Review on 🐠 5 Gallon Marineland Portrait Glass Aquarium Kit with Hidden Filtration and LED Lighting by Sasha Hsiao

I'm starting to raise fish and this is my first filter aquarium. So far I like it and my betta seems to like it too. First I would like to give the actual dimensions as those in the product information actually refer to the packaging and not the aquarium itself: 9.625"L x 9.625"W x 17.2"H (with base). Keep in mind, that the rear filter box is included with these measurements and takes up about 2cm of the actual space for your fish, plants etc. As I was disappointed that there weren't more reviews with photos when I shopped I've added as many as I can for makes sense. And now the pros and cons in my opinion. The positives first: - The contoured glass corners and solid glass lid look very nice, as does the black stand. Also, the tank is easy to clean (except for the filter compartment - (more on that later). Although the base is plastic, it's durable. It doesn't attach to the tank, but the sheer weight of a full tank on it means it's going nowhere (I've tried moving it, before I added the fish - it's firm). The "portrait" orientation of the tank means I can put tall ornaments or plants inside and still have enough room for my floating betta strain on the surface. In addition, the aquarium takes up less space on the stand because it is not level. The filter motor runs almost silently, and the required filter cartridges are easy to find at almost any pet store that sells fish products. The motor has four small suction cup feet for stability. There is a cord cutout on the back next to the filter spout which is useful as the lids will not fit properly if the cords are protruding from the tank. I use it for the wire to my heater (which I moved to the side of the filter since I took the picture with the tank full). I don't have airstones so not sure if bubblers are affected. . The derailleur connector is very secure and doesn't bother me if water gets into the connection; I still didn't want the switch to dangle, so I mounted it on my wall above the water level. Now for the cons: - the separate area on the back for the filter is very narrow, and the horizontal supports have sharp edges; it cannot be cleaned manually. For advanced aquarium owners, this space can be a nuisance. The LEDs are very bright (as advertised), which some owners might consider professional. I changed the lighting setup a bit to lower the light intensity a few notches because my roosters were going crazy when I had them before. The lightweight construction is also obviously made of plastic, although it doesn't look bad overall. The filter works very well: even though I rev the engine as low as possible and use the included fan baffle, the filter still generates a lot of current, which is a minus for me since I have a rooster; I am currently developing my own solutions to this problem. The glass lid leaves tiny gaps in the front corners and the entire length of the back wall that can allow sneaky little critters to escape, so be careful. The black plastic cover of the filter area is also thin and leaves no room for cables. This is quite uncomfortable, but helps prevent dirt from accidentally getting into the water from the air and slows down the evaporation of water. Overall I am happy with this aquarium so far and would recommend it to anyone looking for a simple but stylish aquarium. 5 gallon tank. I plan to keep it for a while.