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Mr. Ed's Aquatics

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Everything posted by Mr. Ed's Aquatics

  1. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    I've had shrimp get into the HOB, but not thru the intake as I run sponges. But sounds like so did you. Shrimp are little escapist, if you have something they can climb and don't have the lid sealed, some will get out. I've found them on the lid, floor, HOB, etc. Now I keep them in tanks that either have a canister or just sponges. And cut the plastic back strips to only allow tubing thru.
  2. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    I've noticed if you have soft water and add it, it makes quite a difference. But if you have hard water already, not much of a jump when you add it. It becomes more of a stabilizer at that point.
  3. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    I always feel like a master electrician when I remember to and successfully install a toggle switch for the filtration and heaters. Much easier than trying to unplug stuff for feeding and water changes. I would have never attempted to adjust the voltage as I would imagine this is not good for the equipment and probably voids some warranties. But super interesting solution.
  4. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    If you end up with shellies, I would get the Aragonite sand. It not only helps raise the PH, but also keeps it from crashing or spiking. If you order online for store pick up, Petco has 10lbs for $5. Its cheaper than regular sand and gravel right now, I stocked up. As for what to do with the extras if they breed, they are super easy to rehome. I prefer to sell them to my local fish store because he buys as many as I can bring. But, I get WAY less that way. Maybe 1/4th of what I would get from Craigslist or Offerup. Either way, they don't last long and make decent money. I actually have a little list of people waiting for me to offer more.
  5. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    Do you not have that many already Bill? I would have thought you were close already lol
  6. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    Depending on how old your son is, you might want to steer him away from Rams. The tank having to be so hot and the water quality requirements might lead to poor results. Shellies might be a better beginner cichlid. Many of them are pretty bulletproof, drop in half a dozen and some shells and you'll have a colony in no time. Of course, I may be biased as I breed shellies. Probably best to see what your water is like from the tap. If you have really soft water with a lower PH and TDS Rams might be the way to go. But if you have hard water with a higher PH and TDS, then African cichlids (shellies) might be a better choice.
  7. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    By your title, I thought the Co-op had come out with an algae scrubber (a device designed to grow beneficial algae to help clean the water and provide algae for food). The magic eraser sponges are cool though.
  8. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    I like days when I have a Co-op box coming. I get excited too when it's early. I ordered those cichlid rocks that Tazawa Tanks and Ben O'Chart did videos on and was disappointed by their Sept 1-5th estimate for delivery. Then this morning I got an email that they were coming today. I rearranged my day so I could rescape a tank lol
  9. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    There's another thread asking the same question one page 1, and another one further in. Maybe pinning it is a good idea.
  10. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    I like to put in a small plate or the bottom of a clay pot and put something the snails can't resist in the center (Repashi works well). Every once in a while I reach in, waive away any shrimp or fish and take out the plate. I remove all the pest snails to a collection container hanging from the tank and replace the plate. While I'm doing this, I keep cleaning any eggs I see from the glass. Within a few days I usually notice that the plate only has the stock I'm keeping. Then I just clean the plate and drop the pest snails into my dragon puffer tank.
  11. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    For Co-op sponges I use pringles lids for nano and small size, big gulp lids for medium and large size.
  12. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    You can use a soda lid, thread the airline thru the straw slot and let it float on the top. The bubbles pop underneath and don't splash. The top of a pringles can works well too, just have to make your own slot.
  13. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    I see people saying they do this for all sorts of things, but they are treating a symptom instead of solving an imbalance that causes the problem. Which usually leads to "I do this all the time with no problem". Well yeah, you didn't fix the problem so you're repetitively treating the symptom. Personally, I only carefully spot treat with peroxide or preferably in a hospital tank. I also try to treat whatever is causing the issue that requires peroxide use.
  14. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    Cattapa leaves are commonly called India almond leaves, you probably already have the right ones if you have almond leaves for aquariums.
  15. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    It's part of a black water botanical mix. That ones a Arjuna pod if I remember right. good as leaf litter in blackwater tanks and shrimp tanks
  16. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    Oddly enough, its called a banana plant. Type of lily if I remember correctly.
  17. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    The way it's splitting and how much looks like fin rot. I would treat with aquarium salts and cattapa leaves, daily or every other day water changes. It takes em a while to bounce back if it gets really bad.
  18. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    No problem, I got both of mine as veil tail also. They looked similar when they were small, but the one I posted was definitely a crowntail. At least one was a veil tail.
  19. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    Your longer post shows a bit better angles. He does look like an adult crowntail, but he doesn't look like a healthy one. He should have a much thicker tail at the base before any runners. I'd guess he's got fin rot or some other opportunistic disease. Here's a link for a Co op video that might help you. https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/fin-rot Good luck
  20. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    What do you think is wrong with him? You're not talking about how his fins look shredded right? He's a crowntail so hes supposed to look like that. If he's looking I'll or like his slime coat is gone, use Cattapa leaves.
  21. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    With new plants, I generally ignore the outermost leaves / growth. Instead, look at the center and new growth (since you got it). As long as that part looks good, should be fine. I expect to lose anything that was there originally as almost everything I buy is grown emmersed and is going to melt back. Crinum melts hard when you 1st get it, and again every time you move it. Give it time and leave it alone, you'll get a nice big Crinum eventually.
  22. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    I've been sneaking backups into my guppy tanks in case of a problem. Maybe try splitting the colony between tanks. You will almost never risk losing everything that way unless you use the same equipment between tanks without disinfecting them between uses.
  23. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    When they get adult sized and have the big trailers coming off their fins, that would look amazing. And with so much room and so many beautiful types of Geophagus, it's like you'd have to get them friends.
  24. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    Great progression and final results. Are the eartheaters in the video Jurupari? Gorgeous sparkle on them.
  25. Mr. Ed's Aquatics
    I kinda use Brandy's turkey baster trick but a bit different. I fill the baster half way, then squeeze the bulb to get the air out. Just point at the detritus and release the bulb. Gentle enough not to disturb plants.
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