biUbe Aquarium with LED Light, Black, 9 Gallons

I first read about this thing in the NY Times and the article was generally glowing. Of course they only interviewed the owner of the company for the story. The thing that sold me in the article was that this was a super sleek design. The picture on the cover of the box certainly makes one think this as well. With just a little more effort this could have been an artful design but the company skimped and it's really just a plain aquarium with some accessories in the box. First as pictured here the fish would die within a few hours. You need a (not included) heater in order to keep the fish in this picture. The heater is a big ugly unit that attaches via suction cups to the back of the aquarium. The round shape only makes things worse it tends to magnify the heater when looking at the thing from the front. They skimped a better design would have been a built-in sleak heater along the bottom of the unit. With the addition of the heater there are now 3 power cables running behind the aquarium. These seem to be artfully Photoshoped out in the picture. 3 power cables does not equal elegant design. In an all in one unit like this why not have a single power cable into the head unit that would have been sleak. The pump on this thing is loud, as we found out there are much quiter pumps than the one that ships in the box. Loud pump does not equal elegant design. Along with the three power cables dangling off the back, an air cable also needs to dangle out there. Again you don't see this in the picture a much better design would have been to build the airpump and air cable into the top peice of this unit.

I ended up returning it. I next went to the most reputable aquarium store in the area and had them build up an aquarium with the same specs as this one. It ended up being quiter, cheaper and in the end sleaker. I think that it is possible to make a more artfully designed aquarium, but the biUbe doesn't come close.

Oh and the NYTimes gets 1 star for their article as well.

I have always liked low maintenance aquariums having had an Eclipse 6 on my desk at work. I like the Biube so much I'm planning on purchasing the Larger 16 gallon Biorb for another room.

The set up was quick and easy (By the way, the light kit or other available accessories plug into the small airpump that came with it as it is also a transformer (only a problem when the airpump eventally dies like they all seem to do in time). Also the airpump is a little loud but really functions well. And the set-up saves a lot of cord clutter.

The only thing I've not been as thrilled with is the plastic-esque stand is not as nice as it appears in pictures and pretty expensive for what it is. In fact its almost too short for my liking and the design of 2 flat boards and a metal tube as the support is well... just plain cheesy. Also it would be nice to have some storage areas in the stand as there is no shelf or compartment or anything to hide the airpump or store extra filters, supplies and fish food. The tank is very cool, but I'm having a carpenter build a nicer looking stand to showcase my fish.

I've only had it set up for a week but I've already gotten tons of compliments on it and my fish are still swimming! My recommendation is buy the tank but skip the stand. The tank is really a conversation piece with it's center column of bubbles!

Buy biUbe Aquarium with LED Light, Black, 9 Gallons Now

I am new to this whole fish thing and struggled my first three weeks with high ammonia levels. No fish died but I felt at first I had to really watch it... almost to the point of obsession. The people at the fish store told me I could put 5 or more fish in the 9 gallon tank... that was my first mistake. I only put three large oranda's in and I still think this tank is over crowded. Also, it is hard to find the accessories to the biUbe tank. The stand is too unstable... I ended up putting it on a table. BUT, I feel the filtration system and the sleek, tall design are lovely.

My advice if you want this tank, is to start very slow and take several days to allow the tank to cultivate the beneficial environment. Wait to put in the fish in and DON'T OVER CROWD THIS TANK...

Read Best Reviews of biUbe Aquarium with LED Light, Black, 9 Gallons Here

I have been keeping fish on and off for several years now and I have to say I love this tank. I knew it was 9 gallons but for some reason I was surprised by the size of it when I took it out. The filtration system is really great and I am happy the instructions talk about SLOWLY putting fish into the tank. When I first kept fish I wasnt aware of the nitrate rise when you first introduce them to the tank..so its nice to see they bring this to light. Overall I really enjoy this tank. I do not have the stand for it, mine is just on my table. I have small-ish fish in mine, tetras and danios, so I can fit a good shoal of them with my plants.

The drawbacks are that like others have said, the pump it comes with is noisy, but that is an easy fix. And if you set it up properly, there is a wait time to get all the fish you want..which is always the funnest part! But its less of a drawback because it is the proper way to stock a tank anyway. The filtration change packets are expensive but convienient. But a remedy to the expense is just buying them bulk on ebay.

I definitly reccomend this tank to others. My sister in law has the BiOrbe and she loves that as well.

Want biUbe Aquarium with LED Light, Black, 9 Gallons Discount?

I am a very lazy pet owner and hate maintaining fish tanks which is what made me consider this one. It was advertised as a "low maintenance" tank on another site. I basically just loved the look of the tanks. I purchased 2 of them. They are much bigger then I expected but that is a good thing. It was very easy to set up and so far have not really required any maintenance. I bought my own round tables from a local store versus getting the Biube/orb stands as I read reviews that they are not worth it. My tanks are beautiful and have added a very cool element to my living room. I have huge TV, but the tanks have turned into the focal point when I have company. The only downfall is the picture is a little misleading. It just shows this beautiful tank and side steps the fact that there are cords involved. There are the cords for the tank itself and then for the most part, you will need a heater which is never displayed in pictures and a thermometer. I have had a hard time hiding all the cords, but other then that, I am very please with my tanks.

Save 12% Off

Read More >>

Maxi-Jet Pro Aquarium Pump

Marineland has come out with this ultra cool powerhead/circulation pump combo. I love powerheads in my tanks because of their efficency in moving water and filtration for a reverse or forward flow undergravel filter/or sponge powerhead combo. It has proven to be ideal in my clown loach tank where I am just using multiple penguin powerheads/sponge combo and have had them alive and thriving for nearly 10 years. When I saw the new Maxijet PRO I just had to give it a try. My clowns love playing in quick water as in nature they are from areas with high water movment-so I decided to buy this for the circulation mode. Other strong circulation filters are three times the price of these and are weaker or equal to the power. I have read many reviews saying they were very loud but I find mine to be very silent considering the power, only a very slight hum can be heard when I am within 3-4 feet. I found that at first when I started it it was really loud, but after a couple of minutes it became almost silent (I think the air had to be purged and propeller locked in, try shaking them a little and putting your hand over the back part where the water gets sucked in to quiet them down when you first get them up and running). Now when I turn them off and on during water changes the initial loud noise is gone and they start up perfectly. If I had saltwater tanks and were using them with a wave maker I probably would worry and instead spend a little more and buy the old maxijets with the aftermarket conversion kits or Hydors. But for my clown loach tank they are perfect, so perfect that I have decided to buy another one! Now, after reading the reveiws I am still worried about the reliability, but after finding out that the loudness is false I feel more secure with these. With a two year warranty like the penguin products I highly doubt they would make the new Maxijet Pro's as bad as some of the reviews have said. If anything, I can still use them as powerheads if the circulation mode fails. I have faith in marineland quality. I would recomend this to people with large tanks or people who keep fishes that love fast moving water! Oh.. and to add I think the black suction cups are great, much better than the crappy clear ones that come with the penguin models which seem to harden and become useless in half a year. I change out the clear ones and use the black suction cups and dont have problems with my powerhead falling anymore. With three of them I feel pretty safe. Maybe saltwater is different and much harder on the suction cups, makes sense since salt water tends to quickly dry out, crack, and corode rubber products...

Update: Since using them for a little while I can see no problems with their reliability and they are solid powerheads like other marineland products. I do however have a little problem with them heating up my tank water. Since I live in a tropical climate my tanks are naturally around 82 to 84 degrees which is warm enough already. I put two in a thirty gallon tank and my tanks temperature skyrocketed to 90 degrees! I have since moved them into my 125 gallon and have no problems with them raising the temperature. Could be great if you live in a colder climate which could save you money on a heater!

Update #2: After using them in circulation mode for a while I have noticed that they have a huge problem creating heat. They give off so much heat that they have even become a problem in my 125 gallon tank. I had to take one off and am now only running one of them. The temperature increase is not noticable with only one of them, but when I try to run two of them it can go up to 88 degrees (normal temperature hovers around 82-84 degrees) in my 125 gallon tank. The reason why I say 88 degrees and not higher is because when I noticed the temperature was that high I took one of them off imediately. Would be great using them in a cooler climate (would take some of the strain off your heater), but here in Hawaii it can be a problem. They are still silent and dont seem like they are anywhere near breaking. The trio of suction cups hold on good and strong. They do make a rather loud clicking/grinding noise when first starting them up (after unplugging them) that makes me think like they might break, but after a few seconds they start up perfectly and do their job very quietly. I think the problem is their large power consumption compared to other circulation powerheads/pumps. I have two Hydor Koralia Evo 1400's that dont even come close to heating the water even in my 30 gallon tank (they also dont make the loud clicking noise when restarting). Still if your looking for a cheap circulation/powerhead and you live in a cool climate, or only want to use one in a large tank, or have a really large tank, they work great. Don't know what happened to other reviewers maxijet pro's but mines are really really quiet, infact over time they have become SILENT. I have to literally put my ear up to the tank where they are mounted to hear anything from them, even then they are still hard to hear (after the restart that is).

I have some old Maxi-jet 1200's...they have white impellers & work wonderfully. I needed to add one more & so I figured I'd stick with what's worked well for me in the past. It seems Marineland has changed their models..the new one has a different impeller (it's purple, so that's how you know when you got one of the new terrible ones). The first one I got, the impellers SHEARED OFF completely within a day. So I exchanged it out for a new one...the impeller on it was wobbly & made so much noise it wasnt worth keeping.

I'm so disappointed in these new pumps. It's too bad they couldn't have stuck with their old quality designs. DO NOT BUY.

Buy Maxi-Jet Pro Aquarium Pump Now

I needed a pump to use in a sump I was building. Only needed about 100gph of flow going back into the aquarium from the sump. This was perfect, it's actually more than I need which is good.

*** FLOW RATINGS

It's rated for 1,300GPH, which is based on open-flow. Meaning just being used as a powerhead to push water around an aquarium. It comes with a screw (propeller) and an enclosure, and it will DEFINITELY move your water around fast. For "pump" mode, it's rated at 295gph open flow.

With the fittings I used, the smallest restriction is 3/8". The tubing is 1/2". I'm able to get over 200gph of return flow with this setup, which I have to dial-down using a gate valve in order to maintain my precise needs. Remember, more GPH is BETTER than less, because you can't dial-up the flow.

*** FITTINGS AND STUFF

This comes with everything you need for almost any purpose. It has the normal powerhead fittings, as well as a complete screw/cover kit, suction-cup kit, air-scavanger tubing, flow angle thingy, and a really long cord.

*** IT ISN'T LOUD AT ALL

I can't even hear the thing running inside of my sump. If your pump or the direct fittings coming off of it are touching something, then yes you will hear the noise of the pump. The water itself makes no noise. It's no louder than any other powerhead I've tried.

*** SUMMARY

You can't beat the price and speed of shipping when purchasing it through Amazon Prime. Even my local Care A Lot couldn't get it for as cheap!

Read Best Reviews of Maxi-Jet Pro Aquarium Pump Here

I just purchased a Maxi-Jet 1200 to replace a unit that finally died. I figured I might as welll replace it with the same model as I had not had any problems with the original one. Well I received it today and was excited to install it. Got it all set up and plugged in and sat down on the couch to marvel at the tank. Within 10 minutes the pump stop working.When I went to open the unit I found a propellerless purple impeller (the old one was white). Im pretty disappointed as I thought that Marineland was a name that I could trust...I guess not anymore.

Want Maxi-Jet Pro Aquarium Pump Discount?

The pump moves plenty of water in my 120, but it only ran four days, before it self-destructed. The impeller flew apart and rendered the pump useless. Like I saw in another review mine was the purple impeller. When assembled as a wave maker the pump did move a lot of water, in fact to much water in my 120. Not necessarily a bad thing but worth noting.

Save 75% Off

Read More >>

Bio Fish Aquarium Medium Cylinder Soft Sponge Water Filter, Black

These are great for breeding/hospital tanks, or really tanks of any size depending on the requirements of your fish. I have this filter as the only filter in 2 of my grow out tanks and use one as a supplemental filter in my 55, water quality stays great. If you are looking for something small and easy to hide this NOT your filter, otherwise this (or a few of these) should be able to meet your needs (and more importantly the needs of your fish).

Read More >>

DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium chloride for Aquarium

Like others, I had issues finding ammonia locally that didn't contain 'surfacants'. I followed the directions on the bottle and was able to achieve the required concentration with no issues. I initially tested the water with the API test kit and subsequently monitored the cycling with cheap strips. All in all, a fishless cycle using this product was pretty painless.

You have to add more than twice as much than the dosing instructions to get to desired ppm of ammonia.

Buy DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium chloride for Aquarium Now

I applied this to my fish tank and it seems to be working as intended. I tested the water parameters and the instructions on the bottle seem to be on par; 1 drop for every gallon. The only complaint I have is how it was packaged and shipped. The bottle, itself, is inside a sealed plastic bag. Upon opening the package I found the bottle leaked into the bag. Everything was contained though, so for myself it was not a deal breaker.

Read Best Reviews of DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium chloride for Aquarium Here

This is a wonderful product and I love all of DrTim's products but the bottle that it comes in needs to be changed. The bottle arrives in a plastic bag inside of the shipping packet, when I pulled out the plastic bag almost half of the ammonia had spilled out into the bag. I was disappointed as it is a wonderful product and I will think before ordering this again if I run out before my tank is cycled.

Want DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium chloride for Aquarium Discount?

I was able to cycle my 30 gallon fish tank but I used almost the whole bottle in the process. Its really diluted, It would be cheaper to buy ammonia from a store near you if you can find any. I need to order a 2nd bottle for my second tank ugh

Read More >>

Exo Terra Repti-Glo 2.0 Compact Fluorescent Full Spectrum Terrarium Lamp

This bulb is great for planted tanks with reptiles/amphibians that require low amounts of UVB. I have a planted, 70 gallon tall tank that houses 3 female Red Eye Treefrogs. The light does wonders for the plants I have in there and the frogs have been doing well with the light it gives off. My only concern is that since it's a planted tank with frogs my tank has a decent amount of humidity in it (around 60-70%). I can only assume that the humidity may be causing the bulb to go out quicker or my past two bulbs were bad? Anyway, I'm giving it another shot to see if the bulb will last longer and if it does then I'll keep getting them, but if not, then I'll try something different. Overall, the bulb does what it's supposed to, but I would be careful using it with tanks with high humidity.

*More info. about the bulb since I bought it*

The bulb just went out on me after about 5 1/2 months. I can't really say that it lasted much longer than the last two. For the amount of money spent on this bulb, and the other two, it would have been cheaper to get another fluorescent single bulb hood and a ZooMed 2.0 bulb and the bulb would have lasted longer than the 3 bulbs together. I will give this bulb 2 stars rather than the "generous" 3 stars on my original review.

I purchased this to help out my new tree frogs. They're both juvenile, so the lower UV rating works out great. If you have herps that need light, this is the one to get if you aren't sure what strength to get.

Buy Exo Terra Repti-Glo 2.0 Compact Fluorescent Full Spectrum Terrarium Lamp Now

I purchased this product for my Mississippi Map turtles. This bulb works great but should not be used as the only source of UVB/UVA lighting. This bulb is intended to be used to produce more visual light. Even though it does product some UVB/UVA waves it should be and is designed to be used with the Repti-Glo 5.0 (Tropical) or 10.0 (Desert)to get the maximum and proper exposure to UVB/UVA waves.

As stated the product lasts about 7 months to a year. It all depends on the light cycle you are using. 10 hours a day or less should last about a year. 12+ hours a day I would change every 6-8 months. I have personally pushed it a little bit and have gone over a year with one of these bulbs and it was still putting out a little bit of UVB (this is not recommended). Remember just because the bulb is putting out visual light does not mean that it is putting out the proper waves of UVB/UVA.

My personal setup includes a total of four Repti-Glo compact bulbs. Two of them are the Repti-Glo 2.0 and two are the Repti-Glo 5.0. The 2.0 is a bright white light while the 5.0 puts out a yellow/white tint and I would recommend getting a combination of both. That way you can light up the tank for viewing and get the proper UVB/UVA Waves.

I have never had any issues with these bulbs and recommend them to anyone with reptiles.

Read Best Reviews of Exo Terra Repti-Glo 2.0 Compact Fluorescent Full Spectrum Terrarium Lamp Here

Pay attention to the charts with lumens/luminous flux in the description. The 2.0 blub is over 1400 lumens. That's brighter than a 100 Watt Reveal bulb. I mistakenly just thought the 26-Watt bulb would be fine...

It's crazy bright for my little viv. I'm going to try the 13-Watt bulb and see if it's a little less harsh. I'll update whether or not it's more suitable.

Update: The 13-Watt is still bright, but not to the degree of the 26-Watt. (i.e. There are still shadows and I'm able to look directly into the viv.) I'm going to stick with it and see how Frogette reacts. She appeared to immediately start sunning, so I'm thinking it's good.

Want Exo Terra Repti-Glo 2.0 Compact Fluorescent Full Spectrum Terrarium Lamp Discount?

This is a good product but was received broken.

The item was packed at the bottom of the box.

Heavy objects were placed on top this delicate item.

Save 56% Off

Read More >>

Vibran-Sea Amazon Flowering Cluster Aquarium Plant Assortment

I purchased these recently for my Betta tanks and I'm very happy with them. The colors are nice and vibrant and the material is soft. One warning though: if using it with Bettas or fish with delicate fins, make sure to take off those hard plastic "branches". They will snag your fish's fins. This has happened to me in the past with similar plants, so I always take that part off so that the fabric part is just remaining.

Save 12% Off

Read More >>

Zilla 11752 Fresh Air Screen Cover with Hinged Door, 10-Inch by 20-Inch

Fits perfectly on our snakes 10 gallon cage. Is easy to add safety locks to so you don't have young children opening it or sneaky snakes trying to escape. The opening is large enough to safely get the snake out or put food in without worrying about hurting yourself or the snake.

A little flimsy, but it does its job. I like the little hatch because it makes it helpful to feed my pacman. Does look a little weak, but hey I'm not putting 10lbs on it lol. I have a single flourescent bulb on it and it hold up very well.

Buy Zilla 11752 Fresh Air Screen Cover with Hinged Door, 10-Inch by 20-Inch Now

I bought this for my brother's 10 gallon anole set up. I love that is has a locking door on the top, because opening the whole screen has allowed his anoles to escape in the past. The only complaint I have is that the door doesn't seal completely flush with the rest of the screen, so there were tiny openings that a very small animal could possibly get through. I think we may have had a small cricket escape that way. Otherwise it was a great investment.

Read Best Reviews of Zilla 11752 Fresh Air Screen Cover with Hinged Door, 10-Inch by 20-Inch Here

I really like the screen cover with the door! Yes, the door could fit a bit better, but I just make sure it's closed correctly....it isn't real sturdy, but it's liveable. My anole can't get out now when I feed his crickets! Thank you!

Want Zilla 11752 Fresh Air Screen Cover with Hinged Door, 10-Inch by 20-Inch Discount?

Our gerbil population grew unexpectedly (eek seems those WEREN'T 2 males we brought home from the pet store!) and we needed to set up a second habitat. Pulled an old fish tank from our "pets of the past" stash, added this cover, and wired a water bottle off to one side through the mesh top. Great product!

Read More >>

API Bio-Chem Zorb Filter Media Pouch

I have been using Bio-zorb for many years and always thought it was a great product. I moved to upstate New York from the metropolitan area several years ago. Its quit rural and stores are not so conveniently near like they are in the city,and many products you take for granted are not that readily available.I must've had the same Biozorb pillow in my old Ehiem filter for a year. Everytime I cleaned the filter,I'd just leave it in and add another carbon type media. The other day,I did a major tank cleaning and came to the conclusion that my filter WASN'T! (filtering, that is.) Googled Biozorb and bought it through Amazon. I'm not getting paid for this endorsement-the quality of my water changed OVERNIGHT! Crystal clear,debri gone,fish-happy. I cannot overstate how fantastic this product is.If you have a fishtank,if you love aqaurium fish,if you love and CARE about your fish,salt water or fresh-YOU NEED THIS PRODUCT!

I have a 75 gallon fresh water tank running two Fluval 405 cannisters with oscars, dempsies, and parrots and the water was getting dirty quick. My tank was getting a reddish-rusty color very quickly after cleanings and water changes. I was recommended this media by a guy at a big aquarium shop and it worked great. I run one pouch in each filter in the middle media tray and it keeps my water crystal clear for months. Now I only have to do a full cleaning about every 8-10 weeks. It also eliminated the 'fish' smell completely. I change the filters about every 3 cleanings so about every 6 months. They could probably go longer but I try not to push my media to far.

It's a bit pricey, hence the 4 stars, but worth it in my opinion.

I recommend this product.

Buy API Bio-Chem Zorb Filter Media Pouch Now

I have an bio-chem filter and was expecting this to be one of the square filters but it is just a bag. I am using it anyway but wonder about how effective it is. Unfortunately the description did not say what shape it was and the filter instructions did not tell me there was a difference .

Read Best Reviews of API Bio-Chem Zorb Filter Media Pouch Here

Setting up a saltwater tank was a real pain but this product makes it much easier with just a change of a pouch and the API filter has not let us down and continues to exceed expectations. buying the pouches is not without its own mess but is much cleaner and easier to use than separate filter media, plus you don't have to worry about the filter media making it to the pump or into your tank. A real must have on a project that is as much of a chore as this has been. One of the few areas of good luck has been the API products. This one is must have! It lasts longer than advertised and only takes a few minutes to change out.

Least painful of all maintenance items for our tank...definitely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Want API Bio-Chem Zorb Filter Media Pouch Discount?

Only 1 pouch per bag and so far seems to be working just fine in my Filstar XP L, filtering my 120 gallon tank.

Save 31% Off

Read More >>

Fluval 404 Foam Filter Block - 2-Pack

The pore size is so much bigger and not as dense compare to the original one that came with the canister, I'm a bit disappointed....

Made in China

These work perfectly fine with Fluval's latest. I am using them with their newest 406! Results are very good so no worries.

Buy Fluval 404 Foam Filter Block - 2-Pack Now

These foam filters are easy to install and fit perfectly in my fluval 405 filter. I usually rinse them 2 or 3 times before I replace them, and they've worked really well for me.

Read Best Reviews of Fluval 404 Foam Filter Block - 2-Pack Here

Best filter products ever! Very long lasting high quality products and provide me with consistently clean aquarium water month after month.

Want Fluval 404 Foam Filter Block - 2-Pack Discount?

These are definitely not the same quality as what you get when you buy the filter. They are super cheap, and the foam is spread out with much larger holes. Definitely won't do a good job filtering out larger particles.

Save 16% Off

Read More >>

SeaClear Deluxe Hexagon Aquarium Combo

I wanted a tank that was space efficiant and looked better than a regular square tank. This one is acrylic and has no seams i ordered the 20 gallon from Petco online since shipping was free. Beautiful view with fish in it. You will need to be mindful it doesn't have a top it's one unit so your ornaments and rocks will have to between i believe 5-6 inches wide. It comes with a hood but only downfall is no light. Petsmart has them and it was a 12" light. Overall very happy with this tank and fits nicely in the corner on an end table so i didn't have to buy special furniture for it to be on.

Save 20% Off

Read More >>

Como Aquarium Decoration Flower Lotus Plant Fish Ornament

This little flower sits very pretty on top of the water in my aquarium I've always been enchanted with lotuses and this was a welcome little addition, i would also like to note that it is made out of pliable and soft but still sturdy material :)

Read More >>

Hagen CO2 Natural Plant System Bubble Counter with Suction Cup and Tubing

This bubble counter is included in the Hagen Plant Grow Natural System. It is probably one of the most efficient methods of dissolving CO2 into the aquarium water when not using a forced water method.

I think this unit is better than using an air stone, bubbling into an upside down cup and certainly better than just letting an air line bubble into the tank.

In my experience, you will still have CO2 loss because not all the bubbles will be dissolved before they run through the unit and bubble to the surface of the water. However, it is still fairly efficient and very easy to set up. All you do is attached the air line that is connected to your CO2 source to the plastic drip tip that is included and then the bubbles slowly pass through a maze of bubble paths, dig zagging their way until they reach the top of the unit. Like I said, there will still be bubbles that pass through the top and disperse to the surface of the water.

My preferred method to diffusing CO2 bubbles into the water is by forcing water to mix with the bubbles. This can easily be accomplished by using a Rio Power head connected to a small bottle that the CO2 line is also connected to. This should completely dissolve the CO2 bubbles. You can find an already made system online for around 35-50 bucks. Or you can make one yourself for around 15 bucks. I made my own and it works beautifully. You also get the added benefit of having extra water current flow (which most fish appreciate).

But for a simple, cheap and easy to set up solution for dissolving CO2 bubbles into the aquarium, this Hagen diffuser is a good way to go. Make sure when you set it up that you set the unit as low as it will go in the aquarium (the bottom touching the gravel) so that the CO2 bubbles have maximum time to travel before reaching the water surface (and after that wasted).

As far as just a bubble counter, this is probably the most fun unit to watch that you can buy. My kids love watching the bubbles zig zag through the unit until the bubbles reach the top (cheap entertainment).

I have used a glass/ceramic diffuser for two years with my yeast based co2 system. This worked well enough and plants have grown pretty well. However, these do get blocked and there is a danger of back pressure causing the bottles to explode. They can be cleaned but sometimes difficult to remove the hose once it becomes hardened without breaking the glass. I also tired of seeing all those tiny bubbles floating around the tank.

I don't know exactly how much co2 dissolved in terms of ppm, however, pH fell from 7.9/8.0 to 7.3/7.4 when I started injecting it 2 yrs ago, so seems pretty effective.

As the diffuser was due for replacement again I decided to try a ladder this time it's brilliant!

I agree that it looks pretty cool to watch, and yes, the bubbles did clump at first but after leaving it overnight it was working properly the following morning. I did fiddle with the angle for some time I think you just need to leave it alone and give it time to settle.

I no longer have loads of tiny bubbles and my pH has dropped further now to 7.0, so this is definitely getting more into the water than the ceramic diffuser did. I also found that the old diffuser tended to create much finer bubbles when the mixture started to tire and the flow rate subsided, meaning that more probably dissolved than did when the mixture was fresh.

The bubbles get much smaller as they travel up the ladder, and as they decrease in size they also slow down. This means they catch up with each other, merge, and pop out of the top about the same size as the bubbles which enter at the bottom. However, they enter at 1 per second at the bottom and pop out of the top about every 10 seconds. This suggest a 90% absorption rate (hope that makes sense!).

Some day these are hard to disguise. This model attaches flat to the side so isn't very wide from the front view at all it is not intrusive in my tank at all.

Of course, the system is now low pressure so the danger of explosion is eliminated.

Buy Hagen CO2 Natural Plant System Bubble Counter with Suction Cup and Tubing Now

Don't be dismayed if at first it seems like the bubbles are getting built up in certain areas. This is part of the break-in process and it will fix itself. Once some bio-slime (mmmm, bio slime...) gets built up on it, the bubbles go up the ladder smoothly.

I'm using mine with a homemade CO2 system and I'm already seeing results. I would recommend "The Ladder" to anyone who is using a DIY method and doesn't have enough pressure to properly utilize a ceramic diffuser. Plus, you don't really need a separate bubble counter to monitor your CO2 output. You can see every bubble that comes out and tailor your CO2 production accordingly.

Summary: for the price, seems to work great. Low tech and effective.

Read Best Reviews of Hagen CO2 Natural Plant System Bubble Counter with Suction Cup and Tubing Here

This is one of the best setups especially if you are running a DIY CO2 system (basically a bottle with sugar and yeast :)

IT is a bubble counter and a difuser all in one. You can watch the bubbles travel up the ladder and if you install a control valve you can adjust how many bubbles come out.

Be careful with installing control valves on diy CO2 as if you close it too much it can blow up and cause a huge mess. Please research these methods before just slapping a bottle together and putting it on your tank

Back to product it is great. If at first you don't succeed wait. :)

Want Hagen CO2 Natural Plant System Bubble Counter with Suction Cup and Tubing Discount?

Seems to be a very efficient co2 diffuser. Give it about a day for the natural slime to build up on it so the bubbles will slide easily. Good quality stuff, Very easy to set up!

Read More >>

Hagen Laguna Skimmer Filter

Having never installed a skimmer before, this was a learning experience. Fortunately, the product made the job much easier than I expected. Not saying there weren't a few hassles but again, much easier than I thought it would be. The box has a very simple design and is roomy enough in the back to hold my submersible pump down at the bottom under the brushes and also my submersible canister. A few tips...

When you dig your skimmer hole, make sure the mound in front goes flush with the front of the skimmer face. The instructions show it protruding out but I don't see the benefit of this and there is a chance it could hinder the skimmer door from opening and closing

Also, when you cut your liner where the skimmer will hook up (scary I know) try to be as accurate as possible of course but don't make such a big deal about being too accurate. I think it's better to cut the opening a bit smaller than anything else because it is imperative you have enough liner there to clamp into the opening.

The silicone they give you is kind of a hassle to work with. I found it got everywhere but as long as you glob enough around the edge of the perimeters (between where the screw holes are and the edges it should seal good enough. You'll find they give you plenty so don't worry about it running out. Also, when you go to screw the clamp down over the liner, make sure your liner doesn't slip out as this will prevent sealing. Keep it pushed in nice and snug on top and bottom before you puncture the liner with the nail and run your screws through.

Lastly, if you've got a nice Firestone 45 mil liner like I do, you'll find it somewhat difficult to drive the nail through (make sure your lined up to the holes right and not ramming the nail against the side of the skimmer box itself) and you'll find it even more difficult to push the bolts through the small holes made by the nail. In my opinion, this is a good thing. It means your liner is nice and sturdy and the holes are tight enough to keep a good seal there where the liner meats the bolt. Just make sure you hold your placement of where you punctured using the nail until you get the bolt lined up with your other hand before pulling the nail out because it can be difficult to see once you remove the nail. Use some gloves and apply as much pressure as you can by hand to push the bolts through. Again, make sure you're lined up right with the screw and the holes in the box.

My ~1000 gallon pond is currently crystal clear with this skimmer, a 1500 GPH pump, and a basket of lava in my waterfall. I'm tripling the size of my pond this fall, and I doubt I will have to change the filtration system one bit.

This is a bit flimsier than I thought it would be, but once it's in the ground it seems sturdy. It's a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be, too. My fish constantly swim into it, but I don't think there's much that can be done about that (since many of my fish are smaller than leaves), and it doesn't do them any harm. Besides fish, it has completely rid my pond of leaves, both on the surface and underwater (It catches them before they sink). Previously leaves were a huge problem that required daily maintenance, as my pond is in a wooded area.

There is plenty of flow to prevent the pump from running dry, even when I let it go for a couple weeks without emptying the nets. I installed a float switch on my pump to be safe, but it probably isn't necessary.

Best of all, though this seems horribly over-priced for what it is (I was underwhelmed when I received it), it's much cheaper than other manufacturers' pond skimmers. I reasoned that since this was easier to use and required less maintenance than my attempts at home-made sump boxes, and that my time is worth money, this skimmer is a bargain.

Buy Hagen Laguna Skimmer Filter Now

This is working out great for my backyard fish pond that we recently expanded. You will need to freguantly check the debris net and empty it. Be aware the fish sometime like to swim in here also.

Read Best Reviews of Hagen Laguna Skimmer Filter Here

This is a great skimmer that is about 1/2 the price of the same skimmer at the pond store. This is pretty simple to install and comes with good directions and works great in the bigger pond. I would dig the hole a couple inches higher with the rest of the pond so that you can maintain a higher water level in the pond while still having it to the max fill line on the skimmer, if it goes above this line the door will shut and the skimmer will not suck in the water. We didnt factor this is and have to pump water out after heavy rains so the skimmer continues to work, but that was user error and not the skimmers fault. In the beginning the dumb fish would swim in and couldnt figure out how swim out but it has a net that catches them from going any further and the smart fish swim in and out with ease. Now that we have had it in for a couple months everyone gets the hang of it and gets in and out without me having to bail them out.

Want Hagen Laguna Skimmer Filter Discount?

Have a 500 gallon pond/waterfall works great very simple to install great product buy it. No issues as advertised what else is there to say?

Save 45% Off

Read More >>

Coralife Super Skimmer with Pump

Okay just being clear the new style skimmer I think is much better than the old one: I recently purchased the 125 model and it is being used on a 110 gallon FOWLR system as a HOB skimmer: It does not come with the best instructions but at the same time it's not hard to get running: I washed the unit before I put it in the tank to get the plastic film from production off the entire unit: Just warm water and a very small amount of vinegar in the kitchen sink: It started producing within an acouple of days: I must say it does sound a little noisy at first but mine did become quiter after about a week: I tried it first with the large round black sponge on the discharge tube and it worked: It just was to close the lights in my tank and started having some micro algea grow on it: I removed it and have not put it back on: adjustment of the skimmer is quite easy to me: Just turn the red knob till the bubbles are where you want them: Took about a week of fine adjustments to really get it working like I wanted: Micro bubbles were more than usual in the first two weeks, but have been reduced to near nothing: I did shorten the supplied tubing so the pump would sit closer to the input of the nozzle: it comes with two lengths so you can use HOB or sump setup: Large collection cup with a drain plug is nice for the price: Only compliant was the pump: In the user manual coralife recommends a 650-750gph pump for best operation: The pump shipped with is a 2000L/hr unit that converts to 528 GPH. I have not decided yet to upgrade the pump at my expense or not: But even with that said it does produce a huge amount of micro bubbles inside the skimmer and it still works: Overall not a bad skimmer for the price range: and it also comes with a tube silencer for the air intake whice is very noisy without it: I also noticed you need to tighten the collection cup down pretty tight because the grove the O-ring sits on is deep.

This skimmer ROCKS!!! Most lower end skimmers need a week to begin producing skimmate-this produced thick coffee-dark sludge within minutes of being plugged in. It's super easy to adjust, has a big enough collection cup to prevent you from having to fiddle with it every few hours, and it produces NO microbubbles. Since my 75g QT tank was filthy, the water was turning opaque, and the walls were covered in algae, I set it up and had it run very wet. I sent the built in overflow (vacation-safe!) tubing out to a gallon jug It was fill in two days with dark sludge, and the water was crystal clear.

It isn't perfect, but it's close enough and you save $500 on the price of the perfect one.

After using 5 other skimmers for various other tanks, I'm stuck on this one. I have the 220g version running on my 75QT tank, and will make room for it on my main tank when my fish are out of QT. This works so well, it precludes my need for an RO/DI unit, as it pulls out all brown silicate algae as well.

Buy Coralife Super Skimmer with Pump Now

The amount of skim the first week was amazing to see it working. I did have a skimmer from Instant Ocean and it was crap compared to this unit. Coralife's Bubble production from the motor is great. I did have a problem two weeks into running... the motor starting making noise. It was the plastic housing holding the motor shaft in place, was cracked. I removed the cracked part of the housing so that it was wouldn't fall loose into the motor causing more damage and decide to sill run it. Called their customer service and a new housing would be replaced, no hassle, no questions asked other than name and address.

Read Best Reviews of Coralife Super Skimmer with Pump Here

This skimmer does what it says but as others have said it leaks small amounts of water from the adjustment knob so its best used in a sump.

Want Coralife Super Skimmer with Pump Discount?

I bought the "new style" skimmer. Makes alot of bubbles for the proteins to stick to, the bigger and better collection cup is bigger and better, But the skimmer wouldn't turn down enough to stop a constant flow of micro bubbles into the collection cup. I let it run for 3 days, routing the flow through the optional drain tube back into my sump while I awaited Coralife Techs to return my email...I'm still waiting. I resolved the problem by placing a ball valve between the pump and skimmer intake, slowing the water flow slightly, and now it works great! The pump seems to be just a little too powerful for the return flow design.

Save 55% Off

Read More >>

TOM Stellar Air Pump S-30 - 30gal to 40gal tank

This S-30 Tom Stellar Air Pump operated quite nicely, and appeared to be doing it's job rather well. However, this thing is loud! Sounds like a compressor, which of course, it is.

I went with the S-20 model, and it's like night and day in the noise department. Same build quality as the S-30 with rubber feet and all.

FYI, apparently, these are an all black model now, not like the current picture on Amazon. They have the STELLAR name vertically printed on the top of the housing in large letters.

Read More >>