Marina Half-Moon Betta Fish Aquarium Bonus Pack

I call this the Betta Condo it is perfect for the Betta fish, but I am sure you can use it for other fish. I have purchased 3 of these for my fish, using it after the Marina mini cube. Marina is Great, a great home for any fish, my choice the Betta!

Very cheap nice tank that my betta seems to like so far, just put it next to a lamp and you will not need to buy anything additional

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Nature Aquarium Polished Glass Gravel - Turquoise Glass Gravel 8 oz. Small

This product was not what I expected. I was disappointed and I didn't like paying $4.00 in shipping for a hand full of tiny little rocks. I will find a use for them rather than send them back and waste more money. I'll probably use them to top off a pot of succulents.

Bought this for my childrens fish tank. It is a very nice look but just seems to be very expensive for what I'm using it for.

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I purchased a bag to display a gorgeous large silvery air plant. It does look dramatic alas, the contents of the bag hardly cover the bottom of the glass bowl. Not enough bang for the buck, in my opinion.

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Spool Airline Tubing

For the price you pay for 500 feet you pay for 50 feet elsewhere. This is quality air line hose that is durable enough to manipulate with out collapse. We run several air pumps for plankton growing and I was tired of spending $10 for 25 feet of air line. This is a great price for a bulk amount of air line.

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Marineland (Aquaria) AMLPFK55B Biowheel Aquarium Kit with LED Light, 55-Gallon

since there's virtually no info about this tank listed in the detail, i will include in my review the info from the petsmart site.

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Let your fish swim freely in this roomy aquarium. The stylish design makes the ensemble a great addition to any room.

This MARINELAND 55 gallon Aquarium/LED Hood makes an excellent home for your finned friends. Ideal for freshwater or saltwater use and a variety of fish species, the aquarium allows for the ideal aquatic habitat. The ensemble's sophisticated design brings a stylish accent to your home.

Safe for freshwater or saltwater use

Ideal for a variety of fish species and size

Clear glass, black frame and black stand for durability

45 LEDs per hood provide ample lighting

Made in the USA

Gravel, plants and décor not included. Filter not included

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the first picture listed is not a 55-gallon tank, but probably around 30 gallons. my 55-gallon version has a hood that looks like this one, but is actually two of these hoods side-by-side. each has its own LED light with separate power control. that said, the second picture on the amazon listing, the one that is actually a 55-gallon tank, shows the tank with a different model hood than the newer, slimmer led version. i don't know if this means you will be getting the hood from the first picture or the second one.

i bought this tank kit from a local petsmart store in february 2012 for $200. got it home, unpacked it and set it up with really no problems at all.

all the hood, filter, and trim parts are plastic. the filter is the bio-wheel penguin 350, which holds a double filter and biowheel setup with adjustable intake. the filter is generally quieter than average for kit systems, and i am very pleased with it.

the led lighting comes from two led panels, one on either side of the split-hood. they are removable and come with detachable power cords. they are surprisingly bright, and provide a nice shimmer effect into the tank. however, they do not provide suitable light energy for a planted tank so don't expect to get good plant growth. there is also a night-light setting of a half-dozen blue led's per panel. the lights do not have a timer option, but instead a 3-way manual switch (white, off, blue) on each panel.

the tank also comes with a generic 200-watt heater and temperature sticker. the heater is not marked in degrees, but that's what the thermometer is for :) they seem to work ok, but i replaced the sticker thermometer with a more accurate floating style thermometer. there is also a startup pack that includes a small amount of tropical fish flakes, a net that's far too short to catch bottom-dwelling fish without getting wet up to the elbow, and a small amount of water conditioner. there are no decorations, gravel, air pumps, or other items included.

i am generally satisfied with my purchase. i let the tank cycle for a week before dropping in a couple danios and platies. if i notice any issues with components wearing out early or breaking too easily, i will come back and update this review.

***UPDATE***

as i write this, there's a version of this kit with the same hood as i received listed on amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-LED-Aquarium-Kit-Gallon/dp/B00780S098/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1353104901&sr=1-5&keywords=aquarium

since i'm here, i thought i would provide an update to my original review. the tank is still holding out very well. nothing has broken or fallen apart, except for the suction cups that were with the heating element. the clips deteriorated and fell apart within a couple months, but i bought some replacements and they've worked just fine. all the led's still work, and the filter is still churning away.

after 9 months of use, i can definitely say this marineland tank is a keeper.

Why are there no measurements for this 55 gallon tank????? Who would buy this unless they knew everything about this tank from other sources. Unless you post the measurements I see no need to look at this aquarium. Just imagine how many more tanks you may have sold but most people and I am guilty of this, don't go forward and move on because there are no measurements. Hopefully this helps, Mike

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Como Fish Tank Aquarium Aquascaping Green Plastic Plant Bamboo 13.4" Height

This is the worst product I have ever bought on amazon! The branches are loosely glued to the base with green glue that is sticky and soft, and ugly. Tendrils and globs of the glue are all over the leaves. The whole plant makes your hands sticky. I would never put a product in my fish tank that had glue bits stuck all in it! The base is cheap, roughly painted, and it came chipped. And this plant smells like microwaved crayons! Much stronger than any other fake plant I have smelled, I have no reason to believe this is aquarium safe.

Plant looks fine but has a strong odor. Afraid it will make fish sick if i put in fish tank.

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I bought this for my 50 gallon Asian themed tank. Shipped quickly and arrived sooner than expected. It was a little squished together from packaging but once rinsed under warm water and manipulated a little it looks great! The darker color and height makes it a nice background piece, but best of all is it is attached to a heavy base! Because it sinks, it makes placing it (and keeping it in place with fish who like to move rocks around) easy! Will buy again!

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Aquarium Fish Tank Vacuum Gravel Cleaner Siphon Pump

So I was surprised with the quick delivery to my house, but pretty much everything failed. I opened it and pinched the hose to see how tough the plastic was, it wasn't tough at all, and 2 minutes later when I try to use the thing to clean my tank I get a leak in the hose right where I had pinched it. The pump, well, it works, if you hold it so the open end is up when you squeeze, the plastic piece that allows suction to be possible is extremely cheap and I wouldn't expect it to last long. Also there is nothing written in english on the directions. This thing could be usable if you don't plan on messing with the actual hose, but its such cheap plastic don't be surprised if it gets a leak, a slight pinch of the hose was enough to make the plastic crease. I was really trying to show the previous reviewers up by making this thing work flawlessly, needless to say that didn't happen. Not worth 5 bucks folks.

Its good for a quick water change but it has zero suction as a vacuume and once your down to the last 5 inches of water in the bottom of the tank it doesn't work at all. But when we do our 25% water change every week it's a good tool.

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Not worth the money. Did not work. It would be more beneficial to just buy a more expensive product that will actually work.

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alright for the price, took a little figurine out and looking at the picture but its pretty nice. Not cheaply made either.

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I couldnt even figure out how to work it. It came with no directions and I tried it many different ways and I wasn't successful. I wouldn't buy this product again.

Petco Dark Blue Aquarium Gravel, 5 lbs.

The color on these rocks was bright and the exact blue I wanted. I was using them to fill the bottom of planters for a decorative touch and to absorb some of the water. Worked like a charm!

Nice mix of blue. My betta looks great with it. You can easily rinse out fecises unlike most gravel that would go down and clog the drain.

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The dye is not permanent. While rinsing, I noticed that my fingers turned blue. The water it did not show much color change. I had placed the gravel in a colander and that in a white bowl to catch the fines. After ~30 min in water the dye still rubs off and the bowl is stained blue. Will this harm fish? If this is normal a short comment in the description could have covered my concern.

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i got the rest of my pebbles and they are beautiful in my fish bowl. there was a small misunderstanding which was cleared up easily:)

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Petco Variety Pack Plastic Aquarium Plants

I bought a variety pack at Petco, it's affordable and you get around 3 or 4 plastic plants depending. They are all of varying sizes and my Betta seems to like them. Although they are plastic, my Betta has not had any fins tearing or anything like that.

Note:

I've had these about a month now, and they are beginning to disintegrate and become stringy. My filter catches more of the stringy junk everyday. I'm probably going to have to replace them soon.

I don't know if this happens to all plastic plants. Just thought I'd share.

Beautiful in the tank! Has great color and looks amazing!

It is also slightly weighted which makes placement much easier.

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Plants look good for the price. although, I didn't get all what was pictured in the ad, some were missing,

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I purchased this as a filler for a new set up and was expecting a pack of 12 plants which would have been a great deal, instead got the middle row of lilly and leafy plants. They look great, good quality, but dont expect all of them.

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Seachem MultiTest Phosphate Test Kit

Given the strong reputation of Seachem, I expected this test kit to perform well at measuring phosphate levels that I was trying to achieve by dosing for my freshwater planted tank. I found it inaccurate; It came with a reference solution that it did not match. Secondly the range it tests for does not go high enough for the typical phosphate range (2-5 ppm) that is desirable for freshwater fertilizer dosing. I subsequently switched to API that I find much more suited for my needs.

It's a simple test, two reagents, 1 tray. It's pretty accurate as far as I can tell, I just did not like the way I had to do the tests. Fill the dropper full, put in tray, add reagents, then stir with the included stick. I chose to buy the API version instead.

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I think this is a very good test kit. It's easy to read compated to some of the others out there. I always have trouble with the colors, and this being in a white dish makes it much easier to figure out. I will purchase more of their kits as needed.

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Doe not look like all my other Seachem test boxes, at first I thought they sent the wrong thing, I have not had time to try it yet but I'll edit the review in the next few days. The API test is pretty useless. It always says the water is OK when it's probably not.

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If growing creatures in your aquarium such as SPS corals, Clams, etc., that require phosphate levels below 0.04 ppm this is the test you should use, it has a precision of 0.05 ppm. This is the most accurate phosphate test kit available except from high end electronic kits, and the more expensive Salifert brand, the rest are simply not accurate enough to raise these types of creatures. Most have a maximum precision of 0.15 to 0.25 ppm, not enough precision considering that above 0.10 ppm most SPS corals will slowly decline and eventually die.

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ViaAqua 12in 2.7 watt Blue & White LED Light & Airstone

The ViaAqua in tank led light strips are sensational. Up lighting adds an entire new dimension to aquascaping and allows you to create many stunning, creative and unique effects.In the past I tried a similar product made by Marineland whose products I usually love.But the problem with their light strips is that they're so light and the suction cups so little that the wands kept popping loose and floating to the surface.

Or my fish could dislodge them easily with a single nudge.That's not the case here.The ViaAqua units are quite heavy and the large, powerful suction cups are attached to moveable, braces that wrap around 3/4 of the wand. The end result is they stay put beautifully. Even my 8 inch Blue Oranda can't make them budge and THAT'S saying something.

I have two of the all blue in one 55 tank and decided to try two of the blue and white 12" wands in another.The effect is simply gorgeous.I run both wands with a Rena 400 air pump which is more than able to create a steady flow of beautiful and uniform bubbles. The pump has two outputs and each is fully adjustable so you can go from a delicate flow of bubbles to a full throttle air curtain.

More than simply a visually stunning and unique addition to your tank the aeration infuses your water with more much needed oxygen.One common annoyance with most of these double service air wands is that they clog easily and fairly often.A quick remedy is to gently run your finger or a blunt tool (I use the edge of a flat butter knife) along the rubber hose and this clears it out immediately and the full wall of bubbles bounces right back.

If you don't have an overhead LED lighting system these are a wonderful substitute at a fraction of the cost.Even if you do use an overhead system (I have the Marineland Double bright LED system) these wands still add a very beautiful and special look to your tank.I wasn't sure if I would like the white and blue, but it's fabulous.However, if you're looking to create a Lunar mode for your tank so you can observe your fish without disturbing their sleep/rest cycle then you'll want all blue LED bulbs.

ViaAqua makes these in many sizes from 4" to 24" and in array of colors including red, multi color and units with change colors so you're bound to find one that suits your fancy and will look marvelous in your aquarium. On precaution to take is know the size you need prior to purchasing these wands, If they sit too close to your intake, you'll end up with bubbles being sucked into the filter which creates a racket and can compromise your filters efficiency.

In my experience 1-2 inches from the intake is perfect. But depending on the GPH of your filter, you may find you can put them closer or need to keep the ends of the wands a bit further away.I have 8 of these wands and use two in each tank they work beautifully and again, the effect is smashing.The best price I've seen has been on Amazon, and the units have all arrived well packaged and delivered very quickly.

The come packaged with everything you need. Including some airline tubing, instructions, the plug in power transformer, more than enough cable wire and of course the wands themselves. This is a fabulous product which I would recommend to any hobbyist especially anyone looking to add a little pizzazz to their aquarium.

I actually am using this just for the LED lights, I hooked up the air to it to make sure it works but I already have a bubble wall I use and love for the fine bubbles it produces. The LED's on this are bright without being obnoxiously bright, it lights up my dark Hex tank perfectly, I keep it on day and night as during the day it doesn't get all that bright in the room the tank is in and at night it casts a nice blue glow like moonlight for the fish, newts and plants in the tank..

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loving this lights I think that all aquarium should have this lights specially at night when white light is off

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This has got to be one of the best things ever invented. The air stone is good but the lights add a different deimmension to the tank. Must admit I am going to but another one because I think mo tanksis gib enough for 2 but it is amazing

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I bought two of these LED air stones they are really well made and add a really nice touch to a tank. It also seems to have a calming effect on my fish for some reason, great overall product, these should be cheaper in my opinion but thats the only thing I have against these.

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Marina Floating Thermometer with Suction Cup

It's cheap, it works, and it stays put. Not sure how much else you need to know. This is a thermometer for a fish tank, not a superconductor.

Every aquarium needs a thermometer, and in my opinion, this is the best one to have. You never have to replace batteries like the digital kind, it's more accurate and more attractive than the black stick-on kind, and it doesn't interfere with the lid like the metal hanging kind. My only complaints are that there is a fairly narrow viewing angle on the mercury (red line), and the clear suction cup that it comes with can turn white and lose its flexibility after a while. Otherwise though, it's a great little thermometer and I recommend it over any other.

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This is now the third thermometer I've had on my current fish tank. It's also the best one.

The readings on one of these thermometers is generally more accurate than that of the adhesive strip you can apply to the front of the tank. The suction cup is also good on this one--I had to get rid of another one because of that problem.

You'll need this no matter what kind of fish tank you have so you can adjust your heater.

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As a thermometer, it seems to work fine.

But if you're using it in a acrylic tank, DON'T USE THE SUCTION CUP! It left two permanent ring shaped marks on my tank, after about a month of use. I can't get them off by scrubbing or rubbing, or even scratching with my fingernails. (added a picture of the mark to the product images)

Be warned!

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This works perfectly with my aquarium, exact temperature is displayed and also a convenient "green zone" marked to know the temperature for tropical fish.