Salted
NJRC Member
The purpose of this thread is to help us help each other save money. The idea is to find the identical replacements for items marketed and sold to us in the aquarium hobby as "aquarium specific", with corresponding price premium. Like every other industry, the aquarium business is for profit. Shocking I know, but true. Sellers purchase generic products, slap their name on it and claim it's an aquarium specific product and jack the price way up. I was researching filter floss and found out it's really just polyester stuffing, and can be purchased at craft stores for a 1/4 of the price. The only thing we'd be concerned with is that it does not have a fire retardant added, otherwise it's the same product. I was just on amazon and was about to buy a Two Little Fishies ball valve. It was $12.67 for one valve. We all know when you're on amazon related items are shown and what do I see? A two pack for $13.45. A closer look and you can clearly see the manufacturers' logo on the cap and it's the same product. The only difference is one seller is selling a ball valve, TLF is selling an "aquarium" ball valve. Which do you think I just bought? So if you come across an item that fits the scenario I've described, please post it up and help us save money, because really, wouldn't you rather save money so you can spend it on fish and coral?
TLF ball valve; Amazon.com
Identical, but not marked up as an aquarium specific part item; Amazon.com
TLF ball valve; Amazon.com
Identical, but not marked up as an aquarium specific part item; Amazon.com