Fish Accessories
Read reviews about fish equipment and accessories, from tanks to aquariums, filters to lighting. Compare prices on hundreds of fish accessories and fish care products. Search our Fish Accessories category by fish accessory type and manufacturer. Buy everything your fish needs online! You can also
add your own opinion about a fish accessory you've bought.
moreOffers
Reviews
 |
API Freshwater Master Liquid Test Kit
by Pookiesmama ***What is it? Why do I need it (If you've got freshwater fish that is)? & How much?*** The API Freshwater test kit is a set of chemical indicators which measure the presence and quantity in ppm (parts per million) of ammonia, nitrIte & nitrAte as well as providing the pH and high-end pH levels in freshwater ... aquariums/ponds. Aquatic life in both tanks and ponds relies on not only the presence of food and oxygen but the presence of bacteria which process both ammonia (fish waste) and nitrIte which are toxic to aquatic life and can cause serious damage if not death. I do not have any firsthand experience regarding ponds so will only discuss the applications that this kit has to aquariums as this is a subject which I have a much firmer standing in. Aquariums require to be cycled in order to have a safely balanced environment for fish and freshwater invertebrates. This means the slow introduction of ammonia to the tank which is then consumed and processed by nitrosomonas bacteria into nitrIte. Both of these chemicals are toxic to fish so a second bacteria is also required which can only convert nitrIte to nitrAte which is a much safer chemical and can be tolerated in much higher levels than the ammonia/nitrIte which would kill off your tank. NitrAte should still be observed weekly as you really do not want your nitrAte levels at or exceeding 40ppm which is why partial water changes are essential for the health of your aquarium. Now the API master kit can vary quite a bit in price for example: Pets at home - £35, My local aquatics store £27 and Amazon £20 so do shop around and don't pay the rip-off prices that Pets at home demand. ***What do you get?*** The API test kit provides you with a decent manual that's actually very clear and to the point as well as a colour indicator chart which you use to compare you test result to obtain the level. The chart is very accurate and thus far I've never had any issues with it apart from the time when my son decided to hide it on one of the bookcases. Anyway that's all the boring paperwork out of the way the interesting mad scientist stuff is now to come: You are provided with 4 test tubes with level indicators (why they couldn't provide one more lord only knows as there are 5 tests) and caps so when you mix the contents you don't end up with a colourful ceiling. The kit also includes the all important reagents which are contained in 7 clearly labelled eyedrop bottles (37mL of reagent in each) which have childproof safety caps which are very important when you have little ones. ***Now for the magic*** Ammonia (NH3/NH4+) - The ammonia is measured by basically filling the test tube with tank water, adding 8 drops from the NH3/NH4+ vial 1, add another 8 drops from NH3/NH4+ vial 2 then push the lid on tight (very important) and shake for 5 seconds and then leave for 5 minutes before comparing against the chart. The colours vary from yellow (0ppm ammonia) to dark green (8.0ppm and higher). NitrIte (NO2) - This is a much simpler test and all you need to do is again collect some aquarium water in one of the clean test tubes and then add 5 drops of the nitrIte reagent, shake for 5 minutes and then wait for a further 5 minutes. The colours in this case vary from a light blue (0ppm) to Deep Violet (5.0ppm and higher) NitrAte (NO3) - This again is similar to the ammonia test with two small differences instead of 8 drops you are using 10 and the second vial needs to be throughly shaked before it's added to the test sample as it has a tendency to crystallise therefore giving a false negative. Once you have allowed it to develop you will have a colour varying from Yellow (0ppm) to Deep burnt orange (160ppm) ***Please note that in a healthy cycled tank both the ammonia and nitrIte will be at zero. There are reasons why these levels can rise varying from filtration issues, overstocking, medication in the tank, tap water either not being treated with dechlorinator or the tap water itself having elevated levels of ammonia from contamination*** pH (6.0-7.6) - This is measured to ensure consistency in your tank as well as in helping you decide which fish would thrive in your water set-up as all fish have their own preferences e.g. African Cichlids tend to prefer slightly basic water conditions as opposed to Amazonian fish which tend to prefer the more acidic waters and this is all due to their natural habitat. The pH is measured by adding 3 drops of the pH indicator to the test sample, invert the tube five times and then you can read the pH immediately. High PH (7.4-8.8) - Again as previously mentioned this test provides the basic pH range and is performed by adding 5 drops of the reagent to the test sample. Again, invert the tube 5 times and then read the pH - it's as simple as that. ***Is it any good? Would i recommend?*** I couldn't imagine not having one of these test kits as I have tried other test kits including the test strips which are a complete waste of money as they just aren't reliable enough and cost more in the long-run. Yes, the liquid test kit costs more than the strips initially but you get over 800 tests with this kit which is great value and it's never let me down. One thing I will point out is that these test kits have use by dates so please, please, please check these on the individual indicator bottles before use as the indicators degrade over time. My current kit has an earliest exp date of 2017 (the indicators exp dates do vary from reagent to reagent so check all of them) Read the complete review |
|
|
Hagen Fluval U Series Underwater Filter
by Pookiesmama ***What is it? Why did I get it? How much?*** Fluval are a well known German maker of aquariums and aquarium supplies and in my mind are better than Juwel who are their main competitor. Aquarium filters are a total-must for both coldwater, tropical and marine aquariums for the health and well being of your fish. ... Aquariums are a closed environment for your fish and as such have a natural flora of bacteria which live not only on the gravel/sand substrate, ornaments, plants but also within the filter media which is contained within the filter itself. There are two sets of bacteria which are responsible for protecting your fish nitrosomonas spp (convert ammonia to nitrite) and nitrobacter spp (convert nitrite to nitrate) and these bacteria are both required to keep the nitrogen cycle in check as both ammonia and nitrite are toxic to fish and must be converted to the safer nitrate which is reduced when you perform your weekly partial water change. Basically the Aquarium cycle is: ammonia (fish waste) -> nitrite->nitrate The Fluval U range of underwater power filters come in a range of capacities: U1 - filter rate of 250lph - suitable for tank size up to 55 litres U2 - filter rate of 400lph - suitable for tank size up to 110 litres U3 - filter rate of 800lph - suitable for tank size up to 150 litres U4 - filter rate of 1000lph - suitable for tank size up to 240 litres I believe that these suggested capacities are pretty accurate however people must realise that the level at which they stock their tank as well as the types of fish they choose can have an impact on their requirements so they may have to go up a level. For example I have known numerous keepers of Goldfish who complain that the water is always murky and this is because due to no fault of their own Goldfish are high waste producers and as such require not only a large tank (much larger than some people realise) but also a much larger capacity of filter in which to deal with their waste. I purchased a 125 Litre Fluval aquarium earlier this year and was fortunate in that the Fluval U3 underwater Filter was included as they normally retail at my local aquarium supplies shop for £50 (RRP: £58) although they can be found cheaper on amazon where it is currently retailing at £28.99 (today's date: 04/May/2013). ***What do you get?*** When you receive the box you are provided with the filter unit which has a 2 metre electrical cable and UK plug which is entirely waterproof although you should always inspect your product before use. Within the filter unit are 3 chamber for which you place your media. The central chamber is for your Biomax media (ceramic beads) and then on either side are chambers which slide out for you to insert your foam filters and if you require them the carbon filters. I personally do not use carbon filters as they do need to be changed more frequently than the others and that would mean that the beneficial bacteria would be removed therefore risking a mini-cycle of your tank (this is where you temporarily get a spike in your ammonia/nitrite levels as your bacteria numbers have dropped). The packaging states that you need to change your filters a heck of alot more frequently than you actually do and I can honestly say do not change them unless it's blatantly obvious they need changing i.e. they're disintegrating. The Biomax should last a minimum of a year some folks I have spoken too have stated they've lasted them 2+years and the foam filters generally last a good 6 months provided you are gentle with them. ***How do you set up this filter*** It's a complete doddle to use this filter. When you open the package you need to thoroughly but gently rinse the media in dechlorinated water and then insert the media into the appropriate chamber of the filter. Once that is done, slip the sucky discs onto the cradle which holds the filter to the side of the tank before inserting the filter into the cradle and then sticking the cradle to the inside of the tank. I have my filter on the rear of the left wall of the aquarium and ensure that the venturi tap which sits above the top nozzle is above the water so air can be circulated into the tank. ~~~ Please note that if you are using this in a cycled tank then do not remove your existing filter media as that carries all the beneficial bacteria either run the two filters for a period until there is enough bacteria in your new filter or if possible carefully transfer the media from your old filter to your new one. For the next couple of weeks take daily water samples and test (using a liquid test kit not strips as they're unreliable) for ammonia and nitrite as this will keep your fish as well as your sanity safe ~~~ ***How do you use this filter*** There are three settings on this filter A - Air/Water circulation Top - The air is taken in through the venturi nozzle and then pumped out of the top nozzle along with the circulated tank water near the surface of the water. I tend to use this overnight as I have alot of live plants which will consume the oxygen to create carbon dioxide when there is no light which could lead to the fish being starved of oxgen if you're not careful. B - Water Bar - This circulates the water flow equally from top to bottom. I tend to use this in the late afternoon/early evening when I return from work. The fish love this one as it creates a lovely current for them to swim against. C - Water circulation Bottom - This function jets out the water at the bottom of the tank creating a flow which circulates along the bottom. I tend to use this in the morning and early afternoon for the plants and to generally get a good circulation going for my bottom feeders. All of the three setting are variable so you can select a slower flow or a more rapid flow dependent on your requirements. As for maintenance this filter is an absolute breeze. I perform water changes weekly of about 25% and will every two to three weeks take ONE and ONLY ONE media and give it a gentle swirl in the water removed from the tank which i have in a bucket. DO NOT rinse your media in tap water as it contains chlorine which will kill your beneficial bacteria and cause your tank to mini-cycle or at worst crash. ***Would I recommend this filter*** Certainly. I have been using this filter day in and day out and my fish are very happy with it. Infact the Cories/Tetras are dancing in the the flow as I type. I believe as far as internal filters go this is the best I have seen as I was looking at so so many filters before I purchased my tank. As previously mentioned always take into account your stock levels as well as the type of stock you have before choosing which U filter to go for. Read the complete review |
 |
Nutrafin Aquaplus Tap Water Conditioner
by Pookiesmama ***Introduction to and why do you need a water conditioner*** So you've gotten your new tank and you're planning on throwing in the gravel, adding the ornaments, then filling it up with water and off to the shop you go - STOP! This is where unfortunately ALOT of people go wrong when they're starting the hobby/addiction known ... as keeping fish and unfortunately some of the pet stores have a tendency to gloss over things like Nitrogen cycle, water conditioner, water testing kits etc and focus mainly on selling you the tank and then the fish knowing full well that you'll be coming back for more once the first lot have sadly passed away. When it comes to setting up your new tank you need a water conditioner such as Nutrafin aquaplus which works effectively to remove chlorine and chloramine which are added to the water to ensure it's drinkable for us human beings. Unfortunately chlorine and chloramine are killers of bacteria and bacteria are required in the wee fishies tank filter to process the fish waste from ammonia (fish poop/pee) to Nitrite and then to Nitrate - basically - The nitrogen cycle. If a fish is placed in a tank where there are no established bacteria within the filter/tank the fish will most likely become susceptible to disease and pass away in a miserable fashion - in it's own waste. ***How much and what do you get*** Nutrafin aqua plus comes in a variety of sizes from 120mL (£6.30), 250mL (£9.49 pets at home and £6.75 amazon), 500mL (£10.95 on amazon) and 2L (£22.71 on amazon) sized containers. I initially received a bottle of aquaplus with my tank as it was a Fluval Roma model and like a sucker went to Pets at home instead of looking online (numpty) and paid £9.49 which was very expensive considering I could have purchased double the amount from amazon for 50p extra. Any road this water conditioner is ok I guess ( which sums it up perfectly as it's nothing special) as it does remove/deactivate the chlorine, chloramine and bind heavy metals which may be present in the water of older buildings/pipework. ***How to use*** The bottle informs you that you will need 10mL of aquaplus per 40mL of water although you will need a double dose of aquaplus for marine (saltwater) aquariums. The water conditioner itself is a colourless viscous liquid which is actually scentless (as far as I can tell) and is easy to pour without dispensing too much product. The bottle comes with a screw lid upon which rests a measuring cap which is marked at 5mL intervals between 0mL and 25mL. Now due to me manually loading buckets I only carry a maximum of 10L of tapwater back and forth between the tank and the bathroom so to my 10L bucket I only add 2.5mL of the aquaplus which means the measuring cap doesn't have a marker but you can guess or in my case use a medical syringe driver which is pretty much as accurate as I'm going to get. Once the water has been dosed I like to swirl the water with my hand to ensure that it's distributed through the water and then pour the water into my tank. ***Stress*** According to the aqua plus bottle (like the vast majority of water conditioners) their PHE (pure herbal extracts) visibly reduce stress and the formula protects fins/scales (basically forms a slime coat on your fish - therefore reducing risk of Ich - a parasitic infection which all fish carry but is opportunistic at times of stress - like humans and cold sores). I am not entirely certain how effective this product is with regards to fish and stress as I've yet to sit one down to discuss it's childhood but I personally believe that no product will stop stress as it is the environmental conditions which reflect the likely hood of stress e.g. are there hiding places, are there other non-aggressive fish of the same species as many (not all e.g. male betta) prefer their own species for company and finally is the tank cycled properly e.g. ammonia 0, nitrite 0 and nitrate <40ppm. ***Would I recommend this product*** Well in a pinch I would certainly use this product again as it does what it claims regarding the removal of chlorine, chloramine and the binding of heavy metals; However, I would not use this product as my primary water conditioner as I found that Seachem Prime (which admittedly has a higher initial cost) more efficient at treating the aquarium water as you need a much smaller amount of product and it also binds ammonia which is a blessing when you're tank decides to do a mini-cycle - although that tends to be my fault due to excessive cleaning. Read the complete review |
Fish Accessory |
||
|---|---|---|
|
1 review Brand: Interpet / Fish Accessory / Type: Aquarium Lighting |
|
|
1 review Brand: Interpet / Fish Accessory / Type: Water Treatment |
|
|
1 review Brand: Fishmate / Fish Accessory / Type: Aquarium Accessory |
|
|
Brand: Sera / Fish Accessory / Type: Fish Tank / Aquarium Filtration / Areation - Reliably fights bacterial diseases of fresh-water aquarium and pond fish. |
|
|
Brand: Juwel / Fish Accessory / Type: Fish Tank / Aquarium Cleaners / Water Treatments - Self-assembly cabinet for 80 cm aquariums and terrariums. The cabinet is available with or without doors. |
|
|
Brand: Hagen / Fish Accessory / Type: Fish Tank / Aquarium Cleaners / Water Treatments - For use with the Hub and the L.E.D Light set. |
|
|
Brand: Eheim / Fish Accessory / Type: Fish Tank / Aquarium Cleaners / Water Treatments - Automatic feeder with active ventilation battery powered. |
|
|
2 reviews Brand: Aqua One / Fish Accessory / Capacity: 55 Litre / Type: Tropical Fish Aquarium |
|
|
2 reviews Brand: All Pond Solutions / Fish Accessory / Type: Filtration |
|
|
1 review Brand: Love Fish / Fish Accessory / Type: Health |
|
| Fish Accessory recommendations 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... next | ||
| dooyoo Results 1 - 10 of 309 | ||
