# I want to get a small aquarium for work. Need suggestion for glass & silent filter



## gui4life (Mar 20, 2012)

*I want to get a small aquarium for work. Need suggestion for glass & silent filter*

Hello,

I want to get a small fish tank 3-8 gallons for my desk at work. 

I saw this Petco one that is made of Acryic - but I don't want something the scratches easily - and the filter doesn't look very good.

So I was looking for a small glass tank - I found these from Mr. Aqua.

Mr. Aqua 7.5 Gallon Front Bowed Frameless

Mr. Aqua 3 Gallon Front Bowed Frameless

The only thing I don't like about these is that it does NOT have a hood. Means I can't muffle some of the sound or have a light on top.

Do you have any suggestions on a glass tank? Maybe something with a hood?

Also: What do you suggest for a *silent* filter? This will be 2 feet from my ears and I would like something that makes next to NOTHING of sound. Plus I am on the phone a lot. 
I will pay more to have a quite filter. It needs to actually help keep the tank clean also...!

THANKS!

Oh btw: Other than Bettas - what can I put in a 7 gallon? A couple of guppies or tetras?


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## Termato (Feb 21, 2012)

gui4life said:


> Hello,
> 
> I want to get a small fish tank 3-8 gallons for my desk at work.
> 
> ...


A couple maybe even 3 guppies would be fine. although if you keep guppies, try and get only females...otherwise you will be overcrowded in no time.

Depends on what kind of tetras. Most of them need more swimming room than a 5-7.5 gallon can give them.

I would look into some invertebrates. A betta is honestly the best bet for an office fish because of maintenance level.


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## gui4life (Mar 20, 2012)

Thanks for the reply.

Any suggestions on tanks or filter?


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## Termato (Feb 21, 2012)

gui4life said:


> Thanks for the reply.
> 
> Any suggestions on tanks or filter?


That Petco link with the 6.6 gallon tank looks affordable and well sized for the office. The other ones don't have tops so that might get tricky at an office.

You could also consider a 10 gallon? then you could keep some neons in there...not optimal but doable.

From what I have seen online that 6.6 gallon has got a good price tag if it comes with filter and heater.


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## Philnominal (Dec 22, 2011)

Fluval edge, (have not had one, they look like a pain to maintain considering their small opening) would be a aesthetically pleasing 6 gallon tank. I have seen lots of tanks at petco/petsmart that would fit in for what you need. 

Is the tank going to be heated?

Depending on what you get you could easily get by with a sponge filter which would mean that you would only have to look for a silent air pump and/or enough tubing to get the air from the pump to the filter.

For fish, small tanks tend to be harder then larger ones and a lot of the small fish seem to be somewhat more difficult. Are you planning on a planted tank? If so something you might like (as long as your tank is 5+ gallons) is a pea puffer. You would only be able to have one and maybe some shrimp but from what i have read that have pretty big personalities for small fish. They dont need the teeth trimming other puffers need either so you could basically feed em any frozen/freeze dried food you could get em to eat or theirs always the live snails that they enjoy hunting. 

Theres also Scarlet Badis which is a micro predator but a very pretty small fish. they stay under an inch long though. You could do 1 male and if you could get your hands on females a couple females but females are hard to find. I've gotten mine to eat frozen brine shrimp as well as whatever is growing on the plants thats to small for me to see. Another fish with 5 gallon min. 5 gallons per male and up to 1 male to 3 female ratio.

I don't know much about them but i have read that sparkling gouramis would do well in smaller tanks around the 5 gallon range as well. 

Theres probably a lot more fish out there that would work i just don't know them. Id say a safe bet though would be to go planted. Helps keep the water clear and the aquarium stats in a safe area. If you go with something like the fish i mentioned you should check out dwarf shrimp to go with them. Stuff like Snowball/ Red Cherry/ Pearl blue shrimp to add some more color and life to the tank. If you let them establish before you add fish in there they should out breed even mild predation.


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## Termato (Feb 21, 2012)

I just remember my dream website for fish tanks, I just never have enough money to get the tank I want from there.

I would look at this website because they have some nice tanks of different sizes.

Glass: Glasscages.com - Glass Aquariums

Acrylic: Glasscages.com - Acrylic Aquariums

This would be a good tank and it would give you more options: 15 Long	24 x 12½ x 13 

The glass ones are cheaper: 5½ Gal.	16 x 8 x 11 Tall

Just some more options. 

I agree with Phil about the sponge filter, that will be best noise option. I personally don't hear my power filters because I just zone out. IT's background grey noise to me.


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## gui4life (Mar 20, 2012)

I did see that my local pet store has Pea puffers. They are rather cute looking, and yes they seem to very curious and social. I think I may get one of them for my tank + shrimp. Do I need to have live plants in my tank for pea puffers and shrimp? I haven't had live plants before.

I do have a 29 gallon tank and have been keeping the normal community fish. 

Is there any reviews of loudness and effectiveness of tank filters? I want to get the quietest one possible. 

I did see some smaller tanks at my fish store, they do have tops but the glass ones dont seem to be very well made - sloopy gluing of the edges. I would buy the Mr. Aqua tank in a heart beat if it had a hood.
I may end up getting it anyways.

I kinda want something glass so it doesn't scratch.




Philnominal said:


> Fluval edge, (have not had one, they look like a pain to maintain considering their small opening) would be a aesthetically pleasing 6 gallon tank. I have seen lots of tanks at petco/petsmart that would fit in for what you need.
> 
> Is the tank going to be heated?
> 
> ...


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## gui4life (Mar 20, 2012)

I just looked up sponge filters. Looks interesting. Ill do more reading on them.


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## Philnominal (Dec 22, 2011)

gui4life said:


> I did see that my local pet store has Pea puffers. They are rather cute looking, and yes they seem to very curious and social. I think I may get one of them for my tank + shrimp. Do I need to have live plants in my tank for pea puffers and shrimp? I haven't had live plants before.
> 
> I do have a 29 gallon tank and have been keeping the normal community fish.
> 
> ...


Dwarf Puffer and dwarf shrimp (I recomend red cherry as they are some of the hardiest and cheapest shrimp available and if you get a puffer it is hit or miss on whether or not the puffer will accept them) are both very sensitive to water parameters. Smaller tanks are very hard to keep at the correct parameters. The best way to keep them stable is buy adding live plants. (For ore information on Dwarf Puffer / pea puffer just click the shaded name)

If you do this set up you would need at least 5 gallons. I would recommend a small sponge filter for shrimp, that way they can out breed any predation from the puffer but power filters would suck up and kill baby shrimp. 

Set it up with shrimp first, before getting the dwarf puffer as this will allow them to start to colonize and breed should the puffer decide he wants to occasional shrimp for a snack. 

Java moss, Java fern, Anubias are good hardy low light starter plants if you want to start with live plants. The shrimp especially would enjoy the moss as they can hide in it while they molt from the puffer.

If you go with the dwarf puffer then you might want to start some pond/ramshorn snails in your 29 at home and then you can bring your puffer a few live treats every few days and the snails do help keep the tanks they are in clean. They normally only get over populated when tanks are over fed enough to where the food will support that kind of population. Rams Horn will also help with any algae.


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## gui4life (Mar 20, 2012)

Very good info - thanks.

Do you know of any how-tos on planting plants in tanks? I am guessing you have to plant soil?

I am not sure if the sponge filter is what I want. Sure - it is super quite but it sticks out like a giant grossness in the tank. They are huge! I don't know yet.

And I was reading up more on puffers and it seems like a bit to much work on having to feed them frozen food...


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## Termato (Feb 21, 2012)

gui4life said:


> Very good info - thanks.
> 
> Do you know of any how-tos on planting plants in tanks? I am guessing you have to plant soil?
> 
> ...


Hey, I have noticed something you might find informative.

I have 2 External Power Filters and 1 Internal Power Filter. Both of my external power filters are 3x louder than the internal power filter.

I have a whisper 10i on my 10 gallon tank. It only makes a noise if the plastic thing on the back touches the hood (which happens when I make a water change because of the waves and currents) quietest filter ever.

Just thought that might help you out. ITS SO QUIET. I put my head up to it...barely any noise.


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## gui4life (Mar 20, 2012)

I pulled the trigger and got the Petco Bookshelf 6.6gal (AKA ~8 real gallons).

Should be here in a week.

I am not sure what filter it comes with - but the filter media is the

"Medium Size For Whisper Power Filters 10i, E, J, 10, and Microfilter"

I will see how it is and I will let you know. Some say it is quite. 

*I am still undecided on what kind of fish I will get. I have awhile yet though - need to cycle the tank and add plants first.*


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## Termato (Feb 21, 2012)

gui4life said:


> I pulled the trigger and got the Petco Bookshelf 6.6gal (AKA ~8 real gallons).
> 
> Should be here in a week.
> 
> ...


Well that sounds like the filter I have  It is quiet...hahah


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## gui4life (Mar 20, 2012)

Good!  

Do you know of any good "how-tos" on adding plants?

Do I need to add substrate/fertilizer?


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## Termato (Feb 21, 2012)

gui4life said:


> Good!
> 
> Do you know of any good "how-tos" on adding plants?
> 
> Do I need to add substrate/fertilizer?


I have gravel substrate for aquraiums (got it at walmart for like 11 bucks for a 25lb bag). 

fill the tank with more gravel in the back than the front to give the tank some dept. This will also facilitate heavy planting in the back with more gravel.

Fill the tank after you have put the washed gravel in there. (just rinse the gravel before it goes in the tank).

Then you can plant it (make sure you used Prime or some other good water conditioner).









I would get Java Fern and tie it driftwood or some ornament (don't bury the roots)

Java Moss you can just leave it floating or tangle it around something (don't bury)

When you plant, ofc have clean hands. Rinse your hands in Aquarium water (or dechlorinated and treated water). You usually want to rinse up to the areas of your arm that will be submerged. 

Make a hole in the gravel and you can put the roots in there. you will have to hold the plant while you use your other hand to push gravel over your roots to hold them down. 

Some stem plants that float like Cabomba, hornwort etc. you can tie to things, let float but I wouldn't bury them. They come loose easily if not tied.

If you use the directed dose once a week of this you will be fine. Flourish Comprehensive







(Althought not needed)


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