I'm considering buying a ten gallon hexagon tank. Talk me down.

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Never thought I'd consider a hexagon tank, due to the lack of footprint and the incredibly limited stocking options. But haven't found many other options available for sale right now, and this one comes with heater, filter, lights, usual aquarium guff, and I'd like to set something up fairly quickly.

My 15 gallon guppy fry grow out/quarantine tank is being converted into a soft water tank, so need another grow out tank fairly soon. Guppy fry might be the only thing I'd keep in a hexagon tank, especially since it would only be temporary. So I started wondering what I do with it to make it look interesting, since it would be an interesting tank to try to scape. Pictured making a rock/wood feature that climbed the back or one side of the side, some tall plants, then imagined it would be great for shrimp.. and that made me take it seriously for a minute.

Talk me out of buying this stupid small horribly shaped tank. It would only be worth getting as a temp tank for quarantine/fry grow out, and a standard 7 gal even would be better for that. Plus if I scape it and fill it with shrimp, it would be useless as a quarantine tank, and I'd wind up having to get another.

Lack of sleep and stress must have temporarily made me lose possession of my sanity. Talk some sense into me please and make me wait until something sensible comes along.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I personally wouldn't...

Have you looked at your LFS? Craigslist? (Or "GumTree" there in the UK)

A regular 10g tank has a lot more stocking options (as you said) and also has a bigger foot print.

Hex tanks are also usually more costly as well.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

So I started wondering what I do with it to make it look interesting, since it would be an interesting tank to try to scape. Pictured making a rock/wood feature that climbed the back or one side of the side, some tall plants, then imagined it would be great for shrimp.. and that made me take it seriously for a minute.

Just saw this:

If you want something "unique" then get the hex. I dont like hex tanks that much because of the lack fo fish you can keep. They do look cool as a tall scape though.

You can do a lot with a regular 10g tank.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I personally wouldn't...

Have you looked at your LFS? Craigslist? (Or "GumTree" there in the UK)

A regular 10g tank has a lot more stocking options (as you said) and also has a bigger foot print.

Hex tanks are also usually more costly as well.

Yep, this one is on gumtree, I'm leery about buying brand new even if it was a wonderful tank with unlimited options, no way I'd buy a brand new hex! I still feel like it's overpriced for a ten gallon, let alone a ten gallon hex. The good news is the guy said he stopped keeping fish because he decided it was too small, and only wanted to sell it to someone as a nursery tank, so no one is buying this one and sticking angelfish in there at least. Hopefully, anyway!

There's a 7 gallon cube shaped tank that would work better as a guppy grow out/hospital tank anyway, wouldn't it. I wouldn't really want anything smaller than a 10 gal, but a ten gal hex is more like a five gal in practicality anyway.

Just saw this:

If you want something "unique" then get the hex. I dont like hex tanks that much because of the lack fo fish you can keep. They do look cool as a tall scape though.

You can do a lot with a regular 10g tank.

Gah, that's not helping! LOL. It really would be a cool tank to scape and keep shrimp in. But I'm really not looking for a tank to do that in! I'm needing something to grow out guppy fry, and use as a hospital tank when needed. Could never use it to medicate a sick fish if it's full of shrimp. A nice scape full of blue neocarindina though...

 

[Salty&Onion]

Vallisneria spiralis would do great in a tall tank. The tank will be for shrimp or?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Vallisneria spiralis would do great in a tall tank. The tank will be for shrimp or?

I thought of valls too, love those. Nope, I need a tank for quarantine/guppy grow out. I'm just tempted to buy it purely to scape it for shrimp, which would defeat the purpose I had planned for it.

I don't think valls would work anyway, since it would be a hardwater tank. I think they prefer soft water.

 

[Byron]

I thought of valls too, love those. Nope, I need a tank for quarantine/guppy grow out. I'm just tempted to buy it purely to scape it for shrimp, which would defeat the purpose I had planned for it.

I don't think valls would work anyway, since it would be a hardwater tank. I think they prefer soft water.

Vallisneria is one genus of aquatic plants that do very well in harder water. They are native to the African rift lakes, among other habitats in the global tropics. This is because they can easily use bicarbonates as a source of carbon. Many other plants can do this, but most have a strong preference for CO2, and a few must use CO2 exclusively. But Vallisneria readily assimilate carbon from bicarbonates so they can thrive in harder water, provided light is good and nutrients available.

To the tank size/shape, hexagon tanks can be interesting aquascapes for quiet (non-active swimming) fish, but here the size (volume) is very restrictive. A much larger hexagon tank could support a nice group of pencilfish, non-active catfish (but even cories can work), gourami, etc. I would consider either a much larger hexagon, or a basic rectangular tank if smaller.

 

[Kevstar]

Just step back and take a deep breath and relax!

We can all go a little overboard when we find a hobby that we are getting pleasure out and I can assure you I've been guilty of purchasing the odd aquarium.

Finding the correct aquarium for what you require should be priority, how much horizontal space you have should be one of the main factors when looking for your next tank. If that is an issue then a hexagonal aquarium could be ideal but you are extremely limited in regards to what can be housed.

If the livebearers become more of a pain rather than a pleasure as you progress in this hobby having a hex grow out tank could end up surplus to requirement.

If my opinion is worth anything then I would advise you to wait until a suitable 10 gallon or larger becomes available.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Vallisneria is one genus of aquatic plants that do very well in harder water. They are native to the African rift lakes, among other habitats in the global tropics. This is because they can easily use bicarbonates as a source of carbon. Many other plants can do this, but most have a strong preference for CO2, and a few must use CO2 exclusively. But Vallisneria readily assimilate carbon from bicarbonates so they can thrive in harder water, provided light is good and nutrients available.

To the tank size/shape, hexagon tanks can be interesting aquascapes for quiet (non-active swimming) fish, but here the size (volume) is very restrictive. A much larger hexagon tank could support a nice group of pencilfish, non-active catfish (but even cories can work), gourami, etc. I would consider either a much larger hexagon, or a basic rectangular tank if smaller.

Thank you so much! Happy to hear that valls like harder water, I would love to have some! I must have mixed it up.
Just had another look at the photos, and it's not even a hexagon tank, it's a ten gallon corner tank. I think I'd even feel cruel putting guppy fry in there to grow out before going to the shop. I just pictured a building a vertical scape that shrimp could climb, and wanted it purely to do that! lol.

I'm not going to buy it, have made up my mind. I know I'd regret it. Will keep looking for a regular 10-20 gallon, cube or rectangle. So many more things that can be done with that. Thank you for helping me not waste money on a silly tank everyone!

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Just step back and take a deep breath and relax!

We can all go a little overboard when we find a hobby that we are getting pleasure out and I can assure you I've been guilty of purchasing the odd aquarium.

Finding the correct aquarium for what you require should be priority, how much horizontal space you have should be one of the main factors when looking for your next tank. If that is an issue then a hexagonal aquarium could be ideal but you are extremely limited in regards to what can be housed.

If the livebearers become more of a pain rather than a pleasure as you progress in this hobby having a hex grow out tank could end up surplus to requirement.

If my opinion is worth anything then I would advise you to wait until a suitable 10 gallon or larger becomes available.

Your opinion is definitely worth something, you have a lot of experience, and you seem to have a very calm and sensible attitude, which I appreciate very much

No argument here! The purpose for this next tank I'm searching for is as a grow out and quarantine. I wouldn't want to stress a sickly fish, or one having to be in there for weeks before going into main tanks, by keeping it in a tiny tank with no swimming space. A standard ten gallon would be ideal for my purpose, and suit my limited space and budget. If I can find a 15-20 gallon, then even better.

I just got carried away imagining a tall scape with shrimp everywhere, lol. It would be fine for an aquascaped shrimp tank, lovely even. But not worth the price they're asking for that, and not what I need right now anyway.

We can all go a little overboard when we find a hobby that we are getting pleasure out

Was it obvious that I get a bit carried away and jump into things with both feet?
I need to be working on scaping the soft water tank anyway. Unusual shrimp tanks can wait for another time!

 

[CassCats]

What about that 7g cube you mentioned?

 

[Kevstar]

Your opinion is definitely worth something, you have a lot of experience, and you seem to have a very calm and sensible attitude, which I appreciate very much

No argument here! The purpose for this next tank I'm searching for is as a grow out and quarantine. I wouldn't want to stress a sickly fish, or one having to be in there for weeks before going into main tanks, by keeping it in a tiny tank with no swimming space. A standard ten gallon would be ideal for my purpose, and suit my limited space and budget. If I can find a 15-20 gallon, then even better.

I just got carried away imagining a tall scape with shrimp everywhere, lol. It would be fine for an aquascaped shrimp tank, lovely even. But not worth the price they're asking for that, and not what I need right now anyway.

Was it obvious that I get a bit carried away and jump into things with both feet?
I need to be working on scaping the soft water tank anyway. Unusual shrimp tanks can wait for another time!

Thankyou, I'm just an average amateur aquarist with a few years under my belt. Plants, I could learn a lot more and Latin names just confuse me. I know the basics of water chemistry and have been very lucky to have housed an array of fish so I'm confident in knowing what should be compatible but whether that is experienced or not (compared to some), I'm not sure.

We all get a little carried away at times, especially me as my wife would say I have whims! But I have found that I'm enjoying only having one aquarium, I have enough time on my hands to maintain several but it was becoming a bit of a chore rather than a pleasure and one tank is taking me around half an hour a week to maintain and the rest of the time is just spent enjoying it.

No doubt in the future I will set up my shrimp tank but at the moment I'm relatively content.

I'm sure you will find a suitable aquarium for another shrimp colony and possibly even another for a grow out tank but always look to the future of what else it can be suitable for as you can get bored with time, Livebearers are the perfect example for me, just got a little tired and fancied a change and haven't had a Guppy or Platy since.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

What do you guys say to a Love Tanks Vantage, 48 litre (ten gal) cube shaped tank with stand, lights, heater and filter, for £30 including delivery?

Need to nip out and draw out some cash though, being delivered in two hours

 

[PheonixKingZ]

What do you guys say to a Love Tanks Vantage, 48 litre (ten gal) cube shaped tank with stand, lights, heater and filter, for £30 including delivery?

Need to nip out and draw out some cash though, being delivered in two hours

That‘s a really good deal. I would go with that.

 

[Kevstar]

What do you guys say to a Love Tanks Vantage, 48 litre (ten gal) cube shaped tank with stand, lights, heater and filter, for £30 including delivery?

Need to nip out and draw out some cash though, being delivered in two hours

I had the love fish Panorama which is very similar after a google search, the filter could do with being replaced but apart from that it is a good aquarium.

The lights are basic but will happily grow low light demanding plants.

For that price it is a bargain.