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Post by parker002 on Nov 4, 2011 13:46:44 GMT -5
I thought I posted this earlier but I must not have hit submit...  ---------------------------------- My Via Aqua LED + bubble wand just isn't functioning to my liking. It is one of those "rubber hose" wands with small holes in it, like the flexible ones, and my experience has been similar - after a few months, it doesn't make bubbles anymore, even when removed and thoroughly cleaned. I went to the LFS up the road yesterday and they had a new line of ornaments from Hydor called H2Show. The first piece is a bubble maker. It does NOT use an air pump, however. It functions much like the Venturi port on a power head - you connect an air hose to it and it actually PULLS air into the impeller all by itself. The result is impressive - it makes more bubbles than any other bubbler I've ever had and they're very small, fine bubbles at that. It's absolutely beautiful. The 2nd piece is an optional LED. They come in a handful of colors and can be used by themselves or they can attach to the bubble maker in 2 places. I bought a red one but haven't hooked it up yet. Finally, they make resin ornaments that can be combined for some very incredible-looking effects. Here are some Amazon user pics of the bubble maker, red LED, and the resin volcano ornament together:   |
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Post by goldenpuon on Nov 4, 2011 15:52:06 GMT -5
Those sound very impressive! I especially like the second picture where looks like a volcano is erupting!  Parker, do you know if Carl sells a bubbler maker like this? I'm totally bought on the idea if I can get my hands on one. I have a very old bubble wand taht works fairly well still, but this sounds much more impressive! Renee |
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Post by parker002 on Nov 4, 2011 16:14:37 GMT -5
I'm not sure he carries them.
And like I said, I haven't even seen it with the lights off yet - the CLOUD of tiny bubbles it produces blows away any air stone I've ever owned and it's not even close.
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Post by Carl on Nov 4, 2011 16:50:36 GMT -5
I'm not sure he carries them. And like I said, I haven't even seen it with the lights off yet - the CLOUD of tiny bubbles it produces blows away any air stone I've ever owned and it's not even close. We have already had these and similar offered. Steven took one home and tested one too. However even the distributor offering these to us has noted that the lights short out in quickly (LEDs require circuitry to keep voltage even that is easily damaged by humidity, which is why many under water LEDs suffer from, especially those that utilize higher output emitters) I should note that the ones we have been experimenting with are not by Hydro, however many of these products are made in the same factories then offered to different sellers under different brand names. That said, they look cool and I know Steven liked his that he is experimenting with. Carl |
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Post by parker002 on Nov 4, 2011 17:58:28 GMT -5
The LEDs have issues (like you said, most of them do) but what about the bubbler?
I haven't even hooked my LED up yet - I'm completely obsessed with the bubbles. I turned it all the way down and it lets up a gentle curtain - it almost looks like FOG inside the fish tank.
Also, it seems you're suggesting you've LOOKED at these but you don't yet have them (or something like them) for sale. Is that correct? If you are planning on stocking something like this, can you let us know? Thanks!
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Post by Carl on Nov 4, 2011 19:43:21 GMT -5
I will have to ask Steven and my service persons down in LA, as I have not used it at all (I handed off the ball on this one). My recollection was Steven had a few issues with the venturi generating the bubbles at some point, but I am not sure. As for selling, unless they can sell these without the LEDs (or fix this issue), I am not real comfortable selling a product I know will have issues resulting in failure. While no piece of equipment is perfect and often such equipment will have "work arounds" with certain issues, I pride myself in only selling what I would use with my service clients or myself and a product that has a major part of it fail does not fit the bill for me. An example was the Submariner and Green Killing Machine submersible UVs; when I first heard of them I was excited with the concept, however in practical use they were poor at level 1 Sterilization (if at all) and worse these suffered 100% failures with all tested (& I continue to get feedback from friends that failure rates remain at 100%). YET a few less than scrupulous retailers continue to sell these products, such as DR. Fosters & Smith I will continue to look into these, but I want to be confident in selling them first Carl |
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Post by parker002 on Nov 4, 2011 19:51:32 GMT -5
The bubble maker, LEDs, and ornaments are all sold separately. They work together but are not all required.
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Post by parker002 on Nov 5, 2011 6:34:31 GMT -5
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Post by Carl on Nov 5, 2011 12:32:11 GMT -5
The bubble maker, LEDs, and ornaments are all sold separately. They work together but are not all required. The ones we were offered were sold together; we asked the distributor (importer) of these about being sold separately and they told me that while some other importers have brought them in this way, it is the LED that sells the product and thus they did not importer the version that is separate. Don't get me wrong, it is a cool product; but again the LED issue is what both sells and ruins the product from what I know at this point. Carl |
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Post by parker002 on Nov 7, 2011 6:37:57 GMT -5
That sucks. Oh well, if it changes, definitely let us know.
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Post by goldenpuon on Nov 7, 2011 17:11:09 GMT -5
I second Parker, please us know if you do end up getting them.
However, I understand that you sell products that are "proven" to work (which I GREATLY applaud you for btw) and that you don't feel right getting something that has some known problems.
In the mean time, next time I buy from you, it'll be the same kind of bubble wand I got last time and currently have most likely. Though I am interested in trying out the bubbler maker that does NOT use an air pump, the one I have now is great and definitely a bubble wand I'd buy again.
Renee
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Post by parker002 on Dec 6, 2011 21:17:19 GMT -5
OK, so I absolutely do NOT recommend this bubbler for a heavily planted tank.
The buildup of debris in the rotor will eventually stop the bubbles. In the end, I had to remove it from the tank to clean it thoroughly and putting it back is just too much hassle.
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Post by Carl on Dec 7, 2011 9:40:26 GMT -5
OK, so I absolutely do NOT recommend this bubbler for a heavily planted tank. The buildup of debris in the rotor will eventually stop the bubbles. In the end, I had to remove it from the tank to clean it thoroughly and putting it back is just too much hassle. This has been the results of others testing this product, even in non planted aquariums. Carl |
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Post by parker002 on Dec 7, 2011 10:23:35 GMT -5
OK, so I absolutely do NOT recommend this bubbler for a heavily planted tank. The buildup of debris in the rotor will eventually stop the bubbles. In the end, I had to remove it from the tank to clean it thoroughly and putting it back is just too much hassle. This has been the results of others testing this product, even in non planted aquariums. Carl It probably just takes longer in a non-planted aquarium. I ended up with Java Moss clinging to mine - I had to clean it almost daily or I'm sure it would have burned up completely. |
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