10 gal. kit from Wal Mart or do it myself?

[geoffgarcia]

how much are those walmart kits?
considering you can get a 10g tank for about 5$ new, and sometimes free (at least at my lfs) then an appropriate filter would be about 10-15$ used, a heater for about 5-10$ and your all set.
Total: 25$

or, you could get a 55g for about 50$ used, a heater for 15$ and a filter for about 30$
total: 95$

bigger IS better

 

[Rava]

Please stop recommending larger tanks. I know they are better, and would happily obtain a larger one, but I do not have the room for one. I don't mean to be ungrateful, but it really isn't possible for me to get a larger one, and I've already said so once here.

The Wal Mart kit is somewhere around $100- I think slightly over. 10 gallon tanks there are $9, plus $10 filter, plus $30 lighthood. I don't know what else the kit comes with, but altogether I'm betting the price to buy the kit or individual items isn't that different. I don't care so much about price (if they're going to be similar in price anyway), so long as I get what I want.

 

[texas]

I didnt pay much over 50 for my 10 gal tropical at walmart. that is excluding my stand which is homemade.


As for the cleaner I would just rinse my tank in the bathtub with hot water..
I have a 55 gal that was used to house a snake and smokers lived in the home.. shewww I cleaned it with glass cleaner(yes ammonia I know) but it has sat for several months and I plan on a complete rinse prior to setting it up.

 

[ArkyLady]

I'd say wipe it down with a wet rag and rinse it really good a few times and you should be able to get all the chemical residue out of it.

In my opinion you'd be better off buying everything separately. It may cost a bit more, but you'll end up with better quality equipment that way. Here is my 10 gallon setup and what it cost:

10 gallon tank - $8
Penguin Mini - $12
Ebo Jager 50 watt heater - $15
Glass canopy - $10
Flourescent fixture - $12
Total - $57

The flourescent fixture that I have is an under cabinet type fixture that holds a 15 watt bulb. I recently added a second one to bump my wattage. As far as a stand goes, just about anything will support a 10 gallon tank fine. I have one of mine on an old end table I got at a yard sale for $3

Don't spend a bunch of money on gravel either, I just use pool filter sand (it's large sand, not like sand sand hehe). I think I paid $10 for a 50lb bag and that was at my LFS, I'm sure I could have got it cheaper if I shopped around.

 

[Chelle]

I would say go with a larger tank. Or put the betta you have in the 2.5 gallon in the 10 gallon and trash the 2.5.

 

[blitzen25bm]

if its a hundred dollars dont get it, get all the equipment for your tank from big als. i remember them being around 30 dollars or so when i got my kit at walmart.