Customer Reviews

Tetra Crescent Aquarium Kit, 5-Gallon

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My Betta fish looks extremely happy into this 3g tank; I just regret I didn't buy the 5g version.

The Whisper Micro Filter works SO good, it has a Flow Control system which allows me to select a very low flow, perfect for bettas!

Unfortunately, the tank comes with a "medium" size filter, which is way TOOOOO big for the small tank. I know there is a "small" version of the Whisper Micro Filter, so I don't understand why Tetra didn't bundle it with this tank instead of the Medium size. :-S

The tank itself looks crystal clear, acrylic made, very resistant, and easy to clean. I recommend you to buy a special acrylic cleaner sponge since regular sponges will scratch it.

I was speechless when I first turned the LED Lighting Lamp ON, it is magnificent! Perfect room lightning at night. LEDs technology is awesome, it doesn't only lights better, but it saves a lot of energy compared to regular bulbs.

I love all Tetra products! They are definitely the best.

Don't get me wrong by the three stars. This tank is great but the filter set up is not a good one. The design of the items for the tank make everything fit perfectly. There is even a slot for a heater cord. The problem is the filter mount when used has the top of the filter to high in the tank so that the top of the filter is the same level with the top of the open tank thus can SLOWLY leak water along the mount to the outside of the tank. Bottom line is use the suction cups only and you will be happy. Had I really known about how this filter worked I would have gone with something like a fluval U1 or U2.

This 3 gallon tank has been great. The filter is very quiet, but is very powerful. The tank has not required much cleaning because the filter is rated for tanks much bigger than 3 gallons. The downside is that the filter itself is big, so it takes up more room in the tank. The shape of the tank allows for a great presentation, but it does not take up much room. The only complaint I have with the tank is the the top that is provided does not fit on very easily. Overall a great small tank!!!

As a first aquarium, it's pretty terrible. As a tank purchased purely for the fun of experimentation, with the hopes of re-homing some guppies, it's decent, and I don't regret the purchase. (I agree with the folks who say that bigger is better, for your first. Three gallons is harder to maintain, and is very, very limiting when it comes to fish selection, if you want them to live in a comfortable, happy environment. This tank has other problems, though, so if you are looking for your first aquarium, keep reading.)

The filter (Tetra Whisper Micro, not 3i ... good luck finding cartridges) is half-way decent, and it is inevitably, being made of plastic, had marks in it. After cutting the surge protector on and off, the filter only half worked and I had to move it up to full power (no, do not run your filter on full power - this is why people are having trouble with it - and set it low on the hook). The hook is covering a suction hole - remember this when you take it out for any reason, or you will have water everywhere. Don't use it without the hook, or the filter will sit on the bottom, and that's where its intake is located.

I am hoping a small power filter, such as the one Azoo makes, will fit the space. I haven't measured to be sure, yet. If not, I suppose I'll use a small sponge filter ("Lee's Round Dual-Action Foam Filter" is sold by Amazon, as are replacement sponges, and is supposed to be good for tanks up to 5gal - UPDATE: I am now using this filter, and I like it a lot better). The given filter takes up a lot of space if you plan on putting any ornaments in. I just want plants. I might put a small shelter in.

That all being said, I have mine set up as a low-light dirted environment (more gravel, less dirt under the filter), and my microsword is relatively happy (it needs a stronger light, but at least it is growing). I would recommend this as a functional, but not perfect, guppy tank. It's bright, attractive, and retains some moisture in the form of condensation.

I would use light-colored substrate. Don't use sand, as the filter will likely suck it up. I have dark blue, red, and green gravel, and it just absorbs all the light. If I were to start it over, I would try white or beige gravel, or Caribsea's Torpedo Beach substrate, as it looks like it will be very attractive, and seems like it might be heavy enough to not be sucked up. I'm using Sunset Gold sand, now, in another tank, and I like it. Maybe some more plants or some decoration will brighten it up.

As for the top of the tank, yes, it does fit after water is added. It comes off easily enough; though, for maintenance purposes, the light needs to come off, as well. I would *not* use this tank without the lid. There would be nothing to protect the LEDs from condensation, and I have already, on a past setup, lost a tank light (an incandescent, which I do not wish to ever own again) to such cheap construction. The lid is specifically designed for the given filter, and has a hole on the other side of the light (which you mount to the tank), should you wish to add a heater (Hydor's Mini 7.5 Watt, for 2-5 gallons, is probably the only thing that will fit - it works to a set number of degrees on top of what you have, so monitor). This could also be a good entry hole for piping, such as for air or a DIY CO2 system.

The pictures are deceptive: the light comes all the way to the feed hole and pretty much covers the top of the tank. It is a bright but bulky thing, and for the brightness, has no power. Good for energy, medium-to-low level for plants.

First off I want to note the Tank itself is a 5 Star. I gave it 4 because the Whisper Micro Water Filter. I am very pleased with the aquarium itself. It's Beautiful! It also comes with a nice led light. The filter I'm a bit disappointed with. Don't get me wrong, it's quiet and filters nicely but the plug goes inside of the tank! I'm a safety freak and didn't want to put it in the tank but I prepared myself and did it, but just to get rid of any little lints or hairs. I only put it in there when I change the water. He doesn't make much waste so it's fine. The filter has a yellow sticker on the power cord that say's Fully Submersible. If your filter is noisy it could be of 2 things - Trapped air bubbles or debris. The bubbles tend to dissipate overnight. I would buy this tank again! Very Happy! =)

This is my first fish tank. I've had it for about a month and I have one male betta in it. He seems to be happy and so far this has worked perfectly. I have only two complaints: (1) the filter is disproportionately large for the tank and (2) the lid doesn't fit well which causes it to rattle from the vibrations and is difficult to keep clean.

The light does work well and overall a good tank for the price.

This tank is awesome, beautiful, and has everything you need to start a healthy tank (except heater for tropical fish). I actually got the Marineland 5 gallon version instead, but I believe it is virtually the same as this (they partnered on creating this product). The 5 gal is definitely a kit to get you started on fish keeping hobby: small enough to fit almost anywhere, but large enough to keep most fish. 3 gal would probably be for betta fans, because it's a bit small for most tropical fish that shoals or even 1 goldfish.

Couple things worth noting: 1)the design gives an magnifying effect to everything in the fish tank, 2) the filter is 10-gal version which means it can handle this tank VERY well and keep any creature in there happy unless you overstock, 3) the LED is energy efficient and BRIGHT which makes this tank a good environment for plants. The glass lid also comes with a filter cut-off, and it fits the filter that came with it (so you have a lot of freedom where you want to put this internal filter) as well as any small external power filter (in case you would want more vertical water movement. But, the cut off space is only about 5cm x 5cm big, so don't expect to get your big boy 30 gallon filter and jam it in. It also has a cut-off hole for heater wire. 7.5W - 10W is enough to heat up the whole tank for tropical fish.

A few flaws that I have noticed and might bug others: 1) odd shape makes it difficult to observe your fish from the narrow sides and to put aquatic wallpapers at the back, 2) the glass lid is beautiful, but at the same time a lot of condensation of water blurry the top view for you, 3) filter might appear a bit large for this tank size (although I am actually happy about this. I always love kits where filter capacity > tank size), 4) the feeding cut-off on the lid has no cover, so it remains open at all times. It also seems that the LED this one use is different from the Marineland LED series uses, so I am still figuring out how to replace that when it goes out. Although LED lives by far the longest compared to all lighting system, so maybe I have nothing to worry about.

Overall, very satisfied by this desktop tank. Probably by far the best desktop tank out there in terms of both functionality and aesthetic quality. It's a bit on the pricey end (consider you can get 10 gallon w/ filter for 30 bucks from petsmart/petco), but this one is definitely worth the money (you will notice acrylic and LED are both expensive gears for a fish tank).

I got this tank as a home for my betta, and he absolutely loves it. There's plenty of space for decor and habitat, and just the right balance between enough room to swim, and small enough that he can patrol it and feel secure. The light is a huge bonus, as it nicely illuminates the tank so we can easily watch him. The filter is nearly noiseless, and helps cut down on the frequency that I need to clean the tank (2 weeks so far, and still exceedingly clear water - unlike some of the non-filtered horror stories I hear).

I'm not sure I could endorse such a small tank for anything BUT a betta, but for these little guys, it's a perfect home.

This is a good starting tank if you're not sure how to build one, but like all kits it has it's downfalls. The acrylic, despite being lighter than a glass tank, scratches way to easily for my tastes and the filter is not the most efficient. But the lighting is very good and the top cover is a must, especially with jumpy fish. I didn't even bother with the smaller tank; it's too small to even be worth it, especially with the 5 gallon being so close in price. It was a great starting point, but I think I've moved on to making my own tanks.

This is the perfect little 5 gallon aquarium for me. It sits nicely on the desk and the view of the fish is good. The filter seems to do a good job and it's quiet. I've got a small 25w heater in it and an air stone, a few plants and of course the ground cover and I'm very pleased. The light brightens the entire aquarium and the top fits snug with plenty of vent room for the heater, the air hose and the filter.