Whats the worst aquarium product you've ever bought?

Hello! Happy Friday!

I was browsing the aisle at petco the other day and I was wondering, whats the worst fish product you've ever bought? Why?

-Anna (;

 

Any of the "fixes"

 

Hello! Happy Friday!

I was browsing the aisle at petco the other day and I was wondering, whats the worst fish product you've ever bought? Why?

-Anna (;

the traditional air stones because when you try to get it off the tubing they crumble to pieces.

also the marineland HOB filters. because they take like minute to start up while you rock it around to help get a suction. but they are dirt cheap...

 

I'm never happy and regret almost everything - even good stuff that works - I find myself wishing we'd bought a bigger one or the better one etc..

I guess I'm always thinking of the nest thing - bigger, better more and wondering why I didn't plan for that at the start.

I guess that's why I keep building more stuff - I think we'll stop once I've perfected it.

 

Any of the "fixes"

*Ahem*
Pimafix works very well with fungal infections and fin rot on bettas. Melafix on the other hand...Yeaa idk about that one.

 

I’m regretting gravel. I didn’t think I’d ever get live plants, but now I have a couple. I’ve also heard that gravel isn’t smooth enough for fish. I have no desire to replace it (newly cycled tank), and no idea what I’d put in instead.

 

*Ahem*
Pimafix works very well with fungal infections and fin rot on bettas. Melafix on the other hand...Yeaa idk about that one.

They are all bad for bettas. They are essential oils. How good do you think a labyrinth breather breathes oil. I will skip them thanks.

 

They are all bad for bettas. They are essential oils. How good do you think a labyrinth breather breathes oil. I will skip them thanks.

I humbly respect your opinion.

The thing I most regret is very fine sand. it is the most annoying substrate in the WORLD.

 

Replacement carbon filters for my hob...before I read about modifying them with sponges and other better media.

 

Hmmmmm....probably the fish themselves. Who knew they were so addictive.

 

Lots of useless medicines that have all expired by now.....and some stupid looking floating plastic jellyfish toys for my bettas. They had fish line attached to them that you were supposed to tie them down with, and the bettas could have gotten hurt pretty badly if they got tangled in that had I left them in my tank.

 

I humbly respect your opinion.

The thing I most regret is very fine sand. it is the most annoying substrate in the WORLD.

Good to know. I’m trying to figure out the best substrate for me. I need easy.

 

cool idea for a thread!

a few years ago a betta ez care tank (I know horrible lucky all the fish that lived in there are upgraded to actual tanks)
and melafix

oh also I just remembered last year I got some bright blue gravel...maybe the fish don't mind it but I WAY prefer natural looking tanks (nothing wrong for anyone who does use it just my opinion)

 

Good to know. I’m trying to figure out the best substrate for me. I need easy.

You just need coarser sand like pool filter sand.

 

Well, this thread is my inspiration for this thread:
Extra fine sand. | Freshwater Substrates - Gravel, Sand Forum | 491875

 

Well, this thread is my inspiration for this thread:
Extra fine sand. | Freshwater Substrates - Gravel, Sand Forum | 491875

Omg that’s an amazing post. I also love this thread!

 

Actually for me the one product i really regret buying was my betta hammocks. Had them in 3 tanks. Between those 3 bettas, 1 of them used the hammock exactly 1 time.

 

Mine use them zero times. Floating log either.

 

I’d say seachem flourish. It smells absolutely terrible and if it gets on clothes you might as well throw them away. Not to mention it does absolutely nothing

 

Probably all of the spiky & neon-colored plastic plants. I have no idea what to do with them now. I can’t stand them in any enclosure, terrestrial or aquatic.

 

Probably all of the spiky & neon-colored plastic plants. I have no idea what to do with them now. I can’t stand them in any enclosure, terrestrial or aquatic.

Melt them into molds and make LEGOS!

 

Probably all of the spiky & neon-colored plastic plants. I have no idea what to do with them now. I can’t stand them in any enclosure, terrestrial or aquatic.

Here's an idea......throw them out....lol

 

Betta hammocks, ignored by all my fish...

 

Here's an idea......throw them out....lol

I would, but I feel like I can find some sort of use for them, rather than just making more waste. Idk, maybe I can find some kid with a tank in my area who wants them.

Melt them into molds and make LEGOS!

I now feel obligated to try this at some point before I die

 

My aqueon XSmall internal filter. Absolute garbage, it did nothing for my tank. the cartridges it came with were trash, they fell apart within a week of putting a new one in (with the old one so the cycle wouldn’t crash) and little bits of it would go into the tank. It didn’t help that it was rated for 3 gallons and I thought it would be ok to filter a 5.5 gallon lol. I’m SO glad i switched to a sponge filter!

 

I would, but I feel like I can find some sort of use for them, rather than just making more waste. Idk, maybe I can find some kid with a tank in my area who wants them.

I now feel obligated to try this at some point before I die

They could be handy for dioramas or something. Maybe use pieces to make a jungle or something for a model railroad layout.

 

Hello! Happy Friday!

I was browsing the aisle at petco the other day and I was wondering, whats the worst fish product you've ever bought? Why?

-Anna (;

0.7 gal. Betta aquarium. Too tiny.

cool idea for a thread!

a few years ago a betta ez care tank (I know horrible lucky all the fish that lived in there are upgraded to actual tanks)
and melafix

oh also I just remembered last year I got some bright blue gravel...maybe the fish don't mind it but I WAY prefer natural looking tanks (nothing wrong for anyone who does use it just my opinion)

Why MelaFix?

Replacement carbon filters for my hob...before I read about modifying them with sponges and other better media.

I've never heard of that. Please elaborate.

 

I would, but I feel like I can find some sort of use for them, rather than just making more waste. Idk, maybe I can find some kid with a tank in my area who wants them.

This is me with all my old non-realistic decor, I'm like, what should I do with this stuff now? I know I can find a use for it

The useless ones for me are replaceable filter cartridges and all the different stuff (Besides dechlorinater) they say you should add to your tank, my motto is keeping it as close to nature as I can get it. Though I'll never fully get there.

 

I'm on the anti-mela and betta fix bandwagon but pimafix is a fine product. mela and betta use tea tree oil, which will actually burn human skin in its pure form. pimafix is oil from the Bay tree, much less mild and not at all toxic. It actually does seem to help improve slime coat as advertised. That being said, there are better and easier natural remedies out there so I don't use it anymore

worst product? Topfin heaters. Accurate within 10 degrees if you're lucky!

 

I've never heard of that. Please elaborate.

You buy some filter sponge and cut it to fill the space where the cartridge went. When it gets gunked up you squeeze it out in tank water and put it back. Filter cartridges only exist to sell filter cartridges and carbon is mostly obsolete.

 

Don't know if this counts, but I was walking through petsmart today, basically the same thing just different name. I was looking at the fish and nodding my head no to the incorrect misleading information they have on there tanks. For a common pleco, on there sign it said "best recommended for 55 gallons" or how about the rainbow shark for a "30 gallon tank". It's so misleading for newcomers and leads them towards the wrong direction. It should be a considered a crime!

 

the traditional air stones because when you try to get it off the tubing they crumble to pieces.

also the marineland HOB filters. because they take like minute to start up while you rock it around to help get a suction. but they are dirt cheap...

which ones? mines work very great. I have the marienland penguin 200b

 

This is me with all my old non-realistic decor, I'm like, what should I do with this stuff now? I know I can find a use for it

I always feel so guilty throwing literally anything made of plastic away. Of course, I can't avoid SOME plastic waste, but I try to minimize it. I can find a new purpose for almost everything, but these things just seem so useless. The lego idea is honestly the best I've got

 

Actually for me the one product i really regret buying was my betta hammocks. Had them in 3 tanks. Between those 3 bettas, 1 of them used the hammock exactly 1 time.

Feel you on this one. My current betta doesn't use it, but just goes around it... So I guess he's just using it differently? Idk lol.
My past betta would rest on it every so often tho, but preferred a rock structure thing I had with holes in it (which I unfortunately don't have anymore, and deeply miss... it was so nice, and rearrangeable!)

 

I can’t remember the name of this certain product because it’s hidden inside a box in the back of my closet wrapped in three plastic bags, i haven’t used it in months.
It’s some kind of water additive like ammonia neutralizer or something else. If I had known that it had the most putrid, worst smell I’ve ever experienced in my life I would have never have gotten it. I have no idea how people tolerate it enough to actually use it. I tried to use it once and I put several layers of masks on but still couldn’t begin to get past the stench.
I googled it later and found that the smell is normal, that the product just naturally smells disgusting and people still buy it. It blows my mind.

 

I can’t remember the name of this certain product because it’s hidden inside a box in the back of my closet in three plastic bags, i haven’t used it in months.
It’s some kind of water additive like ammonia neutralizer or something else. If I had known that it had the most putrid, worst smell I’ve ever experienced in my life I would have never have gotten it. I have no idea how people tolerate it enough to actually use it. I tried to use it once and I put several layers of masks on but still couldn’t begin to get past the stench.
I googled it later and found that the smell is normal, that the product just naturally smells disgusting and people still buy it. It blows my mind.

yeah that sulfur smell is absolutely putrid looolll
I think there are some that don't have that smell, but all the ones I have do and i struggle every time I gotta add it hahahaha

 

Oh yeah, there's also that super intense acid stuff made to lower ph. It burned my skin once, and actually burned a spot on an orchid leaf when I got a drop on it by accident. I don't want that sort of stuff in my tank!

 

Undergravel filter. I just hate it. They make the work so much hard according to me. Other filters are easy to take out and clean. But in case of undergravel filter, the waste and debris continue to build up below it and this filter help in any way to collect, absorb and clean the tank like other filters other than making a pile of waste stores underneath. Then to clean that I have move the substrate (as I placed my filter panel below the substrate), then remove the whole thing and then siphon it. Lots of waste spread to other parts during that process, so couldn't clean al the waste. I have to siphon all other parts of the tank to collect the waste. Still many went missing. Undergravel filter was my first filter. Now I use sponge filter in all ny tanks.

 

I can’t remember the name of this certain product because it’s hidden inside a box in the back of my closet wrapped in three plastic bags, i haven’t used it in months.
It’s some kind of water additive like ammonia neutralizer or something else. If I had known that it had the most putrid, worst smell I’ve ever experienced in my life I would have never have gotten it. I have no idea how people tolerate it enough to actually use it. I tried to use it once and I put several layers of masks on but still couldn’t begin to get past the stench.
I googled it later and found that the smell is normal, that the product just naturally smells disgusting and people still buy it. It blows my mind.

It was probably prime or flourish....lol

 

Aqueon Water Conditioners. Plastic plants. Flourish starter pack (Flourish, Excel, Iron) API Quick Start, Stress Zyme, Stress Coat. Biological boosters, Microbe-Lift immune system Stimulants, Acurel-F water clarifier.. I regret buying so many chemicals, they all just sit in a drawer unused & half are unopened.

When I had my 1st case of ICH few years ago (before fishlore) - Heidi at Petco sold me SO much useless garbage! Then after the meds the tank parameters were a mess & she insisted I needed all these other chemicals. That's a sales tactic on unsuspecting customers at it's finest.

Now I only add Water Conditioner- nothing else.

Also regret buying Moneywort! Haha