Fish keepers whether new or experienced will have become familiar with the Fluval brand and all the different products they have to offer. Fluval (by Hagen) have come to be known for reliability and quality, traits which they have managed to carry on with the release of new product lines.
One of the most important tools to any fish keeper is a Tap Water Conditioner of some kind. There are different types available all with different levels of effectiveness, extra features and dilution ratios. Without a good water conditioner we would have no hope of keeping fish alive (at least in most parts of the world) let alone allowing them to thrive. Chlorine and Chloramine and other harmful substances are found in our tap water so a water conditioner should be among the first things to buy when starting out in the hobby.
One such product I have become familiar with is Fluval AquaPlus Water conditioner. So here is my review of a product that have become a big fan of. Like most water conditioners it’s primary job is to remove harmful chemicals and metals from the tap water making it safe for your fish, which this product does amazingly well and acts very fast too! Not all tap safe products remove ALL harmful substances so be sure to read labels before buying.
Key features of this product:
- Complete tap water conditioner
- Protects scales and fins of your fish
- Reduces stress to your fish
- Removes Chlorine, Chloramine and metal toxins
As well as making the tap water safe, Fluval AquaPlus protects your fishes’ scales and fins and allows them to heal better if damaged. (This is a common occurrence when keeping aggressive species such as African Cichlids). My fish have all healed well whenever there has been a minor injury whilst using this product. In order to have the extra protection however, you will need to double the dose of 5ml per 40L to 10ml per 40L so I recommend if you have a rather large aquarium buying the 2Litre bottle of this product, which will work out much better value for money.
Fluval have made this product available in a few different sizes: 2Litres, 500ml, 250ml and 120ml depending on your aquarium size you can choose the bottle suitable for you. The 2Litre bottle does not come with a measuring cup so you will need to estimate how many squirts you require or use a different measuring method, a slight negative there. If using the doubled dose it also helps reduce the stress caused to your fish during cleaning and water changes.
Treatment measures for different sizes:
- 2Litre bottle treats up to 16000Litres at 5ml per 40L or 8000Litres at 10ml per 40L
- 500ml bottle treats up to 4000Litres at 5ml per 40L or 2000Litres at 10ml per 40L
- 250ml bottle treats up to 2000Litres at 5ml per 40L or 1000Litres at 10ml per 40L
- 120ml bottle treats up to 960Litres at 5ml per 40L or 480Litres at 10ml per 40L
All the extra features that this product has don’t come cheap however, with the 500ml bottle being around £10 and the 250ml bottle around £7. If you have a medium to large aquarium and/or you have to do multiple water changes a week due to overstocking then you are better off with the 2Litre bottle which at around £30 is much better value for money.
Conclusion:
Like most Fluval products it is slightly more expensive than alternatives by other brands, it is however very reliable and does that little bit extra to help protect your fish. It is better value for money if you buy the 2L bottle but if you have a small or a nano aquarium it may not be feasible so you would be better off with a smaller bottle as you would be buying less frequently. The dilution ratio for this product is fantastic as you can see above so whichever size you choose suitable for you it will last a long time compared to some of the other products which require more dosage. This is the product I would go for if you want something more than just a water conditioner.
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