Umbra FishHotel Aquarium

I bought one through Amazon. Bigger than what I expected. It's a reasonably healthy space for a betta, mine is swimming happily. I was able to fit a small biological filter in the corner with no space problems. The unique "condo" design doubles as hiding areas for the fish. And it looks cool.

I give it 4-stars because it has no lid, I had to fashion one from clear, hard plastic.

I've had three of these for several months now and I have no complaints. I have a betta in each and have two stacked with one on the side. I love the mod design and the fact that each bowl holds close to a gallon gives each of my betta a decent amount of space in a modern, compact design. they are easy to clean and I change the water every two weeks. it doesn't take long to clean and each of my betta are very happy with their homes. I'd highly recommend buying one or two!

Buy Umbra FishHotel Aquarium Now

I'll be honest, My co-worker and I bought this with the assumption that the fish would have actual rooms to swim in. But it doesn't. It's a glass box that fits down into the plastic crate.

That disappointment aside, it's a neat fish box. Everyone loves looking at it at work. And it holds a gallon of water perfectly-which is a nice amount of a betta (you really don't want less than that).

All in all, I'm quite happy with it. Now I just need to find a couch for my fish and we're set :)

Read Best Reviews of Umbra FishHotel Aquarium Here

I originally brought this because I love the design, but there things I realized after I set it up. My room is pretty cold, so it definitely needed a small heater inside and I also put in a underwater light. The fish hotel looks awesome when lit up. Thus, the problem is all the wiring that comes out, so its not really keeping that clean look, which it was intended for.

Want Umbra FishHotel Aquarium Discount?

I bought two of these because I had 2 bettas and liked the modern-chic theme that added to my home. After a few months I actually sort of got bored of it. I think it's because the visibility of the colorful fish is a bit obstructed, and since I am a lot about the plant decor as well, the hiding areas of the walls made it even more hard to free up the aquascape.

However, I had no issues with the tank itself. It was roomy, safe, fish never jumped out and had room for a small filter. My issue is that it just wasn't for my taste, that's all. If you like minimal and simplicity yet with a bit of chic, this is for you. If you like to keep decorating and experiment with aquascaping while seeing it all fully, then I'd recommend a more visible tank.

Super Naturals Type: Tahitian Moon

Replaced white sand with this and it is beautiful! Much more forgiving than the white and it sparkles in the light so far. Plants are growing great in it as well. Thanks!

This sand is super soft and looks gorgeous under aquarium lighting (it has a lot less sparkle when it's out of the water). My only complaint was that in a smaller tank (6 gallons) the filter could easily move the sand because it is so fine. I had to move decorations around to prevent the current from the filter from digging a hole in the bottom of my tank.

Buy Super Naturals Type: Tahitian Moon Now

This product is very black and very fine, perfect sand for a wet or dry aquarium! I have it in my fish tank with a little neon gravel mixed in and it has a very nice effect when under a blue "night mode" light. However, it is very hard to clean this sand but works great once it is in the tank. At first when you add the water, you will notice some clumps floating but those will sink themselves in a matter of hours.

Read Best Reviews of Super Naturals Type: Tahitian Moon Here

I got this for my Betta's new tank. I really love this stuff and it looks so natural in the tank. All of the tank decorations look natural with this stuff. Its better than the gravel and I would love to put it in my 30 gallon tank.

Want Super Naturals Type: Tahitian Moon Discount?

I found this aquarium sand to be an excellent addition to my aquarium. Needed very little washing prior to installation and doesn't float up when stirred around when cleaning the tank.

Tetra 19105 Water Wonders Fresh Water Plant Foxtail, 6-Inch

I was on here shopping one day and I was trying to reach the 25 dollars or more to get free shipping. I have a 10 gallon aquarium and I need some more plants in it. I found this plant and since it was super cheap and was eligible for free shipping, I bought it. It's a nice little plant for $2 and the picture of it here looks red. When it actually looks kind of pinkish which is fine with me. It's definitely worth buying for $2.

Adds some interest and places to hide in the tank. It also looks a bit more natural and nice once some algae starts to grow on it.

Buy Tetra 19105 Water Wonders Fresh Water Plant Foxtail, 6-Inch Now

This is really great piece, and it will be much realistic after 1 month in he water, I loved it.

Read Best Reviews of Tetra 19105 Water Wonders Fresh Water Plant Foxtail, 6-Inch Here

Marina Plastic Check Valve

Perfect valve to have between my CO2 canister and ladder. Inexpensive and doesn't appear to restrict flow. Lots of bubbles. (Even though the Hagen Nutrafin CO2 system does not require you to use a check valve, it's good to have one in place if you're canister isn't at tank level).

Check valves are a must if you're running your air pump lower than your fish tanks. My pump is located in the cellar with fish tanks on the first and second floors. Damage to your pump can result when you don't have a check valve. Highly recommended product at reasonable price.

Buy Marina Plastic Check Valve Now

Good, Made Well, Woks Well, Does The Job, Performs As Stated. Why do I have to Write More It's Just a Stupid Check Valve!

Read Best Reviews of Marina Plastic Check Valve Here

power has not gone off, so the valve has not really been used. So far so good not havine any problems.

Want Marina Plastic Check Valve Discount?

I purchased it for my 10 gallon tank. Ignored other reviews thinking its just a non-return-valve, how bad it could be. This thing didn't even lasted 3 weeks 19 days to be precise. Very disappointed.

Colormax T8 Lamp

Got this light and it never work. I even bought a new light thinking it was the issue and the light bulb still didn't work. Ended up getting another bulb. Not worth sending back but lesson learned!

After installing my new aquarium light, it lasted a whole 3 days. Installed on Wednesday night, as I walked by my aquarium Sunday morning, I noticed that the light wasn't on. (I have my lights on timers.) I lifted the hood and the light was very hot, and smelled hot as well. It may have just been a faulty light, but my experience wasn't good.

Buy Colormax T8 Lamp Now

I would NEVER purchase this product again. My original purchase was for four lights, upon arriving I placed a bulb on my aquarium and it did not work. So I checked all the lights to be sure. Two of the four lights worked, so I sent the two lights back. One of the other lights burn out in less then one week. Such a lousy product. Very disappointed.

Read Best Reviews of Colormax T8 Lamp Here

Burned out in less than 1 year with very little use at night time on the weekends. DO NOT PURCHASE!

Want Colormax T8 Lamp Discount?

I would highly recommend this product.It arrived quickly,the quality is good, and the price is not high. it is easily installed

Aquatic Creations Ancient Vase 3 Ornament for Aquarium

I have Mollies and they give birth to live babies. This vase is a good hiding place and has two exits. You can stand it up or lay it down. It was a little larger than I thought. But that's my bad, I did not read the info about the size. But overall I am pleased and would recommend it to others.

Save 25% Off

Hagen Marina Aquascaper Variety Pack including Aquascaper Water Sprite, Amazon Sword Plant, Corkscr

Hagen Marina Aquascaper Variety Pack including Aquascaper Water Sprite,... To be honest I can't really rate this because I thought I was ordering silk plants which I prefer. For those who prefer plastic they would be great.

Save 42% Off

Fluval C 100g/3.5-Ounce C-Nodes

a good product, work very well like the other product from fluval to it helps me keep my aquarium and my fish in good condition, i like so much this product A+

My reaction when I got the box: "You gotta be kidding."

It contains enough nodes for one application. 3.5 ozs is not much. Still you need them if you buy into the Fluval system.

This package contains enough nodes for one change. I've heard from comments not to change the media all at once.

My origional media has lasted over a year without any degradation. It's not an expensive item that needs to be replaced all the time so considering the small size of the package it's not a deal breaker.

Buy Fluval C 100g/3.5-Ounce C-Nodes Now

Glo T5 High Output Lighting System, Double

A nice sturdy light for the money.

It does have a few drawbacks as already reviewed, namely the fact the power has to run through a timer (which is included) as there is no off/on switch for either tube.

The ballast itself is quite sturdy, more than I thought it would be for the price when compared to more high-end brands.

The brackets that attach to the aquarium to hold up the light are not as sturdy as I would like for such a heavy piece balanced over water.

Also, the product description doesn't fully spellout the right size bulbs you have to buy, as they are NOT included. I bought the 36" system, but it takes 34" bulbs.

A very good value for the money. I have mine over a 45 gallon tall, freshwater, planted aquarium and the light penetrates to the bottom quite evenly.

I would buy another as I feel the price is very good for the heavy-duty construction of the actual fixture, as long as you know the above mentioned quirks.

I might also note there is no lens cover included if this matters to you.

Fantastic light for a 75gal tank. I especially like the included

timer. Makes this much easier as I like everything hidden. I

think one of the other reviewers ordered the wrong fixture. It

fits my 75 perfectly.

Now all that's left is an auto feeder = )

Buy Glo T5 High Output Lighting System, Double Now

Had this lighting setup for about 2 years, which is not bad, but then it just unexpectedly stopped working. This is because there is NO water blocking shield on the light at all, which over time caused water to build up in the unit and caused it to die. This could easily be fixed by a simple shield, unfortunately the light doesn't come with one. I was disappointed to see it go and will be switching to an Aqueon LED setup.

Read Best Reviews of Glo T5 High Output Lighting System, Double Here

Great product. Solid construction. Great ballast, electronic. Fantastic Quality and brighter than my other fixtures that also claim to be HO t5 fixtures. I'm super happy and I like the look of it. The look is polarizing..

Want Glo T5 High Output Lighting System, Double Discount?

Great light! This is my second one. The first one broke during hurricane Sandy. Super bright light, love it! This light is on my 75 gallon tank!

Save 32% Off

Silicone 3 oz.

I got it in the mail. i repaired my fish tank. it did what it said. didnt leak or peel. sold my fish tank after it pased the test. this is some nice aquarium sealant.

This product just works, works well, works underwater, works in hot water (spa temp). If someone know of a better product for underwater use in a hot tub let me know!

Buy Silicone 3 oz. Now

made a cool divided tank with it. 1/2 land with a glass divider held in place by the silicone, 1/2 land.

Read Best Reviews of Silicone 3 oz. Here

U.P. Aqua Mini Thermometer (F)

As the product title states, it's a mini thermometer. The only temps listed are in increments of 10 deg with a 5 deg mark in-between. You won't be able to read a precise temp from it, but it's decent for a rough guess if that's all you need. As far as accuracy, it's hard to tell because reading it's always a "best guess." I used a digital thermometer to try to measure this products accuracy and from what I could tell, the digital thermometer always read about 3-4 degrees higher. I decided this wasn't worth the effort of guessing and stopped using it.

Would not recommend unless your not interested in a true reading and only need a 5 degree range.

All Glass Aquarium AAG29016 Versa Top, 16-Inch

This arrived with really great packaging (I always worry when I order something easily breakable!) and it had fast shipping. It fit the tank I needed it for perfectly. This kind of lid is great for holding in humidity for something like hermit crabs.

this arrived just as advertised (nib) and fit my 5 gallon rectangular fish tank perfectly. the plastic was hard to cut but that wasn't a seller problem, just a personal issue.

Buy All Glass Aquarium AAG29016 Versa Top, 16-Inch Now

Price was right and it fits my AGA tank perfectly. Easy to clean and it came with the hinges on which is normally a nighmare.

Read Best Reviews of All Glass Aquarium AAG29016 Versa Top, 16-Inch Here

I bought this top for my 5g nano. It seems great, but i chipped the glass putting the plastic back piece on. This wasn't a big deal to me as the plastic hinge covered the part of glass that I had chipped though this does make me nervous about the ease of breaking it. I am very careful every time I open it/shut it/do anything around it and it has been fine so far.

It also doesn't fit my aquarium correctly. It is too short to sit on top, and too large to securely rest on the inside of the top braces (about 1/16 of an inch too wide). Disappointing.

If you like the nice sleek clean look of the glass canopy, use a spare suction cup from a heater or something to open it rather than attaching the included handle. IMO It looks much better without the handle attached.

I rate this a 3 overall because I am disappointed with the quality. If the lid had fit my tank I would have been close to a 5.

Want All Glass Aquarium AAG29016 Versa Top, 16-Inch Discount?

The ‘handle' was missing from my aquarium top, but as far as I am concerned it is a minor flaw and the lid is working well without it. There are no sharp edges, and the hinge feature is strong and well made. This glass lid rests perfectly on the inside lip of my 5-1/2 gallon aquarium. Instead of cutting the plastic insert to fit my filter, heater, etc., I have simply left it off altogether. That allows a small gap at the front as well as a larger gap at the back which is actually nice because it inhibits steamy glass, and makes raising and lowering the lid without a handle easy. I hadn't thought about it keeping the water warmer overnight when the house cools down, but that the heater doesn't have to work so hard to keep the water temperature steady has been an added bonus. I bought this lid intending to put it on the aquarium only when I am travelling so that the automatic feeder can rest on it. In fact it works perfectly for this purpose. When I fold the back of the lid over the front, the feeder can sit in just the right position to drop food into the feeding ring. However, the lid works so well that I leave it on my fish tank all the time. This was a great purchase!

Save 17% Off

Hagen Elite Air Pump for Aquarium - 110 V

could be quieter, but powerful enough to drive 4 air stones in my under gravel setup as well as driving a 5 inch bubble disk.

They last forever. Mine's been in continual use for probably close to 20 years now.

Buy Hagen Elite Air Pump for Aquarium - 110 V Now

I bought this for my 60 gallon and it worked for a couple months. Recently, without warning, it broke. One outlet does not pump out any air. I tried using the other outlet, but now it is extremely louuudddd. I'll be replacing it with another brand which I know is durable and will last.

Read Best Reviews of Hagen Elite Air Pump for Aquarium - 110 V Here

API First Layer Pure Laterite Aquarium Planting Medium, 20-Ounce

Yes, the laterite must be washed as does Caribsea Flora-max (see Super Natural Flora-Max). Both have a purpose, with the laterite clay providing the silt required for Amazon Swords and others aquarium plants (Google "aquarium plants requiring laterite"). The laterite provides the fine medium required for Swords, et Al., without the mess of introducing mud into the freshwater aquarium And this medium does settle out quickly when disturbed (see my Amazon video "Adding Inconvenience to the Cleaning Task" at ).

Laterite is filthy stuff initially. I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed and rinsed until it was finally clean enough to put in the aquarium. I will not buy this item again.

Buy API First Layer Pure Laterite Aquarium Planting Medium, 20-Ounce Now

I used this for my first aquarium with live plants and it was easy to use. I wanted to included a substate that would provde longterm nutrition for my plants' roots and this was perfect for my 14 gallon tank.

Read Best Reviews of API First Layer Pure Laterite Aquarium Planting Medium, 20-Ounce Here

Mammoth Flossy Chews Cottonblend Color 3-Knot Rope Tug

This rope is 2 inches thick, and 3 feet long. My Jack Russell dog is a heavy chewer. 1 month later my dog still tries to chew threw it without success! The ends of this rope are frayed and fluffy, which work great for my dog trying to clean his teeth. I would recommend this for any heavy chewer dog.

This is the best toy we have bought.

Was the first toy we picked up for our dog in addition to a plush and some squeaky balls. The plush was in the garbage in less than a week, the balls have been lost / punctured. This has held up to many tug games, flosses my dogs teeth, and stands up to her chewing. It still looks relatively nice for 4 months of play. Greatest rope toy ever. No complaints.

Buy Mammoth Flossy Chews Cottonblend Color 3-Knot Rope Tug Now

We have a 2 year old Sheppard lab and 1 year old Aussie lab, and those guys have a ton of energy. Most toys are destroyed within an hour. This rope has lasted several weeks! It's durable and I will definitely look for another one once it becomes too shredded to play with! Definitely recommend this one!

Read Best Reviews of Mammoth Flossy Chews Cottonblend Color 3-Knot Rope Tug Here

If you have a furry T-Rex, this will not last long. Not a design or quality issue just a function of chewing power. Probably fine for smaller dogs who are not distructive chewers.

Want Mammoth Flossy Chews Cottonblend Color 3-Knot Rope Tug Discount?

This is a favorite toy of our retrievers. It has lasted over a month and no fraying or loose strings despite hours of hard tug play.

Save 37% Off

API Nitra-Zorb Filter Media Pouch

This product likely saved the life of my fish. I have a 55 gallon with 5 goldfish, and the water had grown increasingly cloudy for weeks. Petsmart insisted the nitrates weren't high, but their testing strips are junk. They suggested plants, but goldfish eat those. Otherwise, all they could say was to get rid of some of my goldfish!!! Another pet store said to do some drastic water changes, which helped only slightly. A few weeks of this product and a couple water changes, and now my water is crystal clear and perfectly in balance. In an emergency if your nitrates have gotten out of control, this product works like a charm!!

In my 1 month old tank, my ammonia levels were just ok, but the nitrite levels were out of control. Within 24 hours after placing the pouch in my filter the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels dropped to 0 ppm. My fish thank API Nitra-Zorb

Buy API Nitra-Zorb Filter Media Pouch Now

This product rocks. It brough down the Nitrates and Nitrites in my tank to normal levels within 48 hours. This gave me the needed time for water changes in my fish tank. Fish much more lively and healthy looking after I got the bad levels down. Need to monitor levels more often.Great product and it is rechargeable.

Read Best Reviews of API Nitra-Zorb Filter Media Pouch Here

This product is very handy to have if you have an unexpected ammonia buildup in your fish tank. It's easy to recharge. Be sure to order the right size for your tank.

Want API Nitra-Zorb Filter Media Pouch Discount?

The idea behind it is great. Whats not in the description is the fact you have to recharge it in the begining every couple days to couple weeks before you get to the once a month. The recharge requires you to take it our of your filter and soak it in aquarium salt water for a couple hrs. I find it easier to just add salt to my aquarium. I have one and will recharge it because of that but will not replace when its required.

Save 19% Off

Kent Marine Coral-Vite

Like us, corals and sessile inverts need vitamins. They can't really go around searching for them, so they need to get it from the water. A good reef salt will have micro vitamins, but if you have a lot of livestock, some elements could be depleted. I've found a vitamin supplement like this pays off.

I don't use it nearly as regularly as the bottle recommends. It's difficult to tell what the right amount is for your tank; it takes experience and intuition. I used to just dump a cap or two in whenever I thought about it. I'm trying to get a bit more scientific. I've started testing my Iodine levels. I've found that my iodine does get depleted rather rapidly after water-changes (with new Id-enriched salt). The rate is different than my Calcium or Magnesium levels, as is to be expected. By using Iodine as in indicator for vitamins in general, I'm trying to nail down just how much of this stuff I should be using. But I definitely recommend using it for healthy corals and sessile inverts!

There's nothing like dosing your aquarium with bright blue liquid that reminds you of windshield wiper cleaner. Coral-vite claims to be a product that provides the trace elements to your tank that coral really need to display their best colors, grow, and maintain good health. It does, but it doesn't do it better than other products and in the long run requires more work than alternatives that provide results just as good and in some cases better.

Using a block of Formula 28 (not listed on Amazon but in nearly every aquarium store in the States) will provide all the base nutrients in Coral-vite and it dissolves as needed in the tank. Simply drop in a block of the white chalk like substance and watch it fizz like an alkaseltzer in the water, slowly disappearing over the next week depending on your tanks specific needs. This is a huge boon; unlike Coral-vite which is a liquid dose, you can't overdo it with Formula 28.

Target feeding your coral with a little Liquid Life Cyclop-eeze Whole Freeze-Dried and a phytoplankton dose (such as those made by Kent Marine) with some meaty bits of your coral: oyster eggs, krill, et cetera will provide even better results than Coral-vite in regard to color and growth rate.

While this isn't a bad product, there are much better when it comes to making sure your coral have all their trace nutrients and minerals and it won't provide better growth. In the end it's not going to destroy your tank, and it comes with very helpful directions on the back of the container that we should all be familiar with in handling the life in our aquarium. I would suggest this for a cheap trick, but it won't serve your longterm needs and can actually be very worrying for a person new to saltwater reefkeeping, it's much easier to use too much and if you don't have the right tests you may not know whether you're actually hurting or helping your tank chemistry.

Buy Kent Marine Coral-Vite Now

tried it with caution, but after 2 weeks (dose/week) my coralline algae exploded, in growth and color. very impressed. zoas and palys also exploded in growth and improved color as well. impressive!

Read Best Reviews of Kent Marine Coral-Vite Here

Hydor H2Show Magic World Background with Application Gel for Aquariums 31.5"x15.75"

I got this for my son's 15 gallon tank. The gel worked like a charm. Made the background pop. My son was extremely happy with it. It looked like Hogwarts, and he loved the Harry Potter series. I put in a dragon decor for one side, with some gnarly looking live plants behind it to simulate the Forbidden Forest from the book. And I added boats on the other side and some actual castle decors and a hut for Hagrid's Hut. He LOVES his fish tank. :)

It was definitely easy to put on and it looks fantastic. I used black rocks for the base and placed a couple of small castles to complete the look.

Buy Hydor H2Show Magic World Background with Application Gel for Aquariums 31.5"x15.75" Now

I am a big fan of Harry Potter and this backdrop caught my eye because it looked Harry Potterish. The size was perfect for my 39 gallon tank. It is very effective with the gel holding it to the tank. I think it is an awesome product!!!

Read Best Reviews of Hydor H2Show Magic World Background with Application Gel for Aquariums 31.5"x15.75" Here

As a BIG Harry Potter fan I had to get this.

I wasn't so sure about how to apply the gel and I wish there had been some instructions but I just looked it up on youtube and it was easy enough to follow.

The background says it fits up to a 29 gallon tank, I have it on a 50 gallon and it fits great with only an inch and a half uncovered on each side which is no big deal as that's where my heater is on one side and filter is on the other.

The gel definitely makes a difference! The image is very vibrant!

I'd definitely get another background from here!

Want Hydor H2Show Magic World Background with Application Gel for Aquariums 31.5"x15.75" Discount?

This product has awesome detials. The picture is of very high quality and looks very good, I would recommend this product.

Elite Optima Pump w/Rheostat

I bought this pump to replace my tetra whisper 40. The tank is in my bedroom so I'm trying to make it as quiet as possible. This pump, as it turns out, is much louder than the tetra. I like that you can control the output but I found out the more output the louder it gets. I was able to make a cover for the tetra to help buffer the sound. I don't think I could do the same for this it's pretty big. Also the power cord is really really short which is a big problem if you want to place this pump more then 2 feet from the power outlet.

Save 28% Off