!