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

Sunday, October 19, 2014

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

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....

Read Best Reviews of Eshopps PSK-75H Hang-On Protein Skimmer - Up to 75 gal. Here

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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Friday, August 1, 2014

Florida Crushed Coral Aquarium Gravel, 15 Lbs

Florida Crushed Coral Aquarium Gravel, 15 LbsI got this to put in a sump in media bags to buffer my freshwater tank's PH. Before the crushed coral, my PH was reading a flat 6.0 and bottomed out after every water change. But now, my tank's PH is holding at a solid 6.4/6.5 which is good because I have an Amazon River Pacu and they like acidic water. NOTE if you're buying this coral to use for this purpose, start with a small media bag, wait a week or so, test the PH, and add a small amount more if need be. Reason being, if you raise the PH too much or too quickly, ammonia becomes more toxic. AND NEVER use baking soda to manage your PH, it's a shock to the system and can kill your fish as non toxic ammonia becomes toxic free ammonia with the rising PH.

I like it a lot for the aquarium (even though I needed like 1% of what comes in this bag). Be aware that you'll need to rinse this A LOT before putting it in the tank. I probably took 15 minutes to do so before I thought it was sufficient.

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Saturday, July 19, 2014

SmartBones SmartSticks Dog Chews, Peanut Butter, 5-Pack

SmartBones SmartSticks Dog Chews, Peanut Butter, 5-PackThis can make your pet sick. Peanut butter, chicken, grains, (all 3 highly allergic for dogs) & toxic chemicals?!

Please do your research.

Please reconsider purchasing this itemthere is no safety information or statement of food-safety level at this time on the ad for this product & the lack thereof is an indicator that the material used in this is Not BPA-free & Phthlatate-free & food-safe.

Please consider raw meaty bones from your butcher/grocery store/health food store insteadmuch less dangerous & damaging to teeth & jaw & system.

Also, excessive chewing is an indicator of vitamin & mineral deficiencies. A diet of raw &/or cooked natural pet food supplemented with human quality supplements may eliminate the obsession with chewing.

For vitamins & minerals I recommend Thorne Research, Pure Encapsulations, MegaFood, Garden of Life, Vita Synergy, Solgar and other high quality product producing companies for You & Your Pet.

Growing your own wheatgrass for pets is a huge help too.

Best Health to You & Yours.

My dog seems to like these okay. He doesn't get excited about them like he does other treats, but he does eventually eat them. But, at a cost of more than $1 a piece, he would much rather have a pig ear!

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Sunday, July 13, 2014

SunPaq Dual Actinic Aquarium Lamp 96watt

SunPaq Dual Actinic Aquarium Lamp 96wattI bought this to replace a Coralife light. It works fine and was much cheaper. But it did seem like the discount in price was reflected in the quality. It didn't last as long as long as expected, and I'm not convinced it was honest to advertised spectrum. When this one burned down, I went back to Coralife.

If you can get one delivered that isn't cracked, shattered, or just doesn't work, than they are good lights. The 420/460 mix looks absolutely beautiful!

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Saturday, May 24, 2014

Tetra Usa ATS29554 Repair Kit for 50 and 80 Air Pump

Tetra Usa ATS29554 Repair Kit for 50 and 80 Air PumpKit arrived quickly and contained all the parts needed to fully repair my air pump. As long as the electric part still works (if it vibrates) this kit contains everything needed to fully restore your pump. The only thing you will need is some nail polish or thread-lock or Elmer's glue to apply over the internal machine screws afterward to keep them from vibrating free over time. If you use nail polish as the instructions indicate, be sure to let the inside air out for a day before replacing the cover and using the pump to prevent the smell from being sent out through the air pump. If my pump ever goes again I will absolutely buy this kit again.

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Monday, April 21, 2014

TOM Aquarium Aqua Lifter Pump Holder

TOM Aquarium Aqua Lifter Pump HolderI own three of these pumps. They work great, just a workhorse at getting the job done...reliably. Set up is easy. I am using them for my HOB skimmer as well as for automatic topoff support. A classic pump in the aquarium trade, for good reason.

Easy to use and works great.hangs where you want it and is not bulky. I have mine hanging on the back of my tank out of sight.

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I think this little thing is great. Can be used dry or wet. I personally use it for auto top off on my Nano saltwater tank. Not to loud and very convenient. :-)

Read Best Reviews of TOM Aquarium Aqua Lifter Pump Holder Here

i like the design but it only hold small pump. but i made it work duck tapping my large pump to it. this worked

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Thursday, March 13, 2014

MR. Aqua Brass Bubble Counter with Check Valve

MR. Aqua Brass Bubble Counter with Check ValveTop portion of the bubble counter is not hermetically sealed to the bottom cylinder. Had to use Teflon tape to seal the top brass piece to the plastic cylinder. Then it worked fine.

This bubble counter is high quality and still works well after one year. It performs as expected and better than some of the cheaper bubble counters I have owned.

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This bubble counter work well. FYI, they bubble counter is made of plastic. I first though it was glass but its plastic. So for those who want glass then this is not for them.

Read Best Reviews of MR. Aqua Brass Bubble Counter with Check Valve Here

Monday, January 20, 2014

Reef One Biorb Silk Plants

biOrb Silk Plant Pack Small, Red/Green, 2 PackI've had goldfish and other fish for many years and one big problem has been cleaning a tank or BiOrb with artificial plants in it. These plants do not need to be attached to anything. They have nice heavy weighted bottoms that stay where you put them and are so easy to lift out and rinse off with each water change or cleaning. Don't bother buying any other artificial plants for your aquarium you can't beat these!

Saving these for when I get a bigger tank, but man they are so vibrant in color, I wish I had the space to add these to my tank, granted the texture is a bit clothy, I suppose for the intended purpose it needs to be.

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biOrb makes the absolute best faux plants for aquariums. They look so natural and real. This item was shipped to me very fast as well. I am very happy with this product!

Read Best Reviews of Reef One Biorb Silk Plants Here

I have two african dwarf frogs and they love to hide. My three gallon tank is wider than it is tall; these frogs have to swim to the top to breathe. These plants are strong enough for them to rest on, so they can go to the top of the tank easier. They love having more places to hide as well! These plants are really pretty, and they don't float up at all (so low maintenance!)

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I have these plants in my ten gallon and my Betta, Flotsom loves them. They are soft and safe for Betta's fragile fins. The smaller Green one looks very realistic. The weighted base is extremely useful in keeping them rooted in the substrate. Love, Love, Love this product.

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Sunday, January 19, 2014

PondCare Summer Staple Pellet Fish Food, 10 Ounce

PondCare Summer Staple Pellet Fish Food, 10 OunceThe goldfish in our pond love this food. Previous years we used a regular goldfish flake food, and always had algae problems (it never occurred to me there might be a different food for pond fish versus aquarium fish). I'm not sure if this food is what's helped so much this year, but this year we have a crystal clear pond and seemingly super happy fish. I know it, because this summer I could actually see them! I'm ordering PondCare 180 Spring & Autumn Pellet Fish Food for the cooler months.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Sloping Mountain With Cave Ornament

Sloping Mountain With Cave OrnamentQuick service, great addition to tank I will be on the lookout for additional items to compliment this one.

Ok seriously.... how much money for a freaking tank decoration...wow people. just wow. This is not anything special so why is the price more than a mortgage payment.

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Saturday, November 30, 2013

Aqueon 06143 Submersible Pump 4000, 755 GPH

Aqueon 06143 Submersible Pump 4000, 755 GPHI have this in a 200 gallon fresh water tank. It works well and is fairly quiet but the reason it got only 4 stars is that it can heat up the tank. It heats the water to about 5 degrees above ambient. It limits the amount of time I can keep the light on as any other source of heat just gets the tank too warm. I spoke to a professional and he thought there may be something wrong with it but he then called his Aqueon rep. and they said there were no recalls on any of their pumps.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Como Pink Tail Sitting Beautiful Sea Maiden Fish Tank Aquarium Decoration Ornament

Como Pink Tail Sitting Beautiful Sea Maiden Fish Tank Aquarium Decoration OrnamentShe is always falling over in the tank with any movement at all. She gets lost in our 55gallon tank.

Don't buy it it was broke when we got it and the piece was no where to be found so it was broke when they shipped it!!! its so small you can barely see it in the tank :(

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Saturday, November 16, 2013

Zilla 11435 Fresh Air Screen Cover, 48-Inch by 18-Inch

Zilla 11435 Fresh Air Screen Cover, 48-Inch by 18-Inch
  • Allows essential air flow in reptile terrariums
  • Durable, escape-proof design
  • Withstands high temperatures from heating devices
  • Provide air flow while maintaining solid security

This product is exactly what it is advertised to be. It fits perfectly over the top of my 80-gallon aquarium (used for a turtle). It's pretty light-weight so it's easy to pick up and move around when I feed/clean the tank.

My only complaint is that some smaller versions of this screen cover come with the option of a small section that you can lift for feeding, but for one this large I could only find them as a whole piece and I have to move the ENTIRE cover every time I feed my turtle.

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Fit the cage perfectly :)...and the best part is I no longer walk into the bearded dragon's room to see my cat laying inside the cage with the dragon on top of his head -_-.

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I wish this had a smaller hinged part to make it a bit easier to feed/water my son's lizard, but for such a large screen you really can't beat the price. It keeps the cat out of the lizard tank, so it does its job.

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Got this for my newly upgraded aquatic turtle tank. Perfect condition, fast delivery, good packaging. Only wish they made these screen covers for this sized tank with a hinge to make feeding easier.

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I use this screen to cover my 90 gallon fish tank in which I keep my ball python. The open top provides great air flow and does not get too hot under my heat lamp. My only complaint is that the screen got pretty bent up during its shipping and required quite a bit of fixing. Spend a few extra dollars and buy it locally if you can.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

FLUVAL U3 Foam Pad Filter Media x 12pk

FLUVAL U3 Foam Pad Filter Media x 12pkJust like the carbon cartridge, these are very easy to install. I replace them once per month and the water is clean and clear. The U3 filter works just as well as a canister filter with no hoses.

This purchase is a great value. I really like the Fluval filter system but the cost of changing the filters as often as recommended is higher than I would like. Now I can get a large number at a better price.

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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Tetra Whisper Air Pump

Tetra 77847 Whisper Air Pump, upto 20-GallonI bought a 5 gallon air pump for more than this, and that air pump failed to pump air through 2 2.5gal tanks. So, I went to the overkill side and purchased this. First, though, I want to address some of the other reviews.

NO air pump, I repeat, NO AIR PUMP IS SILENT. If a manufacturer tries to sell you a silent air pump, you need to step back and assess if their project development team has taken remedial physics. Vibrations create sound, which means no silent vibrating air pump diaphragms. According to classical physics, it is physically impossible for that to happen. However, through sound damping and clever material choice, you can make it so that it's close to silent. You'll never actually get there, but you can make it quiet enough to not be heard over the usual white noise of the home.

This air pump is the quietest I've ever gotten my hands on. I live in a building with a constant low level of background noise, and I have to concentrate to pick the pump's quiet hum out. It's well constructed, the rubber feet do a lot in the way of damping sound, and if you have it in a bedroom, wrapping it with a towel makes it practically inaudible. Otherwise, it's a very well built and well functioning pump for its price. You will never find anything as good quality as this and for as low a price as this; I can guarantee it from weeks of searching online.

Pump is whisper quiet. Comes with an inline check valve to adjust the level of output. Works great. Does not come with any hose, or with any tfitings, so these will need to be purchased seperately.

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I have this setup on a 20 gallon tall aquarium. It also goes to a standard 10 gallon via a 2-way gang valve. So in essence it would be like connecting two 'bubble' devices up (think air stone plus bubbling treasure chest decoration as an example). The gang valve allows me to compensate for the 10 gallon not being as deep as the 20 gallon. For those interested, it is running a sponge filter in both tanks.

With this set up, it is barely able to keep headway and only produces a minimal amount of bubbles. This is okay for me, since I run fully planted tanks and only need minimal water flow for temp and nutrient distribution. If I was doing two devices in the 20 gallon alone though, I'm not sure it would be powerful enough.

How big of a pump do you need? It's all about depth and has nothing to do with volume ... which is how they are foolishly marketed. It should be clear that a pump will work much better on a 20 gallon long tank than it will on a 20 gallon tall tank due solely to the depth of the water even though they have the same volume.

My biggest complain with this air pump is it isn't quite. It's about the same level of noise that a cheap HOB filter makes while good HOB filters will be far quieter than this thing. It's a constant hum that you can get use to, but will always be there and add to the `background' noise of your house. The best I could compare it to is the kind of noise a refrigerator makes when it is on.

Read Best Reviews of Tetra Whisper Air Pump Here

This pump is better than several cheaper ones we've tried, though it does have a larger footprint. Rubber feet are excellent.

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I had my doubts about purchasing an air pump for my 16 gallon bow front aquarium. My filter is very quiet and I didn't want to add the additional noise of an air pump, but I wanted to add some circulation to my tank. I was pleasantly surprised with the Whisper air pump. It basically only added a low hum to my tank set up. Very happy. Works great.

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Monday, September 16, 2013

Green Mineral Airstone Bar Shape Air Stone for Aquarium

Green Mineral Airstone Bar Shape Air Stone for AquariumI had one of the tube style bubble bars then replaced it with this. This is much, much better. The bubbles are consistent across the bar in volume and shape. They are a little bit too big, but consistent. No complaints and it is still working well.

Creates nice small bubbles that makes a nice air bubble curtain in the back of the aquarium. Some of the fish like to swim through it.

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Sort of works. The bubbles tend to come our in strange places but buried under the gravel it works okay.

I've had it for some months now. The tubing has an awful tendency to pop off when adjusting it, and the bubbles don't come out very evenly. I am feeding it from both ends with an adjustable pump of ample capacity and there is no getting this to work the way I had hoped.

Read Best Reviews of Green Mineral Airstone Bar Shape Air Stone for Aquarium Here

what more to say. i works, but doesn't last forever. it's much longer than i anticipated would be great for aquarium

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leaves a ring of I don't know in my hydro farm will not reorder unless I get an aquarium thanks