Mommy, I see fishies!
Written: Jan 09 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Clear, easy to clean, easy to maintain, reliable.
Cons: Ownership for lengths of time persuades you to upgrade to larger units and more friends!
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this tank to anyone looking for a home for their aquatic friends. It's durable, reliable, easy to use, and easy to clean!
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| RCarte2000's Full Review: Hagen All Glass Aquarims |
The Idea
My daughter needed friends. As an only child at home, she was a little too rough on kittens and puppies. One way or another, they found a way to get even with her for her hard hands and the relationship just never worked out. She still needed some companionship in the form of a pet. She seemed to be entranced by fish when we would go through a pet department or in a pet store.
That is when the idea first hit me. What my daughter needed was a fish. The fish would be contained to its aquatic home, yet she could watch it and interact with it. With this thought in mind, I set out to make it a reality.
The Purchase
My first idea was to get a small 2 gallon aquarium and put a fish in it for her as a trial. If this worked out, we could grow from the point. So this is what I did. It worked perfectly and I found that it was time to advance.
I went to my local WalMart Superstore and found a 10-gallon Hagen All Glass Aquarium and it, along with a few finned friends, went home with me. It was a late Christmas gift to my daughter in December 2004. The aquarium, light, filtration system and decorations (gravel and plants) all cost around $48. Of course, my fish purchase was well near another $20 as I wanted my daughter to have an assortment of new friends.
And... we're off!
Once I reached home, I set off to set up the new aquarium and I found myself delighted at the ease of getting started. I washed everything throughly and after a brief overview of the set up instructions for the filtration system, I found myself all set up in a matter of minutes. Mind you, I am not mechanically inclined and frankly, I'd rather hire someone to do something like this than do it myself. I just don't have the mind to read and follow instructions since having a stroke several years back. It was simple enough even for a bird brain like me.
I allowed the aquarium to filter itself for a while before checking the temperature of the aquarium water. Once I found the temperature to be in range, I added the new inhabitants, being sure to include the water they were packaged in, as to avoid severe shock to their little bodies. Before my very eyes, a new world appeared.
There was a beautiful variety of tropical fish swimming happily in a clear and bright aquarium. The rainbow colored gravel buried the bases of the plastic, yet tropical looking plants that provided shade and intelligent hiding places for the fish. A ceramic "no fishing" sign and a neon colored rock adorned the middle of the tank and also provided camoflauge for the fish who now lived here.
Time Passes By
After about a week of aquarium use, I noted that the aquarium still looked as happy and beautiful as before. I had no build-up or issue with the aquarium. I watched and waited. A couple more weeks came and went and the aquarium still looked just as good as ever.
About a month later, I noticed that it was coming time to clean up the fish habitat and it was time to see how well this aquarium responded. In my past, I had aquariums and some cleaned better than others. I was curious to see how this transpired.
Obviously, a 10 gallon tank with a large layer of gravel and all of that water inside weighed quite a bit. I managed to remove some of the water before carrying it to the bathtub where I would empty and clean it. The fish were placed in a temporary home while I performed the maintenance.
The aquarium glass came clean with no trouble whatsoever. I was relieved at the little effort it took, as I was already exhausted from the preparatory techniques. I cleaned this aquarium as easily, if not easier, than I would clean a window in my home. There was no streaking of the glass, either. Everything went right back into place, water was added, and soon the fish were at home once more.
After a Year!
I have no complaints with this aquarium. It far outshines all of the aquariums I've owned in my lifetime. My daughter goes and visits and chats with her fish daily. I clean it frequently with no problems at all. The fish swim happily and our little miniature frogs even chase us as we walk back and forth in front of the aquarium.
Simply adding food and an occasional refill of water keeps the fish happy and adding a few weekly/monthly maintenance drops to the water keeps the aquarium happy as well. The filtration system is easy to change out and this aquarium is less of a headache than the puppies and kittens we've had in the past.
I have no regrets in the purchase of this Hagen All Glass Aquarium. Our is a 10 gallon system and I plan to upgrade to a larger tank in the near future. My daughter and I have become quite attached to our algae eater (Spot), 2 large goldfish (Nemo and Coral), 4 miniature frogs (Hopper, Digger, Lizzie, and Kermit), and 4 fish (Cosmo, Wanda, Squidward, and Goldie). Being able to view them in all of their bright and vibrant colors makes fish ownership that much more worth the while.
These units are readily available at your local WalMart, Target, Petsmart, Petco, and many other retailers and pet stores.
(c)~Becky Carte 2006~
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
RCarte2000
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Member: Becky Carte
Location: West Virginia
Reviews written: 225
Trusted by: 58 members
About Me:
29 years old, separated, mom of a 4 year old daughter and 2 stepchildren.
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