i bought this tank kit from a local petsmart store in february 2012 for $200. got it home, unpacked it and set it up with really no problems at all.
all the hood, filter, and trim parts are plastic. the filter is the bio-wheel penguin 350, which holds a double filter and biowheel setup with adjustable intake. the filter is generally quieter than average for kit systems, and i am very pleased with it so far.
the led lighting comes from two led panels, one on either side of the split-hood. they are removable and come with detachable power cords. they are surprisingly bright, and provide a nice shimmer effect into the tank. however, they do not provide suitable light energy for a planted tank so don't expect to get good plant growth. there is also a night-light setting of a half-dozen blue led's on each panel. the lights do not have a timer option, but instead a 3-way manual switch (white, off, blue) on each panel.
the tank also comes with a generic 200-watt heater and temperature sticker. the heater is not marked in degrees, but that's what the thermometer is for :) they seem to work ok, but i bought a different thermometer to replace the one in the kit. there is also a startup pack that includes a small amount of tropical fish flakes, a net that's far too short to catch bottom-dwelling fish without getting wet up to the elbow, and a small amount of water conditioner. there are no decorations, gravel, air pumps, or other items included.
i am generally satisfied with my purchase. i let the tank cycle for a week before dropping in a couple danios and platies. if i notice any issues with components wearing out early or breaking too easily, i will come back and update this review.
***UPDATE***
after a year, the tank is still holding out very well. nothing has broken or fallen apart, except for the suction cups that were with the heating element. the clips deteriorated and fell apart within a couple months, but i bought some replacements and they've worked just fine. all the led's still work, and the filter is still churning away.
i can definitely say this marineland tank is a keeper.
I bought this product at my local pet store, and thus far, have been happy with it. Marineland's 20 yr guarantee is what sold me--had been debating. Out of the box I was missing a 'lens', the clear part the light shines through. Called marineland customer service, and without too much difficulty, they are sending one out to me. Had to find the 'reorder part number', customer service rep sounded like had a very wide commercial and home product list, hard to pin point what I needed otherwise. About a ten minute wait to get to customer service.
Powerful bio-wheel filter included which was a real plus and helped me decide to go with this model. LED's are definitely cool, especially in night mode. A little concerned about corrosion--there has been some moisture gathering on LED light boards. I think the problem may be that the 'lens' is a snap-in model and is not sealed to prevent water vapor from reaching the lights. I put the light fixtures in gallon ziploc bags until I can figure something else out. Think I'm going to try using some aquarium sealant around the edges of the lens and see if that solves the moisture problem.
Hood otherwise seems pretty sturdy, though not impressed by the hood/tank clips to hold the hood on. Directions are a little unclear, and snapped off a piece inadvertantly before I got the hang of it. Overall, a good unit for the money, and almost everything you need to get started in one box. I'd buy again and/or recommend.
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I purchased a marineland aquarium kit. We had a few problems with it, but Marineland is a company that stands behind its products, and both items that we have problems with have been replaced with no difficulty by the company.
I wish more companies opperated on the same principles. The world would be filled with happy consumers.
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Ok i have this and it is a great tank with bad lights for plants because i have many planted aquariums and this is only good for a tank not the lights or anything else so keep that in mind and then heres a tip t5ho lights are good for planted tank and like i said just the tank.
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The pump itself is terrific. Amazon's price and fast shipping was much appreciated. There is a lot of power and good control for the water pressure. The water bell is lovely. But the fountain heads are held on by pressure, not threaded, and the force of the water being pumped eventually blew both the water bell and spray heads off and they are buried somewhere in the bottom of my pond. With the cold weather coming soon, I don't expect to find them before next spring. It's a serious design flaw, but you can probably secure the head if you know about it in advance.
