Elite Thermostatic Heater
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I bought two of these heaters, both after about a month and a half broke. There is something wrong with the thermostat in them, they both heated up red hot and the glass busted. I've never seen heaters do this before. Don't waste your money on these!This Aquarium Water Heater does heat the water BUT its temperture probe location is 1/2" from the top of the unit. When you start with a clean Aquarium, for two days it works, then its sensor probe is no longer in the water (evaporation) but instead in the air above the water! How does it know what temperature the water is??? In order for you to make it work correctly you have to keep the water all the way to the top of the Aquarium ALL of the time, fill it every day.This was a great value compared to what they cost in store. The only thing I don't like about it is it need a lid to cover the adjuster for the temp control. Kids and cats kept adjusting the temp.Como 10 Distributor Multiple Air Flow Control Aquarium Valve
HBH Enterprises Cut your own Ammonia Filter Pad 10x18in
I have been having horrible problems with ammonia in my 55 gallon tank. I have tried multiple solutions with little to no success ranging from partial water changes to chemicals. The HBH Aqua Pure Ammonia filter pad has done an excellent job. I still have slight traces of ammonia, but ammonia at .25 to .5 ppm of ammonia is a lot better than 4.0+ ppm.
Just to fill you in, I have had this tank operating just fine for about 2 years. It was very well cycled. I do not use an RO system to filter the water, but I do filter the water to remove chloramines and other contaminants. The ammonia level in the filtered water is typically .5 ppm. Not great, but manageable. I typically do partial water changes of 10 to 15 gallons just to get rid of excess waste. But, recently and for some unknown reason, the ammonia started to spike. Same fish, so nothing has changed. I tested the water and it's the same. So, I don't have an explanation for the spike in ammonia.
Other ammonia removers with partial water changes just were not doing the trick. This has been by far the best and easiest solution.
Best of all the fish are healthy, eat well, and don't appear to have any problems.
At some point I will probably invest in a good RO system to help with the elimination of ammonia completely.
Buy HBH Enterprises Cut your own Ammonia Filter Pad 10x18in Now
It really is a good product for keeping my fish tank clean. Cut to fit my filter it does save a lot of money.Read Best Reviews of HBH Enterprises Cut your own Ammonia Filter Pad 10x18in Here
Fluval Biomax Bio Rings - 500 grams/17.63 ounces
Because these are so textured and allow for full water flow through colonization is very fast and you'll see the results of this product in fewer ammonia spikes as well as more stabilized water parameters. At this price they're beyond a great deal, plus this item is Prime eligible so add free shipping to boot.
My suggestion is to order more than you think you'll need remember to rinse them in aquarium water not tap water. The same applies to filter maintenance always rinse any filter media in water taken from the tank the filter serves. This protects all the healthy bacteria while getting rid of the gunk. Using tap water will kill your colonization on contact.
Although Fluval states to replace these every six months, I can assure you after 40 years of keeping fish this only to sell more product. In fact ceramic media will last almost indefinitely so there's rarely a reason to replace them. They're also great for seeding a new aquarium filter and shortening the cycle period.
Next to the eheim splintered glass spheres this is one best media you can use a great product at an incredibly deep discount.I use this in several filters, not just in the Fluval canisters. It is great bio-material. I DO NOT change it out on the 6 month recomendation that is on the box. This will last much longer than that. I simply rinse once a month and keep it running through. I will remove any broken or crumbled ceramic rings, but those are far and few between.
Great stuff!!!
Buy Fluval Biomax Bio Rings - 500 grams/17.63 ounces Now
I've had my tank up and running for a month prior to buying the prefilter media, bio media, and filter floss. Before I installed these, my water was fairly clear, just a little cloudy, but nothing that I would have worried about. However, after I put this in, my water was crystal clear. I've never had a tank with water so clear. It's quite amazing. I have a fluval FX5 filter with the prefilter media and a bag of carbon on the top rack, 2nd shelf has 2 boxes of fluval bio media, and 3rd shelf has the filter floss with 2 boxes of biomedia. That's what it took to fill my filter. I found it was cheapest at the time on amazon. I have a 125g tank with a walleye and a couple dozen feeder fish (so a fairly messy bunch of fish). I highly recommend this stuff. Works great (been using this for 3-4 months).Read Best Reviews of Fluval Biomax Bio Rings - 500 grams/17.63 ounces Here
I use the Fluval FX5 filter for a 125 gallon RES turtle tank. For anyone out there that knows anything about turtles the are messy! With that said since I switched to the FX5 my tank has never been so clean and I don't have to clean the filter nearly as often as any other filter I have used on this tank in the past 4-5 years.Want Fluval Biomax Bio Rings - 500 grams/17.63 ounces Discount?
Great product. Much better price then you would find in most pet shops. Establishing good bacteria in your tank is essential to having a healthy aquarium .All you need to do is rinse!
Marineland Visi-Therm Aquarium Heater
It may be more expensive than other heaters for small aquariums but so far.... I think it's worth it.
It's getting the job done. I love how it doesn't look tacky in my aquarium (I was worried it would look really bulky) but it blended in just fine. It has it's own holder (so you don't have to worry about it dangling in the aquarium like a rabid lizard) And my Betta fish loves it :) He's currently "resting" underneath it.
And I love how you can adjust the water temperature by actually seeing NUMBERS. Other heaters let you control the water temperature blindly and making you unplug it when the water gets too hot (which in my opinion, is fish murder). This heater has an automatic switch so it turns of by itself when it gets to the desired water temperature.
Safe to say, SO FAR, this is the best heater I've had. =)TO ANYONE CONSIDERING THIS HEATER:
I have had this heater for about 5 months now. It worked great for that period of time but today I came home after being out of town overnight and the temperature in my tank was a whopping 91º!!!!! As this is a saltwater aquarium, everything survived....LUCKILY!!! You may have different luck with this heater than I did but be warned that the thermostat may just decide to stop working and cook your fish while you sleep!
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I had a marineland Visi therm heater in my marine aquarium and for no reason the glass on it cracked. The heater was in a water level controlled sump where it was never in contact with moving objects of fish so user error is NOT an issue here.A large section of glass simply "fell" off and exposed all the live coils to the water. The heater smoked and stunk the entire room out.
Everything in my tank was electrocuted to death instantly and I am now out hundreds of dollars in livestock.
NEVER EVER EVER EVER buy this product.
Read Best Reviews of Marineland Visi-Therm Aquarium Heater Here
After a year, I decided that my previous heaters the Hydor mini heaters were not adequate for my bettas due to the fact that they never got their water to the proper temperatures. They only heated their tanks just a few degrees higher than what the temperature in my apartment. After much research, I ended up buying four of the Visi-Therm Deluxe Submersible Heaters 25W for my four boys so I could be able to regulate the temperature settings. After a brief trial and error with the temperature settings, I finally got my boys' tanks at a temperature of warm and toasty or what it should be for betta splendens (i.e somewhere between 78 to 82 degrees). I had a bit of a struggle getting the suction cups to attached to the heater but evenutally I did. I like that the light will go on notifying me when the heater is on, and turns off when the temperature of the water is near being too warm. Because Ra's temperature was only at 69-70 degrees with his Hydor Mini heater, my little boy was cold. When I put in the Visi-Therm and brought back the temperature to over 75 degrees, Ra started making bubble nests again. I definitely will never go back to using a heater where I can not control the temperature. After a couple of months of owning the Visi-Therm Deluxe 25 heater, they are still working properly for me. I have read horror stories about this particular heater but from my personal experience, they have not malfunctioned.Want Marineland Visi-Therm Aquarium Heater Discount?
I originally had a 50W Marineland Stealth Pro, which has worked perfectly in 6G Fluval Edge with a nice design small and dark to blend in with the plants in the back, and a clear dial and pilot light at the top and not in the tank, where it distracts. That one was recalled due to explosion and fire hazard, and unfortunately has not been reissued.As a replacement, Marineland sent a Visi-Therm of equal power. It has a more obtrusive design making it harder to hide, and a bright pilot light very obvious at night. But it initially worked ok.
However, after a couple of months it failed open, and the tank started cooling. I caught it right away, and did not lose anything. And this is better than exploding and blowing the tank out.
Disappointing nevertheless...
My brother had the opposite experience with this heater losing his fish due to a thermal run away.
I think, I am done with Marineland.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
I do have an added tip for all you PetSmart/PetCo shopppers. Print out this page and take it in and they will price match. The PetSmart (instore) price is $29.99 and after showing them the ad I saved over $13, and I didn't even have to pay for shipping! :) GREAT DEAL!!! Four of five tests are fairly straightforward. The ammonia test, however, requires mixing the 5ml of tank water with 10 drops of one solution, shaking a second solution bottle for 30 seconds, adding 10 drops from it, then shaking the test tube for one minute, and then waiting 5 minutes to test color against a chart. Seems a bit much, no? That being said, this process isn't any more difficult than any other system I've seen, and it seems to be accurate. The color chart is waterproof, though the instruction manual isn't, and due to the moist nature of its application, make sure to memorize instructions quickly. API is by far the most highly recommended test kit on every freshwater tank forum I've read, and I found it here a good bit cheaper than at my local (chain) pet store. Be aware that the test tubes are glass and will occasionally shatter when trying to juggle all 4 at once, but I've only once needed to test for everything the first day the kit came in. Nitrates are probably the only regular (weekly) test you'll have to do outside of changes to the tank, such as adding fish or changing substrate or filter media.
FYI each bottle has a printed "Lot Number" on the back, the last four digits of which are the month and year of manufacture. Anything over three years or so is getting old, and you'll probably want an exchange unless you test with great frequency. These chems definitely have a finite shelf life.
Oh, and anyone who has live plants in a tank will want phosphates and KH test kits as well.
Buy API Freshwater Master Test Kit Now
This is a good all-purpose test kit for someone beginning freshwater fish-keeping. It's also the most economical way I've found to purchase a wide variety of tests (it contains test solutions for pH, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates) in large volume. The directions are clear and concise and the color coded cards make readings easy.Read Best Reviews of API Freshwater Master Test Kit Here
There are a few excellent points about this test kit:1) buying here saves you about 50% from the retail pet store
2) you get 800+ tests for ~ $17 vs. 25 tests w/ strips
3) results are far more accurate with liquid test kits like this one when compared to dipsticks
Note that of the 5 tests you can do with this, three of them require 5 minute waits before you read the colors, so it's not as fast as a dipstick. But honestly, this is such an economic choice, and it's accuracy far exceeds quick strips that it's ridiculous to buy them. Get this kit!
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I ordered the test kit on jan 21st and it took tell feb 1st to get which seemed long but maybe i am just spoiled with prime. I did not take any stars off for the shipping time.My main issue is the description is false. It clearly says:
"Freshwater Master Test Kit is a complete kit for testing tap water & aquarium water.Tests water 6 different ways to protect tropical fish from dangerous water conditions.Tests include: freshwater pH, ammonia, nitrite, high range pH, GH & KH, 4 test tubes, tray."
Well where is the GH & KH kit? It seems that the description is wrong. It says the kits are included but they are not. The ONLY reason i bought this was because it had the GH and KH kit included and i found it silly to spend the money on just a GH and KH kit when i could just get the other items for a only a little bit more.
Needless to say i am frustrated. I waited 12 days to get the wrong thing.I guess i should have read the text on the picture and not the actual product description.
/rant
Blonde Mermaid with Dolphin Fish Tank Decoration by Penn Plax
Seachem ParaGuard 100ml
Silent Air® X Series Aquarium Air Pumps, 2-Outlet, UL Listed
UPDATE 08-11-10
I bought two of these pumps and they have been running non-stop for over 2 years without fail. I would buy more of these in a heartbeat.It works but it isn't silent. The sound it makes is a vibration rumble. It is the quietest air pump I've encountered. If the noise still bothers you run the air hose from a closet. If it still bothers you get some aquarium plants. I've never had a problem with them making too much noise.
Buy Silent Air® X Series Aquarium Air Pumps, 2-Outlet, UL Listed Now
I have had this pump running for about a year and find myself quite satisfied. The pump pumps air through an almost 48inch bubble wall hose and the other hook up currently just off gases as we don't need it at this time. Over all the pump is fairly quiet as long as it is balance properly. If the pump becomes unbalanced or leans against something it becomes quite loud as it vibrates quite a bit.Read Best Reviews of Silent Air® X Series Aquarium Air Pumps, 2-Outlet, UL Listed Here
I have had this air pump for 6 months and it has been rock solid.I keep this air pump inside a cabinet, so any noise is minimal. For the price, I found it to be more powerful and quiet than the air pumps I have purchased at my local stores (Tetra Whisper and Rena Air).
Even though it is rated for "aquariums up to 75 gallons," this pump outperformed a Tetra Whisper Air Pump rated for up to 100 gallons (and the Tetra broke after less than a year).
The 6 Watt power supply for this air pump is what you should use to compare it to other brands. The Rena Air 300 only comes with a 4 Watt power supply, even though both it and the Silent-Air® X5 are "rated" for tanks up to 75 gallons. The Tetra Whisper Air Pump for up to 100 gallon tanks only has a 4.8 Watt power supply.
Want Silent Air® X Series Aquarium Air Pumps, 2-Outlet, UL Listed Discount?
ALTHOUGH I AM JUST A SMIGGIN DISAPPOINTED OVER THE SOUND, OVERALL IT IS A GREAT AIR PUMP. IT STATES IN THE ABOUT SECTION THAT IT IS QUIET, BUT ITS NOT AS QUIET AS IT COULD BE. THE PREVIOUS AIR PUMP I HAD WAS QUIETER. MY TANK IS IN THE FAMILY ROOM WHERE WE HAVE THE TV LOCATED, AND SOMETIMES THE PUMP OVER RUNS THE TV DEPENDING ON VOLUME, BUT OVER ALL IT ISNT SO ANNOYING WHERE I HAVE HAD TO BUY A NEW ONE. I HAVE NOTICED THOUGH THAT THIS PUMP COMPARED TO MY LAST ONE REALLY ADDS MORE AIR VOLUMN INTO THE TANK (MEANING MORE BUBBLES)All Glass Aquarium AAG25812 Inc Strip Light, 12-Inch
Buy All Glass Aquarium AAG25812 Inc Strip Light, 12-Inch Now
I had a hard time finding one that would fit my hexigon fish tank however this light housing fit the tank perfectly.Read Best Reviews of All Glass Aquarium AAG25812 Inc Strip Light, 12-Inch Here
Jardin Fish Tank Pond Bubble Release Sintered Air Stone Disk
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Aquarius AQ10000G 1-Gallon Glow Fish Globe Bowl Aquarium with Full Hood and 12 LED Glofish Lights
WARNING: UPDATE: 3 WEEKS LATER:
I have purchased in total, three of these aquariums. And All three aquariums within 3 weeks have clouded up permanently on the inside of the bowl, beginning at the water line, and spreading through out the bowl. I am unable to view the fish when they swim at the upper level of the bowl. I only rinse the bowl out with warm water. No abrasives are used in cleaning the acrylic. I can actually feel the coating of the acrylic on the inside of the bowl has deteriorated where it is cloudy. I do not recommend this bowl at all.There are 4 or 5 different light settings for this fishbowl, and I normally only use the LED white light. I put my betta in here, and he loves it! It's much larger than his old bowl and so far I've had no problems with it. It's easy to clean, easy to assemble and it really looks nice.
I'm not sure if it says anywhere on here, but this bowl is plastic. I was hoping for glass, but it's much lighter to carry with water in it, and still looks nice.I wanted a bowl for my betta fish that had a light and a lid, but no filter. This one was perfect! I only turn the light on once every other day, but after a couple of months, the "first" light the white one burned out. The others are still working fine, though. I love that there is a small hole for feeding my fish, but enough protection on top of the bowl so that my kitties can't get in it. I also like that it's lightweight for carrying, yet not too flimsy. Very pleased with this!!EDITED::::: I have to change this review because I've owned the 1.5 gallon version of this exact bowl since this past summer. Although my betta was happy in this bowl, it did not last more than 6 months. Despite being easy to maintain and easy to clean, the bowl itself is plastic. About 3 weeks ago I noticed the plastic started to become cloudy. I thought it was just algae so I emptied and cleaned it but could not scrub it clear again. It got worse over the following weeks despite water changes and today I took it and emptied it again and tried cleaning with a variety of things to make it clear again white vinegar, a baking soda paste, rubbing alcohol none of that worked. The bowl is so cloudy that you can barely see through it anymore. I've also noticed in the last week that the green bulbs have burned out, limiting my lighting options. For a bowl that is only 6 months old this is a very short life span. I had said that if my bulbs burned out I'd just purchase another bowl, but instead I picked up a nice, 1.75 gallon GLASS fish bowl at the pet store. Luckily the opening of that bowl will fit this lid so I'm keeping the lid until the rest of the bulbs burn out and then I'm going to purchase a clip on LED light. I'm done with these kits. Not worth it.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I own the 1.5 gallon version of this exact bowl. I had my beta in a larger full service tank, but it was just too much upkeep and he didn't seem to like it all that much. I bought this one and he's been living in it for about 5 months now and seems as happy as can be. It's easy to maintain and easy to clean. The bowl itself is plastic and I was afraid it would scratch or stain, but it's still as clear as the day I got it. The only thing I don't like about it is that the lid doesn't give room to put anything with a cord down inside, because there is no room for the cord through the lid. I had my beta in there with no heater, which he had in his tank, and he didn't move for weeks. So one day I got out my power drill and created a little opening in the lid for the cord to my underwater heater, and it has made a huge difference. Now he swims around and is a whole lot more active. So if you're going to use this bowl for a beta, I definitely recommend you get a little creative and find a way to get a heater in there. The lights are my favorite part of this bowl. It illuminates the bowl and my beta's fins so nicely, it's a really nice eye catcher and visitors are always commenting on my cool little beta bowl. I worry that the lights will burn out one day and I won't be able to find replacements, but I like the bowl enough that I will probably just purchase another in that case.I have had this for about a month and it is just perfect on my nightstand. I do have it sitting on a couple of my favorite books so I can see into it better. I watch my little beta every night! The plastic has not gotten cloudy like someone else said, but I figure if it does, I can find a glass bowl that will fit the top. It works for me!
Kent Marine Reef Salt Mix
And, most importantly, my animals are thriving.
Clearly this mix is the best and it isn't even the most expensive!
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The best deal is the boxed salt. This salt is low cost. Will write more once I have fish in my tank. Come in 4 separate bags, about 14 lbs each.Great stuff, can't go wrong with Kent Marine Salt. Cheap price, great product, works perfect for my reef tank. BUY!it makes the pH a little high like 9.5 so thats the downside and also i think its a little expensive when you can buy a 200 gallon box of instant ocean reef crystls for the same price and is a much better salt brand.Jardin Plastic Bamboo Aquascaping Plant for Aquarium, 13.4-Inch Height, Green
Buy Jardin Plastic Bamboo Aquascaping Plant for Aquarium, 13.4-Inch Height, Green Now
I bought this for my 50 gallon Asian themed tank. Shipped quickly and arrived sooner than expected. It was a little squished together from packaging but once rinsed under warm water and manipulated a little it looks great! The darker color and height makes it a nice background piece, but best of all is it is attached to a heavy base! Because it sinks, it makes placing it (and keeping it in place with fish who like to move rocks around) easy! Will buy again!
