Marineland PC0350C Magnum 350 up to 100-Gallon, 350 GPH

Years ago when I had many aquaria set up I tried both the Vortex diatom filter and the Magnum filter. The Magnum filter outlasted the Vortex filter by years, and the only reason I still do not have my magnum is that I sold all my aquaria stuff after a divorce years ago :(

Now that I am in a good stable relationship, out comes the aquarium lusts again! I plan on getting the Magnum 350 here at Amazon soon. What makes the Magnum so special is that you can use it as a continuous filter media/activated charcoal filter in your large tank and it will sit there filtering the water for months with no upkeep. And when it is time to clean and replenish it's media, the operation is easy to do. AND, you can convert this filter into a diatomacious earth filter for those massive grungy tank cleaning jobs. This filter can remove all the crud from large tanks and still keep great water flow. Again, it is easy to clean out this unit after diatom use and re convert it into a everyday power filter.

Once you buy a Magnum, it will last a lifetime.

We got this filter for a turtle tank. Two red-eared-sliders. They make a big mess. It's a 40 gallon aquarium filled about half way. So this filter is way oversized. However, all the smaller mechanisms we used didn't do the job.

This one seems to work fine. It keeps the water much cleaner than any others we have tried. A quick rinse of the filter cover every few days keeps it in top shape. It's fairly quiet too. That's important as it's in my daughter's bedroom.

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I've had a 75 gallon tank for about 30 years. This is only the 1st time I've had to replace the original Magnum I started with. I stared experiencing problems with the motor about 3 months ago, which I repaired, and then it stopped pumping as much water. I probably could have repaired that, as well, but felt it was probably time to get the latest and greatest. The main reason I stayed with Magnum, aside from my extreme satisfaction with my first one, is the ability to use generic charcoal/filtering materials. I took the opportunity to look at several other makes and all required the use of their own filters, pads, etc., all at high cost. Being able to use generic supplies keeps the long term costs down. Installation was a breeze. The reason for a 4 instead of a 5 rating is due to the slight difficulty of positioning the unit under the tank. Due to the quick release valves, the actual height needed is much higher than the actual height of the unit itself. I found that I had to "force" the hose to bend around the edge of the tank to go up the back. It seems to put a lot of stress everything and I'm concerned about the long term effect. Time will tell. In the meantime it works great, is quiet, and I am looking forward to another 30 years!

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4 out of 5 stars since I have not cleaned the media & it has been running for only 3 days

Pros: Strong filtration, separate filtration & mechanical construction, quiet

Cons: Professional setup required, many parts & assembly (so follow instructions carefully & watch youtube demonstrations).

This canister filter is not ready to go out of the box. Don't expect that. Have realistic expectations of taking about 2-3 hours to carefully setup and you will not be dissapointed. Posted pictures of before tank (not cleaned on purpose) & after

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A long time fan of Marineland products the Magnum 350 caught my interest because it can double as a water polishing unit that uses cartridges.I placed a call to Marinland and found out the polishing cartridge will remove particles as small as 10-15 microns. For true water polishing the only filter in the world that can remove particles as small as one micron in size is the Diatom by Vortex renowned for it's ability to filter out pathogens and parasites like ich.

As a primary filter for your aquarium I can't recommend the Magnum.It's limited to mechanical filtration only, the chamber you use for activated charcoal is far to small to hold enough biological filter media to colonize enough nitrifying bacteria.The filter has poor build quality all the way around.It can't hold a candle to the solid craftsmanship you would find with say, eheim. It's also sub par to anything put out by Fluval.

Problems happened fast after the first use. The impeller is quirky it starts and stops and is a constant battle. You're forever having to adjust it and the entire assembly. It can leak as well Especially if you haven't applied enough silicone to the head gasket. It's also loud and it's a noise like a coffee grinder.

Quick Specs

* Certified Flow Rate of 350 GPH

* No water bypass

* Good for tanks up to 100 gallons

* Can convert easily from continuous filtration to water polishing

* 2 year manufacturer's warranty

* Polishing cartridges can be cleaned and re-charged with bleach solution

At the list price around $329.99 I wouldn't give it a first glance not to mention a second one. But to find it here on Amazon for a mere $94 it's a decent deal.The polishing cartridges sell for $19.99 just about everyplace I looked.However you can find them here on Amazon for $9.00

This isn't a filter for everyone. It should only be the choice of the hobbyist who wants water polishing from time to time.And who understands the issues and headaches that come with owning and maintaining one.

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Aquarius BL3.50GLS 1-Gallon Glass Bowl

I had purchased three of these bowls to use as receptacles for prize drawing tickets ... a much more attractive way for the accumulated tickets to be displayed!

This is a beautiful, hand blown fishbowl. I love the simple, elegant shape. My fish seems to like it too!

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malaysian trumpet snails will have no trouble living a long life in one of these. you can look at my reviews on the other 1 gallon or smaller tanks to see more info about them.

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Fluval Canister Filter

Upgraded from my Emperor power filter to the 405 canister filter and am pretty happy with it so far. I have a 75 gallon fresh water tank with around 10 fish between 3" 6" inches each. I'm still experimenting with media and think this filter would work much better if it had a secondary water polishing media as a final stage. As it's shipped it has a sponge type physical media, bio-media and carbon. The sponge seems to let some of the smaller particles through. I've since added a layer of fine mesh fiber between the carbon and bio-media and it seems to be an improvement. Time will tell if it shortens my time between cleanings.

1. Installation Very easy to install, the video supplied with the filter is very easy to follow and the printed directions are also very good. Just be sure you have a place below your tank to place the filter since it needs to be placed below the water level to operate.

2. ConstructionAll the molded plastic parts seem well made and work very well. Especially the clamps for the hoses. The unit is pretty easy to remove and disassemble for cleaning also due to it's good design.

3. Maintenance So far with this unit I'm only cleaning it every 3-4 weeks, I was cleaning every two weeks with my old filter. Cleaning is much easier since you basically take the whole filter to the sink with you vs. just pulling the filter cartridges in my old filter. As I said before the supplied physical media is a sponge type material which seems to let some of the smaller stuff through so I'd recommend experimenting with some additional media.

4. Filtration Compared to my old power filter there is no comparison. This unit keeps the water much cleaner for much longer. With 4 bays for media you can alter your setup as you see fit and the volume of media is much greater. For comparison, my power filter cartridge held I think about 50oz. of carbon, this unit holds up to 400oz. The pump is also very quiet and since it's tucked away under my tank I can't hear it at all.

I'd have to say after using this filter for a few months I would recommend it to anyone.

I purchased a Fluval 405 in January '09 for a 30 Gallon tank I was setting up for 3 large single tail Goldfish. It's been running non-stop ever since. In February of '09 I transfered it to the 55G that replaced the 30, and in April '09 I transfered it to a 70G that replaced the 55.

Set up of the Fluvals is pretty easy, but does take some time.

To the people who are having problems removing the top of the filter in order to service it: You don't have to pry off the top, you use the latches on the side, and after "unlatching" them, you shove downward on them. Use some finesse, and they act as levers and raise the lid for you. It does take a bit of effort, so as I said, use some finesse.

I have mine set up with the Fluval "Pre-Filter" ceramic 6 sided "cylinders" in the very bottom tray. The rest of my trays are full of Fluval "Bio Media" ceramic cylinders. One word on filling the trays with these cylinders. The trays hold a lot more cylinders if you place them in one-by-one, standing up, and in rows, and then stack them. I did a comparison between just pouring in the cylinders, and placing them in, in rows and stacks. Big difference. That's important with 3 big Goldfish! I also use the Fluval water polishing pads and the water is always crystal clear. I've never once had that milky looking water, or green tinge water.

I haven't broken anything on it yet, but I did ruin the clear rubber (silicone?) cup that is the priming cup, by rinsing it with really hot tap water. It get all wavy and would no longer seal good enough to create suction and prime the pump.

A word on priming: Fill the canister with water that you've treated for Clorine (I use Prime), and then put the lid on. Then pour in just a bit more treated water, into the outlet port. Carry it over to the aquarium, hook up your hose assembly, turn it on, and open the valve. It should immediately begin pumping. Rock it back and forth a few times and listen for the air to move out of it, and that's it, it's back in business.

I've had one problem with the Fluval and I'll discuss the solution below since Hagen is not interested in talking with me about it via email or phone.

About 6-8 months ago, I noticed the micro polishing filter pads were coming out all dirty on their tops. This is now how the water is supposed to flow in the Fluval. Correct flow path is that water comes into the canister housing and travels down the left side, through the 4 large sponge filters. Once the water is at the bottom of the canister, it turns and flows upwards, through the bottom of each of the 4 media storage trays. The water then goes through a port molded into the plastic cover that sits on top of the top most media tray. This port has a plastic sleeve sticking up, and that sleeve is just pushing up against the the impeller housing cover.

Needless to say, there's no way water can be flowing down through the media trays. Well, mine was. No amount of cleaning of the hoses, impeller magnet and housing, or even replacing the impeller cover helped with the direction of flow. Every time I serviced the Fluval, the sponges would only be marginally full of crud, and the water polishing pads would be dirty on top. Additionally, the Fluval had become almost impossible to prime. Even when completely filled with water, as I described above, it would just sit there and cavitate. It would take me 10-15min of pumping on the priming pump....at different speeds....before the impeller would finally grab water and start actually moving it upward out of the canister.

I surmized that the cover and that round sleeve, weren't sealing against the impeller housing. I inspected the cover and found it was bowed downward, away from the impeller housing. There's nothing to support it and keep it flat and true, so because it's always being shoved downward, the plastic just bows and permanently takes that shape. I ordered a new cover, but while waiting for it to arrive, decided to try to fix the problem by modding my existing cover.

I heated the cover under hot tap water. I've got really hot tap water, so that worked great. I held it flexed back into a straight position and once cooled, it was back in shape. I could have just installed it this way, but I knew the problem would return. I decided to make a gasket to seal the plastic sleeve on the cover, against the impeller housing. I used two large rubber o-rings, like you can find in the plumbing dept. of any hardware store. I simply slipped these down over the plastic sleeve. Once in place, the top o-ring stuck up above the sleeve just enough that it would create a good seal against the impeller housing.

The good news is that the problem is cured. The Fluval fired up instantly, just as it did when it was brand new, and I even have improved flow. I'm using a Fluval spray bar by the way.

So if future Fluvals come with a silicone rubber gasket to seal between that top cover and the impeller housing, you can say that you read about it here first on Amazon! But for now, if your Fluval 105, 205, 305, or 405, or the early generation 04 models, are performing poorly, put a couple of o-rings around that sleeve on the top cover, and fix it!

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This filter actually 'came with' a used aquarium I got from a garage sale...so I have no idea how old it is...but it works great! It is quiet, which is always a plus, and it is versatile. There are 4 trays, with two chambers each, in which to mix and match filter media. I am able to tailer mine to the strong needs of my turtle. Although the filter has a 100 gallon tank capacity, I am saving up for a second one on my 90 gallon tank...there is no such thing as over-filtering when it comes to turtles and I just love this fluval.

Initial set up is a bit overwhelming, but the directions are very clear. Once it is set up, maitenance is fairly easy. It's a bit bulky to haul to the sink to change out the media...but that's to be expected from something this size. I also have trouble getting the lid off and basically have to use a screwdriver as a lever...but honestly, I don't mind...I would rather have it be snug and leak proof than easy to remove!

The manual has a section that talks about the various components of filtering which can be helpful when deciding what to put where in your filter. It wasn't helpful to me. But this is probably the most widely used type of filter and a visit to any turtle or fish keeping community on the internet will yield plenty of tips and advice on setting up media that is most effective for your aquarium community.

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I rescued a red eared slider turtle a few months ago and had NO idea what I was in for to keep a tank clean. I was about to give him away but had grown to like the little guy so I thought I would give a canister filter a shot. I went with the Fluval after much research and review reading. This product does wonders!! I have him in a 30 gallon tank filled about half way and it keeps the water crystal clear. I take it apart and rince the components every 1-2 weeks and that is such an easy process. I highly recommend this product. I am very pleased with the performance and ease of maintance.

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The filter got to us on time for a great price. Assembled easily and supplies good flow in tank. Using on a 50 gal very populated tank, filters seem to need cleaning more than I expected. Also clogged once that brought flow to a halt after only 1.5 weeks of service.

Overall a good mechanism for assemble and disassemble, except lid needs to be pried off instead of having a lever system (?)

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Elite Air Stone

I was sent Elite air stones in lieu of the Aqua Fizzzzz.....they are falling apart on me after a week of being in the water.....pieces of crap

item is poorly made. i received black one not blue one shown. crumbling apart, "shedding" the sandy stuff its made of. no plastic base, air inlet came right out, threw it away. would've returned it but shipping would cost more than I would get back. Fail.

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Putting air line on one of these bad boys is pretty easy.

WHEN TAKING AIR LINE OFF, Don't yank it or pull it off

because the air stone's plastic tube will tear out of the stone itself

I recommend trimming the airline tubing with scissors or a straight razor and slicing it off the air stone's plastic tube which has thick enough plastic to where this is possible

^

use this technique for any ELITE brand air stones

v

By the way, it's a great air stone when given the right amount of air.

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Bought for fulfillment by amazon and received not the product listed but an inferior brand that was crumbly and looked used. Look elsewhere for a good stone.

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Ok so maybe it was the air stone that made the bubbles, but either way bubbles were made. I was a little disappointed that it didn't do any other tricks but I suppose if you are going to do something, do it well. This air stone did. It made lots of bubbles (with the assistance of a whisper air pump)

Perfecto Manufacturing APFR01062 36-Inch Marineland Plastic Glass Canopy Back Strip for Aquarium, M

This item is actually only 35 inches wide when received, so if you need 35 inches or less, this will do you. If not, you're out of luck like I was.

It's really a very simple item but it's exactly want I'd been looking for. Arrived on time. All's well. K

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Perfect fit for my 38 gallon aquarium also very easy to cut for cords, outlet and intake tubes for canister filter. 5 stars

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the material is super flimsy and it didn't support the glass for the top of my aquarium.. how is this even possible.

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New Life Spectrum Thera A - Medium Fish - 300 g

Not much to say but my fish may have a mouth full...Ha ha ..They love it! Usually all gone before it sinks to the bottom.

i feed to every tank i have and all types of fish devour it.does not cloud the water and excess can easily be removed.

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I have feed this to my fish for a long time. Since they have been on this, they have had no health issues and they gobble it down....

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NLS is a great brand you can never go wrong with their food switched my dicscus from tetrabits to NLS and they have been doing much better.

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Rio Plus 2100 Aqua Pump 692 GPH

I had one of these running my Wet/dry sump for my 240 gallon tank for 4 years with 3x on/off cycle per week during feeds. It gave me no problems with proper maintenance. It's still going!!! By proper maintenance, I mean every 4-6 months I take it apart to clean out the impeller and the housing and I never ran it dry.

Look carefully at the specs. You can get cheaper pumps that promise greater output, but this one only use 25watts to pump about 400 gallons per hour at a head of 4 feet. I challenge you to find better performance and efficiency in a pump. At the current utility rate this pump will save enough money to pay for itself in less than a year for me (I live in California).

The flexibility of this pump is also amazing. It can be configure for just about any water pump/power head format you need with the parts included in the package. My PondMaster pump for my pond filter just failed again after only 1year, and I found that I was able to configure the backup RIO2100 that I had kept for 4year to use with this filter (yeah, I bought 2 back then, thinking that I'll need to replace them every year).

I have maintained fish tanks and ponds for over 20years, and I've used a lot of pumps. I'm telling you this is the best pump I've came across. I use to really like the Fishmate pumps for their efficiency and performance in pond applications, but the RIO2100 will out last any of pump with top rate performance. I'm writing this review now because I just bought 2 more on Amazon to keep around the house. At the rate the other 2 RIO2100 pumps are going, I may not need these 2 new units for a long time.

Twelve years ago, I bought one of these to replace another brand. The previous pump had not lasted long in a pond environment, and this model was recommended to me because of its efficiency and quality.

The water in my pond was not always the cleanest and sometimes the pump had to tolerate the extra stress from a filter that was clogged with algae. After 12 years of fairly constant use, 24 hours a day, I needed to replace it.

I am now on my second one, which I expect to last a long time. The build seems slightly improved, and the power cord is now more robust. The box came with a number of accessories that were not included in the past. That makes it more convenient to hook it up under a variety of conditions.

If this pump can withstand being fully submersed in a murky pond for over a decade, it's enough to satisfy me. But with the energy it saved me, I would have been ahead had I replaced it several times.

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We have had this product for over a year now and its still running great, which is quite amazing for us! Either we started doing something right that we weren't doing before this or this is just an awesome product for its price. I highly recommend it!

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just does not push enough water but runs well will see how long it will last can use it in other places

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At almost 5' of head, my Rio 2100 pumped four gallons of water in 55 seconds. So about 250 gph at 5' of head. I tried a mag 5 and a quiet one before the Rio. It is by far the quietest (fully submerged).

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Two Little Fishies NPX Bioplastics, 400ml

These bio pellets will create a huge bacteria bloom if you are not careful. Also if the reactor is not large enough for the entire package of bio pellets, don't worry, even less is enough for a lot of systems. Make sure to leave enough room for the circulation of the beads once the powerhead is turned on. Anywhere from an inch to half an inch between the moving beads and the mesh screen inserted to keep the pellets from exiting. (Mesh Screen is an optional purchase or from a hobby store). If no room is left then the pellets will eventually clump and the bacteria will not be as efficient as if the pellets were circulating. When initially startup allow the bloom to take over 3-4 days at the most and make sure you have a large amount of carbon in use and the outlet of the bio pellet reactor next to the inlet of the skimmer so the bi-product made from the pellets can be skimmed and removed.

Marina Economy Algae Scrubber

I bought this scrubber to clean my glass and acrylic aquariums, it works fine on the glass surface, but when i tried to clean the acrylic I immediately noticed a large amount of scratches all over it. I don't know why they sell it for both glass and acrylic, because of my experience i only recommend it to use on glass aquariums.

It beats the magnetic scrapper in my opinion.

More control. Small glass tanks it can reach without hands getting wet. I recommend it.

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I used it one time and it fell apart really I think I'll request a refund. Don't waste your money

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Let's me clean my 10 gallon tank without getting my hands messy. Seems to be pretty sturdy, so I expect it will last a while.

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This is an OK but I would not rate as great as the handle doesn't fit your hand very well and is awkward to use inside the aquarium. I thought that it might be me but others, kids as well as adults, say the same thing.

Como 5 PCS Plastic Fish Decoration Aquarium Tank Ornament

Swims like a rock. Found the bottom faster then the things I drop by accident. My Betta barely checked this one out at all. All five did the same landing right side up and did very much look like a fish sitting on the bottom. Rather attractive sitting there but I did not buy it to sit. again like the other one that just sat at the top, it becomes just one more thing to clean and might have done well had it floated at mid level in my ten gallon tank.

Fluval FX5 Fine Filter Water Polishing Pad - 3-Pack

I like these much better than the blue ones. They are much thicker, I only had to use 2 of the 3 to fit in one section of the FX5 buckets.

Threw these on my top rack along with some carbon. Works amazing in my 150 gal Tank.

Racks:

Bottom: Bio Rings + 3 Fine Filter Pads

Middle: Bio Rings + 3 Fine Filter Pads

Top: 3 Bags of Carbon + 3 Fine Filter Water Polishing Pads

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They sell blue ones that are better,,,,these slow the filter down then stop flow...not really worth it...u just want to set up media and not have to open canister theses hinder that process...

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I am looking forward to using these in my canister filter. My FX5 is a awesome filter and I could not get them locally.

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excellent service to them are very responsible recommend shipments arrive just in time and some prior to recommend them 100%

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Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Heaters with Plastic LED, 25-Watt

This is the most reliable heater out there on them market today. Love how easy it is to set up and see what the heater is doing.

Compact,small,thin and has the thermometer built in. The best heater every made,i was always looking for something like this for my tanks.

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I've been looking for a good quality heater with temp control for my 2.5 gallon for over a year... I finally saw the 25W Cobalt heater (which is a higher wattage then I was looking for) for almost $50 and almost passed on it. I am so glad I didn't! Though it's a snug fit for my little 2.5 gallon, the heater is super slim and is only 6.5" long and fits in the aquarium at a slight angle, which is fine as the minimum water level is the top of the bezel (the round dial).

I've only had this heater for two days, but it raised the temp in my tank from it's usual 72-74°F (with 10W Marineland heater) to 78°F within a few hours and only fluctuated about 1/2° overnight when we turn the heat off in the house. I couldn't be happier and will definitely update my review should anything go wrong.

I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS HEATER FOR 2.5 GALLON TANKS!

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Compact and sturdy with a built in readable temperature light keeps my little tank the perfect temperature. A little pricey, but in this case, you get what you pay for.

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Beautiful piece that does not feel intrusive in a tank. Not cheap, but I would consider replacing all of my heaters with this type. One of the beautiful things is it lets you know the temp of the water in the tank and the goal temp at the same time.

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Natural Nitrate Reducer Salt Water Conditioner

This product is a liquid suspension of grain sized polycaprolactone. It works in a similar manner as bio-pellets, in that it provides a carbon based food source that aerobic bacteria can utilize to digest nitrate. The instructions on the bottle are vague as to dosing. It states to add 10 ML (one full cap) per 10 gallons weekly to reduce nitrates, or twice that for high levels of nitrate. The vague part is that they don't define what constitutes "high" levels of nitrate. My purely biased interpretation is that would be anything over 10 ppm for reef tanks and anything over 20 ppm for FOWLR or fish only tanks. The instructions further state that you need to maintain the dosing level until nitrates are reduced to undetectable levels, and then the dose may be cut in half each week (5 ml per 10 gallons) for a maintenance dose. What they don't clarify is that it can take considerable time for biological bacteria to consume the new food source and bring the levels down (and a few other factors that can help boost the effectiveness).

Before using this product, I read a bunch of reviews on reef central about it, including it's chemical makeup, biological action and success/failure in dozens of people's reef tanks. The group consensus is that the product appears to work in reef tanks with a moderate to light bio-load. In my own tank, it is being used in conjunction with a deep sand bed, strong skimmer, chaeto & miracle mud refugia. The overkill of using the IO NNR is due to the fact that my family love fish, so it's a little fish heavy for a 40 gallon breeder reef tank. My nitrate levels are consistently below 5 ppm since starting using the product and considering the space constraints and expense of setting up a bio-pellet reactor, this was the best solution for our situation. Vodka dosing can be tricky to find the right level and bacterial blooms can be a major headache for a skimmer, so going with a grain sized solid carbon source helps in that it's almost impossible to overdose the tank. The bacteria will consume the solid carbon food source at a more consistent rate vs. liquid dosing.

Now, this product doesn't always work for everyone. IMHO, anyone with a very high nitrate level due to a high bio-load might consider two things: Their cleaning/water change routine and reducing the bio-load (i.e., fewer fish, lighter feedings, etc.). Increasing your skimmer +1 over what you'd think you'd need for your tank is also an advantage. Using more nutrient exporters such as deep sand beds, refugia/miracle mud or harvesting macroalgaes like chaeto and caulerpa from your tank can also help suck out nitrates. Combine these nitrate controls with adequate weekly water changes and you should begin get your nitrates in check.

It's not a cure all or replacement for water changes, but it does help. I have a old tank that has been difficult to control nitrate levels. This brought it down to 40-60ppm. Still high, but much better than before. It's worth a try.

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Ok, here's the truth. I read most of these reviews and I usually don't understand a word they say! I have a 75 gallon tank that I took over from my husband when he no longer had time to care for it. I hate doing water changes, and if I do a 20% water change once a month, that's pretty major for me! I love the fish, and I have a super social tank! I have a tang, two cardinals, a coral beauty, a lawnmower blenny, a cinnamon clown, a royal gamma, the type of blenny that looks like an eel, a fox face, a yellow watchman, a recently widowed wrasse, a tiny little blenny with a spot on its tail, and a super tiny little yellow "fish" ... I love feeding them and they love to be fed and so I deal with nitrates more than I would if I didn't feed them so often. What I do, is I use a large toadstool leather coral as my judge for when my nitrates are too high. When he closes up, I know I need to treat the tank and I dose it with this stuff, and sometimes I dose it with Prime also. After a while the leather opens back up and that's that. When I can take a water sample in to the LFS, they generally tell me that my water is fine or that my nitrates are a little high and I need to feed the fish less. So ... I think this stuff works! I don't use it on a regular basis, but after reading the other reviewers I think maybe I should start using it weekly. Hope this helps!

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nothing at all will lower nitrates better than water changes and good biological filtration. That being said, I am not sure if this product masks the nitrate or it helps but I maintain my tank very well through biological filtration and 10-20% weekly water changes. I add half the reco dosage once each week to aid in nitrate reduction. Since my API reef kit shows zero I suppose it helps. My tank has zero mechanical filtration outside an oversized skimmer. I use liverock in tank and in refugium. I also use macro algae, deep sand bed and bugs in the refugium. I have been using this for 6 month as part of my weekly routine, would I reco it. Yes, because if its not broke dont fix it. If you have a nitrate problem, try water changes and more bio filtration first. If you get nitrate under control this way, you dont need this product. If you have a heavily stocked tank like I do it might help you with 10% water changes instead of say 20%.

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The best product for saltwater fish tank it will lower your nitrate level i give it a 5-5 because it work better than other products i try.

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Hagen Marina Multi-Vaccum Replacement Bags, 2-Pack

I have tried a couple of gravel-vacs and round filed all but the multi-vac. Did find one of over a dozen bags with a small hole. They hold all I can suck up but the water. They are not water filters but bags to contain all the crud that goes to the tank bottom.

they work great. I have already ordered more. they pick up all garbage in the bottom of the tank. I would recommedt these filters.

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These bags are perfect. They basically look like a baby's sock. They just slide on and you can use them again. Just flip it inside out and rinse off. The material is like cotton. Once the dirty water is pumped into the sock, it completely collects all the debris and lets the clean water flow out of the material.

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I have a Fluval Chi tank and this vacuum works great for cleaning it up. The firs bag didn't wear out, I lost it, now I have a backup.

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Marina Multi-Vac Replacement Bags (2/pkg)The bags leak out the dirty water back into the fish tank making a mess.

Installation Set Kit 2 for 400494 or 1/2 in. Tubing on the Outflow Side

An ehiem fan for more than 35 years, I have found their build quality, reliability and customer care second to none. Most of my tanks are acrylic now with a built in black acrylic back. Black makes your corals and fish really pop and I use black stealth airline tubing and so on to keep the look minimal and consistant.

The green intake and spray bar that has been the mainstay of ehein filters for close to 50 years can be quite frankly an eye sore. They show algae easily and in my case detract from the design and look I aim for when aquascaping a new tank or simply re-designing an existing one.

It used to be only the G160 had a dark grey intake and spray bar I'm delighted to see ehiem is offerin black assemblies for most of their models. They virtually disapear in the tank and if this is your style or close to it, you're bound to love the look.

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Lee's Pet Products ALE16025 Rigid Tubing for Aquarium Pumps, 1/2-Inch by 3-Feet

Needs to state dimensions better. This is 1/2" ID pipe. It did not work for my needs. I end up throwing it out and going to Home Dep for a replacement.

HYDRO-SPONGE FILTER V HS950 (125GAL)

Most aquarium filters now use a motor to force water through some kind of filter pad which must be replaced at intervals. However, before there were reliably sealed electric motors, most home aquariums moved water using the "airlift" principle, in which a rising column of bubbles pulled water through the filtering material. This is an elegant and just about failsafe method. Debris in the tank cannot ever jam the external air pump which feeds the filter, and if electricity is interrupted, the filter cannot lose siphon, it simply starts bubbling again when power is restored to the air pump. Many fish love to play in the rising stream of bubbles.

Hydro Sponge filters, first marketed in the 1990's, are a more recent application of the airlift. Hydro Sponge V is intended for tanks up to 120 gallons. Made of dense, strong plastic with a weighted base which holds the sponge up away from the aquarium bottom, they dismantle easily for cleaning of the sponge. The pores within the sponge provides an enormous surface area for colonization by beneficial bacteria providing very thorough biological filtration. They can be powered by an air pump with or without an airstone (using an airstone will give finer bubbles and make less noise), or with an electric powerhead for those with larger tanks or who simply feel the need for more energetic water circulation.

It is difficult to imagine such a simple device working well. Surprisingly, they are excellent, and can be used as the only filter in the tank for many applications. I've used them on tanks sized from 10 gallons up to 75 gallons, always with good results. The local fish store where I shop has an expensive trickle filter for their dozens of tanks, and every single freshwater tank also has a Hyrdo Sponge or similar sponge filter as well. Apparantly the sponge is doing something which the trickle filter doesn't?

Maintainence is as simple as the filter. When you perform your periodic aquarium water change, (20% every week) save some of the old water in a bucket. Separate the top and bottom parts of the filter and remove the sponge from the tank. Squeeze it out in the bucket. See all the stuff which the sponge removed from the water? Reinstall the sponge and refill your tank. Go have dinner with the money you saved not purchasing replacement filter cartridges.

In sum, a clever and elegantly simple device which works very well.

I use this in my 90 gal discus tank

I have 2 of these to supplement my eheim 2028

My water is clear and the readings are perfect

I assumed these would be just a backup in the biofiltration dept.

Apparently, they do a large amount of mechanical filtration, as well.

I have one in each back corner and large amounts of debris settle back there.

Perfect for the frequent Siphoning discii :) require.

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The reason these filters are so good is that they are safe for fish fry. I have never had a baby get stuck on it. But with other filters this can happen all to easy. A great filter for baby tanks for any type of fish.

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I've used power filters for almost 40 years, and last year I replaced my Ehiem with two of these filters in a 55 gallon tank. Never again do you need an expensive filter, nor do you have to buy new pads or worry about a leak (my biggest worry with the Ehiem).

These Hydro are as good, or better than any power filter, and easier. Every few months, I rinse out the filter, and that's it! Just make sure you use tank water when cleaning filter, so you do not kill the good bacteria.

It's great for fry as well.

The only problem is that they are UGLY and take up a lot of space. I could have bought the smaller size, and I'm sure it would work just as well. I wish they would make them in green. They are so cheap, I would throw away the black ones and buy the green....

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can't really tell how well it works, when i lift the tube above the water level of the tank it doesn't seem to push water out of the tube when in theory it really should. strange.

however stuff does get stuck to it, especially at the top of the sponge so there must be suction, and it should be more than enough for the bacteria to get water movement.

Coralife Actinic T-5 High Output Fluorescent Lamp

This is a great bulb for the T-5 light fixture. The light is bright and the corals look buestiful under them.

I have had my aquarium for less than one year. The hood requires two of these lamps. I have one that has lasted the other has been replaced 2 times.

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I paid $3.99 for next day delivery and I ordered this on Thursday 1/12. It was supposed to be here on 1/13. The UPS tracking memos say that it has been in Houston (where I live) since yesterday the 13th and I still haven't gotten the product. I ordered this with next day shipping because I have corals sitting in my aquarium that NEED this lighting. A power surge ruined the ones I have, and I couldn't find a store in town that had what I need in stock. I spend a lot of money on Amazon and this is the first issue I've had since I started shopping with your company. I want my $3.99 back, and I want the product I purchased. Don't charge someone for next day shipping if you can't guarantee that the product will be there THE NEXT DAY.

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Pet Kelp Skin and Coat Formula

I have a 7 year old Beagle who has suffered his whole life with severe seasonal skin allergies. Hot spots would start to develop in spring when things began to bloom and last until the end of fall/early winter when things start to die off and freeze over. There were a couple of times when he had to go on antibiotics for infections caused by itching and chewing so much.

I started giving him Pet Kelp Skin & Coat a couple of months ago and I am happy to say that we are nearing the end of May, things are blooming like crazy and NO HOT SPOTS. Not one. He is blissfully unaware that the pollen is exploding around him. He spends half the day outside rolling around in the grass and then sleeps through the night without a care.

I am relieved. I was at my wits end trying to come up with new ways to keep him comfortable during (his) worst parts of the year. I hated taking him to the vet to be shaved, cleaned and medicated. This is, (for us), a great product. I don't know what I would have done if it hadn't been effective. I've tried just about everything else.

Not once did my pet not want to eat his food with the kelp on it. After about 1 month, he stopped biting at himself and he's coat is so shinny.

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Quiet One Lifegard Pond and Water Garden Pump, 1664-Gallon Per Hour

Ecellent perforamnce! Powerfull and quiet! J

ust what I needed for my Saltwater Aquarium!

Plug in an runs like a pro!

I was pleased that delivery was 3 days early...package was secure considering the weight of the pump. Immediately read instructions and installed the pump in the fish pond. Our pond is 12'x6' and 2-1/2'deep at one end, and has 1,300 gals of water. Performance of the pump creates a current throughout the pond and our nine fish responded playfully. It's been about 3 weeks since installing the pump and have had no problems in its performance. Actually, I have had to clean the filters more frequently, but I don't mind since I know that the pump is doing it's job.

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