"Orrco" Mini Hex Aquarium Kit: how is it?

[RavenSlay3r]

This is the SMALLEST fish tank i've found on the web with a built in
filter system. It's a 1Gal. HEX so the foot-print must be pretty small.
Does anyone know how well it compares to the Eclipse 3 and Eclipse
Explorer?

FYI. I'd be using it has a 1-betta tank.

thanks,
Raven

[Sue]

Forget it - a tank that small cannot be cycled reliably and so the filter is
a gimmick - stick with the eclipse.



"RavenSlay3r" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> This is the SMALLEST fish tank i've found on the web with a built in
> filter system. It's a 1Gal. HEX so the foot-print must be pretty small.
> Does anyone know how well it compares to the Eclipse 3 and Eclipse
> Explorer?
>
> FYI. I'd be using it has a 1-betta tank.
>
> thanks,
> Raven
>

[Jim Anderson]

In article . com>,
says...

> This is the SMALLEST fish tank i've found on the web with a built in
> filter system. It's a 1Gal. HEX so the foot-print must be pretty small.
> Does anyone know how well it compares to the Eclipse 3 and Eclipse
> Explorer?
>
> FYI. I'd be using it has a 1-betta tank.
>
> thanks,
> Raven
>
>

The 'filter' is an air driven UGF plate.
The E3 uses a real filter with a bio wheel.

--
Jim Anderson
( 8(|) To email me just pull my_finger

[Elaine T]

Sue wrote:
> Forget it - a tank that small cannot be cycled reliably and so the filter is
> a gimmick - stick with the eclipse.
>
>
>
> "RavenSlay3r" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>>This is the SMALLEST fish tank i've found on the web with a built in
>>filter system. It's a 1Gal. HEX so the foot-print must be pretty small.
>>Does anyone know how well it compares to the Eclipse 3 and Eclipse
>>Explorer?
>>
>>FYI. I'd be using it has a 1-betta tank.
>>
>>thanks,
>>Raven
>>
>
>
>
I disagree. Gravel filters offer a large surface area for bacteria and
are quite stable as long as they're cleaned regularly. I've kept a
betta and 3 white clouds (close to twice the bioload) in a 2 gallon hex
with UGF and the tank stayed stable until the betta died of old age. I
gravel-vacced the tank weekly and took the whole tank apart, rinsed the
gravel, and cleaned the gunk out from under the filter plates yearly. I
actually prefer air-driven filters like UGF or sponges for bettas myself
because the fish like fairly quiet water.

IMO the disadvantage of that particular tank is that it does not offer
any heat like the Eclipse motor provides and it is difficult to heat
only a gallon without overheating it or having frequent temperature
swings as the heater cycles on and off. There is a small heater for
fish bowls available, but it's rated for 2-5 gallons and doesn't mention
a thermostat so I don't know whether it would work. You could always
buy it, run the tank for a week or two watching the temperature, and see
whether it gets over 82 degrees or so.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/Itemdy00.aspx?T1=F45+0418+0016

Or if you have a warm spot for the tank that will keep the temps
consistently above 72F, you're fine.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Elaine T]

Jim Anderson wrote:
> In article . com>,
> says...
>
>
>>This is the SMALLEST fish tank i've found on the web with a built in
>>filter system. It's a 1Gal. HEX so the foot-print must be pretty small.
>>Does anyone know how well it compares to the Eclipse 3 and Eclipse
>>Explorer?
>>
>>FYI. I'd be using it has a 1-betta tank.
>>
>>thanks,
>>Raven
>>
>>
>
>
> The 'filter' is an air driven UGF plate.
> The E3 uses a real filter with a bio wheel.
>
I've gotten excellent performance from UGF in very small tanks (like a
gallon or two) where I can periodically disassemble and clean them.
Some bettas prefer the gentler current from a UGF or air driven sponge
rather than the stronger current from a power filter.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Daniel Morrow]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
. com...
> Jim Anderson wrote:
> > In article . com>,
> > says...
> >
> >
> >>This is the SMALLEST fish tank i've found on the web with a built in
> >>filter system. It's a 1Gal. HEX so the foot-print must be pretty small.
> >>Does anyone know how well it compares to the Eclipse 3 and Eclipse
> >>Explorer?
> >>
> >>FYI. I'd be using it has a 1-betta tank.
> >>
> >>thanks,
> >>Raven
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > The 'filter' is an air driven UGF plate.
> > The E3 uses a real filter with a bio wheel.
> >
> I've gotten excellent performance from UGF in very small tanks (like a
> gallon or two) where I can periodically disassemble and clean them.
> Some bettas prefer the gentler current from a UGF or air driven sponge
> rather than the stronger current from a power filter.
>
> --
> Elaine T __
> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

One simple idea to heat small bowls (betta bowls in this case) is to place a
hot incandescent light (light bulb) close enough to the bowl to heat the
water and to use a rheostat or in other words a dimmer switch (incandescents
only - no fluorescents this way) to keep the bowl from over or under
heating, of course you would need a thermometer and if the room's ambient
temperature changes the bowl temperature would have to be carefully watched
and adjusted. Provide some cover for the fish so they can be comfortable and
not always in the bright light and in some shade and you have a simple
heater/light combo. I know about the 7 watt hydor heater and I think it
sounds great but the light/heater combo would look a lot better as there
wouldn't be a big old heater hanging in the beta bowl water. Good luck and
later!