Due to a request, I have decided to start a list of products that really suck. I'd be happy to help some, but if I tryed to list everything out of my Foster's & Smith Catalog that was complete junk, I'd be here all day. I'll try to hit the main ones though that pertain to marine aquaria. Feel free to chime in with your experiences as well.
- Any phosphate removing substance that is not GFH based. Aluminum based media like Phosguard works but has been shown to cause adverse effects on some corals
- CPR Overflows - notorious for loosing siphon and causing floods. Must be used with Aqualifter pumps that can easily clog and still cause a flood.
- bio-balls and other bio-media are not necessary in tanks with live rock and/or sand beds
- Kent Pro Scrapers - these really don't work that great and are far inferior to the Easy-blade attachment for the Mag-floats.
- Reef-safe Ich treatments - none of these have been proven to consistently work. The best proven treatments for Cryptocaryon are Hyposalinity and Copper treatment
- most phosphate test kits - The only ones that are reasonably priced that I am aware of that will measure down to the levels that are capable of causing algae problems are the Salifert and the Tropic Marin kits. The best kit is the kit by Merck, sold by Rowa, however that kit costs around $80.
- Aragamilk - This stuff does nothing beneficial and may even reduce you calcium or alkalinity. See prior discussions on calcium/alkalinity for more info.
- RO buffers - These are not necessary - if anything, just add a little pickling lime to your RO water, but not if you are using it to mix up new seawater.
-swing arm hydrometers - these are notoriously inaccurate and have caused many tank problems. Instead go with a good refractometer calibrated with a 35ppt salt solution.
- Seaclone skimmers - why do they still sell these things? They can be made to work pretty good with a lot of modifications, but why go to the trouble when you caould have a good skimmer
Red Sea Berlin skimmers - also a pain to deal with and for the money you could have a pretty good skimmer
Red Sea Prism Skimmers - I have not personally used these, but have also heard they are a pain to deal with
Visi-Therm Heaters (aka Visi-Fry) - notorious for getting stuck and cooking your fish, not sure if that has changed
Coralife thermometers (anything Coralife as far as I'm concerned) - notoriously inaccurate. I've had a lot of trouble with many of their products from bulbs to salt to timers. I've heard their skimmers were OK, but I won't be buying one.
Purple-up - just like Aragamilk - complete waste
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- Any phosphate removing substance that is not GFH based. Aluminum based media like Phosguard works but has been shown to cause adverse effects on some corals
- CPR Overflows - notorious for loosing siphon and causing floods. Must be used with Aqualifter pumps that can easily clog and still cause a flood.
- bio-balls and other bio-media are not necessary in tanks with live rock and/or sand beds
- Kent Pro Scrapers - these really don't work that great and are far inferior to the Easy-blade attachment for the Mag-floats.
- Reef-safe Ich treatments - none of these have been proven to consistently work. The best proven treatments for Cryptocaryon are Hyposalinity and Copper treatment
- most phosphate test kits - The only ones that are reasonably priced that I am aware of that will measure down to the levels that are capable of causing algae problems are the Salifert and the Tropic Marin kits. The best kit is the kit by Merck, sold by Rowa, however that kit costs around $80.
- Aragamilk - This stuff does nothing beneficial and may even reduce you calcium or alkalinity. See prior discussions on calcium/alkalinity for more info.
- RO buffers - These are not necessary - if anything, just add a little pickling lime to your RO water, but not if you are using it to mix up new seawater.
-swing arm hydrometers - these are notoriously inaccurate and have caused many tank problems. Instead go with a good refractometer calibrated with a 35ppt salt solution.
- Seaclone skimmers - why do they still sell these things? They can be made to work pretty good with a lot of modifications, but why go to the trouble when you caould have a good skimmer
Red Sea Berlin skimmers - also a pain to deal with and for the money you could have a pretty good skimmer
Red Sea Prism Skimmers - I have not personally used these, but have also heard they are a pain to deal with
Visi-Therm Heaters (aka Visi-Fry) - notorious for getting stuck and cooking your fish, not sure if that has changed
Coralife thermometers (anything Coralife as far as I'm concerned) - notoriously inaccurate. I've had a lot of trouble with many of their products from bulbs to salt to timers. I've heard their skimmers were OK, but I won't be buying one.
Purple-up - just like Aragamilk - complete waste
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