[Notnac]

Could anyone recommend some good sized nano tanks for an apartment?
I'm currently a college student and, unfortunately, can't bring all my tanks from home with me. I'm looking for something that would be cost effective. I'm not looking to plant too heavily and not really looking to stock heavily either. I was thinking of a Fluval Spec V since it already has a built in filtration system, but I'm wondering if there might be some better options. When I mean cost-effective, I'm looking for some type of setup that would help keep electric bills down.

Lol, the life of a broke college student. :icon_redf

Anyways, thanks for the suggestions in advance. I hope to make this setup a dedicated journal entry on TPT.

 

[shinycard255]

There's a few all-in-one kits out there. Fluval Ebi or Flora and Aqueon Evolve (2,4,8) come to mind first. They shouldn't pull that much electricity

 

[dhgyello04]

Hello Notnac,
+1 on the Fluval Ebi. I have one as well very happy with it. Something to conceder is painting the back of the tank black, removing the Styrofoam background, and chuck the internal filter that comes with it…. It worked for me, but as far as a budget this may not be your rout.

 

[dreamwallaby]

I have an eheim aqua style 9 gallon that I love! Very quiet and cost effective.

 

[tekkguy]

I have my Spec V cycling right now. I love it so far, although that might not be saying much since it's cycling! There are a few little quirks with it, but nothing that can't be easily overcome.

 

[Knotyoureality]

Recommendations are going to depend heavily on the size you want and what you want to grow/stock--but cheapest is to go no-tech.

I have two planted vases in my kitchen that are pretty good examples.

2.5g with no filter, no heater and receiving only indirect light from a nearby window houses cherry shrimp, various "pest" snails, a nerite and a small school of male endlers. Plants are a variety of floaters, java fern, xmas moss, crypts, cardamine lyrata, 'sunset' hygro and 'bold' hygro. Substrate is plain ole polished aquarium gravel, hardscape is a couple river rocks and as big a chunk of driftwood. Waterchanges are plain tapwater, 20% weekly, vase cost me $2 at the thriftstore, everything else was pulled from my spare stock/other tanks.

3g planted vase on my counter has fluorite substrate, one large/one small piece of driftwood, planted up with frogbit, salvinia, hornwort, red root floaters riccia, 'sunset' hygro, 'bold' hygro, star grass, temple plant, crypts, dwarf pennyroot, xmas moss, and cardamine lyrata. Houses pond/ramshorn and malaysian snails, scuds, cherry shrimp and a breeding pair of hybrid endlers (offspring get pulled regularly). No filter, no heater, indirect light from windows 10+ feet away are supplemented with a gooseneck reading lamp ($20) and high lumen bulb ($8) for 6-8 hrs a day.

 

[ony]

The ebi has a lot more scope than the new spec but both are an awkward shape. I'd consider an 18x12 with a HOB filter and a couple of desk lights.

 

[talontsiawd]

I would only go for an all in one tank if you don't plan on replacing anything. A lot of people buy a Fluval kit or similar, only to replace everything but that tank.

I would personally go with a Mr. Aqua of your choice and add filtration and lighting, unless you really plan to keep most of an all in one tank.

 

[Beer]

DeepBlue Professional (I think it is the 8B). It is an 8" rimless cube. They make a 12" cube as well.
They also make a small filter that fits the tank well. 4W
No heater.
27 Watt desk lamp. Uses a FML27 bulb, 6,700K. Four short tubes side by side. It has better light spread than a CFL.
8 hour light cycle comes out to $13.67 per year to run the tank (at $.12/kW), or $16 for a 10 hour light cycle. Sounds cheap to me.

They can be hard to find, but they have a good price point (unless the store marks them way up. I know of a store that marks up the DeepBlue 5 Betta tank to almost $50, I normally see it for $23). The glass is low iron, really clear. Thin black silicone seams. I think the tank and filter were less than $45 after taxes.

 

[Wicket_lfe]

I would only go for an all in one tank if you don't plan on replacing anything. A lot of people buy a Fluval kit or similar, only to replace everything but that tank.

I would personally go with a Mr. Aqua of your choice and add filtration and lighting, unless you really plan to keep most of an all in one tank.

+1

this is what i plan to do, get a Mr. Aqua and just get a small nano HOB and clip light. But nothing wrong with the kits either.

 

[genetao]

+1

this is what i plan to do, get a Mr. Aqua and just get a small nano HOB and clip light. But nothing wrong with the kits either.

+2 ^^^

I'd get this: http://www.marinedepot.com/Mr._Aqua...ront_Aquariums-Mr._Aqua-AZ1113-FIAQBF-vi.html

A Red Sea HOB filter and an Azoo clip on light that you can buy from Flea Bay.

Why buy a kit aquarium when half the stuff doesn't really work all that great? Get decent stuff that'll last you for a while.

 

[laqu]

if your in NJ... never mind... well if the NJ stores have it on sale maybe others do to.. fluval speck for under 50, and plant/shrimp under 100 with everything...

i'd go bigger then speck, i have some 2g and they take WAY more time then my 6 gallon.

i have the 8" aqua blue rimless (look cool) hard to keep (easy to turn into washing machine even with palm) and nothing fits inside ... go 12" if you can...

or the 3g long... THAT is a slick tank...

the aquatop 15 does fit the 8" cube if you want UV on a small tank you might

LOTS of media in your filter ...

i have 4 8" cubes.. so feel free to check out the photos for ideas and stuff...

 

[jarvitron]

Any sort of tank that you can get for free on Craigslist (I see everything betta bowls to 10G for free on my local CL in any given week, occasionally a stained 55 but that's out of the question for a dorm room)
Small sponge filter - ~3-9 on Amazon
Small air pump - Probably free with the tank you picked up but lets say $10
Handful of dirt from around campus - Free
Sand from a playground or something - Free

As long as it's not near a window and your dorm is heated you can do without a heater and keep coldwater species, which is the only real impactful recurring energy cost.

Hopefully you'll learn more about being a broke college student in college, frankly that's about all I took away from it, but hopefully you'll have a better time than I did.

 

[MABJ]

Let me say I'm a college student with a dorm apartment, and I tried hard to make a 5G+ work for me. It didn't.

I eventually downsized, and you can see my two tanks in my signature.

They get moved a maximum of 6 times a year, and while it's a pain, it's my hobby.

If you can't get to my signature, I keep a 2G Fluval spec with several mods, and I have a DBP 18" long 3 gallon tank.

I pack them in bins and drain 60% of the water when I move them.

I can take pictures if you need help