Hydor Koralia Nano 240 Aquarium Circulation Pump 240 GPH- Review

This is my first experience with a powerhead. After an outbreak of ich in my tank, I've got the heat cranked up to kill the ich and wanted to provide some extra aeration for the fish.  I had heard good things about these powerheads and decided to give this one a try.  I have a freshwater tank.  So, I wasn't looking for a whole lot of circulation, just something to break up the dead spot in the corner opposite my HOB filter and disturb the surface of the water.

The instructions that come with it are minimal, but there is a video on Hydor's website that helps.  It's actually pretty self-explanatory.  The instruction sheet shows "assembly, but it comes fully assembled except you have to snap the ball into the ball and socket joint made between the pump and the suction cup/magnet that holds it.  The suction cup/magnet assembly is ingenious.  Trying to get suction cups to stick can sometimes be a pain and then once you get them on, it's hard to move them.  The second piece on the outside of the tank gives you a handle that you can use to maneuver the device into place.  Just get it on the wall you want it on, then grab the outside handle and slide it into place.  Also, should the suction cups wear out, the magnet will last forever.

I like that it's timer compatible.  I've set mine to come on with the lights and go off after the lights go off so the fish are assured of being undisturbed during sleeping times.  I have used air pumps for increased aeration on other tanks.  This is more quiet than the quietest air pump I've found (I've tried two brands) and does a nice job of disturbing the surface of the water and creating flow at the same time.

According to the recommendations this pump is undersized for my 40 gallon tank, but since it's a freshwater tank I don't think I need or would want any more flow.

I just installed it, so of course, I have no idea how durable it will be but it's a simple design.  I expect it'll run just fine for a while.

OXA 4 port USB Wall Charger Review

We have so many iPhone and iPods in the house it seems someone always needs to charge something.  The OXA 4 Port USB Wall charger is a handy and inexpensive wall unit allows you to charge up to four devices at a time and includes a high capacity port to charge the power-hungry iPad.  The prongs fold in making it great for traveling and it is designed so that if you plug it into the lower outlet, the other outlet remains available for other devices.  I have a similar wall charger from another manufacturer that tries to overcome the problem of blocking the second outlet by putting an electrical outlet on the place which covers the entire wall plate.  I like this design much better.  Keep in mind, this is just a device with 4 USB ports, you will need to provide your own cables specific to the devices you are charging.

The unit looks good and has nice blue LED lights that the packaging says confirms the device is properly connected.  I think the LEDs are unnecessary as they simply tell you the device is plugged into the wall.  You don't need LEDs to confirm that.  I typically leave my wall charger plugged in and even though I know it's a tiny amount of power, I feel like it's wasting power powering those LEDs.  They'd be more useful if they lit up when a device is plugged in and charging.  

OXA makes really convenient devices at great prices.  I recommend this wall charger. It's a nice, simple design and it's a great price.

I received this item from the manufacturer in exchange for giving it a fair review.  I receive no compensation from OXA.  The opinions expressed here are my own.


OXA 5V/5.4A AC 90-240V Quad 4 USB Port Universal Portable Wall Charger Travel Charger Power Adapter, 4-Port Wall Family-Sized Charger for iPad, iPhone, Samsung Tab, Samsung Galaxy, HTC Smart Phones, Amazon Kindle models, Android Devices and most Digital Products (White)

OXA 3000mAh Perfume Ultrathin Mini Stylish Power Bank Review

I received this device in exchange for my honest review. Portable external batteries are almost a necessity now as phones suck up more and more juice and the internal batteries are so small to keep the phones thing and light. The prices of these external batteries have plummeted making them extremely affordable. The OXA Power Banks are a great way to get power on the go.

This device is thin and light. It almost looks as if it could have been designed by Apple. It's simple to use. A red light for when it's charging a blue light for when it's discharging. OXA says their devices support the new Apple iPads and iPhones, but beware even thought they come with a USB cable with multiple interchangeable adapters for mini-USB, 30 pin, etc, they do NOT come with a lightning adapter. You will have to provide your own cable to go from the Power Bank to your device.

At 3000 mAh, this device is powerful enough to charge my iPhone twice. I love it.

I'm giving it four stars because there is no battery gauge on it. At this price, I'm not sure I'd really expect one and I'm not sure it's really necessary. Just fully charge it every three months and whenever you use it. But, a battery gauge would make it perfect.


OXA 3000mAh Perfume Ultrathin Mini Stylish Power Bank with Chain for iPhone 5 5S 5C 4 4S 6, Samsung Galaxy S4 S3 S2 Note3 Note2, Google Nexus 4 5 7 10, Nokia Lumia 520 920 925 928 1520 N8, HTC One, Sony Xperia Z, BlackBerry Z10, Motorola Droid, LG Optimus G and More Smartphones (Black)

OXA 2600 SAFE External Battery Review

As our smart phones get smarter and smarter one thing that doesn't improve is the battery life. My iPhone won't even last a full day if I'm using it heavily and I can't always get to a place to plug it in. External batteries used to be too expensive for me to justify. This one is not. At the price it is selling for on Amazon right now, it's worth the investment.

I own another external battery which only came with a USB to micro usb cable (basically a cable for charging the battery). The OXA comes with a USB cable with multiple adapters to fit micro USB, 30 pin Apple, and more. The only thing you need to be aware of is even though the documentation says it works with iPhone 5s and the new iPads, while it will charge them, it does NOT come with a lightning connector. You will need to use your own cable. For other devices, the end of the USB cable pops off and you can pop on an adapter for them.

Pros-
Simple to use
Compact

Cons-
No battery meter

The only drawback to this battery is the fact that it lacks a meter. While I might be able to get multiple charges out of it, I don't know if fully charging my iPhone drains it 50% or more or less. Therefore, I would recommend recharging it after each use. At the original list price, I would expect a battery meter. At the price it's selling for now, I can live without the meter.


OXA 2600mAh SAFE External Battery 18M WTY Premium Samsung Cells Key Chain charger external portable power supply (Check Amp for tablets) for Smartphones and other electronic devices

Vtech DS6522 Cordless Handset Review

I was thrilled with this system, while it worked. It was inexpensive- I paid less $40.00 for it at Costco.  The call quality was good.  The Bluetooth connection to my cell phone was a nice bonus.  When someone called my cell phone, the home line would ring so I didn't have to be in the same room with my phone to answer.  In fact, you can use this system to replace your landline and exclusively use your cellphone and make and receive calls from three points in the house.  What's not to love?

Well, after 9 months, the system failed. But, not only did it fail, it failed in a weird way that could have cost me a fair amount of money.  One night we noticed the notice on the phone that the line was busy while there was no one was on the telephone.  When I picked up the receiver, I heard the signal you hear when a receiver is left off the hook for a while.  I tried going to all the handsets and resetting them.  No luck. I unplugged the base and plugged it back in.  Still no luck. The line was open no matter what I did.  I called my telephone service provider and they said the line was open.  They had me unplug the lines from the telephone modem and as soon as I plugged them back in- again the line was open. That's when they suggested it was probably a wiring problem and wanted me to call an electrician to check our house wiring.

That didn't seem right to me.  So, I tried one more troubleshooting step and disconnected the unit from the phone line.  When I did that, the line was available again.  Somehow this had failed such that it was holding the line open.  When I plugged it back in, it would say "no line" but it was still holding the line open.

This is probably just an anomaly. While the system worked, I really liked it and it was inexpensive. I'm only writing this negative review because of the WAY it broke, very unexpected.  By breaking in such a way to hold the line open, I could have spent money having an electrician out to troubleshoot my home phone wiring which is fine.  I also spent a couple of hours on the phone with my telephone service provider and my home security system service provider eliminating those as the source of the problem.

I would have gotten another one, but when I returned it to Costco they were no longer selling this system or any Vtech systems.  I ended up going with a more expensive AT&T option.

p.s.- big shout out to Costco again.  Even though the system was under warranty, I didn't really want the hassle of dealing with the manufacturer, having to go through their troubleshooting, mail the system back, wait days for a new phone, etc.  I called Costco and told them the phone system I bought there in March had broken. They said to box it up and bring it in.  No hassles.  They gave me the full price I paid for it which I applied toward the new system that cost about $30 more.

Related articles

• My Experience With VTech
• A Look At Cordless Phones

The Acase Case for iPad Air Is Skinny and Smart

I now own three iPad Air cases.  I was given two, including this one, in exchange for my honest review.  I previously owned the iPad 2- second generation iPad and appreciate the smaller, lighter and thinner iPad Air that I recently stepped up to. The last thing I want is a case that detracts from all of the engineering Apple has put into making the iPad Air feel so great in your hand.  This case does not disappoint.

The outside of the case is a nice faux leather that feels and looks high quality.  The front flap on the interior is a microfiber material that feels like a smooth suede.  Your iPad snaps into a polycarbonate shell that provides full protection for the back and around all four sides.  Unlike a previous case I purchased from another manufacturer, the stand functionality is completely intuitive and easy to use. Even though the iPad is protected on all four sides, you do not need to snap it out of any of the four sides to use the stand.  The back cover is hinged.  What becomes the base of the iPad (as pictured in the product image) sits into a groove on the front cover giving you five viewing angles.  Frankly, the grooves are kind of shallow due to the extreme thinness of the front of the case making them slightly more difficult to engage than the other case I had previously.  Still, I think I like this case a bit better because it is extremely thin and light.  I cannot imagine a case being significantly more thin and light without being completely worthless.  My iPad is protected from scratches and I get the on/off functionality from the magnet in the front cover.  This is not a case that provides a ton of drop protection and I have no problem with that.  I'm looking for something that protects my screen, keeps my iPad from getting scratched up, turns the iPad off and on and makes it feel good in my hand.  The Acase hits all of those points.  To get drop protection  you're going to need to do go to a heavy, thick case and I don't want to do that.

Pricing on this case is higher than the one I paid for myself. However, the fit and finish is probably a little better.  The other case I have includes a holder for the stylus which is nice.  Also the front cover on the other case, in addition to the magnets clips around the iPad itself when you close it for a more secure closure.  Compared to Apple's case though, this one is an incredible bargain.  Of the three I have (the other two area also reviewed here on Amazon), pricing aside, I would recommend this one over the other two by a slim margin.  Taking pricing into consideration any of them are far better bargains than the Apple branded case or the Smart Cover which provides zero protection for the back of your device and at a higher price than any of the other cases I own.

Related articles

• The Best iPad Air Case
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Corte Composite Deck Cleaner Review

Three years ago we built a composite deck (TimberTech).  I guess I thought low maintenance meant no maintenance, so I hadn't done anything to the deck since it was built. It's been nice not having to worry about staining or painting it.  Earlier this spring, I noticed black spots on the deck, which began to grow and multiply until it ended up looking like this:

After doing some research on the internet I discovered many people have had problems with black mold forming on their composite decks. Some have had great difficulty removing it.  I decided to try Corte Composite Cleaner based on the reviews I had seen and the fact that it appears several composite manufacturers recommend it.  

The product got more than its share of negative reviews on Amazon.com, which was made me concerned.  However, I realized the manufacturer says to not use the product beyond its expiration date, otherwise you might not get satisfactory results.  My guess is some gray marketers were putting old product on Amazon.  I decided to buy from the manufacturer's website to ensure I got a fresh batch.  However, with Labor Day weekend coming up and guests coming over, I decided I needed to get the deck done now.  I called the manufacturer and found a retailer fairly close to me.  That retailer said they had just gotten a shipment last week.  The expiration date on the bag I bought is August 2014 one year from this month.  So, the product does not have an extremely long shelf life.  I recommend making sure you get a fresh bag.

To do the project I needed:

• Mixing bucket- already had
• 1 gallon pump spray- picked up for $10 at the local hardware store
• Deck brush- a scrub brush on a handle to save your back. $7 at the local hardware store
• Corte Cleaner- $30

The product is a white powder that you mix with water.  It reminded me of trying to use Oxi-Clean.  It was not easy to mix.  I tried it first with room temperature tap water. For my second batch, I used warm water.  I stirred and stirred and stirred and could not get all the crystals to dissolve.  I began by hosing down the deck and going over it lightly with my brush to get the loose dirt off.  To my (pleasant) surprise a great deal of the dirt/mold came off with just plain water.  In fact, my wife came out and commented on how great the product was working and I hadn't applied it yet.

I let the deck dry, per the manufacturer's instructions and began spraying the Corte Clean on.  Using the fine sprayer I had, the product was more than enough to cover the recommended square footage.  It went on kind of like dishwater- slightly soapy and as it reacted, began to foam up, reminding me of oven cleaner.  I reapplied the product as necessary to keep it wet while I waited the 20 minutes for it to do its thing. To my surprise I could see the dirt being lifted out of the wood as the suds went from white to brown.

After approximately 20 minutes, I hit the deck with the brush again.  I wanted to be sure I got as much of this gunk off/out as possible.  Then, I began rinsing. As I rinsed, I could see the dirt flowing off with the water. Rinsing took forever.  I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed.  Now it was about 95º the day I was doing this and I did it in full sun.  The manufacturer recommended doing it in the sun, but not at that temperature.  I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not.  Each time it would let it dry completely I'd see a bit of white haze, not horrible, but enough I wanted it off.  However, the deck was completely clean.

Pros:

• Easy process
• "Eco friendly" product.  No bleach.  No harsh chemicals. Safe for plants and animals.
• Works!
• Protects?- The manufacturer suggest that doing the cleaning on a regular basis will help prevent mold from coming back and make it easier to remove it if it does

Cons:

• Didn't mix well.  The crystals barely seem water soluble
• Took a long time to rinse- but, the manufacturer says any left on the deck surface will continue to clean until it is thoroughly rinse off.  So, not so bad as long as you don't leave too much on there.
• Expensive?  I didn't compare the price to other deck cleaners, but at $30 a bag for a bag that does the average size deck, it seemed a little on the high side to me.  Of course, it is far less expensive and far easier than staining or painting the deck.  I think when I try it again, I'll dilute it more than they suggested because it seems the concentration was pretty high anyway.  It was difficult to mix and difficult to rinse.  A lower concentration should be easier to work with.

Overall, I was very pleased with the product and would recommend it.  Now that I know how easy it is to do, I won't wait three years to clean the deck again.