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Sol

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  1. Sol
    So not to resurrect this or anything, but thought I'd share my final video presentation with you all. I initially hoped to keep a journal on the forum, but that just did not work out ahah! Life and school gets in the way sometimes 😛 In any case, it was a bit of a let down (and man, I'm not that great at running experiments) as I did not get to run the experiment as long as I had hoped, nor did I have conclusive results. I think in the end, my biggest downfall was tiny water volume and not enough time (plus stagnant water...that probably affected it as well lol). I did, however, learn what I would change for next time in order to actually make this more effective. And I learned that I should probably spend more time preparing and planning out experiments like this, but when you're a busy student, you do what you can! I'd love your constructive feedback, but please don't be too harsh as I'm an absolute noob when it comes to this type of stuff...I just try to sound smart lol. (idk if you can tell but I have no idea what I'm doing hahaha... yeesh I feel super self conscious about putting this out since I feel like it's kind of bad in the scientific method department but oh well. Y'all seem nice enough not to judge me 😅)
  2. Sol
    Yes, yes, I know this says "share your macro PHOTOS" but these eesny teensy copepods move quickly on the glass, so I figured a video might be a lil better. Sorry for the shaky handheld, but it's kinda insane how small these guys are!
  3. Sol
    Appreciating the uniqueness of snowflakes today. It's snowing in WA, so I stepped outside with my macro lens hoping to catch some! This is my first time ever trying to photograph snowflakes!
  4. Sol
    The way that she zooms up to the water's surface reminds me of my axolotl Mochi! Although Dinky Do is considerably more graceful 😂 Absolutely lovely!
  5. Sol
    @KoolFish97 email would be just fine! If you could just send a message to theturtlegirl01@gmail.com and put "aquarium science experiment" or something like that in the subject line, we can get in touch. That way you don't have to put your email out here 🙂 Using stems is a great idea... totally didn't think of that! So excited to get this rolling. I got my ammonium chloride in the mail yesterday and will be ordering the plants (and a fresh test kit) today. I'll start a new thread in photos/journals once I get all my materials. Hopefully you guys will have a fun time following along and can give me some good critical feedback 😉
  6. Sol
    I'm thinking I'll end up getting my plants from the coop, since I don't have any LFSs near me...and it'll likely work out to be less for me. Although now that I think about the amount of plants that I need....😅 I'm not sure I thought this through all the way, but all in the name of science, right? I also realized I need to get moving on this experiment...I have about a month and a week. 😬 These quarters are so short! So based off of time constraints, what do you think I should go with? I was thinking something faster growing...like val or water sprite? And also, as far as amount? (obviously less would be cheaper, and if I plan to run multiple different tubs with the same amount of plants = more plants needed) (e.g. two bins with 1 plant, two bins with 2 plants – for a total of 6 plants to purchase...or if that doesn't create a significant enough difference to come to a conclusion, perhaps two bins with 2 plants and two bins with 4 plants – for a total of 12.) Opinions? Initially, I was going to go by weight, but that may be too difficult, so I'll just average out if I end up with bigger/smaller plants. (Or if someone has an excess of plants they'd care to ehm...donate for this experiment, that would be awesome 😂 I could even ship em back to you if you wanted em back. I could be a plant sitter! Just don't mind that they're being experimented on 😂) Also @KoolFish97 is there a way I can reach you privately so we can further talk about this, if you don't mind? If you're on Instagram, DM would work great (@theturtlegirl) I'd send you a PM but it doesn't seem to be enabled yet.
  7. Sol
    I second the moment lens! I actually don't have the macro, but use the 58mm telephoto to get closer to subjects while keeping well within the minimum focus distance of the phone camera. Here's a few comparisons, with the phone staying the same distance away for the subject, the only change is the addition of the lens. It's not fish pictures because fish move too quickly and it wouldn't be consistent 😂 My phone is a Google Pixel 3. Left: No lens // Right: 58mm moment telephoto With the telephoto, there is also more lens compression and the background looks a little bit blurrier 😉
  8. Sol
    So after weighing my options, I've decided to go with this! I'll probably start a topic in photos/journals to further explore this specific question, and outline and document the process. I think the first decision is to decide what plants and the amount of ammonia dosage. @KoolFish97 I'd love your help if you'd want to be involved!
  9. Sol
    Thank you. Good to hear! Frankly, since my tanks are filled all the way up, I don't have issues with canisters. But internals are always a decent option if you have less water. Or something run by air...like the ziss bubble filters (although that's definitely more for biological filtration, which it sounds like you have a good amount of already? The other tactic to keep the water clean is by feeding outside the tank. Not sure if that's a possibility but it makes a world of difference.
  10. Sol
    There have been several times where I thought my turtle ATE a fishy tankmate and I'd lament the loss for a considerable time. Then the next morning, the fish would be swimming around just fine – giving the turtle a bit of a stink eye. I have no idea if they're reliving the story of Jonah and the whale or are just great at 6 hour long hide-n-seek. (for the record, Jonah and the whale sounds a lot more interesting)
  11. Sol
    Hey there! I've been lurking on the thread, seems like you've made a lot of progress. I have to say I quite like the anubias with the goldfish 😂 bu it's unfortunate that a lot of sliders insist on making them salad. Can Sam get completely dry on his basking area?
  12. Sol
    Very nice work!! Fish are pretty tricky since they can move so suddenly... They always say the best camera is the one you have. Don't be intimidated by quality, it's just fun to learn and as you shoot more, the photos will just get better! 😄 I have many folders of blurry fish shots that I took with a camera when I first started, rarely getting anything sharp or in focus...so I'm very impressed with what you captured first time around! Glad that you jumped on board and looking forward to more photos from you. 🙂
  13. Sol
    I may have to take you up on that! This week I'll be deciding what project to do, so I'll let you know!
  14. Sol
    The age old "you can cook it for 5 minutes at 350° or 5 seconds at 3500°" 😛 But I actually do like this one and would be curious to see the effects. The shorter photoperiod might affect the fish too... (although if it were an experiment we probably wouldn't have fish to avoid that variable affecting growth. haha!)
  15. Sol
    Heck yes to fun and simple!! Maybe I could do something similar with my turtle... although he can be a little dumb...so my hypothesis will be an easy one to make 😂 but the results would be interesting all the same! Plus I could probably make a video out of it...hmmmm
  16. Sol
    This one sound really interesting! I think the idea of getting plants that weigh approximately the same is great way to reduce the variables there.
  17. Sol
    Hello all! I'm currently in a biology class and have the opportunity to conduct an independent research project or experiment for an assignment, it does NOT have to be complicated or extremely in depth. It can be on any biology related topic, so I'd love to do an experiment involving something aquarium fish/aquatic plant related. I thought it might be fun to see what kind of ideas for experiments some of you might have – I'm currently brainstorming and am allowed to ask for ideas, so hit me with your best shots! Examples: What is the best form of ammonia/waste to use to cycle an aquarium? Does the temperature of the water affect the basking frequency of aquatic turtles? How does gravel depth affect the growth of [some plant]? Basically, a question where I can isolate a variable and gauge the animal's/plant's response to changes in that variable. And also preferably something that won't take more than a month or two to gather data. Open to anything, let's see what you all got!
  18. Sol
    a lil baby ramshorn snail dude 🐌
  19. Sol
    If I recall correctly, its goldfish and minnows (cyprinids) that have thiaminase (which inhibits thiamine/ vitamin B1) so most turtle keepers suggest avoiding those. But as far as corys (and most other tropical freshwater fish tbh), I've never come across anything that says that they have thiaminase. Plus, like Cory said, if it's just a one off thing it probably won't have any kind of significant impact. Frankly, corys are probably ideal tankmates since they'll stay out of the turtle's way and manage the bottom of the tank. I've never kept them personally with my turtles, but that's more because my turtles always end up hunting/eating the fish I add to their tanks 😂
  20. Sol
    Without a fan, it averaged 69-74 F (depending on the ambient room temps...in the summer it could get pretty warm). With a fan, it stays consistently at 62-64. I don't have any insulation, but run a sponge filter and there is no lid on the tank, so there is quite a bit of surface agitation and evaporation. 🙂
  21. Sol
    I did have white clouds in there. They eventually got eaten over the course of a couple months, but the axolotl was just fine and didn't have any issues with gill nipping or anything like that. I imagine if my tank was more densely decorated/planted, there would have been a better survival rate. I second the use of a fan to keep the tank cool, I've found that my axo is happier with lower temps in the 60s. I've kept him at room temp before, and his gills decreased in size and he didn't seem as active.
  22. Sol
    I do YouTube and freelance photography/video production work, mostly in the summer when I am out of school. I also had an Etsy shop for a while, making keychains and wooden peg dolls. It did quite well for a summer, actually, but once school started I just no longer had the time...honestly it was more of hobby, but the money I did make went to my fish tanks, so I guess it counts 😂
  23. Sol
    Ooh, yes! I have many an awkward memory of asking an employee to bag some fish for me only to be asked where my parents are, then told that I would need to get them before they could let me get anything. I stopped leaving my parents in the car after the first couple trips. 😅
  24. Sol
    The struggle is real! Just something to look forward to in the future I suppose. Or another tactic is presenting a way larger tank (but still slightly realistic) and then making the tank you want seem small in comparison. It's like asking for a horse when you really only want a dog. 😂
  25. Sol
    Just about to cross the threshold of being a "young" aquarist, but alas, at least for the next few months I'm still required to be obedient to parental authority. Ha! For me, it was pretty difficult at first to convince my parents to let me get my first personal fish tank...only after hours of research and promises of responsibility did that happen. The biggest restrictions I encountered were budget and space. Since it's a personal hobby, family rule is that you pay for it yourself. When I was younger/didn't have a job, it meant doing chores or using birthdays/christmas to ask for fish things or money to spend on fish things. With space, I always tried to negotiate with my parents to give me real estate for larger tanks that are in the communal/family areas of the house. I was that kid who said, "Mom, dad, this fish tank will take up 4.5 ft² of floorspace, can I rent it from you at the family rate?" HAHAHA! It definitely kept me responsible for my own pets. But this type of negotiation is definitely not exclusive to young people in the hobby by any means 😛 Even as I get more independent, I have to agree with what @Maggie said. If anything, I feel like having aquariums as a kid, though sometimes with quite a few challenges, set a better foundation and expectation for when I'm able to continue the hobby through adulthood!
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