API Melafix Antibacterial Fish Remedy

My betta developed popeye. It was bad and ugly. I had purchased a heater because I thought he was just cold, but soon his eye bulged out. I did daily water changes and the bulge lessened after 3 days. Then I got the melafix in the mail and started adding that to the water changes. After a week or two the eye went back to normal. I thought my little friend was a goner for sure, but he's doing well and even got his appetite back.

One of my fantails had a damaged tail fin right at the point where the two upper lobes bifurcate. I don't know if he got bit by one of the other guys or how it happened. Everyone else in the tank was fine and acting normally.

As soon as I saw the damage, I checked water conditions immediately and all was well no ammonia, pH normal, etc., etc. Rather than take a chance, I thought it best to treat for fin rot as that area just seemed like a strange place for a bite or nip. I decided to try Melafix first before anything more drastic. The instructions said treat for 7 days then do a 25% water change. The guys get a regular partial weekly water change anyway, so I did a partial water change, treated for 7 days and did another partial water change right on schedule.

The instructions say to repeat treatment if necessary; however, I decided to not re-treat as the damage seemed to be getting much better. Today is day 9 with no additional treatment and my sweet little fishie looks great! Not quite 100% but real close I'd say right around 98% cured. If I didn't know the damage was there, I couldn't tell the difference. Since I knew about it, obviously I was aware of what to look for, but right now he looks very, very good.

Since the only change made was the addition of the Melafix, I'd have to say that solved the problem.

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I was skeptical when I bought this product and Pimafix when we noticed that our Glofish and Black Moors were sick. (They were that way when we bought them) It quickly helped regrow the fins that fin rot had taken from the Black Moors. We used it in conjunction with Pimafix and it worked great. It was also a great help when we accidently put a Puffer Fish in the tank with them. The Puffer tries to eat the Black Moors and tore up the fins and left gashes in one of them. After removing the Puffer Fish and rehoming him, we started treatment of Melafix and Pimafix. The tails and fins on our fish quickly started growing back and now we have two happy Black Moors swimming around in our tank. This is a great product that treats open red sores, fin and tail rot, eye cloud, pop eye, body slime and mouth fungus, and open body wounds. Myself and my fish highly recommend this product.

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Melafix and Pimafix are two of the flagship products by fish care giant API(aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc) A homeopathic anti-bacterial treatment that works wonders in fresh, brackish and salt water aquariums. Unlike medications which are in essence chemicals Melafix uses a soluble extract called "Melaleuca"

Melaleuca is derived from Tea trees and is extraordinarily effective in treating and curing a multitude of problems including:

* Frayed Fins

* Fin and Tail Rot

* Cloudy Eye

* Pop Eye

* Body Fungus

* Slime Coat Deterioration

The typical treatment for any of the above is a daily dose of 5 ml per 10 gallons of water for seven days. Usually you'll see significant improvement within 48 hours it's that fast and that effective.Melafix can also be used when quarantining new fish and adding post quarantine fish into your community tanks.It's important to remember to remove activated charcoal during treatment.

Melafix can foam slightly but will never cloud your water or change your parameters.It's a safe, gentle highly effective product that I've depended on for decades. After 40 years of keeping fish Melafix is one of those products I highly recommend to anyone, novice to expert.

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This is something that all fish owners need to keep on hand. I had a goldfish that got really BAD fin rot, another one of my fish wouldn't stop picking on him and so his fins started to rot from his wounds. It got so bad that he hardly had any fins left! Then 2 years later, the poor guy got stuck in the pump because he was sick and couldn't free himself. The pump damaged his fins pretty badly. Both times this stuff healed him up perfectly, and his fins grew back entirely. They are as full and beautiful as ever before. Just follow the instructions on the bottle and there's no reason why it shouldn't work!

Underwater Galleries AUG6753 10-Pack Big Rock Box

As the title states these may be grey market as 2 of the stones looked like they had been glued back together after breaking. There are large cracks in them but the pieces appear to be solid still and there is not any glue visible so I am not sure if this standard for the cichlid stones or possibly a box that was returned and refurbed. Overall the package was in very good shape and they put the extra effort in to make sure it got to me intact. Mine were delivered from Big Al's and they were prompt in getting the package to me.

The openings of the rocks vary from 2"-5" which was one of my main concerns before ordering as I could not find very much information online about it. I am using these for Aulonocara Kandeense (small african peacock aka "Blue orchid") and the openings are a great size for them and I would venture to say even larger fish will fit in the openings.

I let them soak in the sink in hot water (added dechlorinator) for a few hours. Then put them in my tank. My fish immediately took to them and they love the new hiding places!

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My fish love the hiding spaces that these cichlid stones provide. They are also an attractive decoration and a less expensive alternative to making caves with real stones.

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For my 120 gallon tank with Lake Malawi Cichlids between 3-6 inches these stones are perfect!

They look like real rock. Very light. No danger of them falling & cracking the glass bottom of the tank.

The fish love them. The tank looks great. Have ordered another set.

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I bought these rocks in the hopes that my semi agressive fish would have a safe place to hang during the day and at night.

I ordered the 10 Pack Big Rock Box which arrived within a large box where inside each piece was individually packaged with bubble wrap and a smaller boxed. The quality of the rocks was top notch, I was not expecting them to be as nice as they were. They are heavy enough to stay where you put them (no floating) and they have enough texture to them that they stack well without slipping or falling.

Fish took to them in about 2 days.

I have had them in my tank for about a month and even though they looked pretty real with I pulled them out of the box, they look even more real now as they have acclimated to the environment. With the exception of having a hole in them giving it away that they are man made, they look very real.

All in all I am very happy with my purchase

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ViaAqua Titanium Aquarium Heater, 300-Watt

this is the best and most reliable heater for the money on the market today . It has a digatal read out along with it being titanium . mine ran out of water by accident and did no damage to the heater. great product i use them in all of my tanks.

Installed this heater in my 55 gallon tank. It brought the temp up quickly and has maintained since. Great product, love the digital feature and outside of tank adjustment. No more dipping my arm in the tank for slight adjustments.

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I have been through quite a few heaters in my time, maybe a dozen. I have had expensive and cheap heaters.

I have been using this for a month now and it's great and keeps consistent temps. The digital readout is accurate as compared to my old fashioned in tank glass thermometer.

The thermostat takes a minute or two to learn probably have to use the manual to at least double check if you are using the one button properly like I had to (I hate having to read manuals). So setting it up is a little clunky initially, but overall not too bad.

The heather itself was slim for a 300 watt heater, and aluminum was the only choice for me as I have a 8" Red Severum that could break a glass one. It comes with a suction cup, but my tank has issues with suction cups. I was happy to see that with a little wedging, the heater set nicely on the bottom of the tank where I need it, with no suction cups.

The wiring is a bit clunky as there is one wire for the thermometer and one for the heater. The thermometer probe must be away from the heater for an accurate temp and so the thermostat can adjust properly. It's a necessary evil for these type of heaters with the external thermostat.

These are hard to find for a good price. I was not familiar with this brand, and with little feedback as to quality I was hesitant. This heater is running strong and accurate, all I need is for it to last and I am a happy camper.

4 stars because the wiring and thermostat setup/adjustment could be a bit easier.

Would I buy it again? You bet, but ask me in a year as well.

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This brand of heaters cannot be used in a horizontal position. There is no mention of this until you open the box.

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This heating unit worked great for the first few months. In fact it worked so well that I didn't bother to hook up my Apex Jr controller immediately upon switching to it because it kept the temperature so consistent. Then one day we had a 5 hour power outage. After power came back, I waited a half hour and then reset the GFCI to make sure I didn't have to worry about any surges; the thermometer acted just fine as it warmed my tank back up. Upon arriving home a week later from a work trip, I found many of my corals starting to bleach. I figured it was the stress from the previous power outage, but as I went through the motions of testing my tank, I decided to plug my Apex Jr back in and tested the water temp again. Turns out the water temperature was a full 10 degrees over what the heater was showing. I then tested the water temperature with 4 other methods and they all reported the same thing, my tank temp was 88 degrees!

Upon reading further, I found out I wasn't the only person to experience this issue. I found a few others that reported having the exact same problem. Stay away from this thing if you aren't looking to boil your fish!

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Vibra-Flo® Air Pump; #3

Using in a aquaponics set up. Using one air connection for the fish and the other for the plants. So far so good. Fairly quiet, depending on the surface it is placed on.

This pump puts out plenty of air and I appreciate the performance, but the trade off is the excessive sound it produces. Too bad it's so loud or it would have been the best pump that I've purchased.

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TOM Aquarium Maintenance Mr. Cleaner Battery Operated Gravel Siphon

I originally had my heart set on the Eheim Quick Vac Pro, which was over $60. I saw this priced at less than a third of the cost and decided to give it a shot. I had to search online for instructions on how to assemble but was surprised that it went together just how I thought that I should have kept tinkering with it and I would have had it.

This was tested out on a 20 gallon long bare-bottom tank with tons of detritus that my siphon never seemed to remove. At first, the thing takes a little help to get suction. I had to tilt it over into the water right up to the "Water Line" indication. Once I had the water level to where it had suction, I began to move the gravel washer head around. It seemed to pick up better when the detritus was already afloat not laying on the bottom of the tank.

I was not too terribly impressed with the suction UNTIL I removed the gravel washer head. It is totally unnecessary and decreases the efficiency of this vacuum. I had to stop to rinse the net out twice, and to fiddle with the impeller to remove dead snail shells. (puffer tank) To avoid pulling things into the impeller I placed a brine shrimp net over the intake pipe. This also helped me "steer" the intake pipe around the tank because the vacuum is a little oddly balanced.

Be aware that this does not put the water back into the tank internally. Water is pulled up through the pipe, towards the impeller, and into the waste collection net, then back into the tank on the OUTSIDE of the pipe it just went up. You will have to pay attention so that you don't move the vacuum too close to the edge of your tank thus holding the collection net over the edge of your tank and siphoning sediment free water onto your floor.

****mine came with an algae scraper head, which I have yet to use

****mine came with a hose adapter, for use in siphoning water, which I have not used

In summary for $16 this product did great (without the gravel washer head)

This vacuum is the best thing since sliced bread. It goes together easily, has great pick-up suction, the tubing is long enough to reach the back corners of a 20 inch tall tank and does not lose power. The on/off switch at the top if convenent and easy to get to. I have dropped the entire vaccum in the tank, dried off the batteries and continued cleaning.

The only issue this vacuum has is the "sock" for catching debris. I replaced that with a knee-high nylon, you know the womens sock for pants and dress shoes, held it on with a rubber band and clean without debris that someone else complained of.

This vacuum makes tank maintenance so easy and I tend to "tidy up" almost daily. Thank you Tom Aquarium Supply and give a raise to whoever came up with this idea.

Kathryn

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The company that I purchased this from, Strictly Pet Supplies, sent the item very quickly and it was packaged well as well.

The siphon works great and is easy to use. When it touches the bottom it won't pick up the aquatic soil or rocks, but it will pick up all the crap and fish excriment that has accumulated there. The tube has an adjustable length so I can use it in my tall and short aquariums. You can also purchase replacement filter bags.

Some other reviewers on other sites complained that the item is fragile and can break. This is true. Some parts looks like they're made from thin plastic and can break if you drop it. But its not the manufacturers fault, you just have to be careful when using it.

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This device actually has decent suction. It had no problem picking up all the debris off the bottom of my fish tank and depositing them in to the 'sock'. But unfortunately the fine particles of debris blew right through the cloth sock and back into the water. After a minute of vacuuming, my whole fish tank was clouded. The debris in my tank consisted of mostly goldfish poo, which tends to break apart easily. If you are picking up courser debris, it might work better, but I feel that the 'sock' filter bag really does not provide adequate filtration. Not recommended.

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Putting it together was easy, albeit there were no directions other than a diagram on the back of the package, but it is very obvious from looking at the picture how to put it together. There was one thing the diagram doesn't mention, and that is this: there is a small black piece that is on top of the piece where you have to put the piece with the little "sock" on it. The piece with the "sock" will NOT go on if you don't take off the little black piece first. I believe that was the issue that one of the reviewers here had and ended up breaking it trying to get the sock piece on without taking off the black piece first. So just make sure you remove the black piece and it will be as easy as eating pie. :)

Also, at first I thought it didn't work because it wasn't creating any suction. I read a few reviews here and saw a mention to tip it to help create suction. As I went back to try it again, I noticed it has a "water line" on it and the water was not reaching that line, hence no suction could be created. When I put it into the tank again and angled it so it was under the water at the water line, the suction started up no problem. So if you are having issues, just make sure you have enough water and angle it until the unit has water up to the water line and it will work like a charm! Also, once it has suction it will keep suction until water reaches the portion on the gravel foot where air can get under it or until you lift it up to the point where air gets in there. It has REALLY good suction, and I even moved it around in the water to suck up old food particles still hanging around. It took care of them very easily as well.

I used this for cleaning the gravel at the bottom of my 30 gallon tank and IT WORKED WONDERFULLY. Anyone who says otherwise wasn't using it correctly. I even used it to do a water change in my tank, all the while my fish were HAPPY. They even came to check it out and went right up to it with no stress. I used to dread water changes because catching the fish in the nets and putting them in a bucket completely traumatized them, but now I don't have to do that ever again. Just make sure when you are using it to remove water or put water in, that you have a bowl nearby to catch the water as it first comes out (especially if you have to tip it to start it up) so water doesn't get all over the place as you are trying to move it over to where you want the water to go.

I also added an extra "sock" on as mentioned in another review (used the foot end of a knee high) and this helped to catch the finer particles that were making it through the original sock and back into the water. I used a rubber band off a bunch of broccoli and put the pantyhose sock on with it and then put the original sock over it, so I had double filtration.

Overall it is a STEAL for the price and works really, really well once you get used to it. If you follow the tips here, you should have a great experience with it. I know the tips helped me, and I hope they help you! :)

Azoo Replacement Pad for Mignon 60-Power Filter

Very cheap and easy replacement. Cheap, clean, does not make the water murky. Mollies eat it up and poop often.

These work perfectly as replacement filter sponges. And for me, they healed the gaping wound in my soul caused by the current shortage of Hostess Twinkie™ Snack Cakes

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It came with 4 pack, handy and low price and it does the job. It works with Mignon 60 filter which is a mini and very quiet for even 1 gal tank.

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The pads fit perfectly are easy to change however the price is a little to high. I will use a cut down to size filter pad which will be more cost effective, a cut to size Boyd chemi-mat filter pad would give better filtration for less money.

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Rubber Gasket for Magnum 200, 220, 330 and 350 Canister Filters

Arrived quickly, and was exactly what I expected. But, then, how difficult is it to put three small rubber washers in an envelope and mail them?

Price better than local pet stores, even after shipping.

This is a set of all 4 rubber gaskets that go in my Magnum 350 pump. They fit just fine.

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Apparently they didn't have the item in stock, but never let me know anything. Hope my fish don't die before a replacement can be found.

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These are a cheep replacement for canister filter. They fit exactly as they should. It stopped the air bubbles and allowed the canister to fill with water.

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I ordered this to replace the ones on the canister filter that came with a 75 gallon saltwater setup I bought used off craigslist. So far they have worked great, but kind of expensive for two little pieces of rubber. Overall I'm happy though

Exotic Environments Rock Arch with Plants Aquarium Ornament, Small

The decor was exactly as described. Not too big or too small, and very nice looking in my aquarium. Great place for my fish to hide out!

This is a beautiful addition to my aquarium, it's a great filler for the corner and gives the little fish a great place to hide. I own a 10 gallon and it is perfect!

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This aquatic ornament is the centerpiece in my tank. It enhances the beauty 10 fold!! Colors look brilliant under white light. The price savings is huge when compared to local pet store. Definitely recommend!!

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I bought this for my 5gal betta tank. It's decent looking and the fish likes it but I wish it was better quality. For example, the cloth plant on the left was all crinkled, the plants aren't well made and are oddly placed, glue holding the plants on is visible, paint is sloppily placed. I think I would recommend looking in stores first

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My betta fish Rexy loves this. He likes resting on the plastic plants near the top of the water. He's pretty lazy so it works for him.

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Tetra Pond Filtration Fountain Kits

This is an excellent product I am currently using it in a 50 gallon round water feature. At first I thought it would be too much power but its perfect the fountains are high quality! Much better then the little 100gph found I had in here before. Its full adjustable. The filter keeps out large debri, the fountain heads are high quality, and it has extra power/ability to run a seperate hose to a small frog that shoots water from its mouth in addition to the fountain itself. Highly recommend! Much cheaper then Lowes/HD products same thing would run over $100!

I like the design of the pump as far as size but it lacks power and the filter box doesn't stay under water without help (like a brick).

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I bought this to replace the original system made by Little Giant, which had started to fall apart over the years. This pump is very powerful and the filter is much better that the one on the Little Giant. I've had it in for weeks now and have not had to clean the filter yet ( I also don't have fish in there now which makes a difference).

You have to weight down the filter or it will float, but this is no big problem. I used a small brick on top, but you can also put weights under the filter elements before putting them in which will work just fine.

Overall, it's well worth the money and looks to be very sturdily built.

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I purchased this filtration pump for my 61 gallon backyard pond. The pump arrived in 2 days, was a breeze to set up and continues to do good job of filtering the water and providing oxygen for my fish. This was great buy especially with Amazon's discount.

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I put this in my stock tank pond that was a little foggy yesterday, and the water is crystal clear now. I couldnt be happier with the simplicity of assembly and the amount of easy control you have over the flow of water. I rinsed the filter last night and it doesnt get any easier to do it. I was also really happy with the length of the cord. I went into this convinced i had to use an extention cord, but the stock cord was perfect. I will definitely be buying more. This kit beats anything out there in price comparison and it's everything you need to plug and play. I cant stop thinking about all the different fountains that can be made with this pump, too, at a fraction of the cost buying a pre made one at a home improvement store. Definitely doesnt have to be just for ponds. Im going to go shopping for pots soon to make a fountain... Or twelve :D One of the best purchases ive made... EVER.

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Exotic Environments Moray Eel Aquarium Ornament, 4-Inch by 2-Inch by 2-1/2-Inch

My son picked this for his beta fish tank. The first one came chipped...I got on Amazon, followed the process, and easily returned the damaged one and seemed to have the replacement instantly. Cute piece, ran an air tube through the rocks and positioned the critter above the spot the air bubbles up...he has a hole on the under side so air appears to bubble up out of his mouth. Made my son happy!

Sun-Glo Fluorescent Aquarium Bulb

Nice bulb, fits perfect, I wish it was not quite as yellow but it works well and the fish seem to be happy!

This is a good bulb and I love the price. Much cheaper than the local pet store. It arrived well packaged and very quickly.

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I purchased this bulb two weeks ago to replace a bulb in my aquarium. I expected the light to be more of a yellow, sunlight color than my existing purplish bulbs, but I was disappointed with the color. The light from the bulb is a light orange color which doesn't look like sunlight to me. It makes my aquarium look dirty. While the bulb works just fine, next time I'll go with a different color temperature.

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The bulb only lasted a week or two. I don't know whether the bulb or the fixture was the cause of the problem, but my best guess is that it was the bulb.

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SpongeBob SquarePants® BIG Bikini Bottom® Aquarium Ornaments

Kids love it, fits great. Seems as though its the first thing in the tank to collect dirt and grime.

Fun ornament for the 1 gallon Beta tank. Mr. Fish likes to swim through the holes. Very cute with other SpongeBob stuff and gets alot of attention.

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Its a nice decoration for any fish tank. My fish are always swimming in and out of it. Would buy this again!

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Baught this for a friend of my daughters who owns a large fish tank. Works well and is what I expected.

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It is perfect .. no, but looks good got it 3 moths ago, still looks fine, looks exactly like in the pic

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Universal Rocks 24-Inch by 16-Inch Ledge Aquarium/Reptile Rigid Foam Background

I have a 20 gallon with juvenile cichlids and after surfing the web, I stumbled onto Universal Rocks' website, found out Amazon sells their products and quickly ordered the ledge 3D background. I've made a custom 3D background with Plexiglas, slate rocks and silicone sealant and it took so much time and money that I wish I stumbled into this item sooner. The ledge background is great and my cichlids love it cause of the overhang and hiding spots the ledges create. Also, it looks real! The company uses real crushed rocks to make their background and rooted plants can supposedly grow on them.

To install I did not have to cut the background to fit my tank. I have a normal 24"x16"x12" 20 gallon tank. I simply moved my fish to a fishbowl, took out 75% of the water, tilted the tank forward to move the sand and water out of the way, had a friend put the background in place, tilted the fish tank upright, moved the sand to push against the bottom of the background to the back, clipped the top with the 3 clips it came, with filled the tank back up with water and that was it. It was a very easy install. I highly recommend this product for anyone who wants to recreate a more natural looking aquarium.

Maybe I just got the proverbial 1 rotten apple out of 100 in the barrel......

The product was a great addition to my fresh water tank until the material started

to erode and crumble in 3 short months.

Have you ever seem foam material when it shreds?

In an aquarium, it will clog up your filter impeller, your fish might ingest the pieces,

and your water appearance & quality will necessitate a total tank cleanout.

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I installed this in my 20 gallon high tank without any problems! I bought it in February 2012 and it still looks great. I just purchased a 46 gallon bow front tank and will be installing a Universal Rock Background in that as well. Well worth the money!!!!!

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Squeaky Bones Rubber Toy

I have had one of the Four Paws toys for a year that is very durable. So durable it is nearly impossible to squeak and really not that appealing to my dog. It is the large ball with the two hands doing a thumbs up. Very thick rubber on it.

Figured I would give something a bit easier to squeeze a try and the bone looked like a good option. I actually spent more time checking out toys than it took him to damage this. He pierced the plastic of the squeaker within a few seconds of chewing on the end of the bone. Luckily he is still enjoying a good chew on the durable rubber but it is time for these companies to find a way to protect the squeaker better. Oh well. I did see a Kong product with a squeaker that was completely protected so I will probably try something like that next. It was a long tube that was clear blue. Worth checking out if you have a dog that will do more than just squeak in the middle of this toy.

For dogs with a large mouth the large ball will be better choice IMO. The search for the perfect toy continues.

Sorry, but I have to give this dog toy only 3 stars, as the day I got it, its really hard to squeak, and my little dog doesn't like it if it doesn't. Not worth sending it back! Too bad, its really cute. Defective squeaker I guess.

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I wanted organge toy, that's what's shown on the site. They sent purple and dog had it torn apart in under 5 minutes. Four paws makes rounder shaped toys that do hold up but not this shape, too easy for dog to get squeaker out and tear it apart. This seller should send me a free one.

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Marineland C-220 Multi-Stage 55 Gal Canister Filter

I know its a bit premature to write a complete review, but I'd like to set the record straight with regards to set up, and address the concerns of the one-star reviewer (David).

I found the filter a breeze to set up. My only concern is the instructions, but I'll address that below.

A few notes about my situation:

-relatively new to aquarium keeping set up first pond (small 75 gallons) this spring.

-purchased new 33 gallon aquarium to house pond fish for winter

-2x3" goldfish, 1 dojo loach

-had previously constructed a home-made filter for the pond, which was the bees knees!

When I purchased the aquarium, I bought a 30 gallon Aqua-Clear (Hang-on type) filter to go with it. I didn't even open the box before deciding it might not be the best filter for my set-up. So, I took it back.

After a bit of research, I decided on another hang-on power filter the Marineland Penguin BIO-Wheel 200. I was thinking that more filtration is better, and thus selected the 200 model.

I actually opened the box on this one, and discovered that my tank would have to be approx. 3.5" away from the wall in order for it to sit level. I didn't want the ugly thing on the front of my tank, nor could I put it on the side as my light bar did not allow enough space. I wasn't comfortable having my tank that far from the wall, so I packed it back up and returned it to the store.

After doing even more research (clearly I hadn't done enough of it by this point), I decided that a canister would meet my needs to a T. Generally speaking, they clean more and clean better, and would allow my tank to fit closer to the wall. With chemical, biological and mechanical filtering a canister seemed the way to go.

So, which one to choose?

We researched many, many, many canisters. We spent hours discussing the pros and cons of each brand, each review, each reviewer's setup (compared to ours), costs, tube size, filter media in short, we dissected each contender until we'd narrowed it down to two. The Marineland C-Series 220 and the Eheim Ecco.

In the end, cost and availability of replacement media were the deciding factors. We went with the Marineland.

I purchased Marineland C-Series 220 from my LFS for $135 CAD, and set it up in a brand-new 33 gallon tank. Although the filter is rated for a 50 gallon, I'd like to over-do it with the filtration.

The instructions were simple enough to follow, although I would recommend doing your online research on the set up of this unit, just to familiarize yourself with the process (esp. if you are brand-new, like me). I was initially a little leary with the Marineland, as I had read somewhere that contrary to its box-label, it didn't actually self-fill. But, I bought it anyways. See below for additional info on this!

This canister comes with everything you need to get going all the tubes, fittings and filter media. Please ensure that your LFS sells the replacement media you need, BEFORE you buy the canister. As Dave pointed out, what good is an excellent canister, if you can't buy more stuff when its time to replace the media?

The tubes fit snuggly with no leakage, using the compression fittings already attached to the valve block. Familiarize yourself with the way the valve block works this will assure you that it will NOT leak when you have to remove it for maintenance.

The valve block has two tabs used to disengage it from the motor head. The first tab is actually a ball-valve, which lifts and cuts the water to/from the tubes. The second tab rotates, and is the mechanism which locks the valve block to the rest of the canister. The first tab will fold over the second to ensure that it is not accidentally unlocked.

This model has five filtering layers. They are as follows, from bottom to top (the direction the water is forced through): filter foam, carbon bags, BIO-filter balls, ceramic rings, filter floss.

Rinse your media filter, as per the directions. This model has 5 layers of media to keep your tank sparkling clean, and all the trays lift out easily for maintenance. The trays inside simply stack in order.

The one thing I'd like to point out to Marineland, is that their instructions do not indicate which port is the intake, and which is the outlet.

After getting everything situated and hooked up I thought, well... how much difference is it really going to make if I mix them up?

It makes a lot of difference, actually!

I'm not an engineer, but you need to make sure that the intake tube and strainer is on the intake tube, and the outlet tube and diffuser is on the outlet tube. Otherwise, you could press the primer button till your fingers fell off, and your canister won't fill.

It may tease you by partially filling. It may tease you by completely filling. It may tease you by dribbling a bit of water down into the canister body. Don't be fooled. It doesn't work.

The outlet is on the left, and the intake is on the right, when the canister is facing you.

Switching the strainer and diffuser, I depressed the quick-prime button two more times, and VOILA! The machine gurgled to life, started sucking back the water, and chugged happily away!

It's that easy.

I'm serious.

The motor is super quiet I have my aquarium in the living room on a buffet-style side table. The canister is simply sitting underneath, in the cabinet. I'm currently sitting approx. 15 feet away, and I can't hear it.

Below are the intstructions, in case you want to see what I'm talking about.

Looks complicated but don't be fooled. If you've got an iota of brains, you'll be on your way in no time.Stay tuned for an actual performance review.

I have been running the Marineland C-220 for about 16 months on a 30 gallon saltwater aquarium.

In general, this filter has had good flow, and been quiet and good filtration capability. With a monthly cleaning and replacement of media, water has been consistently clear and tested within acceptable parameters. Replacement media is a bit expensive in local stores, but can be had for much less online. Some items, such as foam pads and polishing pads, are easily cleaned for reuse.

However, after one year of use, this filter began developing problems. First, the leaks developed. Leaks where the hoses attach to the valve block assembly, where the block assembly connects to the motor head, in the valve block shut off valve and even the main seal where the motor head clamps onto the canister. All the o-rings and seals appear to be fine and clean, but they will still sporadically develop leaks.

The impeller has also had sporadic problems with chattering and changes in flow, even when the unit is properly primed and all air is evacuated.

Last night, during a routine water change, all the problems converged in a single grand failure. The impeller failed and is now chattering loudly and no longer pumping. The primer seems to have lost its ability to pump. And, the canister is leaking from all four areas mentioned above at the same time.

My question today is do I spend the $50-$60 dollars for a new impeller, o-rings and valve block, or simply start over.

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I purchased this filter around 6 years ago (I can't remember exactly when). The main reason was, the filter I had before that was the Magnum H.O.T. back-of-the-tank power filter. That one was good, but with the limited space behind the tank (just try and move the tank with gravel, water, etc), it scratched the wall. The first one died a little over a year later, when the impeller broke. Like others have said, since replacement parts have to be sent, I just bought a new one. That one is still in use today (around 5 years). Over the last 5 years, I found one issue everyone should be prepared for: the hoses at the pump have a tendency to separate from the nozzles. The best way to prevent it is to inspect the hoses. When it starts to pull away from the nozzle, chop about 0.5" off and reinstall. Cleaning is usual dirty work, each filter media has suggested replacement timeframes. A newest issue I am dealing with is the gasket/o-rings.

So, because most stores don't stock replacement parts, you might want to buy (1) replacement impeller and (2) replacement O-Rings/Gaskets. Another idea is to buy replacement filter media. Those may add $30 to your bill, but you're prepared!

So, I HIGHLY recommend it, as long as you buy replacement parts ahead of time. It has kept my tank clean and healthy for the last 6 years!

Read Best Reviews of Marineland C-220 Multi-Stage 55 Gal Canister Filter Here

Pro's:

-Quiet

-Self priming (after the hose is initially filled)

-Good flow rate

-No leaks, no mess when removing hose block

Con's:

-Flimsy (I'm returning it before it breaks)

-Prime pump is very stiff doesn't work well (didn't need to use it though)

-To complicated/to many seals--every basket has a seal that needs to be in place

I've had the fluval 304 and the Eheim Ecco. After fixing the Eheim for the 3rd time I decided to give up on that piece of junk and get something more durable. I looked at the new fluval and didn't like the design so I bought this filter and used it for a week but will be returning it due to the cons discussed above. I looked at the Rena and this seems like the best design (more durable, simpler design, fewer parts) so I'll try that one next. It also has better reviews though I am concerned with the leakage comments.

From what I know I would rank filters in the following order

1. Rena

2. Marineland

3. Fluval

4. Eheim

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ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!!!!

This is hands down the best filter I have ever used. Easy to get started, quiet as a mouse, and easy to perform maintance.

Rena 722 Filstar XP3 Canister Filter

Searched long to find the right filter. These Bio filters with multiple chambers for media is the way to go with turtles. We have a female red ear slider about 7 inches front to back of shell (she was about the size of a silver dollar when we got her two years ago). She is very messy and the in tank filter was just not handling it. This filter with fresh water and a good shell scrubbing of our baby has worked fine. We used to have to clean her tank and change water every week to keep her water from getting too filthy. This filter in a forty gallon aquarium has been set up for three months now and other than adding water as it evaporates and cleaning her rocks we haven't had to do anything else except feed her. We did clean out the filter once because she made a mess of some fresh aquatic plants we bought for her. She chewed up fifteen dollars worth of plants in just two days. She probably ate some but most of them were chewed and left floating. The filter clogged from all the plant material. But I can't blame the filter for that. The water is always crystal clear. She seems to love her environment now.

There is a couple of things to keep in mind when using the filter for turtles. The intake tubing inside the tank comes in sections that have to be pushed together. They tend to loose prime at the connections because turtle tanks are only about half full and some of the connections are above the water level. I had to glue them together to keep the prime. The filter has to absolutely be at least 16 inches below the tank bottom. I set ours on the floor and the tank on the top of a 29 inch high credenza. When priming remember to fill the tube with water with the filter hose valve in the off position (the instructions will explain). Make sure there are no air leaks and screw on the cap tightly on the prime hole when you are done priming. With no air leaks in the intake hose, the tank about half full or more and the top of the filter about 16 inches below the bottom of the tank when you lock the hoses in place which opens the valves the weight of the water in the intake hose should pull water through the intake tube to fill the filter and you should at this point have a prime. This should now let you turn the filter on without loosing prime and your tank should stay clean like ours for months. This filter has three cannisters and each cannister has two chambers. We are using the foam layers as they came with the filter, two large pore followed by two small pore foams filters in the first cannister (this is from the bottom of the filter to the top). The water moves around the cannisters to the bottom of the filter and is pulled up to the top. So the set up is from the bottom up. The second cannister we used for the biomass. We used the round pellets in the first (bottom) chamber with a mesh top (included), followed by the star biomass media in the second chamber (top). In the third cannister we used nitrate/nitrite (white amonia media) in the first chamber followed by a mesh and then charcoal media in the second chamber with a micron filter on top followed by another mesh. Then we placed the top on that and closed it. After about a month and a half we had the plant incident and had to clean the filter. I just rinsed everything out real good except for the biomass media which I lightly rinsed (you want to keep the bacteria that collects on the media because this helps eat the chemicals in the water and solids). I then replaced everything again and it has been working great since. They recommend changing the carbon every month but we haven't yet. They also recommend changing the nitrate/nitrite media every ten months, so we have a while to go. The micron filter needs to be changed also after a few months. I wouldn't change the foam unless it is clogged to the point were I can't get it cleaned out. It is only to collect solids and retain them till they decompose and are absorbed by the bacteria.

I think any multiple chamber filter would work as well. I am skeptical about anything below three chambers for turtles. One large turtle I think is the equivalent of a thousand fish in feces and pee (that's just my guess). This filter is rated for a much bigger tank but I think a smaller filter would not have worked for a turtle as large as ours. Turtles do grow fast and keep growing. They also live for forty years so get a large filter that will handle larger tanks. If you can afford it I would go for the XP4 which is bigger and rated for larger aquariums. For turtles I think multiple chambers are really important because they do not need oxygen in the water since they do not have gills but they do need clean water to stay healthy and they are super, super, mega super messy.

The biggest complaints I have read from turtle owners about filters is getting a prime. Remember, you can not have any air leaks in the intake tube or hosing. We are going to look for a solid tube that we can cut to use for our intake so we do not have connections above the water.

Cons: Only the tubing, It should be a solid piece that you cut to size instead of multiple small pieces you connect together. But then again this setup works fine for fish tanks since the level of the water would always be above the connections. For turtle tanks which are only filled a little above half way you need to glue the connections above the water or find a solid tube to use instead.

Sorry to the 1 star reviewers, they seem like they are a little instruction-inhibited. Priming yes, took a minute but get the valve right and it works fine. You're right, no tension in the tubes but who places their filter in the bedroom when the tank is in the living room? I think they provided AMPLE tubing and i have a 75 gallon tank sitting on a standard 75 gallon stand with inflow on one side and outflow on the other.

THIS FILTER IS AWESOME END OF STORY:

Cleaning cleaning cleaning and more cleaning. I have a 75gal tank and will have 53 live plants and several fish as soon as the water is completely conditioned. Needless to say, as you're conditioning water, you clean the filter daily for a few weeks (except the bio filter, more on that in a minute). This filter is incredibly simple to clean. You unplug the power, raise the shutoff valve and carry the entire filter to the sink or bathtub. Wipe down each piece, rinse the particle filters and you're done. Attach the shutoff valve and turn it back on. you only have to prime this thing once, right out of the box. then every week when you routinely clean it's MINIMAL water spilling, if any. the hoses remain full of water so no more priming necessary. This is hands down without a doubt the most genius design; it actually makes the "hastle" of filter cleaning a piece of cake.

The design of the filter is also genius. it pumps water to the bottom and then sucks upwards through the filters, using gravity as an advantage for extra filtering. instead of shoving water through a filter and discharging to the tank, it sends the unfiltered water to the bottom and "pulls" it upwards. Large trash sits completely in the bottom of the bucket, before ever entering the filter systems. Large particle filter at the bottom, then the bio filter in the middle, then the fine particle filter at the top. The bio filter is also awesome. Consider it a miniature wetlands for your tank, in my opinion being the most effective of all types of filtering.

The thing is totally silent and the outflow tube sits BELOW the water surface. no waterfall noise all night long, it's a completely silent tank. also excellent that there's no surface disruption to release your CO2 if you use a feeder for your plants.

all in all one awesome filter. top to bottom left to right the most convenient easy-to-use system i have ever seen. if you have problems priming the lines to begin with, i did too, but after a few tries it finally started flowing. that's why it's called PRIMING. done deal never to need to be done again til i ever have to clean the hoses. to those that had problems with customer service, i can't comment as i didn't need them. good luck though, thankfully my product worked right out of the box. highly, highly recommended

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The XP3 is a very good canister filter.

The good? 3 decent sized trays, "priming" intake tube, configurable outflow tubes, all-you-need-in-a-box package (with exception of biomedia).

The bad? The quick disconnect is not heavy duty and can be distorted by any tension on one of the tubes (especially the output)--resulting in a leak because the O-rings do not seat. Also, the o-ring are not a "tight" fit and cannot handle much pressure. If you have any inline accessories that constitute a significant load (ie. uv sterilizers, CO2 reactors, etc), water will leak past the disconnect o-rings and onto your floor after flooding the top unit on the inside! Worst of all, this happens after about an hour or so and is not readily apparent!

Bottom line: I would much rather NOT have the convenience of the quick disconnect and instead have some external ball valves. My XP3 leaked on my the first time I used it. I searched online and this is a common problem.

Read Best Reviews of Rena 722 Filstar XP3 Canister Filter Here

Using on a 72 gallon bowfront. A couple notes from experiences: After cleaning filter, fill up with warm water, snap the top on and then connect the quick connect hose fitting. Allow time for water/air to bubble up and clear in tubes. Turn on. May need to turn off power and rebirp the quick disconnect to get a good flow started. Never had a priming problem doing this.

Don't wash the ceramic bio disks vigourously. They hold and multiply the good bacteria you want to keep. Quick rinse/shake container and don't let them dry out. Keep the chlorine level low in cleaning water contacting the cermamic bio disks to avoid killing beneficial bacterial.

Clean off the rubber sealing gasket and apply a lite film of petrolium jelly to the rubber.

Change the impeller and stainless pin guide every year.

Change the charcoal about once every 1-2 months. Between changes, a gentle flush of the bag is all that's needed.

Very good filter.

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The Rena XP series filters are the best bargain in the canister filter market. Eheims may have more bells and whistles and Magnums may be more well known, but Rena XP's occupy the best bang for your buck slot.

I've used my XP2 now for a year and a half on a moderately stocked 65 gallon with excellent success. I don't clean the filter as often as I should and I don't do water changes every week like some say is essential. Still, the XP2 keeps the water clean enough to raise and house 5 large discus, 4 large clown loaches and assorted other cleanup crew. While this product page is for the XP3 and I've commented on the XP2, I have also used the XP3. In fact, it's replacing my XP2 on the 65gallon and the XP2 is moving to my 29gallon. The 29 currently is serviced by a Magnum HOT with biowheel (which in turn is moving to the 20gallon).

Servicing the filters couldn't be easier lift the center handle and away you go. Like I said, I don't service it monthly, but when I do, it's simple and straight-forward. The baskets are generous in size and hold a lot of filter medium. I was fortunate and got a large service "kit" on sale one day. It had 10 or so filter pads, plus bags of charcoal and other media. That has sufficed for the past 18 months.

If you know about discus, you know how finicky they are about water quality. The fact that the XP2 services them for a couple of months at a time between cleanings says a lot about the filter.

Just get one! At the price, you can't beat it.

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Petco Pearl Aquarium Plant

BEWARE --THE PICTURE IS DECEIVING

YOU ARE SHOWN 5 PLANTS BUT THE AD SAYS "PLANT" AND TO ALLOW THEM TO CHOOSE "ONE"

THE PICTURE IMPLIES YOU ARE GETTING 5 PLANTS BUT YOU GET ONLY ONE

I got the blue,white,and pink plants,they look amazing in my ten gal. aquarium. the white and blue ornaments are somewhhat soft, just enough as to not harm my betta fins, while for the pink one it doesnt feel very soft but unsure if it will cause any damage. i must say that they look better than i expected for what i paid for.

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Be aware!!!! Read the fine print!! You only get one of these and they randomly chose them... :( I was upset when I only got one then after research I soon discovered: expect a random color.

Read Best Reviews of Petco Pearl Aquarium Plant Here

Hollow Log Ornament

Our red tailed shark absolutely loves this log. It lets him come and go both ways and keep an eye out thru the extra hole, he did swim out that way once to check it out. It looks very natural and is a perfect fit in our 56 gal aquarium. If you place it towards one end of the aquarium, you can use the reflection to look into the log without them knowing your spying.

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Penn Plax Net Breeder for Aquarium

I bought one of these and a Lee's net breeder. I like the Lee's brand much better than this one. The plastic is flimsy and the net even worse. I thought I was going to rip the net as I gingerly put it on the plastic frame! And I didn't get all the tiny plastic grass things -the picture shows 5 or 6 sturdy ones; I got only 3 (that also looked & felt as if they'd fall to pieces).

Sitting Buddha Fish Tank Aquarium Ornament Decoration

Love this addition to our tank. Ended up redecorating the entire fish tank after we got Buddha. Our fish are so Zen now. Great product and speedy delivery.

We and our fish love our Budda. Great addition to our aquarium. He's pretty big, but that's what I wanted. Fish love hiding in him. We ordered it and it was here in days.

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