Review on Fluval SPEC Freshwater Aquarium Kit - LED Lighting & Advanced 3-Stage Filtration for Optimal Aquatic Environment by Paula Camacho

My beautiful cock lived in the bowl for about a year. It was quite a large bowl in my relatively warm bedroom and I primed the water and changed it every week but I came home one night and he was so lethargic I thought he was dead. I literally turned him over and he didn't move and I went for a net to fish him out and whatnot, but when I got back into the room he was up and swimming! I was excited because I really like this baby but I was worried that he might be sick. I mentioned this to my roommate who asked him if he was hibernating or something because it was winter and so cold. As I put my hand in the bowl I knew for sure that the water was really cold and for the first time it occurred to me that this was probably wrong. So I did a little research. And I discovered that the fact that fish can live in an aquarium is a myth. There is virtually no species of fish that can live in captivity without a filter, heating, and at least 3-5 gallons of space. Fish like bettas and goldfish are very hardy and can survive for long periods at room temperature in unfiltered shells, but it doesn't have to be. The goldfish at the pet store even live in full tanks - the only reason poor bettas can't get to them is because they're too aggressive to live together. I also learned that bettas like to walk and rest in paddy fields because they are small enough to be calm and warm there and there is often food there, but they come from the rivers where they live, to where they swim for miles. You need space! That's why they don't get along very well. Horrified at my unintentional mistreatment of fish, I was on a mission to give my cold and cramped little pal a brand new setup, but I had no aquarium experience. I found that Fluval was one of the most reputable and expensive aquarium brands and since my space was limited I wanted something at least 3 gallons but no more than 5, with a thin profile, backlit (for fun) and built-in- Filter so it doesn't look clunky. I was nervous, but damn it, the Spec V nailed it. It's slim, quiet, perfect size and looks AWESOME. The built in filter compartment keeps the design clean and even has enough space to insert a heater to keep it hidden. The LEDs have nice brightness and the blue night mode is really nice and the tall slim shape makes it more interesting to decorate. Also, the lid is thin plastic with LEDs on top, so it's not a big ugly black thing like the hoods on most aquariums. I bought a Fluval EDGE pre-filter sponge to go over the end of the filter which I angled against the glass because it's a bit firm for betta and because the sponge deflates immediately if you don't press it against the glass. Side. I also have a Marina C25 compact heater and a floating Marina thermometer so I can keep track of everything and so far everything is working GREAT! It's only been a few weeks but my buddy is about 100 times more active, he's eating way more and his color and fins look better than ever. Plus he loves the filter! He goes with the flow, sleeps next to the heater, digs in rocks and swims everywhere! I feel so guilty for not doing this for him sooner, but I'm pleased that he's clearly a lot happier and everything looks so smooth. I find myself just sitting and looking at him. Especially if there is a really happy and active fish in it, it looks more impressive than a bowl. UPDATE: It's been over a year. I still use this tank and still love it, but there's more that I noticed and learned. — I switched to the Hydor 25W heater because it is more powerful and can be infinitely adjusted. Sometimes when it's hot outside or warm in my room, the temp in the tank will go up a bit or go down as it gets cold, so I can raise or lower the temp a bit as needed, which I like. - I also switched to a Hallcrest LCR thermometer because it's super thin, sticks to the outside of the tank and has a digital readout which is simpler and looks way better than a suction cup thermometer which keeps peeling off and floating away when open Lid this tank evaporates very quickly. I probably need to top up with purified water once a week to keep the level above the grate leading to the filter from getting too low. Most aquariums need to be refilled so I don't see that as a problem, just be aware. My aquarium is decorated too naked for bettas in photos. They love to hide. I've since added a floating rooster trunk and a whole bunch of tall milkweed and he's a lot happier. He freezes in a log all the time, resting on the leaves of plants. Don't forget that Betta fins are very, very fragile, so make sure nothing gets caught in your tank. I learned a good trick to thread a nylon stocking through the tank. If he's clinging to something, it's probably not for bettas. Also, make sure your plants aren't preventing the bettas from coming to the surface to breathe or access other parts of the tank. I change and even move plants and decorations every few months to keep him entertained. One last thing, a few people mentioned that this review helped them realize they need to upgrade their cone bettas and goldfish which is GREAT. So I just wanted to remind you in case people don't know that filter tanks need to be cycled. This means you can't just fill them up and stock them with fish - it takes time for the aquarium to build up a small ecosystem of bacteria to make the filter work. If you plant the fish too early, the water will be toxic. Definitely research this if you don't know how, but basically it involves adding tiny bits of ammonia to the tank and monitoring the chemical levels until they reach the right point for the fish to live. This usually takes weeks, so you can get your aquarium up and running right away using the Quickstart API. However, I think this is generally frowned upon in the aquarium community as it can be risky to simply discard the bacteria and instead hope for the best to let them grow organically themselves. But it's an option and it's much faster. I started starting the tank properly and after two months it just WAS NOT working so I finally broke down and used Quick Start and had no problems. I even add a few drops with every water change to keep the filter happy. UPDATE 2: Photos replaced with new and better ones with plants and all!