biOrb Life Aquarium

I bought two biorb aquariums, the Life 60 (16 gallon) and the Life 30 (8 gallon) 4 months ago and haven't had any problems (both are a freshwater setup). They look sharp and everyone notices them right away when they come over. The tanks come with ceramic media, filter, air pump w/ one way valve, air stone, and LED lighting. The amount of ceramic media that came with my tanks seemed low so I purchased more. If you are an experienced aquarists you should have no problems keeping fish in these tanks. I would consider both my tanks to be over stocked and in 4 months still have not lost a single fish. I have found replacement filters and air stones at all my local pet supply stores. The supplied air pumps have big rubber feet and don't make much noise. The LED lighting is amazing and gives you half a dozen setup options. I use the 14 hour day setting, it gives you 12 hours of full day light with an hour sunrise transition and hour sunset transition then 10 hours of moonlight. The top of the tank has two small holes, one is for feeding and I also use it when obtaining water sample with a pipette, the other is a small notch at the back that I use to pass the power cable for my heater and the cable for my digital thermometer through.

UPDATE (1 Year): Just wanted to quickly update my experience with these tanks. It has been a year since I bought them and my fish are healthy and still no loses. I am still using the supplied air pumps with out any noise problems. If you are careful you shouldn't have to worry about scratching the acrylic, my tanks still look as good as the day I bought them. Only drawbacks are the small feeding holes and you can only get one hand/arm through the top of the tanks when setting up and cleaning, this can make it difficult when trying to reach the bottom of the 16 gallon tank because of how tall it is.

I have had this this fish-tank (the 8gal Bio Life) for a few weeks now.

I added the ceramic media, and conditioned the water with Stress Coat and Stress Zyme, Installed the filter which was a breeze! and let it run without fish for over a week so the tank could settle.

I also made sure that the temperature was stable for the fish that I wanted to keep. I live in Jamaica, where it is mostly warm, but we have a air-conditioner in the living room where the tank is so it can get a bit cooler than normal.

All other water parameters were good, meaning Ammonia, PH, Nitrate, and Nitrite Levels were all good.

Now it was time to add the fish, Not to overload the tank, I am starting out with a group of 4 Neon Tetras (I will add 4 more in a month to make it a school). I know they are not the recommended starter fish for a New Tank, but I thought I would give it go seeing that all tested conditions were good.

I have to say I was a bit worried at first with all the information on the Net saying how hard Tetras were, and that you definitely need a heater etc. etc., I has been over a week, and I am glad to say that my fish seem very happy, and tank is doing fine! and without a heater. I even grew some brine shrimp to give them a treat, and they ate them readily!

I really love this tank it is not only beautiful to look at, it is so convenient in every way! Here are my Likes and Dislikes:

Likes:

Beautiful A Work of Art

Convenient Adequate Filter System So Far

Convenient Feeding Hole.

LED Lighting to mimic real light situations and saves energy.

It's Acrylic which is stronger than glass! Also, not many people realize, but Acrylic does not Conduct the Outside Temperature to the Water inside the tank very readily because Acrylic is a poor heat/cold conductor. So it keeps your water at a more stable temperature than a glass one. (see for yourself, place ice inside a glass, and place some in a plastic cup which one can you feel more cold on the outside? The Glass of course.

Comes Complete with almost everything that you will need to start (You will still need a Net, a fish tank water changer/cleaner, and more fish food and water conditioners, and replacement media)

Note: To save on buying replacement filters, buy just one more Replacement Bio-filter, and some Bulk Activated Carbon Pellets, and Some Diamond Blend or other Ammonia Removing Product. So when you need to change the filter you can, rinse the sponge filter in some of the tank water removed (not to kill the good bacteria), and replace the carbon and ammonia stones with what you bought, and you can vary the amount of each depending on your tank conditions.

Dislikes:

LED Light should have a 24HR Moonlight setting

Could have a diverter air valve inside so that you can connect other air stones, etc, without having to push an air line through the top.

Overall I really like this tank, and thinking of buying the 16gal.

I will followup this review, as I have the tank longer if anything out of the ordinary happens.

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After purchasing the biUbe 9 gallon aquarium for a bedroom (and loving it) here on amazon.com, we decided to get the biOrb Life 60 for our living room. I would say it's an in between tank (better than those little Sponge Bob tanks but not as good as a regular 20 or more gallon tank with optional filtration). The upright design makes it a perfect addition due to limited amount of space. We set it up as a small freshwater tropical tank for some Glofish. It fits nicely in the corner and is the first thing you notice when you walk into the room.

The tank comes with everything you need to set it up. If done correctly, it makes a beautiful aquarium for our small tropical fish. I like the upright design of the tank and the fact that it is flat (as opposed to the biUbe which is round and distorts my fish) so you can see the fish clearly.

Pros:

Nice upright design for those looking to save space and can't fit a long rectangular aquarium.

Comes with everything you need to get started. Directions are clear to follow.

The light is nice and bright just like the fluorescents you see in those nice big tanks.

Cons:

Overpriced. I brought mine on sale, and though I love the look of the tank, I think they are way overpriced.

The air pump that comes with the tank makes a buzzing noise and doesn't last long. I use mine as a spare and purchase a Rena 100.

It's acrylic which maybe stronger than glass, but scratches very easily, so be careful when maintaining.

There is a limited amount and types of fish you can keep in these.

So basically, if you have the room to fit a big tank in your house, than get a bigger cheaper one (the bigger the tank, the easier it is to maintain). But if you are like me and don't have a lot of space and would like to keep a small amount of fish in a designer aquarium, than the biOrb Life is right for you.

UPDATE: After having the tank for a couple of months I wanted to update my experience with this tank. The one complaint I have is the top of the tank. The opening is a bit small which makes it a little hard to do regular maintenance and leaves little room for any added filters and such (the little opening in the light fixture is just big enough to fit the cord from the heater). I added an internal filter for some extra filtration because I like to over filter my tanks, so my light fixture doesn't fit perfectly in the opening due to the extra cord coming out of the tank (no big deal though). Also, because of how deep the tank is, I find siphoning the bottom to be somewhat difficult. This is something I can deal with. Other than that, so far so good.

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PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS TANK. Save yourself some grief. We lost so many of our beloved fish in this tank and we're experienced fish keepers.

This review is for the 16 gallon tank but, I'm pretty sure it applies to the other sizes.

Pros:

Great looking tank. That's it.

Cons:

Inadequate filter system

Inadequate lighting system

No additional filters, lighting or feeders in the market that are made specifically for this type of tank

Very difficult to balance the tank due to all of the above

Our experience:

Plants wither and die.

Fish are unhappy and we lost a lot of fish due to difficulty in balancing tank.

We bought a standard tank and transferred the other fish and they are thriving in that tank. The standard tank has been low maintenance and the fish and plants are thriving.

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I bought the 12 gallon BioOrb Tank in Feb from Amazon. After 1 month, the fish tank exploded and the water, rocks, and fish ended up on my living room floor. I have pictures.

Worst tank ever. Don't be fooled by the slick design, that is if you care about your floorboards and furniture.

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K&H Rubber Thermo-Hose Ice Free Water Hose

K&H markets their products to animal owners, and I think they're missing a small market. As a winter/snow rv fanatic, I bought this hose to help with camping in the Sierras. Just needed something to make sure that the water and hose weren't freezing on the coldest nights (bottoming out around -10).

After talking with K&H about my application, they confirmed the description and other feedback. The ends are not heated so they will also need to be wrapped or protected from cold. I chose to wrap them in foam and didn't worry about heating them seems to have worked for my application. We'll see how well this works over time.

As for staying warm, it was enough to melt the snow that I dropped it onto and when I woke it was on solid ground, and the water was still free-flowing, which is exactly what I would have expected.

As an added bonus, K&H did answer their phone right away when I called them and Amazon delivered 2nd day as promised.

The Hose worked great in cold weather, but it dried & cracked in less than 6 months from exposure to the sunny weather. The ice didn't get it but the sun did. I was hoping to leave it in use year round and only unplug the heater during the warmer months. Now it makes a good sprinkler hose. For the price I was expecting it to last at least 3-4 winters.

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We installed this at the barn this Christmas and haven't had any problems to date. It worked great and we didn't notice any problems.

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This water hose has been an absolute life saver!!! We were having to disconnect our waterhose on very cold nights. We purchased this water hose and used it all winter long. The only issue I have with it is that the water has a rubber taste to it. So it is not good for drinking, but great for everything else!

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Bought hose for use with my r.v. for cold weather camping/living. After 1 month of use had no problems at all water keep flowing.

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Lee's Airline Holders, Pack of 6

I bought these to affix my airline hose to the inside of my freshwater aquarium tank. I assembled the suction cups, pressed it against the inside of the aquarium, and it fell off in less than 3 minute. The suction cups are to rigid and don't allow enough suction to keep them on the glass. They should make the cups out of some kind of soft rubber like the ones that come with the heaters. What a waste!

This is a good quality product that works. The pegs for the actual holders are cross shaped and are to be inserted into the round hole on the suction cup. The hole is rather stiff and requires some force to insert the peg...that is if you dont use your head.

The easiest way to get the peg in the hole is to first stick the end of a pen into the hole for about a minute. This will forcibly enlarge the hole just enough so that you can get the peg in. Take out the pen and quickly put the peg in before it closes. Done. No need to make you fingers all red.

I prefer this two piece design over a one piece that you would say need to route the tubing through. This design allows you to easily reposition the holder if necessary.

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Do you want suction cups that become hard, rigid plastic with zero suction after being submerged for 20 minutes? These are the ones for you!

Do you want suction cups that require assembly, but because the pieces don't fit together, you end up breaking one of the pieces? These are the ones for you!

Do you want to destroy your $30 C02 diffuser because when you press it against the tank, the suction cup doesn't flex? These are the ones for you!

Garbage.

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It came in a package that seemed like I could have made it and you have to push each side into each other and may have some difficulty but honestly it is worth the money

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It is extremely difficult to assemble these suction cups. It is very difficult to insert the clips. In the end I threw them away.

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Fluval E Electronic Heater

Love the features...absolutely love the fact it has an integrated heater guard....seems well made...love the integrated temp display (BTW mine is showing an accurate temp reading)...love the ease in accurately modifying temp.

Longer version: Anyone who is serious about tropical/saltwater healthy fishkeeping should take their water temperature very seriously (unfortunately, it seems few do). In my experience, there are few well-made, reliable heaters out there regardless of how much you are willing to pay (my kingdom for a decent/reliable heater I'd always say!).

I used Hagen/Tronics for years and found them to be the best money could buy...(and they were competitively priced, about 40 bucks for a 200W submersible). Another reason I liked the Tronics is that I have heater guards that fit them (another often overlooked concern in my opinion). Unfortunately, they quit making the Tronics and eventually my backups were gone. I have since been on a very frustrating journey... I've tried all kinds (including recently Marineland Stealth and Hydor....which I was told were some of the better ones out there...they sucked... 2 Stealths failed closed (overheated, thank goodness for my close monitoring)--The Hydor could not maintain temperature (wild temp swings)....everything else I looked at and read about seemed like more of the same chinese junk. Although I'd read about some reliability issues, I was about to pull the trigger on the very expensive JBJ True Temp Digital controlled heater....when someone suggested this one.

I will update this review once I've logged some hours...but I'm very optimistic about this model!

NOTE: Some seem to think this is not Submersible...though not documented clearly and implied otherwise, it IS FULLY SUBMERSIBLE (see my response to the previous post).

Update: 2 years later and both units are going strong...highest recommendation.

Have this heater now in my fish tank for about a year. The heater itself has a glass housing. The outer casing visible in the picture is plastic. That's great to avoid any fish getting burned by the heater. Target temperature adjustment is straight forward following the instructions. I strongly doubt that any fish could change the adjustment (done by the little red lever which, granted, is in the water as well) as I had read somebody else posting. I use the heater fully submerged.

One thing to be aware of is that the heater needs to be in "flowing" water when being mounted vertically. Otherwise the built in temperature sensor will get triggered and report an error (rising warm water will create and "overheat" condition which switches off the heater). I don't have much water flow in my fish tank so I decided to mount the heater horizontally an inch or two above the gravel. Works perfectly this way.

The best part of the heater is the color coded built in temperature display. As long as the water has a temperature within one or two Fahrenheit of the target temperature the display is green. If the water temperature rises the display becomes red (while of course also displaying the exact temperature as a number). If rising an additional few degrees the display blinks red. Similarly if the water temperature goes below the target range the display becomes blue. This way one can quickly check that the water has the right temperature.

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I recently upgraded my 55 gallon aquarium heater to the Fluval E Series 300w. It does an excellent job of maintaining temp and comes with a tough exterior cage (prevents disasters). I really enjoy the temp display screen, but some might find the bright light a problem at night (if you're looking for a dark room). I've bought several heaters over the years, from different brands, and this is by far my favorite.

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I was looking for a more reliable heater than those I had over the years. The 5 year warranty and favorable reviews on the E300 seemed to fit the bill. The product has been very disappointing. I have a 180 gallon tank that has 2 canister filters; one filter has a 220watt in-line heater. I have always used a second heater to heat this tank, which is in a room that sometimes drops into the low 60's. The filter's heater in combination with a second 250-300watt heater has always done the job nicely. I have primarily used submersible titanium units. The last one lasted just over a year and then failed. That's when I decided to go with the E300. The product does have some nice features. The traditional glass tube is encased in a plastic slotted enclosure. That makes it safer especially with larger fish like my oscars. It also boasts sophisticated electronics with a very nice digital display window which shows current water temperature in large easier to see digits. The display glows green when temperature is within 2 degrees of the setting, blue when more than 2 degrees colder, and red if water temperature exceeds the heater's setting by more than 2 degrees. Now the negatives: The heater is not submersible and the manual calls for a 20-30 minute power off before removing or placing into service. That's not a big deal unless you do frequent water changes like I do. The heater requires placement in a current of water like the outflow of a filter. This apparently is required to dissipate the heat and allow the electronics to do their thing. If not so placed the digital display will constantly flash "LF" for low flow. Unlike conventional heaters, this one curiously does not have an indicator light to actually let you know when it is heating. That proved frustrating in trying to deal with the next point. The most disappointing aspect of the E300 is that it has proven to be a much weaker heater than any similar wattage one I have had before. As soon as I installed it, it became apparent that my secondary heater was working much harder than usual. The Fluval was in the blue mode so it should have been turning itself on. Without any indicator light, I had to wonder if it was working at all. I could only tell in complete darkness when I could see the glow from the actual heating element. To my surprise, it would glow for about 30 seconds and then go dark for over 2 minutes and then glow for 30 seconds again. This was while the water temperature was several degrees below the set temperature on the heater. I had to wonder if this was a malfunction. I called Hagen (Fluval parent company) customer service and was only told generic stuff: unplug and let it sit for 20 minutes then restart it, make be sure it's clean, etc. When that didn't help, I used their on-line help. They were very prompt in answering my emails but never addressed my question as to whether these 30 second bursts of 'on' with much more 'off' time in between was normal. They did offer to exchange my heater. I paid for shipping it to them and got a new heater within the same week. While without it, my other heater easily kept my water temperature at a steady 75 for several days. I put the new heater in, and set it for 78.5 and later 80.5. I didn't change anything else, basically asking the E300 to raise the temperature a few degrees. The best it can do is increase the temperature to 76-77 degrees, constantly showing it's blue display to confirm it is incapable of reaching it's setting. Doing my sitting in the dark observations, the 30 second pulses are identical to the first unit. I can only conclude that the 300 watts of claimed power are drastically restrained by fancy electronics that seem designed to give pulse heating. Any other similarly powered heater would stay on until much higher temperatures were reached. (I used to have discus in this tank and easily kept 84 degrees.)My next heater will likely be a titanium submersible.

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I've used at least 6 brands of heaters over the years, and this Fluval wins hands down.

1) nice looking

2) plastic sheathing guards the fish. They like to lay on it.

3) temp gauge is ACCURATE! The display says 77.5 and my $$$ insta-read BBQ thermometer says 77.5.

(the reason i say this is that oodles of cheap fish thermometers _vary_. Test it with a reliable thermometer.)

4) cheap on black friday.

5) not all that long. Usually the higher the wattage, the longer the thermostat. The 300 watt fits in my 23 inch wide 25 Gal just fine. I like to put mine horizontal. Its so nice looking you wont notice it.

6) heats QUICK. A 37 gallon cold tank was 77.5 the next morning.

7) temp display is not at all bright so its not going to light up the room at night.

8) thermometer measures the temp of the WATER, not the heater glass like most heaters. Its surprising to learn how temps vary in your tank. Temps at top vs temps at the bottom. And the glass skews things even more. Measuring by water temp fixes all of those variables as long as you have water flow.

I liked this heater so much, I ordered a second one from amazon at regular price the next day.

Haven't had any problems with low-flow. The manual states that the heater can be taken apart and cleaned if it ever needs it.

EDIT: Just ordered a 3rd. The price keeps going up! Still amazed the display says 77.5 and another therm says 77.5. Exact.

I see the other semi-favorable reviews. Not sure why my 2 tanks are so exact when others fluctuate. I do have the glass top and plastic guards cut snug to prevent heat loss / evaporation... maybe that's also a requirement ? Maybe you are using a cheap therm. from petsmart ? I have a mercury one and its are so far off, its crazy.

UPDATE: its been 1 year and now one isn't heating right anymore. Its on 79.5 but the tank is at 75. Unplugged it for a couple hours and it reset itsself a bit better. Im getting a new one just to be safe.

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Jebo Aquarium Fish Tank Automatic Heaters 300w 100gal

I purchased this heater Oct 29, 2010. 14 months later it just stopped working. The temp indicator shows it is working but the temp dropped in my tank without warning costing me fish.

Heaters typically last 3-5 years without issue. I recommend you buy a different heater.

The first one leaked over night (these are submersible). I the morning it was full of water and had died causing the temps to drop. Amazon sent me a replacement.. it too started to leak but I pulled the top from the water enough to stop the leak but keep it heating. Then it wouldn't heat the aquarium over 77F no matter how high I turned it up. It's getting returned too. These are cheapos!

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Very good quality product. So far it has warmed up my 100gal fish tank. It is very good so far . Recommended!!

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The Jebo tank heater I bought works great. It was a lot less expensive than in stores and has maintained a consistent temp in my 90 gal. tank.

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Hydor Deco Classic Collection Ancient Ruins Aquarium Ornament Kit, Pyramid

I bought this for my 55 gallon tank and it is a bit smaller than what I expected. The LED light changes color which is very neat.

The instructions for this is very odd. Over all it is not complex once you figure it out, but getting to that point is kind of frustrating. There are TWO different models of this so look at the air pump motor of the one you got to tell them apart before you begin to assemble it. Also, the suction cups for the base are in their own little pack and are not in the same pack with the suction cups for the cords. Look for those first because you will need them first to go onto the base. After that slide the air pump motor onto the base and affix the air pump intake hose. From there the instructions are pretty easy to follow.

My only issue is the mass of black cords I now have the job of hiding in my tank. Ugh. Oh and the box it was packaged in really didn't fit the product, but it got it here so I guess that's all that matters.

It seems as if the person that wrote the first review didn't read the directions or doesn't know how to properly install equipment... Also, there's really no reason why you should be trying an air pump out of the water. That being said, if you read the directions and install it properly, you will have yourself an awesome piece for your aquarium that you can enjoy!

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The packaging and shipping were awesome. The product itself was a piece of ****. The air pump worked when tested out of water, as soon as it was submerged it shorted and died. After all the work of setting up in my aquarium I was so angry I smashed it to pieces (Can't return now..oops.). So pretty much I paid $60 dollars for some LED'S that change color, Great! (Sarcasm). Not Amazon's fault it is the fault of the manufacturer. Do not waste your money. Buy some submersible LED's from china on Ebay and a separate air pump, it will cost less and will work. The only reason I gave one star is because the light works.

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Aqueon 34503 ProFlex Sump Model 4, 120-210-Gallon

Love the design of the pump and was exactly what I was looking for. Unfortunately, there is a lower corner leak in the third chamber. It was a little disheartening as I had my reef tank up and running already. I already hard plumbed the sump to the display with PVC. So, if I had to return it, I would have to dismantel it by cutting the drain pipe and replacing the bulkhead. This would be a lot of time an expense. Then I would have to return the product and wait again for them to ship it back to me. I couldn't afford to wait that long as my tank was already full of water and some livestock.

So, I decided to drain the whole sump and just re-sealed the edges with silicon. It stopped the leak and hopefully it won't open up again. I know the product has a warranty against leaks. Like I said, the sump works fine now, just disappointed I had to deal with the leak.

Once I fixed the leak and Rigged the overflow panel in the first chamber it works great. Not sure if all the parts came or not.

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I was bummed out over this product. Really my fault in buying it It's not that great. I threw out the "filters", they got "gunned" up in one week (expected really). The other area for use as a REFUGIUM is close to worthless. The construction I thought was flimsy way to thin plastic careful here. The tubes the provide will gunk up real fast as they are the ribbed flex tubes. Just by a cheap aquarium with out all the fancy garbage... really nothing added here folks. My bad in buying it.

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If you want to experiment with different sump designs, this is likely a great place to start, especially for the price. However, there are some annoying oddities. I am using it for a ~150 gallon turtle aquarium, so I have a bit of an odd usage as well. As the turtles eat just about every plant except java fern and java moss, I am running a refugium for some fast-growing plants to help with nitrate. However, I also need to run some biomedia (in my case, seachem matrix). This doesn't situation work out so well out of the box, but after some fab work, it's running well.

The Good:

1) Uses standard 4" socks. While the aqueon socks are nice, they are expensive, so it's great to be able to buy standard size socks, unlike other brands who use hard to find square ones or non-standard 3.75" and other craziness. It also lets you change micron size easily, as aqueon only seems to make one. For instance, I can run two 200 micron and one 50 micron for a couple days for some relatively quick water polishing.

2) For lower turnover, nearly dead silent. If you keep the GPH low enough using hard plumbing such that air bubbles don't form, the underwater inlet design is nearly silent. The only thing you will hear is water running from the 2nd to the 3rd chamber if you keep the 3rd chamber reasonably low.

3) Reasonably priced. Yes, the acrylic is thinner than it could be, no flame polished edges, et cetera, but that all keeps the cost down. So far it is only a fit/feel issue and not a functionality issue. If the edges are bonded well it shouldn't leak, but we'll see. I'm hoping the others with leaks were a manufacturing defect and not a design issue.

4) Highly configurable. Let's face it, a fair portion of this hobby is about trying different things or changing your mind. If you don't know what kind of sump you want to run, or change the aquarium and it's inhabitants around, it's great to be able to re-use the sump in different ways.

The Bad:

1) no room for heaters. Most people want to have heaters in the sump rather than the display tank, mounted vertically, and configured in a weir so that they do not go dry when the power to the pumps is off. The only place to do that on this sump is in the first chamber with the filter socks. This is hard to reach, very close to the socks which get tangles in the wires, and not very tall, so most of the common heaters (e.g. ebo-jager, and oddly aqueon's own heaters) do not fit. I ended up using three hydor theo 200's which gets by.

2) The adjustable wall between chamber 1 and 2 is held in place by the water force. Once the water stops, the wall falls. Not a big deal for a wet/dry filter, but if you are using it as a fuge, you suddenly have one big fuge that plants and animals can escape to. If you have a skimmer in #2, the water level change is sure to be frustrating. I ended up trimming some plastic tablecloth hold-down clips to keep it in place. A couple stainless or plastic clips would do wonders here. Perhaps I'm one of the few that turns the water off for feeding, or ever has power failures .

3) The bubble trap's overflow (between the 2nd and 3rd chamber) is too low/non adjustable. Rather than the sponge trap, which is likely nice for skimmers, I used the overflow before the return chamber to hold my biomedia. However, the overflow is non-adjustable and set really low, so most of the water was flowing over the top of the media rather than through it. I suspect the same thing would happen with the bubble trapping sponge, but I haven't tried. I ended up cutting a piece of acrylic to make the overflow taller, yet still shorter than the refugium wall so it won't flood while pumps are off

4) The return area takes up the most space of all the chambers. I suppose this makes sense for the few without an auto top off so that the pumps won't run dry on a daily basis, but I'd rather this area be used to give me more filter/refugium space or a space for heaters/equipment.

5) The inlet water tube noise reducers are sealed. Perhaps a small child could get their hand down there to clean, but no adult could. Since they are sealed, you can't disassemble them either, leaving them to attract sloughed algae, snails, and the like.

6) The incoming water tubes are small. At least for the model 4, 1.5" inlet tubes should be in place to match the flow numbers they have posted. I used hard PVC direct to them, but the reducing coupling slows the water quite a bit and makes for a lot more noise than if they were larger in the first place.

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While this is a great sump there are a few things that create drawbacks to it. One the filter socks are hard to place and remove, let alone are expensive and clog quickly. Two there is no way this can handel 2200gph. I have 1450 exactly running through it and it is maxed out. Im usint two 1.5" lines feeding the sump and the 1" 90's going to it are to restrictive for that kind of flow level. Other than that its worth every penny.

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Rena 721 Filstar XP2 Canister Filter

I have a 100 gallon tank and I paid 500.00 for a wet/dry system that everyone swore would be my last and best filter. Well after a year of loud draining noises and yellow water I ditched it and put on 2 of the XP2's. All I can say is WOW!!!! After only 9 hours my water is crystal clear! I was so used to the yellow tinge in the water I forgot what clear water looked like! My wet dry was rated for a 200 gallon tank and I changed the media religously! It pales in comparison to the XP2's! And the XP2's along with a year supply of filter media cost less than half of the Wet/Dry system! I am sold on the XP2! They are virtually noiseless too!

I did a lot of research when I was trying to decide on a canister filter for my 55-gallon aquarium, and saw a plethora of conflicting information. Eheim was supposedly the best brand, but people described it at "not user-friendly", and they can be a bit pricey. Others looked too cheaply-made to be worth the cost, and I didn't want to worry about replacing parts.

Eventually I settled on the Rena Filstar XP2 canister, and I've never been happier. It's reliable, quiet, and my water is crystal-clear (and that's saying something, since we have very heavy lime in my area). Any time I do a gravel-vac or move ornaments around, the XP2 has my water clear again within a few hours. Even when I slack off on cleaning the media, it keeps my aquarium balanced, runs smoothly, and maintains water circulation and current.

The only problem I've had was a defective hose clamp, so now I have a metal clamp there instead of the black one that came with it. I suggest having at least one on-hand so you don't have to go back to the store when setting up your filter. It also apparently has an automatic shutoff feature if you're silly and let the hose get crimped, like I did. That's the only time it ever ceased to function, which is far preferable to the motor burning out.

Priming this filter is a breeze, as are cleaning it and setting it to work again. The media lasts quite a while, and the only things not included are the Bio-Chem Stars. Definitely worth the money, especially if you're new to canister filters.

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I've been using canister filters on my smaller tanks (20-55g) for the past decade and the RENA XP2 is the most impressive by far.

APPEARANCE

The kit was very neatly packaged. The filter itself is definitely not a real "looker", but it certainly has very clean lines. I expected some burrs on the plastic pieces, but there were none to be found. What else can I say about a filter that likely will be hidden away beneath a cabinet or behind the aquarium?

SETUP

It's ridiculous how easily the filter assembled. The media baskets are very practical and easy to manage, plenty of room for whatever you choose to filter with. The ONLY aspect I would consider potentially difficult was fitting the hoses to the rigid tubing -easily remedied with a very light film of petroleum jelly, emphasis on "light". Once the clamp is in place it's nearly impossible to move the hose let alone pull it completely off the tubing. The instructions are clear and concise and the visuals so explicit the text is almost unnecessary.

OPERATION

I am not exaggerating when I say the filter generates only a whisper of noise. My wife wondered whether it was actually functioning until I opened the cabinet and she leaned over to listen. Amazing, considering the volume of water it's filtering. My water is crystal clear, well-balanced and the aquarium's occupants are healthy and robust -testimony to how well the filter is functioning.

MAINTENANCE

I've never had another canister filter so easily maintained. Flip, pull, pop some clips and "voila" easy access to everything. I can change any media and swap filter pads all in less than 10 minutes. I'm so spoiled I wish I'd never have to see another wet-dry filter as long as I live.

You really can't go wrong with this one. Two thumbs way up.

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I have had this filter running on my 25 gallon tank for about 2 months now. It's more filter than I need for the size tank I have, but I have a few more fish than the tank is rated for. It keeps everything clean and fresh. The fiter is quiet and easy to clean. I really like the baskets you can put different filtering media into. Overall, a great filter.

One issue to note if you buy this filter: fry can get sucked into it and not die. I opened up my filter last night and noticed six mollie fry in the bottom. I was shocked that they could live in the filter they must have been in there for about two weeks or so given that I hadn't seen any in the tank in that long. Just an FYI.

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I've had this filter for almost a month now. It was easy to install, primed on its own, and has my tank the cleanest I've ever seen it. I have a 75 gallon tank and have used numerous filters (last being an EHEIM ECCO canisterstay away from it).

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Zoo Med Reptile Fogger Terrarium Humidifier

I bought this model to humidify my 20 gallon tank, and I only kept it on as long as it had to be on to keep the tank at 75% humidity (I built an automated system for it so that it would turn on and off accordingly). After only a couple of months of owning it, the fan on the inside of the system broke. I couldn't return it because I stupidly threw out the receipt after buying it. So I decided to buy a new fan and fix it myself and after replacing the fan, the rest of the system stopped working. So I just decided to give up and try my chances on another one. So I bought the same model and set it up with the same automated system to the same tank and sure enough, a couple months later the inner fan stopped working. This product is horrible and I've heard many others say the same. Don't get conned by this company.

Makes alot of fog quickly and for extended periods of time. Will humidifiy your reptile cage. Be sure to mount hose so that it puts fog into the cage from above, not from a side wall as water will collect in the tube and drip. I you mount it with the hose pointing down into the cage any drips will fall back into the machine instead of the cage. Use distilled water to keep it running in god condition and avoid mineral build up which will cause it to stop working. Good product.

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I have been recommending this product to everyone, as it works wonderful... until it stopped working! It has to work hard to keep a 40 gallon tank humid, so it is on for about 3/4 of the day. I checked the manual to troubleshoot, and read the following:

"Operating the fogger in the "On" mode for 24 hours per day will REDUCE the life span of the fogger."

Apparently, so will operating it for the majority of the day. I would say I have had this for two months, working perfectly, then it just stopped working. I am going to try and return it to the manufacturer, and perhaps try another unit, but until I try another unit, I can not know if this is a defective unit or if it stops working under heavy use in just two months normaly. So, I can't recommend this product anymore.

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A great solution for a chameleon. Also replaces a drip system if you position it on top, as H2O accumulates on the mesh and drips too.

Some tips:

1. You can use a 2 liter bottle instead of the one provided. It will compress inwardly as vacuum is created. That is normal: DO NOT poke a hole in it to prevent this: it will dump all the water right away. Quite a mess.

2. Mare sure to keep the tube as vertical or arch-like as possible: water accumulates in it and prevents the fog flow if you keep it lateral.

3. Do have something (like a potted plant) to catch the moisture/water in the enclosure. Or things will get the wet very fast. It is a good idea to have two and rotated them one in the terrarium, one drying somewhere.

L

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I'm on my 5th one of these in just a few weeks...I'm not sure why they keep breaking, but they are crap! I've used bottled water in all 5 along with a timer so they aren't running 24/7 (manual advises "Continuous use will drastically reduce the life span of the humidifer"). My timer has it come on for 30 minutes every 2 hours...not very much use...especially since they have broken within a week or 2 of getting. My 5th one has been running for about 4 weeks now, but it makes this horrible fan noise when it comes on now...I suspect it is about to die and then I'm done...these cost way too much to break in as short of a time period. I think I'm gonna use some of the parts from it and my other ultrasonic humidifier (because that is all this is) and rig one of my own. My humidifier I have had in my bedroom has been working for almost 5 years now and has just about the same design as this one minus the tubing. No reason for these to fail as much as they do...stay away if you mind paying about $60 for 2 weeks of use. And what were they thinking when they designed the tube? There is no way to mount it to the top of your tank (or even the side if you please, but that leads to left over water standing in the tube and can mold). The tube is just that, a tube...with nothing on the end. I took a plastic bowl my kids eat cereal out of and drilled a hole in the middle of it slightly smaller than the tube and shoved the tube inside the hole just a bit. Made the hole slightly smaller so it would hold onto the tube to prevent it from sliding out. This gives it a "hood-like" appearance and sits perfectly on top of my frogs cage. I uploaded a pic for all to see...not the greatest rigging, but works for me!

******UPDATE******

I am about 8 weeks into using my 5th one and it is surprisingly still working. The horrible fan noise that started at about 4 weeks of use is getting louder and lasting longer (it used to only make the noise for the first few seconds when it came on)...now it seems to make the noise the whole 30 minutes that I have it running every 2.5 hours. I did have it coming on every 2 hours, but upped it to 2.5 hours hoping to extend it's lifespan. We shall see how long it lasts....

*****FINAL UPDATE*****

I am sooooo done with this thing! The 5th one lasted 3 months and then quit working. The fan still works, the light comes on, but it doesn't do it's ultrasonic thing anymore, meaning no fog output. In the trash it went! I am back to misting my frog throughout the day. I decreased my star rating from 2 stars to 1 star...a $50 item should last longer than this...and it is a widespread problem, not just me. I'm considering buying another ultrasonice humidifier like the one I use in my bedroom (have had for a couple of years) and rigging it to work like this (with the hose).

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