AquaSproutsAquaponics Garden, Self-Sustaining Desktop Aquarium Hydroponics Ecosystem Kit, fits Standard 10 Gallon Aquariums

I agree with the majority of other posters here:1. Setup is very easy2. Works great, exactly like it is supposed to3. This product is very expensive for what you get - you have to purchase your own 10 gallon tank, substrate, heater, and light.4. This is not for beginners who don’t want to learn and take the time to test water quality, appropriate plant choices, etc. That being said, you definitely should purchase a water quality testing kit that tests the pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. If you don’t, you will wind up wasting a lot of money with dead fish.Here is what I love the most about this product and why I give it 5 stars despite it being way overpriced:1. This is not the first aquarium I’ve had and I can tell you that the garden works way better than any other filtration system out there. I’ve had the system set up for over three months and after testing the water consistently for weeks, with the garden fully stocked it has kept all of my water levels completely stable and exactly where they are supposed to be. The tank water stays crystal clear and no additional filtration is needed other than the garden.2. Although this setup is designed for a 10 gallon tank only, it is adaptable to other tank sizes if you rig it correctly. The pump is powerful enough to where you do not need to buy an extra one. As you can see in my second photo, I upgraded my 10 gallon tank to a 25 gallon, and the powerful pump in this system works just as great!3. It really is a great conversation piece, everyone that comes over asks about it and is interested in it.4. I know some people will disagree with my comment here, but idc, we all have an opinion and here is mine: this garden setup makes the tank environment so stable that you never have to change the water (I’ve verified this by extensive and daily water testing). This is the best part because I hate changing water out of a tank, it’s so messy! But it’s even worse to have a dirty tank because it’s mean to the fish. But with this system, *no* water changes are needed. The only time I deal with the tank water is when I add water because some of it evaporates, which is natural of course. And in my case, I upgraded to a 25 gallon tank shortly after purchasing it, so additional water was added then. But that’s it! Fully self-sustaining, or at least so far!Update: I’ve now had this system for 7 months and I still give it 5 stars. In fact, with a little rigging I upgraded the 25 gallon tank to a 75 gallon tank and I swear the little pump built for a 10 gallon keeps the 75 gallon very clean too! I’ve had the 75 gallon setup for three months :)

This kit was designed to incorporate a 10 gallon aquarium into an aquaponics system. It comes with a growth bed and support stands that allow it to fit snugly over an aquarium. It also has plant light supports but does not come with a grow light. There is a pump with a timer and a transparent flexible PVC tube that runs from the aquarium to the bottom of the overhanging growth bed. Water is pumped into the growth bed and is then drained back into the aquarium via two drains that are located on either side of the bed. The bed itself can be filled with clay pellets.I had to modify this kit to fit my aquarium because I wanted the fish to have some live plants, Since the live plants would require lighting, I needed to include an overhanging hood with LED light. Since the growth bed fit too snugly over the aquarium, I elevated it by putting a brick under each leg. I then had to cut away the back corners of the aquarium lid. If I hadn't done this, the water drains would have been obstructed and water would have cascaded off the cover and onto the floor.The draining water fell 6-8 inches from the bottom of the growth bed into the aquarium. To avoid having the plunging water stir up the aquarium and unnecessarily alarm the fish, I stood two pieces of drift wood in the tank and leaned them against the back corners. The turbulence of the water has been reduced because water draining from the growth bed now hits the drift wood.The clay pellets float and when I first tested the system, the rising water actually began pushing the top layers of pellets out of the growth bed. I removed some of the pellets and because each of these pellets are about the size of a small marble, I had concerns about loose seeds falling to the bottom of the bed. To avoid losing my seeds, I purchased a biostrate hydroponic growing mat (through Amazon) that I lay on top of the pellets. I sprinkled seeds over the mat, covered them with a damp paper towel and let them germinate.I have included a picture of my tank set up (though you cannot see the brick supports on either side). I have also included a picture of my first planting of fenugreek which is doing quite well after just 1 1/2 weeks of growth.UPDATED May 2, 2017After harvesting fenugreek to feed to a pet rabbit, I tried planting herbs from Home Depot. I planted English Thyme, Chocolate Mint, and Basil using the biodegradable containers the plants came in. To ensure that the roots didn't drown, I added an air pump to the aquarium. It's been 3 weeks and the plants are THRIVING. I've had to remove some of the clay pellets and estimate that I'm currently using about a third of the amount I originally received.I am pleased overall with this product.