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

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Loving Pets Pure Buffalo 6-Inch Bully Stick Dog Treat, 6-Pack

Loving Pets Pure Buffalo 6-Inch Bully Stick Dog Treat, 6-PackMy dog, Sara, is very particular about her food and treats. She will only eat high quality canned foods and 100% meat treats. She turns her nose up at any food or treat that she finds of inferior quality so when I purchased these Buffalo Bully Sticks I half expected her to toss them on the floor and ignore them, which she actually did at first. But later I caught her chewing on one and she was enjoying it so much that she kept at it until she had half of it a mushy mess. She still hasn't finished the first one, but as she is a small dog I don't expect her to anytime soon. I'm just happy that she keeps coming back to it and seems to enjoy working on it from time to time.

Won't buy again they smell TERRIBLE! Serioulsy it smelled up the house, his blanket and pillow. They are terrible. I bought other bully sticks that don't smell and I will go back to them, Amazon was all out of them, I will wait until the better ones come back in stock.

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I love giving my dogs bully sticks to keep them occuppied on the rare times when I need some privacy. I thought the buffalo sticks would be a nice change in treats but my dogs seemed to go thru them quicker than the regular beef sticks and the smell was overwhelming.

Read Best Reviews of Loving Pets Pure Buffalo 6-Inch Bully Stick Dog Treat, 6-Pack Here

My dog loved these bully sticks and cheaper compared to most.

Kept my pup busy and would not chew on the furniture.

I am buying more.

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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Tetra Half Moon Aquarium Kit, 10-Gallon

Tetra Half Moon Aquarium Kit, 10-GallonI used to own a number of tanks and my dad bred fish when we were growing up, so we had as many as 30 tanks in our house at once. I finally convinced my wife to get a tank for our children, which we wanted to fit on their tall dresser in their bedroom. The regular rectangular shaped 10 gallon was a little too big, so we went with the half moon. We have had this one up for just over a week now.

Pros:

Small foot print so it fit onto a narrow/ tall dresser

Super quiet filter, perfect for the kids bedroom.

I like that it is taller than a normal 10 gallon so the plants can grow taller.

The filter seems to pump plenty of water for the tank. You can really see the water movement and if the fish don't eat quickly, some of the food will get sucked into the filter within just a few minutes. The water has been crystal clear.

Cons:

I don't like that they taped things to the inside of the tank when they shipped it. You don't want to use soap or goo gone inside a tank so that you don't kill the fish and it was a bear to clean off the glue with a paper towel.

Because the tank is narrow and tall, you have less surface area, so it technically will hold less fish than a regular 10 gallon tank

The half moon distorts the fish at certain angles and you have to move around to see the corners

Did not come with net or glass scraper

We are happy with the tank and based on our requirements, it fit our needs. The kids love the tank and we have 6 fish in it so far, 3 midnight tetras, 1 glofish and 2 molly's. We plan to add a cat and possibly a siamese fighter, but the number of fish will definitely be maxed at that point.

I just set up this tank today and immediately noticed the poor quality filter that came with this aquarium. I don't like the idea of an open top on the filter plus there are so many better filters on the market that will fit this tank. I am also not crazy about the provided top. It's just a piece of plastic that sits loosely on top of the tank with a hole in the front for feeding and two holes in the back for the heater and filter. They should have made this a hinged lid instead as there is a chance fish will jump out. Poor design! However, the tank looks beautiful and with a few minor adjustments, it will be a nice addition to my office. If you do decide to add a better filter, use the AquaClear 20. It's fantastic and will keep the aquarium in much better shape than the provided filter. Fits perfectly. Just remove the cut out portion of the back of the lid and the AquaClear fits beautifully. The AquaClear has a lid so the water is not exposed and requires very little maintenance.

Buy Tetra Half Moon Aquarium Kit, 10-Gallon Now

We bought this tank today and after setting it up, we absolutely love it. I wanted an elegant/stylish tank, and that is exactly what I got.

Things that I love about the tank:

1. Shape the half moon shape is great for viewing your fish, plus, it is a nice change from traditional rectangular fish tanks

2. The filter is very quiet

3. The filter replacements are not very expensive (I looked them up after purchasing the tank)

4. The LED light is bright and does not require much energy

5. The heater can be placed almost anywhere in the tank, allowing you to hide it behind plants or water features.

Things to note:

1. While I love the light, the tank that is the next size up comes with a day/night LED light feature which allows you to use one light for both day and night, instead of purchasing a separate night-time light if you want to view your tank during off hours without stressing your fish out.

2. The filter does not have a lid, so it is a little unfinished looking if you are standing directly over the tank

3. I wish the instructions would have been a little more visual and less technical. We wanted to get the tank set up quickly, and had to stop for each item and read the long instruction sheets.

While we've only had the tank and set up for one day, we absolutely love it. It is a stunning feature in our home.

Read Best Reviews of Tetra Half Moon Aquarium Kit, 10-Gallon Here

For a total of about six weeks, this was an attractive and enjoyable aquarium.

I bought this kit looking for a decorative aquarium to hold about five fresh water fancy goldfish. The tall tank with its clear lid has a lot of eye appeal: the fish and contents are much more visible than in more conventional tanks with a dark rim or a hood obstructing the upper portion. For a ten gallon tank, it has a lot of viewing area.

While the filter is nothing fancy, it does the job well provided that the tank is kept properly filled and the filter's waterfall edge is positioned not too far above the waterline. Positioned like this the system is admirably quiet, but if either the fill level is off or the filter is improperly positioned, you will experience splashing and quicker evaporation losses. It is not a bubbler-type system, so if you need to have a lot of air injected into the water you'll want a different pump/filter.

I was happy with my aquarium for aboout five days when I noticed it was leaking at the bottom left corner. I returned it and received an immediate replacement. This worked fine until, about five weeks later, I awoke to a significantly lower water level in the tank, and a correspondingly upsetting puddle on my stand and floor. I was willing to accept the first failure as a fluke, but after the second tank's failure I gave up on this item and bought another manufacturer's product.

After dissassembling the failed tank I noticed that the silicone sealant between the front curved glass, the flat glass backplate, and the plastic base appeared to have been sloppily applied in several places, including at least one place where the leaks occurred. There were a couple of other spots where upon close inspection I could see voids or finger grooves. Maybe my two tanks were made on the same day by the same inexperienced or careless assembler, and/or checked by the same indifferent inspector. Whatever the cause, poor quality control is what soured me on this product. If you really like this tank's looks in spite of its problems, I recommend you consider applying extra sealant to the seams along the inside of the base and hopefully avoid the issues I experienced.

Want Tetra Half Moon Aquarium Kit, 10-Gallon Discount?

Something with the curve of the glass and sudden light changes drives fish to jump out! I've had this tank for a year and a half and have lost close to 20 fish. I had 1 type in there and after 5-6 jumped, I decided to move it and stock it with different fish. Same results, very upsetting to find your favorite fish dried up behind the tank/stand. Platies, Guppies, Cories, ...doesn't seem to matter, they all jump. Stay away from this tank or completely cover with saran wrap or plexiglass cut to perfect size. This will keep your fish alive, but I don't think they will be very happy.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Tetra 26163 Whisper Bio-Bag Cartridge, Unassembled, Large, 8-Pack

Tetra 26163 Whisper Bio-Bag Cartridge, Unassembled, Large, 8-PackI've been using these for year, but the quality isn't as good as before. One package came with bags that weren't sealed on one side.

I have used Bio Bags for years in my fish tanks and here lately they have changed the mesh pocket I suppose to save money but it does not last near as long as they used too. When the main system burns out I will not be replacing it with a Whisper for the simple fact of the changes with the filters.

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It is totally wasteful. After a month or two I usually clean the filter cartridge.

This bio bag is unable to be reused. It simply tears apart after I rinse it off to

use it again. This maybe the only brand that makes you buy cartridges over and over.

Read Best Reviews of Tetra 26163 Whisper Bio-Bag Cartridge, Unassembled, Large, 8-Pack Here

This is the best way to purchase UN-assembled filter bags.

MY ADVISE: I add extra carbon chunks because the tiny bag they give you barely adds an inch to the filter bag I fill the filter and it really keeps water clean. You can buy filter carbon seperately here on Amazon.

I buy the API 1/2 gal container carbon

http://www.amazon.com/API-ACTIVATED-FILTER-CARBON-GALLON/dp/B002DW0HLU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327005959&sr=8-1.

I also add some API AMMO-CHIPS, to reduce ammonia from fish " fish urine"

http://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Pharmaceuticals-79C-Ammo-Chips-Half-Gallon/dp/B000255NF0

My maintenence routine: I change the filter about every 2 weeks, clear off any algae from the glass of the tank with clean material or papertowel, sometimes I remove/refill about 1/4 of the water in the to freshen the water.

I combine both products (listed above) to fill the filter bag, rinse with to remove any charcoal carbon black dust (instructions advise to do that) and put in the filterbag into the filter. Takes less aboout 15 mins and really keeps the tank clean.

Want Tetra 26163 Whisper Bio-Bag Cartridge, Unassembled, Large, 8-Pack Discount?

These wisper Bio-Bag filters are great and very easy to use. I received the filters on time and at a good price. Amazon.com Is my favioret place to shop. They have the very best prices and the biggest slection.

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Thursday, August 28, 2014

Pressurized Pond Filter

Pressurized Pond Filter Size: 2000 UVI just purchased the Fishmate 500 UV filter. I have a small pond which I was using a Sunterra UV filter the UV stopped working and the pond has not been clear for months. I installed the filter on Friday and by Sunday you could see the gravel on the bottom. They recommend running the filter 24 hrs a day but I have been shutting off at night and it still cleaned up the pond. I is so easy to open and close, with my old filter it was a nightmare of trying to hold the "O" ring in place and line it up to close the plastic clamps. With the fishmate the "O" ring fits into a groove on the base and the top is easily put on and clamped shut, if I had known that it would work so well I would have optted for the 1000 UV. The only downside could be the recommended cleaning once a week.

This filter worked great. Cleared up my pond in 5 days. Crystal clear. The only down side is, it was not made clear that this filter requires a seperate outside pump to run it. So plan on spending another $100 on a pump and hoses.

Buy Pressurized Pond Filter Now

I purchased the 500p-UV to replace an existing filter/UV that sprung a leak in the seal that protected the UV light. The damage was going to cost $150 so I opted for a new unit. This one was a step down from the Oasis unit I had, but Oasis is no longer sold in the US. The problems I had with the Fish Mate were that the unit requires dissasembly for a weekly cleaning while better units only require the turn of a knob to back flush. Also, the 500 in the 500 P-UV means it works for a 500 gallon pond, but only a 350 gal/hour pump. The 1000 P-UV will go to a 650 gal/hour. That was not mentioned in the description. So its going back and I'm looking for a larger unit.

Read Best Reviews of Pressurized Pond Filter Here

Within just one week of installing the Fish Mate 500 our pond was cleared of the soupy green stuff. I squeezed out the filter pads once a week for about a month, then once a month,then hardly every. The pond water is clear and the plants and fish are thriving.

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I have had a long standing problem for the last couple of years with two small ponds that are part of a water feature. I live on a barrier island and both ponds were pristine until they were flooded during a hurricane. Ever since then I've been fighting a losing battle with algae. The pond with the sunnier exposure had thick algae blooms that I found impossible to control. The water looked like pea soup. Periodically I'd dump Clorox in them which would kill the algae temporarily but the ponds would remain turbid. I tried pool shock... even went to the extreme of dumping an entire container of pool shock in there... but it wouldn't clarify.

Then I got the Fish Mate 500 filter.

I was a little uncertain as to how effective this was going to be so my installation was kind of temporary: I used a 300 GPH pump I had laying around along with 1/2" tubing I had to heat before I could get it stretched over the fittings on the filters. So the pump and its tubing are both smaller than the manufacturer intended.

I have watched this pond improve almost on an hourly basis since then. It is quite clear already and it hasn't run for a week yet. If it got no better I'd still be satisfied. I'm wondering what will happen when I clean it the first time: how much better can it get when it starts without that huge load of dead algae to contend with?

Since my ponds are directly adjacent to one another with just a narrow path between them, I'm thinking of alternating the use of the filter between one pond and the other. I'll just bury the tubing so it's not obvious and leave the filter itself located centrally. It does not have to be in the water itself. The only thing that must is the intake for the pump.

This is a GREAT product... I wish I'd bought one when my algae problem first took off. If there is any negative at all, be VERY careful when you remove the lid off the filter: there are some pretty flimsy plastic tabs located along its inside edges. I managed to break one off within my first minute of opening it. The tabs are probably there to help align the lid but losing one didn't seem to hurt anything. Still, I assume they're there for a reason.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Lee's Pet Products ALE16010 Rigid Tubing for Aquarium Pumps, 5/16-Inch by 3-Feet

Lee's Pet Products ALE16010 Rigid Tubing for Aquarium Pumps, 5/16-Inch by 3-FeetI needed small lengths of rigid tubing, and this was it. IT is very clear, and if it was a tiny bit more rigid (like glass) I would have given it a 5, but it's plastic and good.

I though I sent a feedback thank you. It not you fault but the package was bend and the tube had a bend in it.It o.k. I gave a AA+ for sending it to me

Buy Lee's Pet Products ALE16010 Rigid Tubing for Aquarium Pumps, 5/16-Inch by 3-Feet Now

Friday, July 18, 2014

Hydor Automatic Fish Feeder -Battery Powered, with Air Connection - Original EkoMixo

Hydor Automatic Fish Feeder -Battery Powered, with Air Connection - Original EkoMixoThis is my first automatic feeder. I've been using it continuously for ten months without any problems. When I go out of town, I have no worries about my fish.

The good:

it has worked reliably for me

it holds weeks worth of flakes

I haven't had problems with moisture, even without using the air input

adjustable feeding quantity

1 to 3 feedings/day

low battery warning

batteries lasted me 10 months with 3 feedings/day

The bad:

programming interface is poor. The 24-hour clock starts *at the time you set it up*, which means if you want the first feeding at 7am you have to wait until 7am to program it.

I can't program it without the manual. It's not simple enough to figure out, and there isn't an instruction plate on the unit. Now that I have to change the batteries, I have to go digging for the manual.

the program is inflexible. There is no way to pause the program, or to make the unit do a one-time extra feeding. The multiple-feeding/day interval is unchangeable (12 hours for 2x, 6 hours for 3x).

bulky with limited mounting options. The unit has to sit on top of your tank, with the feeder output over an opening. The base of the unit (the black part in the picture) is about 4.5", with the feeding slot (clear plastic part) extending past the base with a 1" wide opening.

I had to experiment over a few feedings to find a position that would get all the food into the water. I put velcro strips on the base and attached it to a heavy drink coaster with a felt bottom. It doesn't move around and won't scratch my acrylic top.

Despite the inflexibility, I'm happy with this thing because I really have no worries when I'm on vacation.

Have had the product for a few months now. It is working and seems to be reliable. Only wish you could program it by entering a time into the feeder. You have to set it at the time you want to feed the fish and then it just counts the hours until the next feeding...once a day, twice a day etc. The amount you feed depends on how wide you open the hopper. Make sure you have enough food in the feeder since it works off of gravity and the rotating hopper to drop the food into your tank.

Buy Hydor Automatic Fish Feeder -Battery Powered, with Air Connection - Original EkoMixo Now

My husband has a 55 gallon for mollies and I have a 5 gallon for a Betta. He did not want to use the automatic feeder that I recently purchased and told me to buy the tetra vacation gel for the 55 gallon. I decided to set up the auto feeder for Betta and my husband dropped the Tetra Gel in the Molly tank. We left for 4 days and when we returned the water in the auto feeder was not cloudy, Betta alive and happy while the 55 gallon tank, the water was cloudy, the mollies did not look well and I found alot of the Tetra gel residue. I purchased my feeder else where cheaper, and can say it was worth the purchase. However, there are some cons I would like to point out.

Cons:

1) Cannot set a designated time;

2) Container bit small for supposedly 1 months feeding; guess if you feed once a day it will last a month; and

3) No clamp to support to fish tank only a couple of velcro strips

Read Best Reviews of Hydor Automatic Fish Feeder -Battery Powered, with Air Connection - Original EkoMixo Here

I was kinda worried about how well it would work, since I bought it here on Amazon and the reviews made it look kinda sketchy, but I've owned it for nearly half a year now and I have not once had a single problem with it. I did notice though that if you place it over the surface where the bubbles from your air stone come up, the inside of the feeder does get a bit of condensation causing the food to clump a little and for it to shut down. But as I found out after doing a little bit of research, that is expected of ANY feeder, and the condensation will usually KILL it as well, so I guess this feeder is a toughy.

Want Hydor Automatic Fish Feeder -Battery Powered, with Air Connection - Original EkoMixo Discount?

First of all, setting up this feeder is the simplest thing ever. There is only one button, which pressed repeatedly, allows to select 1, 2 or 3 meals/day that have been preprogrammed at the most logical time interval of each other (that is 24h, 8h, and 6 hours, respectively). The first meal is repeated at same hour each day, which coincides with the time you set the feeder. It's up to you to decide when you want to feed your fishes the first meal each day. I don't see any problem with that, unlike many other people before me did.

The canister that holds the food is a lot bigger than you can see in the picture, most of it being hidden in the main body of the feeder. It probably can hold same amount as one of the Tetra 29 g (1.02oz) of flake food. That's (a lot) more than a month worth of food for my fishes, so no worries here. The amount of food that is dispensed at each time can be adjusted and if the amount of food still doesn't seem to be sufficient for the number of fishes you may have, I would suggest to try more frequent meals, I mean more than 1 or 2. 3 meals a day is a little too much from my experience, while 1 is not quite enough. 2 meals a day should be ideal I'd say. Another option would be buying some feeder that is double in price or even buying 2 feeders and put them to run in the same time. I guess you have to be inventive, but for any normal amateur aquarist this type of feeder is ideal and meets their needs.

The mounting is done the most natural by placing the feeder on the hood of your aquarium, and nothing else being necessary to keep it in place, although 2 velcro strips are provided. No clamp is provided but I believe that is obvious from the image. If, for any reason you can only mount the feeder by using a clamp, the alternative is to get a cheap clamp from a Dollar store but my tanks need cover anyway or else the fishes will jump out.

I even like that there is the option to connect it to the air pump so clumping is prevented. I don't know if that would happen otherwise, but I decided to use the air as well. The pressure isn't high enough to see flakes flying , but the producer made sure that the air supply is cut in the time of feeding to prevent an overdose. That being said, I believe this feeder to be very good for what it is intended, and paying more would only matter for bragging rights, not performance.

There is an update I'd like to add to what I have previously stated. After some time using two of these feeders, I have noticed that the small plastic clips that keep the canister in the body of the feeder have a very good chance to break. So you have to be careful when inserting or taking out the canister for a refill and also make sure you buy a good, intact unit. I am however considering different remedies, since plastic clips aren't going to set me back now. On a market invaded by cheaply made chinese products this isn't a surprise or is it (this product is actually Italian)?

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Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Zoo Med Flora Sun Plant Bulb T5 High Output 39 Watts, 34-Inch

Zoo Med Flora Sun Plant Bulb T5 High Output 39 Watts, 34-InchWe grow aquatic plants in research aquariums for environmental studies.When it came time to replace our aquarium lighting bulbs we bought these. I can say that these lights do stimulate plant growth. We did not see any algae growth after ganging the bulbs..a real plus. If you are looking for good plant growing bulbs..give these a try!

I received this item about a couple of weeks ago and it looks great. The color here looks pink but in my tank it's not that pink at all. My tank looks great and I can see a difference in my plants. The color of my plants definitely pops. More green than ever.

For me this is a great product. In addition it doesn't take up much wattage. I would definitely recommend this item to those looking for a great energy efficient plant light for their aquarium. T5 is the way to go.

Buy Zoo Med Flora Sun Plant Bulb T5 High Output 39 Watts, 34-Inch Now

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Pressurized Filter UV Lite

Fish Mate 13 Watt UV LampAlgae was overtaking my pond thanks for having a replacement lamp in stock and delivering it in record time. My fish and I thank you.

This product definitely fits the Fishmate pressurized filter. I have the one with Powerclenz and it is an awesome filter. My original bulb lasted over three years and then it blew out. This fit perfectly and is performing exactly as designed!

Buy Pressurized Filter UV Lite Now

I got this as a replacement bulb for my Alan t300 air filter. It fits perfectly and lasts longer than the OEM one.

Read Best Reviews of Pressurized Filter UV Lite Here

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Power-Glo Fluorescent Bulb

Power-Glo Fluorescent Bulb, 40 Watt, 48 InchesBulbs had great prices and were packed VERY well. The description indicates T10, but the bulb is actually a T8 bulb. Allpet provided me with fantastic customer service. They called me back the same day after they physically checked the product to verify it was a T8. The type of bulb is important to know to see if its compatible with your hood. 2 of these bulbs were used in my 55g fresh water cichlid tank.

The color spectrum of this bulb is exactly what I was looking for to brighten the aquarium.

Local pet stores have limited selection of the many types of bulbs. Online I could get the exact bulb I wanted, for a delivered price below pet stores. My initial concern was possible damage of the 48" bulb, but it arrived extremely well packed. I was very happy with the transaction.

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It is my opinion that this is the only bulb that gives my aquarium a pleasing natural hue, not to mention my fish seem to appreciate and thrive in its light spectrum. This item was hard to find until I came here to Amazon.com. Thank You Amazon.com for having this product available !!! I should purchase another one while they are still available.

Read Best Reviews of Power-Glo Fluorescent Bulb Here

First time bulb was broken to little peices, second time it didnt work...was easy to send back...Not gonna get me a third time.

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They look pink wen on but look white on tank corals and fish Sims to like them will recommend this lights save $$$$ cheaper than my pet store order them on Sunday got them Tuesday great service very happy with purchase.

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Saturday, March 1, 2014

Wholesome Hide Pork Hide Retriever Roll - 9 - 10 inches long - 1 inch across

Wholesome Hide Pork Hide Retriever Roll - 9 - 10 inches long - 1 inch acrossThe chews arrived yesterday. Today, they are all gone. My kids loved these, but I wish they were rolled thicker like the rawhide. :)

My Shelties love Wholesome Hide Pork Roll! Once I give them a new one, they spend days finishing them off, and the rolls are something they spend time with every day. Me, I like them because they are made in the USA and chemical and disease free. Excellent choice for our canines.

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Friday, January 17, 2014

Terta Fish Tank Submersible 2-10 Gallon Aquarium Heater

Terta Fish Tank Submersible 2-10 Gallon Aquarium HeaterAs most instructions may let you believe never position the heater vertically and towards the top but horizontally and at the bottom of your tank. This is because, all advanced submersible heaters including the HT10 work with a thermostat. Most thermostats I've seen so far come in a tubular shape. For such heaters, the thermostat unit is located on the opposite side of the tube as far away from the heater as possible. the problem why most of these heaters appear not to work and being labelled worthless is that they are positioned vertically by the user in aquariums and towards the surface. The problem with this position is that the water heated by the heater at the bottom rises to the top making the thermostat 'think' it reached optimal temperature. This problem is more apparent in aquariums that have no mechanical filters to circulate the water. Companies who develop these heaters test them in a typical environment where adequate water circulation evenly distributes the heated water in the tank causing the temperature to rise evenly and the thermostat to properly shut off the unit when the optimal temperature is reached.

If you position this heater horizontally and at the bottom of your tank this heater delivers.

I purchased this heater through Walmart 2xs. The first one lasted two days. The second one lasted one day. The directions say "submerge in water, then plug in." That's what I did. The box and directions both say that the heater will maintain the tank temperture at 78 degrees. The first heater I had brought the water temp to 74 and the second made it to 70. Now my fish are cold once again.

On the plus side, I really like the overall appearance of this heater. It is small and blends into the background (that would be why I purchased it the second time).

If you buy this item, I hope you have better luck! (Oh, my tank is 10 gallons. So, if you have a smaller tank, maybe it will work better.)

Buy Terta Fish Tank Submersible 2-10 Gallon Aquarium Heater Now

I have had 5 of these heaters now-I don't live near a pet store and this is pretty much what the local Walmart sells-so I went through a period of accumulating several of them for smaller tanks. I was actually going to buy one from Amazon awhile back because they were less expensive here, but read the reviews and decided to move my fish to larger tanks and buy Aqueon instead. Of the five heaters, all have been thrown out.

Also-let me clearly state that ALL of the heaters were positioned horizonatally in the bottom half of the tank (because I know I will forget to unplug them when changing water, so I wanted them below the level the water will fall to during water changes)-I mention this because someone felt that problems exist when they are put vertically at the top-I've never had them there.

First one-Light still worked, heating did not. Tank temp in Wisconsin winter fell to 62 degrees over night. Tested the heater in 5 gal. bucket of water. Dead, Heater tossed out. Luckily, only lost one fish.

Second one-Water somehow got into heater and electrocuted the fish. Fish and Heater tossed out.-

Third one-Malfunctioned and heated a ten gallon tank to 94 degrees. Somehow the resident (An American Flag fish) survived and is still living today. Heater tossed out.

Fourth One-Malfunctioned and heated tank to 82 degrees-Notice how I caught it much earlier because I got very careful with these heaters!-Tested the heater in a five gallon bucket filled with 90 degree water-then poured additional boiling water into the bucket-continued to heat. Heater tossed out.

Fifth one-Malfunctioned and heated tank to 80 degrees-Again-WAY MORE CAREFUL now-Tested in bucketsame as the fourth one. Heater Tossed out.

It took only TWO YEARS from buying the first heater, for all five heaters being thrown out and replaced with Aqueon. (All five heaters were bought before the first one malfunctioned, btw-or I wouldn't have bought them) Since they were all the same, I'm not sure how long each lasted, but I'd say a good guess is that they have a year of proper functioning in my experience.

If you are using this heater-PLEASE make sure that you never put your hand in the tank with it plugged in, and that you have a very good reliable thermometer on your tank that you check regularly. (I will say, however, a neighbor of mine had this heater in his tank-it took four years before his malfunctioned. Ironically, his was hung vertically at the top of the tank.)

My husband and I have had aquariums for over 20 years (taking about a 3 year break when we were traveling a lot for work) and I've never had a product that seemed to consistenly fail like this. My best advice is-buy the biggest tank you can afford (you'll have less problems and work, believe me)-and then buy any other heater but this one (which would be too small if you have a decent size tank, anyway!) A clue on what kind of performance you can count on is to LOOK AT THE WARRANTY of the product. Some heaters have a lifetime warranty! I only had one box from these heaters still laying around, but the warranty is for ONE YEAR. This should be your red flag. Generally, I have nothing against Tetra or their products-but this particular style heater (and I can't speak on their other designs, I have no experience with them-so read those reviews seperately from this one) is problematic, and I urge you to look at other styles.

Read Best Reviews of Terta Fish Tank Submersible 2-10 Gallon Aquarium Heater Here

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Aquatic Life Light T5 HO 6-Lamp 4-Lunar Aquarium Light, 48-Inch

Aquatic Life Light T5 HO 6-Lamp 4-Lunar Aquarium Light, 48-InchI purchased this lighting fixture for my 90 gallon reef tank. The dimensions of my tank are 48 x 18 x 24" (deep) and this light puts out plenty of light (if not too much) for what I have.

The fixture itself is very durable and has a convenient (and removable) acrylic splash guard to protect your bulbs from the water. The built-in timer is great for setting up your own lighting schedule if the stock configuration isn't what works for you. The timer also allows for you to manually turn on your whites, blues, or less independently, which is a huge plus. Probably the only drawback of the timer is that there is no battery backup built in to preserve the time if there was a power outage or power flicker.

The adjustable legs are very easy to work with and Aquaticlife provides the wrench to tighten down the legs when you get them in the right spot. I have used the stock bulbs since I got the unit about 6 months ago and they are still running just fine. There is only 1 10K bulb that comes with the fixture, so if you are looking for more white light, you'd probably want to purchase an additional 10k bulb and swap out an actinic light. I liked the stock configuration and my corals are doing great so I left it as is. The nighttime moonlight LEDs are very bright, and I ended up disconnecting 2 out of the 4 sets of LEDS because it seemed excessively bright for me. This was very simple and only a matter of unplugging two of the cords within the fixture.

In terms of customer service, these guys are the best. When my unit came in, everything worked great, but about a week later half of my lights went out. I called up Aquaticlife and they had me run a few tests over the phone. They determined very quickly that a ballast had went bad in the unit and they immediately shipped out a replacement ballast. Even though I consider myself "handy", I know for certain that anyone could have done the swap with great ease. Once you remove the plate to the ballast (two screws), you simply unplug the old and plug in the new! It was a good experience because I learned that if I had an issue the fixture would be VERY easy to work with. Also, Aquaticlife guarantees their product bumper to bumper if you have any issues. Their ballasts are also covered under their lifetime warranty if they go out, so you don't ever have to worry about expensive parts. The only part ever to replace will be the bulbs!

I shopped around a great deal when looking at affordable lighting, and am VERY happy with this fixture. I probably could have gotten away with a 4 lamp fixture for what I currently grow, but I didn't want to limit the potential of the reef tank by saving a few bucks in the short-term.

Excellent reef setup tons of light very high par value. Swapped a few bulbs out though for some different wavelenghts

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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Drymate Aquarium Spill Mat, 20-Inch by 36-Inch, Denim

Drymate Aquarium Spill Mat, 20-Inch by 36-Inch, DenimKeeps my wood floors nice and dry. I have spilt alot of water on this thing and nothing leaks through. Def a must for any fish tank owner.

so i was looking for something waterproof to protect my floor...thought this would be sufficient but besides the size which i knew going into this purchase what i dont like is the thickness of the material. It is waterproof but if any water gets on the edge its a wrap. I bought a huge rubber mat (used to go under exercise bikes) and that much nice. This would work good if i had a tiny tank and wanted something to go on the desk.

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Saturday, September 21, 2013

API 14-Day Pyramid Automatic Fish Feeder

API 14-Day Pyramid Automatic Fish FeederWe needed something to last for nine days while on vacation. There was still a little left when we returned. We have a 35 gallon aquarium so use your judgement. Very happy that all of the fish were still alive. We will purchase this product for future trips.

This kept my fish alive for two weeks, but be prepared for an enormous nitrate spike!! Nitrates in my healivy planted tank were always 0 or near 0, but after returning from vacation they were measured off the chart (>160 ppm).. AFTER an 80% water change. Consequently it took several more large water changes to bring the levels down, and the whole interior was absolutely coated with algae. My fishes' fins suffered as a result.

Being gone for two weeks, I was right on the edge of being able to let them go without food or risk losing fish, so I decided to be safe. I do, however, wish I'd have invested a little more and got an automatic feeder. I can't fault the slow-dissolve pyramid completely because no fish died, but it definitely caused problems. My opinion is this thing is more trouble than it's worth. If it's truly meant to be "seven days" (the package says 14 days on the back), then it's not necessary anyway because most mid-sized or larger freshwater fish can live safely for at least a week without food. If you're going to be gone much longer than that, get an automatic feeder!

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I guess it works fine. I've gone on numerous 3-5 day business trips and the fish always are alive when I come home. I've got a 20 gallon tank with some tetras, hets, a couple frogs, a pleco and some loaches. So far so good!

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This is going to work well for my classroom fish tank during spring break. Just watch out for the sellers. Read their reviews carefully. Not all sellers are the same.

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It did not dissolve very much so the food didn't come out. Our tank was filthy afterwards. One fish died and the other fish all ate that fish.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Marineland Rite-Size Cartridge A

Marineland Rite-Size Cartridge A, 6-PackSame product you would find at any pet store, but at a discounted price. Picture shown is for a size B or C, but the actual product received is a size A with the notches on both sides at the top. Works great so I have no complaints on its function, especially since Marineland is a well known brand.

While I like to support my LFS with my patronage, when the budget prevents me from spending $20 on filter cartridges this is the place to get them! They're the exact same ones as you'd get in the store and usually a nice percentage off. Just rinse, insert, and you're on your way!

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The Marineland Penguin rite-size filters fit my filter perfectly. And the price you get here is hard to beat.

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These filters work great. The activated charcoal is really effective at removing odors and chemical residue, e.g., tetracycline after a treatment. And assorted particles are nixed in a couple hours in my Marineland Mini. The fish look active and happy so regular filter and water changes really does foster aquarium health.

The Amazon product image depicts a larger Marineland filter model, but I received the correct size (A).

Like most reviewers here, I have been paying huge markups for these same filters at my local pet store. The same 6-pack sells for $24.99 plus tax in Honolulu. I realize a storefront operation needs a higher markup to cover overhead, and I don't mind paying a little extra, but an extra $15 over the Amazon price is excessive. So now I can afford to really change filters every few weeks or so.

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The aquarium filters are good quality but are also the exact same product sold at Walmart under the name Aqua Tec

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