Showing posts with label salt water aquariums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salt water aquariums. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Wholesome Hide 4" - 5" Retriever Roll With Bacon

Wholesome Hide 4' - 5' Retriever Roll With BaconThis is the only rawhide I feel comfortable giving my puppy. With all the horror stories about shards of rawhide breaking off, getting caught in dogs' throats or digestive systems, or the horrible chemicals in imported rawhides, I had no plans to ever give my puppy rawhide. But then I ran across a very thorough review of rawhide products in Whole Dog Journal and in the end, this company was the only rawhide the author recommended. Made in the USA, with no awful unregulated chemicals, these are made of fresh, thick hide that will get moist as your dog chews on it instead of breaking off in shards.

And just as importantly, my puppy loved it! He chewed on it almost nonstop until he got the "bacon" roll out and finished, then worked on and off on the plain outer hide until it disappeared. And despite being flavored, there was no weird stink as with some other chewy treats. Now that he has all his adult teeth and is a more enthusiastic chewer, I'm going to get several more Wholesome Hide products.

My 80 lb. dog loves to chew. This bone makes her very happy and interested. The bacon starts her off and then she'll devour the whole bone later. I give these to her as a special treat and she acts accordingly.

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THIS IS THE ONLY RAWHIDE I ALLOW MY SHELTIES TO CHEW. THE PIG HIDE IS THEIR FAVORITE. IT'S A SAFE AND CHEMICAL FREE TREAT!

Read Best Reviews of Wholesome Hide 4" - 5" Retriever Roll With Bacon Here

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Marina Naturals Pennywort Silk Plant

Hagen Marina Naturals Pennywort Silk Plant, MediumThis plant does not appear to cut the fish or their tails as some plastic plants can. It moves naturally in the water and provides good cover for the fish.

It's a silk plant. It doesn't do much but decorate my tank and it's a nice size I like that it takes up a good size of my ten gallon tank for my Black double tail plakat. He enjoys swimming around the bottom of the plant. Not the softest edges but it hasn't torn his fins in the water. I'd buy again.

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Saturday, October 18, 2014

Fluval Power Filter

Fluval C4 Power FilterI purchased the Fluval C4 about 3 months ago. Thus far it has kept my water absolutely crystal clear.

Overall: I'm very impressed and very pleased with this HOB filter. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a nice all-in-one filter with easy maintenance.

Here's a list of some nice features:

-Better use of the space available in the filter box compared to other HOBs Many other HOBs have dead space where there isn't any type of filtration happening. This filter has been effectively designed to allow maximum filtration in the space provided.

-Very nice all-in-one filter Mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration all efficiently incorporated into the filter box. The trickle chamber with ceramic media makes this one of the best biological HOBs out there.

-Still customizable Many people don't use carbon in their filters. The carbon slot is large and can be replaced with just about anything (e.g. more mechanical filter pads or extra biological media).

-Quality design & Easy maintenance All of the components fit snugly together, and it is very easy to remove and replace different compartments of the filter for cleaning.

-Cleaning indicator The filter has a built in cleaning indicator that pops up when the filter pads have become clogged causing the water level in front of the filter pads to raise.

-Flow regulator The flow regulator actually works! I've had many HOBs where the flow regulator is very crude and imprecise. The flow regulator on the C4 is VERY precise and easy to adjust.

-Extremely quiet

-Intake tube height is very easy to adjust Simply push up or pull down to get the intake exactly where you want it. No more adding or removing intake tube segments.

-The intake tube is black, and the filter is dark grey, which is much more aesthetically pleasing

Leave about 4" between the back of your aquarium and the wall to fit this filter on the back.

Hope this helped!

***UPDATE: 1/2/13***

I've had this filter running for 2 years now 24/7 and my above comments still hold true. I would buy this filter again if I was in the market for one.

It appears that there are several 1 star reviews on this filter now, the majority of which are due to the filter being broken upon arrival. Apparently the poor packaging makes these filters prone to breaking during delivery. It seems that most people get a product they are happy with, and an unfortunate few get a broken/defective product. Amazon has a great return policy and this should hopefully be resolved for any of those who receive a defective product.

the fluval c3 is a nice filter, as mentioned by many others, but i have a few issues with mine that i would like to point out. I had currently been using a whisper 20-40 on a 29 gallon, which was doing the trick, but wanted better filtration. the 5 stage c3 caught my eye, and it definitely is a unique filter all its own. here is a list of pros and cons i have made from my observations. please take note that these are based off of the filter i received:

first the pros.

5 stage filtration. 2 mechanical, i chemcial, 2 biological.

impressive design for a hob style filter.

filter rinse indicator on top of filter (mechanical section) which tells you when its time to rinse/change.

pulls apart easily for cleaning.

motor comes off for replacement(if you ever need to.)

in opposition to many other reviews, it is very quiet.

good craftsmanship, constructed nicely.

the concept of not changing all filter media at once is beneficial, and allows a more stable colonization on filter media.

then the cons.

maintenance. i seem to have to rinse the filter pad every 4 days or so. since so much is packed into such a tight space, be prepared to clean this one quite frequently.

the motor sometimes will not start up. i did however find a fix for this. stick a q-tip into the impeller to "jump start" it. not too big of a deal, but i would like it to start when i plug it in.

none of my local fish shops sell replacement filters for this model. i have to purchase them online, which is not a big deal if i order them ahead of time.

i started the whisper back up to over filter my 29, because i keep it busy (well stocked.) using the whisper has reduced time between maintenance on the c3, but it still likes to get dirty fast. the filter is nice, but im not sure i would buy another one due to the issues i have with mine.

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I really love this HOB filter. Some may argue but I think this is the upgraded Aquaclear. They use the same motors as the Aquaclears and have redesigned the internals as well as the external look of the filter. They really thought this HOB filter design thorougly. It is much sleeker and attractive than the older Aquaclears as you can obviously see, but works as well or better in my opinion.

Everything is designed with ease of maintenance and performance in mind. To clean it is incredibly easy. Each compartment of filtration is seperate and can be taken out easily as needed for maintenace. You don't even have to turn off the filter to maintain it. If you want to clean the mechanical sponge (the only thing I clean really) it's as simple as pulling up the back compartment which is seperate from the other compartments. Unlike the Aquaclear which you have to take out everything on top of the sponge first to get to the sponge which needs the most frequent rinsings. This makes for much easier regular maintenance than the Aquaclear.

The mechanical filtration on this filter is also upgraded from the Aquaclears. The sponge has a material similar to the Aquaclear's sponge but now also has a tweak/improvment made to catch the tiny particles that float around in your tank. It is a two part sponge fused together which is a coarse sponge with a material similar to polyfil batting attached into one. The mechanical filtration even has a indicator that pops up when the sponge needs rinsing.

If you choose to use carbon (I don't I filled that compartment with more biomedia) you just lift out the integrated wet dry and pull out the basket that holds the carbon and replace. Drop the basket that holds the carbon back in and put the wet/dry system back on top it's super easy.

Now we get to the integrated wet dry system. The wet dry system needs the least cleaning and no replacement. The only part that could use a rinse once in a while is the pad on top that keeps detrius out. Maybe once every six months to a year you could lighly rinse the biomedia in the integrated wet dry. This is what makes the system AWESOME. It is the first true integrated wet dry system on a HOB filter! It works amazingly for biological filtration and can even be used effectively to reduce nitrates with Seachems denitrate! To me this is the best and most ingenious part of this filter.

The Fluval C series also has an adjustable intake tube that adjusts to any height you want without having to deal with extensions that you may have to cut to the right length or add on in specific increments. I have to add how QUIET it is. It is SILENT. Well... at first it was a little noisy. Nothing unbearable or out of the ordinary with Hagen HOB's. Though after lubing up the shaft of the impeller with a little fish safe silicone lubricant or even vaseline it is incredibly quiet.

I would not consider the dependability a factor/problem as they use the same motors as Aquaclears which have a reputation for reliablility. The only complaint I have is that they don't make it in a larger size that could be comparable to the Aquaclear 110. If they made a Fluval C5 model I would be all over it! I definitely recommend this filter for all of you looking for a great (the best) smaller HOB filter on the market today. For larger tanks though I would still have to go with the Aquaclear 110 for its power. Buy it, set it up, lube the shaft (for quietness), and let it do its job. You won't regret it. There is a great and complete review on Youtube for those who need a little more convincing and are seriously looking to buy one of these awesome filters.

Read Best Reviews of Fluval Power Filter Here

I've used many power filters and canister filters in the past and was really looking forward to adding the Fluval C2 to my small 10.5 gallon heavily planted aquarium. I've tried many AC (AquaClear) power filters in the past and they were my go-to, but after discovering Fluval had their own offering I had to try it.

Since my tank is heavily planted, I did not use the carbon filter. Why? Because plants need carbon dioxide. With that said, if you don't use the carbon filter you basically have one step before you're ready to put it on your tank. Just rinse the whole thing and put the biological things into its basket. It's really a piece of cake. I added one extra step a few days after installing it and that was since I wasn't using the carbon filter I decide to open that bag up, dump the black stuff in the trash, heavily rinse it, and then put in my own biological substrates into it. I used my Eheim substrate and plopped it into the bag and voila, even more biological filtration!

Pros of the Fluval C2:

1. Awesome design with the water trickle and the whole removable cartridges for quick cleaning. The telescope design for the intake is really neat and something I've never seen before. This way you can get the exact height you want. The plastic parts of the filter also seem durable and strong unlike others I've tried.

2. Very flexible. As I mentioned, there's a whole extra compartment (if you're using the carbon filter which I recommend against... sure it makes things pretty but I recommend growing plants in your tank because they add a whole new element and are great for the fish and water quality) and you can add in your own substrate into that area. You can even opt to use your own substrate in the little biological basket instead of the ones they give you. If you want, you can use your own sponges and stuff for the mechanical filtration but I think the one they give will last a long time if you just rinse it. I also use a pre-filter (Fluval's own pre-filter sponge they sell for their Edge lineup) because I have Red Crystal shrimp and I don't want any babies to get sucked into the filter. The pre-filter I recommend because it'll prevent the gross things to go in the filter, but will also be trapped to the side of the pre-filter (giving fish and shrimp something to nibble at).

3. The water flow is very good and you can control it. I am using the C2 on a small 10.5 gallon tank filled with glowlight tetras and red crystal shrimps and I like to put the water flow to max during the day, then move it over to lowest when their lights go off. The extra flow I noticed make the fish more active (possibly more oxygen going through their gills?)

Cons of the Fluval C2 (the one caveat; read this if you get a noisy one!)

1. When I first got the filter I was pissed because it was indeed noisy. You could hear the movements of the spinning motor and I thought this thing was a piece of garbage. After 2 days of running it and listening to it (I keep my tank on my desk at my work so I sit next to it) I figured it would never be quieter and did some research online. Turns out this has happened to others. The solution? Lube up the motor parts! How? I used regular Vaseline (bought the travel size at my grocery store). Unplug and take apart the filter at a sink and have a bucket/large-cup handy. When you separate the motor from the rest of the filter you can remove the metal spinning thing. I went ahead and put a thin layer of Vaseline on the surface of that, but it was probably not necessary. The main culprit you want to lube up is the thin metal needle it attaches to. You could use a Q-Tip or thinly rolled up paper towel to get Vaseline around it. I also put Vaseline at the hole of the larger metal thing (the one you took off) and so when it was inserted into the needle the extra Vaseline would go over the needle. From there you could try out the filter at your sink (this is where you can put the intake into the large cup or bucket) and see if it's quieter. If it's still noisy, try again and maybe use more Vaseline. You can of course use better lubrication for water/aquariums but I read Vaseline is safe to use.

After doing this the Fluval C2 was really quiet and perfect! Hopefully you won't have to do the above fix, but given the pros of the filter I wouldn't let that you sway from owning this gem. It's a quick fix and afterwards you have a great silent filter!

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I have the c4.

It's great and I have been in the hobby for over 30 years.

I am using it on a 20 gallon tank.

You can never have too much flow rate.

To slow the turbulence I use a Fluval Edge prefilter, the flow adjuster and an aquaclear 50 foam sponge at the water output.

Let me comment on a few negatives people have written about this filter.

1) The water in my tank is crystal clear and as Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise said in "A Few Good Men" ...."It's that simple." "Are we clear?" "Yes, sir." "ARE WE CLEAR!?" "Crystal" ..... LOL,love that movie.

To those who said the water is cloudy, yes, it was at first. I think it was because of the C nodes. You need to either rinse it clear for hours before using it or just let the filter do it in the tank. It took about 2-3 days to clear up but once it did, the water in my tank is crystal clear. I have been running it for 2 weeks and without the charcoal. I replace it with the aquaclear Biomax to increase the biological media. The Biomax and C nodes' fine powder dust clouded the water but like I said, it's clear crystal clear now. Just let the filter do it's job and the water will be crystal clear in a couple of days.

2) My filter is so quiet that you don't know it's on. What I did was apply some vaseline onto the impeller shaft and into the hole of the impeller. I did this without hearing if it needed to or not. I just applied it before I used it. The motor has NO noise at all and the lid does not rattle. The only thing you hear is the water cascading out of the filter.

3) The self priming issue is that you need to have water in the filter box before you start it. Once there is water, it will self primes. It will take about a minute to self prime as it sucks up the water through the tube. To help the self prime and make it more efficient, I clogged the hole on top of the U intake tube. Now when you unplug the filter and replug it it starts right up without it needing to refill (self prime) the intake tube. If you do a water change and the water in the tank falls just above the bottom of the U intake tube inside the filter box you will need to refill the filter box otherwise it won't self prime. So add water into the box when you refill your tank and when you replug your filter, it will self prime.

4) Try to buy the larger filter (C4) if you can. You can always change the impeller to the smaller impeller if you feel the flow it too much or modify it like I did with prefilter sponge and aquaclear 50 foam. With the bigger filter, it'll clean more and hold more beneficial bateria. And if and when you upgrade your tank, you won't need to buy a new filter. The impellers for the fluval C series and aquaclear are the same. Matter of fact, the motors are the same for all fluval C series and aquaclear except for the 110 model. It's the impeller that determines the flow rate and they are interchangeable between models and sizes except the 110.

All the positives you've read about this filter is true.

It's easy to clean, the red tab that notifies you that your filter foam needs cleaning is great; you are not stuck with any proprietary media which usually cost a lot more to replace; the foam pad and bio media DO NOT need to be replaced just rinse the foam pad or bio media in used or dechlorinated water. They should last for several years. If you use activated carbon/charcoal which I don't, you'll need to replace them every so often depending on your tank load. You can buy any brand of activated carbon and put it into a nylon bag and it's save you money.

Try to use a prefilter. It's attached to the bottom of the intake tube. It helps to catch the debris and uneaten food before it goes to the foam pad keeping it cleaner. It'll also increase your beneficial bacteria load and your fish will love to peck on it for the uneaten food. The only thing is that you'll need to rinse it once in a while or it will clog up completely and slow the filter down to a trickle. Just rinse it when you do your water change.

Hope this helps.....may your fishes be happy and healthy

Update: Feb 22, 2013. The filter is still going strong. The reading of the water has been 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5 nitrate with weekly water changes. It would probably be the same with a water change every other week. And this is in a very overstocked aquarium. The only thing I need to do is rinsed the prefilter with every water change or it will clog up and restrict the water flow to a trickle and the water to the trickle part of the filter will not get any water. That's how good the prefilter is in catching the debris and keeping the foam and biomax clean. The red tab pop up device has never moved and when I check the foam it is very clean but I do rinsed the foam every 3 months and LIGHTLY rinse/shake the biomax every 6 months in used aquarium water. DO NOT buy NEW foam or biomax. Just rinse them. They will last several years if not forever especially if you use a prefilter and the prefilter does not need to be changed just rinsed also. I had to clean the impeller just recently since it wouldn't start back up/spin. It had a lot of slime. I just rinsed off the slime from the impeller and shaft and reapplied some vaseline and it was of and running like new. The water is crystal clear also.

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Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Marina Suction Pump for Marina AquaVac

Marina Suction Pump for Marina AquaVacMakes water changes easy and fast. I love it! If you have a tank over 10 gallons you should have one of these.

Great pump! Unlike other pumps I have purchased, this one does not leak at all and has a very secure connection. It is also very sturdy and well made. The only issue I have is that I have to remove the hose connection first before attaching it to my sink otherwise it won't turn 360% without getting stuck on the taps neck. It's definitely not an issue, but just due to the shape of the hose connection and how it is diagonally going upwards.

I purchased this to be sent to Australia (since these pump systems are not commercially available in the country) and I am very happy with it!

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Friday, September 26, 2014

Marineland 48 pk Penguin Rite-Size C Filter Cartridge

Marineland 48 pk Penguin Rite-Size C Filter Cartridgegreat filters! the review is making me keep writing! They are filters, I don't know what else to say! My fish say thanks

I bought these by mistake, so I can't be a good judge. Should have bought the Rite size "E" for my Emperor 400. These are for the Marineland 350. The surface area compared to the Emperor 400 is smaller, maybe 1/2 the size. These are made by marineland, and I have never been disappointed with a marineland product, except they are a little pricey. i would think that due to the smaller size, compared to the 400 filter that you would need to change them out more often. i would recommend getting the Emperor 400 filter to begin with.

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I live out in the middle of no where and have 2 large aquariums that need filter changes often. This is a great deal for me

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Saturday, September 20, 2014

GloFish Half Moon with Blue LED Bubbler, 3-Gallon

GloFish Half Moon with Blue LED Bubbler, 3-GallonI notice that there are other models of this 3 gallon tank out there, and I have to wonder if they came out later...after people complained about this one. On this one, the bubbler/light goes inside the tank, so there is an actual cord and plug that goes right from the water into the outlet. Something that sits in the bottom of 3 gallons of water should not plug directly into an outlet. Then there are two hose/tubes that are way too long and don't uncoil, due to the way they are packaged. The one hose was nearly impossible to connect to the filter and I am still not sure it is on securely enough. The other hose goes to the bubbler/light. If you try to straighten the one to the bubbler, the whole thing floats up. The bubbler is light and you need a ton of rocks on top of it to keep it in place, so you can't uncoil the hose. If there was a way to make it straight, or buy straighter hose, I would try that. Now the fish are having to swim around coils and electrical cords. One of our fish has already been sucked up by the filter and it died. Is this a common thing to happen, or is this yet again poor planning on the part of Glofish tanks? It was a cute idea, but eventually I think I will spend extra money for a better filter that doesn't kill fish and keeps the tank a bit cleaner, and I would like to take the bubbler/light out. It looks like the other models have a light on the outside of the tank which makes me feel a lot safer and there are less cords and tubes taking up room in the tank.

I LOVE THIS PRODUCT AND SO DO MY GLOFISH! Although if you do put more than 3 fish prepare for a huge cleaning! I have 7 and i alternate them between two different 3 gal glofish tanks. Issue with this product is the filter is crap if you have more than 3 fish. Scrap it an get a electric one for $15. Oh i also recommend getting the blue led over head light for $30 because no other fish tank comes with 2 blue led lights. The led light that comes stock is laughable but awesome if you use it with the over head light. But if you buy and use it you need to modify your lid. I dont recommend cutting it but safly heat up a flat head screw driver and cut what very small piece you need to make space for the light mount. In the end its not as cheap as youd like but over time it makes all the difference!

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My betta fish loves this tank, he was in a gallon tank so I made room to get a larger tank for him. He is very active now. The only problem I had was the pump was way to powerful. I went a got a mini whisper filter and it doed not create so much current for him. I highly recommend this tank but get a small mini whisper filter system.

Read Best Reviews of GloFish Half Moon with Blue LED Bubbler, 3-Gallon Here

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Hydrofarm AAPA3.2L 2-Watt 3.2-LPM Active Aqua Air Pump with 1-Outlet

Hydrofarm  AAPA3.2L 2-Watt 3.2-LPM Active Aqua Air Pump with 1-OutletI used this pump for my 3 gallons aquarium. It works perfectly, no sound and you can control the pump flow rate very easily.

Exactly what I needed for my project and meets all my expectations.

Arrived on time and works fine.

If and when this unit fails, I'll purchase another.

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Either defective or poor quality, this air pump did not pump air at all... even after futzing with the control. Went back to the Tetra pump which still works fine. I recommend the Tetra which has been working well for over 3 years.

http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-77851-Whisper-Pump-10-Gallon/dp/B0009YJ4N6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361196113&sr=8-1&keywords=aquarium+air+pump

I was looking for a bit quieter pump.

I cannot recommend the Hydrofarm Air Pump. Too little cost to return. Thru it in the trash.

No big deal ;-)

Read Best Reviews of Hydrofarm AAPA3.2L 2-Watt 3.2-LPM Active Aqua Air Pump with 1-Outlet Here

I like this pump. I've had it for some time now. I seems to be holding up well and it is pretty quiet for output. I have it driving one large 4" air stone at about 20" depth. It puts out a nice wall of bubbles. I like that it is adjustable too. I have used that feature too. Better than other cheap diaphram pumps I've used. Reminds me of the 80s "SUPRA" of old.

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This is the quietest little pump I've ever owned. Also one of the cheapest ! I used this in an Aerogarden spacesaver when the original airpump went out. The Elite spacesaver is obsolete, but this was better than a replacement. This is an upgrade! Adjustable airflow is nice for my application too. I have owned many aquariums & I can tell it would also be great for that.

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Friday, August 15, 2014

PondCare Melafix Antibacterial Fish Remedy, 16-Ounce

PondCare Melafix Antibacterial Fish Remedy, 16-OunceThe Melafix seems to help a bit when my freshwater angelfish fight and mess up their fins from damage and stress. But the best thing is still water changes and clean water. Remember to shut off UV and take out carbon while using this.

Compared to the regular formulation, the pondcare version is 5x the concentration for about the same price. Remember to follow the pondcare directions which is for 1/5 the dose of the API branded product.

Melafix is a must for any tropical aquarium & buying the PondCare Melafix is the best deal out there for large or multiple aquariums. You can't get the "aquarium" API Melafix for anywhere near this price so if you can, buy pond sized & get a great deal. The measuring lid & dose is no different than API, but at least saved me half the cost.

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cleared up something on one of our Koi's. I use it during water changes too, especially when I think the water has been going unchanged for a while. its never hurt the fish at all.

Read Best Reviews of PondCare Melafix Antibacterial Fish Remedy, 16-Ounce Here

I bought 2 goldfish 8 years ago to cycle my new tank, I never thought that they would live through that but one did and I ended up keeping him..he is now 8 inches and in a 40 gallon tank by himself. He recently got a tumor like growth, it was a red and whitish sore like an ulcer. I used this for a week and it went away. After the very first does it started to turn black and after a week it looked like a raisin, it then fell off a week later. It left a small scar but he is back to health and no more tumor. So this stuff definitely works. It is made of Tea Tree oil and smells nice. A bit pricey but there is enough to treat a 40 gallon tank for about 60 doses or more. It was meant for ponds but does a great job in my tank. I will continue to give a weekly maintenance dose.

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I use this when introducing new fish that fight for a while, or fish that might be rough on each other during mating. It heals their wounds up very quickly. I still buy the aquarium version for tanks smaller than 30 gallon to get accurate dosing. The pond product is great for larger tanks. It is the same as the aquarium product, but much more concentrated allowing me to treat my 110 gallon tank without going broke.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Glofish Plastic Plants Large Sunburst Orange, Bacopa

Glofish Plastic Plants Large Sunburst Orange, BacopaIt's like any other plastic plant you would put in a fish tank, flimsy but when you put the water in it it comes to life. product came on time. It dosen't glow very bright though.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Hagen A20001 Fluval Output Nozzle, 04 and 05 Series

Hagen A20001 Fluval Output Nozzle, 04 and 05 SeriesThe Output Nozzle is clear plastic. The one that came with my 406 is also clear. I wanted a black one that doesn't show up so I ordered this. $5 wasted. Please put the appropriate image on the website.

The product I received was a white/clear replacement piece the same as what I already had. I ordered this because it showed black in the photograph and would look better in my tank. False advertising DO NOT ORDER IF YOU WANT BLACK! Will be returning immediately.

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To clarify from the previous post, this is an output nozzle. It is not intended for, or to be used, to span the lip of an aquarium. It attaches to the output hose and the hose fits into a clip that spans the tank lip.

Read Best Reviews of Hagen A20001 Fluval Output Nozzle, 04 and 05 Series Here

Bought this to turn my Fluval filter to make it clean two tanks instead of one. Everything works great!

Received my parts quick and I am happy with everything.

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It looks like it would hang on the side of the tank, but its way to small.

The gap is almost gone after you add the hose to it, and even without the hose

it will not hang on the tank. I cant see any way to use this other then just putting the hose on and

dropping it in the water. :(

Friday, July 25, 2014

Pond Pump Max Flow

Fish Mate 600 Pond PumpI purchased the Fish Mate 1500 Submersible Pump model #AN277 about 11 months ago for my pond. Last week the pumped stopped working. When I opened it up to investigate I found the impeller shaft had snapped. I called the manufacturer Ani-mate/Fish Mate (800-725-4333) to get it repaired via the supposed 3 year warranty. They informed me that that type of breakage to their pumps are NORMAL and ONLY the non-moving portion of the motor is covered under their warranty, nothing else!! None of the moving parts are covered!

Ani-mate said that customers should purchase their rebuild kit EVERY year. The rebuild kit for the 1500 gal model costs approx $125. The price of the pump itself was $145. At the end of the warranty period, a Fish Mate pump will cost you almost 3 TIMES the original cost!!!

Beware, do not purchase this product. Ani-mate's (Fish Mate) warranty is a sham! Their pumps seem like a great deal, until you realize they are actually trying to bait you into spending much more of your money after the initial purchase. I am disappointed they do this to honest customers!

I purchased this pump as a package deal with the 16 watt bio/uv fish mate filter. It's a great little pump and you can't beat the price. Pump does not come with a filter pad but you can pick one up at places like Lowes or Home Depot. The inlet reciever on the Fishmate filter is a little bit small if you're running a length(5 to 6 feet or more) on a pitch. You might encounter a flow problem.

I stepped the size of the inlet up by gluing a coupling onto it and chose a hose size that fit over the coupling. This fixed the flow problem I was having. I didn't have a problem with too much flow after I did this, it was perfect. If you're running a length that's less then 5 feet(pump to filter) on a pitch, I'd recommend using the standard inlet that's given.

There'a also a "flow valve" that's included with the pump for a waterfall flow adjustment you can modify to use if needed.

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I bought this product in June with the filter to hook up to it, right around algae season. All things considered, this is the most bang for my buck I've ever gotten. My pond water has been crystal clear since I installed this. Not very loud (barely a hum, probably less if you have a deeper pond), and quite powerful, this is one of the best investments I have made for my pond.

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This pump is replacing another exactly like it that failed after less than two years. It has a three year warranty; however, I did not have purchase documentation for failed pump. Will keep it for this one.

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I have the Fish Mate 600. Have used it for three years. This will be the fourth season. When I first used it this year, didn't work.

I open up the pump assembly (easy) and there's a help line phone number inside the impeller housing! I guess for people like me who lose the paperwork.

I call the number. A human being answers the phone. Tells me I need to service the pump. I order the service/parts kit for twenty bucks.

Takes all of ten minutes to service the pump. I put it in the pond, it works perfectly. This is what I call no BS service. Also, the output is excellent to drive my filter

in my 300 gallon pond. I highly recommend this product.

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Saturday, July 5, 2014

Kent Marine AKM00983 10-Pack Algae Pastic ProScraper Blade

Kent Marine AKM00983 10-Pack Algae Pastic ProScraper BladeThis does not work well. I have a redsea max tank and I am going to have to get a metal one because this does not remove the algae at all. Wish I hadn't bought the big pack of these. Waste of my money.

we have been using these for years and they work great for keeping the algae off of the acrylic front to our ponds.

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Sunday, June 8, 2014

Kyjen Dog Games Launch A Ball

Kyjen Dog Games Launch A BallI was researching buying a ball launcher and this one seems like it might fit the bill. But then I saw that *4* "5-star" reviews are written on the SAME DAY July 24th, 2012.

Then *three* more "5-star" reviews are written on the following two days. Out of 8 reviews total for this product (as of this writing), 7 of them are written within a 72 hour span.

When you read the reviews themselves, they are all written in the exact same style. This reeks of self-promotion.

This is big RED FLAG to me and, personally, I am not going to take a chance on dealing with this company.

me and my dogs love it. Will bring it to beach when weather turns warmer. They will have fun with it for sure.

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The first thing I noticed about the Launch-A-Ball was the bright colors. Others handles are stiff and I have to work harder to throw the ball. This product MAXIMIZES my effort because of the flexibility. I can also pick up the ball without touching it. SMALL AND EASY TO STORE.

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Exactly as advertised. Sturdy arm is the perfect length for picking up and throwing tennis balls. It's great not to have to bend down to pick up the ball every time! The arm is curved nicely and a little springy so you can really launch a ball nice and far without hurting your arm. Comes with a bright green ball and has no problem picking up any of our old standbys as well (though the ball it provides seems to be just a bit smaller than regular balls). Makes trips to the park that much more fun!

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So my dog slobbers all day, and likes to play fetch. Finally I don't have to take a slobber bath with him when we go the park, this Launch Ball makes it easy to throw and I can also throw the ball farther. Tyson likes that. The handle is very sturdy and it flexes without breaking and is easy to wash afterwards.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Estes 12105 Black Frosty Pebbles 5 lbs ea. (Case of 5)

Estes 12105 Black Frosty Pebbles 5 lbs ea.I bought these for a bridal shower favor to be filler in a small vase. I was a quite disappointed. From the picture and product name, I was expecting small black pebbles. Instead what I received was standard fish gravel that had been sloppily colored black. Since it's kinda last minute I'll have to make it work for my favors, but I believe the product is very misrepresented. If I had known this was fish gravel, I would have driven up to the store and bought it there myself instead of wasting my money on shipping a massive amount of fish rocks.

The seller should be more clear that this is fish gravel and not actual pebbles.

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Monday, March 31, 2014

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

Aqueon Flex LED Aquarium Bubble Wand, 21-Inch, BlueOver the past 40 years of keeping fish I've learned that for myself one of the greatest joys is of aquascaping. For years I had fish tanks that looked like well, fish tanks. Those dreadful backgrounds of other fish tanks, artificial plants and so on.

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

When Marineland came out with their LED wands I had them in many tanks in different numbers and colors, mostly the Lunar blue and white. The wands were just ok as they have a tendency to release and float to the top and the LED bulbs are quite dim.

Enter the Via aqua wands much better. They're weighted and have stronger suction cups so they stay put, the LED bulbs are brighter but the air tube is rather weak and thin and like the Marineland they clog easy.

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

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

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

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

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

5 Fins Up!

I purchased 2 of these and they went in the same tank. They make great bubble wands but with 1 the lights stop working all together after 2 weeks. The other one lasted 3 weeks and the lights stopped working. Again, these make great bubble wands but if I just wanted a bubble wand I would have paid $9 bucks each and got just that.. a bubble wand. However, when they did work I loved them but for the money these cost and they last less than a month? No way not again.

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I am so happy with this purchase! I have put it in my 29 gallon aquarium and it provides a really nice stream of bubbles. The best part of course is the light. I got this because I wanted to have glow fish in my tank, and the blue LED light at night really makes them glow. It is gorgeous! It provides a nice ambient light that isn't distracting when we watch movies (fish tank is in our family room). I highly reccommend getting this prior to setting up your tank. I got mine after I had already put the gravel in and found it very difficult to get the suction cups situated.

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So far so good. Looks great. Been in the aquarium for over a month with no problems. Very pretty night light, I leave it on 24/7. I hope it continues to work. I will edit this review If something changes over time. I am Leary of led products not always lasting for a long time.

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I spent a great deal of time deciding between this bubble wand and LED bubble wands of different brands. After reading many reviews, I settled on this one by Aqueon and couldn't be more happy.

When I first received this bubbler, I took the water level down to about half and pushed my sand out of the way and suction cupped the bubbler to the bottom of my tank. This was somewhat difficult to do as my sand would get in the way, but I figure having more common gravel wouldn't be as problematic. This brings me to another difficulty in had, which isn't the fault of the product but rather my decision to go with sand rather than gravel. After burying my bubbler in sand, just up to the base of the LEDs, I was very satisfied with the look. However, after a day or two, the bubbles moved the sand enough to bury the LEDs.

After mounting the bubbler to the back of my tank just above the sand rather than in the sand, I haven't had a single problem. I have some rocks in front of the bubbler to hide the LEDs from view and haven't had any issue with sand covering the LEDs. I highly recommend this product.

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Friday, March 21, 2014

Silicone 3 oz.

Silicone 3 oz.I got it in the mail. i repaired my fish tank. it did what it said. didnt leak or peel. sold my fish tank after it pased the test. this is some nice aquarium sealant.

This product just works, works well, works underwater, works in hot water (spa temp). If someone know of a better product for underwater use in a hot tub let me know!

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made a cool divided tank with it. 1/2 land with a glass divider held in place by the silicone, 1/2 land.

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Sunday, March 2, 2014

Nutrafin Plant Gro Iron Enriched

Nutrafin Plant Gro Iron Enriched, 4.1-OunceI have been using this product for several years. I have 4 tanks at differant levels and are all heavily planted. I put this product in weekly. I am constantly giving offsprings away because of their growth and lushness. This product is a must for anone wanting to have live plants. Substrate is critical for good growth.

I am experienced and have used different products for my planted aquariums. Always been a fan of Nutrifin but did not know they had this until I found it on Amazon. This is great stuff, all natural, and my plants are growing very well. Thanks Hagen and Amazon!

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This product works really well in a tropical planted tank if you keep the iron levels where they are supposed to be. I will definately be buying this product again

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I used this in my 20gal, my plants are growing new roots like crazy. one of my fish died, but i dont know if it was related to the formula or not.

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Friday, February 28, 2014

Red Sea Fish Pharm ARER51034 Aquarium CO2 Reactor Pump Plant Care Products, 500-Liter

Red Sea Fish Pharm ARER51034 Aquarium CO2 Reactor Pump Plant Care Products, 500-LiterDon't waster your money. I wanted a better solution to the delicate glass diffuser for my planted aquarium. This isn't the solution. I found it more delicate than the blown glass. It is made of very thin cheap plastic and is poorly designed. It fell apart even before I was able to get it into my tank and after in my tank kept falling apart. The chamber fell off the pump continuously and then the suction cups quit holding and I found it free floating every day until I took it out and stomped on it. I used it for approximately 45 days so that was about $1 a day. Hope someone comes up with a better design.

It doesnt dissolved co2 very well and frequently release large CO2 bubbles in its opening. One can find better CO2 reactor at this price.

DONT BUY IT!

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BOught it as a replacement for the glass CO2 diffusers, but I'm not very happy. CO2 is 'collected' and then released as large bubbles of CO2. I tried all settings/flow rates, but can't get it right. Uses a lot of CO2 for the same result as the glass diffusers (note. Got a 80 gallon, densely planted fish tank)

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I ordered thisone for my dad for his 135 gal tank. At first I thought it doesn't work, I couldn't see any bubbles coming out like from the glass difusers, but dad said that's what it's supposed to do. You can actually see it work, I little whirlpool inside it. We planted the tank yesterday and the reactor isn't there for even 24hrs and is just perfect and all plants are producing lots of oxygen. I hope it will stay as good as we think it is.

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I usually don't post reviews but I saw the ones for this product and felt I had to post my thoughts. I own two of these reactors and use them in a 200gal heavy planted community tank. I use a 10 lb. bottle of co2 and ph monitor to control the regulator. I can push about 5 bubbles per second max and the two diffusers eat it up. If you are having problems with yours it because you didn't set it up correctly. Your flow is two high or you got bad gas pressure.

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Sunday, February 23, 2014

Marina Aquascaper Plastic Plant, Cardamine, 4-Inch tall

Marina Aquascaper Plastic Plant, Cardamine, 4-Inch tallI got this for a small sand bottom tank that houses snails. the leaves are smooth edged and broad enough for any little climbers and the suction cup base allows for a firmer hold and a thinner layer of sand. not having to pile it up around a large rock or plastic base is great

Sunday, February 2, 2014

biOrb Ceramic Media - 1lb. Bag

biOrb Ceramic Media - 1lb. BagI gave this five stars because the product is great, but there is no reason to buy it when you first purchase the tank. My kit came with plenty so we are just saving this for the future.

The bag of ceramic media that came with my baby biOrb was not enough and this 1 lb bag did the trick!

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I was disappointed that my baby biorb came with so little media. It looked empty and boring, now it looks complete. If you're getting a biorb, keep in mind that you'll also need to get a plant ring, it doesn't come with much of anything. Not enough rocks, no plants. Order this for sure!

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