I recently bought this tank because I wanted to begin a freshwater aquarium in my apartment. I am currently using this 4 gallon tank to house one betta fish and two amano shrimp. This is an absolutely gorgeous aquarium and is mesmerizing to watch, but also requires a lot of maintenance. This is the most beautiful small aquarium that I've seen, but I'm not sure if the added maintenance and the more expensive accessories make the purchase worth it. Pros: Most beautiful 4 gallon tank Includes ceramic media Includes water conditioner and biological booster to get started Distortion makes fish look larger Magnetic lid Beautiful LED lights Remote control for lights Silent airpump Easy to follow instructions and setup Cons: Filter current is too harsh for betta Filter changes release gross things into water Cumbersome to clean due to small hole on top Magnetic lid cannot close correctly if you have a submersible water heater or anything that requires an outlet Can only use large pebbles on top of the ceramic media Cannot plant tank without hindering undergravel filter Expensive accessories This tank includes ceramic media that you must use to ensure that the undergravel filtration works as intended. Do not use small gravel on top of the ceramic media as it might get stuck in the filtration system (I unfortunately learned this after the fact). Additionally, the ceramic media that this comes with is very jagged and may potentially scratch your betta, and too little of it comes with the tank so you must buy an additional pack. The ceramic media is essential to your tank working the correct way as it allows good bacteria to flourish to help break down the waste of your fish. With that said, say goodbye to the idea of planting this aquarium as the ceramic media does not root plants very well. The air pump is housed on rubber feet so it is virtually silent, unlike the complaints I've read about the Biorb classic. Unless the air pump is knocked over on its side (which never happens from the vibrations), it is minimal and very quiet. The acrylic distorts the fish, but in a sense this is a good thing because it also magnifies the contents of the tank. The fish therefore can look extremely large and it's dazzling to see the contents of the tank in all of its glory. To replace the filter, you need to disassemble your entire aquascape and the gunk that it releases unfortunately requires you to do an almost full water change. There is a hole at the top of the tank that is big enough to fit even large hands, however it is difficult to maneuver around to set up your aquascape or do proper cleaning. The biorb accessories are extremely expensive and you need to make sure to buy plastic plants that will be compatible with the biorb. For example, I got a bunch of silk plants with a solid, flat base and they looked absolutely ridiculous in the biorb unless buried in gravel. The middle sculptures for your centerpiece will cost you a pretty penny, and are at least $20-200. The lights are absolutely dazzling. You have so many different LED options to accentuate your aquascape, however I mostly use the white and purple because the contents of my aquarium look best in those colors. It comes with a RFID remote that is also dimmable which is pretty nice. I turn on the white light during the daytime because my Biorb is housed in a darker area of my home and turn off the lights at night to help my betta get on a regular sleep schedule. This is a small detail, but the lid has a magnet so it is satisfying to close it. If you buy any in-aqaurium accessories that require a plug (such as a heater), the lid will instead become very awkward as you will need to close it onto a cord. For a betta fish, the current of the aquarium is too strong. You would have to baffle the bubble tube, but then the filtration would not work as well. I countered this issue by buying a floating betta long so that my fish could have a reverie away from the current. I am slightly worried that the strong current will stress out my male betta as he won't be able to build any of his bubble nests. If you want to save a LOT of money, you can reuse the filters by rinsing it off with old tank water, just make sure not to rinse it under the tap as it can potentially kill off beneficial bacteria within the tank. If you're replacing the filter completely, instead cut off half of the old sponge and place it in with half of the new one so that you don't completely deplete the tank of the good bacteria housed within the sponge. Using a completely new sponge can change the chemistry of your nanotank and potentially harm your fish. Make sure that you also buy some activated carbon and zeolite blends to refill the charcoal at the bottom of the filter every 4 weeks; the mixture itself will help neutralize the ammonia. As an avid Amazon shopper, I rely heavily on reviews to research before purchasing items. I purchased this item with my own money. 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