6-IN-1 QUICK DIP TEST STRIPS 25 COUNT - TK880

I use this primarily for my reef nano aquarium.

pretty easy, convenient, and quick to perform tests. no test tube or droppers needed!

I have another test kit that tests other factors, and it is annoying to count the drops, shake, and check the color. This one tester is easier and more convenient to use. Only 4 factors on this tests is pertinent to a reef tank: nitrate, nitrite, ph, hardness/kh. However, I can test all 4 in the same time that it would take for me to count drops for a single test.

After a while, I got used to the husbandry needs of the tank. I can typically tell by the water quality by looking at the corals.

Once in a while I like to test the water to make sure, but typically, everything is in good shape. For these times, I also take a single test and cut it up into 2-3 smaller strips to use less. These seems to work fine, however, it is noteworthy to know that less water is probably being sampled, and it may be a not be an accurate measurement. So far, I have not noticed any problems.

Some of the colors are difficult to distinguish, so if anyone has any problems with matching shades of color, this can be difficult. At least when you count the drops, you can get a more accurate measurement (however, in some of the drop test, you still have to compare different shades of colors).

On of the difficult color readings in this tester is the ph, I have difficulty in distinguishing the readings. However, with a small nano tank and the amount of water I change every week, the kh level is normal which makes me less concerned on which of the 2 shades that my ph is in.

I've been using test strips for years. Sometimes I use Mardel Test Strips, but the latest batch is the Jungle brand. The difference between the two is these test for chlorine and the Mardels don't. Chlorine isn't a big deal for me right now. I guess I just reach for the first test strips I see as I run through the store.

Regardless, dip, wait a few seconds, read, wait a few more seconds and read the one that takes longer. No big deal.

I do confess that I reached a point where I didn't trust the strips. No particular reason other than random doubt. So, I bought Freshwater Test Kit and Freshwater Hardness Test Kit ('cause the other didn't test hardness). The new test kits have test tubes and droppers and stuff. Not tough to use, but not nearly as easy as the test strips. End result the test strips were fine.

Still, I'm glad to have verified the results. It took away one point of uncertainty.

I'm posting this review (slightly edited) for the Mardel strips too because I use both brands interchangeably.

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We have an African Ciclid tank and that fish is particular about wanting hard water with a high pH. We find dipping these strips much more convenient and less messy than filling jars with water and counting drops of chemicals. We also don't worry about any chemical bottles getting into the hands of our children. The scale is not exactly precise so you might end up debating where your tank pH is sitting when the color on the strip is something between the colors on the scale. It seems accurate enough, the fish have no complaints. Read the directions. If you leave the strips for longer than 60 seconds before comparing the pads to the scale, be aware that many of the colors will continue to develop and readings will be incorrect.

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THESE HANDS DOWN WORK THE BEST TAKES LIKE 20 SECONDS AND TELLS YOU ALL THE TEST THAT NEED TO BE DONE IN WATER.. U GET 25 STRIPS BUT ITS WELL WORTH IT

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I have previously used the Mardel 5 test strips, but based on a good price at the time and wanting it sooner(prime eligible) I went with this.

The strips work as most strips do. The only thing I don't like is that you have to peel the label away from the bottle to do the color match, but that is a lame thing for me to complain about.

The description is accurate it is what it is. Like all test strips, they expire, so getting a huge count of strips can be a waste of money. This seems like a good set to do a test dip twice a month or so.

API Bio-Chem Zorb Filter Media Pouch

I have been using Bio-zorb for many years and always thought it was a great product. I moved to upstate New York from the metropolitan area several years ago. Its quit rural and stores are not so conveniently near like they are in the city,and many products you take for granted are not that readily available.I must've had the same Biozorb pillow in my old Ehiem filter for a year. Everytime I cleaned the filter,I'd just leave it in and add another carbon type media. The other day,I did a major tank cleaning and came to the conclusion that my filter WASN'T! (filtering, that is.) Googled Biozorb and bought it through Amazon. I'm not getting paid for this endorsement-the quality of my water changed OVERNIGHT! Crystal clear,debri gone,fish-happy. I cannot overstate how fantastic this product is.If you have a fishtank,if you love aqaurium fish,if you love and CARE about your fish,salt water or fresh-YOU NEED THIS PRODUCT!

I have a 75 gallon fresh water tank running two Fluval 405 cannisters with oscars, dempsies, and parrots and the water was getting dirty quick. My tank was getting a reddish-rusty color very quickly after cleanings and water changes. I was recommended this media by a guy at a big aquarium shop and it worked great. I run one pouch in each filter in the middle media tray and it keeps my water crystal clear for months. Now I only have to do a full cleaning about every 8-10 weeks. It also eliminated the 'fish' smell completely. I change the filters about every 3 cleanings so about every 6 months. They could probably go longer but I try not to push my media to far.

It's a bit pricey, hence the 4 stars, but worth it in my opinion.

I recommend this product.

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I have an bio-chem filter and was expecting this to be one of the square filters but it is just a bag. I am using it anyway but wonder about how effective it is. Unfortunately the description did not say what shape it was and the filter instructions did not tell me there was a difference .

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Setting up a saltwater tank was a real pain but this product makes it much easier with just a change of a pouch and the API filter has not let us down and continues to exceed expectations. buying the pouches is not without its own mess but is much cleaner and easier to use than separate filter media, plus you don't have to worry about the filter media making it to the pump or into your tank. A real must have on a project that is as much of a chore as this has been. One of the few areas of good luck has been the API products. This one is must have! It lasts longer than advertised and only takes a few minutes to change out.

Least painful of all maintenance items for our tank...definitely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Only 1 pouch per bag and so far seems to be working just fine in my Filstar XP L, filtering my 120 gallon tank.

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Quiet One Aquarium Pump 3000 - 780 gph

I bought this to replace a very LOUD rio, this one is wonderful so farno vibration, quieter than the water trickling into the overflow box. I can't speak for lasting power, because I've only had it for a few hours.

I've had this pump for about 10 days and it's been running fine. I did a water change today in preparation for a vacation I'm taking this week. After changing the water I turned on the pump and it didn't work. It's a tight fit in my sump, so it's not easy getting it in/out. I got it out, checked it again in a bucket of water, and got nothing. I could hear and feel it humming, but no pumping. I dismantled it and checked it out. Being just 10 days old it was very clean. I reassembled it, and viola! It worked! I wedged back into my sump, started it up again, and nothing. Long story short, third time's a charm. It's working now, but for how long? Very unsettling. I guess you get what you pay for.

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I bought this pump for a 72g bow front aquarium with a sump filter. I also have an inline water cooler hooked to the pump before the water returns to the aquarium. This pump works great and is the quietest pump I have had in the aquarium. It has been running for a couple months now with out any problems and no increase in noise level. I am very satisfied with the pump and when it breaks I will get another.

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I have two of these pumps. One powers my wet/dry filter system. I also have a 3000 which powers my in-sump protein skimmer. They are all very efficient, compact and QUIET pump. Reliable too! Best bang for your money considering many other name brands are more expensive. DrsFosterSmith.com also lists Quiet One pumps as "Doctors' Best". I would not consider any other pumps for my money.

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I have been a manager for a retail petstore for 15 yrs. I have extensive knowledge in aquatic life. Our store has purchased these pumps for commercial use as well as for customer purchase. We will no longer carry lifeguard products due to the lack of quality and lack of customer service. These quiet one pumps are made with plastic shafts instead of stainless steel shafts. When you have a power outage and then the power surge kicks back on the shaft cracks.When you call lifeguard they refuse to correct the problem and tell you to send it back at your own cost. A man named Neil works there and will not even consider any type of compensation for these pumps and also will not hesitate to hang up on you.These pumps will not last you more than a year the shafts will crack.I know because i have many upset customers with these pumps. Be aware that you may give this good ratings when first purchased but you will not be happy in the long run.

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Immune Plus - Freshwater - 5 oz.

I used this when I started up a new 55 gallon planted tank recently. I figured that the extra protector bacteria would support the other bacteria in the biological filter. While I was using it at the recommended doses I had no problems with illness.

There are other factors that were going on at the same time (like introducing fish that were sick, but not yet visibly sick), but when I started to taper off on using this (because I was running out), then I started getting problems. The tank had an outbreak of both camalanus worms and tail rot within two weeks. The bag of Chemi-Pure Elite I had in the filter was also running out around the same time, so I don't know which thing caused the outbreaks. Most likely it was a combination of factors.

If you have plenty of money this is definitely worth purchasing. If your fish keeping budget is more restricted... I would recommend covering the more basic and proven water treatments, like Black Water Expert 16 oz. before you buy this. Also, if I had to choose between this and the Chemi-Pure next time (and I do), I will put my money toward the Chemi-Pure.

Finally, shop around for this. The shipping charge that's listed here is way too pricey.

Aquarium Divider System in Black

I purchased two of these. I have one 55 gallon aquarium, where two 'Jack Dempsey' cichlids decided to spawn. This device keeps the rest of the fish safe when the JDs are trying to chase them out of the tank. Peace is restored there.

I also have a 29 gallon Eclipse tank where I 'try' to raise any fry/feeders. I had a lot of 'Convict cichlid' young ones there and needed to make some safe space for the little J Dempseys. This worked well.

These things seem a bit flimsy, once you have them installed they hold their place well. If you want to use the metal clips, be advised that your normal top fixtures will not fit well over the clips

This is not an 'invisible' divider, I will try to post some pictures at my web site and provide a link here. My choice was, let fish kill each other, or have some peace (with a little ugliness). I chose peace.

Enjoy

ken

I bought some adorable puffer fish for my aquarium, but the little devils enjoy attacking other fish, so I had to either isolate them, or find them a new home. I saw this item and figured I'd give it a try. Easy to assemble and set up, but absolutely ugly in the aquarium. The side guards are an ugly black and really take away from the natural look of the aquarium. A solid piece of plexiglass with holes would have been preferable, but as a cheap quick fix, this works all right. Now the gourami and pleco can sleep soundly at night knowing their butts aren't being chewed on.

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I bought these for my hamsters cages because they had begun fighting. I took FOREVER to ship. But it is a good separator. I was very pleased.

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I wanted to set this up in a 55 gallon planted tank to keep two strains of guppies apart. After 30 minutes of messing around with this, I decided to just let them mix.

Where to begin? There are a series of annoying things about this divider. It reminds me of the book reviewer who wrote "this is not a book to be taken lightly. It should be thrown with great force." That's how I feel about this divider.

Let's start with how the perforated barrier sheet slides into the plastic edges that touch the walls of the tank. The barrier sheet slides in like a report cover (and bends like one, too), and the plastic edges are so much like the report cover binding clips that I wonder if they aren't actually report cover binding clips.

The problem is that with even a little tug, the barrier slides out of the clip. I got this divider ALMOST set up three times and then moved the plastic edges just a bit so they were flush with the side of the tank walls (this takes forever... why can't the connection points be suction?) only to barely touch the barrier with one finger, and it slid out of the plastic clips. And then you can not get the barrier back in the clip you have to take all three parts out of the tank, slide each side of the barrier into the clips, and start again. If this product is ever remade, the barrier should STAY in the clips once you slide it in.

The other major issue with this is the clips that attach to the top of the tank. Getting them to stay put is hard, but doable, but getting them to stay put AND positioning the plastic edges that are supposed to be flush against the tank walls is nearly impossible. And if you move anything even a little bit too far, you've just slid the barrier out of the side clips, and you get to start all over.

I am going to try gluing (with silicon) the barrier into the side wall clips. If that could stay put, maybe I could use this divider.

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i just recieved this product today, i set it up (simple) and it doesn't seem to bother my fish(large oscar, and algea eater) i have a 55 gallon tank and it fits good did not have to move any of my lids or lights or filter so for the money i would say this is a great product. but i did put pebbles on the bottom of it to make the bottom sturdy.

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Blue Ribbon Tahiti Village With Palm 2

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

TrueLumen 48-Inch TrueLumen Pro LED Strip Light, Marine Fusion 12K White/Actinic Blue Combo with Ca

To get enough lighting to match my compacts, I needed 2 of the true lumen led's. I bought the blue/white mix and the 12k white. They do a great job on my 75 gallon tank. I have fish and coral. The hammerhead coral has taken off since installing them. The mushroom coral has retracted some (which I wanted). Tough to say how all of the different corals will react, but for me it was a good match. The size is unbelievable. Going from a large compact fluorescent to two thin strips an inch and a half wide is a great bonus. No more CF bulb replacement either.

Disappointed.

This is an expensive product, but several times per day more than half of the LED lights go off.

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Zilla 11891 Coconut Bedding Brick

Coconut husk is my bedding of choice for my hermit crabs. It holds the moisture well, but still dries out fast enough to help prevent mold.

This block will not take a gallon of water, like the label says. It will absorb that much, but it will be a soppy mess that will attract mold like no other. This block will fill up one ten gallon tank with around 4 to 6 inches of bedding, too much for most needs. I would recommend either flaking off portions of this brick or sawing it in half.

I've purchased husk bedding in the past that was dirty, and I've even found a cricket in one before from a local pet store. This was clean with only one piece of foreign matter plastic strip of some kind.

I also like the fact that this is larger shreds of the coconut husk. I've had some in the past that turned to dust after they dried out, but this one holds up well and is still fluffy in the tank.

Holds moisture, humidity and temperature well. I use this for nesting for my bearded dragons, as well as normal substrate for my box turtles. Couldn't be happier

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AquaClear 110 Ammonia Remover Insert - 19.7 Ounces

Product arrived in a timely manor. Cheaper than other pet stores even on sale. I have a 35 gallon hexi tank and this works great!

This ammonia remover was useless, I didn't see any changes plus it made my water cloudy. I prefer the activated carbon over this.

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This is a great product. Be sure to buy the one that looks like little pebbles of sand as it work better than the one with larger pieces and usually comes with the product divided into 2 bags.

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I really like this filter product, it has worked great for many of years and I hope I can continue to use it for many more.

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SmartBones SmartChips Dog Chews, Chicken, 12-Pack

My pup loves the smart bones chews of all types, bone, sticks and chips. Awesome and so much better for her compared to real rawhide. Try if you never have before, great treat.

My dogs only like the red part, they wouldnt eat the white, so I feel like it was a waste of money for me. Fast shipping

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

Tough enough for a year old Shepherd chewer, that's for sure. He loves the squeezy end, while the handle allows me better grip when playing tug of war. An excellent product.

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Hydor H2Show Lost Civilization - Calander and Snake Decoration Combo Pack for Aquariums

The decorations themselves are wonderful. They are very detailed and look amazing in my 55 gal. Goldfish tank. They are the perfect size, and stand out nicely without being too obtrusive. However, the packaging of these decorations is HORRIBLE. They are glued down into their clear plastic and cardboard box with no insulation or barrier of any kind between the two pieces. Only glue on cardboard is holding them in place, so when one of them (most likely the bigger and heavier calendar piece) inevitably comes loose, it goes flying around the flimsy box and crashes into the other piece.

Because of this incident, my dragon decoration was chipped, but luckily it wasn't in too bad of shape and I could see no other damage. After removing the pieces, I then sat there for a good twenty minutes trying to get all of the packaging glue off of the bottom of the decorations before I could place them in my tank.

Beautiful decorative pieces for any aquarium, but incredibly ignorant packaging. Purchase at own risk. If they manage to make it through the shipping process without getting too banged up, there's no doubt that you will like them.

When I opened the box and found that one of the Snake's heads had been broken into pieces. All of the items were detached from their positions and free moving and thus crashing inside the box. The protection of the packaging was poor.

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Ribbed Tubing for 305 and 405 Fluval Filters - 3/4 in. diameter x 9 1/2 ft.

I used this so I wasn't committed to the 4.5 length id get in installing my 406 canister (canister isnt able to be directly under the tank) The canister is off to the side so i was able to run one hose to the other side of the tank and cutting it to custom length and still had the factory rubber hose ends to go into the aqua stop valve ong the 406 canister

Works perfectly fine, no issues, installed fast, easy to install and replace the old one that had broken for me.

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After I ended up cutting my other tubing for my older fluval 305 shorter for a home made spray bar, I also wanted to get a second tubing for different applications in the tank. This was the best price I found on the Internet. And a usual, I got the item in one piece and it was packaged nicely.

Me (still) Likey... :P (Well made product)

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I bought a new stand and had to get new hoses for the fluval 306, this fits perfect, and I learned my lesson and left the hoses long, these appear to be the same hoses that came with the fluval which is a great filter.

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This is the exact same hose that comes with the Fluval 305 and 405. Works well. Only replaced since I got a new filter that didn't have a hose.

Marineland PC0250HSB H.O.T. Magnum 250, up to 55-Gallon, 250GPH

I bought this filter because My boss had the complete set with Bio Wheel, and Gravel cleaner and it was so great for gravel cleaning.

The basic version of this filter comes with,

1. A Media canister that can be filled with Active Carbon. A sample of carbon comes with this filter kit. I bought Ceramic Noodles at the pet store for the biological filtering properties to put in mine instead of the carbon.

2. The slip cover filter for the media insert.

3. A water polishing filter that reminds me of a Reusable pool ,or Jacuzzi filter.

4. Intake Tube, and strainer.

5. Pose-able Output Pipe with flow divert.

6. Understandable Directions.

Pluses.

1. It has an ON / OFF button on the back. I turn it off to feed the fish. Than back on to clean up.

2. The Output Pipe is underwater. Result, No noise from the filtered water hitting water surface.

3. The flow of the output can be aimed in any direction you want.

straight down, across, to the left,or right.

4. This filter is so quiet, I occasionally will check that the filter is on.

5. The diverter can be adjusted to focus, or fan out the water flow.

6. 250 Gallons an hour. Seems like a lot, but I have a 20 Hexagon high. I have the diverter fanning water out. It's not like a water hose. Just moving water well.

Minuses.

1. Disassembly and Assembly takes practice. You will want to keep instruction book for reference of the difference between regular filter Assembly, and water polishing filter assembly. once I leaned, I have been able to do on the tank. But most of the time the filter will have to be removed to a sink were It (filter) can be disassembled, Cleaned, or filter types changed, and reassembled.

Keep in mind that this, The cleaning of the filter canister seems to be the reason that people dislike this filter. But keep in mind that You will only clean it (filter) about every three months. Unless You over feed, and do not keep plants tidy.

If You get the Gravel Cleaning attachment, You can clean the gravel with the water polishing filter removing all the nastiness without siphoning off all your water out of the tank. You can then do your 20% water change.

I like this filter a lot, and think you will also.

I owned the HOT Magnum Canister Filter prior to upgrading to an Eheim Ecco Canister Filter. I had to upgrade because this filter couldn't keep up with my medium size saltwater tank. However this filter works great for freshwater tanks from small to medium size. It's fairly cheap and reliable. It cleans like a champ and supplies are fairly cheap to operate it. This is a good buy.

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OK, let me start with the CONS (all of which added up to me to reducing it only by one star, so they are obviously not THAT bad!) :

OK--the seals are very tricky. The first filter I got, I messed and messed with it for over 2 hours, using silicon sealer, etc, re-filling the canister, and re-starting it, and just COULD NOT get it to prime, it'd run awesome for 30 seconds, empty the canister, and blow air. Called the store, and they said that it sounded like I had it set up right, just sounded like it wasn't sealing, so bring it back. They advised that about 1 in 20 canister pumps they get do this, and not to worry about it. Took it back to the store, thoroughly disgusted but trusting that the reviews would turn out true since it has a good track record on every website (4-5 stars depending where you look). Got a second one, brought it home, filled the carbon, rinsed everything, plunked the carbon in and crossed my fingers. It primed up the very first time and has been running now for 24 hours with zero issues. This will be great for our turtle tank. We got tired of rinsing the little tiny pads for our ReptoMin waterfall and having to bypass some of the water to keep the pump from running dry.

I wish like CRAZY that the outlet/outflow side tube was longer/further down. The instructions advise you should have the water level above the level of the elbow in the outflow and that is REALLY short--I will have to keep an eye on my tank level carefully. Even an inch longer/lower on the outflow would help a ton. But, I just shoved a large-ish piece of tubing up the outlet so it curved down and most of the water from the outlet now goes straight into the tank. and the rest drips down the elbow. This meant I had to take off the square diffuser attachment, which was OK with me since this is a turtle tank, but I do say it's more suited to a fish tank than a turtle tank.

It does seem kind-of a mess to clean, but this is NO DIFFERENT than other canister filters. Of the four canister filters I have, this is actually the easiest/cleanest. Yes, the mechanical foam sleeve is a little delicate. But at least it's rinsable and replaceable unlike the Cascade I had which was just plain bio-floss and not rinseable so you lose some of your flora and fauna. And the foam sleeves are pretty cheap to replace, about $2-3 each which is a great deal!

I do wish it had more mechanical filtration but gosh, whatcha gonna ask when it's that tiny for a canister. You can use the scrubber attachment that comes with it for that, or get a bio-wheel, or add a second of these filters.

PROS:

It also takes up WAY less room and is far less bulky and unsightly than other canister filters since you don't have the tubing to contend with. We are very impressed with this aspect and still getting a "canister" filter.

It is a GREAT COMPROMISE between a canister filter and a tank-filter. Yeah, it takes up more room than most hang-on-tank filters, because of the button being in the way and you have to reach for it if you are going to use it, BUT, I love that the button is there, and that I can CHOOSE to either turn it off and/or unplug it instead of having to unplug at every junction.

I do love what other people have recommended about having two of these, one for scrubbing/mechanical filtration and one for carbon. It seems logical.

It's got a pretty good design and the motor is quiet once you have the water flowing in properly.

It seems to be fairly well constructed for a filter. I mean for the money.

Read Best Reviews of Marineland PC0250HSB H.O.T. Magnum 250, up to 55-Gallon, 250GPH Here

I've installed the HOT Magnum with the BioWheel attachment (HOT Magnum Pro) on my 55 gallon tank for about 6 months now, and I'm very impressed with the performance of this filter system. This canister filter is powerful and power thrifty at 250gph while using only 18 watts. I especially like having the filter out of sight hanging behind the tank.

This combination of canister filter and biowheel is pretty amazing. The water is very clear thanks to the no by pass design of the canister and the tank is well oxygenated due to the spray bar/biowheel component. The biowheel is also great at removing amonia and nitrite which becomes undetectable (amonia less than 0.25mg/liter and nitrite less than 0.1mg/liter) after a few days of running this filter. That's with a bio load of 12 adult Angelfish, 10 large swordtails, and 5 bushynose plecos! If you don't understand what all this mean, then trust me when I tell you the performance of this system is hard to beat.

Now for the down side: This filter is a pain to clean.

First of all, don't bother using the fine carbon that comes with the filter. This will cause your filter to clog up in no time if you have a heavily stocked tank like me. I threw out the carbon after the first week and replaced it with ceramic noodles, which does not clog at all. The nylon mesh sleeve works well to trap fish waste, but is messy to clean or replace, and you have to take the whole filter apart to do it. After I spent a few minutes taking this apart, clean it, reassemble it, and fill it with water, mine filter sometimes lose syphon and I have to take it apart and assemble it again. I have to pay special attention to the stupid red gasket that likes to fall out when I not careful. This is why I gave this filter 3 stars.

The power switch is located near the bottom of the backside of the filter. While it's nice to have a power switch, the placement is bad because it's right up against the wall and you have to reach all the way down the back of your tank to reach it.

So, to sum up. If you want one of the best performing and efficient filter and don't mind having to take a filter apart and get messy once awhile (for me that's about every 2 weeks), then this is the filter for you.

Additional note: The BioWheel Pro30 (the one with spray bar) is really fantastic in it's performance, and is key to the awesome performance of this system. This component can be used with other easier to clean internal canister or powerheads, so don't ever discard this attachment.

Update Oct 13, 2011

I got tired of cleaning canister filters. Got sick of taking the canisters apart, cleaning all the pieces, putting it back together, and then reinstalling the filter to the tank.

I've installed the Emperor 400 on 4 of my larger tanks. This outside hang-on-the-back power filter has the bio-wheels with spray bar and cartridges that are disposable. No more cleaning dirty sponges and taking apart canisters!!!

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I bought the H.O.T. Magnum because it was the cheapest canister filter at the local petstore. Good move. Using the micron filter, it got rid of the cloudiness in my tank in about three days (55 gal tank). I switched it to carbon and it as been working like a champ. My tank also has two high-capacity over-tank filters of the normal type, and they constantly overflow and pour gunk into the tank. The H.O.T. Magnum doesn't do this. It is set to suck from my undergravel filter, which, combined with a powerhead, has really reduced floating stuff in the tank. I'm going to get a Magnum 350 pro next and get rid of both my normal over-tank filters.

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Tap Water Filter Replacement Cartridge

Purchased the original filter canister through our local aquarium store when they made a custom aquarium for us, but they no longer carry these replacement cartridges (and they could not match this pricing either).

This system runs the tap water through activated charcoal, a filter medium, and then through resin in order to purify the water for aquarium use. It really does a great job removing the chemical from the water, and these filters get a lot of the credit for our fish having long, healthy lives.

These filters actually do too good of a job, and we add good minerals back in to the water before putting it in the tank -we like to use a product called Equilibrium for that task (Seachem Equilibrium 600gram)

Glad that these replacement filter cartridges are still available here and our fish seem very happy about it too! If looking for a system, or a replacement cartridge for the system if you already have it, we recommend these highly.

I have used this filter for about a year and a half. My TDS (total dissolved solids) were 78 going in and it produces 0 TDS coming out of the filter which is great for marine aquariums. It is easy to use, the filters are easy to replace, however they are expensive.

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Marineland PA0401 Aqua-Timer with 24-hr Cycle, Grounded

I was using these timers to control my 9W UV sterilizer and T5 HO lights. The timer with the UV sterilizer caught fire. I have posted some pictures in the customer image section. I am really fortunate that my house did not burned down due to this incident. But there was soot everywhere and it took us hours to clean this up. And the burned plastic smell lingered around the house for days. And my poor wife, who did most of the cleaning, complained of sore throat for couple of days. When I contacted Marineland about this incident, they told me that they would gladly replace the timers but nothing more. You have to be kidding me. If you decide to buy one of these, make sure you have at least a smoke detector near the fish tank.

I have just started to use this timer, and I see from some of the reviews that there is a quality control issue that is possibly a problem. I will report later on it after I have used it awhile. But first impressions out of the box are a full 5 stars. I will also say that am I not using it for an aquarium purpose, but instead to run a fractional horsepower domestic hot water circulating pump in my house. The three pronged grounded outlet, and relatively high amperage rating of 15 amps enables this device to be used for a much greater load than aquarium lights, so with the excellent design of the face and plug-in receptacles, I decided to use it for my hot water circulator.

I was first impressed with the layout of the plugs and timer face. It is very well thought out and the timer can be inserted into an electrical outlet without encroaching on the other outlets. The next feature that I appreciated was the use of highly visible black markings with a very crisp font against a white face. This makes reading and setting the timer the easiest I have ever encountered. The "time of day" indicator is a bold black triangle which is highly visible. In addition to clearly showing the times of day on the universal 0-24 scale, it also shows the night time hours as shaded for additional clarity, and has a large directional arrow to tell you which way the dial is rotating. This, and the time of day marker, are visible on the face of the dial from some distance.

Time increments are 15 minutes, and are set on or off by depressing small gray tangs which are located around the rotating clock face. The tangs are very easy to set with a pointed object like a pen, and have a large range of movement when depressed, so again, very easy to see what times you have selected. With the 15 minute interval between tangs, you could conceivably have many on-off cycles per day (one every 15 minutes), or as few as 2, or none. It also has a manual override switch on the top, which enables the user to bypass the clock feature and have it always "on".

Which brings me to the only thing so far that I do not like about this timer the marking on the manual override switch on the top. The switch slides between the right and the left, and when moved to the right it reveals a symbol of clock, and to the left a symbol of solid black line (presumably for a completed circuit to be always on). But when the switch is moved to the right and the clock symbol is displayed, the timer is actually on a manual "always on" setting. To the left with the continuous line displayed, the timer operates on the time clock. So the markings are exactly opposite from what the user would expect. I will fix this by marking the sliding switch with a permanent marker to indicate which state it is in.

The timer has a UL stamp, which means is has undergone strict testing in a lab for electrical safety, but of course this is no absolute guarantee against poor quality control from the manufacturer.

On balance, and for the price, I would highly recommend this product.

UPDATE, June 3, 2011: The timer has now been in use for some time now, and has performed flawlessly. No problems to report, and the above review comments still stand.

UPDATE, February 12, 2012: No problems, review comments still stand.

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I needed a timer for the light above my turtle's aquarium and I'm glad I chose this one. It has the fittings for a three-pronged plug, unlike other timers I've seen. It works great and it's silent. In fact, I thought it was broken at first because it didn't make any noise. Lastly, it doesn't block the other plug, unlike other timers I've seen.

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I had this crappy timer for one day. It worked just fine for the first day, then the next it ended up blowing out my aquarium light (the aquarium was a brand new setup.) And, the timer stopped working the second day.

The directions are confusing and it is not a well made product. Do yourself a favor and buy a Brinks timer instead.

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This is a simple all-mechanical device that nonetheless fulfills its mission quite nicely. To use it, one first sets the current time. The entire face works as the clock and completes a full circle every 24 hours. On the edge are 96 tabs, one for each quarter hour. If a tab is pressed into the down position, the timer will leave the power on during the corresponding 15 minutes, so theoretically this timer can turn an appliance on and off 48 cycles in a day.

I use this timer to control Hydrofarm JSV4 4-Foot Jump Start T5 Grow Light System. It works well after a straightforward set-up process. My only complaint is about the pass-through switch that can turn off the timer and leave the power on all the time. Somehow, the manufacturer decides to associate the position when the switch covers up the clock symbol and displays a straight line (presumably for "pass-through") with having the timer function on, and vice versa. This seems to me just totally counter-intuitive.

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U.P. Aqua Professional (Angle) Tweezers

This is the third pair of tweezer I bought from Amazon that is defective. First one rusted severely, second one was a replacement of first one, except its tips are not aligned, now this one looks nice,feels nice, but rusts. Unless I'm having very bad luck, something is wrong with Amazon's inventory or at least what Amazon is sending me.

The tweezers are excellent quality and very easy to clean. I do wish I could find a slightly longer version though.

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They are as described. Well made and easy to handle! I ordered the scissors too and both products are great

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These U.P. Aqua long tweezers are very useful to keep aquarium plants as well as for other aquarium chores.

Now, some aquarium brands sell tweezers at ridiculous (or outrageous) prices. But, guess where they are from? For example, ADA tweezers are from Pakistan (no offense to Pakistan people, though). And the price is well over $40 or $50. I don't believe the labor costs for Pakistani workers are so high that those tweezers have to be over $40 or %50 dollars per set.

This U.P. Aqua pinsettes show a very good quality. The tips are well matched and accurate. I can work on tiny coral mosses with them.

Some might consider a smaller tweezers. I have a smaller one, but I use this long one so much more frequently although my tanks are lesser than 12 inch deep. I believe if you want only one tweezers, this size would be better.

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this items is well made and I haven't had and problems using it this past week. I would recommend this item.

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Aqua Heat Titanium Heater 200 Watt

able to sense the internal temp and turn on when needed. I really liked how well it is made, no glass to break and the heater happens to be made of Titanium. Perfect for my fish tank.

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