tank quality

often dignified

often dignified

AC Members
Nov 11, 2003
169
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Conneaut Lake, PA
Is there that big of a difference in the actual tank quality, and how much does it effect the tank?

Petsmart sells those 55 gallon kits for $159. Now, I know that nobody will recommend those, but why pay $300 for an expensive tank when I can get the tank, heater, lighting, filtration, etc for half the price of the tank alone?

Are the seams really cheap or just crappy glass/quality? :confused:
 
They are great for a starting point. My 29 gallon started as a kit. Now the only thing I have from it is the heater and tank. It really depends on what you want to do. Just fish, then the kit is fine. If you are wanting to go planted then I would buy everything in pasrts due to lighting and other necessary parts of having it. This was the reason I changed all of mine out. I have a 10G from Wal-Mart in my room with fake plants in it and a few fish. The kit worked fine for it. Watch the heater though too, I have heard some are prone to stick out of the kits.
 
i have several 10g's that i use from a couple of different manufacturers and i noticed one of the "cheaper" brands (oceanic i think, maybe perfecto) would leak when you "topped" it off. my conclusion was the top rim just wasn't sealed to the glass as well as the all-glass ones i have also bought. another thing to consider is that they are slightly different sizes, i found that out when i bought all-glass hoods, the most commonly available kind here. both are fairly minor issues, but might be something to keep in mind when looking around.

good luck
 
is the glass thinner so cracking would be more of an issue with the cheaper kits?

I bought a 10 gallon starter kit for $25... no heater, so I got a Whisper submersible for it, and I replaced the filter with a Penguin 125 bio wheel, the filter that came with the 10 is now on my 5.

I noticed that the silicone is really sloppy on the corners with my 10 gallon. Has anybody had experience with the 55 gallon Top Fin kit from Petsmart? Lighting quality isn't my main concern... all I'm really worried about is the tank itself.

Filter, heater, lights, etc can be upgraded when I see fit :)
 
well i havent had experience with top fin, but one of my 29 gallons is an all-glass brand, and i got that there. As long as the silicone is sealing the glass properly, sloppiness isnt a problem really. I dont think the glass is any thinner, and if it is probably only a little bit thinner, and it shouldn't be a problem, glass is very strong.
 
I agree......Kits are less expensive and i always end up buying them, then replacing the equipment with higher quality products. I have given a lot of old equipment from kits to my brother for his aquarium and sold some at garage sales and stuff.
 
My aquarium kit came with an All Glass aquarium. I say for the price, you can't beat kits. You can always upgrade later when needed.
 
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