DaveSamsell
-
Posts
485 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
2 -
Feedback
0%
Content Type
Forums
Downloads
Store
Events
Blogs
Gallery
Profiles
Posts posted by DaveSamsell
-
-
4 hours ago, Brandy said:
So I see this popping up in a lot of threads and I don't want to hijack those threads.
There seem to be 2 schools of thought about tank sizes--some people are in the Bigger Is Better camp, some people are in the Small Is Beautiful camp. I see pros and cons to both, and thought we could bat ideas and tips for each around here.
I like little because I live in a small space, I don't have a lot of money, and I mostly like small fish.
In defense of the Small Is Beautiful camp:
- Tiny tanks can easily be disrupted by small things--like ONE dead snail--but they can also be corrected rapidly.
- A 30-50% water change takes minutes, you aren't too tired to tackle it after work.
- Fish, plants, and equipment are (or can be) cheaper.
- FINDING that dead snail is not a herculean task.
- Big, static tanks can become a chore, and people leave the hobby for that reason also.
To be fair, if I had the space I would LOVE a giant tank. I would also like a Victorian conservatory attached to the side of my house. A maid, and perhaps a view of something other than the highway. But until I strike it rich, I am really good at making tiny work. The learning curve may be steep, I may have a lot of frustrations at times, but if the only option is between a 55 gallon or nothing I would be forced to choose nothing. Some fish>no fish.
So the question for me is not what size tank to offer newbies, but how to lower the bar for anyone who is interested.
I've thought about this subject of small vs larger tanks for quite some time. Personally, I like a wall of 10 gallon aquariums over a single 150 gallon aquarium, but that's just me.
-
1
-
10 minutes ago, Daniel said:
I feel like a beginner. I haven't kept most fish or grown most plants. I have kept a few kinds of cichlids, and a few kinds of corydoras. The only deep dive I have done was bettas. I've grown a handful of easy to grow plants. My go to plant is hornwort. The hardest thing I ever tried to do was breed Heckel discus and that didn't work. But that is what makes it fun, lots to learn!
I know what you mean. 😊 I feel the same way. What I meant by "beginner" is someone totally new to the hobby, with no experience. I think I know about 3 % of what's available in fish & plants. 😅. Agreed, learning is part of the fun......
-
7 minutes ago, Daniel said:
@DaveSamsell How do you know? 🙂
Because it wasn't too long ago, I was a beginner myself. 😉
-
17 minutes ago, StephenP2003 said:
What are some common fish you find at your LFS that beginners probably shouldn't get? I'm thinking less about the species that get bigger than you think, get aggressive, etc. -- more so, the overbred, high-turnover species (or those inherently fragile) where the deathclock countdown has begun by the time they make it to the LFS, or just those species that have a higher chance of success in an established tank (e.g., neocardina). I've witnessed friends and neighbors giving up the hobby immediately after losing their first purchase of neons, cardinals, fancy guppies, etc.
It's often difficult to figure out what to avoid when a google search gives you a list of common beginner fish -- and often the prevalence of that fish is the very reason you're more likely to get bad stock.
Just from personal (and limited) experience and subsequent conversations with employees at my LFS, the tough ones around here include:
- Line-bred fancy guppies
- Neon tetra
- Cardinal tetra
- Rummynose tetra
- Rams
- Dwarf Gourami
What else would you add to the list??
Stephen,
Nice article of information. 😊
I also feel that part of the dilemma with, perhaps someone's beginners judgement, is they may buy a fish which requires water parameters much different than their home water provides. Ask me how I know. 😉
-
Congratulations to @Daniel, @Bill Smith & @MickS77. You guys are great. I learned a lot from you, during my short time in the forum. Thanks for doing what you do. 👍
-
4
-
2
-
-
HOME-BREW / DIY BOX FILTER
I thought it would be interesting to experiment with a DIY box filter. 🧐
Had spare parts lying around and got a little creative in the fish workshop. ⛏️
One main focus point I like about the filter is that it is self-contained. It "shouldn't" make a mess when removing it from an aquarium. Or at least I hope.
Will let it run a few weeks in a tank and see if it actually works. ⏳
-
5
-
2
-
-
Hey Michael,
Good too see you. Beautiful aquariums as always. BTW, just happen to be wearing an "official" Bay Area Aquatics tee-shirt as I am typing this, lol. 😊
-
1
-
-
Bill,
Looks like an outstanding project. Am sure you will do a fantastic job. One note though, make sure the electrical extension cords are rated for "outdoor" use. Keep us posted on your progess. All the best.....😊
-
1
-
-
17 hours ago, Cory said:
Looks like it could be broken jaw and possibly an infection starting to set in?
-
17 hours ago, Cory said:
Looks like it could be broken jaw and possibly an infection starting to set in?
@Cory is there any correlation between human Tetanus (lock-jaw) & fish susceptibility?
-
5 minutes ago, Novabound said:
This definitely looks like green algae water right? I did 1 week of no lights with 1 day of a short light period to not starve the plants i want. I'm in the middle of week two and I've since added excel paired with no lights to help combat it but it's tough. I also added purigen to the filter to see if it was a bacterial bloom and hoped that would help.
When the tank was clear, it got about 8-9 hours of light and co2..which I'm not entirely sure how to measure. The bubble counter is about 1.5 bubbles/second and by the end of the day the co2 liquid was on the light side of green. I used to dose ferts while the water was clear, about 1 pump twice a week of easy green, but I've also stopped dosing ferts once it got cloudy. I've performed 2 water changes in the past two weeks.
Current parameters are 0-0-5. Does anyone have any suggestions or should i continue the black out excel method and do another water change at the end of the week? Or maybe it is a bacterial bloom and i just need to wait it out. I couldn't find any bodies that may have caused it, but i really can't think of anything i missed.
I'm super grateful for all suggestions.
Sample some water in a white cup. If a bacterial bloom, the water will look clear in the cup. If algae, then green, etc.
-
1
-
-
21 hours ago, Pete said:
Came in from doing yard work to find my 10 gallon leaking from the side seam so my mandatory furlough "vacation" day off turned in to a clean-up and fish rescue operation. Thanks to the Dollar Per Gallon sale, I was able to quickly replace the 10 with a 20. I'm actually kinda glad this happened because when I started to pull out my java fern and vallisneria, I realized I have waaaaay more red wag platy fry that I suspected. The extra room in the tank will be nice as they grow.
Hey Pete,
Sorry to hear about the leaky tank... That stinks.
I try to stay away from the silicone seams when cleaning. When I use the magnetic cleaners, I put a piece of fine poly foam pad on the magnet that goes into the inside of the tank. That way, it holds the magnet out and away from the silicone seals a bit.
We have a ton of Red Wag Platies in my 55 gallon. I know what you mean about the new fish fry. 😊
All the best....
-
1
-
-
I use 2 layers of the Co-Op's black coarse foam, cut to size for the bottom. The included foam block is next, followed by a piece of the Co-Op's fine poly pad that sits on top. No carbon or bio-rings. Outside the filter is a pre-filter sponge on the intake. This configuration seems to work for me quite well. One thing to remember is don't pack or jam too much media inside the filter, because it can potentially flood.
-
SOME FISH FOR THOUGHT
As fellow Aquarists, whether we admit it or not, fish are part of our families.
For most of us, we spend a lot of time, money & effort, giving our aquatic friends the best possible existence.
They are there in our “ups & downs” of life. Always reminding us that life, in general, is more than just about ourselves, as individuals.
I know they personally cheer me up a lot of times and am always looking forward to spending time with them and my aquariums.
Watching their sometimes crazy antics and behaviors is very amusing.
I think that's what I like best about fish-keeping; the simplicity of the hobby, in contrast to the complex world.
What unique characteristics do you like best about your fish?
Enjoy your fish!!!!! 🐳🐠🐡
-
6 minutes ago, pedrofisk said:
I have started two Endler N-class colonies that of course are breeding. One colony is in a 15 gallon outdoor tub and I am leaving them to their own devices. The second colony is currently split between one 10g and one 20g with a few Marina breeder boxes. For this colony I want to attempt to breed the best males. When I got them I took the two best males (which were identical) and put them with three females to get started. They were all young and I can't say for certain the females were virgin but that's fine.
My question is does anyone have a specific line breeding program they like to follow in written or chart diagram? I am thinking about should I start to breed F1 females back to P1 males or do people prefer to breed the best of each generation to themselves and then breed back to P1 around F5?
I know I may be over thinking this and the best idea may be to let them do their thing and pull out inferior males as I go (which would go to the other colony or eventually a males only tank for my kids). However I want to use these Endlers to get good at this before moving onto a more complicated fish.
Thanks!
I am breeding Blue Moscow Guppies & Red Wag Platies right now. I would imagine that everyone has a different approach, but I like to "pick & choose" the ones that look the best for breeding. Probably fairly unscientific, but effective. 😊
-
1
-
-
4 minutes ago, Daniel said:
It's pretty funny too. Innes gets the same questions that @Cory gets, like 'how many of fish X will fit in my tank', or 'Can White Clouds be bred year round, and how about tank size', or even 'what is the best temperature to hatch brine shrimp'? And his answers are pretty much the same as Cory's. @DaveSamsell did the PDF download of the book work for you?
Daniel,
Yes, it downloaded just fine. Thanks. 😊
-
1
-
-
4 minutes ago, Daniel said:
So now that I have restricted myself to 'historically accurate' for the 1930s, I need to define what that will mean.
For this project the guide to 'historically accurate' will be the text of "The Complete Aquarium Handbook" which is available to download (it is in the public domain now). I will also use "The Aquarium" magazine issues from the early to mid 1930s as both magazine and the book were publish by William T. Innes who was sort of the @Cory of his day. Think of this book as the Innes website and the magazine as the Innes YouTube channel (only it is 1936)!
Cover of 1936 edition of "The Complete Aquarium Book"
May 1945 issue of "The Aquarium" magazine (with loads of references to Hitler in the advertisements)
If I don't follow the rules, you can hold me to account as the link to the book download above will get you the entire 1936 edition of the book, color plates and all.
Looks like a good read. Old books are a lot of fun. 📖
-
1
-
-
6 hours ago, Brandy said:
Meet Dyson, Hoover, and Eureka!
Also, I got some adorable Khuli loaches that I can't photograph to save my soul. I didn't think I wanted them, but I was overruled, and I adore them.
Beautiful fish. Best of luck with them. 😊 🐟🐠🐟🐟🍀🍁🍀🍁🐟🐬🐠🐸
-
1 hour ago, Daniel said:
Ebay for $12. Seems like a pretty good value. The stories inside the magazine are mind bending. A whole, whole lot has changed socially since the 1930s for the better. But those fish! Healthy angels, beautiful red swordtails, and what a nice little school of zebra danios with vallisneria growing in the background!
I looked up the artist for that cover art in the above post. His name Arthur C. Bade. After Better Homes and Gardens, he was a staff artist for Science and Mechnics. I blame him for me thinking I would have flying car by now!
"Technology", in general, can only move as fast as the human minds that create it.
-
1
-
-
I would like to see a test strip to accurately diagnose the top 5, most common, aquarium fish diseases.
-
16
-
-
On 7/16/2020 at 11:08 PM, Dmmurray said:
This is hard to explain...I had 13 cardinal tetras, in a community tank, with black neon tetras. I female betta, sterbi cories, and one young platy. So, one of the cardinals started showing signs of difficulty breathing, but not gasping for air, at top of tank. It was more like, no mouth open, but gills moving rapidly, all the time. He looked a bit bloated, and a small growth, right under his gills. And his eyes were looking large, but not bulging. My guess was, a bacterial infection, going by descriptions of diseases. And these cardinals I've had for 3 months, and been fine. So, put him in qt. 5 gallon tank, and started maracyn. He stayed at bottom of tank, till day 4 of treatment today, then came up to eat and was swimming around, looking better. A few hours later, he died, after I put in the meds. In the meantime, one other died in the community tank. I have no idea what he had, and don't know if it is contagious, but 2 of my cardinals in community tank, are just starting the breathing thing. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and treat the community tank with maracyn, and if so, should it be full 5 day dose, or one time, like when they are quaratined. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. This is one of my problems...not being able to figured out what is wrong. I didn't put a picture, cuz I didn't think it would show up enuf to tell anything. Thanks!
I am NO expert with Fish diseases, but a few questions came to mind while reading your 7/16/20 post, today. You probably have it figured out by now, but:
- How big is the aquarium that the fish are getting sick in?
- How are the water parameters?
- What type of filtration, etc?
- Is it a well established aquarium?
- Did you add anything recently , without quarantining, to the aquarium?
- How are the other fish, now?
-
5 hours ago, Daniel said:
I have an idea. If you can do a geographically accurate biotope aquarium, why can't you do a historically accurate aquarium. Sort of a historotope if I'm allowed one neologism here.
At an estate sale a while back, I acquired a 1930s era aquarium with a metal frame and a slate bottom. This is not one of those stainless steel MetaFrame aquariums everyone (including me) had back in the 1960s and the 1970s. It is clearly something much older.
Everything about the aquarium was in good shape when I got it, and it was watertight. Last year when I was using it to grow mosquito larva outside I forgot to bring it in when it got cold. When ice formed in the tank the expanding ice blew out one of the glass sides.
So, what might the rules be for a historotope?
Rules:
- You are only allowed to use equipment available during your chosen time period.
- You are only allowed to keep fishes that were available during your chosen time period.
- You must use historically accurate foods.
- You must use historically accurate plants.
- You must use historically accurate substrate and decorations.
- You must use historically accurate maintenance methods.
Since I have the aquarium (once I get it repaired), my chosen time period will be the mid-1930s in the United States. My first step is to get the tank water tight again. I will post more later as this experiment progresses and your thoughts and suggestions come in.
Daniel,
That is quite an interesting concept. Personally, I would go for it, as long as, water parameters can be maintained properly and the fish food is acceptable.
-
4
-
6 minutes ago, Daniel said:
Anything special about the LEDs?
Daniel,
Since LED's have a large variation of visual color properties & temperatures; I went with a (White-Water Clear) style. Seemed to be a little brighter & more pure. 😊
-
10 hours ago, Fishoutawater said:
just the usual way for me removing cartridges and plastic bio balls and jamming filter foam or matrix anywhere it will fit.i dont think ive had a filter that i would be happy with out of the box yet. or I have a sponge filter with a power head in one of my tanks does it still count if the sponge was to slow the flow from the powerhead down?
There are many ways of "optimization" . I run a few HOB filters, with varied amounts of coarse to finer sponges, with pre-filters, on the in-takes. The additional surface area is wonderful. Everyone has their own, specific ideas. 😊
Big tanks vs. Little tanks, pros and cons.
in General Discussion
Posted
That is great too..... 😊