Oxquo Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Now with stock coming in at a mean pace i have had a chance to review an item or two. Worst one first is the "Explorere"RC submarine for use in aquaria. RC may be far fetched as with both items recieved I had control as long as the antenna touched the sub. In the tank it proppelled in slight bursts, needless to say I never managed to get either one of the two to actually go all under water. Time on a charge was around 5 minutes which was enough time to get a good wholesome cichlid beating. unfortunately the pathetic bobbling motion of this overpriced novelty could not spark an interest. I wouldn't carry this product in my store and advise you all to save money, maybe try a rubber hand puppet instead the old fashioned painful way. Next up and I loved it as much as I once thought it a stupid idea. The battery operated Mr. Cleaner from Tom's. I laughed at it, I mocked it, I tried it and I shut up and ordered more. Anyone with a barebottom tank will appreciate this vaccuum. Eespecially the discus keepers who's fish try to poop themselves to daeth daily. This truly is an effortless cleaner upper. The downside is the 2 C batteries it takes but with rechargeables no problem at all. The flow is actually not bad and I even managed to pick up some gravel. I tested this guy hard and sucked as much gravel into it as I could. The filter bag filled up until the flow was restricted but once empty it was good to go again. I do still find hooking it up to a hose for water changes a bit silly but see it good for those filling from buckets or RO mixes. As a water polisher it can be hung on the side of the tank and if I had a power outage I would fill the bag full of amrid and let it be a temporary filter. After a 4 hour test I still had strong batteries so I have yet to determine how long it lasts. Anyways All thumbs up to Tom's for prooving me wrong on what once seemed like a joke but will now become a fishroom mainstay for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerebus Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Great information as always, John. I'd actually seen those RC submarines on EBay before, and wondered about them. Now I'll know not to bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishManTy Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 I have a little yellow one that I bought for $25-30 dollars from Picses, and it works great. A few people that came to my place have seen, and the range I get on it is amazing. I can be meters away and it works no problem. Takes awhile to get the bouyancy how you want it, but its great fun when you're loooking for something to do. I think Jennifer 1982 bought one of the crappy ones like that one you got, and hated it. I believe mine is called the x-sub?? Comes in yellow and blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxquo Posted February 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Thanks for the heads up, The brand we got definitely wasn't the cheapest price but definitely the worst quality, atleast I have tried it before my customers. I am hoping that pre trials of items will atleast help to ensure great products for customer's and advoid a few returns. I definitely appreciate your input and may try another source for subs, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishManTy Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 No problem! Im glad to see someone testing items before they sell them. I've seen a few places that had no clue what something did, or how to set it up, and Im not just talking fish. :thumbs: Im pretty sure its the x-sub, I can take a picture of it if you want... actually I think I have the box still, i'll let ya know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arixonbarnes Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Does the Mr. cleaner have an impeller (I have a lot of small live bearer fry) that might puree a fish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 http://www.animalworldnetwork.com/bbatopmrclea.html Hagen makes what appears to be an identical product, which I've used, and found to be pretty much a waste of time & money. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...3159+2146962593 I have 2 bare bottom tanks & I find that a Python type cleaner does a far more efficient job. If you find that you have that much detritus on the bottom of your tank, you're better off performing a water change (while removing the waste) and not just using a fish poop scooper upper, which IMO is all these gadgets amount to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishManTy Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Agreed, I got a used one with the purchase of one of my tanks (The Mr. Cleaner), and i could barely notice it moving anything. Waste of time. Python/basic syphon work the best, and are worth their price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
African_Fever Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 I can see the use for one of them though, I've actually kind of been looking for one for a while now and was unsure of how well they worked. I find that in my 77 bowfront with a sand substrate I'm never able to completely get all the waste out of the rocks; I'll syphon the tank, but when I pour the water back in there's quite a bit of waste that is knocked out of the rocks. I've even used powerheads before cleaning and directed them at the rocks to knock the waste out first, but there is always some that remains until I pour the new water in (plus the fish stirring it up doesn't help either). It would be great to be able to suck out the waste with something else before doing the water change, do the change, and then suck it out again after more waste has been spread around by the new water poured in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Kyle - I might be mistaken, but I don't believe it will extend far enough to reach the bottom of your tank? One could add an extension of sorts, but the suction would decrease quite a bit. You can check mine out if you like. axrion - yes they have an impeller of sorts, and I doubt your tiny fry would enjoy the trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 (edited) BTW - Eheim also makes one of these, but like most Eheim products they aren't cheap. http://www.eheim.com/news.htm I've read a number of comments & reviews on the Magnum 350 filter, which come with a vacuum attachment, and from what I've gathered most people that have used the vacuum attachment really like them. Obviously not a cheap choice, but the beauty of this set up is you hook the vacuum directly to the filter, so all of the waste goes directly back into the filter. You can vacuum for hours if you want, with no reduction in the water level. When you're done, then you can perform a water change if need be. http://www.aquahobby.com/products/e_magnum.php Here's another review on the Magnum HOT filter. http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/prcansite...magnumhotca.htm Edited February 2, 2005 by RD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxquo Posted February 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Eheim makes a great product so does magnum but for the price I was impressed with the cleaning I got. As for fish poop? Fish like oscars and geophags blow their food apart leaving particles everywhere I just found that it was decent enough and as I said I can't wait to try it out during the next power outage as a back-up filter as well. There is no fry guard on there at all so that is a factor but the suction is not a mean suction and it turns off at the button on top quick enough for my endlers to escape the tube. I have just tested it and am not sure of altercations yet but I am also willing to try it with an extension before hand and will let you know how it goes. I have tried this same idea with a filter bag and a powerhead before but with sand bottoms Got too much suction. On sand you just want to pick up debris not bury it so I like this guy for that. Thanks for all the extra input it's very appreciated, I wouldn't say this is the best product ever but it sure is handy to have for some things. As for the submarine"explorer" I tried the other last night and it was just as bad, impulse of power barely propelled the thing around. I have seen another brand in yellow and blue which I will also try soon as i think this toy could be great fun. Does the other sub have enclosed propellers? This was a concern had this one gotten up to a steady pace I think it could maybe hurt a fish or even puree fry. Anyways, finding a nice quality econo-line has been a challenge even moreso than finding a high quality line. Maybe I will test everyones fishy knowledge with some poll's on economy equiptment that they use and trust, I know we have all bought garbage before this way we can keep it in the garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishManTy Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 The X-sub (I never checked, but im like, 80% sure its the one I have, in yellow or blue) does not have enclosed propellors... but I have watched my fish swim into them, and the propellor just stops... If you touch the prop with your finger it just stops, can barely feel it. With smaller fish I'd be worried, but when I place it in my 150gallon with 1.5"->4" cichlids, they just chase the antenna, and if they swim into the prop, they get scared, but quickly come back. With fry, I think it'd probably hurt them... but then I ask... Who plays with water toys in a tank with lots of fry? I'd be affraid to scare the parents of the fry, more than hurting the fry. Also has a cute little LED headlight on the sub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkeyfish Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 ok I am fairly new at this so I wanted to know about the magnum 350 is it just a gravel cleaner or what I have an eclipse 3 system with my tank and a ehiem canister filter as well I think it is the 2213??? so what is the difference between my canister and the magnum??????????? Pinkeyfish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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