Coralife Biocube, Size 14

I really like this tank. I've had many different tanks, ranging from a small 5g acrylic "bowfront" tank to a 210 gallon tank and everything in between. I've been in the aquarium hobby for the last 15 years and tried a little of everything.

The Coralife 14g Biocube is, simply put, amazing. It feels like good quality materials and does EVERYTHING it is advertised to do, which almost seems odd nowadays. Most products seem to claim they can reach the moon and never deliver.

I am running saltwater in the tank now and its great for it. There are plenty off additional parts you can purchase, such as a protein skimmer and different filtration, but I've never had the need. I've got multiple colonies of large corals, mainly LPS and also a 3" G. smithii mantis shrimp. All inverts are pretty sensitive to water problems and while I was initially concerned that in such a small tank I would have a hard time maintaining salinity easily, it has been a breeze. The tight fitting canopy stops all but the smallest amount of water from evaporating out. One really handy feature is a small window in the back and side of the tank allowing you to see your water depth and it lets you know when you need to top off or not.

For anyone who has ran a tank with a sump before, that's how this tank operates. The main display water volume never varies, only in the back where the return pump is do you see any water level change. What's great about this is you wont ever have that stupid looking line at the very top of your tank where you can see air again because too much water evaporated. That seems like a minor thing but it's a small thing that makes your tank look bad. Now you'll never deal with that again.

My only complaint is the heat. Two compact fluorescent bulbs put out quite a bit of heat. My office where I have the tank is a steady 72 to 73 degrees during the day and the tank itself runs up to a max of 83 degrees at the end of the light cycle. I have the lights come on at 7:30AM and turn off at 4:30pm, so 9 hours of continual light, and the tank goes from 78.5 degrees to 83 degrees, so a four and a half degree difference every day. I can actually tell my corals dont like the high end of it, by the end of the day some are starting to look a little wilted and unhappy. I tried turning off one light and it helps, the tank was only heating to about 81 degrees during the day, but that isnt acceptable because I need high light to keep my corals up and running. So yeah... I'm going to end up replacing my lamps with LEDs, which is too bad, because basically that is going to cost me about $150 to $200, so it makes my "cheap" tank almost double in price.

Long story short, if you want to have fish and plants or corals in your tank, make sure they can survive 80+ temperatures, or else put the tank in a room with ambient temperatures of under 70 degrees.

One last thing to mention, this tank does NOT come with a heater. I thought it did from reading a couple other reviews but it most definitely does not. So if you do want a hot tank or you are running in a low ambient temperature room, pick up a small heater. Any 50w heater should fit fine in the back.

I've had this tank for over a month and the quality is amazing. After the 3 week acclimation, I now have a live rock, 2 clown fish a damsel and an anemone all doing great. I would recommend this tank to any beginners to salt water, as I am one.

Buy Coralife Biocube, Size 14 Now

I love this tank. The lights are fantastic on it. The size is great and the pump works great. Nice and clean.

Read Best Reviews of Coralife Biocube, Size 14 Here

This tank is the shiz-nit And oceanic is a great company that stands behind their product. My 1st biocube started to leak after about 10 months from a power head blowing on the upper silicon seal. I called Oceanic and they were very helpful in replacing my tank. I have had many aquariums and the biocube is by far my favorite. The only real issue I had was all my live stock out grew the tank quickly. I was shocked at how well lps and sps corals did in the tank. The Biocube is a solid very easy to maintain marine aquarium and I highly recommend it . I would like to see an LED lighting system to eliminate the heat from the pc lights in the next generation cube.

Want Coralife Biocube, Size 14 Discount?

Even after Fed-Ex launched the package over my entrance gate, the product was packed so well it survived. I love my new aquarium. for the first time in all the years of salt water I finally have managed to keep a Yellow Tang alive.

Save 41% Off

Read More >>

Silent Air X-2 Air Pump - 20 gallon - 1 outlet

I purchased this product because I wanted a silent air pump and was disappointed with it for that reason.

I must have purchased this at Petco as I searched my orders and could not find it. However the pump I replaced it with, I did buy from Amazon.

I have a 20 gallon long aquarium. I hooked up this Penn-Plax Silent-Air X2 air pump to handle two air stones. It did the job but was noisy. I replaced it with a Marina 75 air pump(see my Amazon review)

and discovered that it was about 33% quieter while doing the same job.

Buy Silent Air X-2 Air Pump - 20 gallon - 1 outlet Now

Have had this pump for a year, still works great. It's not absolutely silent, but it is still very quiet compared to other pumps. I had it on a shelf above my tank, several times knocked it off, doesn't phase it, still worked as well as the day I got it. Impressed enough I am buying the same brand pump for my new 60 gallon tank that is replacing my 20.

Read Best Reviews of Silent Air X-2 Air Pump - 20 gallon - 1 outlet Here

Read More >>

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

This 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.

Read More >>

Como 12.6"Green Plastic Leaf Plants Ornament for Aquarium Fish Tank

vary nice and sturdy plant my african cichlids dont play well with most plants they just tare the crap out of them this one is vary durable they love it they play in it all day o and it looks about as real as they come

Read More >>

TetraPond Anti-Algae Blocks for fountains, 6-Block

I have tried several products to take care of algae build-up in our fountain and nothing works as well as these blocks! One block keeps it clean for weeks and by regularly putting them in, the fountain stays algae free for months!! I highly recommend them.

The blocks kept the algae away for about two weeks in a clean fountain, but after than, even though I followed directions, the algae formed. They may have kept it at bay a week or two longer than other products, but in the end, I've found nothing to deal with algae effectively in residential fountains.

Buy TetraPond Anti-Algae Blocks for fountains, 6-Block Now

This is a great product for our fountain. It was recommended to me by the fountain company. It keep our water clear.

Read Best Reviews of TetraPond Anti-Algae Blocks for fountains, 6-Block Here

These work great. I just ordered more. All you do is throw them in once a month and forget them.

Want TetraPond Anti-Algae Blocks for fountains, 6-Block Discount?

These blocks work well as long as my fountain is already clear of algae. If algae has taken hold, more agressive action is needed.

Save 45% Off

Read More >>

Aquarium Tank Top Security Clips, Small

These clips do not work at all on my tank im very disappointed. I don't think I will purchase these again

These clips do the job even if you have to bend them inward a bit. Sometimes they fit my 20 gallon tanks so tight.....they re hard to get off. Guess that ll make it harder for my reptiles to get out too huh? They used to sell these in petshops now all you get is the Fluker's equivalent of them.....which holds no candle to these.

Buy Aquarium Tank Top Security Clips, Small Now

these clips work great. my snake has yet to escape her tank. and believe me, she has tried, and how!!

Read Best Reviews of Aquarium Tank Top Security Clips, Small Here

After having to move my escape-artist Syrian into a tank (shamefully, but it's the only thing she can't chew through), I discovered she could still escape from this: she'd push everything within the tank to one corner, then climb on top of the mountain, and push up the lid with her front paws. Sick of stacking law books on top and reducing her air flow, I tried these 2 little clips (hesitantly, as some reviews were not stellar)--and they worked! They really save the day. Now she can't push up the lid, though she tries and tries. But instead of pushing the lid up, she hangs from the lid with her paws, swinging away like a monkey. Crazy hammy.

It was also very easy to install (took about 2 minutes), and easy to open and close every day.

NOTE: I couldn't find these at my local pets stores (including Petco, who's listed as the seller here). So online it had to be.

Want Aquarium Tank Top Security Clips, Small Discount?

Clips were too large for my cover and weird to configure to the tank. Instructions were not helpful. Once we figured it out they are not very secure. May have to buy another cover for the tank

Save 15% Off

Read More >>

Marina Goldfish Kit - UL Purple - X-Large

The tank itself is fine, I didn't really care for the strange shape, but it's a sturdy acrylic tank. The "filter" however, is crap. You will need to buy a real filter that takes filter bags, otherwise you will be cleaning the whole tank out every week.

It was perfect size for my betta, a sucker and two small corry cats. But the weekly fuss over cleaning the damn thing out was terrible. If you buy a GOOD pump with a proper filter, it is a goon starter tank for 4 small fish.

Let me start with a positive comment. This is the perfect tank FOR A BETTA. Or maybe a couple of very, very small fish that will stay that way.

If you plan on buying this for your goldfish, FORGET IT. Save yourself a lot of anxiety and money and BUY A BIGGER TANK. I know this looks like the perfect size for that little 1" goldie you won at the fair, but it is a far cry from what you will need.

*** For your goldfish: You need a tank that holds at least 20 gallons (yes, that says TWENTY) -NOT THIS PIECE OF CRAP. ***

My reasons?

The goldfish might be small when you buy it at the pet store but will grow up to 6" and this is a MINIMUM. Some varieties may grow beyond a foot! This tank will not allow for healthy growth and development BECAUSE IT IS WAY TOO SMALL.

Goldfish are dirty. And by dirty, I mean they poop constantly. This means YOU have to clean up after them. And the smaller the tank, the more often you will need to clean it.

"Filtration" is total crap. Almost nonexistent. I think it just pumps a lot of bubbles into the water. Your goldfish will not be getting enough oxygen. Also raises the water temperature.

Hood traps in too much heat. Because of its small volume, this tank will have drastic changes in temperature which is not good for your goldfish.

Here is my story:

Boyfriend surprised me with a beautiful black moor and a HAGEN Marina Goldfish starter kit -exactly like this one. He purchased both from Superpetz. Neither of us had any knowledge of goldfish but the person who sold him the fish should have. The seller did not tell him that the tank is WRONG WRONG WRONG for a goldfish, which he/she should have known. I did not know this until a couple of days later (after the store had already gone out of business... no surprise there) when I started reading up on my new pet. I noticed that the water was getting murky within a couple of days so I did a 50% water change. Not even two days later, I came home and my fish was frantically swimming in a circle, up toward the surface and down toward the bottom, running itself into the side of the tank, over and over again. It looked like he was trying to push himself out of the tank. Odd, I thought. So I read up on some reasons. "TOO SMALL!" The restrictive size leads to a lot of health issues because of dirtiness. Swim bladder, fin rot, even ICH. I ruled it down to toxic shock. The fish was creating too much ammonia in too small of a space. Unfortunately for me, I cannot afford to buy/have the capacity for a larger tank at the moment. But I am not about to flush my fishie down the toilet, either. So I continue to do a 50% water change AT LEAST every other day (which stresses the fish) and an entire tank cleaning weekly (which stresses the fish AND myself). I hope that my fish makes it through the next week until I am able to get him into a suitable living environment, but the odds do not look good.

I am very upset at the Superpetz employee who was more concerned with making a final sale than offering a better aquarium. But I am downright angry that the HAGEN company would even manufacture this product and falsely advertise it as "a goldfish starter kit." I guess "starter" means "good for about a day and then buy yourself a better tank." Again, it is a good tank for a BETTA, but should be advertised as such. The box shows the tank holding a goldfish but it cannot possibly survive in there for long. FALSE ADVERTISEMENT.

~*~*~ If you plan on purchasing this tank for any kind of goldfish, avoid. Buy a 20 gallon aquarium. It will run you a little more, but it's the type you should have from the beginning anyway. Do not make the mistake that we made (not being educated about the goldfish, etc). I do not mean to slander the HAGEN company but this concerns the health and well-being of a living thing, and this particular product is not conducive to healthy living. Just getting the word out. Be aware. ~*~*~

Buy Marina Goldfish Kit - UL Purple - X-Large Now

Read More >>

Laguna Aeration Kit for Ponds

This product works extraordinarily well!! Like one of the other reviewers, I typically kept a $250 pump going throughout the winter to keep my 4000 gallon pond from freezing over. Because I didn't filter the water during the winter, I had to continually clear out deris from the pump (a really, really big pain). I tried using the Laguana aeration kit this past winter. I thought I had nothing to loose for about $30.00. Wow!! What a pleasant surprise!! Not only did the aeration kit keep the pond surface from freezing (and the temperatures fell below freezing and dropped near zero on several occasions last winter in my neck of the woods--zone 6)but the algae that typically overwintered and thrived in my pond during the winter months DID NOT DO SO!! Algae was virtually non-existant the entire winter season!

I normally have to use TWO UV lights in my pond to control algae but this season I'm using only one. My trusty aeration kit has significantly reduced my algae problem and the aeration solution is the cheapest and most effective I have ever used! Nothing else in my pond set-up has changed and this is the first time in over a dozen years maintaining a pond that algae hasn't been a problem!!!)

I highly recommend this product!! But I do have one caveat: the instructions recommend a one-way valve (not included) to keep water from siphoning back into the pump if the power goes off. I was a tad annoyed that this item wasn't included in the kit but it cost only a couple of dollars at PetSmart and well worth the peace of mind.

I have a small plastic container near my pond that I use to protect the aeration

pump and my uv transformer. No problem drilling a hole for the power cord and airline (actually the hole was already there because of my uv clarifyer transformer needing protection).

I've recommended this product to all my friends with ponds. At Amazon's price of $30.00, I'm purchasing another for back-up.

This pump works great. It is larger than it appears in the pic. I'd say its about 9 inches long, and about 3.5 inches high. Maybe 4 inches thick. I have a 2200 gallon koi pond and this pump makes plenty of air for it. It produces a lot of bubbles. And if you have somewhere to put it, then you can't even hear it run. I just ran a long airline, and I never even hear this pump. It is also pretty power efficient. It doesn't come with an air stone though, for actually making the bubbles. You are going to need one of the larger airstones because this pump flows a lot more air than some of the smaller ones. I would recommend the big 5 inch circular one from petsmart or someplace like that. And you need to let the stone soak for a long time before using it, just like the package says. Or else it won't make bubbles near as well. Learned that from personal experience. All in all, this pump has served me very well. I would certainly not hesitate to buy another one. It has lasted fine in the freezing cold, and in the punishing texas heat.

Buy Laguna Aeration Kit for Ponds Now

Pros:

Can pump air to a decent depth. My pond is about 5 feet deep at it's lowest point and I had to weight the air-stone and drop it to about 4.5 feet or so. It kept pushing a respectable amount of bubbles at that depth, but much more that that and the output drops considerably.

Price. It's ability to pump at the depth I had it would have choked anything you could purchase at a local store at this price point. The depth will probably decrease it's usable life, but I had it running 24/7 for 4 months straight.

Air-stone and tubing is included. Nothing remarkable about the air-stone, but the tubing included with mine was much longer than the indicated 30" (inches? probably a typo, should be 30'), mine was closer to 25 feet. It's also the more expensive silicone tubing as opposed to the cheaper vinyl tubing that eventually gets hard and stiff.

The styrofoam float is a bit of an eyesore but it will keep the stone at whatever depth you need if you use it.

Cons:

In my opinion it is pretty loud at its highest setting. Not so loud that it is completely nerve-wracking (I've had smaller indoor aquarium air pumps that were louder after a while), but it's definitely not what I would consider quiet. You will notice it if you don't have a pretty vigorous waterfall or other background sounds.

If you were thinking about using it inside the home, it could probably run quite a few air-stones at the depths of your average indoor aquarium; however, the sound would be unacceptable to me in the house. I never tried to build a sound dampening box for it, so that may be a viable option.

Summary:

I used this in the hottest part of the summer to get additional movement and aeration in my pond because my bottom drain is not aerated. I think it's a little too loud for the area I have to put it in (near a seating area), so I'll probably relegate it to the far end of the patio and use it in a quarantine tank or try my hand at some hydroponics.

I think it's definitely worth the asking price, but obviously you'll need to spend much more if you need it to be quiet and run at deeper depths.

Read Best Reviews of Laguna Aeration Kit for Ponds Here

Bought this to keep my pond oxygenated through the winter. Planning on housing the pump in a plastic tub with lid to keep it dry and feeding the aeration tube into the pond. Hope the fish and frogs are happy (and alive) as they hibernate!

Want Laguna Aeration Kit for Ponds Discount?

For years I would keep my pond pump running during the late fall and winter months, which meant that I had the clean the filter each week, a real pain in cold weather. I came across this product tht claimed it would provide aireation for the fish during these times of the year. This is my second one, the first lasted through two fall and winter seasons, but the power supply had lost some power. This is an excellent product and it should last me for another year or so. One thing it is important to know, you do not have to run this unit from inside your house or garage (as suggested in the instructions). Just get a plactic box (e.g. Rubbermaid) with a top, cut a hole for the air line to the pond and one for the electical cord and two holes on each side for ventalation. This keeps the unit dry and it has worked without fail 24/7 in below freezing temparatures. AT $49 or so, it is a real bargain.

Save 52% Off

Read More >>

Azoo Mignon Filter 150 Power Filter

I've been running the Azoo Mignon filter in my fish tank for about two months now and it runs like a champ. It is very quiet (unless the water level in the tank drops, and then I just need to refresh the water levels--no fault of the filter) and seems to do a very good job keeping the tank clean. I have been using it on a smaller 5-gallon tank and I turned the flow down some so the water isn't so turbulent. My goldfish (the only occupant in my tank) seems to like it and I see him hanging out occasionally around the spillway--he seems to like the slight briskness of the flow. I would highly recommend it. I'm sure it would do a fine job in a larger tank too.

I bought this filter from Amazon as an upgrade to the Azoo Mignon 60 I used to cycle my aquarium.

I have a small 5.5 gallon aquarium with live plants, driftwood, and Flourite substrate. Tank inhabitants are a single male betta, 2 apple snails, an algae eater and 5 glass shrimp. This filter is very small, but does a great job cycling the water enough to keep the tank nice and clear. I felt the original Azoo Mignon 60 was right at its limit in how much water it could turn over in a 5.5 gallon tank.

The only modifications I made to this new Azoo 150 were to remove the sponge and carbon it came with and replace them with BioMax and AquaClear foam inserts (both available through Amazon). I dropped a small mesh bag with about 12 biomax pellets and cut the new AquaClear foam insert to fit tightly into the top portion of the tank. The AquaClear (sponge) is taller than the flow of water (if that makes sense). So that all water that comes through the filter passes through the sponge and the biomax at the bottom cultures my healthy bacteria.

The filter is very quiet and has an easily adjusted flow knob so that I can turn the flow down when feeding and back up after and even to full blast if I have disturbed the substrate when moving plants around. I think it is an incredible deal for the price. I was also really impressed with how small it is. I wanted to make sure that whatever power filter I used didn't look like a monster hanging off the back of a small 5.5 gallon tank.

Overall it does the job, looks really nice and is cheap enough to buy a replacement if needed.

Buy Azoo Mignon Filter 150 Power Filter Now

My 2 marina filter that was more expensive than this filter couldn't match up be warned however this is small.

Read Best Reviews of Azoo Mignon Filter 150 Power Filter Here

I bought this little filter in my local fish store for my 5.5 gallon Aqueon tank.

The carbon filtration seems to work perfectly. I installed it right after a week long Melafix treatment for one of my guppies (this is my nursery/hospital tank) so the water was very cloudy. In 12 hours, there was a substantial change in the cloudiness. In 24 hours, the water was nearly clear. By 48 hours, the tank was sparkling clean. This works perfectly for a 5.5 gallon tank.

Now for the chemical filtration, included in the package is one set of the carbon filter cartridge, and a thin black sponge "for mechanical filtration." Indeed the media in the thin black sponge was thin and spacious; there is less surface area in the sponge than optimal. Afraid that I did not have enough surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow on (truly not an issue), I purchased a pack of replacement sponges for the Azoo Mignon 60 and used the "bio-filter" (aka dense sponge for bacteria to coat) and placed it into the Mignon 150. The sponge is obviously smaller than intended, but all intents and purposes, it works.

The filter does have an adjustable flow knob at the top of the intake. Contrary to the functionality of even the "top brands" of filters, this knob does make a significant difference in the flow. Also, this feature is not commonly found on smaller models of power filters. This makes it useful for tanks housing fry who can't fight current or may be sucked into the filter.

All I have to say about the noise level is that it is virtually silent. If the water gets too low in the tank, of course, the out-flow will make noise, but that's not an issue of the filter.

This was an affordable and fully functional power filter. It is worth every cent. The extra media that I put into the filter is not necessary. I would not advise this filter for anything larger than the tank I have, however.

P.S. Check out the photo(s) I have uploaded!

Want Azoo Mignon Filter 150 Power Filter Discount?

I have a regular 30 gallon tank. I don't think the plastic around the top is any wider than it is on any other tank, but this filter would not fit on it.

Read More >>

Penn Plax Cascade 1500 Canister Aquarium Filter CCF5UL

I have multi tanks in my home and my 150 gal is hard to reach bottom

so installing this makes it easy to leave a hi-flo unit inplace 24/7 to keep tank free

and the valve for flo let's you hook-up floor vac and deep clean gravle

Save 17% Off

Read More >>

Top Fin Power Filters and Filtration Cartridges

It is simple to use and the current flow allows air to circulate in the water. There is nothing special except it came with my tank.

Pros:

The filter does a good job at cleaning my 10 gallon aquarium and I have over 30 fish including my fry.

The filter pads are inexpensive

Cons:

Noise might be too high.

Lasted me for about 4 years. (It might be user error since the motor runs but it is not sucking up water).

Read More >>

TetraPond 5 in 1 Pond Test Strips, 50 strips

We have been using Tetra test strips for our Koi pond since we established it. These strips make it simple and easy to control the water condition so that we don't lose $700 worth of fish. They are accurate and easy to use and easy to store. Amazon had the best price on them and gives us the best service.

I received these in the mail today [they are 4 months from expiration] and ran two strips right away. Both strips showed the same results, then I tested the same batch of water with my test tube and drops kit and again got the same results, then I ran all the tests again and got the same readings.

This shows the strips are accurate and consistent. Realise these tests are not minutely accurate, only showing a range of results, this however is accurate enough for the pond hobbyist.

TEST KITS AND STRIPS DO NOT WORK IF NOT USED.......TEST EVERY WEEK AND LOG THE RESULTS.

Buy TetraPond 5 in 1 Pond Test Strips, 50 strips Now

I bought this to help test my pond water. When it arrived, the strips were 1 month from expiration. I tried to use them anyway and they implied the water was pristine. Clearly they were wrong because even though the water tested perfect and I changed the water regularly, I had a major fish die off within a month. I don't think these are very accurate and have stopped using them.

Read Best Reviews of TetraPond 5 in 1 Pond Test Strips, 50 strips Here

Read More >>

Lee's Convalescent Home/Specimen Container, Small

Any person who has more than one aquarium should invest in these containers. They work very well! Lee's products have been used in our fishkeeping for many many years.

Save 42% Off

Read More >>

Stability, 100 mL / 3.4 fl. oz.

My turtle tank was a disaster after I did a complete water and filter change. Within days it was completely cloudy and we couldn't see a thing. I was told it was a bad bacteria bloom. So I did a half-tank change and added this stabilizer, then another capful every day for a week -now my tank is crystal clear once again!

Read More >>

AquaTop UVCP-13 Submersible Pump UV Sterilizer

I had experimented with other UV sterilizers and had mixed results from two classic problems with these things: 1.) The previous item I tried did not have any visual access to the bulb to confirm its operation and instead used a remote red LED to indicate whether it was on or not and 2.) The unit broke or the bulb burned out right away, and replacement bulbs were expensive.

First of all, what I really like about this item is that there is a clear plastic ring in the heart of the unit that the UV light can indirectly escape out of. This is not a direct view of the bulb itself because the light is traveling down a quartz sleeve and then illuminating the base of the bulb housing. While I get the idea that this light coming out of the plastic ring is still not safe for human eyes and look at it only glancingly, it does DIRECTLY CONFIRM THAT THE BULB IS WORKING. That being said, all you have to do otherwise is to observe if the pump output is working, and mine certainly is. The pump output is nice and steady and strong. I can very easily see turbulence in clear water at the base of the device, which satisfies my inspection.

The device has a large filter housing and filter media to protect the intake. I get the idea that it was originally designed for heavy duty pond scum, because looking at it it appears that this could serve as the primary physical filter of a small fish tank. Regardless, the previous pump/bulb combos that I'd looked at have a minimal filter for their pump, which could clog easily or fail and cause pump death. Here I feel very secure. Also, the filter is easily removed and cleaned when changing the bulb, which the manufacturer recommends once every few months regardless of bulb operation, as the bulbs loose their efficiency after a while.

Based on what I've seen, bulbs for this unit are CHEAP compared to other brands.

Know also that this is a pump / UV combo, so you don't have to buy anything else like tubes, clamps, or a PUMP. It's drop and plug. Comes with suction cups and everything you'll need.

Changing the bulb is a little more invasive than changing the filter, and looking at the double o-ring design I get the overwhelming feeling that the manufacturer does not want to get any of the bulb apparatus wet. I advise you pull the unit and let it dry all day by an air conditioner before disassembling it for a bulb change.

I made sure to do a fake bulb change drill before I submerged my new unit so I could get a good practice run in my head before I ever really needed to do it. I recommend you do the same. It's kind of a multi step procedure and you might as well learn on a good, clean, dry unit.

The unit is a little large, significantly larger than what I was replacing. I use a large sump under my actual fish tank, so cramming it in there required a lot of rearranging but we're all good now. The UV light is concealed in a cabinet and my fish do not come into direct contact with it. Oh, and be sure that this thing is completely submerged if in a fish tank and free of any floating debris sources in a pond.

So far... it WORKS, it had a quick easy set up, and it cost about ten bucks more than the competition offering which SUCKED. It's all one piece, and it has a SUPER long power cord which is really nice. The outlet uses a third grounding plug, which a good safety move for anything aquatic. The other brands do not have this.

Be sure to never turn the item on unless it is totally submerged in water! You want to test it to see if it works? Submerge it first! And don't look into the light any longer than you have to.

This is really nice all in one system. The only reason I didnt give it 5 stars. Was trying to get it to stay on bottom of my koi pond. I finally did like one of the other customers suggested; i used cable ties to connect a brick to it. now it stays where i put it. It comes with suction cups, which every one knows that has an outdoor pond,is to slippery to let the cups get a grip.

Buy AquaTop UVCP-13 Submersible Pump UV Sterilizer Now

Picked this up due to algae and clouding issues that didnt resolve after multiple chemical treatments in my 135 gallon tank. The addition of this filter to augment my XP4 has resulted in CRYSTAL CLEAR water! (I mean really, I cant explain to you how clear my water is!) This is a great purchase, and eliminates the hassle of inline filter installation.

Update Oct 2012: this filter has now killed an eel and a puffer. The lack of a mesh screen allows fish of small or medium size to enter the output where they get bluggened to death by a plastic rotor. If you love your fish, avoid at ALL costs

Read Best Reviews of AquaTop UVCP-13 Submersible Pump UV Sterilizer Here

I don't think I've ever written an Amazon review before, but I'm really impressed with this UV clarifier, and seeing that there were a couple of negative reviews, I wanted to have some input to really recommend this clarifier for small backyard ponds. And no, I'm not associated with the manufacturer or anything like that, I'm just a regular person in Ohio with a six year old backyard pond that I dug myself and totally love.

The past few years I've had an external pressurized UV clarifier and filter, which worked reasonably well, but it was a pain to clean, and I was always worried about leaks with running the water out of the pond and then back in. So I looked at a number of submersible UVs that I could just drop in the pond and (hopefully) achieve the same results. I liked the idea that this one was a stand-alone unit, rather than inline and needing to be hooked into the line going from the primary pump to the waterfall. The price was great too compared to the other submersibles suitable for outdoor use.

I took pictures the day I put it in and every few days after that. After the first week, I started to see an improvement, so I would remind anyone looking to get a UV clarifier that these things don't work overnight. (I've had similar results each spring when I started my old one up, so I wasn't expecting a miracle.) Then the weather got bad and I didn't go out for a few days, but when I did, the difference was amazing. You can see every rock on the bottom of the pond and the shadows of the fish, whereas before it was all just a green haze. I'm going to put my before and after pictures up in the customer images section.

It's easy to clean too, just unplug, pull it out of the water and slide the pre-filter housing off; the pre-filter itself you just wash out in a bucket of water or with a hose. The light ring is a nice touch too, although out in the sun you can't see it; you can only see it when it's dark out.

One thing to note; since the UV bulb is encased in a waterproof compartment, there's some air inside the unit which made the intake end float upwards when it was placed in the water. I used a zip tie to attach a weight (less than a pound) to the end and that keeps it from floating up just fine. The main part of the unit I set on another brick to keep it off the floor of the pond.

I think my pond is about 600 gallons (not really sure, because it's so irregularly shaped), but I should think that this unit would work well for anyone with a basic backyard pond or water garden (and a reasonable amount of patience!) I highly recommend this item!

Want AquaTop UVCP-13 Submersible Pump UV Sterilizer Discount?

WE PURCHASED THIS AQUA TOP UVCP-13 SUBMERSIBLE PUMP UV STERILIZER

FOR OUR 500 GALLON POND TO CLEAR AWAY ALGAE.

THIS IS A STRONG PUMP AND DOES A GREAT JOB -CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER.

WE ARE USING A 1000 GALLON PH PUMP WITH FILTER WITH IT.

NICE

Read More >>