Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I did not purchase my fish tank on amazon. I found it at a Rite Aid for $14.99. I don't begrudge amazon the price increase because it does include two day shipping (prime) and not everyone has easy access to Rite Aids. I can't be happier with my purchase. I was skeptical about this fish tank due to the price and the reviews on Amazon which I checked before purchase. The assembly directions were a little on the confusing side and I had to reference the photo on the box to make sure I had it assembled correctly. There are only eight parts and even taking my time this took just a few minutes and I got it right on the first go. The system works perfectly. When water is gently poured into the top of the fish tank, the pressure change causes the dirty fish gunk at the bottom is propelled up through the pipe and out into a glass on the side. This water is fishy and I don't recommend using a drinking glass. The fish are safe due to a simple screen at the bottom of the tank which is secured by the decorative rocks. My only complaint about the product is that the plastic does not scream of the highest quality but I really can't take away from the review until I actually have a problem with it. I read the other reviews and I have a few comments. There is a lot of debate in the fish world about how much space a betta needs. They can servive in a quarter inch puddle for days but it doesn't mean they like it. They also could live in a 10 gallon tank all my themselves but the larger spaces might overwhelm them. I recommend you do a little research and find your own opinion. My opinion is that a quart is enough water for a happy betta so long as it is kept clean. Those little one-pint bowls where the fish can barely turn around has always seemed two small. I look at a betta in a 1 quart bowl and it really seems sufficient. The box does not say on it anywhere how much water it holds. My guess is 1 quart though I have not measured it. The other review that the fish died in a day. That could be for many reasons unrelated to the tank. The fish could have been sick to start out with. The water could have been of improper quality. There is nothing about the tank itself that is bad for a fish. When you start out with your tank be sure to rinse everything thoroughly but do not use any soap or cleaning products. Be sure there is no lotion on your hands when you handle anything going into the tank. Fish are very sensitive to chemicals that we don't usually think about. I used tap water from Los Angeles County. I rested the water for about 20 minutes to clear out the air bubbles and then added Aquarium water conditioner and Perfect pH 7.0. It takes very little of both of these, only 0.5 mL. All bottles will come with a means of measurement and just follow the directions. It is also important to make sure the water is about the same temperature as the water the fish is coming from. I go by feel but some people like to "float" their new betta in the new aquarium until the water in their bag or cup equalizes. The shock of too much temperature can be very bad for the fish and cause them to perish. I recommend resting and treating any new water that you are going to pour into the top. When you do so, the water will come out with as much force as it is put in. When I "dumped" water in, it emerged from the spickett with force and dropped the water level about an inch lower than needed. You can gently add more water to bring up the water line to level with the spicket. Feel free to play around with adding water during the rinsing and set-up phase to get comfortable before there is a fish in it. It's really easy but I always like to try it out. It's probably a good idea to do a full traditional water change every once in a while but I'll report back if that proves to be necessary. Maybe this truly never needs traditional water changes. In summary, I love the aquarium. I may buy another one because I love bettas and these do take a lot of work out of water changes. I'm posting a picture and a video. I added my own rocks, plant, and cave because I like the look of it. The set comes with rocks and a plant that you can use.