Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have been an aquarist for well over 40 years, but wanted to downsize, and this aquarium is absolutely one of the best purchases I've ever made. I purchased a 12" high Oriental stand which supports 200 pounds and put this aquarium on it, and populated with live plants, the aquarium is strikingly gorgeous. One thing I love about it is that there are NO seams that one must watch for leaks; it's a molded unseamed aquarium so gone are the worries of leaks. Another thing I love is that there are 360 degrees of beauty; you can see it from all angles. There are so many positives about this aquarium that I can't even list all of them. The filter that comes with it is powerful and processes water faster than larger filters I have ever seen in the past, in all my experience. The LED light is spectacular, though I could have done without all the different color displays because my personal preference is an ordinary light, but it's a low-light which means that if you want to culture live plants, you need to be careful of what you get. Go to a GOOD aquarium plants outfit that can advise you on plants for this LED light. It also has a very good cover with two knock-out sections that you can remove if you put in more equipment than the light and filter that come with the aquarium. Now for the important news. This kit has the filter and the light with it. Don't think that you're getting everything you need with the kit. You must also purchase a heater (I suggest an adjustable one, not one that is preset), and a thermometer to monitor the heat in the aquarium. I added a UV sterilizer to cut down on the micro-organisms that cause disease in the fish and other livestock with which you populate the aquarium. It may not be necessary, but it will sure cut down on diseases in the tank. In addition to the heater, thermometer, and UV sterilizer, I was able to find an excellent strip of LED plant grow lights to turn on for part of the day for the plants. All of my plants, with this light being on for part of the day, are a beautiful green. You must also purchase a substrate. If you're going to have plastic plants, gravel will do. But if you're going to have live plants, you need something like Flourite Black "sand", or Flourite Black which have the nutrients you need for the plants. (Flourite also comes in a red clay color which I have in my quarantine tank.) Expect that you're going to spend some money on this aquarium. I also suggest an excellent power strip, preferable one which has individual off/on switches for each outlet. The reason for this is that when you add the nitrifying bacteria to season the water with beneficial bacteria, you'll need to turn off the UV sterilizer for awhile, and the power strip with the individual switces are much easier than having to unplug the item you want/need to turn off. As another example, I'm going to be doing some pruning today, and need to turn off all the electrical items; all I have to do is flip the switches instead of unplug and replug all the items. Get a GOOD stand that will support the weight of this aquarium. It holds six gallons of water, and this translates to 50.071 pounds, so a little stand won't do. Unfortunately, aquarium stands are not designed for round aquariums, so I went to furniture stores and ended up with the graceful stand that I have. Be aware that with the aquarium at 19" tall, you're going to have to consider not putting it up too high or you won't be able to clean it - and that's something else you'll need; a gravel cleaner/siphon system which is not terribly expensive. It runs on batteries. So the end is that this is a fantastic aquarium and system, but this will not be the end of your spending. Be prepared to do so if you want a beautiful looking tank that this aquarium will give you. If you want suggestions on the parts that I suggested for the aquarium - brands - email me through Amazon and I'd be happy to answer you.