[Graceful]

The Top Fin 5.5 gallon is only $30 at Petsmart! I'm thinking about going for it. The sale ends on the 27th.

I'd love to hear your experience and opinion with this tank. :-D

 

[Seki]

LOVE IT. I have two of these and they're fantastic. The hood is a bit flimsy, but it'll serve your purpose. The filter is acceptable unless it's in your bedroom. It's a little bit loud for being in a bedroom. I say, GET IT!! And a nice Jager heater to go with it~

 

[HuntFishRepeat]

Get it!! I bought mine 2 weeks ago and still love it! you'll have to build a baffle for it or put a sponge in front of the outflow as the filter current is a bit strong.

Also, make sure to wrap something around the filter intake so it doesn't suck up your betta's fins.

 

[Briz]

That kit often goes on sale for $30. It's not a bad price for a 5.5 gallon tank and 5.5 hood (not easily found in stores). I would buy a compact fluorescent bulb to replace the stock incandescent that comes with it.

 

[BettaLover1313]

I've had the tank for several months now. It's quite a nice tank. The filter can get a bit noisy, but usually it's fairly quiet (though this may vary with each individual tank set from the sounds of it). Though the hood is a bit flimsy, it has detoured my cat from doing anything except drinking from my filter (the cover for it fell off in my dorm room where I can't, currently get it -.-). Definitely baffle the filter too, like others have said, both where the water flows out and the intake.

Overall, a nice tank that I and my boys enjoy.

 

[TheTrojanBetta]

I've had this tank for almost a year now, and I got it on sale too! It was my first aquarium that I set up myself and I absolutely love it! Odysseus does too.
The only modifications I made were baffling the filter output and replacing the light builb. The filter has worked fine for me on Odysseus's, it's not noisy or anything, but like others have said I think it varies. I've set two more of these up, for my sister's betta and a neighbor's, and my sister's has a tendency to be noisier and harder to start back up after water changes. I have noticed that a lot of times if it is being noisy, it's because something is even lightly touching up against the fitler intake. As soon as I move whatever plant or decor is touching it it goes back to being quiet.
Definitely a great tank though, I have really enjoyed it!

 

[Graceful]

I think I'm gonna go for it!

Is it too small to cycle?

 

[givemethatfish]

Not at all. You can easily cycle it.

 

[Graceful]

Is fish-in acceptable? My betta is in a 1-gallon unfiltered tank. I *did* just cycle my huge tank with fish in it, but they're goldfish and I assume they're hardier than bettas?

I have an established 10-gallon I could use to speed up the process. But I really have to get him out of that 1-gal soon.

 

[givemethatfish]

Yeah just get yourself some prime (if you don't have it already), steal a little filter media from the 10G, and you'll be good for a fish-in. Shouldn't take much time at all if you're using established media.

 

[Graceful]

Daily testing and water changes until it's fully cycled, I'm assuming?

Hahaha... I just got finished with daily testing on my cycling 46-gallon. Now I have to do more testing! Ack.

 

[bettafishfins]

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but I also noticed that right now they have a 10 gallon on sale for 12 dollars.

 

[aselvarial]

I just finished cycling a 2.5 gallon, in about a month with a betta. And if it can be done on a 2.5 i imagine a 5.5 will be easier. We changed water about every other day except for right near the end (last week or so) when I went to every day because of the nitrites. And AB (my betta who was helping with the cycle) stayed healthy and even started new fin growth while the cycle was going. So it IS possible to do it in a smaller tank! you'll just have to be really diligent about food clean up when they are done eating, because it doesn't take much in the little tanks to spike your ammonia. But hey, you have a fully cycled one to help you seed it!

 

[Graceful]

I bought it! It's filled with water and no fish as of now. I'm leaving the filter on overnight to make sure everything's working ok. Looks good!

 

[aselvarial]

Good luck! and man a 46 gallon! I'm jealous! I managed to talk my husband into a 29 gallon one before he said no more.

 

[Huffle Puffles]

I'm super sensitive to noise when I'm trying to sleep and I had two of these in my bedroom along with the 10 gallon one and as long as you keep the water level up and I placed a small rock or even the container of fish food on the little circle on top of the filter intake spout and it keeps any noise at bay. As far as a baffle, put some pantyhose over the water intake area and a cut up water bottle where the water comes out and I don't notice my fishy being knocked around at all.

 

[WhitneyLin]

I was just going to post about this tank! I really wish you hadnt bought it yet. I was looking through the petsmart ad and there is a sale starting the 28th and going through the 30th. Its going on sale for $19.99. Take it back if you can and buy it again on one of those days. Or see if they'll give you the sale price with the receipt.

Im not sure if this is at all Petsmarts. So you may want to put in your area code on the petsmart website and check your local ad for sure. But I think they are mostly all the same.


http://www.petsmart.com/supplies/aquariums/top-fin-5.5-gal-aquarium-starter-kit-zid36-17829/cat-36-catid-300065;pgid=6a5mcDkKJgZSRp3lq4t5Z1fL0000fwX_s9rA?_t=pfm%3Dsearch%26SearchTerm%3D5166072

This is the tank you got, right? Just to make sure.

 

[Graceful]

Too bad. It's already decorated and everything. Oh well, 10 bucks isn't that huge of a difference.

 

[Graceful]

Here it is! Shiloh's not going in yet, I want more plants and to get the cycle started first.

 

[WhitneyLin]

darn. Its a nice tank though.

I'm trying to stay pretty strict on a budget so $10 is a lot for me. Especially when I need to buy another liquid test kit soon so I can cycle the new tank. I'm starting to run pretty low. I wince everytime I look at the price.