10 Gallon Fish Tank

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Zoo Med Laboratories SZMNT2 Naturalistic Terrarium, Medium

Having kept amphibians and reptiles for 40 years and having owned two pet stores, the last one a reptile specialty store, I can say this product is about as close to perfect as you can get for small to medium amphibians and small reptiles. It is very attractive, very easy to decorate (especially with the cork tile backgrounds made by the same manufacturer), super easy to maintain with the front opening door....sooo much better than going in the top of traditional aquariums.

The package has great directions for how to make a really great waterfall terrarium with a completely hidden pump. If you do it with zoo med products plan on spending about another $70 $100 dollars and you'll end up with a nearly maintenance free and super attractive environment.

I bought the tile background and the compact florescent light made to match. I already had everything else I needed and it's hard to overstate how much of an improvement this is both in looks and labor over the small hex tank I had my tree frogs in before. The glass all around and the screen top make a perfect mix between maintaining humidity but having enough ventalation to prevent clouding and moisture build up on the glass.

This size is great for a couple of tree frogs or several poison dart frogs, a day gecko or two, a smooth green snake, a couple of anoles, etc. For something like a jackson's chameleon or other modest sized lizards or smaller arbreal snakes the larger size is more appropriate. Because of the screen top you can put a heat lamp and/or UV florescent lamp on top if necessary....but use a very small heat lamp if needed.

Hope you enjoy this as much as my frogs and I am....and my GF, she's thrilled with how modern, clean and attractive this new cage looks!

This item was bought to replace an Exo-terra terrarium of the same dimensions (12x12x18"). I had a custom-made background with a waterfall. One day, the glass in the exo-terra cracked and started leaking everywhere.

The Zoo-med, although I haven't had it for more than a few weeks, is working really well. The single door operates well. I had to take the door off without breaking it so I could place the background from the old terrarium into the new one. The door went back on without breaking as well. I was expecting the plastic knobs that hold it there to snap off, but they're actually really sturdy. I was surprised.

I could possible see in the future the plastic latch that holds the door shut breaking. Aside from that, this terrarium is sturdy, doesn't leak (there is about 2-3" of water on the bottom), and it's pretty. The exo-terra had double doors in the front that interrupted the view, but this model doesn't.

Great for a tropical terrarium, and great for water features beyond the tacky "fake rock with water pump in it." If you've got the time, you can really make this model look nice.

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The description says it all. This is a well built terrarium for small reptiles and amphibians. The front hinges open giving you wide access to your creatures, but also safely locks and even has room for a padlock. The top screen lid is also easily removable, and looks like it may have small removable spaces for tubing or light cords. The bottom is water tight so you can create your own tiny pond or even a water fall (which I intend to do). There are a lot of diverse options for making a more realistic terrarium habitat. I think this is an excellent product and I use it to keep two adult crested geckos.

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Awesome and its big enough to house my 2 female crested geckos together and they obviously love the tank because they are alot more tame since i bought this product

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I bought this for my juvenile ball python thinking that he would enjoy the height. Please note, I bought this at Petsmart not from Amazon. The tank works great, the bonus is the screened top of the tank is removable along with the side door that opens completely. The temp kept nicely even with the open top and a small vent along the side with a door. From what I have noticed the terrarium is basically escape proof... I once had a dumpy frog that would get out of the smallest place.. I think he would have trouble with this one. The top lid locks in place, and the side door locks and even has a place you could put a lock (small luggage type, not padlock) to add with security. Only problem is my snake hated it and hid the entire time, NOT THE TANK'S FAULT. Just a picky snake. I have it in a safe place and am planning on turning it into a frog tank as soon as I can.

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biOrb Purple Color Ball

The color ball is cute, but is way to big for the Baby Biorb. Mind you that in the packing states that the color ball is good for all Biorb tanks.

I got one of these for my birthday last year and I loved it! It definitely does add a lot of color and excitement to the aquarium. I put it in my 36 gallon tank, not a bio-orb, but it works in any tank really. The only bad thing about it is that if you don't constantly take it out of the tank and clean it, it collects algae, left over food and fish poo. Other than that it's great! :) I plan on getting all the other colors!!

EDIT: Alrighty, 2years after I got this it has completely fallen apart and lost it's color. :( I didn't really expect it to last long, but I'm still kinda sad about it. But, on the bright side, it works well as makeshift filter media! I just shoved it in my HOB filter along with some foam and it now has a large amount of beneficial bacteria growing on it. I can see it growing all over the thing! :)

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I ordered this product, (Purple Color Ball) it says that the color is purple but they clearly gave me red. I thought this was a mistake and since I wanted a Red Color Ball anyway I decided to keep it. I needed to order a few more items anyway so I ordered the Purple Color Ball again and it came a SECOND time as a Red Color Ball. I was going to return it but it's a $7 item so it's just not worth it. I'll just keep my two Red Color Balls (that were supposed to be Purple Color Balls) in my tank and not bother trying to get a purple one.

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API Algaefix Algae Control

After using this product, right away I noticed a reaction with my Goldfish. I have (had) two and the one was affected more then the other. Did a water change and they seemed better. A few weeks later I used it again and then I lost the one fish. For the last few days, even after 2 partial water changes my lone goldfish is VERY stressed and going crazy. Today I'm doing another 2/3 water change and hoping for the best...

Google "Algaefix and goldfish" and read some of the reviews you find there. Some folks think this product should be banned, and I agree wholeheartedly!

The first time I used it, I used it according to directions. I counted out 14 drops for my 10 gallon tank. It cleared within a couple of hours, and then the next day, the algae bloom was back, so I waited three days, like the directions said, and put in another 14 drops, and the next morning, my fish were all lying on the bottom of the tank. When they didn't respond to even food by noon, I got them out of the tank and put them into our quarantine tank until my husband could come home and completely empty and clean everything in the 10-gallon tank. I would not use this again. I hope my fish will be okay. After several hours, they seem to be coming around. If they die, I will write back with an update not to use this product.

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I'll keep this short and sweet I followed the directions and used this 3 times -no luck.... the water in my waterfall with constant aeration is still green. I think there are better products on the market. I hope this helps.

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I picked this stuff up after going through 3 algae blooms in my 10-gallon tank (including one really bad one, couldn't see two inches past it, and the other two being much more tame).

Now, I've read MANY mixed reviews on this product before making my purchase, and I have one thing to say. This is basically Weed-B-Gone for aquatic environments. It's made to kill algae. It's safe for fish IF USED RESPONSIBLY.

We've treated two tanks with this stuff: a 60 gallon, and 10 gallon. No fish died.

The 60 gallon: heavily infested with algae, specifically the brown hair algae. Applied the recommended dose (1 tsp per 50 gallons, we did a full dose). In the tank live two Convict Ciclids, two loaches, two kissing gourami, one minnow, and one otocinclus catfish. The tank itself is very well established bacteria wise, and has an appropriate canister filter going with four sponges and bacteria media. The lights on it are low-light, with one low-light grower. NONE of the fish were affected in any way shape or form.

The 10 gallon: houses my one Oranda goldfish, along with 7-8 trumpet snails. Previously had ghost shrimp in it, but took them out prior to treatment, then ended up dying from separate causes (put three in a bowl, two died, the rest were killed by the stress of my goldfish chasing them and trying to eat them, I don't plan on getting any more, lol). As I stated above, went through three algae blooms/cycles before I bought this, and has an AquaClear 30gal. filter going with two sponges and bacteria media. The light on this one is a 96wat four tube grow light. The light penetrates a solid inch into the gravel, it's intense.

WHEN I DOSED MY 10 GALLON: bottle says 1ml/10 gallons. From what I'VE been personally taught from my boyfriend (his 60 gallon has been running for 10+ years with absolutely no problems), the more gravel that is in the tank, less water; resulting in a smaller dose. I put HALF of 1 ML in the tank. My goldfish is UNAFFECTED, and my snails are as happy as could be cruising around. After repeated dosages, and even one dose being a full dose, my fish is fine. And now after about two weeks, I've seen NO new algae growth, AT ALL. I'm going to continue treating the tank, as it is planted and the algae has taken a liking to the plants, but as far as I can say, nothing has perished in my tank using this product, other than algae.

With more heavily infested tanks: from the 60 gallon, it's petrifying to watch. When you treat it, the water will cloud up almost IMMEDIATELY. And it is and was scary to see it happen so fast. It was back to normal clarity overnight.

Further research into this also relieved that the chemical diminishes in 24 hours, being completely gone by 48 hours. Example: I haven't changed the water in my 10 gallon since I've started using it. By the amount of chemical I've put in, I'm positive my fish would've been long gone by now. But he's still in perfect shape and health.

Everything being said: use this with CAUTION! This is not a magical algae fix (well, was for us....), this is made to kill algae, and I'm sure with inappropriate usage, will kill a lot more than algae, including what is printed on the label. If you have any doubts about getting this product, find something else. And if you get it, use your brain. It's easy to over-dose, and some things just don't work with some people. In my case, I began with a half dose, because my tank is one of the fairly smaller ones, and I wanted to see just how my fish reacted to it. I gave it a day, then repeated the half dose, waited, continued with a full dose over the course of a week and a half. It's not the products fault, as it's working BEAUTIFULLY for our own tanks and MANY others.

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I never use chemicals in my tanks but this time I decided to try because I developed an algae problem in one of my tanks that I could not get under control after adding t5ho lighting (Even after reducing light duration). Since I am averse to unnecessary chemicals entering my tanks I only gave a half dose after a water change yesterday. When I awoke this morning I had a lovely tank of dead fish. There is nothing else that would have contributed to the entire tank being wiped out but this hideous product ( My ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels are fine). I wrote API about it and am awaiting a response. STAY AWAY from this and use any other method of destroying algae that does not consist of using this product (Or any other chemical product for that matter). API/MARS should be ashamed to have this on the market.

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TOM Aquarium Maintenance Gravel Siphon, Nozzle 18-Inch by 1-Inch Hose, 5-Feet Length

Why oh why do local fish stores not carry these? The pump action to start the siphon is far, far superior to the vacuums that require you to move the entire nozzle, which is inexplicably so popular. This is very easy to start for water changes and far less stressful on the fish, not to mention my sanity. I will never go back to the other kind again.

This thing works perfect. The vac was the perfect length for my 29gallon tank. Just stick it in there and squeeze the pump a few time and your siphon is going. No sucking on hose or getting wet.

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The idea is a great idea. The hose is pretty good quality. The BAD PART is the CHEAP PLASTIC ACCORDION STYLE PUMP. It worked twice. If they were to replace the CHEAP Plastic Accordion with a Rubber Blub for the pump part, this would be great.

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I use this gravel siphon to clean the sand in my 40 G mixed reef tank. I mostly use it to clean up the waste that mexican turbo snails leave behind. The siphon has a pump where the hose is attached to get the whole thing started. I though this was good, but a lot of time the suction would simply not work and I would still have to use my mouth. Also, the siphon has a filter where the siphon is attached to the hose to prevent most of the sand from getting sucked out. Problem with this is that it also prevents the poop and other large waste to get sucked out as well. Eventually this filter gets clogged and has to be cleaned out every 30 seconds or so otherwise you lose suction.

I still rated this 4 stars because when the filter is not clogged the suction is very strong and most of the sand stays in the tank. It is not perfect, but the best siphon I've used.

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I own the 12 inch and just ordered the 18 inch. The best siphon I've ever owned.

PROS:

Easy

Great for cleaning gravel

Simple to start

drains right into a bucket

easy to store

durable

CONS:

Clogs occasionally (keep up on maintenance)

Siphon somtimes take a little work after a while

Could use a longer hose

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Maxi-Jet Pro Aquarium Pump

Marineland Ml90509 Maxi-Jet 400 PRO, 110/500GPH

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

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

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

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

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

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

*** FLOW RATINGS

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

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

*** FITTINGS AND STUFF

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

*** IT ISN'T LOUD AT ALL

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

*** SUMMARY

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

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

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

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Aqueon 17755 10 Deluxe Kit Aquarium

Has a biofilter wheel, is relatively quiet, and includes everything but the plants and fish. Will accept high power light bulbs and keeps itself clean with a 12/12 light timer, regular top offs, and PH balance. I got this for 29.99 on sale at Plano Petsmart 12/2010.

i was disappointed in this product. it came with a small crack in the top of the glass not leaking water but it is noticeable. a few days after i revived this product in the mail i went into a local pet store to surprisingly find it for $32.50 that angered me. and to find out that this product did not come with a heater (in the description) witch costs around 1825 dollars around my location big bummer. over all the product works just fine just a few disappointments so don't get your hopes up!

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I bought this tank two years ago along with two baby goldfish. Now, the goldfish are still healthy and happy in their home, and have never gotten sick at all, even in the beginning when it was a brand-new tank.

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Nice tank, but filter is really loud, wonder if the fish are getting a head ache.

The tank is nice looking and has a nice top. Just make sure you attach the filter correctly. One of our fish died the second day b/c my husband didnt put the filter on right.

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This is my very first aquarium and, for a starter aquarium, I am very happy with it... but as I learn the ropes, this kit leaves me wanting a bit more of quality from my tank.

My goal is to build a sophisticated looking tank, and the silicone sealant in the corners of the tank are so so obvious that it defeats my goal. However, for a kid's room or for beginners? Would be great!

The lighting is very strong and that is good for people who want to heavily plant their tank, but not so good for people who don't. You may have to replace it with a weaker bulb if you don't plan to plant your tank.

The filter is garbage. The media cartridge is just this flimsy cotton pouch filled with carbon, the filter was crap and the media cartridge was crappier. I couldn't even sell it off for $5 on craigslist so I threw it out and bought a Fluval C2 which is probably one of the best hang on back filters you can get for your tank nowadays.

With the fluval filter, aqueon full spectrum lighting, my plants and fish are flourishing and it is so awesome to see. My next tank will be something more expensive, but this was definitely a good cheap choice for me being my first tank and I liked it more than the other brands as far as a starter tank goes.

All Glass Aquarium AAG29604 Versa Top, 46bf

I'd struggled to find a glass lid for my 46 gal bowfront for a long time, and finally came across this one. Great quality, relatively light weight for removal/cleaning, perfectly cut for components on the rear of the tank, and curvature perfectly fits the front of the tank. What more needs to be said?

My glass top was starting to get a little weathered and wasn't letting much light pass through it, so I decided it was time for a new one. This was the only 46g bowfront lid that I could find for sale so I decided to pull the trigger and order in, and I am sure glad I did. The Versa top not only looked better than the original, it also fit better and with the plastic back portion, I am no longer worried about my rainbow shark leaping out of the water. This is a great product.

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I was very disappointed with this product.

The packaging it arrived in had hardly and packing material, although this product's material is ALL GLASS.

It was completely shattered and the glass dust spilled over onto the floor when I opened this causing a dangerous situation, especially because I have kids in the house.

I returned this for a refund.

I will not and DO NOT recommend this product.

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A friend gave us our tank, so we have no idea what brand it is. I was a little nervous buying a top without knowing whether or not it would fit, but it's perfect.

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Received package and knew almost immediately that there was an issue as I could hear loose pieces of glass inside the boxes. I initially filed for a refund and return, only to find out that it wasn't any longer available from the seller. The glass tops for the various bow fronts on the market have specific fit issues ( typically the "bowed" portion of the tanks {based on other reviews}). In my case the bow portion was fine it was the rectangular portion of the top.I took it upon my self to call some local glass places to find out it would be about a 20$ bill to replace the simple rectangular portion. I contacted Amazon customer service via their chat protocol and was refunded the price of the glass, I was even offered "labor" expenditures but I refused because honestly how much labor is it to slide broken glass out and new glass in. Amazon assured me they were passing on my packaging feedback to the shipping department, and they thanked me for my understanding and input... Made me feel proud and valued as a customer and solidified my loyalty to them... Kudos Amazon...

The fit for a "all glass aquarium" is perfect by versa-top " = product review

Coralife 54332 Actinic Straight Pin Compact Fluorescent Lamp, 24-Watt

I have an 8 and a 14G Biocube both salt and I love both of them. The lights 10,000k and Actinic 420 actually last awhile I had the same bulbs for a year I got new one's your really supposed to change them about every 6-7 months for proper coral growth. NO BS whithin the first 3 hours everything opened up and has grown tremendously in the past 3 weeks now. You might complain about the price but for what they do and how long they last their 100% worth it.

We have a 14 gallon nano tank and needed replacement lights. The fish stores charge way too much for the same product. Arrived quickly and was well packaged so no breakage. Works great!

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this product was perfect for my 14 gallon biocube. Can be replaced with only a phillips screwdriver. pins fits exactly

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Standard Replacement bulb. Put it in to replace a blown bulb, it worked. The last one of these I had from a LFS I paid $25 for and it only lasted 4 months at 12 hours a day on. I dont know if I got a bad bulb or maybe the life span on these is kind of low. either way when I got this one for $15 How can I complain.

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Aquarius1 1 Gallon Tank Aquarium System AQ11104BLK

I bought this kit for my first aquarium set-up in my office which has no windows. All of the pieces are pretty cheap and flimsy feeling, but that's a given seeing how I only paid $10 for everything. In the box, I received an air pump, air line tube, light hood, tank, filter plate, air diffuser, riser tube, and three different paper documents. The directions are pretty straight forward and easy to understand, but I had to research the extraneous details like how to make the water safe for the fish. Once I finally set everything up (about an hour to get it right), the Betta fish was pretty happy and everything looked good. No leaks!

The kit comes with a 90-day limited warranty and a notice that you cannot return the product to the store. To make any returns or exchanges, they want you to work directly with the manufacturer. I don't know how easy or hard this would be since I didn't need to return or exchange.

Cons:

1. I don't like that the filter plate is so light that it practically floats. It made setting up the tank pretty difficult because the jewel decorations kept getting under the plate making the riser tube too tall and lop sided. To get past this, I weighted down the filter plate with binder clips which worked perfectly. I suggest sticking to sand or regular rocks and not jewels for anyone else.

2. I can't really seem to find a clear answer on this, but the lightbulb that comes with the kit makes the water pretty warm. After a few days, this brown stuff (Diatoms?)started growing all over the tank and even on the fish! I turned the light off and the brown stuff is now practically gone just after a few days. Upon further research online, I found that you're supposed to turn the light off for a few hours each day. This might be a good tip to add to the directions for the kit.

Overall, I think this product is ok for a child or a first timer like myself. The price is right and I don't feel ripped off, but I'm definitely looking forward to graduating to something more complete.

Received this as a gift, and bought a 3 month old "Betta Baby" from Petco for it. So far, Darbie absolutely loves his tank, swimming all over and loves to hide in the little hollow barnacle ornament I got for him. The tank's footprint is small (about the size of a sheet of printer paper cut diagonally) so you can't really put much in it. Here's a little information on all the parts included:

Tank: Mine actually feels fairly sturdy, and so far I haven't had any issues with the plastic fogging up like I have with other acrylic tanks. Also, it's not blue like the picture unless you put a blue background or blue gravel in it. You're only going to want 1 lb of gravel; I've got two in there and it's a little too much.

Hood and light: The plastic plate to keep fish from zapping themselves on the light is sturdy and fit snugly inside the hood housing; you've really got to press it in there. You'll know it's seated right when there's about 1/4" between the edge of the hood and where the plate sits. The light does produce a lot of heat and replacing it with an LED bulb works very well for limiting how hot the tank gets. Personally, I use a 7.5W Hydor heater under the gravel, which keeps the tank at a balmy 80 degrees without any help.

Plant: not included in the package, and not even listed on the box; Amazon's product description is in error there.

Air pump, tube, and air stone: The air pump is, strangely enough, one of the quietest I've ever found. And you can't buy this anywhere else. It's good that they provide a replacement part order sheet inside the box the tank comes in; you can order all the individual parts separately for fairly cheap. I don't know why some of the reviewers expressed trouble finding replacement parts when the manufacturer provided a reorder sheet; most manufacturers don't do that. The air stone is good quality and diffuses water quite well, and the air hose is flexible and supple. One of the best quality aeration kits I've received in a tank kit yet.

Filter: Useless. This is the only part of the set up that I am very disappointed in. It works based off of a very basic vacuum principle: you stuff the air stone down the tube, hope it stays, and plug it in. Because the stone fills with air, it floats to the top, which basically left me needing to wrap a rubber band around it to secure it in the tube. Nixed that idea fairly soon because the band started getting fuzzy and leaching things into the water. Ideally, the air stone would stay in the bottom, pumping air up, and the water would be carried up with the air, creating a current that pulls water through the filter plate. If this worked, it would work quite well with the addition of one more thing: filter cartridges. There's no floss, no screen, no foam, no sponge, and no carbon anywhere in this setup. The experienced DIYer could probably make filter cartridges, but I didn't bother because there's just not that much room to work with. And the filter plate does float uncontrollably. Very poorly designed, but I solved that problem by just plain not using it.

Again, 2 lb of gravel like I have will give you 2" of gravel in the bottom. I'd use between 1 lb and 1.5 lb, closer to 1 in order to get the standard inch that most pet stores and hobbyists will recommend. Regardless, Darbie absolutely loves this little tank and it'll be a great first home for him until he's big enough to need a larger one. It's perfect for little bettas, like growing fry or bettas that just never grew very big, and small enough that a child can fit it almost anywhere in his or her room. I'd say it's also durable enough to withstand standard use, though of course the kid that bangs things and pounds fish tanks to get the fish to move will probably crack it in a day.

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I bought two of these aquariums today to keep in each of my kids' rooms. They have both been asking for their own pet, so thought I'd start simple and let them keep a betta fish in their rooms. The aquarium looks fine, gives large viewing area to see the fish. I do like that it came with a small lamp and pump, something not always included with aquariums this small. The tank is made of pretty brittle and flimsy plastic. Nothing has gone wrong, but I don't expect it to last long. The lid is ill-fitting, so must be very careful replacing it. I am surprised at the price on Amazon and online pet retailers, I paid half as much at the local big-box for identical product.

Overall, it will do fine for the kids' first pets, may even last a few years.

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Buy it!!! When I ordered mine off Amazon I thought it was going to be a lot smaller and less quality. It actually looks really nice when you set it up and have everything going. I would recommend any one to buy this item. My fish loves the tank. It's worth the money.

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Installation was pretty simple. Two tips.

1. Airstone bubbler goes under the under gravel filter and into the tube. Just far enough so it stays in there. The air tube will tilt the filter because of the angle but the gravel will hold it down in place. I would recommend 2 lbs. Put just about under 2 inches of gravel.

2. There's a clear plastic piece that goes inside the black cover. You just pop it into place. Keeps water from touching the light bulb.

Pump is pretty quiet.

Also, if you use the light, only turn on for a few hours each day. If you leave it on, some brown stuff will start to grow.

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Lifegard Replacement 40-Watt Ultraviolet Bulbs for QL-40, 80, 120, 160, 240

This is a replacement for one broken in transit. The original bulb was shipped in a large box with copious packing material but the bulb was just dropped into the box and then all the packing was placed on top of it, rather than nesting the bulb in the center of the packing to protect it from impacts. This bulb was packed exactly the same way but this time fate delivered it intact.

I advised Amazon about the deficient packing before the second shipment but nothing changed... :-(

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AL-H24DD: Finnex RAY II High Output Unibody Ultra Slim LED Fixture - 24" Daylight

Who knew LEDs would make their way into the aquatic industry? I was looking into several products when I decided to get an additional light for my aquarium to convert it into a planted tank, and it seemed that LEDs were the best choice because they did not run (as) hot as fluorescents and the wattage is a lot less in comparison as well. I was looking into several Marineland products like the Marineland Aquatic Plant LED Lighting System w/ TIMER 18-24", but to be honest, it's a bit overpriced. By comparison, the finnex is more than half the price of the Marineland. Don't get me wrong, I love the company and it's products are usually of great quality and efficiency, but the LEDs are more expensive than they should be.

However, I wasn't sure whether LED's had the potential to be as bright. Well, let me tell you now, the Finnex is pretty dang bright. It pretty much illuminates the aquarium in bright daylight, emphasizing the colors of the plants, fish, rocks, and *gasp* the clarity/clearness of the water. My plants are growing pretty well. I am really glad that I did not go with the Marineland because I don't really need the moonlights it's cool and everything, but it's just a gimmick for blue light. I have the Marineland LED Aquarium Hood 20 by 10 and the moon lights seem a little artificial and fake. Not that natural, which is the look I'm assuming most of you are going for.

One thing that I surprised me a bit was how small it was and how hot it ran. It's not super hot, but enough to not be "cool". By the way, it's very well-made. It's solid, but I guess that comes from the unibody construction.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the light it's a tremendous value over other competitors and I saved a lot of money by deciding to go with the Finnex.

I have had many aquarium led lights. This is by far the brightest of them all. I am very pleased with it. It is brighter than the Marineland Reef Led lights by far. There are a couple things I would suggest they improve on. The cord that comes with the light is too short and there needs to be longer sizes. A 36 inch and a 48 inch version would be eagerly awaited upon by the aquarium hobby. Looking at the light when not turned on I thought I had bought another hyped up led not living up to its name, but when I turned it on I got a burst of sunshine I didn't think possible from a fixture this size. Overall I give an excited thumbs up for this product.

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This light is amazing, I received it today and put it on my tank. Wow this is amazing! I have a biocube 29 gallons and it fits perfectly. My corals opened up well, especially my leather corals. Its like a balloon that someone inflated it. And my overheating issue with biocube lid is gone. My only complaint is that the power cord is too short, like really really short. With my biocube and its stand the cord doesnt even touch the floor. Im still very happy overall because of the price, capability and quality of the product. Best bang for the buck!

Read Best Reviews of AL-H24DD: Finnex RAY II High Output Unibody Ultra Slim LED Fixture - 24" Daylight Here

Aquatic Gardens Aquarium Hydrometer with Thermometer

This is a really great product. I bought a Red Sea Hydrometer/Thermometer before this one and it was absolutely terrible. The design of this hydrometer is very neatit actually floats upright in your aquarium, and gives a very accurate temperature and salinity reading. Highly recommended!

I've been in the reef aquarium hobby for around 6 years now. I purchased 3 of these in case I ended up breaking one. Not as fragile as some have suggested but it's glass so be careful. Works just fine...just be sure to calibrate it with a something of a known specific gravity to ensure you are measuring apples to apples. I'd buy again for the price.

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Mine fall down and it broke. Is precise and much better than hydrometers. Just read it in not moving water and under the water brake line.

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The hydrometer arrived in a timely fashion. It did not have any directions. It seems simple and easy to use.

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I dont know why i bought this for my fresh water tanks but i did.It does work and and it is easy to read i just have no use for it with my fresh water tanks.Maybe one day ill have a use for it because i would like to try a saltwater setup some day

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Zoo Med BettaTherm Submersible Betta Bowl Heater 7.5 Watts

I almost gave up on finding a heater that actually lived up to the standards in their descriptions. Two others that I tried never went past 72 degrees, although the descriptions said they went to 78 degrees. This little BettaTherm heater is the absolute best. It stays at a consistent 79-80 degrees. My Betta, Clifford is just thriving in his 2.5 gallon bowl. He is so much more active since I put in this heater. This heater takes up no room, is flat and covered by your rocks on the bottom of the bowl. There is a suction cup that holds the cord nicely against the side of the bowl. I would say..stop looking at other heaters, this is the best out there.

The heating power of this product is way underestimated.

It says it can raise a 1-3 gallon tank 5-10 degrees above room temp. I woke up the morning after i installed it and found my 2.5 gallon betta tank at 86 degrees with a room temp of 65. I'm glad i didn't buy this product in the summer or he'd probably be dead.

Without any kind of built in thermostat you have to constantly monitor your tanks temp and plug or unplug the heater.

It might be safe for a 5 gallon but if your tank is any smaller than that this heater is too powerful.

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Just want to warn people that this heater is a fire hazard. Mine was only 4 months old when today I walked out to see smoke

coming out of my aquarium. Had I not been home I don't even want to imagine what would have happened. There was quite a bit

of smoke in our home and when we were able to get our Betta out and check to find out this heater was melted. I am still shaking from this

experience and I plan on contacting the manufacturer.

Read Best Reviews of Zoo Med BettaTherm Submersible Betta Bowl Heater 7.5 Watts Here

Bought it , put it in my 1.5 gallon tank for my big healthy beautiful beta. Room temp 65 degrees, went to work, came home to find my fish DEAD and the TANK WAY TOO HOT! If I could give it negative stars I would. Sure it's great, if you're trying to COOK FISH.

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I've had this heater for a few days in my 1 gallon bowl, and it certainly does well at keeping the water warm. You can't set it to a specific temperature, though, so you really need to keep an eye on how hot your water gets. My room temperature is at about 70 degrees, and this heater usually keeps the water at around 80. Sometimes, though, especially after it's been on all day, it gets up to more like 85, and that's a bit too hot for my betta.

Basically, this heater is nice to have, but buy yourself a thermometer to go with it, and don't let it go unwatched for very long.

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Coralife Energy Savers ACL54210 50/50 Mini Compact Bulb, 20w

Cora life is one of the markets leading manufacturers of premium aquarium products
This bulb enhances freshwater and saltwater aquariums
It has a high-intensity output with low operating temperature
Coralife is one of the market?s leading manufacturers of premium aquarium products
Coralife is one of the market?s leading manufacturers of premium aquarium products.
This bulb enhances freshwater and saltwater aquariums.

I have been using two of these for my 10 gallon reef tank for a couple months. Corals look great, macro algeas are growing fast. Best of all, I didn't even have to buy expensive fixtures for them. Fit right into a standard light bulb socket.

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I have a Nano-tank with just fish and live rock and this light works great for my tank. Has a great life span approx 8 months. I use two for my 10g tank and lights every corner, except of cources my caves and such. Does evaporate about half a gallon of water a week though from the heat it produces.

Read Best Reviews of Coralife Energy Savers ACL54210 50/50 Mini Compact Bulb, 20w Here

Re: the review above. The blue color you were unhappy with is called actinic. It's meant to simulate the light at depth on a coral reef. These bulbs weren't intended for freshwater aquariums--saltwater fish do just fine with the blue light, and these bulbs are a relatively inexpensive way to get good reef lighting for a small tank.

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While the bulb is awesome(Im currently using it on 6 different tanks),this company is something else entirely. I placed an order with them on a Saturday,with it saying there were plenty in stock,and after waiting untill Wednesday of the following week with no ship date(I expidited my order),I began to wonder if they were ever going to send it out. It turns out they never had it in stock and had to order it......without ever even bothering to let me know about it. Apparently they think waiting over a full business week for an order to just ship out(they told me,after calling them,it wouldn't ship till the following week...!!),never mind how long it will take to actually receive it, is an ok thing to do to a customer.

They obviously lie about their stock to get you to order from them instead of a more reputable seller on here,so my advice is to avoid Ozbo if you actually want your product in a timely fashion without being lied to.

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I purchased for my ten gallon saltwater tank with and incandescent hood. The bulbs fit perfect and the light is great. What an easy way to get 40 watts of lighting. Now I am looking forward to see how coral will do under these lights. As far as growing fresh water plants in a ten gallon tank, and using an incandescent hood, go to Walmart and buy some 10W full spectrum mini compacts for less than 6 bucks each.

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