What's Your Must Have Maintenance Tool?

[fluttermoth]

It's not really a cleaning thing, but I think all fishkeepers should have a few 1 or 2 litre margarine/ice cream containers hanging around.

They can have holes cut in them for emergency fry/breeder/sick bay containers.

They're great for catching fry and fish like plecs and loaches that can get tangled in nets. Even for other fish being moved from tank to tank, you can catch them in a net and use the margarine tub to keep them in water while you carry them round the house.

You can scoop up substrate, either for changing it or for setting up fry tanks, or for adding sand or gravel to an already set-up tank

If you need bare bottomed tanks for fry or breeding, you can grow plants in them.

You can use them for holding mosquito larvae while your kids fish them out of the water butt

A multidude of uses and they're food grade, so totally safe

 

[Ryefish]

A 36litre bucket. Good for quarantining my pond goldfish when they need treating. It has measurement markers on the inside so brilliant for water changes so i know how much to expect to put back in lol

 

[snowflake311]

Yes little water containers are a must for filling HOB filters and so much more.

The scrapers I was weird about at first I though it might scratch the glass and did not think I needed it I just scrubbed hard. But when I got the algae scrubber with the blade...... OMG it was amazing. So easy to use and my magnet cleaners get bits of sand in them and that causes way more scratches then the blade. When you use the blade scrubber just be careful fish move out of the way. I use It with otos in the tank.

 

[Monty-2010]

a hose pipe, a baby bottle brush, and a turkey baster!!!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It may sound silly, but this forum is my must have tool. I have learned so much already. I can't wait to learn more!

 

[Sweeden]

The Tap, without it wouldnt be able to do water changes but other than that my 2m of tubing which i siphon with

 

[Caprichoso]

how exposed are the blades on those algea scrapers? I like the idea but I'd be worried about injuring one of my fish!

It's very safe.
The blade has a rounded edge so it's not like you would feel like it could turn your fish into sushi. My otto's just move out of the way too and they are the ones that I would be most worried about.

 

[fishnovice]

siphon, buckets, magnetic algae scraper, food tubs.....and a plastic sheet to stop water from inevitable spills soaking the carpet!!!

 

[Rogue4Fish]

My hose. It makes water changes SO much easier.

 

[Blubble37]

my filter and siphon hose, without the filter to pump out the water, life would be so much harder!

 

[markandhisfish]

as already said , python type setup for waterchanges is a godsend , particular when your average waterchange is around 50-60 gallons .