Showing posts with label exotic fish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exotic fish. Show all posts

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Spongebob 10-Piece Aquarium Decorative Set

Spongebob 10-Piece Aquarium Decorative SetFast shipping, great quality item, fantastic price and good communication :-) Would definately recommend to anyone to use this site and these products. They are perfect! We got all characters and houses to recreate Bikini Bottom in our daughters tank for xmas. She was thrilled and very happy!

what else can you say about this set other than "SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS". if your kid (or you) is a fan of the cartoon, than this set is going to be a great addition to your aquarium. only thing is gary is a little large (compare to the other guys). great item, great value

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Squidwards house is about 8 inches tall. The crabby patty is about 4 iches tall, and the characters are around 2.5 inches. these are not actuall measurements, but it would be nice if the actual ones were in the product description. We have them in half of a 55 gal tank which these are still noticable from a distance, but they would work best I think in a 10-20 gal tank. However this doesn't impact the rating. I knew what I was buying from other reveiws, and my son chose to put it in our bigger tank instead of a little one. I like the weight and feel of the product, and the only real flaw or fault with the product is Sandy's face is hard to see through her hemet. For the price these things are great. Seeing as you can spend $50 or more on a decoration for your tank, and for less then that you get a whole set.

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Saw these at another store and had to have them. Not even for an aquarium. I just love Spongebob and have them set up on a smsll table. They are great!!

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Sunday, October 19, 2014

Aqueon Flex LED Aquarium Bubble Wand, 21-Inch, White

Aqueon Flex LED Aquarium Bubble Wand, 21-Inch, WhiteThe product came in the estimated range and was what we wanted. It produces just enough bubbles and was pretty easy to install.

I like the look of the LED lights, and the bubble wall, but I had a fish die already from this, as it got caught between the wand and the glass back of the tank. (My wand is suction cup'ed to the back wall.) The other fish seem to not have issue with it, so maybe it was the stupid fish of the group, maybe it was just hiding, i dunno.

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This item looks amazing in my tank. I love it! I have a 120 gallon tank, and like it so much, I ordered 2 more to go along the whole backside of my tank! I have had so many compliments on it!!

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I bought this and was thrilled. the lights looked wonderful woven around my plants and ornaments. I never could get even bubble flow. there was always too many at the hook up and not enough at the end. but I was willing to overlook that because the lights alone were great. jump to less than a month after installation, I plug it in, and the lights flicker and die. I checked the connections and all is well. I finally get frustrated and remove the whole thing to find every light burnt out with reddish, what I assume to be rust, seeping out from them. I am much less than thrilled with this product now.

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Over the past 40 years of keeping fish I've learned that for myself one of the greatest joys is of aquascaping. For years I had fish tanks that looked like well, fish tanks. Those dreadful backgrounds of other fish tanks, artificial plants and so on.

But like any hobby as long as the interest is there things tend to evolve and change. That said I've found one of the most inexpensive and creative way to make subtle to dramatic changes to most any tank is by using up lighting as the old saying goes "lighting is everything"

When Marineland came out with their LED wands I had them in many tanks in different numbers and colors, mostly the Lunar blue and white. The wands were just ok as they have a tendency to release and float to the top and the LED bulbs are quite dim. Enter the ViaAqua wands these were much better. They're weighted and have stronger suction cups so they stay put, the LED bulbs are brighter but the air tube is rather weak and thin and like the Marineland they clog easy.

When I came across these bendable LED air wands by Aqueon I could just imagine the possibilities, circles, half circles, quarter moon. Building multi layered air columns and so on. My hunch was right and these wands are sensational.

The build quality is the best yet so far the main tube is stronger so you can feel free to bend these into virtually any shape you like. The outflow is generous and creates a wall of bubbles in an even beautiful flow.

The main housing is a pliable rubber and each LED is incredibly bright, in fact a little too bright. It's easy too adjust this by adding a lamp dimmer if you want a nice range of adjustment to the brightness. I would say this applies really only to the white as the Lunar blue has a much more softer hue and is closer to a true Lunar blue as you would find with over head LED lighting systems that offer this feature.

Bending these around your tank decor adds tons of visual appeal as well as great extra oxygen via the increased aeration one of the best things you can do for your fish.

I'm running a bunch of these in different sized tanks from 55's to 125 and up and find them to be a wonderful addition to every single one of them. I think any hobbyist will love these.

5 Fins Up!

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Saturday, September 13, 2014

Aquatic Creations Artificial Live Rock 3 Aquarium Ornament

Aquatic Creations Artificial Live Rock 3 Aquarium OrnamentIts a really good natural ornament for any fish tank. I put it In one of my South American Biotope tanks and the fish in there love it! Also, you can put an airstone under the sand under the ornament at the effects are stunning! One of the features of this item is that when put under a UV "black" light, it has some interesting highlights. I have had more than one for several years and the colors have not faded atall, as some are prone to do.

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Thursday, September 4, 2014

Ecoxotic EcoPico Desktop Fish Aquarium, 5 galllon

Ecoxotic EcoPico Desktop Fish Aquarium, 5 galllonI was looking for a 5 gallon tank for my Betta that was stuck in a .8 gallon and getting fin rot due to my lack of education. Once I learned they needed at least a 5 gallon and filtered tank my search was on. I looked everywhere for the perfect tank, one that would be stylish but also meet all my needs. I decided to spend the extra money and purchase the EcoPico and am so glad I did. It is such a simple design and system that it took no time to put together. Given the wattage the LEDs put out I decided to try my luck (first timer) with live plants because I had also read that artificial plants can tear your fishes fins. My plants are growing great, I have even had to prune one of them back twice because it is growing so well. I have had my tank for almost two months now and my water test great every time. The filter is so quiet if I didn't see plants moving I wouldn't even know it was on. My only concern had been the turbulence of the water from the filter on my Betta. Since he wasn't used to swimming much he was getting thrown around a bit. I called the company and they suggested I lower the filter in the water and that has helped completely. He is now doing great and loves his new home. My only complaint I have is there is no on/off switch for the LEDs, so you have to just plug and unplug to turn on and off. Two fixes for this are a plug in switch or a plug in timer, I prefer the switch because I like to have the tank lit late sometimes when I am in the room but for someone with a steady schedule the timer would be the best thing.

**Update: I have now had my Ecopico for over a year now and my plants still look great. I am not very good with fish so I have lost a few in the beginning but I am improving. However, I want to comment on Ecoxotic. They are a great company to work with. Twice now I have had problems with my led, once was my fault when I plugged my laptop charger into the transformer and fried the leds. I even told them what I did and they still sent me a replacement free of charge.

I love the look of the tank and I'm even getting another one soon. I ordered from ecoxotic though. Anyway, the light it comes with is bluish...i upgraded the lights but i still don't like the lighting, so I put my ecoxotic module on top of that . Looks a little ghetto. I love the design, but in all reality, so much for just a glass tank...pricey. I guess what you can do is get another arm light and up the LEDs on it. I also replaced the filter (filter sucks) with a fluval mini internal filter. I still love the tank, I just wish i could order it without the blue light and the filter.... :/.

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I had been looking at aquariums for a while but couldn't decide which to get. A friend of mine gave me the EcoPico for a birthday present. BEST GIFT EVER! I set everything up, a nice cave, some gravel, 4 guppies and a pleco. About two months later, everything died. This may have been negligence on my part, after all I had no idea what I was doing, didn't realize I had to cycle my tank first, and I never looked inside the filter. Anyway, when cleaning up the casualties, I realized the filter was composed of a simple sponge! All mechanical. No chemical filtration was provided. I went out and bought some pantyhose, added some carbon, and some biomax...set everything up again (like 3 months later...I couldn't bare everything dying again so soon after)and the tank has been doing wonderfully since! The second time around, I still didn't know about cycling the tank but everything worked out anyway...I think I got lucky with my combination of plants and brackish water fish. Anyway, I give this tank 4 stars simply because a 5 star tank should provide everything you need for a healthy environment. Other than that though, this tank is amazing! Oh, and the filter may be small but it provides some very powerful pumping action! The lights bring out the colors of my fish (black gravel helps too) and I can never get enough of them! I can wake up and stare at the aquarium for hours without realizing. It's got a sleek design and looks very modern. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I have youtube videos as well...just look up the ecopico. Key words include knight goby and neon blue dwarf gourami.

Read Best Reviews of Ecoxotic EcoPico Desktop Fish Aquarium, 5 galllon Here

I did not purchase this tank from Amazon, but from another private seller here in Chicago.

I wanted the cool looking small tank for one of my Betta males.

I already own 6.6 gallon Fluval Chi and wanted to keep the "theme" here.

The tank houses only 1 Betta male, few live plants and one Marimo Moss ball.

I LOVE the tank. There's nothing better looking than a glass aquarium.

The LED light is a great touch and a big help, if you want to have live plants. It does not produce any heat, so it's safe to leave it on for many hours.

The tank does come with a LID!

The only thing I had to fiddle with was the filter. It's a powerful little fella and it caused a bit of turmoil for my Betta guy. It took me few days of adjusting the media inside and to cover few intake holes to lower the current to minimum. The filter originally operates only with a sponge media inside, so I upgraded to one of those ACUREL pads they come in various types there's one with Carbon, then Ammonia reducer, Algae reducer, Nitrate control, etc. These pads are higher density, so they reduce the flow of the water inside the filter, plus Carbon adds the power to the filtration process.

I also wanted to keep the sleek look of the tank, so I put the black foil on the back side of the tank, so now the filter and my 50W heater are practically invisible behind the plants.

I uploaded some pictures of the tank and the filter.

The maintenance is extremely easy compared to my previous 95 gallon reef tank (or all my other tanks for that matter).

I have a bit of OCD, so I siphon out at least 25% of the water every 5-6 days, vacuum the poop from the gravel, wipe the water level marks, squeeze the Marimo moss ball, preen the plants and check the little cave for a slime build up (there's almost none). This all takes me only about 15 minutes since the tank is only 5 gallons. Then I put the pretreated fresh water in, check the water quality and that's it.

For the people, who don't want to spend even 15 minutes cleaning the tanks, here's my recommendation please do NOT buy ANY fish (+ tank). Fish are the living creatures and they DO NEED the continuous care.

I agree the cool nano tank or globe aquarium with few fishies looks great as a decoration, but so does the nice vase or a sculpture, that will be just fine without any maintenance.

To all reviewers saying the filter is good for nothing and that they had the problem with fish dying please note, that this is a 5 gallon NANO tank, so it's not really meant to house the whole schools of fish.

I don't know, what is wrong with all these people reviewing the tanks saying "The tank killed my fish. I did nothing wrong....it was the tank!"...and then you read they have at least 10-15 fish, frogs, etc inside.

The overstocked tank (even the well established one) will hold for a while, but it will eventually crash and develop some bacterial infection, or some other illness leading to the death of the inhabitants.

If you want to have gazillion fish, decorations and plants, please purchase 20 and up gallon tank instead.

These 3,4,5,6 gallon tanks are great, but there's a limited amount of fish you can put in there. Even the small fishies usually need the wider tanks, because of their swimming habits and mainly because they do the best in schools of 4 and more, so once again it will lead to overstocking the tank...

I also feel bad for all goldfish living in the small tanks, swimming frantically in never ending circles like these little insane creatures...

I used to have 95 gallon reef tank and needed to downsize after 8 years, so I aimed for a COOL & ELEGANT looking tank, that could be a part of my house décor. I did not really want the large "riverbed' of fish.

This tank is perfect for Betta (once you adjust the flow), also for those, who want to make these cool looking nano aquascapes and also for tiny reef nano with few shrimps.

The main point of my review is this Ecopico is a GREAT looking hip tank. I'm the second owner and so far there was no leak, no filter problems.

The only thing is, that I had to replace the LED strip after few months, but that's ok since I'm the second owner and the tank is few years old. LEDs are great and last for a long time, but not forever, especially if you like to have the light on the whole day.

I did not purchase the original replacement Ecopico LED strip though. I bought this flexible waterproof LED strip on ebay for $5 and hubby installed it to the original ecopico arm. It works just fine and it's even stronger, that the original one.

My advise to all beginners there is nothing wrong with most of the tanks. Please do not be discouraged by some reviews blaming the tanks for poisoning and such stuff. Unless the tank really has leaking issues or a history of a defective filtration, it should be just fine.

Also please do not expect the more expensive tanks to do the job by themselves you will still need to do your own adjustments and maintenance + RESEARCH. I can only suggest to do a really deep research to decide on what fish you would like to have in your tank beforehand and THEN to buy a tank. Please do not buy the tank first and overstock it later it will eventually lead to a catastrophy and a heartbreak.

Good luck to everyone :-)....and sorry for sounding harsh. I had no intention to attack others, just wanted to clear the waters for those, who are deciding on a purchase of the tank.

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Monday, August 11, 2014

API Proper PH 8.2, 200-Gram

API Proper PH 8.2, 200-GramMy pH was a scootch low so I add this product to my marine set up, lights off to avoid swings, it worked great!! Couldn't be happier!

I have Oscars and ciclids. They ran out at the store of this product and I got the liquid one, it was terrible. This is the *best* PH 8.2 product out there. You can mix the powder on your own terms, with the desired concentration. I just ordered 2 bottles at Amazon since I don't want to go to the pet store and find out they ran out!!!!

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I have cichlids and I use a couple scoops of this when after I perform a partial water change. It keeps the water ph where it needs to be (higher than most tropical aquariums) and my fish are healthy.

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first of all the picture shows ph 7.5 so i was shaky about buying it because i need 8.2 but i did anyways because thats what the listing said it was and i did recieve ph 8.2 so don't worry about the picture it is ph8.2. anyways the delivery was standard and the product is ok i added it to my tank and not even 3 days later my ph was already dropping and when i purchased the product i was under the assumption that it would raise and "HOLD" my ph but did far from that! so bottom line i wouldn't buy again,it would cost a fortune to add this to my tank every three days

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

Hatch n Feeder - Brine Shrimp Hatchery

Hatch n Feeder - Brine Shrimp HatcheryOverall I really like the Hatch 'N Feeder. It works as advertised in that brine shrimp are hatching and my Swordtail fry love them. As others mentioned, the fry wait at the hatchery exit. When using 4 "small" spoonfuls from the included measuring stick, the fry hatch in 8 hours and seem to last for about 36 hours before there are little to no shrimp left in the hatchery.

My main complaint is the directions. They reference "hatchery" and "egg chamber" but do not define either. Moreover, the directions on the package differ from the directions found in the hatchery, which differ from the directions on the website . There is a section at the top that has a removable divider. The directions are unclear if you are supposed to remove this divider before adding eggs and/or salt. I have had success with adding eggs with the divider in place, then moving it when adding salt. I have also been successful when adding salt with the divider in place. Moreover, I don't know when you are supposed to turn off the air flow to the hatchery. The directions do not cover this. It seems there may be shrimp being pushed around the portion of the hatchery being moved by the air, but they just seem to flow in a circle without entering the section that allows them to exit into the aquarium. Some guidance on this point would be nice. I guess I should not complain because I am getting brine shrimp, but I would like clearer directions designed to maximize the hatching rate.

Another complaint is in how the unit attaches to the aquarium. Water level is key for the unit to work, yet the hatchery is not secure. The suction cup is fine, but the arms that extend from the cup do not tightly grasp the unit, which means it can easily move and even tip if you are not careful when working inside the tank. It might be best if you can place the unit in a corner so it will be less likely to wobble and/or tip.

The only other comment is that I have no idea what % of the eggs are actually hatching. I have seen a lot of shrimp swimming in the hatchery, but there are also a lot of shells (some of which stay at the bottom, and some stay at the top where you initially pour them into the water). I guess it is just something with which I will have to live.

If anyone has any suggestions or comments, they would be greatly appreciated.

I can definitely recommend this product, but you may have to use it a few times to get the hang of it. I bought aquarium salt from PetSmart and these eggs . If you have baby fish to feed, this product is a good investment.

5/22/11 Update: I added additional eggs without cleaning the unit and they hatched without issue (I also added a bit more salt as I figured some of the salt water probably flowed out of the unit). I did, however, clean the unit after the second set of eggs as it was getting a little messy inside the unit.

I've just started raising bettas, and up til now, I've only been feeding with microworms because I was a little intimidated by how much upkeep baby brine shrimp need. And what a pain it is to harvest them. But, ha ha ha ha, it is so very simple now. I was surprised to see the BBS eggs hatch within seventeen hours and willingly swim out of their protective hatchery into the mouths of my greedy betta warriors. However, I am having an issue with the hatchery. You really have to make sure that the water is actually at the water level labeled on the hatchery. It's making changing the water a bit more challenging, because if the water level drops or rises too much, salt water flows out of the hatchery. Ah well. I'd say it's worth it.

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I haven't bought this product from this person, but I did buy the exact same thing somewhere else. This is amazing. For you bettas breeder you know you gotta keep the tank really clean for the babies. Well, thing does all the work does for you. all you do is add salt and eggs. It just sit in the frys' tank and the saltwater never MIXES. and the eggs that hatch will not float into the tank. the shrimp just swim out and feed the baby bettas non stop around the clock. and you wont even have to add my more eggs to it for days. i just added more after 2 days so i have a fresh brine shrimp for sure! Best product for easier way to feed BABIES.

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I placed this hatchery in a 75 gallon tank containing spotted puffers. I read the poor reviews of this product and specifically looked for the complaints listed here. I found none of them to be accurate. The suction cup is quite strong when placed properly in the tank. I also have a brackish water condition so I have little concern for water mixing. However, if used properly will be very effective in keeping water separate. You will need an air pump for this to function well. If your pump is too strong, purchase an air flow restrictor for very little cost compared to a new pump. my shrimp hatched within 24 hours and began to exit the hatchery within 48 hours. The instructions were clear and easy to follow for someone with experience in aquariums and their care. Very enjoyable and functional product. I can now give my fish a live treat with less cost and no concern of transfering disease or parasites. One tip if you have a fresh water tank and do not want any salt water leakage, do not remove air tubing while still in the tank. Remove the entire unit quickly and into a waiting bucket for cleaning. Handling this unit full while inside the tank can cause some spillage. For salt water and brackish tanks, this is of little concern. However, if you use the same care in removal, no shrimp eggs shells will spill into the tank. Great product for the money!

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It works just as advertised. The only thing I dislike is how the shrimp swim out. My fish constantly wait at the fish guard gobbling them up. I wish they would have a more constant escape, but it's like in bursts. It should feed them several times a day like it says, but I wish they came out constantly in like a streamline of small quantities instead of just a few large bursts. Also, a lot of dead shells end up in the collection chamber. You also have to leave the air on at all times because if you don't, the shrimp won't get put into the right area to get out, they will try to swim up at the top near the light where they can't get out. So overall, it works as advertised, just with a few little problems. If I had to do it over though, I would just get a cup and do it that way. But it does come with a dropper which is nice.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals BettaFix Remedy 1.7 oz

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals BettaFix Remedy 1.7 ozBettafix is a nice little remedy to keep for your bettas. It has dosing instructions for the small bowls commonly sold for betta housing (though I wouldn't recommend them.) It's not as powerful as Melafix, but the up-side to this is that it's harder for the fish to overdose on. I wouldn't recommend relying solely on this medication to treat fish illness, but use it as a supplement if you have a seriously ill fish who needs a little extra medicine.

As a proud owner of multiple betta fish for over a year, I've learned a lot of hard lessons in taking care and owning these fish. One of those hard-learned lessons I'd like to share to betta owners everywhere by writing this review and hoping my experience will save you and your pet pals from unnecessary suffering and money-spending.

I know I did not buy it from Amazon (I could have), but I bought this very same BettaFix Remedy at one of the big-box pet stores (because I was so worried that I thought I needed this remedy immediately). So, please hear me out.

If you're a beginner fish hobbyist or new owner of betta fish (like I was), it's understandable to become alarmed when your pets display tell-tale disease symptoms. PLEASE DON'T WORRY because I've got a solution for ya. Experienced betta fish owners will tell you that there are always significant side effects to your fish when you use pharmaceuticals like BettaFix. I did not know this when I applied BettaFix to two of my bettas who were experiencing fin rotting.

For a week, I was applying the medication HALF of the recommended dosage. I observed that every time I applied BettaFix, my bettas almost immediately became lethargic, sank to the bottom of tanks, and just breathed. They were hungover (for lack of better words) because of the medication side effects. I got suspicious and researched about it online and found out that many mild diseases such as fin rotting can be CURED AS EASY AS CHANGING THE AQUARIUM WATER MORE OFTEN. So, I stopped using BettaFix. Thinking that after a week of using BettaFix with no results but only suffering on my pets, I started changing their aquarium water twice as often, and a week later... Voila! they were completely healed.

Now I'm happy that my bettas are disease-free, but memories of those hard times are reminded every time I watched Lucky (he is one of my bettas who experienced BettaFix). Before BettaFix, he would swim to all corners of his tank and flare at his neighbors like he's ready to fight to death. After BettaFix, Lucky is noticeably less active and aggressive as he once was. Lucky also experienced color change after BettaFix. He used to have a green and black body with cellophane fins. Now he's just green and black. I'm pretty sure that Lucky's pigmentation was somehow changed when he was experiencing BettaFix's side effects.

BettaFix is known as a less strong medication for betta for frayed or torn fins, slimy patches, or fin rotting, comparing to MelaFix for example. So, you have less chances to overdose your pets. But, trying a natural remedy with no side effects is even better.

Don't use an atomic bomb to kill a fly. Try to provide your bettas with cleaner water first and save money. If that doesn't work, then buy one of these medications.

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My lovely betta, Pugs, for no reason we can determine, suddenly came down with a severe case of "pop eye." His tank was clean, the water kept fresh. What could we do?

I sought out a "cure" and bought BettaFix with (frankly) little hope that it could help. Three days following the recommended regimen and he is almost completely his old self. The "pop eye" largely gone, and he is again active with a healthy appetite.

This particular malady is not even mentioned in the literature but there it is. Five stars!

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I bought this because my betta was very pale and inactive. I used it as directed and within a day he was looking much better and more active. This is the first time I have used something that worked to cure an ailing fish. I continued to used as directed for the time it said and after the week my betta was as good a new. This product is all natural too so that is a plus. I would highly recommend it at the first sign of trouble. Great product!

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Helped heal my Betta's fins to the point they were growing back beautiful and straight. The bottle is small, it only has enough in it for two sessions of fin rot. That could be because I have a 2 gallon tank, and most stores seem to expect people to house their Bettas in three cups of water...

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Marina Betta Kit, Large

Marina Betta Kit Contemporary Theme, LargeI just bought this betta kit. I realized after I got my betta that all of the plastic sides are reflective. He sees a perfect reflection of himself and becomes angry and agitated, as male bettas do when they see another betta. I think this was a poor design as he is continuously trying to scare off his reflection and seems very agitated. I will be buying a new container for him tomorrow. I am not impressed.

Well, I've heard success stories about bettas in small tanks, but after my last two I have to say... get a bigger tank. Treat the fish like an actual pet and get it what it deserves. I feel bad because I've had two fish die and now I realize why. I changed the water every week and fed them the best food. The problem is that bettas in bigger tanks have less ammonia and nitrites to deal with. A small betta in a small tank seems to do okay because they are hardy fish, but just wait. The first fish... ugh, I can't talk about what happened, it was gross. So I went all out for the second one. Bought the pre-conditioned Betta water, got a different tank because I wasn't sure the whatever it was that killed the last betta was completely dead, and picked out a young, healthy veil tail betta. It lived for eight months and died. Meanwhile, my boyfriend bought a betta THE SAME DAY, FROM THE SAME STORE that I got my first betta only he did not get this tank, he got a 3 gallon kritter keeper and a heater and some decor. He spent more than I did that day, but his fish is still alive.

If they just made these tanks 2.5-5 gallons they'd be great! If they installed heaters in them they'd be perfect... but really people, just use this tank when you're changing the water in your real tank. Amazon has a great 5-gallon by aqueon. It even has a filter. Just baffle the filter and put a pre-filter sponge on it, add a heater and you'll be good to go. That's what I've done now. I god some black sand, large river rocks, an amazon sword, java moss, and some drift wood... my tank looks beautiful and my new betta LOVES it. I only have to change 20% of the water since I cycled the tank, and I have a ghost shrimp to help keep the sand clean AND some neon tetras with the betta. It's much more peaceful, but if you want decor, try a 3-gal vase with crystal rocks and some bamboo or a plant. As for heat, they are tropical fish and do best in warm water, but if you keep your house warm, then you should be fine without a heater.

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No complaints here...great design. I use this for about 5 shrimp and some java fern. It's been 2 months and they seem to be flourishing...

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Got it for under $5 bucks from Amazon Warehouse deals and still had to return it because it was cracked. This tank is very flimsy and and very tiny. To call this tank 'Large' is a joke. Looks good, but no room for a filter, air stone etc. and no lid or light. For the $11 original price you can buy a 'real' 10 gallon glass aquarium. Do I need to say more? Check the dimensions and forget about this 'tank'.

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This won't even hold a full gallon of water! It's much too small for a fish as big as a betta--the fish's fins would rot very quickly and doesn't give the fish room to exercise it's swim muscles. It'd have to be cleaned every single day just to keep the water clean. Yes, it's pretty to look at for the humans but it's not good for the fish living inside it. You might be able to keep a smail or a couple very small shrimp in here, but no fish.

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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Marina Goldfish Kit - UL Purple - X-Large

Marina Goldfish Kit - UL Purple - X-LargeThe tank itself is fine, I didn't really care for the strange shape, but it's a sturdy acrylic tank. The "filter" however, is crap. You will need to buy a real filter that takes filter bags, otherwise you will be cleaning the whole tank out every week.

It was perfect size for my betta, a sucker and two small corry cats. But the weekly fuss over cleaning the damn thing out was terrible. If you buy a GOOD pump with a proper filter, it is a goon starter tank for 4 small fish.

Let me start with a positive comment. This is the perfect tank FOR A BETTA. Or maybe a couple of very, very small fish that will stay that way.

If you plan on buying this for your goldfish, FORGET IT. Save yourself a lot of anxiety and money and BUY A BIGGER TANK. I know this looks like the perfect size for that little 1" goldie you won at the fair, but it is a far cry from what you will need.

*** For your goldfish: You need a tank that holds at least 20 gallons (yes, that says TWENTY) -NOT THIS PIECE OF CRAP. ***

My reasons?

The goldfish might be small when you buy it at the pet store but will grow up to 6" and this is a MINIMUM. Some varieties may grow beyond a foot! This tank will not allow for healthy growth and development BECAUSE IT IS WAY TOO SMALL.

Goldfish are dirty. And by dirty, I mean they poop constantly. This means YOU have to clean up after them. And the smaller the tank, the more often you will need to clean it.

"Filtration" is total crap. Almost nonexistent. I think it just pumps a lot of bubbles into the water. Your goldfish will not be getting enough oxygen. Also raises the water temperature.

Hood traps in too much heat. Because of its small volume, this tank will have drastic changes in temperature which is not good for your goldfish.

Here is my story:

Boyfriend surprised me with a beautiful black moor and a HAGEN Marina Goldfish starter kit -exactly like this one. He purchased both from Superpetz. Neither of us had any knowledge of goldfish but the person who sold him the fish should have. The seller did not tell him that the tank is WRONG WRONG WRONG for a goldfish, which he/she should have known. I did not know this until a couple of days later (after the store had already gone out of business... no surprise there) when I started reading up on my new pet. I noticed that the water was getting murky within a couple of days so I did a 50% water change. Not even two days later, I came home and my fish was frantically swimming in a circle, up toward the surface and down toward the bottom, running itself into the side of the tank, over and over again. It looked like he was trying to push himself out of the tank. Odd, I thought. So I read up on some reasons. "TOO SMALL!" The restrictive size leads to a lot of health issues because of dirtiness. Swim bladder, fin rot, even ICH. I ruled it down to toxic shock. The fish was creating too much ammonia in too small of a space. Unfortunately for me, I cannot afford to buy/have the capacity for a larger tank at the moment. But I am not about to flush my fishie down the toilet, either. So I continue to do a 50% water change AT LEAST every other day (which stresses the fish) and an entire tank cleaning weekly (which stresses the fish AND myself). I hope that my fish makes it through the next week until I am able to get him into a suitable living environment, but the odds do not look good.

I am very upset at the Superpetz employee who was more concerned with making a final sale than offering a better aquarium. But I am downright angry that the HAGEN company would even manufacture this product and falsely advertise it as "a goldfish starter kit." I guess "starter" means "good for about a day and then buy yourself a better tank." Again, it is a good tank for a BETTA, but should be advertised as such. The box shows the tank holding a goldfish but it cannot possibly survive in there for long. FALSE ADVERTISEMENT.

~*~*~ If you plan on purchasing this tank for any kind of goldfish, avoid. Buy a 20 gallon aquarium. It will run you a little more, but it's the type you should have from the beginning anyway. Do not make the mistake that we made (not being educated about the goldfish, etc). I do not mean to slander the HAGEN company but this concerns the health and well-being of a living thing, and this particular product is not conducive to healthy living. Just getting the word out. Be aware. ~*~*~

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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals RENA FilStar xP3 Canister Filter

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals RENA FilStar xP3 Canister FilterI have been running a Rena XP3 canister filter on my 90 gallon freshwater aquarium for a few weeks now. My initial comment is that this is the easiest cannister filter to prime that I have ever owned. Having done the suck-the-hose-and-spit routine, and the restart-repeatedly routine with other filters, this filter is a joy. It's virtually self-priming. With the filter UNplugged, you simply remove the little cap from the top of the intake tube which you have placed on the upper rim of your aquarium, and pour a cup of water into it via the funnel that is provided, and the filter does the rest. The filter fills with water from the tank in 1 to 2 minutes; you then plug it in, and you're in business. Once I had the hoses connected and the filter's easy-disconnect valve closed, it took me less than 2 minutes to be fully functional.

The only issue here and this is crucial is that you MUST NOT FORCE the intake/output disconnect valve lever down into a locked position; i.e., you must be certain that it's seated on the top of the filter correctly, and then GENTLY PUSH the lever down. If you feel resistance, you don't have it seated correctly. Just wiggle it into position, and gently push the lever down. It locks into place and you are ready to self-prime it as described above. I am sure that there are some people out there who have impatiently tried to force the connect-disconnect lever into a locked position, and thereby damaged the lever and/or housing. Ordinary prudent gentleness is required here.

The interior of the cannister is extremely flexible as to the placement of media. There are several stacking trays inside that you can fill with any media that your heart desires. Rena has a broad array of sponges with different filtration densities and media pouches to choose from, and you can add more (OR DIFFERENT) media as you so choose. The media pouches are typically outrageously priced in LFS stores, but quite affordable through Amazon and online aquarium suppliers.

In addition to two grades of sponges and 3 other media that came with the filter, I added a wad of the same biological filtration ribbon that I use in my koi pond bio filters, placed into one of the empty trays (clean and unused media) to lend more support for development of nitrifying bacteria.

There is no media-water bypass with this filter because of it's central upward flow design. Crystal clear water is the result. Nitrite cycling jump started at two weeks with one of the packaged non-refrig bio product has gone off without a hitch. After doing a basic gravel clean with the python, the somewhat clouded water cleared of sediment to crystal clear within 20 minutes in my 90 gallon tank.

And is this filter as silent as they claim? Absolutely silent. I find myself looking to see if the plants are waving in a current, just to make sure the thing is still running. Just amazing. No overheating either.

As to customer service .... I had a very good experience. I had thought from reading Rena's website that there should have been a venturi included with the canister. So I emailed them after-hours, asking "where is the venturi", and gave them my phone number. Early the next morning, I got a call from the technical support folks, telling me that the venturi had been fazed out a few years ago because they felt it didn't add much to the effectiveness of the filter, and that no, I wasn't missing anything. Very prompt, courteous and professional communication. [But, Rena, if you are reading this, please update your website diagrams to reflect the absence of a venturi on current models. I think this is more than just a static page caching issue.]

I would highly recommend this Rena Filstar XP3 to potential buyers.

I have been running an XP3 & XP2 continuously for several years now with no problems. I admit, in this time I have had no need to contact customer service as I have had no problems. I run them with quartz sphere biological media, chemi-pure and or puri-gem, and the sponges that come with the filter.

What I like about them.

Quiet.

High flow rate.

Good volume of media capacity.

Flexibility potential for media used.

Easy to clean.

Flexible water return setup options once you are to the tank

Issues I wish were better.

Morer flexible hose as part of the package would ease set up. What they give you is fine and heavy duty, but its stiffness make is difficult to set up and puts a twist warp on the direction/position of the intake siphon tube and on return mechanisms at the tank. The stiff hose should be replaced and quality stainless steel band screw clamp to secure tubes to fittings allowing more flexible setup and changes to the set up. Once you set up with the current hose supplied with the kit you will have great difficulty getting it apart to change your setup.

The siphon tube sections don't hold together well sometimes and are easily knocked apart when doing water changes and tank cleaning for example. A snugger joining of pieces would be nice. I also don't like the light blue color of the siphon tube. I wish it were clear.

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Rena/Mars Fishcare is the worst company I have ever dealt with. The customer service is a joke. If you can get someone to answer the phone or return your messages all they will do is make you jump through hoops until you are so frustrated you just give up. The whole time your fish suffer. I purchased an XP filter and it quit working after 2 weeks. You're better off spending your money on ANY OTHER FILTER.

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I have no idea why this filter is so expensive except to guess that the US dollar is low. This unit does have it's fans but I will tell you that the unit is full of liabilities. LEAKS is the achilles heal of any filter and completely unacceptable. The inlet and outlet to the pump is only sealed by two small o-rings. The quick detach unit is not so secure that slight pull by the tubing can cause leaks. Even worse, if there is any outlet load whatsoever, the unit will leak. Forget trying to hook a uv sterilizer or CO2 chamber to the outflow--I would not trust the unit not to leak. Also, the leak is not immediately noticeable. It will leak into the top pump unit and then start to trickle out hours later. I keep mine in a plastic bin because I have had multiple episodes of leaks. MULTIPLE!!!

Another area of problem has to do with cheapness also. The impeller cover has small plastic ridges that hold it in place. Unfortunately the tolerances of cheap plastic is not so good that the cover has popped off, which creates a lot of noise and limits the output of the unit dramatically. Of course, warranty is only as good as the provider. I called Rena/API and was promised a replacement cover. None was received.

No filter canister is perfect but I will take the simplicity of a Eheim Classic 2217 over the XP3 any day.

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Sunday, April 27, 2014

JBJ Nano Cube RL Rimless Biotope Aquarium - 30 Gallon

JBJ Nano Cube RL Rimless Biotope Aquarium - 30 GallonTank was well put together, however 1 of the pumps I received was defective and VERY loud. Also the glass top included with the tank was broken on arrival.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

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

Nature Aquarium Polished Glass Gravel - Red Glass Gravel 8 oz. SmallVery pretty I was originally looking for bright yellow aquarium rocks but with all the neg. review I decided on these and I am very pleased. About the size of a BB smooth lil golden glass jewels they actually look more elegant than I thought they would. My Ciclet is drk. blue, blk, and his fins are yellows so I purchased the yellow(actually gold in color) and red in the small polished glass gravel. Because another reviewer was talking about not receiving much in the large size,the red look like lil rubies and Garnet in the water really make the aquarium and fish POP. again I'm very please with the result and fast shipping to.

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Sunday, February 16, 2014

KONG Squeezz Ball with Handle for Dogs, Large, Colors Vary

KONG Squeezz Ball with Handle for Dogs, Large, Colors VaryI have three dogs, a husky and two lab mixes, so finding a toy that can last more than a day against their playing is a challenge. This one held up pretty good to the three dogs playing tug against themselves.

This toy was easy for my dog to bite through, but was fun while it lasted. I would recommend if you have a more gentle dog.

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My dog destroyed this toy in record time. If your dog is a chewer, this toy is not for them.

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I have two boxers, 4.2 yr old female and 7 month old male. This toy was dismantled within two days. That was not the problem -the ball has two smaller inner pieces melded together which make up the 'squeek'. When torn apart these two smaller rubber pieces can be lodged in the dog's throat which is a safety hazard. As soon as I realized my boxers each were chewing on these small rubber pieces, I immediately retrieved and trashed them. It was a surprise to me being a huge fan of KONG toys, still having some intact after four years.

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One of my dogs is obsessed with this toy. He wants to tug and play fetch with it 24/7. I got it a week ago, and he hasn't stopped playing with it since. He has tons of toys, and hasn't touched another one since he got this one. My other dog likes the toy decently, but not really more than his other toys. It seems to be good quality. No damage to the toy, yet, and no bite marks in the rubber. I really like all these Kong Squeezz dogs (I also have some animal shaped ones and a stick) and they all are really great toys.

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Saturday, February 15, 2014

AquaClear 20 Foam

AquaClear 20 FoamThese must do some good since every time I take it out, it is full of goop. I can usually do a rinse out for one time but the next time I replace it. I like buying the three pack since it is less expensive and more convenient to have a couple extra on hand when I'm doing a water change. This single pack doesn't seem worth it since the three pack runs about $5.

I like the Aqua Clear filter overall and think that for a smaller filter, they've done a good job in creating the best environment for keeping your fish healthy and your tank clean.

Not enough info!!!

For the price I expected more than a single foam filter per box. When a box or package is offered, please state what in contains in pcs or parts

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replacement media for a good filter i would buy another and probably will in a few months. can also be used as a prefilter by cutting a hole in the sponge.

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My fish tank is clean and no longer smells bad. It is also clearer. This 3 filter system is the best.

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these are ok for a smaller filter it works but really doesnt fit my filter for my 20 gallon tank but i am making them work.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Marina Betta Kit Plastic Plant, Ludwigia

Marina Betta Kit Plastic Plant, LudwigiaThese plants fell apart a day after I put them I my fish tank. They look great but sorry they didn't work for me.

I like that you can suction cup it to the side of the tank. My betta enjoys swimming and occasionally hiding around the plant.

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Sunday, October 13, 2013

Ceramic Reef Plugs

Ceramic Reef PlugsGood plugs they hold my frags well. I would stick to the ceramic ones, acrylic ones suck and they really show the glue if you can get anything to stick.

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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Kent Marine AKMAD1400 Aquadose Drip for Aquarium, 1400ml

Kent Marine AKMAD1400 Aquadose Drip for Aquarium, 1400mlWhile the device pictured is the larger volume system (5 gal vs 1400 ml), the tubing included and the tubing described in the instructions for the 1400 ml set-up are not the same. The critical difference in the included tubing and the instructions has to do with the drip counter and adapter. The drip counter and adapter is not included in the included tubing even though the instructions show it.

The model that is pictured is the 2.5 gallon size which has a larger flat bottom and the drip system mounts from on side. The one that was delivered was the 1400ml(as described) but had a totally different shape than pictured and drip system came out of bottom. Beware! look up the type on the internet and get exact details from kent marine first, then decide if this fits your space/mounting needs.

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Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Clearflo Kit

Laguna ClearFlo 1400 Kit - Includes PT1502 Pressure-Flo Filter & PT342 Max-Flo PumpFirst impression was that I have bought a quality unit. I especially like the tool-less quick fittings. Simple, secure, and leak free. Filter seems heavily constructed. Pump flows a decent amount of water for being so small. My Kill-O-Watt meter says it is pulling 42 watts and will cost me approximately $3.10 a month.

3 days after install and water is crystal clear. No green tint at all.

This unit replaced a homemade skippy filter and a hand-me-down submersible pump that kept the water clean but somewhat cloudy and green. Old pump pulled 380 watts (cost approximately $31.00 to operate every month), so the Laguna setup will pay for itself quickly.

Overall I'm very satisfied with my purchase. Time will tell about the quality of this system but right now I would recommend this system to a friend.

I don't usually review my purchases but due to the lack of reviews on this product I thought I would share my thoughts. Hope this helps someone else.

I have had this setup running for about two years now. I have had to replace the impeller in the pump once. Cheap and easy fix. Everything still works like new and water is staying Chrystal clear. I thought I would have to change the UV light by now, but it is still doing its job.

This is my first pressurized filter. In the past I have used only my skimmer and bio-fall but have had too deal with green water in the past. I must say my pond looks pretty good this summer attribute this to new filter.

Cleaning bars are worthless pump doesn't have enough power to efficiently back flush the system and clean the pads. I have foregone trying back flush and have gone to manual cleaning of filter pads on a weekly basis. Takes about 15 minutes to clean the five filter pads which after a week are completely clogged so I know the system is doing its job of filtering out the algea and other stuff in my pond.

System was easy to install.

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I fought with many other pump and filter systems before going with this Pump and Filter Combo. My water was instantly crystal clear and to top it off, this thing has to be the easiet equipment ever to clean. Its well worth the investment even if you arent frustrated with your current set up like I was. I was ready to fill my pond back in and give my fish away.

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At first this filter seemed great. The pond cleared up and it was easy to clean. However, in less than one month, the foam filters shrank so much that the the scaper bars didn't even touch the foam filters. Customer service said that should not happen and sent me a new set of filters. The second set of filters again, only lasted about a month before they shrunk. I'm not sure how or why they keep shrinking but they do. I now find that I have to take it apart every month and clean it and even then, it only performs well for a week or two. I do not recommend this filter!

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I love this filter. It cleared my pond up within three days. It was relatively simple to assemble (after I read the instructions several times). My only complaint is I had a hard time keeping the valves from leaking. I bought Tetra 1-1/4 tubing and don't know if this was part of the problem. I normally buy tubing at Lowe's; however, it's clear and I wanted black...so I ordered Tetra 20' tubing. I finally solved this problem though by using two metal clamps on each valve. I've had the filter in operation now for three weeks and all is working great. Don't let that keep you from buying this filter. It very well may have been user related! I have not had to backwash yet, so I don't know how easy this will be. I can only say I love how quickly the filter cleared up my green water. My pond is about 2000 gal. I've had large ponds but scaled it down because of maintenance. Let's face it, those of us that love ponds know the maintenance is a PAIN! I have a filter fall working with the filter. I'm very happy with my choice.

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Saturday, July 6, 2013

Hagen AquaClear 110 Nylon Bag, 2-Pack

Hagen AquaClear 110 Nylon Bag, 2-PackNice Size Bag. Bigger than I expected. I was able to put a whole liter of DeNitrate into 1 bag. The box comes with 2 bags. I like the fact that the string is NOT elastic, because elastics tend to untie and tear easily. The string on this bag is long and allows for a good tie.

Bags hold a lot of media, and are very durable. Would have been nice If they were actual draw strings, instead of having to wrap the strings around to close off the opening, but for the price you cant really go wrong.

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This pruduct is very durable. I actualy bought it to put some ammo-chips in because my ammonia levels were a little higher in my tank than I wanted them. It worked out great.

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The mesh is pretty much perfect. The only issue is that I wish these were drawstring. They have two little strings on one side for you to secure the top. Not very user friendly. Overall worth the price though!

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I find that the strings snap off easily when wet, but in the end it's no harder to tie up than before.