150 Watt Titanium Heater 30 to 60 gallon aquariums

I had this heated for approx 3 weeks now and I woke up this morning to find my whole tank dead. The water was about 100 degrees!!!!!!!!!!! This heater was set at 78 degrees and it just malfunctioned and never stopped heating my tank!!! I am soooo dissapointed, I loved all my fish. Do not buy this heater! Now I have to buy a new heater and all new fish!

Great heater. Heats quickly and consistently. I needed a secondary heater for the winter months and this one is perfect. I like that it is completely submersible.

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Danner 14580 Large Ring Air Diffuser, 7-Inch

Hooked this up to the Danner 04520 1700CUIN AP-20 Pond Air Pump in place of the diffuser that came with it, and am very pleased with it. It's so easy to place in a deep pond with the net filled with gravel, and it generates tons of bubbles. My pond is crystal clear and fish appear happy and healthy.

It works alright. I have it on a Pondmaster (Danner) AP-20 at a depth of 2 feet, and maybe 8 feet of hose. It just seems like there should be more air coming out of the ring. I previously had the diffuser that came with it, on 3 different 6 inch air stones and a ton more air came out of it.

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Bio-Sponge® Filter Media for Cascade® Canister Filter Pumps, single-pack

definite requirment if buy the filter itself best to have extra then to have to run around looking for them or to have to have them overnighted if ordering online

These sponges work great! Fish tank keeps cleaner longer. Change as according to package and the fish tank stays cleaner longer.

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This filter fits well into my canister filter. It is easy to change the filters. I recommend using two filters.

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I ordered this sponge for my new canister filter. I'm impressed that this sponge has so much substance. It is a rough texture which should work well in the filtration system. It is thick n has rigidity to it so it won't just turn to mush when it is saturated with water.

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GREAT PRODUCT AND WE USE THESE MEDIUMS MONTHLY SO THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS, THANKS.

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Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Test Kit Fw Ph Deluxe

easy to use, no guesswork. even for a beginner like me. I highly recommend this product to anyone starting a new tank.

works just like I thought it would I am pleased with this product will buy it agin when I need more

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This test kit is great if you are strictly interested in testing pH and being able to adjust it with the pH up or pH down. I personally like the Master Test Kit better, as it allows you to test ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate also.

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Amphibian or Reptile Tank, 20 Gal

After having my turtle for about 6 months I decided I needed an upgrade from my 10 gallon tank (not by this company). I spent weeks looking around at tanks and either couldn't find one to fit my stand because it was too long, or couldn't find a screen to cover the top. After coming across this tank, and later getting it as a Christmas gift, I can say that I couldn't be any happier with a tank! The tank allows plenty of room for my yellow-bellied slider to swim around and stay warm under his lamp. I didn't notice the detail of the larger model not having a hinged screen before getting it, but the screen fits like a glove! Mine doesn't close fully due to the filter model I have on one side, but it still allows for a snug fit around the rest of the edges. Overall, a wonderful tank.

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Nature Aquarium Polished Glass Gravel - Clear Glass Gravel 8 oz. Small

I suppose you could of course use this in an aquarium. I purchased a bag to put at the bottom of these floating terrariums I bought for air plants. They do the job perfectly. Pieces are quite small though and they can travel far distances on their own so I wouldn't recommend working with them around small children.

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AquaClear Powerhead (UL Listed)

This powerhead is a great thing to have for your aquarium if the tank is between 55-90 gallons. It really packs a punch for its size, and has the capacity to move a lot of water fairly quickly. It can also be used in smaller aquariums too, because the waterflow on this powerhead is ADJUSTABLE (a feature that is rarely seen on other powerheads) it can filter 300 g.p.h. or adjusted to filter only a trickle. So this can be a used in aquariums under 55 gallons too.

This also has another unique feature a REVERSE-FLOW option so the powerhead can also take water from close to the surface and move it through the gravel in the opposite direction. Whichever method of gravel filtration you prefer, this powerhead can accommodate you.

It comes with tubes that provide for the option of additional airation through the spout. So if you have a big aquarium loaded with oxygen hungry fish, these powerheads can provide lots of water surface agitation, water airation with bubbles, or you can just omit the bubbles entirely and stick with undergravel filtration only.

You can also buy attachable power filters to this separately no need to invest in expensive poewr filters and powerheads separately just buy this item and the attachable power filters and you're set for a powerhead / power filter in the same unit to clean up and polish your aquarium water. Look for the AQUA CLEAR Large Quick Filter and the Large Quick Filter Cartidges for this purpose.

I've been involved with aquariums for over 16 years, and this is one of the finest accessories for an aquarium I've ever had. If you're considering ornamental fish as a hobby, I heartily recommend this powerhead. It is powerful, quiet, and gives your options of reverse flow and adjustable waterflow.

Be advised on one thing when the powerhead is operating in reverse flow, small fins like guppies can get stuck to the plastic grid from which water flows into the powerehead and never escape. So this item is better suited to larger fish when using the reverse flow feature. But it's adjustability enables you to slow the waterflow to a trickle for a powerhead that does not promote too much water turbulation for smaller fish.

I love this pump so far. The Aquaclear 20 is perfect for a 29 gallon tank. Previous Penguin powerhead was awful. A pet store recommended and ordered the 660 for my 29 gallon tank. It was way too much power with no way to adjust the output. My fish were getting blown around the tank. Even worse was the vibration. Even tried rocks on top of the cover to stop the rattling. Down graded to 4 stars because the bubble valve doesn't adjust to a tiny amount of bubbles without spurting them out off and on again. You either get spurts or a LOT of bubbles. To be fair the Penguin air valve was fancier but didn't work any better.

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Nice powerhead. Using it on an undergravel filter in a 29 gal tank. It's very quiet and has an airtube for the venturi. If it wasn't for the bubbles that I let come out I wouldn't hear it at all, but then again, it is submerged.

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Forget about airpumps and airstones to aerate your tank, this is just as cheap, but it is MUCH quieter and makes your tank so much better. I like that Aquaclear makes filters that you can attach to this to help keep the water crystal clear. Wish i would have bought this a year ago. I use this in a 55 gallon tank and it would be great for a larger or a smaller tank because of the adjustable flow rate. 5-stars!

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great product. it seems to be working well with my undergravel filter. it cycles the water faster than my air pump which, in turn, makes the water in my tank crystal clear. no matter how cloudy the water gets the powerhead cleans it up right beside the undergravel filter.

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Acurel F250 Millimeter Water Clarifier, Aquarium, Treats 2, 650 Gallons

I usually only review products when I'm blown away and this product prompted me to sit down and write this review. I established a 30 gallon freshwater aquarium and about two weeks after it was stocked with fish the water started to get quality. It was very annoying because the water was very clear previous to this. I knew that the aquarium was cycling and the cloudiness was natural but I didn't have the patience to wait it out. I came across the same video that a previous reviewer mentioned regarding the pet shop owner who was recommending Acurel and after reading customer reviews on Amazon and Petco's website with people who were raving about it, I decided to try it. I put the first dosage in last night and within 45 minutes you could see the results. It got much clearer but not as clear as it was before the cycle began. After some of the cloudiness returned today, I gave it a slightly larger dose and an hour later...that tank is CRYSTAL clear. I mean it looks like the fish are floating on air. The fact that this product does not affect water chemistry is amazing. I'm blown away by the results this product gets and I urge you to buy this right away if you are having water clarity problems in your fish tank. But DON'T forget to do your weekly 10-15% water changes to assist with the cycling process because this product does not lower ammonia or nitrate levels.

I have turtle tanks and turtles are FILTHY animals.....THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN THIS STUFF.....I could not have a clean tank without it. I put it in a cloudy dirty tank and within an hour.......crystal clear.....Give it a try and I can guarantee you will be a convert

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Greetings. I have maintained upwards of 320 aquariums in my commercial facility. Additionally, I do a fair amount of high-end tropical fish photography. Used as directed this product exceeds all expectations and makes the water look like it is not even there. It does not get any better than this and I have used this product for many, many years without losing a single fish. What more could you possibly ask for? Cheers. Frank

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I don't write product reviews. Ever. Until now. Acurel F Water Clarifier works. Used as directed, it has taken on the murky water of my 90 gallon tank (two 13" Oscars, and a couple of plecostomus bums (15" and 12") who apparently hate algae--but I digress). I've taken to closing the door to the room with the tank because I was embarrassed about the murky water. I've worked on this problem for months--lots of clarifiers offering promises without success. Water changes lasted a day or two--but not a permanent solution. In all of my decades of fish tank experience, I've never had this problem last as long as it did.

I used Acurel F AS DIRECTED and went to bed. The next morning the tank was so clear I was in disbelief. The door once again stays open. Acurel doesn't just kinda work. It really works.

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I have had aquariums for over fifty years. I have rave reviews for this product, it works perfectly every time I use it, crystal clear water within two hours.

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Penn Plax Medium Rialto Bridge From Penn Plax Fish Tank Ornament

My African clawed frogs just love hanging out in and under this aquarium ornament bridge. This bridge looks better than the pictures shown on line. It has a lot of detail that looks great and it really spruces up the aquarium.

I have quite a few aquariums and quite a few ornaments. I recently ordered this for my 12 gallon aquarium. It fits nicely and takes up a good chunk of space, which I was hoping it would. The detail is great. It has a bit of a gothic appearence, which I wasn't really intending to have in my aquarium. I have black gravel, red plants, and now a dark gray bridge with a skull on the top. It is a great ornament, but depending on the look you want your aquarium to have I don't think this would fit into everyone's style. There are a lot of holes which creates an open swimming space that my fish seem to appreciate.

The detail is lovely. The color is a dark great. I was hoping for more of a fairytale appearance, but I would say it's more gothic/industrial. I don't think it was intended to look that way, but to me it does. For the price I think it's a bit expensive and there are other better ornaments available. Size-wise it's great. The detail is beautiful. My fish really love it (and that's all that matters right?). It has an open feel yet also gives fish a place to feel they are hiding and safe. It's shadowey, yet kids can still look in and find fish if they look hard enough. Overall, a great peice. The picture doesn't really show the gothic sort of appearance, which came as a surprise to me when I recieved it. On the other hand, it would make a great addition to any fish-tank that is going for that style. I've actually grown quite fond of it. And all of the kids that are in and out of my livingroom stop to appreciate it. The boys think it's pretty cool. And my fish, well they seem pretty happy exploring it up and down and all around.

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R2 Solutions Moonlight 48 inch Aquarium LED Light

This light looks amazing. I have a 75 gallon mixed malawi tank. It really brings out the fish colors and they love it. It is just bright enough but not to bright that the fish are bothered. My fish love swimming around in this light. it adds a shimmer to the whole room, which I love.

Great product, provides a shimmering light at night. Not too bright to scare the fish, enough for you to enjoy the landscape at night.

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The last time I saw moonlight it wasn't so blue. These LEDs are DARK BLUE. In my mind moonlight blue is a hint of blue, I could be wrong and a soft light. If you want a blue tank and insufficient,light then these will do the job. If you want to see the fish then I wouldn't recommend this tank light. Another thing. The picture would have you believe the housing is black. Well it's not. It's chrome. I gave them 2 stars because it was very well packaged. It came in a cardboard tube and two boxes..

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but I love it... it makes my cichilds look more exotic than they already are. but don't buy if your expecting at white light. also very lightweight... could be a bad or good depending on the person and their tastes.

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Buyer beware, this light fixture has a serious design flaw. The manufacturer states that it is a 48" fixture, but they don't mention that the power supply plugs into the end of the fixture. This makes the overall length of the lighting fixture more than 49 ", too long to fit in an enclosed canopy! If you have any type of enclosed canopy on your 48" aquarium this lighting fixture will not fit!!! I. Had to go to RadioShack and buy a replacement power supply, one with an elbow connector, in order to fit the fixture inside the canopy.

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Zoo Med AquaSun T5-HO Double Light Linear Fluorescent Hood, 30-Inch

Maybe I was just ignorant when I purchased this, but just a warning to those that may not know; This does not come with the T5 HO lighting. You need to order it separately, and it seems that the only size that will fit (22" bulb) is only sold via Zoomed. I just ordered the bulbs so I cant really give this a review as far as the quality goes, but I just wanted people to be aware.

Its a great product, my plants were starving for light from the old light fixture. My tank is a 30gallon tank that came in a package that is sold at petstores and wal mart. Its very bright, only down side is that it does not sit flush with the top of the tank, which is good for tanks that have large aquatic plants that can grow above the water level but bad for fish that jump. Also, because it does not sit flush with the top of the tank light does escape out the front and back. But you just can't have a thriving plant tank with out proper lights and this light goes beyond expectations. The two light bulbs I used have 5,000k and 6,500k output and it has made a major difference in my plant growth.

The mounting brackets slide into the light fixture for a secure mount, so it wont slide and drop into the tank. The kit comes with (2) 4ft wire cords to screw into the top of the tank so you can hang it from the ceiling if you need more space for larger plants. The two light bulbs have independant on/off switch's but only one 3ft power cord. It keeps your timer from getting cluttered with two many power cords. You will need an extention cord if your outlet is farther that 3ft away from you light or your tank is up higher than mine..

The platic bulb cover slides out one side of the fixture to install light bulbs. There is a thin plastic wrapping on the glass from packaging, remove this film. It is very easy to clean, since the entire fixture is mounted on hinges.

From end to end the entire fixture is 32 inches wide and the mounting brackets can be positioned anywhere under the fixture, so this light will secure to any size tank 32inches wide or less.

Inside where the bulbs go, there is a reflector for maximum light exposure to the tank. The bulbs and reflector are protected by the clear plastic cover, so dust and algea can not reach them.

Can't beat the price or quality of this product. 5 stars...

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I bought one of these lights locally. Its great. Provides plenty of light, and even has hinges on the brackets allowing you to easily flip up the fixture for maintenance and cleaning. The brackets are also adjustable, so you don't need them at the end, or use them at all. At nearly half the price of the GLO lighting, I feel this is a better deal. I am currently planning to buy more for my other tanks. I would defiantly recommended these lights for a cheaper (and just as durable) option for many of the T5 lighting available. If this is Zoo Meds entry into the aquarium market, they are off to a great start!

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this is a great light so far. I put the 6700k flora sun and the light it gives is beautiful, not too bright but the plants love it.

For this price, it is definiteely a no brainer. Go for it!!

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I purchased this light fixture from amazon (does not include t5's) along with a couple light bulbs with it. Looks great on my 29gal but had to remove my glass cover... which i broke in the process anyway, because the mounting hardware that comes with it required me to. No big deal, I just have my tank open to air. The light can tilt up thanks to the hinged mounting hardware which is convenient. The light seems rugged and includes suspension hardware, and the aluminum reflector is quite excellent compared to my old fixture's skimpy reflector. The only dislike I have is that the cord length is only like 4 feet which isnt a big deal either if you have plugs available and your aquarium isnt on a skyscraper (my dresser). Great product, no problems, no complaints no improvement suggestions... except maybe different mounting options. None the less 5 stars.

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JW Pet Company Anchor Bubbler 6-Inch Aquarium Accessory

This works perfectly. Tons of bubbles. i had no problems at all. You do need to make sure it's nice a buried though. Mine is currently floating because I need to re-anchor it.

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Tetra Whisper Assembled Bio-Bag Cartridges

My local pet store doesn't stock these so buying them online was the next best option. They seem to need replacing more than once per month but washing them under running water prolongs their usefulness. Remember to have plastic side facing the front.

I have the above mentioned aquarium kit. I can confirm that this filter will work in the Mini Might filter that comes with it.

http://www.amazon.com/Aquarius-Aq15005-Rounded-5-Gallon-Aquarium/dp/B007KKU8QE/ref=pd_rhf_cr_p_t_4_MN0F

My fish is happy and the tank looks clean. Can't complain. :)

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It has been numerous years since I had my own aquarium with all the required accessories. Tetra has made some pretty outstanding products since that time and these filter bags do exactly what is required for small aquariums. As soon as I bought this filter with these carttridges, the water has been clear and clean ever since. These cartridges last about 30 days before needing replacement.

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this is a great deal. it's a great filter as well. the only thing is that you need to change it out at least once a month or the filter will fall apart and the white fibers will spill all over the tank. it freaked me out when i saw the white fibers. i thought it was a whole bunch of little white worms. then i realized, upon changing the filter and water, that the filter fell apart.

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I bought this filter for my Tetra Waterfall Globe Aquarium (1.8 gallon) tank that I bought off of Amazon. It is both a perfect fit, and does a great job of keeping the water flowing through the filter. It also instantly cleaned up my tank from mucky to clear in minutes!

If you have any questions, or want the exact make of my tank and filter, just comment.

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Rena 722 Filstar XP3 Canister Filter

Searched long to find the right filter. These Bio filters with multiple chambers for media is the way to go with turtles. We have a female red ear slider about 7 inches front to back of shell (she was about the size of a silver dollar when we got her two years ago). She is very messy and the in tank filter was just not handling it. This filter with fresh water and a good shell scrubbing of our baby has worked fine. We used to have to clean her tank and change water every week to keep her water from getting too filthy. This filter in a forty gallon aquarium has been set up for three months now and other than adding water as it evaporates and cleaning her rocks we haven't had to do anything else except feed her. We did clean out the filter once because she made a mess of some fresh aquatic plants we bought for her. She chewed up fifteen dollars worth of plants in just two days. She probably ate some but most of them were chewed and left floating. The filter clogged from all the plant material. But I can't blame the filter for that. The water is always crystal clear. She seems to love her environment now.

There is a couple of things to keep in mind when using the filter for turtles. The intake tubing inside the tank comes in sections that have to be pushed together. They tend to loose prime at the connections because turtle tanks are only about half full and some of the connections are above the water level. I had to glue them together to keep the prime. The filter has to absolutely be at least 16 inches below the tank bottom. I set ours on the floor and the tank on the top of a 29 inch high credenza. When priming remember to fill the tube with water with the filter hose valve in the off position (the instructions will explain). Make sure there are no air leaks and screw on the cap tightly on the prime hole when you are done priming. With no air leaks in the intake hose, the tank about half full or more and the top of the filter about 16 inches below the bottom of the tank when you lock the hoses in place which opens the valves the weight of the water in the intake hose should pull water through the intake tube to fill the filter and you should at this point have a prime. This should now let you turn the filter on without loosing prime and your tank should stay clean like ours for months. This filter has three cannisters and each cannister has two chambers. We are using the foam layers as they came with the filter, two large pore followed by two small pore foams filters in the first cannister (this is from the bottom of the filter to the top). The water moves around the cannisters to the bottom of the filter and is pulled up to the top. So the set up is from the bottom up. The second cannister we used for the biomass. We used the round pellets in the first (bottom) chamber with a mesh top (included), followed by the star biomass media in the second chamber (top). In the third cannister we used nitrate/nitrite (white amonia media) in the first chamber followed by a mesh and then charcoal media in the second chamber with a micron filter on top followed by another mesh. Then we placed the top on that and closed it. After about a month and a half we had the plant incident and had to clean the filter. I just rinsed everything out real good except for the biomass media which I lightly rinsed (you want to keep the bacteria that collects on the media because this helps eat the chemicals in the water and solids). I then replaced everything again and it has been working great since. They recommend changing the carbon every month but we haven't yet. They also recommend changing the nitrate/nitrite media every ten months, so we have a while to go. The micron filter needs to be changed also after a few months. I wouldn't change the foam unless it is clogged to the point were I can't get it cleaned out. It is only to collect solids and retain them till they decompose and are absorbed by the bacteria.

I think any multiple chamber filter would work as well. I am skeptical about anything below three chambers for turtles. One large turtle I think is the equivalent of a thousand fish in feces and pee (that's just my guess). This filter is rated for a much bigger tank but I think a smaller filter would not have worked for a turtle as large as ours. Turtles do grow fast and keep growing. They also live for forty years so get a large filter that will handle larger tanks. If you can afford it I would go for the XP4 which is bigger and rated for larger aquariums. For turtles I think multiple chambers are really important because they do not need oxygen in the water since they do not have gills but they do need clean water to stay healthy and they are super, super, mega super messy.

The biggest complaints I have read from turtle owners about filters is getting a prime. Remember, you can not have any air leaks in the intake tube or hosing. We are going to look for a solid tube that we can cut to use for our intake so we do not have connections above the water.

Cons: Only the tubing, It should be a solid piece that you cut to size instead of multiple small pieces you connect together. But then again this setup works fine for fish tanks since the level of the water would always be above the connections. For turtle tanks which are only filled a little above half way you need to glue the connections above the water or find a solid tube to use instead.

The XP3 is a very good canister filter.

The good? 3 decent sized trays, "priming" intake tube, configurable outflow tubes, all-you-need-in-a-box package (with exception of biomedia).

The bad? The quick disconnect is not heavy duty and can be distorted by any tension on one of the tubes (especially the output)--resulting in a leak because the O-rings do not seat. Also, the o-ring are not a "tight" fit and cannot handle much pressure. If you have any inline accessories that constitute a significant load (ie. uv sterilizers, CO2 reactors, etc), water will leak past the disconnect o-rings and onto your floor after flooding the top unit on the inside! Worst of all, this happens after about an hour or so and is not readily apparent!

Bottom line: I would much rather NOT have the convenience of the quick disconnect and instead have some external ball valves. My XP3 leaked on my the first time I used it. I searched online and this is a common problem.

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Sorry to the 1 star reviewers, they seem like they are a little instruction-inhibited. Priming yes, took a minute but get the valve right and it works fine. You're right, no tension in the tubes but who places their filter in the bedroom when the tank is in the living room? I think they provided AMPLE tubing and i have a 75 gallon tank sitting on a standard 75 gallon stand with inflow on one side and outflow on the other.

THIS FILTER IS AWESOME END OF STORY:

Cleaning cleaning cleaning and more cleaning. I have a 75gal tank and will have 53 live plants and several fish as soon as the water is completely conditioned. Needless to say, as you're conditioning water, you clean the filter daily for a few weeks (except the bio filter, more on that in a minute). This filter is incredibly simple to clean. You unplug the power, raise the shutoff valve and carry the entire filter to the sink or bathtub. Wipe down each piece, rinse the particle filters and you're done. Attach the shutoff valve and turn it back on. you only have to prime this thing once, right out of the box. then every week when you routinely clean it's MINIMAL water spilling, if any. the hoses remain full of water so no more priming necessary. This is hands down without a doubt the most genius design; it actually makes the "hastle" of filter cleaning a piece of cake.

The design of the filter is also genius. it pumps water to the bottom and then sucks upwards through the filters, using gravity as an advantage for extra filtering. instead of shoving water through a filter and discharging to the tank, it sends the unfiltered water to the bottom and "pulls" it upwards. Large trash sits completely in the bottom of the bucket, before ever entering the filter systems. Large particle filter at the bottom, then the bio filter in the middle, then the fine particle filter at the top. The bio filter is also awesome. Consider it a miniature wetlands for your tank, in my opinion being the most effective of all types of filtering.

The thing is totally silent and the outflow tube sits BELOW the water surface. no waterfall noise all night long, it's a completely silent tank. also excellent that there's no surface disruption to release your CO2 if you use a feeder for your plants.

all in all one awesome filter. top to bottom left to right the most convenient easy-to-use system i have ever seen. if you have problems priming the lines to begin with, i did too, but after a few tries it finally started flowing. that's why it's called PRIMING. done deal never to need to be done again til i ever have to clean the hoses. to those that had problems with customer service, i can't comment as i didn't need them. good luck though, thankfully my product worked right out of the box. highly, highly recommended

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Using on a 72 gallon bowfront. A couple notes from experiences: After cleaning filter, fill up with warm water, snap the top on and then connect the quick connect hose fitting. Allow time for water/air to bubble up and clear in tubes. Turn on. May need to turn off power and rebirp the quick disconnect to get a good flow started. Never had a priming problem doing this.

Don't wash the ceramic bio disks vigourously. They hold and multiply the good bacteria you want to keep. Quick rinse/shake container and don't let them dry out. Keep the chlorine level low in cleaning water contacting the cermamic bio disks to avoid killing beneficial bacterial.

Clean off the rubber sealing gasket and apply a lite film of petrolium jelly to the rubber.

Change the impeller and stainless pin guide every year.

Change the charcoal about once every 1-2 months. Between changes, a gentle flush of the bag is all that's needed.

Very good filter.

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Note for video: This is what an XP3 sounds like (not much at all), and the appearance of water running into the intake side when properly primed. The hum in the background is mainly from the air pump nearby. The couple of loud clicks at the beginning are unrelated to the filter.

Enough has been said about the performance of the XP3, which is highly dependent on media setup, environment, tank specifics, etc. This will focus on the little things that will hopefully help out other owners/prospective buyers.

With any canister filter, there are a few major concerns.

1. Setup (get it to work/how do I know it is working)

2. Reliability (no leaks/consistent performance)

3. Maintenance (cleaning/disassembly/replacement parts)

4. Tweaks and optimizations

Point by point:

1. Setup

The most difficult issues most will encounter center on two things: A) Pulling the tubing over the connectors and B) Getting the quick-disconnect to easily lock. Point A is trivial provided you have the proper diameter tubing (the stuff that comes in the box or comparable 5/8" ID 11/32" OD or thicker tubing) and Super Lube Synthetic Grease with Syncolon Multi Purpose Lubricant 3 oz or a similar silicone-based lubricant. Simply apply lube to the ends of the filter pieces that need to be covered, wipe your hands dry, and apply moderate force, twisting a bit as needed. Heat can also help (warm water), but the lubricant should make this unnecessary.

For point B, note that the quick disconnect lever cannot be forced down without damage-simply tilt forward and press the entire assembly down slightly, and then with your other hand gently push the lever down.

2. Reliability

There are again two primary issues here: A) Securing/clamping the tubing to the filter parts, and B) proper filter placement to allow the built-in priming (siphoning) mechanism to work. For point A, get some stainless steel hose clamps (any hardware store-the worm gear type) and use those instead of the plastic clamps supplied in the box. If you used lubricant to put the tubing on, you should have no issues covering all of the barbs and then a bit of smooth (non-barbed) area beyond. Use the hose clamps on this smooth area, making sure you don't apply too much force; generally, you should only tighten the clamps with your screwdriver until moderate resistance is felt and you can see the steel has started to clamp into the body of the tubing, but not severely so.

Getting the filter to prime can either be the easiest task in the world, or a significant challenge. If you have a typical setup where your aquarium/tank sits on an elevated surface with your canister filter below (and in a relatively straight line with respect to the intake/output hoses), simply follow the instructions on the box, and all will be well. If, however, your tank/aquarium is level with, or only slightly elevated relative to your canister, prepare for an uphill struggle to get the filter to run as designed, whether from the start or over time. The best advice here is to rethink your setup (speaking from experience).

If primed properly (properly being you start without water in the canister, lift up the quick disconnect, fill up the intake tube, screw the cap back on, lock down the quick disconnect, and the filter fills itself via siphon action/gravity), once you plug the filter in, it should work. You should barely see any disruption on the intake end when shining a light and looking at the top of the filter through the clear body. Your output stream, when set to full open, should also be very robust (a stream of water, unless you are using the spray bar). There should barely be any noise coming from the canister body/motor during operation.

3. Maintenance

This is one of the better aspects of the XP3, at least if it's set up properly. Simply unplug, remove the quick disconnects, and clean out as you need. Examine the seals around the quick disconnect nozzles a few times per year and grease with Super Lube as needed (yes, this would require you to unscrew the hose clamps and pull the hoses off, which should be a challenging but doable task if you used grease to put them on). The same goes of the outer (rectangular) seal.

Make sure you don't overfill the media baskets, and ensure that the baskets make a tight seal against one another. The four clamps at the top should close easily-if you encounter resistance, check that your media baskets are stacked flat on all sides and the top lid is in place.

Most parts of the XP3 should need little care beyond common sense inspection. Do note that the motor of the XP3 does NOT run properly on stepped sine wave battery backups (you'll burn the motor out)-get a true sine wave model if you want to hook the XP3 up to a UPS.

4. Tweaks/Optimizations

Pre-filters: I use the XP3 for a 4.5" red eared slider, for context. Thus, most of my focus is on mechanical and biological filtration, and I use the XP3 to perform more of the latter than the former. A sponge pre-filter over the intake dramatically cuts down on the cleaning intervals required (based on water chemistry parameters and flow rate), from monthly to 3-4 times/year. However, this also means that a supplemental filter is required to handle large particulates.

Upgraded tubing: Tygon is the industry standard for quality tubing (non-toxic, extremely pliable, and tough), but it isn't cheap, and the XP series requires somewhat difficult-to-find specs, at least if you don't want to buy 50'-100' quantities. I've re-tubed my XP3 with Tygon R3603 5/8" ID, 15/16" OD tubing (about $4/foot) with excellent results. The ID is the more important factor with respect to fit, while the OD just needs to be high enough to withstand operating pressures. Feel free to go higher on the wall thickness, but be very careful if going lower than the Rena spec calls for (11/32", I believe). A tubing cutter helps immensely. Check computer watercooling boutiques. See images for reference.

Intake/output connections: A common complaint is less than optimal seals between the modular piping Rena supplies. There's no reason you can't bypass the piping altogether and use flexible tubing instead; various adapters/sheer force + hose clamps can be quite effective. Ball valves are available for output flow control, and these attach/insert directly into tubing ends.

Remember, there are a few absolutes with this (and any) canister filter, the most important being application of lubricant to put tubing on (and using steel hosing clamps to secure the connection) and proper filter placement with respect to the tank/aquarium and the intake/output ends. After these criteria are met, the other details need not follow manufacturer guidelines, so have fun and experiment.

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AirPod® Aquarium Air Pumps, UL Approved

Great air out put with 2 outlets. Mine arrived broken with one of the 2 air adjustment knobs busted. Too bad they make everything out of plastic because otherwise this product would have been fantastic. The seller made it right by refunding my total purchase and ship price and also kust had me email him a pic of the damage so he could file a claim and let me keep the item. Knowing this was a great little air pump I contacted Penn Plax and I can not tell you how wonderful they are. Just one email asking if I could purchase a replacement for the broken part and I received an immediate reply asking for my address and they sent me a whole new air pump. I am now sold on Penn Plax because of their outstanding customer service.You can't find that very often and I want to spread the word that Penn Plax really cares about their customers...They make it right even when they don't have to.

I am much happier living with this pump the Whisper pump that I had prior. At this point unless I get a completely silent pump I would not consider changing brands again.

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Does its job.

It's very quiet

Pumps air quite well

only thing is, it's kind of ugly, and a very garish color. If it were a darker more muted color, it would blend in better, which I would prefer.

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I got the 20 gal. pump and it is rather weak, the one I had was more powerfully. Also, I was expecting a pump with adjustable airflow and two outlets,(like the product discretion states) and I didn't get either. Don't waste your money on this pump for anything bigger then a 10 gal. tank.

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The pump is working fine after 10 months and I like the power it is providing. The only complain that I have is I wish it was a bit quieter.

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Elite Optima Diaphragm Set for Optima Aquarium Air Pump, 2-Pack

Product was exactly what my A805 air pump needed. Took about 5 minutes to install. Back in service in less then 10 minutes. Too bad the local stores don't seem to want to carry the diaphragms. Price was fair.

So, it did what it said it would do and made air pump out of the outlet holes again. I hate having to buy these, but I think all pump diaphragms break up after a while. They are easy to swap out and work great.

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16 gallon Half Circle Aquarium with light and filter

This aquarium is easy to set up. It is beautiful with black gravel and one vivid plant. Plenty of room for your favorite fish. It is quite and will sit easily on a side table or bench.

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Como Aquarium Fish Tank Artificial Plastic Plant Ornament w Base

Came a day before its estimate which was good. Smelled very plasticy however so I washed it thoroughly. My betta seems to enjoy it though!

First impression: Just purchased this plant for my 2gal betta tank (Aqueon Evolve2 tank). It takes up about 1/6th of the overall space, leaving enough room for the betta to swim around, but also hide within its branches. Very pretty blue and purple colors under the white and blue tank lighting. Would highly recommend!

I cannot speak to the durability of the product, but off first impression I am very happy with the purchase.

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This is such a pretty plant! The purple is very vibrant and it looks great in my betta tank. It's very robust as well, love it!

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Easy Life USPR 0500 ProFito Plant Fertilizer

I am very pleased with this product. It provides everything my plants need to look amazing.The plants are doing very well with the reds and pinks intensifying daily.

This is a terrific freshwater aquatic plant fertilizer. I found it on a small niche website and was happy to be able to order it via Amazon.

This is a comparable product to Seachem Flourish. I've used both. I lean a little bit toward favoring this over the Flourish, but I've never done a test between the two fertilizers.

One thing I do know: the anacharis I grow has TAKEN OFF since I started using this. I also grow Amazon sword plants, which are doing very well (they are sending up flower spikes and actually blooming), but they still need additional potassium and quite a lot of it, to keep from getting holes in the leaves. I am also growing sagittaria subdulata, which is doing very well, but not growing like a weed, rotala indica, which is growing like a weed, and some tall sagittaria which are also growing like weeds.

I also add Flourish excel, Flourish iron and Flourish potassium in addition to this but the plants were not "flourishing", pun intended, until I started using this.

I wish I had taken a photo of the difference this made in the anacharis. A lot of it was turning brown, but as soon as I started using this, BANG! green florets that are now 8 inches long or more. I will be selling the extras soon.

Here's what the bottle says: "Easy-Life Pro-Fito is a highly concentrated, comprehensive plant fertilizer for freshwater aquariums. It contains iron, potassium, manganese and many other vital elements... does not contain nitrates or phosphates."

This is a little more expensive than the Flourish in this size bottle. But if you go up to the 1000 ml bottle, this is only $18.54 and the Flourish is... not available on Amazon in the 1000ml size.

I have a bottle of Flourish so I will try to compare the two products' ingredients:

Total Nitrogen: (Flourish, .07%) (Pro-Fito .03%)

Available Phosphate: (Flourish, .01%) (Pro-Fito .00%)

Soluble Potash: (Flourish, .37%) (Pro-Fito .58%)

Iron: (Flourish, .32%) (Pro-Fito .24%)

Magnesium: (Flourish, .11%) (Pro-Fito .09%)

Boron: (Flourish, .009%) (Pro-Fito .008%)

Copper: (Flourish, .0001%) (Pro-Fito .0002%)

Maganese: (Flourish, .0118%) (Pro-Fito .04%)

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When ordering I did not realize that the product was for garden on a BIG SCALE. I only wanted it for my porch plants. Have not figured out how to use it for that yet. Price was good and not worth sending back.

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Aqua Supreme Air Pump 4 watt

The Aqua Supreme Air Pump works excellent, it doesn't appear to be very loud. I only use in my Garage to supply air to bait fish for Ice Fishing during the winter months in Upstate NY.

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