Marine Depot New Years Resolutions
Marine Depot New Years Resolutions

It's almost 2021! and to celebrate, the Marine Depot team is revealing the tools you need to achieve your new year's aquarium resolutions. Unfortunately, we are not in the fitness, nutrition, or organization industries but, what we can do is, make sure that your aquariums are happy, healthy, and low maintenance to ring in the new year. Whether you’re finally looking to shed that hair algae, or you’re hoping to spend more time enjoying and less time doing water changes, we have a resolution for you! 

Within this article, we will highlight some of the best aquarium accessories that allow for the simplification, improvement, or automation of one or multiple aquarium processes. We are making these suggestions with the user in mind in order to make their hobby more enjoyable and rewarding. At the end of the day, we all want to be able to appreciate the aquariums we pour our energy into. When one of the many challenges in aquarium keeping appears, we want to present solutions that allow aquarists to attack and conquer that challenge in an efficient and timely manner. If you are struggling with something in your aquarium or, if you have any questions about an aquarium product, our customer care team would be happy to assist you. 

A lifesaver when it comes to tank top-off: XP Aqua Ultimate ATO

XP Aqua Ultimate ATO
XP Aqua Ultimate ATO

Having to constantly top off your tank for evaporation can be one of the most frustrating chores when all you want to do is enjoy your tank. Oftentimes however, hobbyists are hesitant to introduce an auto top off unit as they are not sure if they can trust it. For the aquarium keeper who wants to get rid of this constant topping off but needs to have added security to prevent any flooding, the XP Aqua Ultimate ATO is the choice for you. This unit includes four different sensors to make sure that your water level is kept constant and that no floods will occur. A solenoid valve is also included if you would like to top off your tank directly with an RO/DI unit. 

Keeping your hands dry and your glass clear: Flipper Standard FLOAT Aquarium Magnet Cleaner

If you're tired of getting down to your elbows in aquarium water to manually remove algae buildup, a magnet cleaner will quickly become a worthy investment. Flipper has been producing these very magnetic algae scrapers for years and we are currently offering four different sizes that can work on many aquarium sizes. The best feature on these cleaners are their blade attachments that will remove even the toughest of film algaes. Replacement blades are also available once the original loses its edge after extended use.

Reefer Resolutions
Flipper Standard FLOAT Aquarium Magnet Cleaner

No more daily dosing: Kamoer X1 Bluetooth Micropump

Kamoer X1 Micro Pump
Kamoer X1 Micro Pump

Once you get to a point where your reef tank is absorbing nutrients from your dosing, it will get to a point where investing in a dosing pump rather than manually dosing will make a lot more sense. When that time comes, the Kamoer X1 Bluetooth Dosing Pump will be a great choice for its controllability, durability, and accuracy. Additionally, these pumps can be linked together to dose multiple elements into an aquarium. Whether its a simple two-part solution or a complex dosing routine featuring multiple trace elements, the Kamoer X1 will be able to add any additive to an accuracy of two percent of the total dosage. This pump is a very controllable and budget friendly option to dive into the world of automatic dosing.

Melt away those pesky anemones: Red Sea Aiptasia-X Treatment Kit

Aiptasia can be an absolute nightmare to deal with. When you think you finally got rid of them, a new one will appear and it will multiply within a couple of days. Luckily, the Red Sea Aiptasia-X will help hobbyists to finally say goodbye to that pesky Aiptasia. Simply use the included needle to inject the Aiptasia with the additive and over the next few hours you will see them shrink and eventually melt away. We recommend turning off your lights and using a flashlight to make sure you find all of the Aiptasias as even missing a single one will have you back in the tank doing the same thing in a matter of weeks.

Red Sea Aiptasia-X Kit
Red Sea Aiptasia-X Kit

Cutting down on water lugging: Marine Depot Kleanwater 4 Stage Advanced 100 GPD RO/DI Unit

Marine Depot Kleanwater 4 Stage Advanced RO/DI Unit
Marine Depot Kleanwater 4 Stage Advanced RO/DI Unit

Dragging five gallon jugs from your local fish store can get old quick. With the purchase of an RO/DI unit such as the Marine Depot Kleanwater 4 Stage Advanced, you won’t have to travel far to get the water you need. This unit is very simple to set up and can even be hooked up to a standard sink faucet. With adequate water pressure, you can expect close to 100 gallons of made water in a day which will allow you to do frequent water changes and top-off on most aquariums without issue. The included TDS meter will let you know when it is time to replace the filters. We also carry all needed replacement filters for this unit and many other RO/DI units available on our site. 

A lighting upgrade to increase coral color and growth: Ecotech Marine Radion Gen 5 Fixtures

If you’re hoping to see better color and increased coral growth in the new year, an upgraded light fixture may be the solution you are looking for. More specifically, the fifth generation of Radion’s from Ecotech Marine would be an excellent choice for any reef aquarium. These lights are some of the most powerful, controllable, and reliable LED’s on the market and whether the Blue or Pro models is your choice, you will be able to create the perfect spectrum and intensity for your tank. Both models can be controlled through Ecotech’s new mobius platform. If you have any questions about which model or size would make the most sense for your aquarium, our support team would be able to assist you.

Ecotech Radion XR15 Gen 5 Pro LED Light
Ecotech Radion XR15 Gen 5 Pro LED Light

Pick up the pace on your water changes: Python No Spill Clean And Fill

Python No Spill Clean & Fill
Python No Spill Clean & Fill

Doing a water change can become a headache that you continually push off. With the use of a Python No Spill Clean and Fill what once was a dreaded chore can become an easy to accomplish and rewarding activity. The Python will attach to a sink faucet and the water from your sink will create a suction that will transport your dirty tank water directly into the drain without lugging heavy buckets. There are three different sizes including 25, 50, 75 feet so no matter how far the aquarium is from the sink, there will be an option for you. Water changes are crucial for aquarium success and the Python is a great product that makes doing a change and siphoning a sandbed much easier. 

Get an attack plan for aquarium maintenance: ATI Lab ICP-OES Test 

Testing your aquarium can take quite a while and there can still be a level of doubt with the readings. With the ICP test from ATI Labs, you no longer have to worry about improper readings and you can get a detailed attack plan on what elements need to be dosed along with how frequently to dose them. With this kit, you will send out a water sample from your tank and from your RO/DI unit to a full ICP laboratory where it will be tested for 43 unique elements. This is also a great investment for finding a solution to a problem that may be affecting your tank. Oftentimes this test will provide information that you simply won’t get from other test kits. With these readings, you will have the information you need to make changes to your aquarium that will set it up for sustained success.

ATI Lab ICE-OES Test Kit
ATI Lab ICE-OES Test Kit

Final Thoughts: 

We hope this guide has given you some ideas for items you can add to your toolkit to improve your aquarium in 2021. As the hobby advances  we have no doubt that manufacturers will continue to bring new products to the market that will allow for less maintenance and a more appealing aquarium keeping experience. We want to give our customers every opportunity to ring in the new year with an improved aquarium they can be proud of. If you need any suggestions or if you have any questions, our customer care team would be more than happy to assist you.