Mr. Aqua 12 Long - Anyone Have One? Updated

[dwarfpufferlover]

Looking to see if anyone on here has a mr. aqua 12 or 22 ( I think ) tank and what options they went with.

The 12 is reasonable priced and I desperately want another long tank.

Wanting opinions before I buy another tank this time.

I really like the open top but afraid since I've always had lids.


Feel free to move if in wrong section of forum, I didn't see a fish tank review section. Unless I am blind.

 

[TexasDomer]

I have this tank and I love it. I originally stocked with Boraras maculatus, then added some peacock gudgeons a friend gave me. I've lost a few Boraras due to jumping. If I could it over again, I'd stock with one of the dwarf cory species instead.

 

[Fanatic]

Hill Dweller Briggs
These members both have 12 gallon longs

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

I have this tank and I love it. I originally stocked with Boraras maculatus, then added some peacock gudgeons a friend gave me. I've lost a few Boraras due to jumping. If I could it over again, I'd stock with one of the dwarf cory species instead.

So probably a bad tank for shrimp lol.

Also what is the difference with low iron glass and regular? Assuming clarify and quality.

Thanks Fanatic, I would love to see pictures. This will probably be my next build.

 

[TexasDomer]

That's exactly it, clarity and quality. Supposedly a nice, visible difference in the glass.

Not terrible for shrimp if you keep the water level maybe an inch down, and there aren't fish to scare them up out of the tank.

 

[stella1979]

I love the 12g long! Don't have one, but I'd like one. I'm wondering why not do a simple DIY lid? Perhaps a simple mesh one like reefers use. They sell kits for them.

I wanted a small long tank but ended up going with a rimless cube so I could squeeze it in on a side table. I must have a lid though, so I did a simple glass one that's held on by little clear clips. I kinda hate it to be honest and might switch it up for a mesh one of these days. The glass lid is just a bit of a pain to manage, but there's less evaporation with glass. Perhaps the screen would be a pit of a pain to remove too but the benefit with the screen is that it offers better coverage because it's easier to shape. My glass is basically a square, slightly shorter from front to back, so it leaves a gap for equipment at the back. It's barely more than an inch gap but big enough for jumpers and escapers!

What are you thinking for heat and filtration on the 12g? I'd love to see a thread on this tank.

 

[TexasDomer]

Adding a lid would really detract from this tank and the whole purpose of a rimless tank. If you're going to add a lid, save yourself money and get a 20 gal long instead.

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

stella1979

I really don't need another tank but I have more space now and I've been dreaming of a 12 long. I have a 9 gallon flex so I guess I could count that as my cube/bow front purchase.
It's going to be a dirted tank and I'm going to take my sweet time with it. I actually have no idea what I would do for filtration I would think the rI'm is limiting...

I will have both of course TexasDomer
Looks like I will order the low iron and stash away until other parts are ready.
What filtration are you running?

Also I can see getting past not having lids, cats will learn they can't sit there.

 

[TexasDomer]

I have a Fluval 206 on mine. Overkill, but it doesn't bother my Boraras, Amanos, or peacock gudgeons. The water movement helps with algae, and my buces and Anubias seems to like the current.

I going to be putting some lily pipes on soon - just need to get new tubing since the lily pipes I got won't work with what the 206 already has (had to find short lily pipes since the tank is so short - not an easy task!).

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

I have a Fluval 206 on mine. Overkill, but it doesn't bother my Boraras, Amanos, or peacock gudgeons. The water movement helps with algae, and my buces and Anubias seems to like the current.

I going to be putting some lily pipes on soon - just need to get new tubing since the lily pipes I got won't work with what the 206 already has (had to find short lily pipes since the tank is so short - not an easy task!).

That sounds awesome but defiantly out of reality for me. So yours isn't drilled?

Also what are the chances an Ac 20 would work.?


EDIT: also found this a while back near half the price but who knows quality.

 

[TexasDomer]

Yeah, I got the canister used from a friend for free, otherwise I would have gotten a much smaller canister.

Nope. I wouldn't drill the tank. It's too small really (though smaller tanks can be drilled too) and you'd ruin the look of it with the overflows and bulkheads. That's the purpose of the lily pipes, connecting the canister without all the bulky equipment.

AC 20 would likely be fine, it's just going to be unsightly.

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

Yeah, I got the canister used from a friend for free, otherwise I would have gotten a much smaller canister.

Nope. I wouldn't drill the tank. It's too small really (though smaller tanks can be drilled too) and you'd ruin the look of it with the overflows and bulkheads. That's the purpose of the lily pipes, connecting the canister without all the bulky equipment.

AC 20 would likely be fine, it's just going to be unsightly.

Lucky. I can imagine the end result. I do realize a HOB is ugly but Its the best I can do unless there are internal filter options but I've never explored those.

I appreciate the help and hope you don't mind if I ask advice regarding the tank later on.

I'm terrible at making decisions, I will let you ladies know what tank/brand. I know it will either be the 9.1 or 12 low iron.

 

[TexasDomer]

Of course I don't mind

If money is the issue with the canister, I'd go for the regular glass and smaller tank so you can use the leftover money for a canister filter.

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

Of course I don't mind

If money is the issue with the canister, I'd go for the regular glass and smaller tank so you can use the leftover money for a canister filter.

Thank you!

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

TexasDomer

I ended up going with the 9.1 low iron long aquamaxx and ordered a fluval 106.

Hopefully the flow rate isn't crazy in the smaller tank, I do see they recommend automotive clamps for the hoses as a fail safe. This will be first canister so is learning process.

Thanks for advice in this thread , will tag y'all along when the time comes.

 

[TexasDomer]

I think you're really going to love having a canister on the tank, and not an HOB. Once I started with canisters, I couldn't go back to HOBs!

 

[Hill Dweller]

I have this tank and I love it. I originally stocked with Boraras maculatus, then added some peacock gudgeons a friend gave me. I've lost a few Boraras due to jumping. If I could it over again, I'd stock with one of the dwarf cory species instead.

Heyo, late to this, been away, I have B. Maculata in my 12 long, they are so busy and really fill it up! (Also lost some to jumping!) and I've had both corydoras hastatus and more recently pygmaeus in there and they love zooming. They even join the school of hengelI rasboras from time to time. Great tank, lots of options!

Sorry I'm so late to this, been away. I adore this tank, although it looks like you already chose another. The footprint lets you stock a lot of things people don't recommend for a 10 gallon and they say you need a 20 gallon for, you just need to be aware of not trying to stock top/bottom/middle dwellers all at once, and beat in mind stocking to the actual water volume as well (nitrates etc building up). I've had a betta and a range of nano fish and an absurdly fast growing colony of cherry shrimp in there all good as gold. I should add, I hacked a clear(ish) plastic grille tank divider I found at the LFS into 2 long skinny halves and they just rest on top to help fight evaporation and fish jumping. It's my favourite of my current and past tanks

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

These are all the things I’ve been wondering Hill Dweller, you read my mind on corydoras but unsure if it’s large enough... I have peppered.

I need to update this thread with pics and such, I’ve got the fish room coming along, last thing I did before this weekend was setup the 9.1 and I’m happy with it.
I did get a job at lfs last week so stocking options are up most UNLIMITED!!!!!!!

 

[Hill Dweller]

These are all the things I’ve been wondering Hill Dweller, you read my mind on corydoras but unsure if it’s large enough... I have peppered.

I need to update this thread with pics and such, I’ve got the fish room coming along, last thing I did before this weekend was setup the 9.1 and I’m happy with it.
I did get a job at lfs last week so stocking options are up most UNLIMITED!!!!!!!

Wow! Do you get a staff discount? That would be rad!!! What a great job!!! I will look forward to some pics. I love everyone's pics!

I've had 2 of the 3 species of the teeny corys all very happy in there, but not Habrosus which are hard to find here. Are you talking about the peppered corys that are a bit bigger I think it's Paleatus? Seriously Fish says they would want min 24 x 15 footprint so I think the Mr Aqua should cover that, it's 36 x ... I'm Aussie, we don't do inches

But just consider the bioload for what's not really a lot of water.

I got this tank for a tail biting betta who needed friends to keep his mind off his tail. He lived with ember tetras and the hastatus. He was big and greedy. He died out of the blue, maybe constipation. I replaced him (1 fish) with 10 hengelI rasboras and the nitrates went DOWN. No joke, I tested it for weeks in case it was a blip.

So I'd suggest that even though you have horizontal swimming space for a bigger range of fish than a standard 10 gallon, you want to be wary with bigger fish on the bioload. I'd go for cramming it with nano species or picking a "showcase" species suitable for living alone/pair/small group like Texas Domer's gudgeons.

If you put 6 paleatus in there you may find it's all you can have due to the bioload? I dunno for sure... my sterbais in my big tank are huge fatties so I might be overestimating for the paleatus.

I guess with your job it might be easier to take them back if they didn't work out?

Let me know if you think of any other questions
This is the most recent pic I have from a few months back. Fish all hiding because the lights only just came on

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

I love your tank Hill Dweller. I’m sorry for the late reply. I like the idea of just doing a cory tank but I'm worried its not big enough.

Currently have:

9.1 long - 6 peppered, lone guppy

9 gallon flex - suggestions?

30 gallon rcs shrimp community tank

5.5 betta ( not doing to well currently )

20long 10 gallon or another 5.5g both are in my closet lol ?

Some pics! messy I know still working on it.

I need to pop the air bubbles

 

[TexasDomer]

Looks good!

 

[dwarfpufferlover]

Looks good!

Thanks Texas!

Even though everyone was just thrown in there for now