Showing posts with label aquarium for home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aquarium for home. Show all posts

Saturday, November 22, 2014

DrTim's Aquatics Clear-UP Natural water Clarifier Freshwater, 4-Ounce

DrTim's Aquatics Clear-UP Natural water Clarifier Freshwater, 4-OunceWorked well. I have to do additional work on my tank, but the product does work. I would recommend it for mild cloudiness.

Directions need to be followed which clearly state to wait 15 minutes for starting the filter pumps. I have used many products. I have worked many years with local Aquarium outlets when I have trouble with water quality.

I am very happy that I purchased. It was a great compliment to the quality of the water. I now use every product from Dr.Tim's without the need to consult local store. Easy directions to follow with results.

It would be great if the local stores would stock this brand.

Buy DrTim's Aquatics Clear-UP Natural water Clarifier Freshwater, 4-Ounce Now

This is supposed to be live bacteria acting like a flocculant. So maybe I had the bad luck of receiving a dead batch.

Adding Clear-Up to aid in the removal of fine particulate matter in mildly cloudy water and adding the same amount of water had exactly the same effect. Either the bacteria were all dead, or this only works in extremely cloudy water, or this product is a total dud.

I've been using Seachem Clarity for quite a few years now and yet has to see any negative effects of "harmful" chemicals. And Seachem Clarity actually works reducing mildly or heavily clouded water to crystal clarity in a few hours. Repeated applications of Clear-Up over a three day period only managed to increase the cloudiness of my mood.

Sorry Dr Tim. I either got a dead batch of bacteria or your team might need to return to the drawing board on this one.

One the other hand your Waste-Away product reducing organic waste build up appears to work quite well.

Read Best Reviews of DrTim's Aquatics Clear-UP Natural water Clarifier Freshwater, 4-Ounce Here

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Finnex 100-Watt Hang-On Electronic Controller Aquarium Heater, Titanium Tube, 20 to 30-Gallon

Finnex 100-Watt Hang-On Electronic Controller Aquarium Heater, Titanium Tube, 20 to 30-GallonThis heater has been very consistent in our 10gal tank. I like that the temperature control sits outside of the water for easy access (although it is not needed once you set the tank to the right temperature.)

Keep in mind that the temperature number is more of a guiding number. Your tank will interact with the room temperature, so the real temperature in the tank will be somewhere between the outside temp and the heater set temp. Our 10 gal tank is set to 82, and the room temp is 70. Under these settings the in-tank thermometer keeps steady at 78. The same is true for a different heater we have in our 30 gal tank. I recommend setting your tank by the thermometer reading.

Another thing worth noting is that the suction cups don't do their job too well. It seems that one or the other is always coming off, which gets a bit annoying over the long run.

...immediately after the warranty period is over. I have had the heater master controller break on 3 different occasions and repaired, not replaced, by Finnex for $10-15 each time. It will last for another 6-9 months. When you are dealing w/your heater in the aquarium, you have to be very careful.

Concurrently, I purchased 3 Finnex titanium heaters with controllers and 2 of them have gone dead (luckily in the "off" position) within a month after the warranty period. Luckily, the Finnex controllers are connected to Medusa controllers---which are worth the money...the Medusas have worked perfectly for 5+ years. Yes, it's overkill with the controllers, but the lack of reliability with the Finnex heaters and controllers makes it imperative that I have a safety net the won't allow the Finnex heater/controller to boil my aquarium.

Buy a Finnex frameless aquarium, they look fantastic...but think twice before you consider Finnex heaters or controllers...if you must buy it, connect another controller to govern the Finnex product.

I bought the Finnex heaters and controllers because of the reputation of their tanks. Unfortunately, the reputation, and more so the reliability, did not extend to their heating product line. Save yourself some grief and heed my words.

Buy Finnex 100-Watt Hang-On Electronic Controller Aquarium Heater, Titanium Tube, 20 to 30-Gallon Now

I am fairly happy with the quality of the heater, and especially with its high wattage for such a small size. The only problem I have seen is that the temperature controller does not set the heater accurately. I had to set the dial four degrees warmer than the temperature of the tank. The heater does, however, work well and keeps the temperature very consistent.

Read Best Reviews of Finnex 100-Watt Hang-On Electronic Controller Aquarium Heater, Titanium Tube, 20 to 30-Gallon Here

This unit works great so far as opposed to several others which failed within the first week. It is well built.

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Thought this was a decent heater (& it was for 6 months). Had it set for 72 degrees.... Checked it tonight & the water temperature was 102 degrees! Everything DEAD. The seller, Coral Aquatics, says it's Finnex's problem. Finnex only has a 180 day warranty (I'm 1 1/2 months past that). Recommend avoiding their products unless you are willing to gamble on a mass kill.

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Two Little Fishies ATLGP1RTG Goniopower Advanced Zooplankton Diet, 30gm

Two Little Fishies ATLGP1RTG Goniopower Advanced Zooplankton Diet, 30gmI was really torn giving this product 3 stars. It's a great coral food. It has many different size and variety of foods made into a powder like substance. My corals go absolutely crazy for it and can't get enough. Now here's the 3 star part. It's labeled Goniopower as in Goniopora. Or flower pot coral. There is one on the label as well. Well my Goniopora has yet to react to this food. It shrivels up n descends inside. Others may have different results as my Goniopora is a Stokesi species and is only a few years old.

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Friday, October 10, 2014

Tropic Marin ATM24314 Pro Coral Cure for Aquarium, 200ml

Tropic Marin ATM24314 Pro Coral Cure for Aquarium, 200mlAmazing product! Works exactly as directed. With the huge investment in my reef aquarium, this is a must have for my quaranteen procedure.

I've been using this product for ten plus years. If you love your reef tanks, this is the only new coral treatment you'll ever need.

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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Pet Greens Treats Jerky-Style Dog Treats

Pet Greens Treats Lamb and Chicken Jerky for DogsMy dog is 16 now and has always been a finicky eater, it has always been hard to find things she likes, but these are one of her favorites! They are also so healthy. She has also always had itchy skin in the late summer to fall, I found these treats last fall and this past summer her skin was so much better, hardly any itching. I would recommend them. Be sure to read the directions though, the amount you give your dog is recommended by their weight. They are also good for dogs if they tend to eat grass.

My wife and I share our home with the Three Muske-Terriers: A male Westie, a male Cesky and, the Empress-of-All-She-Surveys, a female Scotty. The Empress is alergic to wheat, (along with corn and soy), so I had my doubts concerning Pet Greens Roasted Chicken Recipe w/ Wheat Grass Dog Treats wheat grass after all is just "juvenile" wheat. But apparently not to worry! We're half way through our first bag and no allergic reaction, (you haven't lived until you've seen a crazed Scotty in the middle of an allergic frenzy chewing on her tootsies). Now, putting aside her allergies, the Empress will eat almost anything and so will the Cesky. But the Westie gives new meaning to the term "finicky" and Asta gives these treats five barks I mean, stars. So what's up here?

The treats are mostly roasted chicken meal, supplemented with dried chicory extract, organic ground wheat grass powder, lecithin, salt, cultured whey and garlic, preserved with "mixed tocopherols," (I'm not a chemist, but I think that's a fancy name for vitamin E, sourced from vegetable oil). The wheat grass doesn't contain any wheat glutten which I think is the reason it doesn't trigger the Empress' allergies. Wheat grass is an excellent source of any and all of the nutrients contained in fresh vegetables.

The treats are small "jerky-like" rectangles no more than an inch by 3/4s of an inch, and maybe 1/16 of an inch thick, (they may be more appropriate for small to medium size dogs a large dog would want three or four at a time). They're great for a quick reward and at only about 4 calories a piece, there's not much danger that your dog is going to put on unwanted pounds, (however I wouldn't suggest that you carry them loose in your pocket or purse they smell strongly of garlic I keep 'em in a zip lock baggie).

As far as I can tell, the ingrediants are all natural, but only the wheat grass is organic if you are interested in organic treats, I suggest that you check out those made by Wagatha or Robbie Dawg.

Bottom Line: I think that Pet Greens offers both a change of flavor and a change in texture from most common dog treats. The Three Muske-Terriers are scarfing 'em down your furry buddy probably will too.

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I was looking for a product that is not made in China, contains mostly meat and does without a long list of unhealthy ingredients. Having older rescued dogs with very few teeth, the treats also needed to be soft enough for them to chew. Pet Greens Treats fulfilled all of these requirements. The dogs aren't crazy about them, but will eat them. With all the dubious treats coming from China, this is a good choice.

Read Best Reviews of Pet Greens Treats Jerky-Style Dog Treats Here

It took my dogs a minute the very first time I gave them these. But after they sniffed it for the first time and ate it. They were hooked. Now if my dog even sees the bag he starts drooling. They just love them! I just wish they were a little more affordable...

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My dog is a fussy 12 lb Yorkie and this is one of the only treats he eats right away.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Coralife Aqualight T5 Freshwater Dual Lamp Fixture

Coralife 05619 Aqualight T5 Freshwater Dual Lamp Fixture, 36-InchI use these fixtures for both my planted aquariums that needed enough moderate light for growing my plants. The Coralife T-5 fixtures use less energy and "heat" so do not have loud fans as many fixtures do. In addition you can double these fixtures up as they are slim. It's easy to find this particular fixture elsewhere but they usually come with a 18W 10,000k bulb and a 18W blue actinic bulb which is not optimal for growing live plants. (the actinic bulbs are good for growing corals in saltwater) This particular fixture comes with the 10,000k and a 6700k bulbs and is a perfect combo of bulb types for plants.

First of all, when this light works, it's fantastic. It's the perfect length for my 37 tall. It's bright and my plants just love it. I really want one that works ALL the time. That's why I'm currently returning the second one that Amazon has sent me. Both of them have worked for two days, then got very flakey about turning on (flickering, and not starting up). I really hope the third time is a charm and the next one works well.

I have two fixtures of the same brand in the 24" length on my 55 gallon aquarium. I've NEVER had a problem with them, so it seems like it's an issue particular to the 30" model. If the next one works like it should, I'll update my rating. Keeping my fingers crossed.

UPDATE: The third one did not work, either. I'm advising you not to order this item. Changed my rating from 2 to 1 star, since I can't give it zero. We gave this model 3 tries, and none of the fixtures worked for more than 4 days. Epic Fail. The only thing we can figure is that the 30" model is made at a different plant, or with different parts other than the light tubes. Something makes it severely inferior to the 24" model.

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I purchased this to replace a standard fluorescent strip light on a 46 gallon bow front aquarium. It works very well and they price was excellent for a T5 fixture. My old light only put out 18 watts. This fixture puts out 42 watts, is low profile, and gets warm but not hot. It comes with a 6700K daylight bulb (greenish light), and a colormax bulb (pinkish light). The 6700K light is best for the plants, but it is a little green for my tastes. I may switch it out for a 10,000k bulb later. The colormax really helps the colors on my barbs to pop. This set-up should work very well for low to medium light plants. The light arrived quickly and was well packaged.

Read Best Reviews of Coralife Aqualight T5 Freshwater Dual Lamp Fixture Here

After a great deal of searching for a simple, low-cost aquarium light with moderately bright light (enough for plants with low-medium light requirements) I found this Coralife double T5 fixture with a 6500k bulb (good for plants) included. It is very slim/low profile with an attractive anodized black housing. So far, it works excellent. The fish are happy and the plants are doing well.

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Product worked great for the first month, but it just went downhill from there. At first one of the bulbs would go off randomly, then after having had the product for less than two months, the light fixture completely failed. It does not even turn on now.

I just sent Aqueon an email inquiring about replacement or refund, so we will see how that goes--

Caveat emptor!

***UPDATE: After waiting for a response for 20 days, Aqueon finally got back to me and informed me that they will replace the unit as it is still under the one year warranty. So yeah, customer service appears to be a little slow.

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

Zoo Med 12 Inch Tropic Sun Flourescent Bulb (T8 STD Output)

Zoo Med Tropic Sun 5500K Daylight Fluorescent Bulb T8 15 Watt, 18-InchI wanted to like this light since my last bulb only lasted for a month and I thought this one might have a longer life. I can not speak to its lifespan since I just got it (locally)and do not plan to keep it. This lamp gives my tank a very yellow/green look that I don't care for at all. It is so obvious that my 3 year old said the tank was green. I do not have live plants in my tank, if I did and was looking to show them off, this would be a good light. However, my fish look more dull than they did with my previous 8000k light. I will be buying either the Aqueon Color Max or the Aqueon daylight bulb.

This makes my tank look a little yellow and my fish aren't as pretty. That being said, my plants look great! they have been suffering for a while, but now they all look fabulous. I swap this bulb out for my old one if I know I am having guests, but normally keep this one on.

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I bought this to replace the Aqueon bulb. Everything in the tank looked the same. I'm not sure about lifespan. It was a good price & packaged well

Read Best Reviews of Zoo Med 12 Inch Tropic Sun Flourescent Bulb (T8 STD Output) Here

Installed and have very good light. Needed new starters !1.97 for two at Lowe's. But that was my light fixture. Once replaced the light was beautiful and my fish in my 100 gallon are as happy as can be. Will order again in a year or so. Will only leave more feedback if they don't last for that long but I bet they do.

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I bought this bulb on a whim because mine unexpectedly reached the end of its lifespan. I read the reviews on this, some of which are good and some of which are bad. Well I was hoping the bad were people nitpicking. I was wrong and they were right. This light puts off a horrible green/yellow glow. My tank always looks dirty even though it is clean. Don't let the cheap price lure you in because these lights really are horrible.

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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Coralife 05439 HQI Double Ended Metal Halide Lamp, 150-Watt, 14K

Coralife 05439 HQI Double Ended Metal Halide Lamp, 150-Watt, 14KI bought a used MH light for my modified 29 gal BioCube and didn't know how old the bulb that came with it really was. I tried a Phoenix bulb which was VERY blue. My corals didn't seem to like it at all and my green bubble tip anemone was very unhappy. This Coral Life bulb is much better tolerated and it seems to provide the corals the light they like. Decent price but the packaging was not adequate at all. It came shipped in a small padded envelope. I would have thought a box would be better for a light bulb.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Aquatop Zen Nano Glass Aquarium Fish Tank ZN-5G Black 5.3 Gallons

Aquatop Zen Nano Glass Aquarium Fish Tank ZN-5G Black 5.3 GallonsI don't normally write reviews, but since there are none, I thought I would help out this company. Like the post says so far so good. Filtering systems seems to be working O.K. Good Flow. But there is no filter, just the blocks. I put a filter in one of the block holders. My tank has dwarf puffers and they eat blood worms which is nice to get filtered out.Warning do not try to use sand for your substrate. I wasted about four hours trying to get the filter unclogged. It kept on getting clog. I finally washed all the sand out, and used rocks. Much better. Light is nice. Clearness is nice. Just set up so I will re-post after some time. Just not sure if this filter system is going to be efficient.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Fluval Edge II Gravel Cleaner

Fluval Edge II Gravel Cleanergood product so far, i only used it once and i cant complain, have not used any of the attachments , but plan to in the future

I can't get this thing to suck the water out of my tank using the up/down motion required to get this thing started! I prefer the ones you have to squeeze the ball to get the suction going. I wouldn't recommend this at all.

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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Blue Ribbon Tahiti Village With Palm 2

Blue Ribbon Tahiti Village With Palm 2I picked this up for my hermit crabs tank. They loved it, climbed all over it, and hid under the hut. It is well made, a good weight, and the palm tree fronds are fabric. It was a great little addition to my tiki themed crabitat, until... I posted a picture of my set up in a hermit crab forum. More experienced crabbers explained to me that it is not good to put any painted decoration in with the crabs. The paint can cause them problems, just like painted shells can. I have other pieces to this set, and I still love it. I have it set aside for now. I am going to add it to another tiki themed aquarium in the future, but with fish instead.

Friday, April 11, 2014

biOrb Silver Aquarium Kit with Light

biOrb Silver Aquarium Kit with LightI love my BiOrb.

My brother sent me the round BiOrb as a birthday gift six years ago. (Thanks, Bro!) The tank stays incredibly clean. Filter changes are a snap. I don't change my filter or clean my tank as often as recommended: about every 6 months is usually often enough for me and my fish.

As someone with a fair amount of aquarium experience, I can truly say that the BiOrb amazes me. It holds all the joy of fish ownership with shockingly little work in return.

A really cool feature of the tank is the optical illusions caused by the spherical shape. Fish can "disappear" in the visual curvatures of the tank, or be reflected in another area of the tank. (One fish can appear to be no-fish or two fish.) This is nice entertainment for guests who are trying to count my fish. It also keeps me rather occupied when I'm worried that one of my fish is "missing," as it sometimes takes a bit of time to spot the fish I'm looking for. Fish swimming in certain areas of the tank are greatly magnified, so appear much larger than their actual size. After six years of ownership, this tank still provides a LOT of entertainment to me. Very Zen.

I've had to replace the halogen light and the air pump. The pump just lasted a year or two, then I got a replacement from the local pet store. The light shorted after about four years; ordering a replacement from Reef-One was easy. These two replacements do not seem abnormal to me... just part of the regular maintenance on any tank, in my opinion.

Really tiny fish can be sucked into the filter of the Biorb. I've only noticed that happening with small zebra daminaos. I've also had various tetras in the BiOrb (smaller than the daminaos) who had no problem staying where they belonged. If you notice the trapped fish, you can usually release them with no harm.

The literature with my BiOrb said it could support 3 large fish or 7 little fish. The biggest fish I've had in the tank are angel fish and fan-tail goldfish. I prefer smaller fish, since I enjoy watching schooling behaviors. (I've actually got 9 little fish in there at the moment. They appear happy and the chemical levels are okay.)

Just a bit more about the brilliant filtering system. I think the reason the tank stays so incredibly clean is that the air is pumped into the top-middle of the tank, so it creates a lovely water flow down the spherical sides of the tank and back into the central filter at the bottom. It's such an even pattern that debris is literally kept out of site and mind. Makes for happy fish and a happier fish owner.

I've read on-line that some people don't care for the plastic tank. I love it. Leak proof. Sturdy. No "bad" viewing angles. The instruction manual says to use care with cleaning products (don't want to scratch it!) but mine is blemish free even after all this time. Lighter and easier to set-up and move than a regular glass tank, as well. Really difficult to discern the molded seam of the tank, you have to really look. Most people never see it.

Another nice feature that is not often mentioned: no smell. The tank isn't exactly sealed: there's a nice lid with a little feeder hole so that dropping in food is easy. Most tanks, even well-cleaned ones, have a bit of an odor. This tank has nearly always been odor free.

Bottom line: YES! You'll love it, most any giftee will love it. Well worth the money!!!

I was lucky to find this in an 8 gallon on an auction site of all places, new in the box.

Great size, I have goldfish and one minnow. They were all in a 5 gallon and I don't want a big tank so this works great. It seems really large to me. And it's beautiful, love it when the light's on. I do want to get a LED bulb replacement for the evening when I can save enough to do so, but during the daytime I don't need any light, it gets indirect light from our patio door. I also bought some purple and blue Biorb plants, I liked the fakey retro cool look of them but any brightly colored plastic plants will do. I actually don't want to cover the air tube up because I like the way it looks -it's way cool. Ditto for the rocks. Reminds me of a futuristic fishbowl.

I don't find the pump noisy but it's resting on the carpeted floor near the wall. It does hum as all air pumps do. The thing that's loud is the bubbles from the air tube. I like it though, it's not an offensive sound, kind of like a bubbling fountain sound. The shape of the bowl really distorts the fish though, they can't really be normally seen unless they're close to the plastic. Otherwise they're magnified. Speaking of magnification, if this is put in direct sunlight, it can burn cause enough magnification of the sun's rays to start a fire!!! Seriously!

Although flake food is kind of messy, if I feed it in small amounts it goes quickly...I also have a supply of small-sized pellet food to give my fish from time to time.

One thing that I heard is that goldfish pee a lot, so I bought some Ammo Carb and instead of buying costly filters all the time, I just put a small amount (not too much or the filter won't work well) in after disposing of the old stuff and rinsing the sponge in aquarium water. So far it's worked well for me and the water continues to stay clear and the fish are very healthy (their color, activity and fins are straight up and they're really busy and always begging for food like goldfish do :0). Also, I heard that LED lights should be available soon in many more stores (especially here in Cali) and plan to purchase a bulb from our local home improvement warehouse for around $22. Also, the pump can be replaced with any air pump, it doesn't HAVE to be a BiOrb!!! :-)

Update: My BiOrb started leaking so I contacted the company -I had a hard time so I actually contacted the United Kingdom office by email and they connected me with a U.S. rep really fast. I'm actually in the process of receiving a replacement now, no charge to me with a return label for my leaking tank so I give this company a BIG thumbs-up for customer service!!!

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I bought the 8 gallon silver biorb with halogen light directly from Petco. I chose this aquarium because it looks stylish and because it came with everything needed (except heater), so it was easy to get started.

I started with 3 glofish (florescent coloured zebra danios), and now have 5 glofish and 1 betta. The tank looks quite nice, but one disadvantage of the design is that with the curved sides not all the fish are visible at once.

The main problem I have had is the glofish getting stuck in the filter. I bought the bubble tube guard, but they still find ways to get in through the water intakes at the bottom (they must be finding ways to swim through gaps in the ceramic rocks and then squeezing through the gaps in the filter case). In the 2 months I've had it, I've had 5 entrapments. Luckily the glofish are really tough, so they have survived the experience (except for the first one, which I accidentally dropped on the floor while rescuing I'm more careful now). Rescuing trapped fish is quite traumatic, especially when they are stuck in such a way as to be very difficult to get out. Each day I count the fish swimming around, and my heart sinks when one is missing....

So I can't recommend this aquarium for small fish of young glofish size. But it's not a really big tank, so that doesn't leave many options for fish choices.

Read Best Reviews of biOrb Silver Aquarium Kit with Light Here

I bought 2 biorb 8 gallon aquariums about 2 years ago. I really like the idea and the size was just right. Right out of the box I had problem trying to remove the filter system on one. Other than that I had no problems till recently. The plastic that holds the air stone and the outside bottom plastic plate cracked in multiple spots especially around the screw holes and the aquarium started leaking. I would never recommend an aquarium that has brittle plastic used to seal the bottom. Reef-one web site says once it starts to leak in the bottom it can be tricky to get it to reseal.

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Love this product I have 5 now. Easy to set up and the aesthetics are great! You can see the fish clearly everywhere in the tank!

Monday, March 17, 2014

Coralife 81700 Marine Salt Mix Bag, 50-Gallon

Coralife 81700 Marine Salt Mix Bag, 50-GallonEven though the pic is a bucket, it is definitely a bag when it arrives. Good salt mix, have used this one for years, now living in an area where we are far away from any pet stores that have marine supplies. Glad to find Amazon has this product. Bag is resealable, and pretty sturdy so recommend this product. Was hoping that even though the title said mix bag, that the bag would come in a small bucket, but not so, lol!

showing box of 150 gallon product to mislead you into buying a 50 gallon product. Be careful not to buy this thinking that you are getting 150 gallon mix.

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Thursday, March 13, 2014

Penn Plax Vertex Shrimp Tank, 2.7-Gallon

Penn Plax Vertex Shrimp Tank, 2.7-GallonJust received and set up this small aquarium for my betta, in fact, just in the knick of time as my plastic 1.5 gallon tank started to leak. Comes with almost all things you will need to make a betta a very happy home, filter, small net and even a stick-on thermometer. When I say almost, it did not come with a light and that is the reason I did not give it 5 stars. I had to purchase a separate LED light because I keep live plants in my tank. All in all a very attractive glass tank. The lid to me is fine because it is made of a plexiglass or light weight plastic which makes it light to open compared to a solid glass lid and if it needs to be cleaned it is very easily removed. The only other small detail that is missing is a feeding hole. You need to lift the lid to feed and it doesn't stay up because it hits the front of the filter, but again since it is plexiglass you can drill a hole in it to make your own feeding hole or you can feed through the space behind the lid. It has curved front corners which you usually do not find in small tanks. I believe this one is listed as 2.7 gallon which again I find as a nice size for a betta, if you do not have the space to have a bigger tank. My betta was happy in the 1.5 gallon, but since I was adding driftwood along with my live plants, and of course my small 7.5 heater, I decided I would get a little bigger size glass tank and this one fit my needs with a reasonable price. I would recommend this tank.

Bought this tank for my betta after realising that his 0.9 gal tank was much too small. It's large enough for him to have room to spread out and swim around in now, but not so large that it can't sit on my night table and is difficult to move.

The lid is a bit flimsy, but the glass tank is very nice and sturdy, with rounded front corners and square back ones. The filter is quiet, although I haven't been able to find somewhere that sells replacement filters. Although, I haven't searched too hard. The tank holds the filter, a heater, a thermometer, two plants, a large rock, and a 8-inch castle figurine all very nicely without seeming crowded.

Sadly, he hasn't been able to spend much time in it due to coming down with a fungal and bacterial infection (not due to the tank), but I'm excited to have him get better and to be able to return to his new home.

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This tank is beautiful and excluding the flimsy lid, works great. The filter is a bit strong for a betta but my main problem is that they do not sell filter refills on Amazon or the Penn Plax website and these are not carried by Petsmart, Petco, or Walmart. I have to return it as I cannot purchase filter refills.

Read Best Reviews of Penn Plax Vertex Shrimp Tank, 2.7-Gallon Here

Friday, March 7, 2014

Kent Marine AKMTC800 Turbo Calcium for Aquarium, 800gm

Kent Marine AKMTC800 Turbo Calcium for Aquarium, 800gmI've been using Kent brand turbo calcium for my reef hobby. I use this product with great result on my corals and invertebrates. I get good looking coraline all over my tank, too. I've been in this hobby for about 10 years.

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

KONG Cat Cozie Catnip Toy (Assorted)

KONG Cat Cozie Catnip ToyI love the toys from Kong but I only gave this one a 2 star review because the Details listed the item as being 6.8 inches x 1.3 inches x 3.8 inches. BUYER BEWARE, this item was not even close to that size, it was only approximately 2 inches x 3 inches at best. Very disappointed. I specifically chose this because of the size measurements listed in the items details so that my cat could also use his hind legs while playing with it but the actual size is too small for him to do that.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Aquarius AQ11204 BettaView Brite Corner Tank

Aquarius AQ11204 BettaView Brite Corner TankI should state before hand that I don't own this particular aquarium and so I can't testify to the quality of this item, and that I'm writing from experience and research.

Contrary to popular belief, Bettas don't live in puddles in the wild; They live in vast rice paddies which are thousands of gallons of naturally filtrated and aerated water. They only live in small puddles for about 2 or 3 months out of the year.

What's more, fancy bettas are not very similar to their wild buddies; they prefer larger aquariums with more stimulation, like plants and hiding places (maybe even compatible buddies?).

When I was 12 I bought two bettas and put them into separate small novelty tanks because I was told that was all they wanted or needed. Then at 13, I bought 1 more and put it into an old 3 gallon tank with filtration and aeration.

I saw the difference immediately; He was happier, healthier, moved more, more responsive, more alert, reacted when i came near the tank to clean or feed or watch him...Just absolutely happy. When I saw the difference I bought 2 and 3 gallon tanks and put the other two into them and they perked up as well! Whats more, the boy I initially put into the 3 gallon tank lived a whole year longer than the others!

This aquarium says 1 gallon at the top, and suggests putting two Bettas into it (With the divider).

Putting two bettas close together will stress them out. What's more, any illness one has can potentially be passed on to the other. Finally, if you put in two bettas, you might not be able to put in plants, which Bettas like to rest and sleep on (or at least mine and a few of my buddies' did).

I would buy this tank as a Isolation, Quarantine, or hospital tank though; it's small enough to easily treat a separated fish, you can measure out smaller amounts of medicine (I've done Epsom salt treatments on my guppies before in these sort of tanks, and it's easier in a 1 gallon than a 10 gallon and usually uses less medicine if its measured by the gallon). What's more, I think it would be OK to put a single, aggressive male guppy in if he can't be put back into the community tank (personal experience also), or to house some fry (but not many) in. Best of all, this tank is VERY affordable.

I might even buy this as a "between tanks" tank, when I'm prepping another tank for the fish.

But as a permanent house for a Betta? Never. 3 gallons or larger.

I got this aquarium at the flea market it came with everything but fish and the divider.

I had a guppy and a catfish then my guppy died

I thenk a biger aquarium

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Friday, December 20, 2013

Red Sea Fish Pharm ARE11230 Coral Pro Marine Salt for Aquarium, 175-Gallon

Red Sea Fish Pharm ARE11230 Coral Pro Marine Salt for Aquarium, 175-GallonOf all the reef salts i've tried (coralife, reefcrystals and red sea) Red Sea has worked the best. Even tho I only have lps softies and some insist a higher quality salt like red sea's isn't require I have notice my tank do better when using this salt. It is a bit pricier than the other but if you find a good deal from a place like this it ends up being almost the same price as the cheaper ones. I say this because I guess red sea has a higher density which ends up requiring you to use less. To get the salinity I like I typically use a bit more than 5 cups of Red sea per 5 gallons of water whereas the other salt mix's require me to use over 6 cups per 5 gallon of water.

I have not used other salt products as I started with this one. I did research and found the reviews and price on this product to be most desirable. I used it to set up two saltwater tanks. It mixes well and has all the components to sustain a saltwater tank with corals and fish. My corals are growing and fish are all well. SPS and LPS. I add minimal else to the water due to this salt containing most of what is needed. Doing 25% water changes required I have a good product to provide the correct balance of what my corals needed. I am happy with this product and have no complaints

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I've tried different types of salt on my 150 display tank. Great buy for the dollar my coral love it.

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Received in plenty of time, and item was in great shape. The price for the 175gal bucket was perfect, would order again.

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Saturday, November 16, 2013

Exo Terra Allglass Terrarium

Exo Terra Glass Terrarium, 18 by 18 by 24-InchI did not order this terrarium from Amazon.com but I do own this specific one and I love it!

PROS: My pacman frog has called this terrarium home for about 2 years now. It is very beautiful and alluring. The terrarium is made very well and the glass doors are very convenient. Decorating the terrarium is actually kind of fun. At first I thought it would be a pain but you can make it look however you want and there are a lot of possibilities. My friends are always checking on my frog and what I have done with his tank this week. It looks more expensive than it is. Live plants make great decorations and add to the fun!! The terrarium holds heat well and is elevated so you can put a heater under it. This Terrarium is semi child proof as the doors lock and most people can't figure out how to open it LOL.

CONS: The top screen has places for you to put cords through such as a fogger or water pump. The only problem I have had is that if you feed your pet crickets they may escape through the cord areas but the problem is easily solved by rotating the screen so the slots are at the front of the tank. This presents a problem if you want crickets AND cords but the Exo Terra fogger is a rip off so if you get it make sure you keep your receipt for the day that you tired of it.

I would suggest getting the Exo terra light for the tank as it snaps into place and fits nicely. I thought I would need a heater but the light keeps the tank warm enough (for my specific demands). FYI my light housing (not ordered form Amazon) did not come with a bulb so keep an eye out for that you might have to buy one.

Make sure that if you get this you clean it a lot. I clean mine at least once a week. If you let it get too dirty gnats fit right through the screen and will invade! Plus keeping it clean will keep you and your pet happier and healthier.

My primary motivation for buying THIS cage:

I bought one of these recently after MUCH looking around for cages that open from the front, a feature that I have since found VERY nice for a larger cage. There are a number of solutions out there, including some very nice ones from glasscages dot com. but I settled on this cage over some higher quality options because the doors are hinged, rather than sliding (most other cages you will find on-line have sliding doors which might trap insects, sand, or even perhaps in some freak event catch the leg of your pet, in my opinion).

That said, many of my comments that follow match pretty well to what has already been said about this cage:

The Pros:

1) Hinged front doors, rather than sliding doors, avoid things being trapped in the door guides or between doors. Definately a NICE feature.

2) Vents below doors provide air flow. Nice touch.

3) Glass construction for all the see-through parts.

4) Screen has holes for cords or tubing to pass throughnice for pumps, lamps, heated rocks etc..

5) Looks NICE

Overall, I do like the cage... it is really a nice looker, and it operates "well enough" ... but there are of course...

The cons:

1) The door latch!! You either WILL break it, or always fear you will break it. Why Exo Terra didn't simply use the latch of their smaller cages on this one I don't know!

2) Plastic above the doors needs further reinforcement.. it flexes and could be easily damaged. Just be wary of it. I have to train myself not to want to rest my arm

on the cage rim when feeding crickets or transferring objects into/out of the cage.

3) Not sure if the hinges themselves are plastic, I am going to wager they are... again, be careful with it, and you'll be fine.

4) If you feed your reptile live things.. I STRONGLY suggest you do NOT put the Styrofoam background in the cage (I put mine behind the cage). It has channels

(for electrical cables or tubes) that will allow the insects to crawl up and out of the cage if you are not careful. At a minimum, they will hide in it.

You may elect to try to turn it upside down so that the hole at the bottom is at the top instead, but I suspect that crickets can climb the Styrofoam without

Difficulty and possibly escape next time you open the cage top should you elect to do so.

5) The screen is fine mesh, and doesn't transmit light very well. A top with built in light is probably in order. I will probably make my own top for it.

Other Notes:

1) I suggest fully cleaning out/sterilizing the cage, and looking for crumbs of Styrofoam and silicone sealant that were left from manufacture and the background.

2) Careful when lifting it.. its a bit heavy, and because of the weaknesses of having the doors there instead of glass, it'd be best to have help lifting it.

This cage could easily be a 5 star item if just a few minor things were addressed in terms of quality. I really like it functionally and aesthetically!

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I bought the 36x18x18 for my python. I was excited to have more creative access (side doors), and improve the airflow from my previous setup. The raised bottom allows for a variety of substrate heaters and still has a bit over 1/2 inch clearance. I have a constant heater running and have not had any problems with the wood stand underneath getting hot. The bottom section with air venting seems to be great for reptilian setups. The bottom is strong and sturdy, while the top is a bit weaker. It's almost like two different manufacturers from bottom to top.

The doors are a great touch, but that is where my problems started. The bottom of the doors latch firmly in place with a twist lock. This feature is fantastic. The top of the doors somewhat stay in place with a magnet. This is not so great. Currently, I'm not worried about my snake getting out, but I was shocked to see how easy it was to push open a gap with my finger at the top.

The framing at the top of the setup is also very flimsy. I don't expect to have to move the setup, but if I did, I would be concerned about the top frame. The screen on top is a wash. I have seen better, I have seen worse. I will say that the locks for securing the top mesh are great and work splendidly. There no way that anything I would consider having as a pet would get through those.

The "picture" in the back of the setup is underrated. With sliding ports on the top cage to allow for wiring, and hollowed out sections in the picture, it's a great way to run wired components into the terrarium. I don't currently have anything wired in, but the option is great.

Overall, I would say this is an excellent setup. The smart design and robust base more than made up for the flimsiness on top. I might be concerned with powerful / aggressive reptiles and the top corners of the doors, but for anything else, it seems perfect. I would buy another in an instant.

PROS:

Price is actually reasonable for what you get.

Sturdy bottom, with elevated base for heating and wiring.

Ventilation is great.

Variable dimensions really let you customize, and it can be hard to find affordable wide terrariums that aren't junk

CONS:

Flimsy top frame (may not really affect anything in many setups, does not effect integrity as far as pets getting out, for example)

Flimsy top corners of doors (again may not be a concern with most pets)

OVERALL:

Would buy again and recommend to anyone

SHIPPING:

Not a hit on the product, but I really wish I knew what companies were going to deliver my product before I click complete. The shipping was the worst experience ever. They said they called to schedule a time, but I had no message. I got the email from Amazon that they were trying to reach me, so I called on Saturday. The corporate office gave me a local number to call, and the person who answered said they did not schedule deliveries on Saturdays and that the office was closed (I don't think I've ever talked to a live human working in a closed office before). I called back on Monday and was given the option to receive the deliver on a Saturday (which makes it even more odd that the office is closed then). I opted for the weekday instead and got a delivery window of 11am-5pm. Guess I am taking the day off from work to work around the plumbers hours... Then they came and dropped off my terrarium and both glass doors were broken. This may not be CEVA's fault but by this point they were my scapegoat for the whole debacle...

Anyway, Amazon was great, the lady I talked to was very nice and my doors are en route.

If I ever find out that my only shipping option is CEVA, I will probably not purchase the product.

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After 2+ years of providing a home for a very spoiled reptile, this Exo-Terra Allglass Terrarium has worked very well. We bought ours for under 300 dollars at a local pet store. There really is not many other options for this size of terrarium that we could find. Overall, I would buy another one if we had the need. There are some design flaws that are not too big to avoid this unit. PROs #1 Well built. #2 An established company. #3 Front opening doorseasy access for cleaning and feeding of critters. #4 Good ventilation from front via the top. #5 Very easy for the wife to clean with front door access. #6 24 inch height is great for certain reptilesmost like too climb. #7 Did I mention it is easy for the wife to clean? #8 The Reptile loves the room and the ability to climb for all his heat requirements. Cons #1 Background sucks! After all the good design and $300 later, they use styrofoam as a background?! It is a joke. Our reptile quickly dislodged the horribly painted background in under 12 months. The paint job was very unnatural as well. It looked like a half blind chimp that has never seen a rock formation rattle canned it. They should have used cork? #2 The top screen is weak. The support is made of plastic that reacts to heat too well....I corrected this gross engineering oversight by using a steel rod to support the screen. I admit I was not using their light hood. However, it is still poorly designed considering the cost (but an easy fix). #3 The door lock could "feel" stronger?it has not broke after 2+ years. No leaks, no escapes, no regrets. I would suggest this unit, even for a Gorn.

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Great product. I have several (16) Exo Terra glass terrariums of all different sizes and have been using them since they hit the market a few years ago. Overall they are a great tank for most reptiles. I have used them for both desert and rain-forest setups and they perform admirably for both. The dual door design is super convenient for routine maintenance and feeding, it also helps contain quick animals looking to escape while your feeding. I have had no condensation issues even in very humid setups (many of my tanks are equipped with misting heads).

Pros:

1. Cost (if you consider/utilize the many built in features)

2. Durability, my oldest tanks are about 3 years old and have held up well. The one exception is the old screen top securing tab design (see Other notes below).

3. Resevour size, I use a false bottom design in all my rain forest tanks and still have enough room for bedding materials and live plants.

4. Cord ports, i have two tanks with water filters running and the built in power cord ports work well.

5. Elevated feet, i use heat mats on certain tanks and the elevated feet keep the weight off the heat tape (weight on the heat tape can cause problems)

Cons:

1. Back ground durability/function. I don't mind how the back grounds look...ok maybe they look a little cheap, but functionally speaking they are poor. Crickets climb them and escape or get behind them and hide. even if you block off the ports there is still a small ledge that is created between the screen top and the background that crickets love and never come down from, reptiles that can't climb won't be able to reach/eat them. If you routinely clean the Styrofoam, it will quickly fade, wear, and fall apart. I guess if you don't feed insects and wash them gently they may work well for a while. However, Mine get thrown out with the box it arrived in.

2. Cord port and sliding port cover still leaves a small gap in the back of the tank. Smaller crickets and reptiles are able to escape. I keep the cord port covers closed and silicone the gap behind the sliding cover to eliminate any escape routes.

3. I have had some corrosion of the wire mesh screen tops, mostly in my humid setups. The screen looks easy enough to replace if and when they wear out.

4. Smaller tank sizes don't have adequate room to properly light an enclosure for reptiles/plants needing UVB/basking lamp/full spectrum lighting. (new dual light hood options from Exo-Terra are on the market which may help solve this problem for small tanks, but not the nano tanks. Plus they seem very pricey yet Exo Terra Dual Top 24-Inch Canopy for Exo Terra Terrariums PT2610 and PT2612).

Other:

1. The newest Exo-Terra tank design utilizes a new fastening design for the screen tops, so far i have not had a problem with the new design and it seems to be a positive improvement. The old screen tops were held in place with plastic push tabs which would fatigue and break if seeing even limited use.

2. The frame is all plastic and doesn't seem particularly strong. I keep waiting for it to snap or crack when i'm cleaning or moving them, but they haven't yet...

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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Zoo Med betta House 2 Gallon Television Style Black

Zoo Med betta House 2 Gallon Television Style BlackI just got this today, but I am already happy with it. I got it for my betta as an upgrade from a smaller tank, which was very pretty. It is pleasing to look at, though not as nice as my old one, and it is a great size. I cannot comment on durability as of now. However, if I find any problems with my "betta house" I will come back and update.

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