Showing posts with label all glass aquarium fish tank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label all glass aquarium fish tank. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Tetra Whisper Air Pump 20 Gal Tank

Tetra Whisper Air Pump 20 Gal TankNice quite motor and design keeps it quiet and prevents everything else from vibrating and making noise too. This is far better design than any of the other air pumps that I have used in the past.

Have it on a BioCube Protein Skimer drives it well. Makes good smelly guck in the collection cub and plenty of water movement in the skimmer. Better than the stock air pump that comes with the BioCube's optional protein skimmer.

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Sunday, November 2, 2014

Pet Greens Treats Turkey & Veggie Crunchy Cat Treat

Pet Greens Treats Turkey & Veggie Crunchy Cat TreatOnly one of my 3 cats will eat these but she complains about them constantly. She loves Pet Greens Deep Sea Tuna and Sweet Temptations and is generally not very picky about treats.

I think they are a great product in that they are definitely a healthy treat. The only downfall is that my cat wouldn't eat them so I had to give them away and the cat that has them now is not crazy about them either.

So I guess when giving a cat a treat it should taste like a treat and not like a healthy snack.

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Can't recommend this selection for my fussy eater. I couldn't fool him into trying these "cookies" more than once. I'm sure there are other kitties out there who crave healthy treats...mine's not one of them.

Read Best Reviews of Pet Greens Treats Turkey & Veggie Crunchy Cat Treat Here

We have a kitty which is used to freeze dried meat treats so when she eats these we are happy. She is not as crazy about the semi moist treats made by the same company but will eat those eventually as well.

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My cat loves this crunchy version even better than the semi-soft ones, He lets me know it is time for a treat every morning and afternoon. He knows which drawer in the kitchen the treats are kept in, and if I open the drawer he comes running from wherever he is in the house. If he is hiding, that's all I have to do to "find him". Great and healthy product. Will continue to buy for him.

Friday, October 3, 2014

Lee's Kritter Keeper, Medium Rectangle w/Lid, Label

Lee's Kritter Keeper, Medium Rectangle w/Lid, LabelThis size kritter keeper holds about three gallons of water. I've found it makes a good hospital tank for ill fish. Its the perfect size so dispensing medications is more cost effective. Plus, you can route in a penn plax smallworld filter (minus carbon, because that takes medication out of the water). Sick fish need aeration, and it works in this small tank.

Never, ever make this kritter keeper a home for goldfish. Contrary to popular belief, goldfish need lots of water to make up for the massive amount of waste they produce. This size would be alright for a betta (who should never have less than a gallon of water, again, contrary to popular belief), maybe a trio of guppies if you have a filter.

This kritter keeper is great, as long as you know how to properly use it.

I recommend this product for keeping pets that don't gnaw or chew like crickets, small tarantulas, hermit crabs and ,my favorite, walking sticks. I am using the 8 Kritter Keepers I bought to start rare seeds indoors in pots. The clear door between the carry handles allows me to see from the top how my seedlings are doing and work inside the Kritter Keeper. The lids come in 6 colors all of which are bright and cheery. When not in use they can be cleaned and stacked together. I love my Kritter Keepers!

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I recently bought a second crowntail Betta named Osiris as a next door neighbor for my red veiltail Betta Anubis. At the time, I only had a half gallon bowl to house Osiris. I knew it was only going to be a temporary home for Osiris. As a Betta lover, I would never house my fish in anything less than a gallon permanently. Unfortunately I do not have that much room in my tiny one bedroom apartment myself so I thought the medium Kritter Keeper would be ideal for Osiris. With the addition of blue gravel and a few plastic plants, my Betta is now thriving in his new home. He has lots of room to swim around which is a vast improvement from that dinky plastic bowl I had kept him in, or the plastic cup he was in at the pet store where I bought him. As for changing his water, I never pick up the tank by the handle. It is best to carry it by the tank itself. As someone who lives by herself in a small one bedroom apartment with not a lot of surface space with two male Bettas, I certainly can recommend the Kritter Keeper for people in similiar situations who owns Bettas. Osiris loves his new home. He has already blown a bubble nest in it.

Read Best Reviews of Lee's Kritter Keeper, Medium Rectangle w/Lid, Label Here

I have owned similar items over many years. These are very expensive where I live and I was happy to find them on Amazon.com for a reasonable price with free shipping. For those unhappy with the cover colors, it does say in the description that colors are "assorted." These are plastic, so one has to take care that they are not dropped or scratched with hard objects. Also the handles are not meant for heavy lifting; these can be easily lifted from their bottoms without the stretch and distortion common to thin-walled plastic containers.

That being said, I received two of these and both have stood up well. The bases are sturdy, despite being filled with water for my bettas. The covers securely snap to the bases. The central opening also snaps securely. I have owned other brands of kritter keepers and the central openings were not secure so that I had to place a heavy objects on the tops to keep my critters from escaping.

My bettas enjoy the space. It's true that bettas can be kept in small containers but they become lethargic and depressed. I "upsized" their swimming area, added a few more floating plants (alas, plastic ones), and they've come to life. I've been rewarded with bettas that swim and strut their glorious fins and colors.

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Although the dimensions say 11.9 x 7.8 x 8.1 inches, the dimensions of the actual plastic tank (not including the cover) are 11 x 6.5 x 6 inches. This is equal to 1.85 gallons. I was expecting a tank that could hold around 3 gallons because I foolishly used the dimensions listed here. I noticed that my tank could hold less than 2 gallons when I was doing a water change and noticed I had only siphoned out 1 gallon of water and the water level was under the halfway point in the tank. Other than that this is a pretty good tank if used temporarily for a sick fish, like I am doing.

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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Instant Ocean Omnivore Marine Chips

Instant Ocean Omnivore Marine ChipsDid not know what to expect, dry fish marine reef food. That being said, my fish love it! Increases coloration in fish, does not foul water. Very pleasantly surprised in how well it works. I prefer my fish to get vitamins and minerals that are sometimes lacking in even the best of frozen foods. My fish devour it within 5 minutes, and it helps with their immune system too.

Edit 5/14/13 I believe feeding this food caused my Cyanobacteria outbreak. Stick with frozen, thawed and pored through a fine mesh net and possibly Ocean Nutrition pellets.

Experimentally switched to this food as a sample packet was supplied in a five gallon container of their salt I recently purchased. I am producing less skimmate and my water is maintaining good clarity after a couple of weeks without a water change. They advertise less waste due to the product's digestability which seems to be the case.

I like Instant Ocean. I like cleaner tanks. I recommend this product!

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Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Waterfall Filter replacement pad

Waterfall Filter replacement padThis is a tetra replacement for my tetra waterfall. This is packaged in tetra package and seems to be better than the one that came with the waterfall, this one is much thicker

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Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Aqueon Colormax LED Aquarium Lamp, Size 48

Aqueon Colormax LED Aquarium Lamp, Size 48So this led light differs from the white version only by the swapping out of every other light with a pinkish one. It definately brightened my aquarium and my hood still has room for one more. Great price!

I have two of these in my 60 gallon my lowlight plants are growing good and there super bright. Leaves a little red glimmer and the lights are in glass tubes becareful when handling I already broke one. Other than that better alternative to expensive marineland. Not sure if they will work with high light plants

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i'm not altogether positive it's helping my tank. i have a 55 gallon planted aquarium with this bulb and two of the regular light ones. i hoped it would be brighter, but it does light the tank well. i read other reviews where people had significant plant growth, but my amazon swords arent showing much sign of growth.

Read Best Reviews of Aqueon Colormax LED Aquarium Lamp, Size 48 Here

This is a great product. The only problem i had was in ordering it. The product is almost always under review for not being as advertised. The package has a picture of the entire fixture, but based on the product description and the price no one should be confused. This is a bulb! The daylight bulb, included with the light fixture, on its own is very white. Colors looked a little washed out until I added this bulb. It is the perfect compliment for the daylight bulb.

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Very nice product, I love the fact that it has 29 LED lights. Lovely effect in the water. I am very impressed with the product so far. I cant wait to see how all my plants do with this product

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Monday, June 23, 2014

Marineland PA0419 Eclipse Replacement Lamp FLO, fits 5-Gallon Corner & 5-Gallon Hex, 10-Watt

Marineland PA0419 Eclipse Replacement Lamp FLO, fits 5-Gallon Corner & 5-Gallon Hex, 10-WattWe have the Marineland Eclipse 5-Gallon Hex aquarium. Our last light lasted two years (It is on 24/7). I think the $8 I paid is a reasonable price for the light replacement.

I bought two of these at the local "big name" pet place. My daughter got a new 20 gallon with her allowance money and for her birthday she wanted plants. The local place only had one bulb in stock, so we scanned in the bar code and Amazon had the second bulb here in two days. It works perfectly for the plants. They love the light and it fits in the incandescent hoods with no problem. It's a great solution for providing live plants with the lighting they need.

Buy Marineland PA0419 Eclipse Replacement Lamp FLO, fits 5-Gallon Corner & 5-Gallon Hex, 10-Watt Now

Ordered this light for a 5 gallon Marineland corner aquarium.

Pro: The light is a nice color that accentuated the colors of my fish and decorations.

Con: Very short life span. I had this light for five months and used it about twice a week for a couple hours (my aquarium gets sunlight most days). It has already burned out. I'm pretty upset that it lasted such a short time, especially because of its cost.

The original light that came with the aquarium lasted a few years, so I'm not sure why the same company didn't provide equal quality for their replacements.

Read Best Reviews of Marineland PA0419 Eclipse Replacement Lamp FLO, fits 5-Gallon Corner & 5-Gallon Hex, 10-Watt Here

Works perfectly, arrived in one piece, no broken glass which makes me happy. It fit in my hex 5-gallon aquarium and my fish are very happy to have their light back!

Want Marineland PA0419 Eclipse Replacement Lamp FLO, fits 5-Gallon Corner & 5-Gallon Hex, 10-Watt Discount?

I've been using these bulbs on tanks from 5-10g for over a year now. It grows Plants quite well. I use them in my 10g to replace incandescent bulbs. They are long lasting, nice color on the tank and my plants, Shrimp and Fish look great.

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Friday, May 30, 2014

Fluval FX5 Top Cover O-Ring

Fluval FX5 Top Cover O-RingIt was an original part and correct piece. Customer service was great and would recommend in the future to friends

My fluval Fx5 for my turtle was leaking out the top and replacing this seal completely fixed the leak. Easy replacement except needed screwdriver to get old o-ring out.

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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Brightwell Aquatics Carbonit-P Carbon 4.4 lb

Brightwell Aquatics Carbonit-P Carbon 4.4 lbIt is exactly what we wanted, but the container is really hard to open. We'll buy it again in the same container and probably get a smaller quantity with a screw off lid also to keep filled from the larger one.

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Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Aquatic Fundamentals 75/90 Gallon Upright Aquarium Stand

Aquatic Fundamentals 75/90 Gallon Upright Aquarium StandLike the title just stop. You do not have to think about this one any more just get it. The stand looks great. It was super easy to assemble (25) twenty five minutes tops. My tank was up and running in less then (45) minutes. The water proof coating absolutly great the water just bounces right off this is not your tipical coating that will wear off it will last a life time. Just get it.

From Howard Beach Queens

Joey

I had a tough time finding an aquarium stand that would fit a more modern home. Most of the items readily available are much more traditional and would have looked out of place in our house.

Although this stand is anything but fancy, it certainly is minimalistic enough to not stand out in a negative way.

The stand is delivered disassembled in a flat box. I found the instructions to be straight-forward and logical. Assembling the piece was a breeze.

One of my concerns was whether this stand would truly be sturdy enough to hold a 90 gallon tank with decorations and everything else added. Once I had the stand at home, my doubts were quickly quieted. The stand is rather substantial and heavy.

You should note that the back is open there is space for three panels to be inserted but for easy of access, the design only requires the center panel as a support column. To the left and right of the center panel, the stand is completely open.

The two doors have magnetic holders that you push in order to release the doors. Thus far, I have had no problems with the mechanism it holds the door even if I just stuff items inside that end up resting against the door.

Since my stand sits on hardwood floors, I attached quite a few felt disks to the bottom of it around twenty or so. I was a bit worried how the stand would deal with it, but again, have not noticed any problems.

Overall, I am very happy with the purchase especially for the price!

Buy Aquatic Fundamentals 75/90 Gallon Upright Aquarium Stand Now

Relatively easy to put together with a nice coated finish. Fits nicely with modern decor. Room for storage and sump.

Read Best Reviews of Aquatic Fundamentals 75/90 Gallon Upright Aquarium Stand Here

This stand is HEAVY (therefore very sturdy). I like the clean lines and the matte black finish. It blends well with our decor. The magnetic click doors work well. It is large enought to hold a big canister filter. The powder coating also makes it more resistent to water damage. My one wish is that it would include the option of adding a small shelf inside the stand on each end. It would be helpful for storing smaller items like chemicals.

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Saturday, April 5, 2014

Aquaclear Foam Inserts, 3-Pack

Aquaclear 20-Gallon Foam Inserts, 3-PackI am very active in the aquarium hobby and the AquaClear 50 (all models I have tried) are just awesome. What I find most attractive about these filters besides the fact that they function flawlessly with very little maintenance, is that they have seperate media replacement parts. You can customize your personal AquaClear to your needs. Personally I use two filter foams instead of one and one carbo insert. You can always add the carbon insert quickly and easily if needed.

A few bits of advice:

1) Use a pre-filter sponge over the intake for added biologocal activity as well as preventing small fish or shrimp from getting sucked into filter

2) Regularly (once a month) shake/squeeze both the pre0filter sponge you put on as well as the media from in the filter in water you JUST REMOVED from your tank when doing your regular water change. DO NOT rinse the media in tap water ro use hot or cold water period.

3) Once a month, unplug and unscrew the motor housing and remove the impeller and use an old toothbrush or cotton swab and clean both the impeller and the impeller housing.

These AquaClears are workhorses and the ability to tailor the filtration to your individual tank makes them invaluable.

5 starts on this one!

I'm low tech so AquaClear's are all I've ever used on my smaller tanks. I use two foam inserts in the filter chamber. With my last two foam inserts, one seemed to break down much faster than the other. Hope these new ones hold up.

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Not much to review here... just a sponge. I wanted them to use as prefilters for all of my HOB's. I took all 3 out of the box, cut a hole down the middle, so that the intake tube of my HOB filter, will slip inside of the sponge. Compared to a "job specific" sponge that my LFS wants $19 for, I get 3 of em for quarter the price!

Read Best Reviews of Aquaclear Foam Inserts, 3-Pack Here

AquaClear is a great brand. The foam I got did seem a little cheaper quality than the foam that came with the filter. Since it came in a 3 pack, I used only one since they last forever and decided to cut up the others to fit my smaller filters.

Out of this 3 pack and after cutting some up I ended up getting:

1 for my 70

2 for my 50

2 for my 30

and a home made slip for the tube so the fry don't get sucked up into the filter.

UPDATED 10/4/2012

I have 3 Aquaclear 70 filters and I have gone through about 3 boxes not even in one year. The replacements continue to fall apart just after 2 months. The last time I bought was the worst quality yet. I'll be looking into something else for now.

*The original foam that came with the filter is still excellent and still using it, it's just the replacements that are crap*

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it is a rly good product and the filter is the best in my experience. they last long but i use 2 and the bio bag.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Zilla 11893 24/7 Digital Timer Power Center, 1875-Watt

Zilla 11893 24/7 Digital Timer Power Center, 1875-WattI am using this on my reef tank for my lighting. As mentioned previously there are 2 day receptacles and 2 night receptacles. The timer alternates between the two ( one on ,one off). There are also 4 continuous power receptacles.I did not find the timer hard to program. There is a small replaceable battery in the back of the unit used for keeping the timer accurate if power is lost.

My only complain as with most power strips is that they allow only enough space between the receptacles for a common

plug and not a/c converters.

As to the one review about the timer not working. I had mine fail after about 3 weeks. However I simply called the

customer service number given on the instructions. They acknowledged that occasionally a unit has these problems and they sent me a whole new unit free of charge. No complaints here. The warranty is 12 months.

This timer sounds like a great idea, battery backup, controls daylights and nightlights on reef tank, great idea crappy product. This timer's battery backup dosent work, not sure if they sent it with dead watch style battery or what but it dosent work and it is screwing up timer itself. Had to completely remove battery to get timer to function. I have had it just over two weeks and had to reset this timer 5 times. Came back two days last week to a dark reef tank. Wouldnt buy this brand ever again.

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this is a wonderful timer it works great. It is pretty time consuming to program, I suggest using the battery in case the power goes out and you have to program it all over again. Instructions are also helpful.

Read Best Reviews of Zilla 11893 24/7 Digital Timer Power Center, 1875-Watt Here

I have used these timers for 6 years in practice and for my own pets.

They are wonderfully easy to set up and allow me to use multiple fixtures for lighting/uva and b/heating and night time viewing as well as water fixtures (fountains, misters, foggers)

This is even good for parrots and birds as it can be used to provide a mister only during the day and heating at night in cold climates or a night time viewing light.

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Works as advertised. There really isn't much to say here. It is a power strip with a dual timer. One outlet goes on, the other turns off. Great for our bearded dragon where we have a day bulb and a night bulb.

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Saturday, February 1, 2014

Marina Slim Filter Carbon Plus Ceramic Cartridge - 3-Pack

Marina Slim Filter Carbon Plus Ceramic Cartridge - 3-PackThese filter cartridges work well. They have a good amount of Carbon in them and trap a bunch of dirt.

Don't replace them all at the same time. Even thought the sponge on the intake holds a large colony of beneficial bacteria, a lot resides in the filters as well. So give it a couple weeks between replacing each cartridge.

When I purchased this, it was $5 per pack (free standard shipping). It looks like it is now a Prime item, but the price has gone up to over $6 (still not extremely expensive considering they need to be changed about once every 2 weeks). The product itself works great, and fits the filter for the tank I purchased. So far no complaints.

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These filters are perfect for small fish tanks. If you use as instructed the water will not become murky. I change one every week, which always keeps a new one in there. Amazon has them for a better price than my local pet supply store. Highly recommend!

Read Best Reviews of Marina Slim Filter Carbon Plus Ceramic Cartridge - 3-Pack Here

My filter uses four filters...these are packaged with three filters. Since the company says to never change all filters at once, I purchased two packages to change two filters three times.

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The entire system is so amazingly easy! I highly recommend the filter works great, very quiet, very low current (and changeable) which is important for my Killies!! Awesome product, and so cheap!

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Monday, January 13, 2014

EcoPlus Submersible Pump - 132 gph - 4.3 ft. max - 9W - 3/8 in. ID

EcoPlus Submersible Pump - 132 gph - 4.3 ft. max - 9W - 3/8 in. IDBought this as a replacement for a small fountain. The rise is about 2 feet, and I have to keep the pump dialed back to about 20% flow to keep it from going too fast, so there's plenty of power. It's been running constantly for two months without a hitch.

The pump sent is not the pump pictured. Also, the end of the pump wont stay on the unit. Steer clear of this one...

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I bought this pump to replace the one in my office fountain which died after about 8 years.

It doesn't look quite like the picture but that doesn't matter. It fit into the required space and connected to the existing tubing. There were several other connective options in the package which I didn't need.

On the lowest setting it moves the water up approx 2 1/2 feet and spills it over the top. MOST IMPORTANTLY, it does so silently!

Read Best Reviews of EcoPlus Submersible Pump - 132 gph - 4.3 ft. max - 9W - 3/8 in. ID Here

This little pump is SUPER quiet, didn't make a sound when I tried it out. I am using it to transfer aging water from a sterilite container to my aquarium. It did make it up the 4 feet as stated but its a little slower than I like so I have ordered the next one up and will return this one. It doesn't look like the photo which is a bit frustrating and it doesn't have adapters that you can screw a hose to. It did come with 3 adapters and one of them is the same size as my aquaeon water changer tubing so if I was to keep it I could just order some extra hose like that. In the meantime I used a 1/2" hose cut off and it was a little loose so I had to duct tape it. The larger model appears to have some threaded adapters I am hoping to just attach with a garden hose, either 1/2" or 3/4".

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I made a homemade water feature and this pump did exactly what it was suppose to do. It was perfect for the feature. I pumps out just enough water without it splashing all over the place.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Marineland PC0250HSB H.O.T. Magnum 250, up to 55-Gallon, 250GPH

Marineland PC0250HSB H.O.T. Magnum 250, up to 55-Gallon, 250GPHI bought this filter because My boss had the complete set with Bio Wheel, and Gravel cleaner and it was so great for gravel cleaning.

The basic version of this filter comes with,

1. A Media canister that can be filled with Active Carbon. A sample of carbon comes with this filter kit. I bought Ceramic Noodles at the pet store for the biological filtering properties to put in mine instead of the carbon.

2. The slip cover filter for the media insert.

3. A water polishing filter that reminds me of a Reusable pool ,or Jacuzzi filter.

4. Intake Tube, and strainer.

5. Pose-able Output Pipe with flow divert.

6. Understandable Directions.

Pluses.

1. It has an ON / OFF button on the back. I turn it off to feed the fish. Than back on to clean up.

2. The Output Pipe is underwater. Result, No noise from the filtered water hitting water surface.

3. The flow of the output can be aimed in any direction you want.

straight down, across, to the left,or right.

4. This filter is so quiet, I occasionally will check that the filter is on.

5. The diverter can be adjusted to focus, or fan out the water flow.

6. 250 Gallons an hour. Seems like a lot, but I have a 20 Hexagon high. I have the diverter fanning water out. It's not like a water hose. Just moving water well.

Minuses.

1. Disassembly and Assembly takes practice. You will want to keep instruction book for reference of the difference between regular filter Assembly, and water polishing filter assembly. once I leaned, I have been able to do on the tank. But most of the time the filter will have to be removed to a sink were It (filter) can be disassembled, Cleaned, or filter types changed, and reassembled.

Keep in mind that this, The cleaning of the filter canister seems to be the reason that people dislike this filter. But keep in mind that You will only clean it (filter) about every three months. Unless You over feed, and do not keep plants tidy.

If You get the Gravel Cleaning attachment, You can clean the gravel with the water polishing filter removing all the nastiness without siphoning off all your water out of the tank. You can then do your 20% water change.

I like this filter a lot, and think you will also.

I owned the HOT Magnum Canister Filter prior to upgrading to an Eheim Ecco Canister Filter. I had to upgrade because this filter couldn't keep up with my medium size saltwater tank. However this filter works great for freshwater tanks from small to medium size. It's fairly cheap and reliable. It cleans like a champ and supplies are fairly cheap to operate it. This is a good buy.

Buy Marineland PC0250HSB H.O.T. Magnum 250, up to 55-Gallon, 250GPH Now

OK, let me start with the CONS (all of which added up to me to reducing it only by one star, so they are obviously not THAT bad!) :

OK--the seals are very tricky. The first filter I got, I messed and messed with it for over 2 hours, using silicon sealer, etc, re-filling the canister, and re-starting it, and just COULD NOT get it to prime, it'd run awesome for 30 seconds, empty the canister, and blow air. Called the store, and they said that it sounded like I had it set up right, just sounded like it wasn't sealing, so bring it back. They advised that about 1 in 20 canister pumps they get do this, and not to worry about it. Took it back to the store, thoroughly disgusted but trusting that the reviews would turn out true since it has a good track record on every website (4-5 stars depending where you look). Got a second one, brought it home, filled the carbon, rinsed everything, plunked the carbon in and crossed my fingers. It primed up the very first time and has been running now for 24 hours with zero issues. This will be great for our turtle tank. We got tired of rinsing the little tiny pads for our ReptoMin waterfall and having to bypass some of the water to keep the pump from running dry.

I wish like CRAZY that the outlet/outflow side tube was longer/further down. The instructions advise you should have the water level above the level of the elbow in the outflow and that is REALLY short--I will have to keep an eye on my tank level carefully. Even an inch longer/lower on the outflow would help a ton. But, I just shoved a large-ish piece of tubing up the outlet so it curved down and most of the water from the outlet now goes straight into the tank. and the rest drips down the elbow. This meant I had to take off the square diffuser attachment, which was OK with me since this is a turtle tank, but I do say it's more suited to a fish tank than a turtle tank.

It does seem kind-of a mess to clean, but this is NO DIFFERENT than other canister filters. Of the four canister filters I have, this is actually the easiest/cleanest. Yes, the mechanical foam sleeve is a little delicate. But at least it's rinsable and replaceable unlike the Cascade I had which was just plain bio-floss and not rinseable so you lose some of your flora and fauna. And the foam sleeves are pretty cheap to replace, about $2-3 each which is a great deal!

I do wish it had more mechanical filtration but gosh, whatcha gonna ask when it's that tiny for a canister. You can use the scrubber attachment that comes with it for that, or get a bio-wheel, or add a second of these filters.

PROS:

It also takes up WAY less room and is far less bulky and unsightly than other canister filters since you don't have the tubing to contend with. We are very impressed with this aspect and still getting a "canister" filter.

It is a GREAT COMPROMISE between a canister filter and a tank-filter. Yeah, it takes up more room than most hang-on-tank filters, because of the button being in the way and you have to reach for it if you are going to use it, BUT, I love that the button is there, and that I can CHOOSE to either turn it off and/or unplug it instead of having to unplug at every junction.

I do love what other people have recommended about having two of these, one for scrubbing/mechanical filtration and one for carbon. It seems logical.

It's got a pretty good design and the motor is quiet once you have the water flowing in properly.

It seems to be fairly well constructed for a filter. I mean for the money.

Read Best Reviews of Marineland PC0250HSB H.O.T. Magnum 250, up to 55-Gallon, 250GPH Here

I've installed the HOT Magnum with the BioWheel attachment (HOT Magnum Pro) on my 55 gallon tank for about 6 months now, and I'm very impressed with the performance of this filter system. This canister filter is powerful and power thrifty at 250gph while using only 18 watts. I especially like having the filter out of sight hanging behind the tank.

This combination of canister filter and biowheel is pretty amazing. The water is very clear thanks to the no by pass design of the canister and the tank is well oxygenated due to the spray bar/biowheel component. The biowheel is also great at removing amonia and nitrite which becomes undetectable (amonia less than 0.25mg/liter and nitrite less than 0.1mg/liter) after a few days of running this filter. That's with a bio load of 12 adult Angelfish, 10 large swordtails, and 5 bushynose plecos! If you don't understand what all this mean, then trust me when I tell you the performance of this system is hard to beat.

Now for the down side: This filter is a pain to clean.

First of all, don't bother using the fine carbon that comes with the filter. This will cause your filter to clog up in no time if you have a heavily stocked tank like me. I threw out the carbon after the first week and replaced it with ceramic noodles, which does not clog at all. The nylon mesh sleeve works well to trap fish waste, but is messy to clean or replace, and you have to take the whole filter apart to do it. After I spent a few minutes taking this apart, clean it, reassemble it, and fill it with water, mine filter sometimes lose syphon and I have to take it apart and assemble it again. I have to pay special attention to the stupid red gasket that likes to fall out when I not careful. This is why I gave this filter 3 stars.

The power switch is located near the bottom of the backside of the filter. While it's nice to have a power switch, the placement is bad because it's right up against the wall and you have to reach all the way down the back of your tank to reach it.

So, to sum up. If you want one of the best performing and efficient filter and don't mind having to take a filter apart and get messy once awhile (for me that's about every 2 weeks), then this is the filter for you.

Additional note: The BioWheel Pro30 (the one with spray bar) is really fantastic in it's performance, and is key to the awesome performance of this system. This component can be used with other easier to clean internal canister or powerheads, so don't ever discard this attachment.

Update Oct 13, 2011

I got tired of cleaning canister filters. Got sick of taking the canisters apart, cleaning all the pieces, putting it back together, and then reinstalling the filter to the tank.

I've installed the Emperor 400 on 4 of my larger tanks. This outside hang-on-the-back power filter has the bio-wheels with spray bar and cartridges that are disposable. No more cleaning dirty sponges and taking apart canisters!!!

Want Marineland PC0250HSB H.O.T. Magnum 250, up to 55-Gallon, 250GPH Discount?

I bought the H.O.T. Magnum because it was the cheapest canister filter at the local petstore. Good move. Using the micron filter, it got rid of the cloudiness in my tank in about three days (55 gal tank). I switched it to carbon and it as been working like a champ. My tank also has two high-capacity over-tank filters of the normal type, and they constantly overflow and pour gunk into the tank. The H.O.T. Magnum doesn't do this. It is set to suck from my undergravel filter, which, combined with a powerhead, has really reduced floating stuff in the tank. I'm going to get a Magnum 350 pro next and get rid of both my normal over-tank filters.

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Monday, December 23, 2013

Como Green Plastic 6.7" Grass Fish Tank Aquarium Plants Decor 2Pcs

Como Green Plastic 6.7' Grass Fish Tank Aquarium Plants Decor 2PcsWeighted bottom, plant stays on the bottom no need to anchor them.

Looks great.

Soft feel.

Cheapest price around.

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Sunday, December 22, 2013

Cartridge 4 Pk Nano

Cartridge 4 Pk NanoI really enjoy these filter medium replacements. It is so easy to simply lift the old out and replace with a new set. I highly recommend this product.

Keeps it clean! Lasts longer than the 2 weeks too! I totally recommend this along with the pump!

Buy Cartridge 4 Pk Nano Now

My son's fish tank has never had so much algae since we switched to using this type of filter. There's no 'frame' surrounding the sponge to keep it in place and on top of that, it's made of two separate pieces that are not even connected together and you have to fiddle with it over and over to get it to stay in place. Even then, it still can move around or even dislodge completely. These have to be replaced constantly, nearly every week. I would strongly suggest looking into something that's made better and more substantially.

Read Best Reviews of Cartridge 4 Pk Nano Here

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Aqueon 06143 Submersible Pump 4000, 755 GPH

Aqueon 06143 Submersible Pump 4000, 755 GPHI have this in a 200 gallon fresh water tank. It works well and is fairly quiet but the reason it got only 4 stars is that it can heat up the tank. It heats the water to about 5 degrees above ambient. It limits the amount of time I can keep the light on as any other source of heat just gets the tank too warm. I spoke to a professional and he thought there may be something wrong with it but he then called his Aqueon rep. and they said there were no recalls on any of their pumps.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Hydor AQUA COLOR UL Aquarium LED Light - Red

Hydor AQUA COLOR UL Aquarium LED Light - RedGives a cool lighting effect but what I really like is the intense amount of bubbles it puts out. --Does take up a little tank space but in a 55 gal tank it's no problem for me. Aeration is important for oxygen content and fish health. So far this product has the others beat. Also, does not need a seperate pump so for the price and quality I rate this 5 stars and highly recommend!

We have a 55gal planted tank that we wanted to add some night lighting too in addition to the LED's in our hood. Our water was perfectly clear when I put these in. Unfortunately they were not really bright enough to have any affect. I would guess that 4 or 5 would be required to adequately light our tank. At that price we would be better off buying the LED light kit that comes with a hub and has lights that plug into that.

There is also the issue that 4 or 5 of these would require there own power strip and timer.

Buy Hydor AQUA COLOR UL Aquarium LED Light - Red Now

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Taam ATA00160 2-Pack Rio Sponge from 200 to 600 for Aquarium Filter

Taam ATA00160 2-Pack Rio Sponge from 200 to 600 for Aquarium FilterThese fit into the conversion kit for my rio's conversion kit nicely turning it from submersible pump into sponge filter. they fit without any difficulties.