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Was able to find a brighter bulb that fits my light fixture, definitely makes a difference and hopefully will help the plants until my proper light arrives. My FLS has generally been helpful but does offer advice that differs from, or contradicts, that which I've received here or read elsewhere online. For example they have advised not keeping a fantail with anything other than another fantail. I guess that's the safest bet but I've seen plenty of sources suggest it's possible to keep some critters with em. They've also generally underestimated the tank size, such as a 10g tank for my first fantail and 20g if I add another. I figure take em with a grain of salt and double check things I'm unsure on.
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# ? May 18, 2020 08:22 |
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# ? May 25, 2024 13:16 |
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My sister bought me 3 neon blue dwarf gobies. I love them so much. They're sometimes hard to find in the tank though. Teeny lil' bubs. They have the best faces and cutest hop.
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# ? May 19, 2020 00:05 |
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Took some photos to show a friend my shrimp tank and figured I'd post here as an update. Since I last posted in the thread I added some new stem plants (slow to grow, on the right side in the photos) and some kind of carpeting plant in the foreground there which is struggling with the coarse nature of the substrate but I'm happy with it so far. The four amano shrimp are still doing well and keeping it mostly clean. I supplement with shrimp food every 3-4 days.
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# ? May 21, 2020 22:43 |
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That's a nice looking tank! This may be of thread interest: Megaquarium is a really fun aquarium based tycoon/manager type game that I've had a lot of fun with the past few years, and it's getting a huge freshwater expansion in a few weeks. It uses all real species, and you have to worry about filtration, lighting, compatibility, growth rates etc. I think you can get it on Switch as well as PC.
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# ? May 21, 2020 23:27 |
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Update! Looks like Zuckerburg spying on me has been extremely beneficial! I found these providers over the weekend and this is exactly what I want! My only issue is I would've preferred Acrylic over Glass but supposedly this is solved with the Starfire glass. Waterbox Aquariums Ultum Nature Systems ADA Aquariums The quality along with ease of use for maintenance is awesome, I'd rather just fork over $$$ than having to do this myself.
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# ? May 22, 2020 20:58 |
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As a follow up, has anyone just designed their own filter? Given that 3D Printing is now widely available I think it could be done. I'd just print a large plastic piece(s) and glue it to the back or corner of the tank. For filtration media, I'd just use whatever generic Aquaclear foam. Buy whatever water pump and also use this to hide the heater. My extra credit would be the outlet. I wonder if I could create some kind of gear that would make it move and put this a on timer so at night there's less current.
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# ? May 22, 2020 21:12 |
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3D printed objects usually aren't water tight. You could design and print one but you'd have to epoxy coat it. For that amount of trouble, just learn to cut and for acrylic instead. Having said that I run a 3D printing company and I do make Aquarium parts so if anyone wants one to try out just let me know.
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# ? May 22, 2020 22:27 |
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Scientist Al Gore posted:As a follow up, has anyone just designed their own filter? Given that 3D Printing is now widely available I think it could be done. I'd just print a large plastic piece(s) and glue it to the back or corner of the tank. Seems like way more trouble than it’s worth unless you want to custom fabricate something disguised or seamless for a bespoke build. Otherwise there’s tons of off-the shelf options meant to be expanded, customized, and upgraded. Hell, past a certain point you can get drink or water bottles up to 2-liter size and make multiple kinds of very performant filters out of them. I recently got a pack of 1.5 L bottles of RODI water from Costco for my 10gal reef (normally I go much bigger containers, but I wanted to try these at $5/case) and eyeing the empties like “I could do so much cool poo poo with these they’re such a good size”
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# ? May 22, 2020 22:43 |
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How do you guys successfully combat algae long term? I have a madagascar lace plant and algae is beginning to grow in a few of its leaves. Some algae is growing on some plants in general too. Its not out of control or anything, but how do I reduce it and keep it away? I heard you can use a syringe and target attack it with Excel - is this true?
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# ? May 22, 2020 23:05 |
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Phi230 posted:How do you guys successfully combat algae long term? Water changes, lighting type/time/intensity changes, nutrient changes, maybe add some algae eaters. I just started using phosguard on my reef/frag tank and am liking the results so far but IDK if it’s incompatible with a planted tank. Seems like it might be, if the goal is to strip out the water phosphates.
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# ? May 22, 2020 23:09 |
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TKIY posted:3D printed objects usually aren't water tight. You could design and print one but you'd have to epoxy coat it. If I sent you dimensions could you do it? Ok Comboomer posted:Seems like way more trouble than it’s worth unless you want to custom fabricate something disguised or seamless for a bespoke build. Part of the reason for it is it'd be hidden and I could also use it to hid the heater.
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# ? May 22, 2020 23:21 |
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Scientist Al Gore posted:If I sent you dimensions could you do it? The ones on the market already largely do this. HOB or internal. For the cost, if you don’t already have the tank, you’re way better off just finding a tank with a built in sump back. There’s tons out there. Once you start spending what would probably approach $100 or more on this filter project it’s far and away the better option. A false back/built in sump is the best version of what you’re describing, gives you the most space for equipment and filling it with media.
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# ? May 22, 2020 23:32 |
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Ok Comboomer posted:The ones on the market already largely do this. HOB or internal. How much does it cost to 3D Print something with epoxy? Filter media isn't even $5. HOB filters are ugly. Ehiem filters are at least $100.
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# ? May 22, 2020 23:58 |
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Scientist Al Gore posted:How much does it cost to 3D Print something with epoxy? Filter media isn't even $5. What kind of tank do you have? How big is it? Where do you live? I can roll HoB filters for <$20 all day in my neck of the woods, for all that they’re ugly. But that’s where I live. Canisters and sumps are a slightly different matter but can also be had cheap or built. I still think your best bet is a tank with a false back sump made out of an acrylic or glass plate. Those are not expensive to buy or even fabricate if you have access to opaque acrylic and the tools to cut and put holes in it.
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# ? May 23, 2020 00:22 |
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Ok Comboomer posted:I still think your best bet is a tank with a false back sump made out of an acrylic or glass plate. Those are not expensive to buy or even fabricate if you have access to opaque acrylic and the tools to cut and put holes in it. Probably 120G. Freshwater. I'm essentially designing a false back sump. Making this with acrylic does sound easier.
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# ? May 23, 2020 00:25 |
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Scientist Al Gore posted:Probably 120G. Freshwater. Si, porque lo es, compañero. It’s the way people already do it in the hobby, so there’s a ton of guides out there on YouTube, and forums and such. You don’t have to go full false-back either. You can make (or buy premade) a drop-in acrylic box/overflow system that basically does what you’re describing. It just like silicones to the back of the tank and you’re done.
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# ? May 23, 2020 00:41 |
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Scientist Al Gore posted:If I sent you dimensions could you do it? Sure, send me an email at Gordon3DP at Geeeeemail dot com.
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# ? May 23, 2020 01:12 |
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Phi230 posted:How do you guys successfully combat algae long term? Snails, ghost shrimp, otto's, dosing with Excel, and an UV sanitizer. That barely keeps the algae away. I turned off the UV light for 3 days and quickly got algae on the glass and over plant surfaces. Even with all of that I'm starting to see clumps of green growth on some of the plants that I manually remove. I keep my lights on for 14 hours a day so that's not helping, but I work 12 hour days and I'd like to see my fish when I get home.
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# ? May 23, 2020 16:25 |
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Krispy Wafer posted:I keep my lights on for 14 hours a day so that's not helping, but I work 12 hour days and I'd like to see my fish when I get home. I bought smartplugs from amazon, you can plug the lights into it and then use the app to set a schedule for the plug to be on/off. It's like a manual timer but way slicker. Your lights could be on for as little or as much time as you like but you wouldn't have to leave them on all day, that seems crazy.
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# ? May 23, 2020 16:42 |
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VelociBacon posted:I bought smartplugs from amazon, you can plug the lights into it and then use the app to set a schedule for the plug to be on/off. It's like a manual timer but way slicker. Your lights could be on for as little or as much time as you like but you wouldn't have to leave them on all day, that seems crazy. The pea puffers go to sleep when it gets dark and don’t wake up if I turn the light on at 8pm to feed them. It’s weird, but it means the light has to be on when I get home to prepare their blood worms. I’m going to get a new light that does more than one sun-up/sun-down phase in a 24 hour period. Then I can give the tank a 4 hour siesta in the middle of the day.
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# ? May 23, 2020 17:12 |
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Even a cheap programmable outlet timer can do multiple on-off periods; I have mine on from 8 AM to 1 PM, off until 5 PM, and on until 10 PM. Plenty of light for the plants, the disruption (supposedly) makes it harder for algae, and the siesta helps CO2 build back up for use in the second half of the day.
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# ? May 23, 2020 18:49 |
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Krispy Wafer posted:I keep my lights on for 14 hours a day so that's not helping, but I work 12 hour days and I'd like to see my fish when I get home. My tanks are time shifted for that reason. Lights don't come on until mid afternoon
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# ? May 23, 2020 18:56 |
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I continue to be surprised by how sensitive corals are to poo poo like circadian rhythm and light schedule. I shouldn’t be, because I’m a biology researcher, but I am. Hundreds of millions of years of evolution by natural selection honed by the unceasing rotation of the earth, every single day—all undone by a lazy fucker who just wants to smoke a bit of weed and sleep in during the covid pandemic
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# ? May 23, 2020 19:07 |
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Ok Comboomer posted:I continue to be surprised by how sensitive corals are to poo poo like circadian rhythm and light schedule. The shifted time schedule hasn't caused any issues I'm aware of, though I'm sure if I was trying to spawn them it'd be a different story
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# ? May 24, 2020 01:24 |
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VelociBacon posted:Took some photos to show a friend my shrimp tank and figured I'd post here as an update. Since I last posted in the thread I added some new stem plants (slow to grow, on the right side in the photos) and some kind of carpeting plant in the foreground there which is struggling with the coarse nature of the substrate but I'm happy with it so far. The four amano shrimp are still doing well and keeping it mostly clean. I supplement with shrimp food every 3-4 days. How many gallons is that tank? I have a tiny little fluval spec 3 I'm trying to decide what to do with
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# ? May 24, 2020 17:42 |
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I've been feeding danio fry microworms, but over the past week or so I've been experimenting with white worms. I take a pinch of worms as they're feeding so I get a good number of small ones, and I put them in this plastic bowl so they don't get lost in the substrate and can be consumed at the fry's leisure. So far so good, and it seems like it should result in a lot less waste in the tank.
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# ? May 24, 2020 19:48 |
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w00tmonger posted:How many gallons is that tank? I have a tiny little fluval spec 3 I'm trying to decide what to do with It's a 20L, 5.3g I think. It's a great size but I feel bad that the shrimp can't jump and glide like I've seen in much larger tanks. I'm thinking about getting a long 15g for this reason but my tank is perfectly balanced right now and I'm loathe to go through everything again.
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# ? May 24, 2020 21:43 |
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VelociBacon posted:It's a 20L, 5.3g I think. It's a great size but I feel bad that the shrimp can't jump and glide like I've seen in much larger tanks. I'm thinking about getting a long 15g for this reason but my tank is perfectly balanced right now and I'm loathe to go through everything again. So as mentioned above I have added 10 Ghost shrimp to the 10 gold White Cloud minnows I already had in my 29g high tank. I've also found a few Pond snails kicking around from the Hornwort. The Hornwort seems to be doing better than the Elodea Densa: Next steps I hope to take are introducing my Fantail and driftwood. I plan to give the tank at least another week to establish than try introducing them when I can pay close attention for a couple hours. If he goes into a feeding frenzy and my little guys can't out swim or hide I figure I could try putting them in my 10g. For driftwood I was hoping to be able to use pieces I find while hiking with my partner. I've read a bunch of conflicting advice ranging from never use outdoor wood to just boil it before putting it in. If anyone has experience with this I'd appreciate input. Here's a link to some more pictures and a video if curious: https://imgur.com/a/Gj36sv4
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# ? May 25, 2020 01:13 |
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I did a quick google and came across this list which seems to match what I remember from previous times this has come up:quote:Some woody plant materials are safe for the aquarium. These include: You want hardwoods that sink and won't rot too fast, and to take off the bark, again so that it doesn't rot. I've had success using a local fallen branch that had been weathering for over a year and I believe was some kind of ironwood. Boiling helps sterilise the wood and might remove tannins but if the wood is going to leech tannins you'll be boiling a long time with lots of water changes before it's all gone; if you don't want tannins the older the wood the better. If you aren't sure about identifying trees I wouldn't risk it unless you know for sure the poisonous trees aren't in your area.
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# ? May 25, 2020 05:02 |
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I wish the rainbowfish I want wasn't always out of stock. Maybe I'll just get some of its small friends or chill tetras.
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# ? May 26, 2020 22:31 |
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I know test kits are unreliable, but gently caress, an order of magnitude? I figured the visual monitor would be a great way to make sure my cycle was complete and it was safe to put in fish. Turns out, no. gently caress.
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# ? May 27, 2020 04:27 |
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I have one of those. It's meant to be your HOLY poo poo DROP EVERYTHING NOW AND SAVE YOUR FISH alert. It's not precise by any stretch, but if it's showing ammonia then you've REALLY got ammonia.
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# ? May 27, 2020 13:06 |
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Finally making some headway against the thick ugly brown/green filamentous algae in my 50g reef and got my frags moved in. Here's a quick tour: https://i.imgur.com/5vRnhtN.mp4 edit: Can't get this to embed... TKIY fucked around with this message at 15:24 on May 27, 2020 |
# ? May 27, 2020 15:21 |
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Nice looking euphyllia! I think I'm at the point where I can say I beat my GHA problem, after more than a year. Lots of manual removal, scrubbing my rocks with a toothbrush, and I think the final push to get it gone was dosing Vibrant for the past few months. Now I'm dealing with some cyano again, but that is a cakewalk compared to GHA. I'll have to get some tank shots later tonight.
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# ? May 27, 2020 15:54 |
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TKIY posted:Finally making some headway against the thick ugly brown/green filamentous algae in my 50g reef and got my frags moved in. Here's a quick tour: Roll call roll call Tell us what you got
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# ? May 27, 2020 15:57 |
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Ok Comboomer posted:Roll call roll call Fish-wise: Mulitbar Angel Tomini Tang (temp home for him) One-Spot FoxFace 3 x Blue Gudgeons Sapphire Damsel Flametail Blenny Cleaner Shrimp, Brittlestars, Cerith/Astrea/Trochus snails Coral-wise: Indo Gold Torch Dragon Soul Torch Dragon Soul Favia I also have a frag pack of sticks in there that I lost track of all the names. Bunch of JF stuff, some Reef Raft, couple WWC pieces. Terribly expensive ones because they were pretty. Honestly I think the named coral stuff is a bit silly.
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# ? May 27, 2020 16:23 |
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TKIY posted:Fish-wise: Videos of the shrimp please!
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# ? May 27, 2020 16:34 |
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VelociBacon posted:Videos of the shrimp please! Sure? He just hangs out. Will clean your fingers occasionally.
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# ? May 27, 2020 16:39 |
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As requested, a skunk cleaner shrimp doing cave stuff. https://i.imgur.com/bvWgjBg.mp4
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# ? May 27, 2020 20:43 |
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# ? May 25, 2024 13:16 |
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You have an excellent skrimp. I love those little guys.
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# ? May 27, 2020 23:14 |