demicent

I have two of them on ten gallon tanks. I purchased a surge protector with timing function to plug them into. One I let sit right on top of the tanks, the other I suspended about 8 inches up because there isn't any way to program the intensity. There is a Finnex Stingray 2 that has 3 Position Switch: Max, Moonlights, or OFF

Thanks for writing this! I knew an allergic reaction was possible, but reading your first person account has really put it in perspective.

I don't currently have guppies, but my Endler's and Platys love the Repashy Soilent Green, Community Plus, and Grub Pie. I put in about two teaspoons of the powder with water in a small container, and pinch it out with long tweezers to feed. That way I can hide some in various locations for the bottom dwellers, too.

I love the Blob! My scape style could best be described as "There appears to have been a struggle." Would love to know which phosphate and potassium supplements Wes L. uses. And yeah, I haven't figured out how to do the quote thing.

I have had plant orders that took two weeks to arrive, and the plants have been fine. In winter. With no heat packs! (Not from the Co-op!) On the other hand, I have had plants arrive in 3 days and they froze somewhere along the line, browning the leaves and turning the rhizomes into mush. If it's just the leaves, I don't worry so much. If it's the roots or rhizomes, they may not recover. You can email customer service and send a photo, they may have some advice for you. And also that way if the plants don't make it you have established that they arrived in rough condition. I have killed many a plant from this fine establishment, and known it was my fault. But when they send something damaged in shipping, I know they will make it right.

My Endler's have been polite with the bottom dwellers.

Finally getting around to stocking my planted tanks with mid to top range fish. Looking for recommendations for fish that will not compete with bottom feeders. My platys are greedy guts who eat the green hair algae, the floating food, the sinking food, and then monopolize the bottom foods and even the green beans for the snails! They are voracious eating machines with very round bellies. I have 12 cycled tanks (10-20 gallons) with bottom feeders only, (Corys and Kuhli Loaches) with a range of different ph and gh and kh. (Stable, and naturally achieved by accident from hardscape and decor choices.) So most common peaceful community fish would find a niche here in one of the tanks. I'm looking for hardy, uncomplicated fish who find it beneath them to grub around in the substrate. Tanks, y'all!

I was looking at the Fritz website, and their FAQ's say that you should not treat with ACCR and ICH-X because "Fritz ACCR - NOT SAFE; this is a sulfinate-based conditioner and can affect the medication". So since I treat all my water for water changes with ACCR, how am I supposed to use ICH-X for my quarantine treatment?

I have three planted tanks going with new fish and Maracyn right now. Seems fine so far.

I am grateful for my fishy friends. Who else could I talk to about Snail Sniffing?

In case anyone reading this has not owned Nerites before, I'll just add my voice here to say that some of my Nerites played dead for up to 2 weeks! I ordered 30 Nerites: 10 Zebra, 10 Tiger, and 10 Horned. They were divided between several tanks, and all were drip acclimated for an hour. In every tank, the Tigers flipped upside down and didn't move. Not even their little antennae. The first few days I turned them upright, only to find them upside down in the same spot the next morning. I pulled them out to smell them every few days, and they passed the sniff test. At about the two week mark, I came down one morning and they were all merrily munching algae on the plants and glass. I suspected they were still alive because none of them were hanging all out of their shells, just loosely protruding slightly. EDITED TO ADD: When I was gathering them up to sniff them, I put them in a specimen container on a wet paper towel, and they did show signs of life from being moved!

Just wanted to update this topic. In a recent newsletter article, Aquarium Coop says "The best practice is to place the check valve outside the aquarium (not in the water), close to the top of the fish tank. This position stops the water at the rim rather than near the air pump where the water pressure in the airline tubing could cause a leak. "

I was able to order that plywood online at Lowe's as a 4x4 sheet, and put cut instructions on the order. That will give me two shelves. My lower shelf will just be for the power supply. I have a saw but I'm pretty bad at it. If needed, I know one of my neighbors will trim it for me. I ordered a black paint, so I should be good to go. I thank everyone for the help and ideas!

I would want to paint the plywood black. Should some sort of varnish or water repellant be applied, I wonder? Also, I can't trust the local big box store to cut the wood to the precise correct measurements so that it would fit inside the rim, so I would probably end up laying it on top of the current shelves.

"The three black laminate wood composite decks can each support an evenly distributed 1,500 lb. for a total of 4,500 lbs. " but that does nothing to prevent the composite shelves from sagging with time. That's my fear. Especially if they get wet, which they will.

I did try searching the topic on this forum, but for some reason once the results come up I am unable to scroll down to view anything past the first 3 discussions or so. I just put together this extremely yellow Dewalt rack Model #DXST4500 , which has shelves about 44" x 18" made out of some composite material that is less than 1/2" thick. There are three supports under each shelf, one each a couple of inches from the end of the shelf, and one in the center, which leaves about 18" of unsupported space between them. The other two straps provide stability, but not load support for the shelves. Photo attached. I plan to use these shelves for rimmed aquariums, 1 - 20 Gallon Tall, a couple of 10 Gallons, 1- 5.5 Gallon, and some 2.5 Wabi Kusa and Hospital tanks. My question is, of course, is this enough support for the filled boxes? The 20 will straddle 2 supports but the rest will not. What are the alternatives? Lay plywood over the shelves? If so, how thick? Lay 2x4's over the shelves? Lengthwise or across the short side? Would smaller lumber work, like 1x2? Any advice is sincerely appreciated.

Happy New Year! I am in the process of cycling 12 new tanks. Several of them are cycled. Most have only pest bladder snails or a few Nerites. No fish. Four of them have cyanobacteria, which I merrily spread through the tanks by moving an infected square of Java Moss to see how it looked. I have been spot treating with Hydrogen Peroxide and manually removing the small patches, which I can smell even with the lid closed. Burns my nose. Affects my breathing which isn't good to start with. Now here is where it gets confusing for me. I am stocked up on Maracyn and want to treat the tanks. I am gearing up to slowly stock the tanks, which range in size from 20 gallons to 5.5 gallons. Since there are no other occupants of these new tanks, can I move the first batch of fish directly into their permanent homes, rather than the dedicated quarantine tanks? Can I wait to treat the tanks for Cyanobacteria with Maracyn until after the first fish are in place, since I would be treating the fish with quarantine trio anyways? Then I wouldn't have to do it twice. Any help with a strategy appreciated.

I can't use my fingerprints to open my cell phone anymore. My right hand is pruny from being in the water, and the fingers of my left hand are perpetually super glued.

Ice is a mystery to me. I left a plastic tub lid on the patio a few days ago, and overnight this happened. I don't know what would make it grow UP.

I also need to take the lead weights off the bunch plants. Two great nuggets of information on this thread!

My Val is not doing well. Now I need to run and see if I buried it too deeply. Thanks!

On the frig. I wish I hadn't started putting them up there, because all y'all have such good ideas!

Please share photos or descriptions of how you deal with small gaps in your aquarium lid. The attached photo is the rear of my tank where the plastic strip came up short, and my airline and heater cord come out. I have a bunch of fiberglass door screening material, so I cut it in small pieces and make slits to accommodate cords and lines. If needed, part of it could be hot melt glued (or other non toxic adhesive) to the plastic strip or tank edge. May not prevent the smallest snails from going on walkabout, but I think it will prevent most fish.

Yesterday I found a baby snail under my fingernail, and another one on my kitchen towel.