# 5 Gallon Tank Recommendations



## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

My betta currently lives in an Aqueon 2.5 gallon minibow with his nerite friend, Gary. I've heard that a 2.5 gallon tank is too small to house a betta and a snail, but Gary has done a good job of cleaning up the algae that keeps growing, so I've kept him in the tank. I have a TOM mini internal filter that's supposed to work on tanks up to 6 gallons, and I have a hydor theo 25watt heater. I've switched the original incandescent bulb that the tank came with for a fluorescent light.

With Christmas coming up and all the sales that that entails (hey, that rhymes!), I'm considering upgrading to a 5 gallon tank. I want to be able to use my current filter in the new tank, so that I don't have to start all over again on the cycle. So I don't want to go above 5 gallons if I can help it. I also don't want to spend more than $50 on a new tank. It doesn't really matter if the filter it comes with is good or not, since I'll just be adding my current filter. I'm just looking for a cheap 5 gallon tank that won't leak, and has a hood that I could put fluorescent lights in.

If you have any suggestions for what kind of tank I could get, let me know. There's a 5.5 gallon on sale with Petsmart for $25 right now, but it's getting bad reviews because apparently it comes with LED lights, and the hood is different from what is pictured.

Also, is there anything special I need to do when I move everything into a new tank? Would that upset the cycle?


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Petsmart has their 5.5 gallon kit on sale right now for $24.99. I have two of them and they're fine and meet all your criteria.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Oh duh what you already said lol. This one http://www.petsmart.com/sale/fish/top-fin-5.5-gal-aquarium-starter-kit-zid36-17829/cat-36-catid-900003?var_id=36-17829&_t=pfm%3Dcategory does not have LED lights. Has a typical screw-in.


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

Great! I'll have to go in-store and make sure that it has the right hood, I guess. If it doesn't, I'll just wait and find a better one, but $25 seems like a steal. It's cheaper than the 2.5 gallon I have right now!


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Maybe they have recently started upgrading that kit. I literally bought one last week, and it was definitely the regular bulb hood. I didn't notice any boxes that looked different, but maybe my store just hasn't gotten the LED ones in yet.


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

I went to Petsmart today to investigate the difference in hoods. It turns out my Petsmart has the new hoods with LED lights, which makes the hood flat and probably incapable to switching out for a CFL. I'm going to see if I can buy the old hood separately somewhere.


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## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

IntrovertEJL:[Also, is there anything special I need to do when I move everything into a new tank? Would that upset the cycle?[/quote]


It will upset the cycle somewhat, however if you use the same filter, or at least the same media in the new tank it will seed the bacteria quicker.
I would suggest using the same gravel and adding to it if necessary as the gravel and any docorations will also harbor some bacteria. With just the betta and the snail in there it won't be a huge bioload so you should be Ok as long as you are doing requirted water changes. I'd even ramp them up abit until you know for sure things are on track. 

As far as tanks the only 5g I have is a Fluval Spec V, and the longer I have it the less I'm liking it for ease of maintenance. It's a nice looking tank but I jsut don't like the filtration so far off to one side. I ended up putting a small sponge filter on the other end. I may just remove that entire filter compartment if it's possible and use some other type of filtration.

There is also the Fluval Chi 5g, a really nice Ecoxotic Eco Pico that I love, and a Marineland Contour out there. I have been tempted, but I have not gotten those (yet!).
Thay are a bit pricey...........


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

I've been looking around on Amazon to find something similar with a different hood. The only good option I've seen is the All Glass 5.5 gallon, which is around $25. I'd have to buy the hood for it separately, which is about the same cost as the tank itself. So all together I'd have to spend $45-50 on a tank from Amazon with a better hood. Ugh.

Thanks, TerriGToo -- I was planning to just move everything I have in my current tank into my new tank, with extra gravel, like you suggested. As to the tanks -- I've looked at all of those, but like you said, they're pricey. I'm going to try to keep my spending under $50 if I can help it.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

There's always Craigslist!


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

^ +1

Also, just wanted to say that I, too, have a nerite named Gary.


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

I just checked Craigslist, but no one's selling any 5 gallon tanks. There were a few tempting $20 10-20 gallon tanks, but I don't want to get too big of a tank. Thanks for the reminder, though!

@Schmoo -- It's such a fitting name, isn't it?


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## hgual22 (Jul 18, 2014)

I have the top fun 5.5, two actually and I love them. Personally I like LED lights way better, since they are brighter and brings out the fishes colors. My low light plants grow amazingly with them as well. I love the hood too, it's nice and sleek. The tank is a great size, and my fish love them, plus the sale price is great! I have absolutely no issues with it and I've had one since May, and the other I just bought last week when the sale started, I upgraded my girl from her 3gal. They look great, work great and I persinally love the hood and LEDs. I also have 2 friends with the same exact tank, and they've had no issues at all with it. I would go for it, especially at $25!!


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

I'm thinking I may go back and buy the Top Fin 5.5gal today in spite of the hood. If I don't like the hood, I'll just order a better one off of Amazon. It would cost about the same if I got the one from Petsmart with the extra hood as it would to buy the tank and hood off of Amazon directly. But if the tank and hood from Petsmart work out, then I can get away with only spending $25 on a new tank.


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## Jazzy79 (Nov 25, 2014)

Hi everyone I'm new here and reading this post helped me a lot I bought the same tank last night for my first betta and in the process of setting everything up I like how the tank looks so far.  Questions what is everyone sitting a 5 gallon tank on??


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## NorthernLights (Mar 2, 2012)

For a 5 gallon tank, I would highly recommend the Marineland Eclipse 5 gallon Hex. It's made of a thick, sturdy acrylic (much more so than the mini-bow tanks), the hood is easily compatible with a CFL, and you can either use the filter it comes with or switch it (like I did) for a sponge filter or another type of filter. It looks great to boot! I only switched tanks because I ended up with some cory cats and needed a higher tank capacity.


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## hgual22 (Jul 18, 2014)

I'm honestly considering picking up another 5.5gal ust because of this awesome sale. And I could always use an extra tank, you know? Its super great tank, and at this price? Amazing.


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## Jazzy79 (Nov 25, 2014)

Petsmart has a all glass aquarium incandescent hood for $9.99 that fits the 5.5 top fin tank. I'm going to buy one in place on the flat one the tank come with. But new design with led lights are pretty bright!


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

A 5.5 gallon really isn't that heavy (around 50 lbs). I've put them on desks and other furniture without really worrying about it. If you can sit on the furniture without it breaking, then your 5.5 gallon tank should be just fine  You can honestly build a shelf out of a piece of plywood and a few 2X4s and it would be more than fine, assuming you don't try to hold it together with duct tape


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## Jazzy79 (Nov 25, 2014)

Kim said:


> A 5.5 gallon really isn't that heavy (around 50 lbs). I've put them on desks and other furniture without really worrying about it. If you can sit on the furniture without it breaking, then your 5.5 gallon tank should be just fine  You can honestly build a shelf out of a piece of plywood and a few 2X4s and it would be more than fine, assuming you don't try to hold it together with duct tape


Thanks for the information Kim!!


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

Thanks, Jazzy79! When I was in-store looking at the tank, I also looked at their selection of hoods, but didn't see that one. But that's because you can only order it online. But now I've ordered the hood and some extra gravel, and soon I'll head over to Petsmart to pick up the tank.

Thank you everyone for your help! I hope this tank works out well. I'll see if I can post some pictures once I get it set up.


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## yogosans14 (Jul 14, 2014)

2.5 is not to small. The Mini bow is a good tank 

But 5.5 would be Better.


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

I just went over to Petsmart and they have the 5.5g with the LED on sale for $24.99, BUT, if you go online and do an instore pickup, you can get the one with the incandescent fixture for $21.49 (if they have it in a store near you).


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

In the reviews for the tank, Veloran, people mentioned that the tank they ordered online was not the same as the one pictured. So even though the one with the incandescent hood is pictured online, it's not the one you'll get anymore, even if you do in-store pickup.


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

I just picked up the 5.5 gallon tank last night from Petsmart. And just so everyone knows, it's currently on sale for $19.99, rather than the $24.99 I bought it for. Although I did in-store pickup, so I ended up getting it for around $23, including taxes. I've also ordered the All-Glass incandescent hood for $9.99, which I'll probably use with the fluorescent bulb I have in my current tank.

I would move Edmond into the new tank right away, but the hood and extra gravel haven't come in yet. I'm not sure when they'll come in exactly, but probably somewhere around the middle of this week.

My sister also got the same tank and a new betta when she went with me to the store last night. I've been trying to convince her to get a betta for a while now, but I told her she should try cycling her tank without a betta first. She saw a beautiful butterfly half-moon that she just had to get, though, so she'll be doing a fish-in cycle once her filter comes in.


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## IntrovertEJL (May 30, 2014)

I caved and ended up going to Petsmart again today to pick up the rest of the gravel needed for the new tank. When the hood and gravel come in the mail, I'll just return the extra gravel.

Acclimating Edmond and Gary right now! I'll post pictures when he's in.


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