Friday, November 14, 2014
Marineland Protein Skimmer Size: 305 Gallon / Hour
Saturday, October 25, 2014
IVS Portal 4" Aquarium Viewer
Nice to see the details with the portal viewer
It can be used to clean some algae off the tank
Seems to be well built
Cons:
Not that great as cleaning magnet
Has a limited range to view close ups, but I've read they're working on or already have another lens to view objects further from the original lens.
Summary:
I got the portal viewer to see close ups of SPS coral in my tank and that's exactly what this does. The range of view is somewhere around 16" for a nice clear image. Any further and it gets blurry. A little over priced for what it does, but it does it's job. Great way to inspect coral for any pests.We love the portal and use it all the time to look at things in our saltwater reef tank. It is also helpful in finding pests like glass anemones. We don't use it as a glass cleaner and prefer our other tools for that. A definite "must have" for enjoying your reef tank.I have a 60 gallon acrylic reef tank and the Portal works great to show off the awesome detail in the coral and makes new growth easy to identify. Not the best as a tank cleaner but holds well to tank and rounds corners easily. If you have a reef tank this is a no brainer.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
PhosGuard, 100 mL bagged
After rinising, i placed it in the media tray of my fluval c4 filter. I have a 29 gallon salt water tank that was having some high phosphates. I tested the water after adding the phosguard. I left it in for a week. During the week i checked the water and while the phosphates did not go down, they did not go up either. So not sure if the product helped or not.
I think the phosphates were coming from my tap water. I purchased a RODI unit from BRS. I am still in the process of switching out old tank water with the new salt water made with the RODI water. I think this will control my phosphate problem.
i will mention i really like seachem's purigen. that stuff does work. But i am not too thrilled with phosguard. Granted it is always best to solve a problem at the source, and not try to fix it with chemicals.
I give the product 3 stars. shipping was fast. shiping box was in good condition. Seachem packages items well, and the quality is good. Instructions are also good.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Como 10 Pcs Artificial Blue Tail Plastic Floating Fish Ornament for Aquarium
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Large Glowing Effect Artificial Jellyfish for Aquarium Fish Tank Ornament
Buy Large Glowing Effect Artificial Jellyfish for Aquarium Fish Tank Ornament Now
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
ClearFree® Premium Undergravel Aquarium Filters
Buy ClearFree® Premium Undergravel Aquarium Filters Now
This is the exact same Penn Plax plates I used about 20 years ago. Very little changes have been made over the years... :) They STILL have the same issue with holding the plates together, at least long enough to get them into the bottom of the aquarium. Penn Plex COULD do a little more design work on the molds to fix this problem.....this of course will NEVER HAPPEN.Read Best Reviews of ClearFree® Premium Undergravel Aquarium Filters Here
Bought this for my turtle tank and it is a time saver! His tank is so much easier to maintain. Easy set up, clear instructions. For the price of the 10 gallon filter, I would highly recommend this.Please note: For turtle pet owners who don't believe in gravel for turtles, please don't get into a huge debate with me as there are clearly polarized opinions. I've been using gravel for my turtle for ~1 year and he's been happy and healthy.
Want ClearFree® Premium Undergravel Aquarium Filters Discount?
excellent product----aquariums now have all sorts of canister filters but nothing beats the old school idea of an undergravel filter-----excellent product for a healthy tankFriday, July 25, 2014
TOM Aquarium Aqua Lifter Pre-Filter
Buy TOM Aquarium Aqua Lifter Pre-Filter Now
I'm not certain what the previous reviewer was reviewing but it couldn't have been this product because there is nothing resembling a rubber band in the product. It works well with the aqualifter pump to keep the pump clean. My only complaint is that I've never been able to find a replacement filter, you have to buy the whole thing again instead of just the fiber filter part. It can be cleaned but eventually you have to replace it by buying the whole thing again. Aqualifters are great and it is only prudent to use these filters for protecting them.Read Best Reviews of TOM Aquarium Aqua Lifter Pre-Filter Here
was building my own system to be a humidifier for my sweetie's private area and this fit perfectly in the space needed;Want TOM Aquarium Aqua Lifter Pre-Filter Discount?
When I received the prefilter I was hoping to use it as an external filter before it got to the aqualifter. Unfortunately, it leaked, and there went that idea right out the window.I should note that I was trying to get a low volume of water movement out of this pump/prefilter setup. I simply needed to move water around in my very small (2.5 gallon) aquarium. It is a shrimp tank.
I found that using the "aqualifter" by itself (without the preflter) lead to diminished water circulation. At the end of a 24 hour period the water circulation was only a drip. The pump seemed strained (like it was working hard).
I still use the "aqualifter" to transfer clean (and only clean) water to the tanks I have. I simply don't use the prefilter.
In all honesty, What I was looking for was a filter that would circulate a small volume of water for a small (2.5 gallon) tank. I did not want the noise of an air pump with an air stone. In the end I settled for the "Azoo palm filter" which has a regulator that can redue the flow to much less than any other pump I found (and it's cheap). The specs say something like 17 gal per hour. (your milage may vary). I should mention that I am quite happy, the tank I have is at the moment at the foot of my bed and after a little getting used to, does not keep me awake
Friday, July 11, 2014
Cobalt Aquatics 100-Watt Neo-Therm Electronic Heaters for Aquarium
Buy Cobalt Aquatics 100-Watt Neo-Therm Electronic Heaters for Aquarium Now
Proselectronic chip turns the heater on/off instead of a spring that expands (glass heaters)
plastic slim instead of bulky glass
accurate temp reading matches the temp of a external controller
con
suction cup attracts a lot of dirt
pricey almost twice the cost vs regular heaters
led light never turns off always on can be annoying
Read Best Reviews of Cobalt Aquatics 100-Watt Neo-Therm Electronic Heaters for Aquarium Here
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Two Little Fishies ATLPBR150 GFO PhosBan Reactor 150
Buy Two Little Fishies ATLPBR150 GFO PhosBan Reactor 150 Now
Just like other reviews say, it does exactly what it says it does in a durable fahion. Evenly pass water through your phosphate media to get rid of of phosphates and ultimately control algae. Very happy with mine. NOt sure what they recommend but I use a maxi jet 400 pump for mine on my 90 gal tank so that water passes through it slowly.Read Best Reviews of Two Little Fishies ATLPBR150 GFO PhosBan Reactor 150 Here
Have had one of these in use for about 3 years. No problems. Works great to control algae.Want Two Little Fishies ATLPBR150 GFO PhosBan Reactor 150 Discount?
The cost of buying 3 of these is the same as one of the more High class reactors. This comes with everything you need except for the pump.Saturday, May 31, 2014
Como Mini Biochemical Sponge Filter for Aquarium Fish Tank
I use this filter in my 10 gallon, two 25-high gallon and in my 36 gallon bow-front. I buy the large ones for my 40, 55 and 60 gallon. (I use two large in the 60 gallon.) These are in addition to the hang-on the back filters as I keep creatures that create a lot of waste and I feed them well.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Laguna PowerGlo LED Mini Pond Light Kit with 3 12-Bulb LED Lights
Buy Laguna PowerGlo LED Mini Pond Light Kit with 3 12-Bulb LED Lights Now
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Tetra 77181 TetraFin Goldfish Crisps, 7.76-Ounce , 1-Liter
However, if you've had goldfish for a while and they're closer to the 6" range, flake food becomes increasingly wasteful. These compressed flakes are cheaper, less messy, and easier to "measure" proper nutrition -one crisp being adequate food for 1" of fish. While I don't count out flakes for 10 6" 8" fish, I developed a good feel for the correct amount of food... which I never really did with normal flake food.I have a small 3" goldfish and also a large 8" goldfish in one large tank. I am always struggling to find a food they both can enjoy eating. These crisps seemed perfect so I tried them out only to have to clean my freshly cleaned tank in approximately two days of using them because of the STRONG RED Dye they use to make these flakes a desirable looking color. If tetra would leave the dye out of these crisps they would be fantastic! Until then it back to a small mix of flake food and Koi pellets.
Buy Tetra 77181 TetraFin Goldfish Crisps, 7.76-Ounce , 1-Liter Now
I purchased this because the price was good. I also heard that the "crisps" leave less fish poop. However, I notice that it makes the tank water reddish. I much prefer the water to be clear.Read Best Reviews of Tetra 77181 TetraFin Goldfish Crisps, 7.76-Ounce , 1-Liter Here
I normally feed my three goldfish pellets or flakes, the most commonly available food in my town without a pet food store. I purchased the Tetra crisps on a whim, but I've found that this product works great and my fish love it, too. Not that they're picky or anything. The product prides itself on leading to a cleaner tank and less mess. It's right on one point there really is less mess in pouring these in and feeding them, and unlike the flakes, I don't find them in my filter later or coating the sides of the tank. The tank, though, is still as dirty as ever, but I can't really complain about this product. The fish love it, the bottle makes feeding easy, and I don't have to pick out leftovers. I'd definitely recommend this product to goldfish owners, but don't expect it to really do much in the cleaner water department.Want Tetra 77181 TetraFin Goldfish Crisps, 7.76-Ounce , 1-Liter Discount?
My tank was always a bit dingy when I used flake food. I accidentally bought these "crisps" and my fish loves them, and my tank is sparkling clean!!! I don't obey the "one flake per inch" rule. My fish is 3 inches and he/she eats about 8-10 flakes twice a day. Also, I have a 3 year old who can pinch the perfect amount of these crisps. With flakes, he always pinched too many.Wednesday, April 9, 2014
API Nexx Filter
The Good:
* Everything you need to set it up is included in the box.
* It's very quiet running, you have to really listen to hear the sound of the water movement.
* It has a strong current.
* Was easy to figure out how to take the media baskets out and fill the top section with our choice of media. (You will need mesh bags if you use anything with pieces under 1 1/2in long)
The Bad:
* If you don't put the filters on the bases just right, they will Leak.
* The directions on how to hook the filter up are pictorial only. And don't always make lots of sense. They're also hidden inside the longer box inside the main one.
* Some of the clamps they give you are pretty cheap feeling, so we may need to replace them at some point soon.
* The part of the filter that sits inside the tank, doesn't lock into the holder. We had to rubber-band it in place or the fish keep knocking it out/off. (We have large fish, so this may not be an issue you have.)
So far, I'm liking it, but it was very disconcerting to notice about 3 hours after setting it all up that the water level in the tank was lower than it had been. We checked to make sure the tank wasn't leaking, and then realized the leak was coming from the filters! They were locked in, when we lifted up on the handle, the entire unit came off the floor. However it must have been off by a little bit as water was streaming slowly between the base and the filter case. Unlocking it and rocking it back and forth while pressing down seemed to help. But ultimately we had to take it completely off a few times and put it back before it apparently locked down correctly. After that, no leaks. But you may wish to have a flashlight near you for a bit after putting this together to check for leaks just in case.
Over-all, it seems to be a good filter, and it's easy to take apart which is what we needed. You can use other kinds of media, not just what they recommend, but you'll need filter bags as the holes in the top of the compartments are fairly large and small particles may fall out and clog things up. To get into the media compartment, lift out the long media basket thing by the handle. Push in on the blue tabs on the sides, and pull, the top should pop off leaving you with the yellow basket attached to the long plastic bits the carbon slides over. The basket will come off those with a good tug, and then everything snaps back into place.What's not clear from the pictures online (or on the box, or the description) is that this filter consists of two major components. The first is the canister which includes the base, container and media baskets (two of them, one on each side.) The second is the water pump -it's essentially a small pond pump that mounds via suction cups inside your aquarium which pushes water via the included hoses to the canister, and drives enough pressure to return the water to the tank on the other side of the loop.
Pro:
Quite possibly this is the quietest filter system I've (n)ever heard. The air pump driving the tanks water feature is far louder than this canister system (and it's not all that bad.)
Had no issues with water leakage at all, anywhere in the system. Possible that I cheated a bit to avoid the problem mentioned by the previous reviewer. Used a small amount of divers pure silicone grease on all the "O" rings and mating gaskets during assembly.
Flow rate at default setting seems just about perfect for a 40Gal tank.
Con:
The dial on the water pump to adjust flow will not turn I've applied pretty much as much force as I think a plastic dial can take before breaking. No dice. No idea what the different settings might mean for water flow.
The suction cups for the pump mount don't hold the pump in place very well. I consider this a seriously lazy design flaw. There's no reason the manufacturer couldn't have gone with a clip in design of some sort. And I don't have large fish knocking it about . . . slowly over time that pump wants to wander out of the mount.
The media baskets are very limited the bottom part is nothing more than a hollow square cage/bracket to hold the four sided pre-charged filter packets. The top part is very tiny for ceramic or plastic bio-media. The included bio-media stars do not adequately load even that small space, you might need or want more.
I'm thinking of doing a slight mod to this thing to increase the bio-filtration, as well as the use of mesh bags to allow me to use bulk carbon or other filtration materials. If it goes well will try to remember to update this review.
Update: No mods required. API sells a pair of insert foam parts that go into the bottom of each canister. Look for "API NEXX FOAM 30 PPI." What's important to know about these is they should NOT be used at the same time as the pre-shaped filter cartridges and four sided caddies. It's not really clear from the instructions (although there is a single small picture that shows the swap) but you need to remove the caddy/cage plastic part from the top compartments before using the foam.
Foam goes into the very bottom of both compartments. Your bagged media goes on top of that, then the disk shaped compartment for the bio-stars on top of the bags, and finally the lids. On the truly horrible pictogram documentation look specifically at section C, 10b for the one and only reference to how this looks. Be very sure that the bagged media is lose enough to allow good water flow, and that it does not require you to tamp down the top baskets to put on the lids.
WARNING: If you try to use the foam inserts and fail to remove the four sided caddy this canister will NOT seal properly and may spray water from the top of the lids.I setup the filter a couple of days ago for my 20 gallon tank. I needed a filter that could expand capacity since I'm planning on moving my juvenile Axolotls to a large tank once they get a bit bigger. I also needed to hook up to an Aquarium Chiller: Aqua Euro USA Max Chill Aquarium Chiller.
The Good:
*Very intuitive and easy to setup, given the pictorial instructions.
*Included the correct sized tubing for use with my Chiller.
*Includes a little extra piping for extending the lead to the pump should you need to place it further down inside the tank.
*The pump is SUPER quiet, at least compared to my last filter that hangs on the back of the tank.
*Includes more than enough suction cups for the pipes and such.
*I noticed a couple of people complained about the pump not fitting properly into the clip that suction cups to the tank wall. The instructions are very unclear, but they show that the pump also is suction cupped to the clip itself, making a very secure hold for it.
*I LOVE the feature that allows you to change the filters without needing to turn off the pump, it just diverts the flow while you change the filter media!
The Bad:
*The pictorial instructions were a bit hard to follow at times
*Dosen't leave my tank "crystal clear" like it advertised, but that may be due to the phosphates in my planted aquarium.
*The pump's flow rate is NOT ADJUSTABLE. It has a knob for it, but its been glued to be fully open or something. The current is pretty strong which I need to avoid for my type of fish. Looks like I'll be investing in a spray bar or something...
Read Best Reviews of API Nexx Filter Here
I have been running this filter for a year now on a 55 gallon tank. Works great! Make sure you turn the pump off while you change out the filter. There is a video out there showing the pump pluged in while change out the filter. Dont do that..lol lol.. Keeps the tank clear.Want API Nexx Filter Discount?
Fish tank owners: DO NOT BUY THE API NEXX CANISTER FILTER!!! It leaks from every seal after only a few months.This is one of the only things I have bought without doing much research and I wish I had. Every review I read says the same thing: it leaks. I will be filing a complaint tomorrow with API.
I was impressed with the features, simplicity and the fancy videos. I bought it around Christmas 2012. Just a couple days ago I noticed that the tank was really low (which is typically from evaporation), so I added more water. The next morning I noticed that my 40-gallon tank was down about 8 10 gallons and there was water on the floor. After looking, I saw the filter gushing water from the bottom. I tried to clean and re-seat the seals and put it back into place and it immediately began gushing, now from the bottom AND the top. At that point I gave up and I'm putting my old filter back into use.
There is a section of beautiful hardwood floor in my living room about 15 feet long that is damaged (discolored, bowed) from the water, and it soaked through to the finished basement. The basement ceiling in my theater room has water marks. Water was dripping from a light fixture, which soaked an area on my brand new rug. There has to be at least $1000 in water damage. Hopefully there isn't more water that kills my entire AV system.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Zoo Med Laboratories SZMBB55 Tortoise Banquet Block
Buy Zoo Med Laboratories SZMBB55 Tortoise Banquet Block Now
My sulcata is not especially impressed with the "banquet block" he pushed it around a little and nibbled on a tiny piece and now it sits he is not impressed :(Read Best Reviews of Zoo Med Laboratories SZMBB55 Tortoise Banquet Block Here
I have an 8 year old California Desert Tortoise and he did not even acknowledge this product, he climbed right over it like it was a rock. After leaving it in his habitat for a few days he still never even tried to munch on it so in the trash it went.Want Zoo Med Laboratories SZMBB55 Tortoise Banquet Block Discount?
It arrived quickly. My tortoises are still young (approx 8 mos) so they have difficulty breaking or chewing pieces off of it. I use a knife to scrape chunks off the edges so they can consume it easier. They seem to like it,Sunday, March 30, 2014
Baby biOrb Swap Top Blue - 4 Gallon
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Cardinal-Banister Shield Protector
Buy Cardinal-Banister Shield Protector Now
My son LOVES to drop things and watch them fall! I knew he was going to want to drop things through the rails of the banister at my parents house and guess who would have to go get them all???! Me! No thanks! So i bought this and we used it for my entire three week trip at my parent's house and it was great!! I know it will also come in handy as he gets older (he is now 9 months) when we come to visit the grandparents and he wants to throw more things down to the next floor!Also, my son, who was 8 months at the time, LOVED crawling up to it and banging the plastic against the rails...it made a interesting noise and kept him entertained for a long time!
Read Best Reviews of Cardinal-Banister Shield Protector Here
My husband installed this pretty quickly and easily and it really doesn't look too bad. Our son is safe and he likes to bang the plastic. Good buy!This is a great product...It was easy to put on the railing and easy to cut to size...it even came with a hole puncher!!! That surprised me...I think if you have any kind of railing or banister you need this product...worth it so much and the price is the best I could find online!!!Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Hagen 12-Pack Fluval U2 Poly/Carbon Cartridge Aquarium Water Filter
Items shipped very fast.
Buy Hagen 12-Pack Fluval U2 Poly/Carbon Cartridge Aquarium Water Filter Now
Monday, February 24, 2014
OSI Marine Lab Mountain with Trees Medium Aquarium Ornament
Buy OSI Marine Lab Mountain with Trees Medium Aquarium Ornament Now
This is one of the best decorations for an aquarium I have ever seen. Everyone I show it to loves it. I bought the larger mountain to go with it and they are just superb.Read Best Reviews of OSI Marine Lab Mountain with Trees Medium Aquarium Ornament Here
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Deep Blue Professional ADB12013 Fish Net, 3 by 2.25-Inch, Coarse
Sunday, December 29, 2013
TOM Mini Hex - 1gal Aquarium Kit with UGF, Air Pump
Buy TOM Mini Hex - 1gal Aquarium Kit with UGF, Air Pump Now
Got it, set it up even got the fish who were patiently waiting for their new home. Suddenly we hear dripping.. onto.. our.. expensive ...dining room set (for the record we had the tank on a high counter, not on the table). Long story short we discovered the crack along one side. The fish died. Child freaked out about the fish dying. The end. Cheap product.Read Best Reviews of TOM Mini Hex - 1gal Aquarium Kit with UGF, Air Pump Here
Adult fish should never be kept in an "aquarium" this small and it should not be marketed for them. Goldfish need a MINIMUM of 5 gallons each, and bettas as well. This could be useful as a nursery for fry if the filter doesn't suck them up.Want TOM Mini Hex - 1gal Aquarium Kit with UGF, Air Pump Discount?
frish shouldnt be in this small of a tank one goldfish is spouse to be in a 10 gallon tanks\
