# Tetra 15 gallon aquarium kit= Annoying



## Hopeseeker (Feb 6, 2012)

Point in case: I'm about to purchase a Tetra Aquarium Success Kit 15 gallon...has aquarium, lighted hood, filter and heater in it. The problem is that both the filter and heater are for a max 10 gallon aquarium!!!! Why the heck did they put the wrong stuff in all the kits? And on the packaging it has the stuff that is in it pictured....but, it's not for anything higher than a 10 gallon. I'm most likely having to purchase a different filter and heater....so frustrating!! I mean the price is better than buying the tank and hood separately, but why not get their kits put together right?


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## styggian (Dec 13, 2011)

I have it and the filter sucks anyway. Hood and tank are excellent. I have a much better heater now, rated for 20-30 gal and a 30gal Marineland Biolwheel filter.


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## cp6445 (Jan 14, 2012)

Because they are either cheap or ignorant or both... Sorry for your frustration.

Does anyone know, are those pretty reliable parameters, ie is the filter and heater in that kit really not reliable for a 15 gallon, is that cutoff reliable or just a recommendation? I've considered upgrading my 10 to a 15gal and have wondered if my current filter and heater (recommended for up to 10gal) would really have to be replaced.


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## Hopeseeker (Feb 6, 2012)

styggian said:


> I have it and the filter sucks anyway. Hood and tank are excellent. I have a much better heater now, rated for 20-30 gal and a 30gal Marineland Biolwheel filter.


And the filter is a good filter? No problems with it? And fishies are fine with it?


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## styggian (Dec 13, 2011)

The filter is too small, but my tank is a little overstocked between 8 females and a lot of ghost shrimp and a couple snails. It should be fine depending on how much you stock your tank. I have the filter that came with it in the second 15gal I bought for males, so each side has the same filter from the kit, and I have a Marineland Bio Wheel 30gal filter from Petco. I'd upgrade the filter eventually but it will be fine for now.

For the heater, I found that when it got really cold outside, my tank temp dropped as well. I lost two petco baby bettas because the temp dropped from 78* to 70* over night. I got a new heater rated for a 20-30gal tank and it's been a lot more steady and even without fluctuation.

Both will be fine for now, but I'd consider upgrading both later. I've had no problem with the tank and hood, the light works great.


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## Hopeseeker (Feb 6, 2012)

styggian said:


> The filter is too small, but my tank is a little overstocked between 8 females and a lot of ghost shrimp and a couple snails. It should be fine depending on how much you stock your tank. I have the filter that came with it in the second 15gal I bought for males, so each side has the same filter from the kit, and I have a Marineland Bio Wheel 30gal filter from Petco. I'd upgrade the filter eventually but it will be fine for now.
> 
> For the heater, I found that when it got really cold outside, my tank temp dropped as well. I lost two petco baby bettas because the temp dropped from 78* to 70* over night. I got a new heater rated for a 20-30gal tank and it's been a lot more steady and even without fluctuation.
> 
> Both will be fine for now, but I'd consider upgrading both later. I've had no problem with the tank and hood, the light works great.


So you think it'll be fine for a start and throughout the cycling? I'm planning on once I have all the substrate, caves and live plants, cycling it for at least a month before getting any of my girls. I just recently bought an API freshwater test kit and am planning on keeping an eye on everything, once it's up and running.


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## styggian (Dec 13, 2011)

Hopeseeker said:


> So you think it'll be fine for a start and throughout the cycling? I'm planning on once I have all the substrate, caves and live plants, cycling it for at least a month before getting any of my girls. I just recently bought an API freshwater test kit and am planning on keeping an eye on everything, once it's up and running.


Yes, I think that will be fine for now. If you upgrade the filter, you can move the filter media over to keep the bacteria and seed the media of the new filter so your cycle isn't disrupted.


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## Hopeseeker (Feb 6, 2012)

styggian said:


> Yes, I think that will be fine for now. If you upgrade the filter, you can move the filter media over to keep the bacteria and seed the media of the new filter so your cycle isn't disrupted.


Not planning on getting a Tetra brand filter, So maybe I should just start out with the one I want....not too sure that brands are interchangeable....all the filter medias are kinda different, depending on brands.


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## styggian (Dec 13, 2011)

Usually you can stuff the filter in behind the second filter's cartridge. I've put in ceramic media in a mesh bag so I can move them around as much as I like.


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## Hopeseeker (Feb 6, 2012)

styggian said:


> Usually you can stuff the filter in behind the second filter's cartridge. I've put in ceramic media in a mesh bag so I can move them around as much as I like.


Oh, ok! Will ask you questions about it later....don't even have the aquarium, yet, Or even a cleared out space to set up as of yet. No stand/table, either. I pretty much have none of the stuff for my sorority, except as much knowledge as I can soak up from this website!!!


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Give tetra a call or email them and explain your frustrations. I called them once because a kit sold in Canada didn't have plants like the kit in USA.. they send me like $60 worth of plastic plants for free


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## Hopeseeker (Feb 6, 2012)

Pitluvs said:


> Give tetra a call or email them and explain your frustrations. I called them once because a kit sold in Canada didn't have plants like the kit in USA.. they send me like $60 worth of plastic plants for free


HMMMMM......interesting idea....


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## Warlock (Aug 12, 2011)

PETCO.. in austin.. has the kit on clearance.. $36.. just a little FYI.. 

if you want the kit on the cheap.. now maybe be a good time to see if your PETCO has it..


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