Showing posts with label cold water fish tank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cold water fish tank. Show all posts

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Fluval 3 Plus Carbon Pads, 4-Pack

Fluval 3 Plus Carbon Pads, 4-PackThese carbon filters help keep the water clean along with the other media filters. I have used them for years with the others and have had really good results. I'd recommend these to others. Easy to use with good results.

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Sunday, October 5, 2014

API Goldfish Natural Aquarium Cleaner, 4-Ounce

API Goldfish Natural Aquarium Cleaner, 4-OunceI bought this to help in keeping my aquarium clean a little longer. It claims it breaks down the waste. It didn't appear to do much good for me. I've owned gold fish most of my life so I would be able to recognize if this product was breaking down the waste as it claimed. I saw no difference.

This works OK for your fish tanks. I don't use it all of the time I use it occasionally. I just just it just something extra for my goldfish

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EHEIM Ecco Pro Easy 60 External Canister Filter Up to 60 US Gallons

EHEIM Ecco Pro Easy 60 External Canister Filter Up to 60 US GallonsI have owned this filter for a couple years now and it works brilliantly, it always quickly gets the water crystal clear after I have muddied up the water from cleaning the aquarium, it is very easy to use and clean except for the biological media bouncing all over the place like bacteria infused Kix cereal and the priming feature is brilliant. Also this thing is in the open in my bedroom and I can't hear a thing as long as I put a pad under it so it doesn't vibrate against floor. The only complaint I have is the water pressure dropping over the years. When I first bought it, the ecco 2234 would put so much pressure into the tank it turned it into a river with the current, the fish used to go swim in the current like salmon. Unfortunately no amount of cleaning and scrubbing and replacing filters gets the pressure and water circulation back to what it was when I first bought it. I had purchased this for a tank that is half the size the filter is rated for so the filter does absolutely fine even with the weak pressure. I would recommend this filter, however make sure you buy one that is rated for a much larger tank.

I own all three versions of the ECCO Pro series, and they are all terrible quality. The handles are cheap plastic and easily break. I've replaced the cheap plastic piece that holds the handle several times. Worse, the motors lasted about a day longer than the warranty. It's been a total of 2 years, and I have ONE functioning ECCO Pro filter...and that's because I've used spare parts from all the broken ones. Eheim is a good brand, but this model was Eheim's attempt at the "entry level" market. Fail. There's a reason most stores don't carry this garbage model anymore. Get the Eheim Classic. Proven design, long history. Avoid this one.

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Ehem makes the best aquarium pumps. But that is not saying much, many of the others are not good at all. This one is easy to prime and has quick disconnects but if air does get inside the pump can over heat and burn up.. Had to send mine in the warranty replacement and it takes WEEKS at least. (Eheim needs a a service center here in the US, for US customers)

It is still the best, just could be better.

Read Best Reviews of EHEIM Ecco Pro Easy 60 External Canister Filter Up to 60 US Gallons Here

i looove this filter. i upgraded my 20 gallon to a 40b so my hob aquaclear filter wasnt going to cut it. i have a pleco like that loves to poop and poop and poop. you know the drill. so i went to look for a good canister filter. in the end i decided to go with a fluval since the reviews are almost always great for them. i went to petco to pick one up and while waiting for them to get the one for a 80 gallon i was walking around and noticed they had this one on sale for on $70. eheim is a very reliable brand so i said what the hey. ill try it out. well ive had it for 3 months now and it is super awesome. i only cleaned it once and it was very easy to clean. it comes with all the media. my tank is crystal clear and my fish are happy. also, the filter is sooo quiet. sometimes i think its not working because i cant hear any noise coming from it. so i put im hand by the output hose to check and i can feel the water flowing. i didnt buy it from amazon but decided to put a review up anyway since there isnt to much info on this product. even though amazon sells it for more its totally worth it. i would definitely by it again. btw, the filter media is a little difficult to come by but the fx5 filter media fits if you just trim it a little (blue sponge and water polisher).

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I have had this filter for two years now. It works like new, my water is clear like the day I changed it. The filter is very quiet, easy to clean, and you can create your own combination of filtration layers. I would reccomend it to anyone who wants a good quality filter for a relatively low price. And the best part about it... it's virtually maintenance free since you only need to clean it once every 3 months. I love it!

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Saturday, September 27, 2014

Exotic Environments Column Ruins Aquarium Ornament, 6-Inch by 6-Inch by 6-Inch

Exotic Environments Column Ruins Aquarium Ornament, 6-Inch by 6-Inch by 6-Inchgreat decoration in my fish tank, it is a little smaller than i expected for the price. would I buy again? yes. would i pay as much as I did? no.

I have this in a freshwater 35 gallon tank and the fish seem to love it. Make sure the bottom is well placed, I had an otto die when it got stuck in the holes on the bottom.

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Monday, September 15, 2014

KONG Cozie Ali the Alligator Medium Dog Toy, Green

KONG Cozie Ali the Alligator Medium Dog Toy, Greenmy terrier kills squeakers in minutes and this one still squeaks -he likes it and plays with it often. seems tougher than many toys at similar cost...will buy another if this one continues to hold up.

I bought this toy for my 35 lb corgi/ black lab mix, because it had a 5 star rating. I did not last 1 day. I am just glad that it was not very expensive.

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My dog typically can do some damage to her toys...5 weeks later and it is still intact. Pretty good toy for our tough chewer.

Read Best Reviews of KONG Cozie Ali the Alligator Medium Dog Toy, Green Here

Didn't hold up to my dogs teeth but he is a chewer and very tough on toys. Lasted about a week but he still has the rag he carries around without stuffing squeaker.

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I bought this gator for my 30 pound jaws of steel 2 year old dog and he loves it! I bought it back in July and it still squeeks and so far has held up well to the ravages of his teeth. Shaking pulling throwing chewing and everything else it has only gotten a few holes. I just sew them up and give it back. It his favorite and goes everywhere with him. I also bought the elephant it is holding up well too.

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Friday, September 5, 2014

Fluval Flora Aquatic Plant Kit, 7.9-gallon

Fluval Flora Aquatic Plant Kit, 7.9-gallonDangling the promise of being able cultivate beautiful aquarium plants with an all in one system, The Fluval Flora is designed to attract many buyers but fails to deliver on almost all of its key components.

The best thing about the fluval flora is the aquarium itself. Made with quality glass, the aquarium is attractive, comes with a pad and can be placed on most desktop environments easily and attractively. I would have prererred a pure cube shape, allowing for more depth in the aquascape design but overall the aquarium itself is fine.

Everything else is a false economy. The 13 watt lamp that comes with the system is in itself, fine. However a lamp providing less than less than 2 watts a gallon limits your choice of plants to a much greater degree than the included care guide suggests.

The mini pressurized CO2 system is also fine as a stand alone product but does a low wattage system like the Fluval Floral really need a CO2 system when the lighting component can only accomodate low light plants that photosynthesize at such a slow rate as to normally do better without CO2?

Hagen needs to upgrade the lighting or just elimanate the CO2 feature to make sense here. I suspect the market research shows that aquarists are eager to get into CO2, but are wary of pressurized systems that seem somewhat dangerous to the average user. Hagen capitalizes on this desire but doesn't deliver a lighting system of sufficient intensity to make the CO2 make sense.

The other issue I have is with the substrate. Stratum is a quality substrate but the system comes with a 4 lb bag and it should come with twice that amount.

To my mind the worst component of this entire box is the internal filter which has the dubious distinction of not only being a craptastic filter but adds insult to injury by taking up a considerable amount of real estate on the aquarium floor giving the effect of seven foot sectional couch in a studio apratment.

What Hagen could have done and could still do [-before judgement day is upon us ] is design a system friendly version of their incredible, peerless, stupendous, best of its kind AQUACLEAR filter specifically designed for this kit. Aquaclear already has the virtue of creating very little surface disturbance anyway, certainly not as much as that ridiculous "spray bar"

Anyway, I don't like the filter.

In short for this system to do what it promises, the aquarist would need to buy AT MINIMUM an additional lamp and an additional bag of substrate. Not to mention being willing to learn about balancing water parameters that are inherently much less stable with a high tech system. In other words high tech components, like intense lighting and CO2, not properly managed can throw an initially lovely aquarium into a dismal algae ridden mess quicker than you can say "Fluval Flora"

The tank itself is truly nice with rounded corners and clear glass. The aquarium kit is perfect for any desk or person who is looking for a planted aquarium. There are some debate as to whether this tank can sustain plants but the lighting system while can be improved, is still good enough for lower light plants. The substrate is alittle fine for my taste but is a good start for growing roots. The CO2 system is again something to be improved but still effective for this application. Im really impressed on how the aquarium kit is but it does have some flaws.

My aquarium arrived damaged on arrival. I believe Amazon or whoever ships this product needs to step up their game. Im not the only one who has received this tank and the glass is broken. The kit has alot of promise if it was shipped correctly.

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This is a great tank for people new to planted tanks or those who want something different.The light is perfect for growing med to low light plants.Filter works great its a little big for the tank but your plants will hide it.The substrate is good i mixed it with Floramax for more planting depth.Co2 system is also good .This is a good buy for a planted tank setup.

Read Best Reviews of Fluval Flora Aquatic Plant Kit, 7.9-gallon Here

I will be the first to admit that I was very uneasy with all the bad reviews this was getting on Amazon and off..but I've been 100% satisfied so far with everything except the Co2 unit included (as I've yet to try it out yet). If this works at all, it will be an added bonus in my opinion, as the rest of the kit is well worth the price I payed. The item arrived in perfect condition, not a scratch on the tank, not a piece of broken glass, nothing! Trust me, after reading the other reviews on here I was just holding my breath that everything arrived intact and would work. Well I'm happy to report that everything works just fine...filter works(albeit it a tad noisy at times but it could be just a matter of readjusting it), light works perfectly, and setup is a breeze. My only complaint is that in order to attach the cheesylooking, styrofoam background to the back of the tank, they apply some type of aquarium safe adhesive to the glass. This background piece comes loosely attached, but I just to remove it as I wanted the extra space. The aquarium adhesive is an annoyance to remove, but comes off relatively easily (I used an algae scraper blade, along with warm water and got it clean in no time). The plant stratum included works great too, it makes it super easy to plant stem plants especially. Not sure if the 4.4 ounces bag is really enough to make a deep substrate bed, so I would suggest purchasing one additional 4.4 ounce bag as I did afterward (I've only added half of the second bag). Also, at the suggestion of reviewers off of Amazon I purchased a second Fluval mini compact lamp. If you really are trying to stick to a budget though, I'm sure you could get by just fine with what's included in the kit, but I always tend to go the extra mile to ensure better success. A nice bonus is the cool pair of aquatic tongs they give you as I've already put them to use and they really do come in handy! Hope this review helps those of you who may be on the fence, and to serve as a positive counterbalance to the terrible reviews a couple of shall we say, unhappy Amazon customers? lol A final bottom line recap: excellent buy for the price, you will not be disappointed with this purchase if everything arrives in great condition as they did with my product. Only drawback is the background piece that comes loosely attached to the back of the tank (this can be easily addressed in accordance to one's own aesthetic preference, see above for more detail).

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Just as advertised, does a great job! Highly recommended! Fluval is a great company, and I would buy this product again! Thank you!

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Saturday, August 16, 2014

Standard Upgraded Cup Tunze 9002

Standard Upgraded Cup Tunze 9002I have to clean this thing almost every day. It probably means i'm over feeding but its crazy amazing how much gunk this thing skims with my fuze 9002

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Wednesday, July 2, 2014

F.M. Brown's Tropical Carnival Fruit and Nut Cockatiel Conure and Lovebird Pet Treat, 8-Ounce

F.M. Brown's Tropical Carnival Fruit and Nut Cockatiel Conure and Lovebird Pet Treat, 8-OunceFlip the bird seems to enjoy the mix, usually picks the dried apples first. Looks appealing and has us good scent.

My meyers parrot loves this stuff. I have a few other birds among my many, that enjoy this great treat food. I definitely recommend giving it a try with your small-medium to medium sized birds!

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Monday, June 16, 2014

Como Purple Green 8.3" Landscaping Water Plant Decoration for Aquarium Fish Tank

Como Purple Green 8.3' Landscaping Water Plant Decoration for Aquarium Fish TankI think the plant is very pretty and the base of it is nice and heavy. I believe it would be a nice addition to my aquarium if I wasn't searching for something taller. This is 7 in. at most. It is not a huge difference but I was already wishing it was a bit taller than 8.3 to begin with so was disappointed when it was even shorter than described. If you aren't concerned about height I would recommend it, as it is attractive. You may also want to note that the purple petals are quite hard. If you are concerned about any delicate fish rubbing on it you may want to reconsider this one.

I had misgivings about this one...i thought it was going to be too loud...it's not. it's really pretty for what it is...had to modify this one for the betta too.

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The Good: these are pretty, and the purple petals are attached to wire, which allows you to bend those stems to suit your taste.

The Bad: those wire stems are dangerously badly finished. Sharp wire ends protrude amongst the purple petals -clearly just bare wire snipped off and left bare. I bought four of these plants and they're all the same.

The Ugly: I don't even want to think about my fish swimming around a bunch of metal spikes. Do you?

Read Best Reviews of Como Purple Green 8.3" Landscaping Water Plant Decoration for Aquarium Fish Tank Here

Aside from the glue aspect of this pieceit looks great in my tank!! My fish like it too! Yahh!

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Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Seachem Ammonia Alert

Seachem Ammonia AlertMany people have had problems with this product. I sure didn't! It's important to note that this product can read 0ppm Ammonia, even while a salicylate test kit reflects plenty of ammonia. "Total ammonia" measures ammonium and "free" ammonia. The former isn't so bad, the latter is. More on this below, if you're really interested.

When my kids came home from a school carnival with 6 goldfish, I figured we'd wing it. A few days later we lost our first fish. Another few days, and another fish lost, and I bought the Seachem based on positive reviews I read elsewhere. At the same time, I had the water tested at Petsmart. The petsmart test said ammonia was high, and after letting the Seachem adjust overnight, it agreed. A few partial water changes later, and the level was dropping, but still not zero. I ordered an API test kit, and it reflected just what the seachem did. Finally, I got some filter media from a friend's tank, and the nitrifying bacteria got going properly. Ammonia dropped to zero, and the seachem reflected this too!

I had no luck with the "quick start" and other products that allegedly contain live bacteria. Only the filter media seemed successful in seeding the tank with the good bacteria.

All in all, the Seachem functioned perfectly, and it really helped as a visual indicator and daily reminder that things were not going well in the tank. I'm now quite confident that the seachem will indicate if ammonia levels rise again.

Now for the nitty-gritty: I believe so-called "ammonia remover" products bind ammonia into ammonium. While I tried these, I never saw a substantial drop in ammonia from it. My thinking is that these products attempt to reduce ammonia, but the problem is that ammonium breaks into ammonia at higher pH, and higher temperature. I'm not sure if there's anything you can do about that. I've read on the Internet that the salicylate test does not reflect "total ammonia" (a term that refers to ammonium + ammonia), but it really does both according to the API instructions and by looking at the chemistry, the test creates conditions to convert all ammonium to ammonia. It measure the total. The seachem measures purely free ammonia according to their site.

I used the ammonia alert to cycle my new aquarium (29g planted) with raw ammonia. Ten drops was enough to get it to show green(alert). Once I started getting nitrites, I cut it back to five daily drops. The indicator would go from green to yellow in approx. eight hours. Once the aquarium cycled, it has stayed yellow despite gradual addition of fish population. This has been verified by numerous ammonia tests by my fish store whenever I bought more fish. One caveat on use: Be sure to remove the plastic strip on the back before putting in the water. It would be easy to overlook.

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First off, remove the plastic covering the sensor disk! I saw one of these in a friend's aquarium where they hadn't done that so they assumed the "safe" readings they were getting meant their tank was doing great.. not so! I guess they figured it looked so simple they didn't need to read the instructions first, but that's a fairly obvious thing to overlook!

Second, this is the exact same sensor material used in Seachem MultiTest Ammonia Test Kit. That test only tests for harmful free ammonia (NH3), but to be honest the test is a bit of a pain with having to time the test.. I never liked pulling it out, having to deal with the tiny little disks in the container, and waiting 15 or 30 minutes for the results.. but this alert is already ready to read (the color scale is not the same however, because of the longer "exposure" time).

Third, kits like the API Ammonia Test Kit measure TOTAL ammonia (NH3 and NH4). If you have chloramines in your water you WILL have tend to have false positive readings because of the ammonium formed when you use dechlorinator on your water (such as Seachem Prime. It doesn't mean you water is dangerous, it simply means that the chloramine has been converted into ammonium, and the API test can't tell the difference. I've had my tap water test as high as 2ppm for "ammonia" with the API test right after a water change the Seachem test would show 0. The doesn't mean the Seachem test is wrong or inaccurate, it's just more specific just like this alert disk.

Because of the issue with chloramines in my tap water cycling a new tank is a frustrating experience trying to use the API kit. I would constantly see positive "ammonia" readings while I could see my nitrites had spiked and had gone to 0 and I was seeing increasing amounts of nitrates, but using these disks simplifies the process. A partial WC can be done as the disk starts to turn blue in a fish-in cycle (or if you are dosing ammonia for a fishless cycle, you can add ammonia a little at a time until the disk turns dark blue), and the effect can be seen quickly as the disk changes color from blue to green (or even almost yellow). I think it's one of the best products available when you can't rely on the total ammonia readings from the API kit.

Read Best Reviews of Seachem Ammonia Alert Here

I bought one of these for both of my freshwater aquariums. I had been checking ammonia levels almost daily with API liquid test kits. Now I only check ammonia if I get a slight drop in pH level. A drop in pH can cause the good bacteria to die causing ammonia to rise. My Seachem Ammonia Alerts seem to be working, but I haven't had an ammonia reading above 0 in about a year now so, I can't say for sure (if you keep pH stable, your ammonia level is more likely to stay at zero).... I have been using the Alert in my 75 gallon for about a month, and just bought one for my 20 gallon. Try the Ammonia Alert, but do not abandon traditional test kits. The liquid kits are far more reliable than the strips.

Judy in Lima, OH

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I had a similar experience as E. A. Bujak "bbujak". I saw this in stores and found it cheaper on Amazon through one of their sellers. I checked the chemical levels before putting doing a regular water change and putting in the Ammonia Alert sensor, everything was where it normally is before doing a change (slightly elevated PH nitrites, nitrates, and ammonia). The next day I checked the levels again, and they were where they normally are after a regular water change. A week went by and the Ammonia Alert never changed color, so I did my regular change and didn't test, thinking everything was OK. Another week goes by and I notice my tank critters starting to act odd, and one fish missing the tips of it's fins. I checked the levels and there were high nitrites, nitrates and ammonia-but the sensor had never changed color to warn me, at all. The sensor came out immediately and I did daily water changes until all the chemical levels went back to where they should be, and gradually increased the time between changes back to weekly changes as the levels stayed where they should be. I tested the sensor by holding it over an open bottle of ammonia, as per the instruction on the package, and there was zero change. Neither Seachem or the seller or Amazon would stand behind this product that put my fish in danger.

The only thing I trust to leave in my tank and give me accurate real-time readings is the thermometer.

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

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Thursday, February 6, 2014

Fluval FX5 Fine Filter Water Polishing Pad - 3-Pack

Fluval FX5 Fine Filter Water Polishing Pad - 3-PackI like these much better than the blue ones. They are much thicker, I only had to use 2 of the 3 to fit in one section of the FX5 buckets.

Threw these on my top rack along with some carbon. Works amazing in my 150 gal Tank.

Racks:

Bottom: Bio Rings + 3 Fine Filter Pads

Middle: Bio Rings + 3 Fine Filter Pads

Top: 3 Bags of Carbon + 3 Fine Filter Water Polishing Pads

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They sell blue ones that are better,,,,these slow the filter down then stop flow...not really worth it...u just want to set up media and not have to open canister theses hinder that process...

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I am looking forward to using these in my canister filter. My FX5 is a awesome filter and I could not get them locally.

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excellent service to them are very responsible recommend shipments arrive just in time and some prior to recommend them 100%

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Petco Brooklyn 29 Gallon Metal Tank Stand

Petco Brooklyn 29 Gallon Metal Tank StandNo problems whatsoever easy to set up (it does require assembly, but really simple to do) lightweight but strong (it's welded, hollow steel.) I prefer this over pressboard stuff and wasn't about to spend a couple of hundred on a solid wood piece. Fits my 20L tank perfectly.

I was skeptical about the steadiness of this with a tank full of water, but it has been perfect and has stood up to my stupid cat smashing into the tank face first... several times. Leveling feet are a great feature, as I have hardwood floors in an old house. Feels a little wobbly with nothing on top, but have faith. The weight of the tank helps square it up.

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I am a college student but love keeping fish, and so had to get a tank set up in my apartment. After a long search for a stylish but affordable stand, I settled for this and the results have been great so far. Fits my 20 gallon long tank perfectly and looks good to boot. The metal construction is more sleek and modern than traditional wood stands (and stronger, at least I hope). Only real gripe is that there is no storage beneath but that is a minor complaint for what is otherwise an excellent stand. The leveling feet are very useful for eliminating wobble. Highly recommended!

Read Best Reviews of Petco Brooklyn 29 Gallon Metal Tank Stand Here

This is a nice stand. Simple and minimalist. Very sturdy. Perfect for my aquarium. Would definitely recommend it. Price isn't bad either

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Always here in a matter of days! I love shopping with Petco online its super fast. I recommend it if you need something fast.

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Friday, January 31, 2014

Panacea 70033 River Rock, Black, 2 Pounds

Panacea 70033 River Rock, Black, 2 PoundsThese are small rocks just like the pic shows. The rocks come in a wide range of sizes/shapes too from 1" up to 2"

I got two of these river rock bags to place in a large glass hurricane together with a candle. They work perfectly. While there were a few bigger rocks in both bags (approx. 2.5" to 3"), the majority are around 1.5", give or take. All of the rocks were intact, none broken. Their polish is nice and natural looking, not overly shiny.

Good product that I would buy again.

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I purchased about 40 bags of these stones and they work perfectly for my backyard. I have a small yard (less than 100 square feet), and needed some river rocks to line my yard, but didn't want to pay for the rocks at bulk price. These rocks worked perfectly, especially since they come in a variety of sizes.

Read Best Reviews of Panacea 70033 River Rock, Black, 2 Pounds Here

This isn't a bad price for 2 pounds of rock, the only real problem i have is the size of the rocks are very inconsistent, some are large and some are very small in comparison. Not a bad buy I would buy them again.

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This product was a bit disappointing. It came with half of the rocks broken in half or worse. The rocks were smaller and not as smooth as pictured in the item's description.

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Catalina Aquarium CA 4000 Aqua Pump / Powerhead 1300 GPH

Catalina Aquarium CA 4000 Aqua Pump / Powerhead 1300 GPHGot the job done for my diy wet/dry trickle filter/sump powerful flow, works great have been running it for months and it works great!

Pump works great and is not noisy at all if you use the rubber suction cup "feet" and keep away from the side of the sump. HOWEVER, right now I have a ton of microbubbles...not sure why, i will be trying a few things to remedy that issue. I will update this review based on how it turns out

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I purchased this pump to in hopes that it would be quieter than the one I had already, plus I needed a bit more power. This pump delivered the power as advertised but it is very noisy. I wrote to the company and got a prompt reply. They tried hard to help me and sent me a new impeller to try. The new impeller didn't fix the problem. I switched to a pump made by Lifegard called "Quiet One."

Read Best Reviews of Catalina Aquarium CA 4000 Aqua Pump / Powerhead 1300 GPH Here

Been running this pump for a year and a half without stopping.

I only stop the pump when I do a water change for about 30 minutes then I start up the pump again.

No problems so far.

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If your looking for a pump that will be pumping the water upwards meaning max head for a sump system go to the pumps website first wether it be this brand or another and check first because you could save some money if your attaching a hose that will need to go 4ft straight up to the aquarium. This pump that says 1300 gph or say the Catalina 2200, 3000 or 6000 which say different gph, some more, some less but if you need to pump water 4 ft straight up to your aquarium these end up pumping pretty close to the same amount of water.

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Saturday, January 4, 2014

EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser

EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food DispenserI had tried some of the other auto feeders on the market that rotate constantly on a single AA battery clock mechanism. None of them worked for me.

I purchased this after a friend of mine had the same one on his tank for over 1.5 years. It has also worked beautifully for me too. The digital display is easy to set if you follow the instruction sheet.

I also like the fact that it has a manual feed button, so I can provide a feeding whenever I want to without disrupting the preset times.

I spent a lot of money on the cheaper units and after getting frustrated every time, I finally bought this one and couldn't be happier.

I own 3 Eheim Everyday Fish Feeders. They are also called air feeders due to a fan used to feed air into the food containter when it activates, to help keep the food fresh. I run a home aquaponics system and so have various tanks to raise fingerlings before they go into my aquaponics tanks. This feeder is the only unit I use for these indoor tanks, though I use a professional US made super-feed feeder in my outdoor grow tank.

I highly recommend the Eheim brand and this particular feeder. I will comment on why I recommend this and then some special handling items.

First, as I mentioned I have three of these units. Two are run 24/7. These units are reliable, last between 1-2 weeks for feeding capacity (different sized fish supplied by each one), and built very well. The built well comes from the fact that one unit has fallen into the tank twice. Immediate recovery, turn off, then air drying of the internals was sufficient for the unit to operate as good as new. I have used these units for 8 months now without problem. They do come with a sticky backed velcro mount so that they are not prone to fall into the tank. I use those on the one that likes the water.

I have had problems with only one unit after about 20 days of first operation where it lost its programming, and upon replacing the batteries it operated for a few days and completely died. This occurred with use out of box, it was not dropped into the water :-) and it was used as recommended. I emailed Eheim, and was advised to return it to their factory or an authorized service center. I returned it to Eheim's Montreal office with a copy of the email and they sent a fixed unit back about 4 weeks later. So, this is why I also recommend the brand. Nothing is perfect, and when I got one lemon out of three -they fixed it.

On using these units:

* you must calibrate the feeder so that on an average run it feeds the amount you want -that is, weigh or measure the amount fed after 10 consecutive runs and then determine what the average is for each feed -it is a simple mechanical feed mechanism -this is why it is reliable -so it is not exact. Your fish are not exact either, they can eat a bit less sometimes.

* once you know how much to open the feeder, mark it with a permanent marker -you need to close it to refill, so this way you will know where to open it back to

* you can run the feeder up to 4 different times a day, and each time can have an optional second feed a minute after the first

* I grow tilapia, so I feed my fish only what they will completely eat in 2 minutes

* the unit is heavy on the side towards the water when it is full -when doing tank maintenance, remove it so it out of the way (obvious, but I did drop one unit twice)

* if your unit goes for a swim: take it out immediately, remove and discard the batteries, keep the battery door off and gently blow dry the unit. Dispose of wet food and clean out the food compartment. Once you are certain everything is DRY, then put fresh batteries in and reprogram the unit.

* when using the unit for the first time, allow a week (before you go on vacation) to ensure it is operating fine and feeding the way and amount you want -don't just set it up the night before you leave -this way you will see how long your feed lasts also

* the feeder does dispense less when it nears empty -but again, fish adapt

* I only use the unit with pellet food one feeder has a mix of 1/8" and 3/16" pellets, the second feeder has fingerling powder

Good luck!

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I use all eheim brand equipments for my fish tank because they are the best. So it was a no brainer to get an eheim feeder. However this thing is a complete disaster for small food/pellets used to feed little fish such as neon tetra etc.. The feeding sliding door is VERY cheap and badly design, it's loose and doesnt allow fine control. So you either dumps no food because the opening is too small or dump a tons of food messing up the water params.

Even worse when I went on vacation i set the feeding door to a small size just to be safe since too much food will cause a mini cycle + ammonia spike, which is far worse than feeding lesser amount to the fish for a few days. But when i came back my tank is completely full of food, the cheap sliding door of this feeder gradually opened up on its own while in operation. Luckily I have a very heavily planted tank with a lot of fast grower stem plants that are able to absorb the excess nutrients, so a complete disaster was avoided.

The sad part is the feed itself looks to be reliable and solid, just eheim decided to skimp on the most important part of the feed the sliding door that controls the feeding amount.

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Works as advertised except there's a major problem......I use pelletized food and feed 12 pellets three times daily, the design of this feeder does not drop the same amount of food each time it cycles. Once adjusted, it can drop anywhere from 4-15 pellets per feeding. You have an opening, which you adjust to allow a certain amount of food to be dispense each cycle, but pellets can jam in the opening. If i open it further, way too many pellets come out. The only solution I came up with was to run it for three days into a pie plate until I averaged the proper number of pellets on a daily basis. I would really not recommend it for pelletized food.

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This is the best automatic aquarium feeder. Over the years I have owned many for multiple aquariums. I have used the feeder with flakes, pellets and both depending on my needs. I have never had any problems with clogging or food sticking.

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Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Penn Plax Curved Corner Glass Aquarium Kit, 10-Gallon

Penn Plax Curved Corner Glass Aquarium Kit, 10-GallonI like the wrap around feature of the glass which will create a better visual effect. I thought the filter was a little small and have purchased a different filter that hangs on the side. The included filter should be ok for most people though. Our first shipped tank had a scratch in the glass but Penn Plax replaced the entire kit. So I would not be hesitant to recommend their products to anyone.

I bought this tank for the seamless front as it's very modern in appearance. I love the glass tank itself and the internal filter seems quiet and capable but there are a few things I'd like to point out. The led light included is far too weak for anything other than simulated moonlight so you'll need to upgrade to a clip-on that will fit a rimless tank. I had an extra Fluval mini power 13W compact which works much better. The final thing I should mention is the lid is only a thin piece of plastic attached to hinges.

Pros: Aesthetic appearance, powerful internal filter with optional aeration, and a protective mat.

Cons: Weak lighting and flimsy hood. Basically you're paying for a pretty tank and internal filter, unless you're raising nocturnal species.

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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Laguna 5 Way Test Strips, 50 Tests

Laguna 5 Way Test Strips, 50 Testsgood price works good it would have bin 5 stars but the date is out on the package not sure that that really maters much i use test strips like bathroom paper i find these to be very accurate and a good price

Received product as promised. However, i ordered 8 bottles and they were ALL past the expiration date by a month and a half. Very disappointing!!!

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Thursday, September 19, 2013

Aquarium Fish Tank Protein Skimmer Filter with Power Head Pump

Aquarium Fish Tank Protein Skimmer Filter with Power Head PumpThis skimmer will work a little but it will take you awhile to get it right. It is difficult to adjust properly to get it to actually skim and not just fill the collection cup with water. Also it is a "In Tank" skimmer and it takes up a lot of space. I had it running in a 55 gallon tank and it looked terrible. If you are planning on getting a skimmer please, for your and you tanks sake buy the best protein skimmer you can afford, preferably a hang on back (HOB) skimmer. That will save you precious tank space and will look a whole lot better. If you need something quick this will do, but it doesn't work very well and its an eyesore in the tank.

I purchased this product dispite the reviews already posted and I have to say there were right this product is not an effective protein not at the least but the only thing you will get is an headache from the product and the company not responding back for a return which the will not return and a very good pump planning on using the put in my sump it moves around 500 or do gallons but again don't buy

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It was a little larger than expected upon arrival, but I have been able to make it work on my tank. The provided literature regarding installation and use was pretty dismal. Overall a good product.

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Didn't work, had missing parts which the company replaced. BUT, AGAIN IT DOESNT DO WHat its suppossd to do. Had to buy another more expensive one.

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I have never used a skimmer and really bought this for the pump for backup. Pump really only works in skimmer but I tried it and what do you know! I now love skimmers.

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Como Aquarium Fish Tank 2 Pcs Non-return Plastic Air Pump Clear Check Valves

Como Aquarium Fish Tank 2 Pcs Non-return Plastic Air Pump Clear Check ValvesTHIS IS A ESSENTIAL IF YOUR AIR PUMP IS LOWER THAN YOUR TANK...EASY TO ATTACH..JUST FOLLOW THE ARROW OR BLOW THRU EACH SIDE TO SEE WHICH END THE AIR IS COMING OUT OF...I USE IT WIT A 5/16 AIR HOSE...NO PROBLEMS HERE

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Kyjen Dog Games Ball-in-Ball

Kyjen Dog Games Ball-in-BallMy Morkie had this ball for exactly 5 minutes and tore the rubber! I am very disappointed because the concept is exactly what she needs!!

I've had this toy for a couple of days and my dogs (Labrador retrievers) absolutely love it! They haven't figured out how to get the tennis ball out yet, but they are having a lot of fun trying. I keep it out of reach when they aren't supervised just to keep it entertaining for them when they do get to play with it. It seems pretty sturdy to me and they haven't chewed off any of the rubber yet. I suppose they could chew pieces off if they really tried but the rubber is decently thick.

This is my second Kyjen dog toy. I bought the Cagey Cube Dog Puzzle a couple of weeks ago, which they also love! However, it doesn't seem to be as challenging for them as this one (Ball in Ball).

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My dog absolutely loves balls. Her favorite thing is to pounce on them and bat them around with her paws, so this seemed like a great idea.

She absolutely loved it. She pounched on it, she carried it, etc. It was a great toy until it tore while she was carrying it. She's an 8 month old Doberman, and this ball is bigger than her head so I was pretty surprised that it tore so easily.

The problem is that the outer ball is a kind of thin rubber and it doesn't hold its shape very well (at least, the one I received didn't).

Two stars because it's a great toy concept, but the outer ball needs to be made out of a sturdier material. I'd pay extra if it were, but I can't justify getting a replacement that's just going to tear.

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The toy seems pretty durable which is a big winner for me because usually the toys that I buy for my dogs don't last quite long. The toy itself has a tennis ball inside which I really like you don't have to buy two separate toys. I also love the fact that it has a ball inside and they can try to entertain themselves. So awesome.

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Cool product with a great concept. My dogs love it. The material on the outside is well made and perfect for chewing. After fetching the tennis ball the dogs are excited to try to get it out of being hidden in another ball. Got dirty real quick but very easy to wash.

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