equipment guide?

fennemoreD · 10/19/2006, 09:47 PM

Is there a forum or any source that rates equipment?
It could really help us new guys from buying costly bad equipment.

In my research for my 115 I have noticed a big difference in quality from one brand to another.
Do you guys want to start a thread that will rate your own equipment, skimmers, pumps, lights ect.

DrBegalke · 10/19/2006, 10:54 PM

I setup like http://mtbr.com/reviews/ for reef equipment would be awesome, I haven't seen anything like that though...

sir_dudeguy · 10/19/2006, 11:30 PM

like drbegal i havent seen anything that rates equipment, but lots of them have customer reveiws. But all i can say is stay away from the JEBO/ODYSEA brands (from aquatraders.com and elsewhere) because they're pretty bad...and stay away from most of the stuff on ebay that doesnt specifically tell you the brand name...i've been burned more than once on there trying to buy "cheap"...ended up being more in the end tho.

DrBegalke · 10/23/2006, 11:47 AM

Ya, someone should jump on this, it would be a much used resource I'm sure.

Shagsbeard · 10/23/2006, 11:55 AM

The dangers of doing this are many fold.

Imagine if, say, ten years ago... someone made a guide as to the equipment you should use. I doubt they would have even mentioned a skimmer, or metal halides, or what not. But they would have been just as sure as we are today that they were "right". Any guide we would put out would be only as "right" as we percieve it to be. It would be "wrong" eventually, and even worse... "wrong" the minute we did it. It's a bad idea.

Second problem is that there isn't a best product. You're searching for something that doesn't even exist.

What's good is an on going discussion of new ideas and new products... pretty much what this forum is all about.

Steverino · 10/23/2006, 12:12 PM

For some aquarium equipment (although it is primarily Freshwater) although it has heaters, power filters, power heads, pumps, etc, try cichlid-forum.com, under their reviews section. They also rate the customer service of on-line stores and local stores. I don't think they have skimmers or calcium reactors, etc.

10/19/2006, 09:47 PM	#1
fennemoreD Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: tucson Posts: 9	equipment guide? Is there a forum or any source that rates equipment? It could really help us new guys from buying costly bad equipment. In my research for my 115 I have noticed a big difference in quality from one brand to another. Do you guys want to start a thread that will rate your own equipment, skimmers, pumps, lights ect.

10/19/2006, 10:54 PM	#2
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,599	I setup like http://mtbr.com/reviews/ for reef equipment would be awesome, I haven't seen anything like that though... __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: JBJ Cubey

10/19/2006, 11:30 PM	#3
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	like drbegal i havent seen anything that rates equipment, but lots of them have customer reveiws. But all i can say is stay away from the JEBO/ODYSEA brands (from aquatraders.com and elsewhere) because they're pretty bad...and stay away from most of the stuff on ebay that doesnt specifically tell you the brand name...i've been burned more than once on there trying to buy "cheap"...ended up being more in the end tho. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

10/23/2006, 11:47 AM	#4
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,599	Ya, someone should jump on this, it would be a much used resource I'm sure. __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: JBJ Cubey

10/23/2006, 11:55 AM	#5
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	The dangers of doing this are many fold. Imagine if, say, ten years ago... someone made a guide as to the equipment you should use. I doubt they would have even mentioned a skimmer, or metal halides, or what not. But they would have been just as sure as we are today that they were "right". Any guide we would put out would be only as "right" as we percieve it to be. It would be "wrong" eventually, and even worse... "wrong" the minute we did it. It's a bad idea. Second problem is that there isn't a best product. You're searching for something that doesn't even exist. What's good is an on going discussion of new ideas and new products... pretty much what this forum is all about.

10/23/2006, 12:12 PM	#6
Steverino Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: western Chicagoland, IL Posts: 1,114	For some aquarium equipment (although it is primarily Freshwater) although it has heaters, power filters, power heads, pumps, etc, try cichlid-forum.com, under their reviews section. They also rate the customer service of on-line stores and local stores. I don't think they have skimmers or calcium reactors, etc.