let's compile the ultimate list of aquarium essentials.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I've heard someone mentioning finnex heaters, although it's not as big as other brands...
The description does sound promising though
http://www.kensfish.com/finnexdigitalglassheaters.html

These newly designed Finnex digital glass heaters are fully submersible & can be used in both fresh and marine aquariums. The red LED digital display allows users to visibly read current temperatures in the tank along with a separate sensor probe attache to the unit. A single control button allows easy temperature settings. This hassle free unit uses an ultimate designed internal temperature controller to keep aquarium temperatures steady. Built in with automatic shut off overheat protection at 93°F, our 2mm quartz glass thick tubes one of the strongest glass heaters out there. To further separate this glass heater from the rest, this heaters is equipped with memory, meaning after power outages, at start up the heater will resume your preset temperature settings.
 
1. general products like water conditioner, prepared food, frozen food, medications to have on hand, etc.
api stresscoat for water conditioner, hikari brand pellet food and frozen food, San Francisco Bay frozen foods. api aquarium salt and malafix for medication.

2. filtration - which does everyone use? post experiences, good and bad, for the filters used.
I have a jebo 839 canister filter which works very well, cheap, customizable media trays, quiet, easy to prime, great bang for the buck with no problems.
I also recently bought a odyssea CFS500. Its got great water movement, and even cheaper than jebo. No customizable tray, and others have experienced some failures with the lid on this filter. it is super quiet, self priming and otherwise a great deal.
I also run aquaclear HOB filters which are very reliable and easy to customize. these are easy to maintain and are idiot-proof.
3. best media combinations for said filters.
for the canister filters I use any filter pad, followed by prefilter ceramic rings, followed by two trays of seachem matrix, and finally a layer of activated carbon.
For the HOB filters I just make my own bags filled with mostly seachem matrix and some activated carbon. I also put a foam slip over the inlet tube of these HOB filters. it slows down the flow-rate initially but it stays constant afterwards because the media bag doesnt get clogged with poop.

4. which brands seem to make good stuff, which don't (kent, seachem, api, etc)
If you haven't guessed yet, I trust seachem products whether its for filtration, for substrate, or for plant nutrition. I also use their flourish excel as a replacement for a CO2 system in my planted tanks.

I also have found hagen to make good products, their flourescent tubes are great, very pleasant colors even for planted tank bulbs.

I DONT like marineland heaters, as I have had one melt in my tank a few months ago.
 
m1ste2tea;4940565; said:
2. filtration - which does everyone use? post experiences, good and bad, for the filters used.
I also recently bought a odyssea CFS500. Its got great water movement, and even cheaper than jebo. No customizable tray, and others have experienced some failures with the lid on this filter. it is super quiet, self priming and otherwise a great deal.
Click to expand...

This guy has a mod for the odyssea...apparently the o-rings are too big
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239484
 
SO,

The aqueon pro heaters are actually very impressive. I set it to 80, my tank says at 80. No fluctuation whatsoever. I am very, very, very happy with these heaters.

Would it be absolutely horrendous to put biomedia ABOVE carbon? I ask because I honestly can't remember if I put the carbon on top. oops.

Lately I've been using hikari frozen food and pro-salt frozen food. I really would prefer omega one, though. I just bought a pound of krill and a half pound of lancefish for my cichlids/lima so I won't be needing omega for a while. I was genuinely considered adding an additional xp4 on my 125, instead of say...an aquaclear 110. Reason is, I KNOW i'm upgrading to a 220/or bigger soon. [second floor apartment LOL]. I am very happy with rena, and all the rena media. HOWEVER, the LFS where I work was out of the rena ceramic rings and I wound up buying biomax instead. These are infinitely better. Like, really really really much nicer. I will look into seachem biomatrix, I understand it's the best of the best.

The rena air pumps are second to none.
 
1. general products like water conditioner, prepared food, frozen food, medications to have on hand, etc.
used to use Tetra Aquasafe but switched to Prime because of the price. Also Prime seems to neutralize Nitrite and ammonia withis is nice to have in case of emergencies, Just swicthed to NLS for my Mbuna and Tangs, I use a combo of NLS, Hikari Krill, and live foods for my Midas. The Angels get NLS and blood worms. I try and not use medications and just make sure I am very consistent with accurate water changes. I have not needed medication for over 8 years in any of my tanks. In my opinion it is good to have MANY large tubs for housing your fish in case something goes awry.
2. filtration - which does everyone use? post experiences, good and bad, for the filters used.
Over 12 years, I have used Fluval canisters, Hagen (AC's) HOB's, Tetra HOB's, Emporer HOB's, Aqueon HOB's, Eheim Canister (2217 only) and think the Eheim and the AC's rule the roost. I have had good luck with the Fluval canister but it does not compare to filtration with the eheim. The AC HOB's are better than the Emporers IMO because it is easier to use your own media or configure it anyway you want. You can still load the baskets in the Emporers, but it's not as easy.
3. best media combinations for said filters.
I use the stock foam for all my filters, it may be more expensive, but whenever I have cut to fit the coarse sponges, they dont catch as much as the factory ones. Now I do use my own Poly fill for the final stage, it's much cheaper and does not require exact matching for size the like the coarse filter. I have a combination of Eheim and Hagen(Fluval) bio media and can't tell the difference between the two. I do not use Carbon in the African tanks & Angels, I do however use it in the Midas tank because of the massive bioload in there, it helps between the water changes and he doesn't need to many trace elements that carbon would interfere with.

4. which brands seem to make good stuff, which don't (kent, seachem, api, etc)
Coralife - products are cheap and sometimes break but customer service is great and has taken care of me before. (I own lights, elec therm, bulbs)

Marineland same thing, cheap but great customer service. ( i own/ed emp 400's 280's, heaters, media, )

Eheim/Jager - fantastic products, pay more up front but last MUCH longer than competition ( I own 2217, heaters)

Aqueon - I have had good experience with this company, but I only have tanks and one filter from them. ( I own 3 tanks, filter, canopies)

Seachem - One of the most innovative companies for our hobby IMHO (I own almost every fresh water product they make)

NLS - Best food on the market, next best being Omega One (again IMO)
(I own cichlia, african, community mixes)




I also like Magfloat, they are high ($) but worth it because they last.

Hydor makes great heaters (in line, eth200, is the only 1 I have used) and circulation pumps (Koralia nano)

Sicce makes THE best circulation pumps, so powerful and adjustable.
(I own the Voyager 2 and want more of them)

Stellar makes THE best air pumps IMO
 
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