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StephenP2003

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Posts posted by StephenP2003

  1. On 6/23/2021 at 11:31 PM, laritheloud said:

    simplify, simplify, simplify

    Agree 100%. I've been a technical and proposal writer for 15+ years, and all the knowledge and wisdom you pour into this will mean nothing if you don't know your audience. Whatever density of information you think your customer can handle, cut it in half. And then keep cutting it until you have something that will help the customer understand the utmost important facts in just a few sentences. e.g.: "Aquarium stuff has bacteria on it. It helps make the water not kill the fish, and it needs time to establish." - and maybe another sentence or two in form of actionable advice, like "don't put too many fish that the bacteria can't handle" and "don't clean your filters too much." If they want to know why, they'll ask or they'll research it themselves. You can ease them into the stuff like testing water, being patient through a stress-free fishless cycle, etc. 

    Do what you can to improve the visual. Personally, I'm a visual learner, and because it's late, I skipped all the text you wrote and went straight to the diagram. It's the simplest, most pleasing way to impart just the essential information. Even better if you impart the basics in a few sentences and a refined diagram, and direct them to your LFS's website or YouTube channel for a reasonably paced video that expands on it. 

    • Like 3
  2. On 6/21/2021 at 5:49 AM, Georgiapeach88 said:

    @StephenP2003tbat is quite the guppy tank for sure. I’m a new keeper hobby and gallon in love with guppies. Not a lot of pretty strains in my lfs. So hope to get some cool ones and maybe sell back into the area. But mainly just want a beautiful community tank. Any tips tricks you would like to share for fellow guppy lover and new fish keeper? All info much appreciated 

    So, if you go to youtube and look at the other videos on my channel, I have a more recent video that goes over how I'm managing this livebearer tank. Title is "Livebearer Mosh Pit Breeding -- Guppies and Platys Out of Control! (Tank Tour 3!)"  I know self-promotion is frowned upon here, but the video is a fairly condensed but thorough answer to your question. Mods, do what you gotta do if I'm overstepping.

    On 6/21/2021 at 6:34 AM, ARMYVET said:

    That is absolutely amazing!!! How big is that tank if I may ask?  That is exactly what I want to do in my living room in say a 125 or bigger!!

    125 gallon guppy mosh pit would really cool! Mine is only a 40 breeder.

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1
  3. I gotta say, it was a good feeling to browse the co-op tonight and see literally every plant is in stock. This has been a long pandemic, and I don't remember the last time that happened. I needed some very specific stuff, and I was able to get it all.

    But I swear if I get another duplicate sticker...

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1
  4. 2 hours ago, Angelfishlover said:

    I honestly have no idea I’m trying to figure it out to the only thing I can come up with is a faulty test since this tank just had a water change on Friday the only other thing I can thing of is the tank is bare bottom for a baby axolotl so there is no bb in the substrate since  well there is none also I know it can’t be over feeding since there is no extra food in the tank since it is tong fed and I take out poop as soon as I see it

    I think you answered your own question. Verify with some test strips, but personally I do not press it against the paper. Not enough light gets through and it will always look darker.

    • Like 1
  5. So since the beginning of this thread, I've really been inspired to stretch the limits of my existing equipment. I bought a cheap clip-on macro lens on Amazon, and I've been working with a OnePlus 6 phone, some walmart desk lamps, and a tripod. The OnePlus 6 - close to a 3-year-old phone now - can shoot 4K 60fps reasonably well on a tripod. It also has a slowmo mode claiming 1080p 240 fps, but looks super grainy with terrible autofocus and no ability to lock it. So I used both of those modes to make a video with the macro lens.  (Sound Warning: I don't stand strongly behind my song choice).

    Camera Experts: Would love your feedback on these shots, and maybe some opinions on whether it might be worth it for me to simply upgrade my phone for a better camera, or if a dedicated camera would be that much better (for the amount of money you might spend on a nice new phone).

     

    • Like 3
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  6. 5 hours ago, GardenStateGoldfish said:

    Hikari Ultimate is the best

    What would they mean by "the best"? Would it not do the same thing as Fritz and prime and safe?  Also, do you know your chloramine level in your tap water? I have about 1ppm usually, but water quality reports say it can be as high as 2ppm. I tend to overdose anyway out of laziness. I have a pump head on my prime bottle and it's about 1.5-2ml per pump.

  7. 34 minutes ago, Jennifer V said:

    @StephenP2003 what kind did you get to carpet? I think they look pretty cool. 

    I've bought so many varieties that I couldn't list them all, but the bright stuff on the right thats about to flower is just your normal green wavy variety. Among the others are brownie blue, godzilla, and some mini varieties that might recover one day.

    Buce variety naming is out of control. You find the same plant a mile down the creek and it's an entirely different name. And you add blue to the name if you squint at a piece of buce at dusk while you're a little tipsy and one leaf kind of looks blue. 

    • Haha 3
  8. Very nice scape! My buce is not doing so well, particularly the parts that are on the outer edges of the shade that the tree provides, algae really taking hold. I think I have a lot of emersed leaves right now too, and it's a CO2 injected tank which maybe is putting those leaves in more of a stasis rather than converting.

    My goal was a buce carpet around the tree, but I may have to rethink.

    IMG_20210415_233138.jpg.40e1c69c2ff6ddefbfa3bff3d768797b.jpg

    • Like 1
  9. 11 minutes ago, Kirsten said:

    Wow! I'm jealous. My tanks are also full of plants and look like an overstocked nightmare, but I also get fungus problems and some fish stress. So I guess I'm stuck doing weekly water changes til the plants really take over.

    Yeah, this tank wasn't all sunshine and rainbows in the beginning either. I got a hard lesson in why people quarantine, and that fancy guppies from my LFS are garbage, or at least not ready to be sold to the average person.  Had a decent colony going, and introduction of new guppies caused fungus, bacteria, and/or other mysterious illnesses that wiped out more than half of the guppy population -- strangely didn't touch any other species in the tank.

    • Like 1
  10. Maybe I'm a crazy person, but I just let my live bearer tank do its thing. It is full of plants which helps, but also I don't increase feeding when I notice new fry. It looks like an overstocked nightmare, but it's actually a pretty healthy ecosystem, and I can go months without changing water. 

     

    • Like 4
    • Love 3
  11. 9 hours ago, Daniel said:

    Most people only want colorful fish and for guppies and Endlers that equals males. And the other thing (and I totally do not get this part) many people are fearful of a population explosion and therefore do not want female guppies.

    I started selling my yellow tiger endlers on eBay and aquabid back in January, and I initially priced the females cheaper than the males because they have no color. I did not expect them to fly off the figurative shelf. I ended up pricing the females higher later on and still can barely keep up with demand. Apparently a lot of breeders do hoard the females. Fortunately, my colony produces a lot more females than males.

    • Like 5
  12. I am so mad at myself.  Waterchanging with the python today, looked away for a minute, my betta wedged himself at the end of the tube. Got him out of the tube, but I think it's too late. He's alive but doesn't appear to be able to move much or at all, been like that almost all day. 

     

    Edit: unfortunately he passed. The siphon pressure must've done internal damage. This is perhaps my lowest point in fishkeeping thus far because it was a completely preventable accident caused by my own negligence.

    I mean, I'm still going to betta-shop this week. But I'll be sad about it. 

    RIP

    1767195146_IMG_20210305_2138522.jpg.66ce8712b91e4f8af3fbf14e71d7c6e1.jpg

    • Sad 6
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