Rena Air 50 Air Pump

Bought this along with a whisper 10 to compare.

Whisper 10 won due to more air volume and slightly quieter than the Rena.

This filter is nearly dead silent. As far as I can tell it has no significant sound of it's own. I was ready to move the tank into a closet(or worse;) Tx to Bill at Rena for this great product.

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When my one of my aquariums' air pump (Tetra 77851 Whisper Air Pump, 10-Gallon) started to get noisy (maybe of age), I ordered first the TOM Stellar Air Pump S-20 20gal to 30gal tank, thinking this product may be more quiet than Tetra, based on some reviews. Turned out to be so noisy. So I ordered now this Rena, as again, some reviewers said that this is the most quiet among all for the price. That didn't happen. It was by far as noisy as the other and had become so annoying. I just ordered another Tetra again and now I know among the 3, which one is truly the "whisper" type. Tom and Rena went to garbage instead of me wasting my time and effort for repacking them and return.

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Coralife 05699 PureFlo Mixed-Bed Deionization Cartridge

Love this item. It purifies my water 100%. I should have bought 2 of them. lol. But the item does it's job just the same

it was exactly what I needed and it was shipped quickly. The price was also very reasonable, Cheaper than other sites

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Eshopps PSK-75H Hang-On Protein Skimmer - Up to 75 gal.

I really hate this skimmer. When it works, it works OK. The only problem is that it is a bit moody and most times decides that it is waste of energy to work. Being serious, I think the problem is in the pump, which overheats, and as a result the unit stops working. The longest I had it working without dying on me was 10 days. Then it stops, and there are no bubbles, nothing. And then it is a royal pain to start it up again! The water level in the main body is supposed to go up to the collection cup once you block air intake tube. Well, you fingers will go blue but there will be no water movement. If I let the pump work without doing anything for 12-24 hours, then, sometimes, miracle happens, and the skimmer starts working. I go through these up-and-down cycles when I decide that, that's it, I just return it to Eshopps, and then it starts working, and I mellow down for the next 10 days. I have already replaced the pump, but the replacement pump works just like the old one. BUT THIS IS IT! I am contacting Eshopps to-morrow and demanding the refund, after all the damn thing was acting up from the first day I bought it. Do not buy it, unless you want to satisfy your hidden masochistic instincts!

I looked forward to buying this Protein Skimmer, as it had received many good reviews on the web. A key feature was to be its simplicity (as seen in eShopps' promo videos), but has been anything but.

1. When setting up, or just washing, be sure to re-tighten the below gasket, as it often becomes loose, and thus leaks water on the ground.

2. The adjustment mechanism at the top consists of a crude plastic tube (perhaps this is how all Protein Skimmers are, I don't know). It is not very exact, so take caution when turning it to increase the bubble flow. It seems to have no reaction for hours, but then overflows the cup when you're not paying attention.

3. The sponge covering the intake should be cleaned frequently. I deduce that algae in there was a cause of the skimmer overflowing, but I'm not sure.

4. The craftsmanship is poor, as pvc and silicone around the outside of the tube had meaningful gaps.

5. The filter is very very very loud.

6. The pump/motor itself seems to have failed after limited use (3 months). It still produces sound, but no bubbles or flow.

7. I have written customer service about #6 but no response yet after weeks. I've written again and have my fingers crossed. Further, I wrote them several times upon first buying the skimmer but got limited response about missing parts and questions about how it was supposed to work, and it's loud noise.

All in all, I guess it is buyer beware for such an "economical" skimmer, although it's not quite cheap either.

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Just purchased the eshopps PSK 75 and it's very very loud. I opened the pump housing like the Q&A says and there is obviously something very wrong with the pump. It skips and jumps, rattles and is not tight in place. I thought something might be wrong when the skimmer didn't produce any froth it basically looks like fizz from a coca-cola. Also lots of micro bubbles were pouring into my tank. I shut it off put it back in the box and am giving up..

I was really excited to buy this skimmer. Finally got it and of course faulty....

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This really is a great little budget skimmer. I use both the 75H and the 100H. Other reviews have noted that they are not getting skimate. This Skimmer, like most take a while to break in. There are plasticizers and release waxes that are used in the making process that have to get coated with bacterial film or have to disperse before the skimate can be made. Be patient. The other issue I have had is that the needle wheel wants to seize after a while. This was perplexing at first and I even had to order a replacement pump. I finally figured out that the tip of the magnet part of the needle wheel assembly was swelling and binding in the needle wheel part and on the shaft. I have made a video on Youtube about how to fix this very easily. So, if you can follow directions on youtube you can keep this skimmer up and running with no trouble. I have seen that Eshopps is working on using Sicce pumps for these. When that happens I have no doubt that they will be a much better skimmer.

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I purchased this skimmer to hang on the back of my Biocube HQI and have had it for a full week now and am toying with the idea of returning it because it doesn't produce foam!!!! I have followed the instruction to the letter. I have searched forums trying to uncover the solution to this mystery with no resolve. I have installed and reinstalled to no avail and still no foam! The pump seems to work fine, the water level filled by covering the air intake tube, there are many bubbles flowing up to water column but then it just looks like a glass of alka-seltzer with no foam. This of course means that all the gunk that it is skimming is collecting in the neck and not being pushed up through the column into the collection cup. Of course this is because there is NO FOAM!!!!! Yes I have used the adjustment tube again and again with no results. Skimming is not the issue, it is the lack of foam needed to push the gunk into the collection cup.

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Como Blue Large Aquarium Filter Sponge for Fish Tank

Purchased this item and it was delivered just fine. When I went to put this in the tank I noticed that there was a lot of blue sediment coming from this filter pad. I soaked it for a while and squeezed it thinking after a while the sediment would wash out, but it didn't. I also put the whole pad in the washing machine on the rinse cycle and still there was a lot of sediment coming from this filter. So much that if you poured the water in a white bowl you could see that the water was blue.

I bought this filter to clean the water, not to add stuff to it.

Instant Ocean Brine Shrimp - 2.82 oz. Soft Gel

I purchased this for my clownfish, goby, and damsel and they don't like it. It comes out of the package in a glob and quickly sinks to the bottom and the hermit crabs end up eating it.

i like this because its quick and easy, although bangai cardinals don't seem to care for it. clowns and trigger love it.

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There is a reason they put instructions on the package. Cut a small tip of the corner and squeeze little drops into the tank. I leave my powerheads on, when this stuff gets shot across the tank the fish fight for it. My problem with it is if you cut the package a little to large and a glob of it falls out it drops to the floor and stays there. I only hope my emerald crabs or hermits eat it otherwise it would cause a problem. Follow the instructions, little drops and you will be fine. I feed it twice per week to fish and corals.

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This product is exactly as described by Instant Ocean. I've used many of their products in my reef tanks and quality is of extreme importance. I've used frozen brine too, but this is more convenient and vitamin enriched. All of my fish love it.

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Fish & Aquatic Supplies Emporer Power Filter 400 Gph

I like the effectiveness of this product. This is my third one of the same model.I have a 125 gal. tank and two of these running at the same time do a good job. I have had great luck as far as noise goes with one of my original puchases.(operates very quietly) The other unit I have, I have tried to get it to run quieter over several years, with readily availble parts and cooperation from the Marineland customer service folks. I finally gave up and puchased an enire replacement unit and once installed and running, I still have the same issue. I have replaced the inpeller and the part that the impellar goes in, both provided at no cost by Marineland customer service, no questions asked. The unit still makes a rattling sound.(very annoying in my living room) I will be contacting customer service for additional advice today and hope we will be able to get the noise issue solved. The other unit that runs quietly has been in service for 5 plus years without any problems.

The Filter works just fine. its doing a great job on my 75 gallon tank, but wow its loud. The room it is in has a tile floor but I can hear the product throughout the condo... For me this drops a star as I like to hear the water flowing around the tank, not the filter pumping water.

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I decided to wait some time before posting to see how things went with this product. I first cleaned then installed the Marineland Emperor Bio-Wheel 400 Power Filter, much the same as any other filter would be installed. I can say I have some experience even with filters exactly the same as the Marineland Emperor Bio-Wheel filter, as I own a 10-gal aquarium with a Marineland Penguin filter, and this was to replace an old (7 yr old) Penguin 330.

The filter is NOISY. Freakishly noisy; like something that filters a 5000 gallon aquarium noisy. I wish I could say it was just a lone bad unit, but after ordering the unit, I researched a little to find these things have a tendency to be noisy. Seriously, do yourself a favor, and google "noisy emperor 400", see the hundreds of other complaints? Yes, some may get good units, but there's a good chance you won't. I even let the thing run for several days before judging, since others said it may need to "break in" (which, yes the one on my 10 gal did get quieter, and now is whisper quiet). After 3 days, I contacted Marineland, which, while not the friendliest of folks, were fairly helpful. The first time around, they sent a new impeller, even though I had thoroughly inspected the impeller and found no mechanical flaws, I figured couldn't hurt to try. New one arrived, didn't help any. Let it run for a few days, no improvement. Then, I contacted them again, they sent an entire new filter! Pretty good service I have to say, but sadly, the new one suffers the same obnoxious "garbage disposal"-like sound. Yes, I've messed with a billion different ways to seat the impeller, and well quite frankly, if someone who's worked with dozens of filters in the past can't properly seat the impeller, it really isn't consumer-ready.

Beyond that, the filter has a ton of great features. The spray-bars that keep the bio-wheel's wet and spinning work great. The filter has tons of room for flow, plus a total of 4 slots for filter media, and includes two easy-to-fill filter cartridges. The flow-rate is good. It really would be an excellent, solid product if it weren't made with cheap materials, and weren't the noisiest filter I've ever owned. The other negative is the bio-wheel filters really create a lot of choppy surface water, so feeding fish is messy, and I recommend getting some sort of floating-feeding device.

It's past the return period, which Marineland was perhaps counting on, so now I"m stuck with it. I'll try contacting them again and see what happens, and will post if anything different comes from it. It seems you either love it and get a great unit, or you get a flawed, noisy as all heck filter. The price is excellent, but to be honest, you're better off with a Penguin, which yes while the Emperor's are supposed to be the higher-end product, very few have issues with the Penguin's compared to the Emperor's. Or an Aqua-Clear, but you have to be gentle with them (they have a tendency to crack/break).

***Update 9/12/2011***

Well, after approximately 3-4 months of continuous use, the filter is now significantly quieter then when I received either one of them. Still not "whisper" quiet, but sounds decent enough for a larger filter. I've added a star, since this is a decent product overall, but the fact that it took that many months of having to have my office door completely closed at night just so we don't hear it, I can't give it any higher than that. YMMV.

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i have a 55 gal tank. i used to use the magnum power filter but it got clogged all the time and the tank was always dirty. the marineland 400 is amazing. clean, clear water and very quiet.

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i read the reviews before buying this filter. i had mixed emotions about the emperor 400, but i ended up purchasing 2 filters anyway. when i recieved my filters i noticed that the box say's that the impeller is preinstalled. being the person i am, i took everything apart and discovered that the impeller was not properly installed in the (flow manifold housing). after i reinstalled it, put it back together, and filled it with water and plugged it in, i had no problems at all. i hope this helps. buy the way, i had this problem with both filters.

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TOM Turtle-Hermit Crab Habitat Jumbo Swamp 28-1/4 x 18 x 6

If my crabs can escape through the top of a 10 gallon glass tank , I seriously doubt this would contain them .

Please, Please, Please do not put a turtle in this habitat. A turtle needs 10 gallons for every inch big that his shell is. Otherwise, their growth will be stunted and their shells will deform. Please buy a 10 gallon tank and a metal grate top. Your turtle needs both a heat lamp and a 5.0 UVB lamp in order to develop and thrive as well as a filter to keep water clean. They have to be able to bask and dry themselves or they can develop bacterial and fungal infections of the shell. Filters can be left out of the tank until they are bigger if you would prefer to do a daily water change rather than spend the money right away. These baby turtles are a 30-50 year commitment. Please raise them properly. Ask a local pet store if you have questions. If you find that your turtles are too much to handle, many pet stores will take them in for you. I've spent upwards of $200 dollars setting up my ten gallon tank with a filter, lights and basking dock. And it is worth it to watch them thrive and play every day.

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Bigger than it seems in the picture and its great for baby to young turtles, but would not be recommended for a full grown turtle. Shipping was super fast and it came out great.

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This is not a suitable turtle habitat. Popular pet turtles, like Red Eared Sliders, require basking docks and light and a UVB bulb, not to mention 10 gallons per inch and powerful filtration. This would only work with modification and frequent water changes. Do not subject a living creature to this environment.

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This was exactly what my turtle needed.....plenty of space to swim and explore. The built in holder for the filter is great..

Between running the filter at night( turtle should not be in it at time), and scooping water out and replacing it daily, the water stays clean and odor free....considering I have a musk turtle..that is saying something. Would recommend this to any one with a small turtle who needs room to grow. Vendor sent item quickly and it arrived in fine shape.

TrueLumen Aquatic LED Strips, Quantity 1

In case you were wondering because the details are not specified here. I ordered this item and received the 4x roseate LED strip which is what I was looking for

After doing some research on LEDs for my nano reef I decided to go with the True Lumen LEDs. At the time of this review, they are the least expensive LED full lighting solution. These are not just accent lights, but are strong enough to light your whole tank. (assuming you buy enough strips, of course.) I saw them at this price and decided to take a gamble and order. The ones I got were all pink (aka rose). No blue or white LEDs on these strips. So you can't actually light your tank in a healthy way with only pink, but if you are looking for the a pink True Lumen strip, this is a good option. Came new in package, genuine product. At 3 watts per LED (12 watts per srip) these guys are bright. I am happy with this price and the product. Does not include power transformer or the 3-way-splitter to connect more than one strip, you must purchase those separately. (That is standard for modular LED light systems at this time, so keep that in mind when pricing competitors.)

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It would have been really nice if somewhere along the lines in big bold letters (Or at all) They post that the power supply is NOT INCLUDED. Just got this in the mail today only to find I don't have the unit to power it. Now I'm going to have to buy the power supply and wait longer. I might just find a lamp at this rate.

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I order the LED light from Amazon, I open it up and there is No power cord!! What??

No where on Amazon's page does it say "adapter sold separately, or does not come with power cord" That would have been NICE

I then get on Amazon and search for trueLumen power supply adapter guess what out of Stock!!

Really I got a light and no way to plug it in!! I then went on the internet to try and find the adpater, seem they must be in big demand because they want more for the adapter then what I paid for the light which is just ridiculous.

Amazon make sure you have enough adapters in stock to go with the LED lights. Better yet why can't trueluman just sell the light with the cord Together!!

Since I can't plug the LED into the wall I sent it back to Amazon & bought a differnt LED light at my local fish shop & guess what it came with a power cord WOW it can sold together!! Hint hint amazon

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Tropical Science Labs ATCMMX510 Marine Max, 16-Ounce

I have been using Tropical Science Marine-Max for over two years on my 90Gal salt tank, with a dozen plus fish with invertebrates, hermit crabs, snails, fourteen inch Haddons amenone which is three years old in this tank. Marine-Max is great insurance against trouble with your crids.

Product shipped fast seems to work very well water perimeters all fine fish very active eating well and water still very clear great product.

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I've used marine max in my marine aquarium for about a year now. It helps keep my tank healthy and even helps me cure disease caused by stress when I've introduced new fish or corals.

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Aquarium Pharmaceuticals BettaFix Remedy 1.7 oz

Bettafix 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...

Marineland Eclipse Acrylic Aquarium System

This is a great starter aquarium. Order a book or two about having fish when you order the aquarium too and wait a week before getting fish.

In years past you'd have all sorts of work with the filters and such. With the bio-wheel that comes with this tank your only work is to occasionally replace the "physical filter" and do a partial water change. That's it! The tank also comes with a beautiful light that'll really make your fish shine.

You will need some gravel too and some plants and maybe a stone or two for the fish to hide behind. The gravel and such are best picked up at your local pet store. Start out with plastic plants rather than live plants; you'll have plenty to do anyway.

In my experience things are easier if you have a heater too. The fish likes the water temperature to be constant. I've been using a 150w heater with good success in this tank.

Let the tank run with the heater for a day or two to get the temperature stable. When you add your first fish, start out with just a few small fish (actually, in a 12 gallon tank you should always only have small fish, little tetras and such -don't worry, they are beautiful) to get the bio-wheel going. Your books will explain it, but it takes some time for the biological processes to get going in the tank and keep things in balance, so the water can get poisonous quickly for your fish if you add too many. (Get a packet of test strips to test the water quality daily -it's just when you get started, later the bio-wheel will keep things steady unless you keep too many fish in the tank).

I can also recommend getting another tank, maybe a 3 gallon tank, to keep new fish in before they go in the main tank. (Of course that only works if you keep small fish, with bigger fish the 12 gallon tank would be your quarantine tank...) :-)

Good luck!

I have owned a system 3 for almost 6 years now! If there was 1 word to describe this it would be: Effortless.

This is a fine piece of machinery that looks and runs great, for years to come.

Maintenence:

-Change the filter every 1-3 months (depending on the clenliness of your fish and the nuber you have)

-25% water change every time you change the filter or every other time (again, depending on your fish

-I also reccomend a gravel cleaner

-About once every 8 months to a year, I have to clean out the impeller housing to clean out the junk that builds up because of reduced performance.(manual shows step by step instructions on how to do this, and if you loose your manual, go to marineland.com to download one for free)

Cons-

none really, but it is quite small. Recently I have been looking at the system 6 or 12.

*I'm not sure about how it would do with salt water, as I have not tried, but reading reviews I have not heard very positive things about that.

*After having it for about 5 years, white crust started to show up on the edged of the tank lip. One more thing to clean, but what can I say? I have nothing to complain about though, because you can look at other 6 year old systems and they would look like junk, where as mine is in perfect condition(except for the little ECLIPSE marking on the front is half worn off from use!)

All in all, I have been happy with this tank from day one and I'm sure will continue to be happy with it for years to come(if I don't upgrade, that is!) and I would definetly reccomend this to anybody wanting a quick to set up, long lasting, all in one machine that looks stylish. I hope this helps!

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Some people seem to think that this is the worst tank they've ever used and all the good reviews are merely a product of overhyped propaganda. They're welcome to think that, but don't let that deter you from the Eclipse (and Aqua-Tech) aquarium systems.

I've been keeping freshwater fish since I was old enough to say "fish." I've used every tank setup with every filtration method. Until seven years ago, I always used the "beloved" standard glass tanks (20+ gallons) with the usual filters that sit on the side or back of the aquarium. When I tried out this aquarium system, I abandoned all other systems and now any new tank I add will be compared to this. So, why do I like this tank system if it's not just overhyped propaganda?

1. It's QUIET. Power Whisper (and similar type) filters are noisy. They make loud humming sounds and if you're unfortunate enough to have a pump that sits out of the water, will vibrate it's way off anything it's sitting on or just vibrate incessantly against anything it comes into contact with. The Eclipse filter and pump is so quiet that the only time I notice it's on is when I look at it. There is no splashing noise.

2. Speaking of splashing, unlike the standard power filters, this system does not splash water. Every Whisper-style filter I've had has splashed water out the back or side, no matter what I did. Even if it was only a tiny amount, you can imagine what happened after several months of sitting on top of a bookshelf. The Eclipse system is enclosed. There is no water splashing out. Escape artist fish can't escape. Shrimp can't jump out. Fiddler crabs can't climb up tubing and out of the tank. You can set it pretty much anywhere and not worry about getting things wet.

3. It keeps the water clear. In standard systems, I had constant problems with cloudy water. I was always changing the water, adding clearing chemicals, everything I could. Nothing worked for very long. It drove me insane. The ONLY time my water got cloudy in this tank was when the temperature reached 90 degrees in the house (AC was out) and the goldfish started stressing. As soon as they had cooled back down, the water cleared and has been clear ever since.

4. Easy to set up and use. You plug it in and go. No hooking up pumps and filters, no worrying about tubing. I don't know why the other reviewer said you can only feed the fish from the top panel; I've always been able to easily change the filter through there. Just takes a few seconds.

5. Easy to maintain. All I need is some aquarium salt, bowl buddies, and nitraban and my tank will run for months before I need a full water change. In fact, with regular filter changes (once a month), I only need a 25% water change once a month. And when I do a full water change, the parts come out easily, go back easily, and it's light enough to carry outside or to the bathtub to drain and wash down.

6. The lighting is bright and illuminates the entire tank clearly. The only downside is the lights tend to heat the tank a bit, but it has no impact on tropical fish. It's only a problem to coldwater fish (like goldfish) when the room temperature reaches 85 or above, but then the room temperature is already the problem.

Only cons I have are the motor assembly and getting parts. It would be nice if it wasn't sealed together, in case I needed to fix a part and is a pain to clean ONLY IF I'M NOT DOING REGULAR TANK MAINTENANCE. Getting replacement parts is kind of a pain since it's an all-or-nothing thing, but so far, I haven't had one of these break on me (and I have several for the past 7 years).

Yes, the hood and lid can be annoying to deal with, but no more or less annoying than any other standard tank hood I've worked with.

Yes, the lights are integrated and the tank goes "dark" when it's removed, but that's why I usually turn the lights on in the dining room when I clean the tank. A magnetic cleaner doesn't even require the hood to be completely removed and I've found it to be the best option for quick algae cleaning.

Yes, the water isn't going "through" the filter, but the filter is actually working. If it didn't, all that gunk that builds up wouldn't be on the filter and would just go back into the water.

Yes, the biowheel sometimes stops. However, I've discovered it only stops when I turn the power off or I've neglected to change the filter for months (which happened only once because I was out of town). If you properly maintain your tank, as you should every tank, then the wheel won't stop.

I absolutely recommend this tank to beginners and anyone who wants an easy tank to maintain. It's simple to set up, easy to maintain, easy to clean, quiet, and can be placed just about anywhere.

Standard systems may be cheaper if you build it yourself, but I'd rather pay a few extra bucks to pick up a box that has everything I need in it. Aquarium snobs might say I'm not a true "enthusiast," but unlike them, I'd rather spend my time enjoying the fish than maintaining my tank.

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I think this is an Excellent Small to Midrange Aquarium set. I've been using this aquarium for 3 years now and am very pleased with it.

It is an acrylic tank not glass, so that's the first factor to consider. The difference is that it will be lighter than a glass tank but acrylic can get all scratched up when you're trying to do stuff like scrape algae off just be careful to not scrub so hard or use abrasive cleaners that can scratch or smoke up the acrylic.

I think that 12 gallons is a perfect size for a small area. You can have one larger fish in there, or several small ones. The 12 gallon size gives you a good amount of space so you have more options on what kind and how many fish you want to keep in there.

The hinged lid houses the filtration and lighting system while keeping the aquarium covered so that things don't inadvertently fall in, or critters getting out. I think a good lid is very important for a fish tank, sometimes things drop in, sometimes critters try to get out...and if you want eels they are notorious escape artists, so you really need to seal up the top of the tank. This lid makes it easier to do so.

The filtration system is one of the best that I've owned. I can't believe how clean it keeps the tank. I only change out the water every 6 months or so, but not because I can see gunk in the tank, but because I know that I should. Actually, I think I'm supposed to clean it more...but the unit runs so perfectly, I just don't see the need...and if I don't see the need, I don't really do it...so the excellent filtration system can be a good or bad thing. My tank is just always so crystal clear, it's wonderful to have such an easy tank to keep up. People are always asking me how I keep my tank looking so clean and perfect, and it's great to know that I don't have to do anything at all! lol, just make sure that the filtration system is plugged in. Of course, I do have to clean the Eclipse carbon filter out every couple of months. That does collect up quite a bit of "gunk". I just rinse out all the gunk and put the cleaned filter back in. After about 6 times of doing this, the filter gets pretty beat up, so I'll replace it. The replacement cartridges are not expensive.

The lighting is great and sufficient to light up the entire tank including some space around it. It's cool to have it in a dark room and have this as the sole lighting. It can act as a night light or whatnot. After 3 years of daily use, I have not had to replace the bulb either.

You have to supply your own gravel, plants, accessories, and of course the fish. I would highly recommend this aquarium. It's a compact unit for being 12 gallons, the filtration system works perfectly, the light is great, and the panoramic view really showcases your fish well. I have no complaints on this tank whatsoever and would recommend it to anyone.

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When I was in middle school, I was an avid tropical fish fan. I raised and bred all sorts of fish from easy to take care of goldfish to more challenging angel fish. That was years ago, but my fascination for tropicals has never really left me. I wanted to start up a small tank with a few fish, just for the fun of it, but without much of the hassle. I saw the Eclipse System package and tried one out. Here are my impressions of the kit.

The whole system is a complete package that contains all the necessary equipment that you'll need to get you started in keeping tropicals as pets. The kit includes the actual tank (which is plexiglass), the pump, filter, hood and light. The gravel and other accessories, you provide. Marineland boasts that the biofilter is able to eliminate much of the toxic buildup that occurs when you keep fish, thus providing a carefree, minimal amount of maintainence. Is it true? Yes and no.

Regardless of which filtration system you use, it takes about a month or more before beneficial bacterial builds up in the tank. These little critters are what is behind keeping the fish wastes under control. I found that the Eclipse system can do this, but only if you are very careful in keeping only a few fish in the tank. (Don't believe the photo on the box which seems to have 15-20 fish in the tank. In real life, they all would be dead if they were crowded this way.)

Added to this, the condition of your tank water is very, very volatile because the tank is so small. Overfeed your fish, or having a fish that is dead and hidden will reek havoc on your tank and most likely kill or make all your fish ill. The magnetic impeller motor can overheat and burn out easily if your water level becomes too low. The water moving through the motor also serves as a medium to cool it down. But what this means is your tank water will tend to heat up. During the summer months, this will be a very hard thing to control. The filter uses pre-assembled filter packs that are rather expensive and not very effective in trapping particles and debris.

The tank is made out of acrylic plastic, so the tank is very easy to scratch and mar. My tank had a hairline crack at the bottom and continued to grow bigger throughout the use of the tank. My fish, while alive, do not seem as healthy as they could be if they were in a larger tank. Although the Eclipse System is convenient, at least for the first few months of operation, the water quality, health of fish, and fragile tank material all outweigh it's positives. If algae starts to take hold of your aquarium, the algae is extremely hard to remove from the sides of the tank, if not impossible.

If you are truly interested in keeping fish as a hobby, it would be much better to spend it on a conventional glass tank with the filter of your choice. Retailers such as PetSmart sell 10 gallon kits that include everything you need to start an aquarium at a much more reasonable price. Marineland sells a larger version of the Eclipse, which is a twelve gallon model, but considering the price of the kit, it is way overpriced for what you could spend for a comparable standard setup. For my money, I will stick to the standard tank setup. Yes, initially, it is a little more hassle to setup, but in the long run, it will be the better choice in keeping you and your fish happy.

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Littlest Pet Shop Fish Tank - 2.5 Gallons

My daughter got this for Christmas and adores it. It was easy to set up and she was so excited to choose the fish for it.

Highly recommended.

This is a cute tank. Very colorful and easy to use. It is a little small for most fish. Makes a good soft night light, but does not have a good tank light. 4 yr old likes it.

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My daughters loved it for a Christmas present. I like the fact that the top dome lights up for a night-light. The only thing is, they are a little flimsy, I was cleaning one of the two and some how the bottom cracked and water went in every direction!

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This little tank has proved to be a most wonderful gift....would have rather it come in a more neutral color however, the lights and the color changes make a most delightful night light for our child's bookcase headboard. He can watch his fish and enjoy the lovely colors of the lights while he falls to sleep at night.

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My 4 year old daughter wanted her own pet, and was sold on getting a Beta fish. We got her this one and it works great. Her first Beta, "Fishy Wishy" seems to love it too. However, I DO agree with the previous poster; it's FAR overpriced here. We got ours at Wal-Mart for just under $ bucks.

Petco Hydro Poly Betta Aquarium Plant

Own a 10 gallon aquarium, and my otocinclus LOVE this fake plant. I leave enough space between the bottom of the first layer of petals and the weight so that the little algae eater can sneak and hide out in there. Perfect size and great product!

This is still looking super after a month or so in my half dome wall tank. My betta loves to rest on the petals. I'm a happy customer!

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It looks great in my tank. I have a male halfmoon betta and he swims through this plant all the time. he has no fin damage-which i love!

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Im veary happy with this, my female betta sleeps on it at night so its easy for her to just dip her head up for air, doesnt harm her fins, idk about how it would be on a male, its not as good as silk but its far better then plastic as far as bettas fins go, I have had 2 of these 1 for a few months befor I gave away the fish and tank to a lil kid befor I moved, and then the 1 I have now I have had for a year, hasnt broke or faded and my lil girl betta loves it

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Zilla 11862 Fresh Air Screen Cover with Center Hinge, 18-Inch by 72-Inch

It fits 100 125 150 gallon tanks. Keeps cats away from my lizards and lizards in the tank. Fits snugly on my aga aquarium

This lid is all metal and stronger than I thought it would be. The hinge works good on both sides and my turtles enjoy the extra air!

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the local pet store wanted 3x what amazon is charging... that laone makes it a great value.

It also happens to be very well madethe hinges are smooth and don't catch... and the mesh gauge is nice and thick not saggy.

I'm very satisfied.

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The item came with a few dings and dents, not a big deal. I really wished it fit my 125 gallon tank. It's good on the length, but its just a bit short on the width. 1/8" short to be exact. It's not a big deal that it doesn't fit my tank exactly because I'm going to build an "above tank basking area"(ATBA) for my red eared sliders, now all I have to do is custom fit a rim above my ATBA that will allow the screen cover to sit flush.

Would've given it that fifth star but because it doesn't fit my tank exactly I'm going to have to make some design changes to the ATBA. Otherwise its a great product. If I wasn't going to build an ATBA then there would be bigger problems and potentially a lower review because it didn't fit my tank.

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I bought this hoping it would be sturdy and it feels pretty sturdy and I'm satisfied with it so far!

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Rena Smartfilter

"It's the 1980's Jaguar of filters...great design, but you better own 2 because one will always be in the shop"

I've owned the 55 for less than two months when the motor failed. I tried calling Rena for help, all you get is an answering machine. They called me back two days later and told me that I can box up the filter and send it back for warranty. I said "hold on, this is my filter, I can't run w/o for a week or more" I asked if I could buy a replacement motor or if they could do an advanced replacement, I'd happily have paid for that. At that point the guy got rude and told me they "they weren't going to just ship out an expensive piece of equipment to me and if I considered my filter to be so important that I should own a backup."

I wish I could recommend this product, but having it fail in under two months and then being told I should have bought two is just unacceptable. I wish I would have read the other reviews first...

don't buy from Rena

"It's the 1980's Jaguar of filters...great design, but you better own 2 because one will always be in the shop"

I've owned the 55 for less than two months when the motor failed. I tried calling Rena for help, all you get is an answering machine. They called me back two days later and told me that I can box up the filter and send it back for warranty. I said "hold on, this is my filter, I can't run w/o for a week or more" I asked if I could buy a replacement motor or if they could do an advanced replacement, I'd happily have paid for that. At that point the guy got rude and told me they "they weren't going to just ship out an expensive piece of equipment to me and if I considered my filter to be so important that I should own a backup."

I've read on many sites that they have a great product unless it breaks, then you're just screwed because Rena doesn't care about their customers.

I wish I could recommend this product, but having it fail in under two months and then being told I should have bought two is just unacceptable.

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Bought the Smartfilter 55, but has same motor as this product 7 months ago. Recently started sounding / performing horribly. Emailed customer service to which the only answer was mail in unit at my shipping cost both direction and they'd 'fix' unit. When I asked for a unit to be sent to me upfront since this was in a working aquarium got the runaround. Called and got same result with the 'you should always have a backup pump'..... no I should have bought a product that works and is reliable. Will never buy another RENA project again.

Bad product, horrible customer service... AVOID

Read Best Reviews of Rena Smartfilter Here

update read the bottom i really hope some one from Rena reads this or a hole different company sees what could be done with this product

what a major difference between this filter and any other fish tank filter I have ever used ... I read all the other reviews every 1 posted on this and figured i would take a chance and im glad i did ....the only bad thing i can say is the plastic flippers that level the filter on the back bottom are a joke like other ppl said in there reviews no big deal rip up a small peace of cardboard problem solved ... the quietest filter iv ever used and i do fish tanks for a living ... the box filter setup is very smart and very well thought out the price of the filters are up there but u can get replacements at petsmart ...it moves a lot of water and because the spillway is 12 inch wide it puts a lot of o2 in the water it took about 4 days for the filter to set up and the milk to go away

..if this filter holds up I will get 10 to 15 more and suggest them to my clients ..if it takes a dump on me I will post that in my review .... take it from a pro this filter is far better then anything out there

6-5-2012

10/25/2012

has became noise and very hard to restart i would not buy another 1 until Rena updates this and fixes whats wrong with it ...its a real shame because its a sound idea works good the flow could be better im sure it would cost them all of 15 cents to fix the problems with this and put on the package new and improved next time i need new filters i will be putting the hole thing in the trash

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I have used this filter for a few months and it is so problematic I am now looking for a different branding. The filter leaks even though thorough examination shows no cracks or otherwise problems with the canister. I clean the filter cartridges faithfully thinking if they get clogged that would compel the water to leak. The filter is perfectly even and we can see no real reason for the leaks. Sadly, my flooring has taken a beating from the leaks and now I am looking at a greater epense to fix that as well. I should have researched more thoroughly prior to the purchase since it appears I am not alone with this troublesome filter. I will not buy Rena again, period.

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Sicce Syncra 10 High Flow Pump, 2500gph

Tried it when it arrived to make sure it worked being it was labled as 'used'. Wow, does it work! Very powerful and quiet. Will install in pond in May.

I bought this to replace my main reef pump (Danner Supreme 18 in 35 gallon sump/140 gallon tank) when I added a chiller because the chiller added 6 feet of additional head pressure and I wanted a little more flow. I was going to move up to a Danner 24 but that is rated at around 250 watts. The Syncra 10 is rated at 145 watts and is advertized to be very quiet. It also puts out more GPH compared to the Danner 24, depending on the head feet. Well at first it was extremely loud and didn't sound right. I opened the impeller cover and saw that the outer O-ring was installed behind the impeller, so I switched it to between the impeller cover and impeller like it shows in the instructions. That worked but there is a noticeable hum and vibration, which is not too loud but not nearly as quiet as the Danner 18. Maybe the Danner 24 would be just as loud but not sure.

The pump did not come with suction cup feet but I had some laying around.

This pump is a monster of a water mover. Happy so far. Just wish it was as silent as Sicce claims.

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Como Silicone Artificial Aquarium Decoration Coral Ornament Magenta

I LIKE THIS BUT, MY FISH DON'T. THEY SEEM TO PULL PIECES OFF OF IT AND DRAG IT AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK,THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIGGER BUT OVERALL I'M SATISFIED.

Mardel Live NH3 In-Tank Meter (Ammonia) Aquarium Water Testing Refill Pack

Ammonia levels displayed clearly with out having to test. Saves time and money on other strips. Constant feedback on stress level.

Product is a neat idea to continuously monitor Ammonia levels in the aquarium. However, the readings are not accurate and do not match the readings I get when I manually sample the water for Ammonia. I do not recommend this product. Since I cannot trust the readings, this has been a waste of money and I still have to manually sample and test the water.

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Finnex Ray2 Aquarium Day/Actinic LED Light, 18-Inch

I usually never write reviews but based on how much this impressed me when I first turned it on and the fact that there are almost no reviews for this light anywhere on the net, I decided to write one. I have a 10 gallon reef tank and until now, never had good lighting for it. So, I have been researching a lot the past couple of months on different lighting because I am starting to add more and more corals to my setup. Man is this light bright and very beautiful. The strip of white LEDs with the strip of blue LEDs brings out a lot of color on my fish and corals...especially my star polyps.

I have uploaded some pics that I took with my zoom. I was hesitant at first because the pics just don't do it justice.

Granted I just received this light today, but I would recommend this light to anyone with a small reef tank.

I will add some notes in few weeks to see how my fish and corals react. I am also very interested to see if my green bubble tip anemone will react positively to it too!

Satisfied with the light for the price although a bit more blue than I had expected.

Pros 1.) affordable 2.) LED

Cons 1.) the adjustable "legs" that the light sits on are notably cheap and did not fit my 30 gal. cube aquarium (19" but I had hoped there would be an adequate range of adjustment in the light. 2.) the power cord is SHORT. I can't picture the advantage of such a short cord and it did not really work for my set up.

Overall as long as the two cons don't worry you this would be a good buy for the price.

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Great constuction and pricing. Similar set-ups online require piecing together the lights, ballast, and switch. That alone will run you $120+.

The aquarium (Fluval Spec V) looks great under the new lighting. The corals seem to be taking to the light, but there has been an adaption period. The stock light wasn't too bright, so transitioning to this beauty was a shock.

Very impressed with the sleek look and construction. A steal for the price.

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Great value, well built and very bright, my coral is doing well and very low heat. Overall I love it.

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I bought this light to put on a 10 gallon nano reef that I am setting up. This thing is great. I put it on the tank and couldn't believe how bright it was. It lights up my entire living room. I don't think there will be any issues with putting coral in this tank. There are tons of LEDs in this fixture. It feels like a really solid fixture, not flimsy like some reviews of other LED fixtures that I have read.

There are a few things that I am a little disappointed with, but this is more my preference and nothing to do with the light. First, it doesn't come in a 20" model. The 18" works great on my tank, but it rests on the hood instead of on the tank. For most people this is probably not an issue, but I would rather something that fir the tank. Second, I would prefer to be able to control the whites and the blues seperately. Again, this is not a deal breaker and for the price, it is excellent.

I have only had it for about a week and I am happy with it. I will try to update this post after I have had it for a little longer.

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Acurel LLC 100-Percent Polyester Filter Fiber, 14-Ounce

Polyester pillow stuffing. Sadly, I could have gotten this numerous other places for half the cost. Live and learn. However, it is great stuff for fish filters.

This is a great quality product. I use this in my Biocube as an additional filter with the bio balls.

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This is a great replacement the expensive carbon filled cartridges. If you remove the fiber and carbon from your old cartridges, you can use the plastic support to keep this floss in place in your filter. You only need the carbon to remove chemicals after treating for disease. This will save you a ton of money.

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