Tips and tricks for fish keepers

[Utar]

Anyone have any tips or tricks in fish keeping that will help others.

I have gone through two sets of the regents in the API Freshwater Test Kits, especially the nitrate and ammonia bottles. So I marked the glass tubes half way between the line and the bottom using a marker pin and only use half the amount of fluids when testing for nitrate and ammonia.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

When doing a substrate vacuum, just use the small tube, not the big end piece.

Also always have a towel handy when dong anything around tanks.

 

[Essjay]

a towel handy

....several towels

 

[jkkgron2]

One thing I always recommend is live plants, although in some cases (like in a cichlid tank) that may not be an option, but in general it can help if someone has nitrate issues.

 

[Sgooosh]

use quickstart and have melafix ready

 

[itiwhetu]

Use plants to cycle your tank.

 

[Sgooosh]

dont submerge non aquatic plants, only put roots and stem in water, so they will not rot(learned this the hard way lol)
like monstera, pothos, vine plants, and bamboo

 

[Paul82]

Buy puppy training pads to put on floor by tank. Disposable paper squares around 2x2 foot. Very absorbent. I get 24 for £3 they last ages can be reused until very wet/worn. I put them on the floor during maintenance/ water changes. Makes clearing up spills and splashes easier on my cheap laminate non water proof flooring.

 

[jkkgron2]

use quickstart and have melafix ready

Personally I feel like Melafix isn’t very effective, and I’ve actually seen it kill healthy bettas before, when used as a preventative. Unfortunately It can be dangerous to fish that have labyrinth organs.

 

[Sgooosh]

Personally I feel like Melafix isn’t very effective, and I’ve actually seen it kill healthy bettas before, when used as a preventative. Unfortunately It can be dangerous to fish that have labyrinth organs.

yea its not good for labrynth fish. i never kept bettas before because i think theyre too hard to keep lol im too scared of losing one

 

[Sgooosh]

also very important : always clean/bleach wash native/wild plants before putting in tank. also put non tropical plants in a tropical tank in summer or they will be shcoked and loose many leaves

 

[Flushable Pets]

When doing a substrate vacuum, just use the small tube, not the big end piece.

Also always have a towel handy when dong anything around tanks.

You can never have too many 5 gallon buckets. Great for water changes, emergency fish hospitals for small fish, storage or even keep your extra plants in after trimming or QT for new ones. You can even sit on one while taking a break from cleaning our excessive number of tanks.

If you aren't using any chemicals, your dirty fish water is great for houseplants and container gardens.

 

[ember04]

my tip would be don't worry or give up if at first, your plans don't go as planned. by this I means often as fish keepers we have a plan of what we want and what we like and if it does not go perfectly we have the tendency to be sad. in my case, it to 3 attempts before I got plants to grow in my tanks. I have had tanks crash on me and have a fish I want but can't find. I have also had a tank that I plant and take months to look nice (as an example I set up a tank a few days ago and it is now cycling but it looks bad as the wood is weighted down and some of the plants are melting back, but I know when the wood is waterlogged and the plants have put on new leaves the tank will look good again) it will get there but things in this hobby often take time.
ember04

 

[PheonixKingZ]

5 gallon bucket

I only have one for now, and I use it for my water changes/substrate vacuums. Super helpful.

 

[DAnCSF]

Great tips one and all...