your opinion and one quastion

I would reccomend getting another filter. IME, power filters, especially HOB filters are underrated. Aquaclears are my personal favorite due in part to the media space. The 500(I guess it's called 110 now) has a HUGE media compartment. Everything else about them is good too, and they're inexpensive. Anyway, If I were you I would put in that top fin 60 and an aquaclear filter so supplement it. a 200 or 300gph model filled with sponges would make a nice bio/mech filter. it's much much better to have too much filtration than not enough, and HOB filters are cheap. On my 55, I have a, aquaclear 500 with sponge and ceramic noodles, and an aquaclear 150 with just sponges, and a 150gph powerhead for water circulation, pointed at the 500's intake form the opposite end of the tank. Yeah, a little over-filtered for the low bioload the tank has, but your fish will love you if tyou get a second filter. Oh, and definitely buy your filter online. for my 500, I paid $35 at big al's with a $6 shipping charge, vs. $60-70 at my LFSs.
 
I got my tank as an all-in-one kit from PetSmart (29 gallon). It came with a Top Fin 30, and I bought a Whisper 40 to go along with that. The filter says it's sufficient for 29 gallon tank, but I'd rather have that little extra, and the Whisper cost about $20.

Purchased in 2000 - All glass 29 gal all-in-one kit:
Heater (still have, but it's not on this tank, long story, but I had to swap around heaters... not due to any malfunction w/ this particular heater)
Filter (still have it, along w/ Whisper 40)
Tank (still have it!!)
Hood & Light/light bulb (I had it all up until a month ago. The light bulb blew out (after 4 years!!), and I just bought a whole new hood because once when I had the hood off my son drove his tricycle over it and cracked it. It was cheaper to just buy a whole new hood)
Thermometer (piece of crap stick on one, never used)
Various sample chemicals (never used)
Sample fish food (used)

I'd say the kit is very well worth the money!!! Be prepared to buy just a few extras: Thermometer (unless they've upgraded to a real glass thermometer), and another filter (if I could do it over again I'd get a Penguin w/ bio-wheel).

Good luck, and have fun!!

~Tara
 
So by the time you read this, you'll probably already have bought the kit, but anyway...

As previously suggested, look at whether it's worth it or not.

Take a notepad with you and check out the cost of the tank by itself, a good filter (like aquaclear), heater and thermometer.

Don't worry about lighting just yet.

If you're going the planted route, you're going to need more lighting than what comes with. So instead of spending money on the hood, just get a glass sheet cut to fit the top with a hinged opening and room for filter & heater. Now you can just lay fluo. strip lights on top to the desired amount of light.

Compare the prices and see if the package is going to be a deal or not. Check out all the shops in your area and bigalsonline.com

It's a lot of legwork, I know, but in the end, it's worth it if you get exactly what you want and do it right the first time. It's a whole lot easier than going back and trying to change things on an established tank.
 
I also should say that I second everyone's suggestion of pricing everything out separately. I did that too (went to PetSmart, PetCo, LFS, and Walmart). It turns out that I spent $30 more overall by buying the kit (that's including the extras I had to buy), but felt it was worth it because I got it all at once rather than having to run back to various stores to get the different parts just to save a buck or two on each piece.

Good luck, let us know what you end up with!

~Tara
 
It says on the box it's good enough for a 60 gallon the one I got is a 55.
Click to expand...

IMO, and IME the ratings are very poor at best, if you fish load was very low and your feeding habits near perfect the rating might stand up, but even then it's arbitrary. In my 115, I have an AC 500 rated for 110g tank, an Emp 400 rated for up to 75g tank, and an oerfug that many feel would filter the tank by itself. Quite simply these are all good quality filter, and the tank is very nice. If I removed any of the three, the tank would be underfiltered IMO. Granted I have messy fish, but I feed very lightly, do weekly water changes, and clean media weekly. If you go with the kit filter only you will wish for more very soon. go with something rated twice what your tank capacity is, or better yet go with two filtersrated for 55+ each.
Dave
 
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