Showing posts with label saltwater aquarium fish types. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saltwater aquarium fish types. Show all posts

Friday, October 17, 2014

API Copper Test Kit

API Copper Test KitOf you need to check the Copper levels in you aquarium then you clearly need this. I have found API products to be great and this is no different.

I added this extra test to my weekly testing kit because I'd been treating my water during an ick attack. It works fine!

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I got this to test my hospital tank to ensure that it has the proper levels of copper for treatment.

Read Best Reviews of API Copper Test Kit Here

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Fluval Shrimp Stratum

Fluval Shrimp Stratum, 4.4-PoundPretty good stuff for shrimp tank. I use it on all my shrimps tanks. This stuff make keeping CRS, OEBT and, Cherry very easy. A bit light but settle well and don't cloud the water. It keep the PH low and gorw plant just fine.

Update:

09/29/11 Somehow the survival rate of the CRS and OEBT shrimplets are very low. Severial berries but only 3 babies survies so far. They are in 2 difference tank. Neocaridina (cherry veriaties) breeds like roaches. I changes out the products both tank with Akadama soils, and crushed bricks. Will update if it make any difference. But so it's not that impressive with Caridina.

Update:

10/11/11 The rest of my OEBT hatched fine in crush brick and serveral Crystal shrimplets are swimming around on Akadama. Conclusion: in my experience, I would only use this stuff for Neo. Don't waste your money if you are into a more expensive shrimps. This stuff is not good for survival rate.

From my experiance Stratum takes my pH down by .2 which no ammonia leaching. Keeps my shrimp and wallet happy!

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I've had very good luck with this substrate. I was a bit worried, because others have mentioned problems such as difficulty planting with it and breakdown over time. I've had good experiences on both fronts--I planted my 2nd tank with FSS with dwarf hairgrass, and I thought it would be a royal pain to slip in all the individual nodes. In the end it was a compete non-issue, and the hairgrass actually rooted more quickly and solidly than in Eco complete (which I have in another tank). The only item I had trouble planting was a heavy stem plant--for those, you'll want to weight or temporarily cover with a rock, etc. until they root.

Shrimp seem to thrive in tanks with FSS, although I have noticed a fairly severe pH buffering effect for the first few weeks, so be careful or you can have some die off. This seems to fade over time so if you need big buffering you will have to augment or look elsewhere. Once established, shrimp breed like rabbits (I have RCS and Blueberry Shrimp), and seem to enjoy themselves. I've had no real soil breakdown to speak of in about 8 months, but I will keep watch on it. No need to wash this beforehand, by the way; in fact, there are nice small granules n there you'll probably lose if you wash it. I had no problems with dirtying up the water at all, if you fill your tank intelligently, you won't have issues with clarity.

As a parting thought, I would like to mention the "look," I personally find this quite attractive for substrate; the dark color shows many types of shrimps, fish, and snails well, and it looks nice in photos. The only potential negative is it is ate dark--if you put very dark species against it, you won't get the same effect as a light species. In that case, you may want a lighter-colored substrate. Otherwise, thumbs up all around from me. Just watch that pH buffering effect for a bit, depending on your water type you may have some instability for a few weeks.

Read Best Reviews of Fluval Shrimp Stratum Here

I used this in a 2.5 gallon nano and it buffers the water nicely if you want a shrimp tank, I saw a nice drop in pH, kH, & gH, but this substrate is extremely light so I would not recommend it for use with fish and definitely not for bottom dwelling fish. I planted some low light, low growth plants along with a couple high light, high growth plants and everything is doing well, but I still wouldn't use this in a tank any larger than 5 gallons and never with fish.

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Lower layers turn into mush after a few months and is like having a layer of dirt on bottom of tank.Granuales are tiny and fragile and will break apart and get sucked into vac so its impossible to clean and if you stir it up it mucks the tank up real quick.

I also havent seen any benifits to the Shrimp. I have two ten gallons both with red cherries and the tank with regular cheap gravel seem to show better colors. So now I am stuck with a tank with dirt on the bottom that I cant clean and will have to replace.

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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Nature's Pure Glass Aquarium Sphere 12" Dia x 10" Height, 2.75 Gallons.

Nature's Pure Glass Aquarium Sphere 12' Dia x 10' Height, 2.75 Gallons.I ordered this glass bowl to make a terrarium I would be giving as a thank you gift. It is a beautiful, solid glass bowl. I am very pleased with the purchase and am buying another today.

This is a nice quality glass bowl. Looks nice with goldfish in it but is a perfect size for something more adventurous a terrarium for example...

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This fish bowl is a fine product. High quality, thick hand blown glass. Modern shape. Not the standard fish bowl.

Read Best Reviews of Nature's Pure Glass Aquarium Sphere 12" Dia x 10" Height, 2.75 Gallons. Here

It is a beautiful bowl. A wonderful size (3 gallon) for the kitchen table and for our pet Beta & 2 ghost shrimp. (live plants make the water clear). The delivery was excellent and super fast. Thank you!

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I bought this goldfish bowl for my 3 year old daughter because I wasn't ready to do the whole acquarium scene. All I could find everywhere else was the most 2 gallon. This size gives a couple of goldfish some good room to swim.

It's visually a nice decor bowl. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because due to the nature of hand blown glass it becomes very thin at the top of the bowl. Plus $40 is a little extreme I believe.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Deep Blue Professional ADB12909 In Tank UV Sterilizer for Aquarium, 9-watt

Deep Blue Professional ADB12909 In Tank UV Sterilizer for Aquarium, 9-wattSave your money and buy another product. I bought this 100 gal. UV sterilizer/filter for a 46 gallon tank and the water is just as green and cloudy as it was before the installation of the filter. The UV light is working because at night in a totally dark room you can see the blue glow of the light. However, the pump does not work as I can feel no water motion coming from the ejection outlet and the water is a nasty cloudy green. I have a garden pond with a UV filter and that water is crystal clear so I know what it should look like with a fully functioning UV filter. I do not recommend this filter. If you don't like disappointment you'd be better off to keep looking and spend your hard-earned money elsewhere.

FIRST POST I am very pleased with this product. In a matter of hours after placing the sterilizer in my tank I could see the difference in clarity in my water.

SECOND POST -The UV Sterilizer has been in my tank for over a month now and I am more than very pleased with the results. My water is crystal clear and I now have very happy saltwater fish!

Buy Deep Blue Professional ADB12909 In Tank UV Sterilizer for Aquarium, 9-watt Now

The first issue is that the box it comes in touts its fucntion as to kill algae and pathogens. No where on the box does it tell the buyer who Deep Blue is and where it is loctated. The instructions are non-existent. The only thing that comes with the instructions is warnings and disclaimers. The instructions consist of a childlike drawing of an aquarium with arrows with words above it which are illegible. The unit comes in two pieces and the fittings are cheap and fall apart. There is no way to determine if the unit is even working. The UV lamps are enclosed in a plastic unit and the only way to determine if the unit is working is to take it apart. Most higher level units will have a small hole to expose the lamps so the user can determine if the light is still on and working. The ciculation pump falls apart in two pieces and is so small it doesnt even produce a small ripple of water. Clearly, this does not move the water as advertised.

I was interested in the unit merely because it was submersible and I would not have to alter the flow of my Fluval cannisters to meet he flow requirements of other UV products.

Save your money and buy a unit at your local fish store so you can determine if the unit is quality.

The seller Direct Line Superstore issued a refund without argument for which I am grateful.

Read Best Reviews of Deep Blue Professional ADB12909 In Tank UV Sterilizer for Aquarium, 9-watt Here

Love this item. Very easy to use and it is great that you can totally submerge it. The replacement bulbs are expensive as I bought a spare to have on hand.

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Tuesday, August 5, 2014

H2Show Blue LED - Submersible Spotlight for Aquariums - suction cup mount included

H2Show Blue LED - Submersible Spotlight for Aquariums - suction cup mount includedThe suction cup works well and the light is bright (Extremely powerful).The blue is a very nice blue, and much lighter than the night lights that are sometimes included on Metal halide lamps as night lights. One thing I would have added is a black piece of plastic to somewhat shield part of the light. The plug isn't one of those gigantic plugs either, although it isn't a standard plug. I can fit a standard plug next to the slot in the power strip. Looking back, I wish I would have chose the multicolored one H2Show LED Light ColorMix Multicolor though because 2 different colored lamps may be too bright at night, but I have mine in a 24 gallon nano cube, so take that into consideration. BTW, don't get the older model if you do get these. I've had the older models with bubbles, etc. Get the H2 Show model only. They have improved their product since then, and the older models with bubbles require you to have the included airline hang out on top of the tank, and the older models just aren't as bright and the blue just isn't as nice.

The H2Show Led Light Blue produces a strong focused light. I originally purchased this as a moonlight to illuminate a 2.5 gallon pico, but the light was too focused and produced a single bright spot. Since that didn't work, I decided to use it as a moonlight for my 20 gallon high tank. I mounted the light about 14 inches above my tank. The extra distance from my tank allowed the light to spread out and illuminate about half my tank. Even at that distance, the light is bright and brings out the fluorescence in my corals. I'm getting a second light to cover the other half of the tank.

I docked it one star, because the light isn't very adjustable. Since the light is a spotlight, the light shoots straight out from the unit. If it's mounted on the side of the tank, it's difficult to point the light to the center of the tank. Although you can get some slight angles, the light is more or less perpendicular to the base. In the case of my 2.5 gallon, I mounted on the upper left corner of the tank, and I could only get the spotlight on the lower right corner of the tank.

All in all, I'm happy with the purchase, although I do wish I was more aware of the limitations before I got it.

Buy H2Show Blue LED - Submersible Spotlight for Aquariums - suction cup mount included Now

I have it sitting inside a skull with a air stone in it. I turn on the blue hood light and my tank looks cool....

Read Best Reviews of H2Show Blue LED - Submersible Spotlight for Aquariums - suction cup mount included Here

Mounted this light above my small reef aquarium and it runs 24hrs without any problems, no need to put in on a timer.

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It looks good in my 55 tank at night hbhubhubu hug hgkj just them kjnkjnokmlk I ycgy I f fy hi k mbhnj hbhvtvjh h he j kvg

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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Hydor H2Show Lost Civilization - Left Aztec Pyramid Decoration 12"x7"x2.8"

Hydor H2Show Lost Civilization - Left Aztec Pyramid Decoration 12'x7'x2.8'Very nice. It is packaged so well, you can hardly get it out of the box! Nice resin. hides my intake and air hoses. Wish I could find the right hand one as well.

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Friday, June 6, 2014

Hydor Deco Eiffel Tower Monument Collection Aquarium Ornament Kit with Ario 2 Color Mix Red, White,

Hydor Deco Eiffel Tower Monument Collection Aquarium Ornament Kit with Ario 2 Color Mix Red, White, and Blue BubblesThis is a great product. The aerator works very well and is not loud at all. The bubbles it produces are small and so son't disturb the water surface too much even when adjusted up to highest air flow. The LED lights make the entire thing look awesome!! And I was happy that it has it's own aerator. I thought I would have to buy an air pump to run it, but it has its own submersible pump that fits right under the Eiffel Tower. I couldn't be happier with it.

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Tuesday, June 3, 2014

TOM Stellar Air Pump S-20 - 20gal to 30gal tank

TOM Stellar Air Pump S-20 - 20gal to 30gal tankSo far I've been very pleased with this pump. I've had it for about a week now. After reading complaints about the Tetra Whisper pumps dieing prematurely I decided to give this one a try. Only time will tell, but the construction seems solid. And, the price at least when I bought it was very reasonable and eligible for prime shipping.

All air pumps make noise, but the volume from this seems plenty reasonable. I hid mine in a wicker basket under my tank and that seems to almost completely mask any noise. This pump did not come with any other accessories like a t fitting to split the air into multiple hoses, or a check valve to make sure water doesn't back flow into the pump. I already had these so it wasn't an issue for me.

Many people don't know but the rubber diaphragms eventually always wear out in any air pump. So, we will see how long these last, they do list the part number on the packaging for replacing them when they wear out. But, I suspect with shipping that they will cost as much as a new pump since the pump is so inexpensive and eligible for prime shipping.

My goal is to get at least a year of use out of this pump before the diaphragms need replacing. In my mind that's a reasonable amount of time for a pump in this price range. If it dies before a year is out I'll come back and update this post, if there are no updates then it means my pump lasted at least a year!

For an inexpensive air pump this one does a good job. It is fairly quiet, though I have had better. Puts out plenty of air through my 2" bubble disk.

Buy TOM Stellar Air Pump S-20 - 20gal to 30gal tank Now

I was looking for a replacment to my Tetra Whisper (Tetra 77851 Whisper Air Pump, 10-Gallon) reading a review that this product (TOM Stellar Air Pump S-20 20gal) is the most quiet among the many the reviewer has experienced. By far, this pump vibrated on top of my tank despite putting a damper under its feet. The sound is just too annoying. I then tried a Rena (Rena 702A Model 50 Air Pump by Mars but they're both so noisy I went back to ordering the Tetra Whisper. For the time and effort to return these 2 items, it was better for me to throw them out to garbage.

Read Best Reviews of TOM Stellar Air Pump S-20 - 20gal to 30gal tank Here

Marineland Penguin Power Filter Replacement Bio-Wheel For 330B

Marineland Penguin Power Filter Replacement Bio-Wheel For 330BMy fish are so happy replacements are made, as my wheels looked like mud-caked ammonia spikers.

Ordered wrong model not the sellers fault, Im sure they would have worked fine, there is not much to them after all.

Buy Marineland Penguin Power Filter Replacement Bio-Wheel For 330B Now

Friday, March 14, 2014

Fluval EBI Nano Shrimp Habitat, 7.9-gallon

Fluval EBI Nano Shrimp Habitat, 7.9-gallonVery nice tank. Setup was easy, somewhat customizable, well packed. I use it as a desktop light as well since the provided mini lamp has a full spectrum bulb-easy on the eyes.

First thing I did, inspect the glass for damage... small blemishes, but easily passes QC. Submersible filter flawed for shrimp, baby shrimp can easily get sucked in and pureed, I've even caught medium sized juvvie shrimp in the media chamber (largest foam chamber). Easy fix for experienced aquarist-stuff the first chamber with filter floss. I removed the largest piece of foam from the media chamber, and replaced it with bio-max. Water is extremely cloudy and murky on the first day because of soil substrate, pristine water by the 3rd day because of the polishing power of the filter floss.

Great buy.

People are harsh. I wanted a rimless nano.I looked at getting just a rimless tank but the price was the same as this tank that came with stuff.

I have been keeping fish for 13 years I have had many tanks and lots of old filters laying around. When you are hooked on this hobby to tend to accumulate lots of fish stuff.

I bought this tank becaue the price and I love the size and look. The tanks is good not flimsy. It looks great. I love the little net and the food and shrimp stuff. The substrate I like but not sure how it will hold up. I have read many mix things about this Fluval substrate. I am going to use it but I have back up Akadama if this stuff does not hold up. It does look great but is soft and light. I used flora max as my base substrate. I hope this light last I really like it.

The background .... What were they thinking putting styrofoam in a fish tank as the back ground. When I saw how poorly stuck on it was I took it off. If you want to keep the back ground take it off and silicone it back on your self. They only put sticky dots 4 on top 4 middle and 4 bottom. It was pretty weak and popped off really easy. it took up too much space anyways. So I put the background behind the tank out of the water. It looks good.

Personally I love Fluval filters and aqua clear filters that are made by the same company. I know Fluval aquariums are very popular in Europe so I had to try one myself. The tank alone is worth the money the other stuff is just a bonus. this tank was the perfect size for what I wanted.

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i love love love my tank and so do my cherry shrimp! they climb on the back ground of rocks that stays very securely placed, the filter doesn't suck any of the little guys in. The kit has everything you need to get started on your shrimp tank, water conditioner/ dechlorinator, mineral supplement, and light. only thing that's just ok is the thermometer and the fact it doesn't come with a heater but that's ok i pick one up for $12 bucks. I'm very happy with my purchase!! :)

Read Best Reviews of Fluval EBI Nano Shrimp Habitat, 7.9-gallon Here

***Note, My review is for this tank as a terrarium. The only two things I used were the tank and the light. I threw away the pump and the foam backing as well as the net, thermometer, etc.***

I used this tank to set up a terrarium. The tank is very nice looking. The rounded corners were exactly what I wanted. The light is much brighter than I expected. I'm going to make a hood so it doesn't flood the room with light. As a grow light though it seems to be working well. In the short time since I set it up I seem to see some growth in one of my plants and its not leggy (long stems with few leaves indicative of a plant not getting enough light). The tank isn't getting much in the way of natural sunlight so I believe any growth would be due to the grow light.

As a tank for a terrarium, I highly recommend this.

Want Fluval EBI Nano Shrimp Habitat, 7.9-gallon Discount?

All pieces were delivered in great condition. Others are saying the back pops off, but I belive they have since increased the ammount of adhesive they use and I've had no problems with it after 1 month.

The substrate it comes with is of good quality, but I bought another bag to increase the depth for my plants.

Filter works well, but I would recommend adding biological filteration to it as well as it only comes with a sponge insert. Also, the filter does create a slight hum, which may bother an light sleepers who wish to keep it in their room.

All around a great purchase for the price you get it at.

UPDATE:

Last night I woke up to find half of the tank water on the floor. The bottom seal had begun to leak. Im sure this is not a common thing as no one else has written about having any issues with it, but I'm still very disappointed that this happened.

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Monday, February 24, 2014

All-In-One Filter

All-In-One FilterWas having a lot of problems with algae in our pond. 3-in-1 filter advertised with the ultra light to eliminate the algae. It took 1 week and it was gone. Very easy to clean. Would recommend this filter if you have a small pond.

After reading various reviews and checking out prices on several websites I found that Amazon had the best price for this product. I am extremely pleased with this filter and it has cleared my green water in a matter of days. My fish are happy with the various fountain sprays as well and enjoy the enaction with the water. This filter has done everything it said it would do and the customer service people were very helpful in answering several questions I had prior to and after installing the unit.

I can once again enjoy watching my fish in a clear water pond while they enterain themselves and us.

I would encourage anyone who is having algae and green water issues to buy this product so that you too can enjoy your pond better.

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The All-In-One Filter is superb in functionallity and the price is reasonable and down to earth cheap, but the customer service at LIFEGUARD AQUATICS is EXCELLENT. Not only they answer their calls promply, but customer service oriented and very profesional. I am very impress with the time they invest in a one-to-one customer satisfaction issue, I reported a missing attachment set and not only they track it down but made sure my product was complete and functional. Excellent customer service. I will buy from Lifeguard Aquatics again and again.

Read Best Reviews of All-In-One Filter Here

Easy to assemble and set up. Got rid of all the algae in my Pseudo-koi (feeder goldfish) pond in half a day. So glad I got it!

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This filter was very easy to install and is working like a champ. Our pond is only 100 gallons and the filter seems to have

lots of power to spare. We have a small waterfall which requires more power and this filter works great.

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Thursday, February 13, 2014

EcoPlus 185 Submersible Pump, 185 GPH

EcoPlus 185 Submersible Pump, 185 GPHThis little pump works great and has a reasonable price. Shipping was fast and packaging was good. I use the pump to flush and recirculate white vinagar through tankless water heaters thus removing scale and lime deposits. Although this is not the intended purpose of the pump, it does a very nice job at about 3 gallons per minute flow rate.

These pumps are AWESOME. Bought two of the 185 g/h models. They were probablly a little bigger than I needed but they have been doing the job. The pumps are silent and reliable. They come with several attachments that can screw into the top of the pump to accomodate multiple diameter tubing, which I found to be very helpful.

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I am using this in a small aeroponic vegetable garden and this pump has enough power to run about a dozen small sprayers with a good amount of strength. I have been running this in about 5 inches of water and it seems to be doing well.

Read Best Reviews of EcoPlus 185 Submersible Pump, 185 GPH Here

I have a home made fountain made from an old whiskey barrel and an old water pump and I have gone through quite a few pumps but, this one seems to be a "beast". Previous pumps either died over time, got clogged and burned out etc. This one seems pretty tough. If something changes I'll post an update.

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This pump works great. For the money, it is really hard to beat. It has been running constantly.

This pump work so well I bought another.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Rena Smartfilter

Rena SmartFilter 55, UP TO 55 Gallons"It's the 1980's Jaguar of filters...great design, but you better own 2 because one will always be in the shop"

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

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

don't buy from Rena

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

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

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

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

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

Bad product, horrible customer service... AVOID

Read Best Reviews of Rena Smartfilter Here

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

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

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

6-5-2012

10/25/2012

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

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

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Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Intake Tube and Strainer for Magnum 200, 220, 330 and 350 Canister Filters

Intake Tube and Strainer for Magnum 200, 220, 330 and 350 Canister FiltersThe intake tube and strainer basket was in great shape and fit perfectly on my Magnum product. It works like a dream.

This was exactly as advertised and was just what I needed. This helped me to adapt this for a turtle tank that doesn't need to be completely full with water.

Buy Intake Tube and Strainer for Magnum 200, 220, 330 and 350 Canister Filters Now

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Fish Bubble

Fish BubbleAbsolutely adorable but you have to be well aware of the weight of this item. Make sure it is securely mounted on the wall with that water and I do not recommend stones in it because of added weight, BEFORE you put the fish in it. Heavy to lift and mount and a tight squeeze to clean out the aquarium. Should be mounted on an inside wall not on a wall that faces the outside because of temperature changes. Fish is safe in this bubble and enjoyable to see. Good only for one fish to be comfortable. I am considering buying another one for my office.

Recieved Fish Bubble Wall Tank in very poor wrapping/shipping condition. After purchasing additional supplies for it, including fish, I hung it up and it leaked. I notified seller of my displeasure and seller totally ignored my email. I was finally able to stop the leak with some silicone. I would not buy from this seller again and recommend, you who are reading this not to either.

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Just to be clear, I do not keep a pet in this. I have an aquatic turtle, and it is very common to feed them outside their tank because they are messy eaters, poop immediately, and it will keep your HUGE tanks from getting so dirty so fast. So, this bowl is JUST for meal time, NOT for full time.

Mine did not leak. It's cheap feeling, but not cheap looking. Put the screw into a stud if you can because it is really heavy! I only filled it a little less than half way because that's all I need. You don't have to unscrew it every time you take it down if you use a screw head small enough. If you can't, you can just tilt the bowl to pour the water out without removing the screw.

But it would make a hell of a lot more sense if they used a proper screw hole that had an easy easy way to slide the bowl up and off the screw. So, stars off for that.

Read Best Reviews of Fish Bubble Here

I saw this, fell in love with it, and bought it, thinking I would finally cave and buy my son a betta. However, as I always do, I began to research betta needs and how to care for one. By the way, I cannot understate the importance of doing this before you purchase any pet. The consensus on betta care from enthusiasts and professionals (and I don't mean part time clerks at PetCo) alike, is that they need at a BARE MINIMUM 2.5 gallons to be comfortable. Most say 5 gallons or better is the safer bet, and people that really love their fish go for a 10 gal.

If you get something like this, you need to change the water at least twice a week and carefully monitor ammonia levels, because in something this tiny, ammonia and nitrite levels are sure to skyrocket, and FAST. In a tiny "tank" like this, you can't use a heater (bettas are tropical and require water around 80* to stay healthy) or a filter. Forget plants, because they will take even more of your fish's precious space! If you want to have a fish and keep it for any real length of time, I cannot recommend enough that you get your fish a larger container, and a heater!

Now I'm stuck here with this little bubble, totally unsure of what to do with it. I guess I could stick some aquatic plants in it? Maybe a couple of ghost shrimp? Half a gallon is really too small to keep any fish, of any kind, because anything small enough (guppies, tetras) are schooling fish and a group of them would need more water than this.

I recommend that you DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT, unless you plan on using it for something like a ghost shrimp or two and maybe an aquatic plant. I wish I had done my research before purchasing this, and hope I can save someone the same headache.

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Its just as adertised. My grandkids love it hanging in my kitchen withmy beta fish swimming round in the tank

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Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Marineland Rite-Size Cartridge H, 3 Pack

Marineland Rite-Size Cartridge H, 3 Packgood filter, it seems like it gets dirty quick but it actually continues to grab dirt without an issue. you can wash them out about 1 or maybe two times before replacing to a new one.

these fit my fish tank perfectly and are way cheaper then petco i will be buying these again and they are name brand which is better =)

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Yet another item I have switched over to Amazon as my pricing just went up at our local fish store plus now that the tank is completed we only go back to the store to buy the replacements. This was $12.99 at my store for (3) pack!

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There is only one kind of filter that fits in my eclipse system, so yeah, I have to buy these.

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I use cartridge every other week, it gets expensive after a while. Lower price and same effect helps

My tank clean, love it!

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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

JBJ Half Moon Biotope Nano 180 8 Gallon Aquarium

JBJ Half Moon Biotope Nano 180 8 Gallon AquariumI purchased four of these for my betta fish. It's a great size tank. Very attractive but with most desk top filters the motors make a little too much noise. I live in a studio so I need it quiet. I had to go through the trouble of returning them all.

I upgraded to a 16 gallon Aqueon bow front tanks (purchased locally in town) with their included filter. So far it's been three weeks and the Aqueon filter is exceptionally quiet and the water is amazingly clear.

I would have given this product 5 stars if it were silent and effective and keeping the water crystal clear.

I've had this aquarium for a couple years. I purchased the matching stand along with it, I recommend it. I have 4 Glow Danios and 2 Glow Tetra. A group of red cherry shrimp (they've had babies), and several red ramshorn snails (not by choice). The aquarium is glass, which I prefer over acrylic.

In stock form, the filter was very quiet, I have this right next to my bed. I have Java Moss and Anacharis in the aquarium, so the filter would plug up pretty quick. When it was clean, the filter wasn't really that strong. I drilled the holes in the spray bar bigger, which helped a little bit. Instead of buying filters from JBJ, I ended up buying filter pad in bulk, and cutting my own (much cheaper).

The lighting is decent, but the filter sets up top in the back of the aquarium, so the back portion doesn't get much light. It uses an 11W bulb that appears to only be available from JBJ....

In modified form, this aquarium is top notch.

The ballast went out after a year or so. I found a replacement ballast (same size, higher wattage), and installed a Coralife 54069 Straight Pin Compact Fluorescent Lamp, 18-Watt, 10K (required a larger plug). It was a tight fit...but it fit. I would like to eventually install LEDs instead (custom board)--being able to select between white, blue, and UV (Glofish).

I've recently removed the stock filter, and installed a PX-360: Finnex All-in-one Compact Canister Filter. I placed the filter inside the stand, below the aquarium. The flow is much greater than stock (my fish were very happy), and it adds 0.6 gallons of water to the aquarium. With the stock filter gone, there are no longer any dark spots in the aquarium.

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I bought this tank for my bedroom, thinking the size would be small enough for my room but large enough to heat and cycle. I had a half moon betta. The current was much too strong for him, sending him all over the tank. The fish died an early death.

The tank is also too noisy for my comfort. It bothers me when I'm sleeping, and it's loud when I turn off the TV.

I'm planning to buy a Fluval internal nano filter. The flow rate/gph can be adjusted to be much slower than the JBJ Nano. I hope it's silent! Well, we'll see.

The tank is mostly well constructed, but I don't like that the light is partially blocked by the filtration unit. The matching stand particle board set off my chemical sensitivities. I bought a rectangular 10 gallon stand and but a stair tread or board across it. it would not fit otherwise.

I believe it really deserves 1.25 stars but I couldn't give it, so I gave it two.

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Unlike the other reviewer, I've found this tank to be very quiet. I am currently cycling it to be set up as a dwarf seahorse tank and I think it will work very well. The curved sides give beautiful clarity and the system seems to be well made. I'm looking forward to years of enjoyment from this tank.

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I've had this tank for almost two years and I agree with much of what everyone else said. The filtering system is not great it does not have much gph and it's a very simple filtering system with nozzles that spray over a filter pad covering biomedia. I have a 100mL Purigen bag in the filter tray (it fits nicely) as my driftwood continues to color my water even after this long period of time since set-up. Because the light is so close to the filter pad, I get a lot of green algae build up on the filter pad which is aggravating. I have already replaced the compact fluorescent light bulb once and also the plastic cover of the bulb because the splash off the filter pad shoots water up on the light cover, caking the cover with mineral build-up. My pump also died after about a year and I had to purchase that proprietary part. The filter arm connections have also gotten loose over time which means any debris in the filtering system builds up pressure and more than once I've had a connection come lose which shoots water out the back of the tank. During the next year I think I'll replace the filtering system entirely and get a better light. Bottom line the tank itself is a beautiful curved glass but the filtering system and light leaves a lot to be desired.

UPDATE: I finally decided to change out the filtering system based on an ideas on an online forum. I got a Eheim Classic 2211, which is a small, standing canister filter. It works wonderfully I don't use the spray bar and I do turndown the flow on outake side using the flow lever. Got rid of the old tank filtering system and filter bracket that ran across the top of the tank. It looks great now the light is unobstructed with no splashing of water on the light cover. No more algae gunk build up on the old filter! I put the media in the Eheim Classic in small mesh bags to facilitate cleaning of the canister filter when needed. Now I really like this tank this is way it should have been sold!

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Aquasun T5-HO Double Light Linear Fluorescent Hoods

Zoo Med AquaSun T5-HO Double Light Linear Fluorescent Hood, 48-InchThe light is very nice and ZooMed has several bulbs to choose from. I have a 55 gallon tank with a glass top to prevent fish from jumping out. How this thing sits you can not have a glass top and must have an open aquarium, because the hinged sides slip over the aquarium preventing a glass top from sitting correctly. If you have an open top aquarium I recommend it, but if you have a closed or glass top then no. You can mount it from the ceiling but that is a pain.

Needed some T5 HO lighting for an upcoming 20 tall. Checked out a few different options, but reviews from amazon and other sites kept leading me back to this Zoo Med lighting system. For the price, it can't be beat, especially based on reviews of competitor models which flunked out shortly after purchase. I believe the Zoo Med model overcomes that issue because it's a little larger and allows for better airflow over the electronics.

In the box you'll find the legs, which are adjustable for width. The lighting frame alsi has a built in channel with a cable receiver thingy.. basically, you can hang the light if you wish, and this receiver thingy is what lets you do that. Mine included some steel wire to do such, I'm not sure if they all do.

The best feature is that you can "swing" the lighting open, if you're using the legs. There's a hinge system built-in, so you can lift the light system up and reach into your tank or feed/maintain as necessary. It also allows easy access to the bulbs.

Overall, I was really impressed with the product design and the price I paid.

PROS:

* Great price/value

* Adjustable leg width

* Hinge system allows you to lift the light when necessary to reach the tank

* Can be used for aquarium or vivarium or plant systems

* Can be hung

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I can't comment on the light yet because it is brand new, but when this item arrived, one of the bracket screws was broken (the wide head snapped off in shipping). I was dreading packaging everything up and returning to Amazon, so I popped a quick email to Zoo Med and within a couple of hours I got a response and a replacement screw was mailed out.

This may seem like a small thing, but I have had much less positive experiences with a number of other pet product vendors in the past, so I wanted to give them props!

This light will be used in a 28 gallon bowfront, heavily planted in a soil substrate with no CO2 but some Flourish Excel dosing. I'll comment on success in a couple of months :)

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This is the best light I have ever owned. It is easy to turn on and if you get the correct lights, it will support your live plants.

The only problem is that the protector was hard to come off and CHIPPED. I had to remove it to install lights. OH, that reminds me, for all of you looking for good lights, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE LIGHTS! But I knew that before. It does need to make that clear though.

ONE THING I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH.

You would think with an original price of over $200 and a buying price of over $100, you would think it cam with A LONGER CORD. This thin is like 3 feet long >:(

If I am paying this much money, I WANT A LONGER CORD!

ALSO, that is just the product itself. The seller was a OK person to work with :3

5 stars for the seller!

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I have only had the light for a few days so I can not say anything about longevity of this product. Also, I purchased it for plant growth and I can not attest to this either but that would be inaccurate even in long term due to the differences in potential bulb selection.

PROS:

DUAL SWITCHES!!! This is an amazing feature if you need to turn one off to control algae and is what steered me to go for this lamp over many others!

COST. Compared to other dual T% HO fixtures this one runs at about half the price and seems to be a great product.

QUALITY FEEL. Although I can not attest to longevity, the light feels very durable and is actually a metal casing and not plastic. Power cord is thick and sturdy.

REFLECTOR. Comes with a highly polished reflector already in the lamp. Also has the plastic window below the bulbs for protection from water and it slides in and out of place very easily.

CONS:

Short power cord, unless the outlet is right next to the tank you WILL need an extension cord. Also the power cord is on one side and the dual switches on the other. Every other light I have owned has had switches and the cord on one side, the back, so this is different for me but at least it has switches unlike the Hagen Glo system.

Also the overall size of this product seems big! The bulbs housing seems very large for what it needs to be. Also the mounting options including hanging, bolting to the side of the aquarium which makes it impossible to use a hood, or placing it directly onto the top of the glass top. I wish it had legs so you can elevate it and just place it on the top of the hood. I plan on having a custom sheet of glass cut to allow for the light to be bolted onto the tank.

CONCLUSION:

Great light for a great price! The difference in light reflected into my aquarium is huge compared to the standard T8 fixture. The dual switches is an amazing option to have and the quality feels good and sturdy. I cant say for sure but if you wanted to replace the ballast in the light it looks like there is enough room to expand to a 3 or 4 light fixture. Would buy again and recommend to others.

UPDATE 1 year later

It seems the you get what you pay for comes to mind again. It was always difficult to get bulbs in and out because the ballast is cheap but within a year one of them is broken to the point you can not get a bulb to light up and the second one is very loose and temperamental. The only thing this fixture has over many other ones is the dual switches. The price is cheap but it does not come with bulbs which at 10-20 a piece would put you at a 70-90 buck fixture, why not spend an extra 20 bucks and get a way better fixture with bulbs included. Just ordered an aquaticlife dual bulb fixture and the zoomed will be a thing of the past

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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Hagen Marina Ecoscaper Houttoynia Cordata Plant, Silk, 12-Inch

Hagen Marina Ecoscaper Houttoynia Cordata Plant, Silk, 12-InchThis may look like a regular houseplant but it is beautiful and full and my favorite of all I ordered.

I'm very pleased with this plant and my fish love it too, often swimming through the leaves. It spreads out nicely while still remaining tall, and looks great in my tank.

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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Hagen A18080 Elite Repair Kit

Hagen A18080 Elite Repair Kitrepair kit made replacement of worn out backdraft baffles simple.

they were "burned" out at the orifice.

need to be careful the baffle pieces are semitransparent and loose in the package, easy to miss and throw out/lose.

need to purchase 2 kits for the pump to replace both units diagraphm though. not real clear on that issue in the packaging.