26 Gallon Tank
- Thread starter Tomas
- Start date
Where are you located? If you're in the US, I would check out craigslist.com in your area and see if you can find some used equipment that might work with the tank. If it were me, I'd much rather have the 26 gallon since a 10 gallon tank will limit you considerable as far as what fish you can have.
Based on my little experience on this forum, it seems like prices vary dramatically at different local fish stores. You may be able to order most of what you need online for relatively cheap. What exactly are you looking to get for the $50? If it's just a filter, substrate, top and light I think you might be able to squeeze by. Also, keep in mind that some of the big chains have better prices online but will honor them in the store.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
Based on my little experience on this forum, it seems like prices vary dramatically at different local fish stores. You may be able to order most of what you need online for relatively cheap. What exactly are you looking to get for the $50? If it's just a filter, substrate, top and light I think you might be able to squeeze by. Also, keep in mind that some of the big chains have better prices online but will honor them in the store.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
company wise, im nery satisfied with topfin, and eclipse. you probably cant get an eclipse if it is a custom tank. check the dimensions on your tank and peruse places like ebay and aquabid.com. as far as i know, topfin has a huge variety, and makes many "things" (hood, filter, decorations, gravel). but yeah, just keep your eyes on online bidding sites.
The basic things you need are a filter, a heater, a thermometer and a hood of some kind. You don't really need a light, but it's hard to see your fish without one 
To be honest, PetSmart is pretty expensive compared to online stores. I've found most equipment almost half price from places like Big Als.
To be honest, PetSmart is pretty expensive compared to online stores. I've found most equipment almost half price from places like Big Als.
Well, others will certainly want to add to this, but I would say that you definitely need:
- a filter
- extra filter catridges
- a top for the tank so fish don't jump out
- fish food, a net
- water conditioner (to remove chlorine and/or chloramine from the water when you do your regular water changes)
- and, (for tropical fish) a heater and a thermometer.
Then of course, you'll probably want substrate and something to decorate the tank with. I bought a very cheap bag of gravel for a few dollars but the decorations might get you since you're trying to do all of this for under $50. If you don't want to buy decorations for the tank you can look online and find lists of rocks that are safe for fish tanks. Here's a link
http://www.uniquaria.com/articles/sr.html to get you started.
Definitely check to see if Petsmart will honor their online prices in the store because it could definitely save you a few bucks if they do and you come prepared! One more thing, I'm sure you probably know this already, but just in case you don't: make sure that you let the tank cycle before stocking it fully and be sure to do regular water changes so that your nitrate levels don't get too high. You don't need to buy water testing kits right away because you can always bring a sample of your water into the petsmart and they'll test it for you for free.
Edited to add: hahaha, I'm such a slow poster. You all beat me to it while I was typing up my list!
- a filter
- extra filter catridges
- a top for the tank so fish don't jump out
- fish food, a net
- water conditioner (to remove chlorine and/or chloramine from the water when you do your regular water changes)
- and, (for tropical fish) a heater and a thermometer.
Then of course, you'll probably want substrate and something to decorate the tank with. I bought a very cheap bag of gravel for a few dollars but the decorations might get you since you're trying to do all of this for under $50. If you don't want to buy decorations for the tank you can look online and find lists of rocks that are safe for fish tanks. Here's a link
http://www.uniquaria.com/articles/sr.html to get you started.
Definitely check to see if Petsmart will honor their online prices in the store because it could definitely save you a few bucks if they do and you come prepared! One more thing, I'm sure you probably know this already, but just in case you don't: make sure that you let the tank cycle before stocking it fully and be sure to do regular water changes so that your nitrate levels don't get too high. You don't need to buy water testing kits right away because you can always bring a sample of your water into the petsmart and they'll test it for you for free.
Edited to add: hahaha, I'm such a slow poster. You all beat me to it while I was typing up my list!
I just bought a nice filter from Drs Foster and Smith http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ for much less than that.
Here's a direct link to their filter page:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/NavResults.cfm?N=2004+22769 -- others will be able to tell you where the cheapest place to shop online is.
Here's a direct link to their filter page:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/NavResults.cfm?N=2004+22769 -- others will be able to tell you where the cheapest place to shop online is.