Aquarium Snake Oil

[revhtree Verified Admin]

What aquarium products have you ran into that you would consider to be "snake oil" and really not worth the package it is printed on?

 

[shred5]

Purple up.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Bump!

 

[glb]

Test strips. The most inaccurate things I have seen in my whole life.

 

[spspirate]

Not Reef Plus!...LOL

 

[AZDesertRat]

Eco Aqualizer.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Nitrate reducer.

 

[cobraz]

Purple up.

I have been using this stuff since it came out - my last tank was covered in different colors of Coralline Algae in an accelerated level.
It's true it will not work unless you have some already in the tank on live rock.. but it causes it to bloom and also it's a good source for your corals..IMO

 

[cdness]

Purple Up would be the number 1 item as snake oil. Most in the hobby know it is nothing but snake oil, but for some reason it stays on the shelves of stores and does sell. I have no idea why it still sells.

 

[Mike J.]

You can call me pig headed; or an old coot that's not up with the times. Maybe I'd deserve it? As much research as I do, to try and keep up with the times! I still have yet to put anything that comes in a bottle in any of my tanks. After thinking over this bold statement - does Aiptasia X count; it does come in a bottle.

 

[navila06]

curious, just tagging along

 

[kcb1123]

Snake Oil

Turbo snails

 

[zemuss]

Anything that says Instant cycle! Listen there is no such thing as an instant cycle! PERIOD!

 

[DSP]

For sure the bacteria in a bottle products

 

[johnanddawn]

I only use your basic alk, ca, and mg supplements and feel that the vast majority of the rest of them, if not snake oil, are definitely not necessary and many will cause more issues then fix

 

[cpsbooks]

I am skeptical about anything that has a lot of ingredients. IMO, it is best to stick to the basics and what you can test for.

 

[navila06]

microbelift special blend works great

For sure the bacteria in a bottle products

 

[DSP]

It didnt work for me and hasn't worked for many others lol.

 

[redfishbluefish]

It doesn't come in a bottle, but I could never understand "live sand," especially when it has been sitting on the shelf of the LFS for months. I'd never waste my money on this.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I only use your basic alk, ca, and mg supplements and feel that the vast majority of the rest of them, if not snake oil, are definitely not necessary and many will cause more issues then fix

+1 (Plus One, since "+1" is too short!)