Tetra Cascade Globe

At one point or another parents will get that ‘can we have a pet’ request from their children. Since the summer holidays, we have had that request from Roo and Tigger. Thankfully though they aren’t asking for a dog or a cat, or even a hamster – luckily for us they would like a fish tank. A few years ago we had a large tropical fish tank which was a real pain to look after, from ensuring that the temperature was at the correct level for the fish, getting overrun with rogue snails after a plant we bought had a couple hidden in it (and boy did they spread like wildfire).

Just before Christmas we were kindly sent over the Tetra Cascade Globe, a small starter fish tank that hopefully will mean less maintenance whilst the children get to fulfil their pet wish.

Tetra Cascade Globe

The Cascade Globe can be set up for specific species of subtropical fish, freshwater shrimps or plants: crucially those that can live in room temperature water. This beautifully designed aquarium is the perfect starting point for those wishing to take up a rewarding hobby, looking for a stylish centrepiece for their home or as a fantastic first pet for children. To beginner or inexperienced fish keepers, fishkeeping can appear a daunting hobby and one that can take up lots of time, as well as space. However, this absolutely doesn’t have to be the case. Cascade Globe is an innovative aquarium ideal for fitting into the modern day busy lifestyle and is a beautiful addition to any home.

Tetra Cascade Globe | Set Up

1. Before unpacking your Cascade Globe, find a suitable place at home for it. The tank needs to be placed onto a sturdy surface. It will weigh over 10 Kg when full, so a wall mounted shelf, for example, will not hold it safely. A location near a power socket is vital so the filter and lighting can work. The Cascade Globe should also be placed away from doors that may be opened quickly and break the glass, it must be out of direct sunlight (to prevent green algae growth) and it must be away from a radiator which may cause the water temperature to change too much.
2. Once you have found a suitable location for your Cascade Globe, unpack the box and place the tank on the surface. Follow instructions in the box regarding how to set up the filter in the tank. Do not plug the power socket into the wall until the tank is full of water.
3. To grow live plants in the Cascade Globe, it is essential to place a layer of nutrient rich gravel at the bottom of the tank; this a ‘planting substrate’. The plants are rooted into this special gravel and will take up most of the nutrients they need from it. Tetra CompleteSubstrate which should be placed at the bottom of the tank at roughly 2 – 4 cm depth. Tetra ActiveSubstrate (a red coloured mineral), which should be rinsed in tap water to remove fine dust and then placed on top to a depth of 4 cm. The total depth of the planting substrate should be about 6 – 8 cm.
4. With the planting substrate added, you can then half-fill the tank with water. Before pouring tap water into the tank, place a saucer over the planting substrates to stop the flow of water disturbing the special gravel layers. Now add 4mls of Tetra AquaSafe – the cap holds 5mls, so you can use this as a guide.
5. With the tank half-full of water, you can now add the plants. Carefully remove them from the pot and tease away the cotton-wool from around the roots. Then place the roots of the plant into the special gravel layer by first burrowing a small hole with your fingers and covering the roots afterwards.
6. Once you are happy with the layout of your plants, very carefully fill the rest of the tank with tap water, then plug in the power socket and switch on the light.
7. The water will appear very cloudy at first as lots of small particles from the gravel will need to settle down or be trapped by the filter – don’t worry! The water should be flowing through the filter and out via the waterfall at the top. After 24 hours the water should be crystal clear.
8. Now you are ready to add your fish or shrimps.

Instead of going down the traditional route of fish the children decided that they wanted to add shrimps to the Cascade Globe and I have to say they are fascinating to watch.

Boo Roo and Tigger Too’s thoughts…

Roo and Tigger are so pleased to finally have a fish tank, albeit that it has shrimps in it instead of fish. They have been to our local Pets at Home store to learn about how to take care of their new pet and the importance of keeping them fed and changing water etc.

The Cascade Globe is quite small which is a big bonus as it can be placed in almost any room and still look good. The filter works well and ensuring it is out of direct sunlight has meant that the globe is staying clean. We are in a hard water area so the only issue we have is around the top of the tank, however, a wipe around of this each week is keeping the grime away.

For more information on the Tetra range take a look at their website HERE

Disclosure: We received a Tetra Cascade Globe and equipment FOC for the purpose of review