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DaveSamsell

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Everything posted by DaveSamsell

  1. DaveSamsell
    Has anyone "hot-rodded" (optimzed) their aquarium filtration system and, if so, how? ⛲
  2. DaveSamsell
    After testing my aquariums for quite some time, I thought, “there had to be an easier way” reading the liquid color test results. When using liquid test kits, the colors are sometimes a bit hard to discern. A lot of it is attributed to the ambient lighting in the room. Some homes, mine included, don't have “ideal” lighting for reading these test tubes accurately. Was always dragging a lamp, flashlight or going to the nearest window to compare the color chart with my test. So, I specifically built this light producing fixture/enhancer for my aquarium testing. Wow, what a difference. The colors are now vivid, in person, and very easy to compare. The biggest benefit is that the light 'shines through' the tubes and really gives a true color representation. Also, for some of the 'timed' tests, I.E. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, it's interesting to watch the colors change accordingly. Basically, the parts for the unit are simple & inexpensive. Three AA batteries & holder, LED's, resistors, switch, wires, enclosure, etc. If you are into electronics, like I am, most of these spare parts are probably nearby. Am sure there are many ways of constructing the same unit. Most importantly, when dealing with liquids, one should always use low voltage applications for safety. This was my first attempt in building this color enhancer, so maybe the next one might even be better. That's another wonderful part about fish-keeping; experimenting with your own designs. 🧐 LIQUID TEST COLOR ENHANCER UNIT ** DIY ** 🥽 📊 📉 📈
  3. DaveSamsell
    Bill, Very interesting. Thanks for sharing that....
  4. DaveSamsell
    Bill, you have done beautifully. A lot of time and great effort. Thanks for both....... 🙂
  5. DaveSamsell
    That's a great video. Snails will usually only populate in proportion to their food supply. Personally, I really like snails in my aquariums. Many benefits. I have Nerite, Pond, Bladder, Malaysian Trumpet & Mystery snails. It's always fun to turn on the lights in the morning & see what is really in the tanks. 😊 🐌🐌 🍀🍁 🐌🐌 🐌
  6. DaveSamsell
    Is that the original silicone? The old silicone "should" be removed anyway. I believe that approximately every 10 years a glass aquarium "should" be resealed. Some have gone longer of course. It's a messy & smelly job, but is doable. Just scrape the silicone you can see. Don't dig the razor blade in between the panels, unless you want a complete rebuild. It's up to you. From all the videos I have seen, it's quite a project, but can be fun. P.S. Remove the cat, first. 😅 Nice cat. 🐱
  7. DaveSamsell
    Daniel, Very nice story. Thanks for sharing that. I am close with my Father as well. He's now up in age,with a lot of health issues and lives with me. Time & memories shared are very precious.
  8. DaveSamsell
    I think Zebra Danios are very underrated. A lot of the time, they are labeled a " beginner fish ". Truthfully, they are extremely active and for sure great fun to watch. Mine are always zipping around the aquarium, chasing each other. 🐟
  9. DaveSamsell
    To me, those parameters seem low. As a comparison, my GH & KH are about 200 ppm, each (but I keep live-bearers, which like harder water). On medium light, with Easy Green fertilizer, my pogo plants seem to grow very quickly in the aquariums. Wondershell & baking soda helped me a lot to boost my GH & KH. What fish do you keep with these plants? Also, what is the PH? It's always a fine balance to satisfy the plants & the fish with water parameters. It's also good to test parameters fully & fertilize accordingly. Hope this helps a bit. 😊
  10. DaveSamsell
    If you had to pick only one type of fish to keep, what would it be and why?
  11. DaveSamsell
    I am just taking it EASY today, enjoying my fish and dosing some EASY GREEN into the aquariums. 🐳
  12. DaveSamsell
    Might be a calcium deficiency. What is your water GH & KH? Hard to say, since you didn't state your water parameters. Also, if it's a new plant, it still might be adjusting to your water, etc. I keep live-bearing fish and a ton of Pogostemon Stellatus. I add calcium & magnesium to my water for the fish and those particular stem plants really seem to enjoy that. At least for me anyway. 😊
  13. DaveSamsell
    Yep, Wonder-shell is a great product for sure. I use it in all my aquariums to bump up the GH. Also, I use baking soda for my low KH issues. Sounds like your PH is close. I would imagine you fertilize the aquariums as needed. Wish I could be more help. 😐
  14. DaveSamsell
    Jason, Very nice aquariums\tubs. Many interesting styles. 👍
  15. DaveSamsell
    Could be too much light. Was wondering do you have a higher ph & gh\kh? I believe that moss likes softer water with a lower ph, but I am no plant expert. 🤔
  16. DaveSamsell
    My Dad had an aquarium, when I was very young. He mostly had a collection of live-bearers. I remember being fascinated at an early age with the fish. Admittedly, that same fascination is still with me, today. It's such a wonderful hobby to have a small piece of nature indoors. Additionally, it's wonderful to be able to share and exchange ideas with a caring online community, such as this.
  17. DaveSamsell
    I agree, fish can indeed be compared to food. The great correlation is that you don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy either one. 😊
  18. DaveSamsell
    Might be easier just running two separate sponge filters in the aquarium. One coarse, one fine. You can always get inventive on your own, with a personalized design too; by fusing various sponge material together onto one sponge filter housing. Lots of possibilities. 😊
  19. DaveSamsell
    One part per million (ppm), is equal to .0001 percent. You can extrapolate your desired ppm knowing that base number. I.E. 1000 ppm is equal to .1 percent, etc.
  20. DaveSamsell
    I had two years of integrated, differential & statistics. Way too many numbers. 😅
  21. DaveSamsell
    Daniel, I think we were on the same wavelength there. You were typing when I was. Same idea. 😂
  22. DaveSamsell
    Bill, Am not sure. One would have to know how well the new water is actually being diluted & redistributed in the water column. Many variables there. Perhaps one way might be is to keep measuring your Nitrate levels until you see a 50% change. That way, you can then estimate the volume of water that was physically exchanged.
  23. DaveSamsell
    It really depends on your microscope magnification. 😊 🔍 🔬
  24. DaveSamsell
    Hey Duke, Interesting. Was the test conducted with a check valve & under water? Also, how much air tubing was used, etc? The 20 ma of current draw really seems low to me. That is only about 100 mw consumption.
  25. DaveSamsell
    I have an idea for an aquarium related item. Have to get a few more parts for it. Should be ready in a week or two. It's a secret till then. Will post when completed. 👍
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