# is Petco.com an okay place to buy equipment?



## Nonphixion (Aug 15, 2004)

Like filters and things, looking to set up a 55 gallon tank. With maybe four or five 3" Pygo Natteri.

Here's what I'm planning on getting so far

Aqua Clear 402 Reverse Flow Power Head (270 GPH)
Aquatic Gardens 55 Gallon Undergravel Filter
Estes Black Gravel (25lbs)
Aqua Clear 300 Aquarium Power Filter (300 GPH)

total for that is $72

plus the red belleys at Aquascape, which I don't remember the price of, but I think they were around $6 each


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## SerraNBAPygo (Jun 8, 2004)

try bigalsonline or petsolutions.


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## aqualife (Sep 4, 2003)

That a look at these other places.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/IndexFish.aspx

http://www.bigalsonline.com/?splash_done=1

http://petsolutions.com/category.asp?c=1

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Shop.cfm?Ne=4&N=2004

Compare and save.


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## Nonphixion (Aug 15, 2004)

Thanks for the links, hopefully I'll be able to save a few bucks.. do you think I could maybe put a few more fish in there... 2 black rhoms?


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## aqualife (Sep 4, 2003)

No, don't put 2 Rhoms together, they will kill each other.

Aqua-clear filter "AC500" would be perfect for your tank or maybe 
a emperor 400 could do the trick. Just some idea's.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

try bigalsonline.com or petsmart.com









and no 2 rhoms will not do good in that tank


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

undergravel filters suck! get (2) pengiung 330's IMO....

shop at www.bigalsonline.com

P.S- you need more than 25 lbs of gravel... more like 40


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

petco has a 20% sale right now 
plus alot other stuff is 10% off added on to the 20%
i just ordered from them
great survice and prices


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## Nonphixion (Aug 15, 2004)

How about 5 pygo's and 1 rhom? 
What would be the best plants that would grow in the size gravel that I'm getting (medium?) and under a 2,850 lumen bulb?


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

Nonphixion said:


> How about 5 pygo's and 1 rhom?
> What would be the best plants that would grow in the size gravel that I'm getting (medium?) and under a 2,850 lumen bulb?


 u cant mix pygo species and serra species
they will kill eachother
and 5 reds will overcrowd a 55g tank
3 max for life unless u want to upgrade to a bigger tank


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## frogguy1 (Jun 9, 2004)

Petco sucks. Bigals is awesome and so is www.drsfostersmith.com


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## Nonphixion (Aug 15, 2004)

shutter13 said:


> undergravel filters suck! get (2) pengiung 330's IMO....
> 
> shop at www.bigalsonline.com
> 
> P.S- you need more than 25 lbs of gravel... more like 40


What's so bad about undergravel filters?

to fit the extra fish I could upgrade to a 72 gal, and if I don't use an undergravel filter I could use Estes Ultra Reef Marine Sand instead of larger gravel. It comes in a case of 6 bags at 5lbs each


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## TormenT (Apr 1, 2004)

go to petsmart


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## Nonphixion (Aug 15, 2004)

Checking prices at petsmart as well, probably going to get 2 Rena Cal Top Light Excel Heaters. A 100w and a 300w, totaling $42


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

Nonphixion said:


> Checking prices at petsmart as well, probably going to get 2 Rena Cal Top Light Excel Heaters. A 100w and a 300w, totaling $42


 thats too much heating... 200w of heating will keep a 55g plenty warm









try and get an ebo jager heater if you can, they're top of the line


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## Nonphixion (Aug 15, 2004)

shutter13 said:


> Nonphixion said:
> 
> 
> > Checking prices at petsmart as well, probably going to get 2 Rena Cal Top Light Excel Heaters. A 100w and a 300w, totaling $42
> ...


 I'm thinking of going for the 72 gal to fit an extra pygo in there though.


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## mr.PIMP4969 (Jun 2, 2004)

shutter13 said:


> Nonphixion said:
> 
> 
> > Checking prices at petsmart as well, probably going to get 2 Rena Cal Top Light Excel Heaters. A 100w and a 300w, totaling $42
> ...


 are you dumb dude that equals 400 watts of heating and i not even shure they make 300 w heaters ebo's are the best typs of heaters


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## Nonphixion (Aug 15, 2004)

I know it equals 400 watts, I read somewhere that 50w per 10 gallons is good. And here's a link to the 300w heater

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_det...D=1092549295487


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## linds (Jul 11, 2004)

if you order from petco.com here is a coupon code for 20 percent off. enter BM8Y44N, the coupon expires 8/16


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## idontknow (Jul 12, 2004)

you should get my setup...

*ac 70 (ac 802)...bought from petco online...forgot how much.
*50 pounds of play sand ($2.50 from lowes)
*two live plants...one is amazon sword and i dont know what the other is called. ($8 for both)
*some submersible heater, maybe wisper from walmart...forgot, its three years old and only 150 watts. keeps my tank at 82 no problem.
*penguin 330 ($29 brand new from ebay included shipping)

advice from my experience...150 watts is fine for a 55gal if you get a good submersible one and have it where water flows. get sand for substrate...best thing i've done. get the ac 802 not the one that is right below it because the flow is adjustable and its only about 5 bux more. cant go wrong with something thats a lil more powerful and can be turned down, because the less powerful one cant be turned up. the penguin 330 is all you need for 55 gallons. live plants are cool, my p loves to chill between the plants, i plan on getting more plants really soon. dont get an undergravel filter!!! its a waste of money. petco online is cool. they have good prices, especially if that 20% off code works.


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## anotherreject04 (Mar 16, 2004)

Nonphixion said:


> How about 5 pygo's and 1 rhom?
> What would be the best plants that would grow in the size gravel that I'm getting (medium?) and under a 2,850 lumen bulb?


 for a 55 only 3 red bellys and NO RHOM
or just a rhom by itself


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## anotherreject04 (Mar 16, 2004)

from reading your posts it sounds like you need to stick around on piranha-fury.com for a few days and read up on what your getting into
you cant keep a rhom with anything else


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## Serygo (May 17, 2004)

aqualife said:


> That a look at these other places.
> 
> http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/IndexFish.aspx
> 
> ...


 go to these websites, they will give you awesome service!
Petco, and Petsmart are just another wannabe pet place.
They arnt real. They are too fake (to me atleast)...

If I was you, I would go to the links that AquaLife listed.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

idontknow said:


> you should get my setup...
> 
> *ac 70 (ac 802)...bought from petco online...forgot how much.
> *50 pounds of play sand ($2.50 from lowes)
> ...


 your setup is good exept i think a 55 needs a little more filtration, especially with 3 pygos (they're messy)

for my 55 i have...

2 pengiun 330's
ebo 200w
ac 402 (may upgrade to 802)


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## idontknow (Jul 12, 2004)

imo 1 penguin 330 is enough because i dont rely on it to heavily for mechanical filtration, thats where my gravel vac comes in. p's do get very messy, so i stay away from messy foods. i use it mainly for bio filtration and i think it does that very well, cant take out too much or my plants will suffer.


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## Nonphixion (Aug 15, 2004)

idontknow said:


> imo 1 penguin 330 is enough because i dont rely on it to heavily for mechanical filtration, thats where my gravel vac comes in. p's do get very messy, so i stay away from messy foods. i use it mainly for bio filtration and i think it does that very well, cant take out too much or my plants will suffer.


What would you say would be a messy food? Whole fish and things like that?

And yeah I don't think I'll be getting a rhom, 3 pygo's would be fine.

btw, how would I mount a power head without anything attached to it, like if I just wanted it to create current... I think if I left the suction end exposed one of the fish might get stuck... is there anything else besides undergravel filters that would hook up to a powerhead?


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## idontknow (Jul 12, 2004)

messy foods = whole fish (goldfish or anything with scales), fish fillet that doesnt stay in one piece well (ie. salmon), basicly anything that will break up into pieces too small for the p's to eat and if they're too small, its harder for you to take out afterwards. if you miss something they can make your water unhealthy for the fish.

some whole fish arent as messy though, smelt is actully really good. whole shrimp is the best!

3 pygo's is a very good choice!

the fish wont get stuck in the suction of the powerhead unless it's dead. if you get at least 2 inch p's it should be fine at full power. if they're smaller you can always decrease the flow. and dont go with undergravel filter!! if you're still scared that the fish will get stuck, you can get the "quickfilter" attachment.


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## ChrisandCat04 (May 14, 2004)

Petco.com is pretty reasonable. When I set up my 135 gallon, I couldn't find a power filter for that size for less than $75. Petco.com had the AquaClear 500 for $32.99! Less than half of anywhere else!! Even my local Petco was $72.00. And I believe they still give first time customers 20% off. Shipping is real cheap too. Also, a way to save good money if your not real particular on your gravel is to get "pea gravel" Available from your local landscaping store (i got mine from Wal-Mart). It is basically the same as aquarium gravel but cost only about $3.00 for a 50 lb. bag. It comes in very nice natural earth tones and looks beautiful in my 135g! The only thing is that you have to rinse it well before use....but you do that anyway, right?


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## cretinHOP (Jun 23, 2004)

non dont even think about red bellies in that 55!!!! its too SMALL its only 12 inches wide and natts get bigger than 12 inches got ONE..s.irritans or ONE brandtii but with even that youre puishing your luck on having a non skittish fish in a 55 gallon..piranhas FYI hate limited swimming space and usually makes them nervous and skittish much more than usual


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## FeedTheMachine (Jun 19, 2004)

Get a little rhom(4-5"),and he'll be fine in there for awhile.


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