Acurel LLC Premium Activated Filter Carbon Aquarium and Pond Filter Accessory, 90-Ounce

I have used 3 different kinds of carbon recently as I am getting back into my aquarium hobby and both of the other brands had lots of small grit with the carbon that gets through the bags and the filter containers that I use. This carbon works much better for me because the chunks are a little larger and there is not as much fine grit that can get loose.

I will be buying this carbon exclusively in the future.

I started using activated carbon for filtering out bad odors in my home. I had a different brand but it was much more expensive for a lot less. I was pleased that this one contains the same quality but is much more economical with the price.

Buy Acurel LLC Premium Activated Filter Carbon Aquarium and Pond Filter Accessory, 90-Ounce Now

So much carbon for so little money! Very little washing needed if at all. Can't believe it shipped free too!

Read Best Reviews of Acurel LLC Premium Activated Filter Carbon Aquarium and Pond Filter Accessory, 90-Ounce Here

This carbon comes pre-washed and appears cleaner than others I have tried. There was very little carbon dust on the inside of the container. Still, I think that you should always rinse your carbon before using it. Other than that...Its just a lot of activated carbon for a good price.

Want Acurel LLC Premium Activated Filter Carbon Aquarium and Pond Filter Accessory, 90-Ounce Discount?

Close to 6 lbs...that's a lot of carbon...does what it's suppose to do...70 gallon tank is crystal clear....small pellets though, a bit different from my previous...nice buy

Save 31% Off

PondCare Aquatic Planting Media Soil, 25-Pound

does not float or dirty the water. heavy enough to hold plants in place in their pots. line baskets with a fabric inorder to not loose the material through the holes.

Bought this for my 1300 gallon water garden/koi pond. Easy to use, not messy (as like the aquatic soil I bought before with beneficial bacteria mixed in). When you first lower in the pot with this planting media, a cloud of whitish gray dust will come up and quickly disappear. Will not cloud water. I will definitely buy again next year.

Buy PondCare Aquatic Planting Media Soil, 25-Pound Now

this gravel will not hold plants in place by itself. in an hour my lilies were floating on their own. i had to put 5 inch rocks on top and that is not so attractive.

Read Best Reviews of PondCare Aquatic Planting Media Soil, 25-Pound Here

The pond planting media was exactly what I was looking for. When I opened the box I found the bag inside two really big bags. The reason for this is that the bag was slit open. There is no way I got 25 pounds. Probably more like 15.

In addition to that, the bar code label was of such poor quality it sat at the Fedex facility for 4 days before it was delivered

Want PondCare Aquatic Planting Media Soil, 25-Pound Discount?

I don't use this as the only planting medium=use it on the top 2 inches to help keep the pond clean. Best price I have found.

Save 33% Off

Petco Frosted Black Aquarium Gravel, 20 lbs.

Maybe got an inch out of it on top of my dirt and flourite but i cant complain cuz thats all that i really wanted. dirt your tanks, get some real plants and watch the magic happen. kgladie on youtube to see the results.

After having this in my aquarium for about 3 months, the paint is coming off a lot of the gravel, and I see white spots all around my tank. I also noticed that the top of my tank appeared to have what I thought was black mold, but turned out to be paint from the rocks. I rinsed and turned each bag's contents repeatedly for 15 minutes before putting them into the aquarium which should have been sufficient.

Buy Petco Frosted Black Aquarium Gravel, 20 lbs. Now

The only reason I'd give this gravel 1 star is because of it's size and the attempted color. It's larger and uneven, which I was wanting. Otherwise, I am very disappointed. The base stone is white so it shows through the pretty frosted black coating, a lot. There are so many broken stones and partially coated that I am not achieving the look I want. Also, you have to rinse and rinse then rinse some more. Tons of tiny particals will float to the top and the first rinse or two, the water is yellow tinged.

All and all, for the money I wish I had paid a few dollars more and got my gravel elsewhere. I recommend you do.

Read Best Reviews of Petco Frosted Black Aquarium Gravel, 20 lbs. Here

I have a 10 gallon freshwater aquarium and this bag of gravel fits perfectly. It's more gray than blackwhich is good. The bottom seems shadowey but not too dark. My fish seem more comfortable near the bottom of the tank. I think maybe the dark colors give them a sense of protection.

This bag is VERY big. It's probably one of the biggest you could purchase at a pet store. So it's perfect for larger aquariums. They reccommend two pounds for every one gallon in an aquarium. So this bag could easily work for 2 five gallon aquariums or 1 ten gallon aquarium.

The color is classy and very pretty. It's very fish-safe. Since adding it to my tank my fish don't seem to have changed in health at all. If anything they seem calmer. Altogether it's made my aquarium look very classy. I highly reccommend this bag of gravel for anyone looking for affordable rocks for their freshwater aquarium.

Want Petco Frosted Black Aquarium Gravel, 20 lbs. Discount?

API High Range PH Test Kit 1 1/4 Fl Oz.

This PH test works great. I tested my water with this and a Digital PH test and both were right on the dot.

The test is SUPER simple, you add 5 drops to 5ml of water, you then invert the tube a couple of times and then you hold it up to a color chart and your DONE. So easy!

I bought this pH test kit to make sure my fish was swimming in safe water. It was super easy to use and get results fast.

Buy API High Range PH Test Kit 1 1/4 Fl Oz. Now

No complaints, but I have not used any other test kit yet so I have nothing to compare it to.

Read Best Reviews of API High Range PH Test Kit 1 1/4 Fl Oz. Here

For magnesium, calc, dkh I use higher end kits. For ph though, this kit works fine. I've tested it with a sample that I knew the ph of, and it was dead on. I trust it to work. as with any test kit just don't let it sit too long.

Want API High Range PH Test Kit 1 1/4 Fl Oz. Discount?

reads right on the dot after testing it against more expensive brand saltwater aquarium water tests :-) I have used this brand for 5 years with consistent results :-)

Save 5% Off

API CO2 Booster, 8-Ounce

Small planted tank with only one fish was doing well before I had to move it. There must have been some nutrient loss or the plants got stressed when I put the tank back together because the plants started immediately to wilt and loose color. Within a week after adding this to the tank and the top off water the plants are back to the bright green the were before.

Save 6% Off

Blue Ribbon Pet Products Exotic Environments Bubbling Action Skull Aquarium Ornament

I was really excited about this when I ordered it, but when I opened the box I was rather disappointed. I thought that this was going to be made of better material, it seems rather cheap. In the back where the air hose connects has already loosened up and I suspect the next time I try to plug it in the piece will fall completely out.

Fluval 3/404-3/405 Impeller Cover for Straight Fan Blades

It's a shame that the Fluval 404 is such an awesome filter.... I keep replacing these stupid impeller covers because the clips keep snapping and don't hold the impeller in place, causing a loss in water pressure and a horrible clicking noise...

But the Fluval is so good that I keep buying these things by the dozen, and swapping them out when they break...

It's definitely a design flaw. I have 3 of these on my 150g tank, and each one has had this part break several times in it's lifespan... Same break, same spot. Every time... The pressure becomes too great on the impeller, the clip weakens, and SNAP! the clip breaks...

It's becoming harder and harder to find these pieces, and i'm terrified that i'm going to end up replacing my 404's when I can no longer find this part... That will be a sad day...

Took me awhile to figure out what was wrong with my tank but when I did this worked great. Fixed my problem.

Buy Fluval 3/404-3/405 Impeller Cover for Straight Fan Blades Now

This product fit and worked perfect.. I searched for it and had so much trouble and the fact that it was cheaper on amazon i love it

Read Best Reviews of Fluval 3/404-3/405 Impeller Cover for Straight Fan Blades Here

Like the filter and hate there cheap made parts. All plastic parts are cheap and break easy. Keep one extra as you have to clean the propeller when you service the filter causing the tabs to break when removed.

Want Fluval 3/404-3/405 Impeller Cover for Straight Fan Blades Discount?

It was the second replacement within a year. Fluval needs to redesign this cover. The plastic clips are easy to break but you have no choice.

Save 25% Off

Nutrafin pH 3.4-Ounce

I believe the product works fine. I do agree with a previous review that the packaging is horrible. The print is so small you can't read it. I do also know that you have to be careful with adjusting the PH down too fast I believe I am able to control my application of the product well because it dispenses in drops.

This product seems to work faairly well. It is a challenge to keep the PH at a correct level in this area My main complaint was the small writing for the directions which made it difficult to read. using drops was easy to administer..

Buy Nutrafin pH 3.4-Ounce Now

Coralife 05509 Mini Compact Fluorescent 50/50 Colormax Lamp, 10-Watt

I use two of these bulbs in the hood of a 10 gallon freshwater tank.

Pros:

-gives off a lot of light

-makes your tank look really good, you can really see fish coloration

-uses very little electricity

-does not generate much heat

Cons:

-don't seem to last long, 3-4 months usually (I have purchased them from Amazon, and from a couple of local pet stores-they all seem to have the same lack of longevity no matter where they come from)

-you will need a dark hiding spot for anyone who doesn't

like to be in the bright light

-I have higher green algae growth, vs 'yellow' incandescent bulbs

-does not generate much heat (only bad if you do not use a heater and rely on the bulb to warm your water)

This review may only legally be shown directly on Amazon.com.

Edit 4/4/2011: Rating lowered to 2 stars. These bulbs are not as waterproof or water resistant as they should be, I went to change one of these that went out (I keep a couple of incandescent bulbs for temporary use when one of these dies) and I could smell the odor of burnt plastic coming from the tank hood. I removed the bulb and found scorch marks on the plastic base where the glass tube enters. The bulb had accumulated water inside the base (which came out black) and I'm guessing caught fire.

After multiple attempts to contact them the manufacturer will not respond to inquiries about why these bulbs do not last very long or why the one bulb was not appropriately waterproof or water resistant. I don't think I will be buying more of this bulb-unless the manufacturer decides to reply to my questions and stand behind their product, or improve it.

I have been using this bulb for about a couple weeks now and It works great! When I had my original incandescent lighting that came with the lid of my aquarium, it looked very yellow which didn't look amusing...After installing 2 of these in my 10 Gallon tank, the whole tank just lit up and I can see everything in a more natural setting. The white/blue light went perfect for my aquarium. The fishes are brighter, plants are more vibrant, and my water looks a lot clearer too! I have freshwater tropical fishes and it is just looks good! Imagine a saltwater tank underneath these lights! Although I should of gotten the 20 Watt instead of the 10 watt. Oh well, Next time...I would recommend this light, if you want a cheap up-grade, for around $8 bucks, it's well worth the look of your tank or whatever your using it for.

Buy Coralife 05509 Mini Compact Fluorescent 50/50 Colormax Lamp, 10-Watt Now

Nice aquarium light, but one of them only lasted a couple of weeks then went out. No warranty.

Read Best Reviews of Coralife 05509 Mini Compact Fluorescent 50/50 Colormax Lamp, 10-Watt Here

This bulb gives off plenty of light and almost no heat whatsoever. It does make the aquarium looks nice, but I don't like how it makes my fish look. The blueish tinge to the light makes them look sickly next to the other aquarium with a white CF. I suppose it is a personal like or dislike and really has nothing to do with the bulb because it does work as advertised.

Want Coralife 05509 Mini Compact Fluorescent 50/50 Colormax Lamp, 10-Watt Discount?

This is a wonderful light for your fish tank. I was unable to find it in the store, so was happy to find in through Amazon.

Save 6% Off

Blue Ribbon Resin Ornament T-Rex Skull Large

First, the description of "large" with no dimensions included was a gamble, especially for the high price. But I took a chance. I was a little disappointed when I recieved because it was smaller than I had hoped. After ordering it, I was even able to find it cheaper elsewhere. All in all, the description was a little lacking and the price, I think, was too high for what you're getting.

Save 47% Off

Filter-Max III Prefilter

We have breeding albino catfish in a 15 gallon show tank. This works perfect to save the tiny babies from being sucked up the filter. It also saves the frequent Whisper Biobag filters changes. I wish we knew about this many years ago!

As far as its size. It is large-about 4" long and nearly 2" diameter. You can install it vertically or horizontally, which is convenient. It's easy to put on intake tube with several adaptor connections. I planted a few artificial plants around to hide the filter. So far so good!

I bought this to keep baby guppies and cherry shrimp from getting sucked up into the uptake of a fairly powerful canister filter. It has worked very well so far, but it is not quite perfect.

I wish the adapter did not have two 90 degree bends in it. This is not great for fluid dynamics, and it also just seems unnecessary why can't you just put the sponge straight on the tube?

Another problem with the adapter is that it leaves small holes around the edge of where the adapter covers the center of the sponge. A wee baby guppy or a baby shrimp could get sucked up in those holes. It would be nice if it fit better.

I have had to rub the sides of the sponge once in a while to loosen up the debris and let the water pass better. Its not a big deal, and not a flaw in the sponge, but something to be aware of. You dont want to make your filter pump work any harder than it has to.

Overall, its a perfectly good pre-filter, and I am planning on buying another one soon.

Buy Filter-Max III Prefilter Now

This pre-filter is a must if you raise fry or shrimp. I use them on a Aquaclear 70 and they do excellent both as a pre-filter and a guard to keep the shrimp from becoming pate. My only fuss is that the other model has a very fine sponge that failed after a couple of months. This one, with the course sponge, is great.

Read Best Reviews of Filter-Max III Prefilter Here

Bought this for my aquaclear 30 when my molly had babies to avoid them from being sucked up the filter. IT worked perfectly, and you can see the bio crud that it traps! Might actually help the filter increase efficency also.

Want Filter-Max III Prefilter Discount?

I was hesitant to buy this but after connecting it to my old school whisper filter it works great. I wish they sold sponge filter separately to replace this large sponge. I will buy again if i cannot find replacement sponge.

Finnex Pure-5 Power Aquarium Filter

I am using these on two Fluval EBI tanks (along with zoo-med 501 canisters). They work well, but because of their small size they need maintenance weekly. I am using the Fluval edge pre-filters zip tied on the intake of these filters to keep them from sucking up baby crystal shrimp.

I am happy with the filters, not happy with the cost of the replacement filter media. I am cutting carbon coated filter floss pad to fit inside them instead of spending over $15 with shipping for 10 filter inserts.

Amazing quality for the price. This filter came with my original 4gal pico tank. I didn't even take the filter out the box for 3 weeks because I've never had a small pump device that I thought was worth a flip. Well now I'm eating crow because this filter runs like a dream sturdy, efficient and wonderfully quiet. I recommend to anyone with a small aquarium setup.

Buy Finnex Pure-5 Power Aquarium Filter Now

This product is perfect for nano tanks, small, transparent and quiet. It looks good on my 2.5g & 4g tanks. . .

Read Best Reviews of Finnex Pure-5 Power Aquarium Filter Here

this is a very small filter. it moves about the same amount of water as a sponge filter. recommended for 5 gal tanks, and that is an accurate recommendation.

pros:

small, and attractive.

tight construction, the lid fits tight and the filter fits tightly onto the side (or back) of the tank

electric component sits outside the tank, under the filter

cons:

small. low water flow, small filter media area. if you have anything much larger than a 5 gal tank or many fish this will not be enough.

not silent it is very quiet, but it hums a tiny bit.

sponge sits right against filter media, making removing or placing the filter cartridge without disturbing the sponge very difficult.

filter cartridge is flimsy, so it is likely to not last through many cleanings before needing replacement.

Want Finnex Pure-5 Power Aquarium Filter Discount?

well made

no leaks

works great on my 5gallon pico for excotic

Tetra Usa ATS77877 Whisper Repair Kit for 20 and 40 Air Pump

I have two air pumps on my tank, and both started making this really annoying rattling noise about the same time. I figured oh well, time to drop another $40 and just get new pumps. Not so fast -these new diaphragms were easy to install, and the pumps haven't started making that noise since. In fact, I think they're quieter than when I originally bought them! I now cannot hear them operating over the sound of my computer's fans, and that's saying something. Highly recommended.

Save 3% Off

Filter Media Bag Size: 12" W x 4" D

I thought that the bag would be 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. The title says 4" D. D should mean diameter in this case. The bag is really about 2 inches wide. I would say that the 4 inches refers to circumference and not diameter.

Except for the poor dimensions, the bag is good. It has held together and works well for filter media. I just wish that it was bigger.

Reef Care Nitrate Pro Reagent Refill Kit

I've been a long fan of Red Sea for nitrate. When you reach zero it stays blue. Then shades of reds for the various levels of nitrate. My package came with a kit about to expire. I contacted the seller who made it right. Overall satisfied with product and seller.

Tug-O-Rope Braided Bone Dog Toy 6"

Of all of the similar products this one is not worth a dime. I paid $8 for this toy that lasted 2 days befor my mini dachshund tore it too shreds.

Furthermore the size was listed as large. It was 4" not the 6. " as described.

A waste of my money.

I don't have the puppy yet, but am getting things ready. Based on what three previous puppies gnawed through, I think this will work nicely for tiny teeth and sore gums. It was worth the money to get two of them, as I think it will be popular :)

Buy Tug-O-Rope Braided Bone Dog Toy 6" Now