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I've got a couple items that are indispensable in maintaining my tank that I always recommend to folks. I'm sure you do too, so let's start a list, but let's leave out the required items like skimmers, lights, etc. This is just for accessories, tools, and gadgets.
If you can, please include a link to the item along with the price.
1. Long turkey baster style feeding tube: $22 or so. I use this for all sorts of tasks. It is extendable up to 35", so I can suck stuff out of the bottom, target feed fish and corals, and even push small things around in the sand. This is definitely one of my favorite tools:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4430+13943&pcatid=13943
2. Shoulder length gloves (100 for $12) and over the shoulder gloves (50 for $19) from Enesco.com. Fairly often I need to quickly put my arm in the tank to move something around or grab something. If I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt and my hands aren't clean, it can become a bit of a ritual. These gloves are awesome, especially the over the shoulder gloves. It has a loop that goes over your head which holds the gloves all the way up your arms and over your shoulder.
Over the shoulder gloves: http://www.enasco.com/product/C27260(X)N?ref=rel_item
Shoulder length gloves: http://www.enasco.com/product/C06271N
3. Cyanoacrylate glue (crazy glue) by IC-Gel $7. This glue has the perfect consistency (and I've tried lots of them). It comes out of the tube very easily, but it keeps just the right consistency for attaching frags to whatever you like. I love it and wouldn't use anything else.
http://www.aquacave.com/ic-gel-insta-cure-cyanoacrelatebr-gel-20gr-1175.html
4. Long tweezers/prongs. There are two I really like: the 10" Specimen Forceps for $4.95 and the 10" Curved Tip Specimen Forceps for $4.95. Both of these are stainless steel and really handy:
http://www.aquacave.com/10--specimen-forcepsbr-stainless-steel-2032.html
http://www.aquacave.com/10-curved-tip-specimenbr-forceps-stainless-steel-2033.html
5. Specimen container. Dip and Pour - Large $7.50. I use this as an all purpose container while fragging, dipping new corals, mixing solutions, etc. It's handy and cheap
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/217918/product.web
6. Heavy duty clippers to cut just about anything, but especially thick corals. These 7" Reef Precision Coral Clippers are about $25, but they are outstanding. BTW, I also have the 6.5" Heavy Duty version and I hardly use those at all. Go for the one linked below and enjoy happy cutting and fragging.
http://www.aquacave.com/7-reef-precision-coral-br-clippers-by-taam-2267.html
7. Graduated syringes. I use these for precisely measuring everything from AAs to the water I use in my vials when testing the water. They are a buck or two a piece and I get them from Susans35 on Ebay. I have everything from 1ml syringes to 60ml ones.
http://shop.ebay.com:80/susans35/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=15&_rdc=1
8. Eheim Sludge Extractor $60. This is a battery operated, fully submersible, vacuum that I absolutely LOVE. I use it to suck out the scum at the bottom of my frag tank, display tank, and sumps. It works really well and it captures really fine stuff. If this ever breaks, I'm going to rush out and buy another. They are that good.
http://www.marinedepot.com/Eheim_Sludge_Extractor_(Battery_Operated)_Battery_Operated_Siphons_Gravel_Cleaners-Eheim-EH3531-FIMTGSBO-vi.html
Please add your favorite items to the list.
If you can, please include a link to the item along with the price.
1. Long turkey baster style feeding tube: $22 or so. I use this for all sorts of tasks. It is extendable up to 35", so I can suck stuff out of the bottom, target feed fish and corals, and even push small things around in the sand. This is definitely one of my favorite tools:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4430+13943&pcatid=13943
2. Shoulder length gloves (100 for $12) and over the shoulder gloves (50 for $19) from Enesco.com. Fairly often I need to quickly put my arm in the tank to move something around or grab something. If I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt and my hands aren't clean, it can become a bit of a ritual. These gloves are awesome, especially the over the shoulder gloves. It has a loop that goes over your head which holds the gloves all the way up your arms and over your shoulder.
Over the shoulder gloves: http://www.enasco.com/product/C27260(X)N?ref=rel_item
Shoulder length gloves: http://www.enasco.com/product/C06271N
3. Cyanoacrylate glue (crazy glue) by IC-Gel $7. This glue has the perfect consistency (and I've tried lots of them). It comes out of the tube very easily, but it keeps just the right consistency for attaching frags to whatever you like. I love it and wouldn't use anything else.
http://www.aquacave.com/ic-gel-insta-cure-cyanoacrelatebr-gel-20gr-1175.html
4. Long tweezers/prongs. There are two I really like: the 10" Specimen Forceps for $4.95 and the 10" Curved Tip Specimen Forceps for $4.95. Both of these are stainless steel and really handy:
http://www.aquacave.com/10--specimen-forcepsbr-stainless-steel-2032.html
http://www.aquacave.com/10-curved-tip-specimenbr-forceps-stainless-steel-2033.html
5. Specimen container. Dip and Pour - Large $7.50. I use this as an all purpose container while fragging, dipping new corals, mixing solutions, etc. It's handy and cheap
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/217918/product.web
6. Heavy duty clippers to cut just about anything, but especially thick corals. These 7" Reef Precision Coral Clippers are about $25, but they are outstanding. BTW, I also have the 6.5" Heavy Duty version and I hardly use those at all. Go for the one linked below and enjoy happy cutting and fragging.
http://www.aquacave.com/7-reef-precision-coral-br-clippers-by-taam-2267.html
7. Graduated syringes. I use these for precisely measuring everything from AAs to the water I use in my vials when testing the water. They are a buck or two a piece and I get them from Susans35 on Ebay. I have everything from 1ml syringes to 60ml ones.
http://shop.ebay.com:80/susans35/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=15&_rdc=1
8. Eheim Sludge Extractor $60. This is a battery operated, fully submersible, vacuum that I absolutely LOVE. I use it to suck out the scum at the bottom of my frag tank, display tank, and sumps. It works really well and it captures really fine stuff. If this ever breaks, I'm going to rush out and buy another. They are that good.
http://www.marinedepot.com/Eheim_Sludge_Extractor_(Battery_Operated)_Battery_Operated_Siphons_Gravel_Cleaners-Eheim-EH3531-FIMTGSBO-vi.html
Please add your favorite items to the list.