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My general area has detected "Low Levels of Cryptosporidium" in the water and basically advises boiling for children, the elderly, and immunocompromised people. Since fish are small, I assume that even a low amount that I/cats don't notice could still be bad for my partner's freshwater fish. Just looking for confirmation wether we'll have to boil water (and then add back in minerals?) before treating it, etc (I tried Googling and just found that fish can carry it, but not good info about harm to fish.)
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Oct 2, 2023 17:55
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Boiling water won’t remove minerals although it will drive off dissolved gasses. I really hate the thought of boiling enough water for effective water changes though! Even with a hot water urn ie like would be used for catering or making tons of cups of tea the logistics of boiling and then cooling, transporting and storing that water seems like a massive pain. If you can get an inline filter for your tap water I think a 1 micron filter will block giardia and crypto and is probably a better option in the long term. Reverse osmosis will do it as well (but also remove minerals). Not a great situation to be in! Stoca Zola fucked around with this message at 20:00 on Oct 2, 2023 |
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Oct 2, 2023 19:57
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Stoca Zola posted:I really hate the thought of boiling enough water for effective water changes though!
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Oct 2, 2023 20:02
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I think in general they err significantly on the side of caution when they are announcing a "low risk". I don't know but my guess is unless your house is directly upstream of the sampling site you're probably only being alerted as a blanket announcement. Drinking water standards are really high so they will alert more than necessary just to be absolutely sure
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Oct 2, 2023 20:11
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Maybe a shock dose of chlorine would work too? Not as energy intensive as a boil, but you're still left waiting for dissipation or using a lot of dechlorinator after. This would be a perfect use case for a uv sterilizer on your fill line
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Oct 2, 2023 20:11
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You could just use the gallon jugs of distilled water from the supermarket. They were $1 each back when I was having to buy them.
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Oct 3, 2023 02:10
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Prof. Banks posted:You could just use the gallon jugs of distilled water from the supermarket. They were $1 each back when I was having to buy them.
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Oct 3, 2023 02:19
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So many awesome RO fish and I do not have an RO unit and it makes no sense to get an RO setup for one tank. New topic. I got some micro brittle stars for my 29 gallon, and over the months I have seen less and less of them. I don't know if the bristleworms outcompeted them for food, or they're all hiding, but I never see them. So I'd like to set up a tank just for them, like a 10 gallon with live rock, and see if I can get a good population going.
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Oct 4, 2023 14:43
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Cowslips Warren posted:So many awesome RO fish and I do not have an RO unit and it makes no sense to get an RO setup for one tank. i got this, and i put it in my bathub when its time for a water change every 2 weeks and make enough for the WC and top offs, then put it back in the closet when im done
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Oct 4, 2023 16:11
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Cowslips Warren posted:So many awesome RO fish and I do not have an RO unit and it makes no sense to get an RO setup for one tank. speaking from experience, a 10gal saltwater build with a focus on inverts like seastars is gonna be a real fucker to deal with WRT keeping the parameters and salinity stable enough, unless your plan is to have it plumbed into a much bigger sump or central system. I’d recommend 20-30gal at the smallest for best results. Petco’s currently got their big 50% off tank sale going for (I believe) an extra week, including a 35gal rimless cube for ~$110 and all of their plastic rimmed tanks in various sizes.
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Oct 5, 2023 00:15
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An auto top-off is mandatory for saltwater in my opinion. With one in place, salinity stability should be a solved problem. I disagree about size. I have had a 10 gallon tank with a ~5 gallon sump full of coral going for over a decade. I find it easier to keep excellent water quality in the 10 gallon tank than on my 90 gallon system (or my 150 gallon system, and yes I know I have a problem). The difference is that I can do weekly water changes of 5 gallons on the small tank without much effort at all. Changing a significant amount of water on a big tank is a production. I also had a brittle star in it for 7-8 years. 
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Oct 5, 2023 00:51
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My other saltwater is a 29 that has serpent stars (poo poo i wonder if maybe they ate the mini brittle ones, but they haven't eaten the asterina stars) and a single goby, lots of bristle worms, and some asterinas. I'd like to throw some the latter in the 10 just to have backup, I love those little fuckers.
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Oct 5, 2023 00:57
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DeadlyMuffin posted:An auto top-off is mandatory for saltwater in my opinion. With one in place, salinity stability should be a solved problem. id say your problem is you dont have a 250 gallon
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Oct 5, 2023 14:15
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So Life in Jars? And SerpaDesign posted shell dweller cicilid videos back to back Seems like they're pretty straightforward to keep if you get the right species/subspecies? Life in Jars guy apparently is keeping them at room temperature on dutch tap water Any commentary on keeping these? Turns out there's a bunch of videos on these guys and everyone seems to think the beige species are pretty easy to keep
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Oct 5, 2023 23:22
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Last night noticed my zebra tank (29 gallons) was a little low on water. Okay been a week since a water change. This morning it was a little lower again. And a bit of a musty smell. So I check inside the wood stand and yes, of course, right as I am getting ready for work, there is a tank leak. Slow, a drop every minute or so, but loving hell. I tossed a bucket under there, and realized how few fish buckets I have now. poo poo need to get more of those. poo poo need to find a spare tank, got an old 20 long, need to make sure that has no leaks. Found a tote I bought just for poo poo like this, put all the fish and decor in while draining the tank, and all the water to fill the tote too. Oh yeah better call out at work. I was a loving idiot and told my manager what was happening instead of "I don't feel well" so that was on me. In fairness, I am a bit on edge still. poo poo, if my 90 or 55 leaks, I will be one shot short of pure panic.
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Oct 6, 2023 16:09
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Anyone have recommendations for an air diffuser? I have a Tetra whisper that claims it's good for 100 gallons, which is what I'm working with, I'm looking for a diffuser to match that. I grabbed a long stone one (18") but only half of it really goes, I soaked it and all, not sure if it's just too big for this pump or what. This is for a few small koi to overwinter, I'll be letting it get cold enough for them to go into torpor.
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Oct 6, 2023 18:18
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Bad Munki posted:Anyone have recommendations for an air diffuser? I have a Tetra whisper that claims it's good for 100 gallons, which is what I'm working with, I'm looking for a diffuser to match that. I grabbed a long stone one (18") but only half of it really goes, I soaked it and all, not sure if it's just too big for this pump or what. get a big ol bubbler sponge filter IMO
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Oct 6, 2023 20:32
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Like this? https://www.amazon.com/Pawfly-Aquarium-Sponge-Filter-Gallons/dp/B0BZHDLH16/ref=sr_1_4 I don't get how that'll diffuse my bubbles because it looks like it's made to use the air escaping out the top to draw water through? I assume I'm confused, though e: To be clear, I have PLENTYYYYYY of filtration on this setup, I just need to aerate effectively, seems like the diffuser I came home with isn't great. Bad Munki fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Oct 6, 2023 |
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Oct 6, 2023 22:07
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Bad Munki posted:Like this? https://www.amazon.com/Pawfly-Aquarium-Sponge-Filter-Gallons/dp/B0BZHDLH16/ref=sr_1_4 the air escapes and makes big bubbles that agitate the water and oxygenate thru diffusion, you don’t need a bajillion tiny bubbles
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Oct 6, 2023 22:13
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Seems like in that case I could just run the air hose to the bottom of the tub and set a rock on it
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Oct 6, 2023 22:15
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Bad Munki posted:Seems like in that case I could just run the air hose to the bottom of the tub and set a rock on it I've got a check valve on it, but I've been doing this for probably close to a year. No issues and prevents any sort of film I'd get if it was just the HOB.
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Oct 6, 2023 22:33
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Bad Munki posted:Seems like in that case I could just run the air hose to the bottom of the tub and set a rock on it I mean yeah pretty much
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Oct 6, 2023 22:42
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Bad Munki posted:Anyone have recommendations for an air diffuser? I have a Tetra whisper that claims it's good for 100 gallons, which is what I'm working with, I'm looking for a diffuser to match that. I grabbed a long stone one (18") but only half of it really goes, I soaked it and all, not sure if it's just too big for this pump or what. You can run a bubble wand. I have a pair of these and they’re pretty effective, although it makes tons and tons of noise & splash if you have the bubbles running directly under a HOB filter. Aqueon Fish Tank Aquarium Flexible LED Accent Light and Bubble Wand, Multi Color, 14 Inch https://a.co/d/3GBropJ Here’s one by hygger with no lights hygger Bubble Curtain Wall Aquarium Air Stone Kit, Fish Tank Air Bubbler Dissolved Oxygen Aerator Stone with Air Tubing Diffuser Bubbling Decoration for Pond 16-Inch https://a.co/d/c1Lz553
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Oct 6, 2023 23:12
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Yeah I don't think fish consume a whole hell of a lot of oxygen in that state I am team $5 air bubbler with a Y adapter and two air stones in case one clogs. Maybe a backup air hose in parallel so that you can push air under the ice if both clog Koi probably don't need it unless you have an exceptionally shallow (18") pond with no deep section and even then only if the pond freezes over for more than a month
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Oct 7, 2023 01:19
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Something else to consider is that the solubility of gases in water goes up as the temperature goes down, so everything else being the same, the colder the water, the more oxygen likely to be available
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Oct 7, 2023 02:38
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 Any idea what this guy is? There are a bunch in a CPD breeding tank and I'm wondering if they're harmful to fish or eggs. Maybe 3/8" long Edit: Planaria. Picking up some Fenbendazole. DeadlyMuffin fucked around with this message at 04:54 on Oct 7, 2023 |
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Oct 7, 2023 04:45
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Yep those particular guys are predatory. Mostly this is more of a problem for shrimp than fish, and their numbers only ever seem to rise when I’ve been accidentally overfeeding, usually too much fry food. I’ve used Planaria traps too as well as fenbendazole, but fenbendazole is good to have on hand because it really nukes hydras.
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Oct 7, 2023 07:48
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Stoca Zola posted:Yep those particular guys are predatory. Mostly this is more of a problem for shrimp than fish, and their numbers only ever seem to rise when I’ve been accidentally overfeeding, usually too much fry food. I’ve used Planaria traps too as well as fenbendazole, but fenbendazole is good to have on hand because it really nukes hydras. Yeah, I've been out of town and I love my boyfriend to death but he over feeds no matter how detailed my instructions are.
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Oct 7, 2023 16:59
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Anyone ever do a sort of 'iwagumi' setup but with stem plants? It would be high maintenance to keep trimming and uprooting and replanting if you wanted to keep it looking like a real iwagumi. And the hardscape would definitely need to be tall in order to even be visible. I guess it'd just be a regular 'nature' design but with a single plant species. /showerthoughts
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Oct 9, 2023 00:26
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I feel like a lot of those kinds of aquascapes are not really maintainable long term. They're gorgeous though.
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Oct 9, 2023 17:10
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Stoca Zola posted:If you can get an inline filter for your tap water I think a 1 micron filter will block giardia and crypto and is probably a better option in the long term.
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Oct 10, 2023 23:44
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I have on the rare occasion see a youtuber admit that their tank design was a failure. Very rarely. Like two or three times. Seems like within six months everything grows wildly out of control and reverts back to chaos
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Oct 10, 2023 23:59
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One of the new shrimp I got for my classroom tank is berried! My kids are gonna go nuts tomorrow when I show them. Hadlock posted:I have on the rare occasion see a youtuber admit that their tank design was a failure. Very rarely. Like two or three times. Seems like within six months everything grows wildly out of control and reverts back to chaos It's funny to see a youtuber's parade of new builds that start as overgrown messes that seem to appear as if from nowhere. So few channels ever revisit a tank after its initial setup video.
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Oct 11, 2023 00:18
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Prof. Banks posted:parade of new builds I got one for ya   The three koi from my patio have been transferred, as temperatures have been dipping pretty low some nights. Inside the (non-heated) shop there, it'll still get cold, but it won't swing much day to today, it'll be a more steady decline. I'd set the thing up and moved a handful of plants in a couple weeks ago and dosed it with water from the outside pool, so the chemistry had lots of time to settle down. Due to the nature of the location, the water is also almost an identical temperature to the outside pool today, so it seemed a good time to actually transfer the fish. Aside from being a little annoyed with being chased around with a net, once the fish got in here, they were absolutely 100% unperturbed, so I'm pretty sure the water was as good as identical at that point. Lots of filtration and air, they'll do just fine on that front for sure. As long as I can keep it from freezing, they should be pretty content for the winter. I'll be reducing the light as things cool off more, probably yoink some of the plants out, but for now, I figured they'd appreciate the shelter. Inside the tank itself, there are plenty of nice hiding space with lower water movement and shade. Made a two-story tower of bricks and rocks so they can tuck themselves in safe and sound. The filter pulls from the bottom at one end, and dumps on the flat top of the tower so as spread the flow out more gently. Still on the to-do list: wrap the outside of the tub in insulation to help prevent freezing and to smooth the temperature swings even more. When things really shut down, I'll throw a sheet of foam board over the top as well. Planning to keep the filter running throughout so I'll want to wrap that as well. I also have a camera to stare at the tank, as well as a dashboard to monitor all the things because I love useless telemetry. https://io.adafruit.com/gshort/dashboards/fish-temps?kiosk=true So aside from wrapping some insulation in there, I think I've done what I can, and probably more than I should have, but I was having fun.
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Oct 11, 2023 20:45
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w4cjFBUF18 rosy barbs so razzed up about spawning that two males got up in the plants and spawned on each other and one of them was stuck enough to need rescuing with a net after all this. Stoca Zola fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Oct 11, 2023 |
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Oct 11, 2023 21:11
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Den of sin!
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Oct 11, 2023 23:45
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I’d heard that koi are fairly smart but man they are smart in the dumbest possible way. While exploring their new tank, one jumped out and discovered gravity. Apparently a common thing for koi to do in a new environment. Fortunately, by blind luck, the kids wanted to check on the fish in their new home after I got back from a grocery run and we found the biggest idiot laying there on the floor. He was still working his mouth, so I held him in the water for a few minutes while he sucked water and kicked gunk out of his gills, and eventually swam off. 24 hours later he’s 100% fine and you’d never know. I checked the camera and he’d been out of the tank for about 30 minutes. Idiot got real lucky. Anyhow, a few minutes on the printer to make a couple dozen hooks and some bird netting that was intended for the strawberries and they’re all locked in, safe and sound.   They are very nice and secure and the net is pulled pretty taught so I think there’s no chance they could get snagged by it, nor could they wriggle under. 1/2” holes on the net, the smallest fish among them is 1.5” thick. Stupid smart fish.
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Oct 13, 2023 02:09
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DeadlyMuffin posted:Yeah, I've been out of town and I love my boyfriend to death but he over feeds no matter how detailed my instructions are. You can get little condiment cups w/ lids by the thousands from Costco or similar. Or a set of re-usable small tupperware things, or depending on the volume, one of the large (like for elderly people with arthritis) medicine dispensers with the labelled days of the week, some have morning/evening too.
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Oct 13, 2023 16:46
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This channel just popped up for me, with some stunning footage. https://youtu.be/Babd_LyPgi8?si=Swfg5q3Q0JXZgYyb
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Oct 13, 2023 20:02
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So I moved my photo period from 12 to 6 hours, along with an aggressive water change schedule (2 x 40%/wk) and the green water has finally gotten into check. Reduced feeding by about half too. Still pretty cloudy, I have trouble seeing the sponge filter looking through the long end of the tank, but it's there Pretty obvious stuff, but nice to see the actions having the desired effect
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Oct 13, 2023 20:22
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