skipper

My betta tank sits below my grow light set up, and the shelf around it accumulates the usual clutter of aquarium stuff that I never seem to properly “put away.” One day while tending my anemic pepper seedlings (which received a diluted water soluble 3-2-2 organic fert ~weekly or so, smells less than pleasant, grows mold, clearly was not working, I wasn’t satisfied). The easy green bottle caught my eye... did 1 pump for ~<1 gallon of water, gave it to some of them to see what happened. Was concerned about some plant burn since it was a super concentrated dose compared to the directions of 1 pump:10 gallons. Left is old fert right is easy green after a week or so (less than rigorous study design 🙈). Same pepper variety, same seed start date, same lighting, same soil. Soon switched to giving it to all of them 😂. Did this for a few weeks and the OG Easy Green group has clearly outpaced. WOULD NOT use it for green leafy’s since it’s not made for “people plants.” The high potassium content (compared to the ratio of N and P, especially compared to garden ferts) didn’t seem to have ill effects. I have no plans on using this long-term for garden plants, because again it’s not made for human consumption plants. It also doesn’t have the correct phos for flowering plants (appropriately so as it’s not made for that). But interesting food for thought that easy green may provide a gentle dose of nitrogen and trace elements without the salts of normal garden ferts, the combination of which may be helpful for starting seedlings.

@Bailey I think our bettas are twins! Below is mine. His name is Charles, after Baudelaire, because salty poet/dandyism movement (my nerdishness is multidisciplinary 😂). Yours wouldn’t per chance be a big box store “black mustard” betta would he? Mine is. He turned more pink and less mustard after inhabiting his warm and planted 20L. Pink would not have been my first choice... but live and let live, I rolled with it and got pink snails 😂. I was hoping to do a community tank but after “testing the waters” with the ramshorn snails, I think I’m going to pass and keep him solo. He loves flaring at the snails and does peck at them very briefly from time to time, the snails seem unphased. Like yours, mine seems too aggressive for finned tank mates. Also like yours, mine used to flare at his reflection. Until I cultivated a lush layer of algae/biofilm on the sides of the tank. Snails keep it mowed down to a somewhat respectable level and it’s an excuse for me to be lazy. Perhaps that’s another strategy?

@gardenman and @GardenStateGoldfish thanks for this discussion. I’m looking into this as well. Good news, we can have pet emus apparently 😂. The frogs are likely much less upkeep. It would be devastating to get a giant fine! I have been scolded for trying to pump my own gas. Does get you quicker service though...

Also in Jersey, I had no idea! This explains why I’ve never seen them in fish stores. I have ADFs and didn’t realize they were questionable, they are available in several stores near me.

Great timing my finding this as I’m battling Cyanobacteria in my betta tank 😂. (I advise against using a plant grow light as an aquarium light. You will acquire many uninvited guests) edit: now I’m peaking under the towel covering my blacked-out tank staring at my large cluster of big-box store elodea trying to confirm that it is in fact elodea 😂

I appreciate how to’s, care guides, tank mates videos, and recommendations for x water parameter. Like @Anita, they give me confidence to try new things! 1. Forget the exact title, but the how to set up a sponge filter (would be great to have link to video on the product page). Literally watched along as I set up my first one. So basic to many, but I’m new to the hobby and would never have tried/bought them (from the co-op of course) if it weren’t for the content I watched. 2. Every single fish tank at aquarium co-op/store tours. 3. Top 10 Aquarium fish that love hard water/top 10 videos 4. Anything with Dean or Irene! 5. Live Streams

@DShelton Thanks for pointing that out! I will definitely keep that in mind and play around. I have more of a vertical real estate limitation in this particular tank (actual water is only about 9 inches deep), but will keep in mind for other tanks 🙂 Stacking would make cleaning a bit more efficient as well.

Thank you! I appreciate your confirming that I wasn't missing something important. I like the footprint of the nano, and also like for things to match.

One time my ammonia test turned blue. Turned out the cap I put on the tube had residual from a pH test. Washed everything super well and the next ammonia test was a lovely yellow. Not suggesting this is happening to you, but it reminded me of my own confuzzlement 🙂

Hi everyone! I have a betta in a 20L with a nano sponge filter/usb nano pump. I plan to add some tankmates, betta permitting, in the future. I'd like to keep the nano and add another sponge filter, to avoid dead spots and since the current set up is cycled. I'm confused as to which size sponge filter to add. The nano and small sponge filters do not seem very different in my newbie eyes- where the nano is smaller, it seems to be so only by 0.25 to 0.75 of an inch. Taller/narrower vs shorter/squatter. Could someone kindly shed some light as to if/how/why these slight differences are important? I did watch the sponge filter video where Cory explained lift, does that play a role? Thank you!!

This is the real skipper (she used to live in an old boat in the woods before deciding life with hooman servants is much more enjoyable). She enjoys ADF TV the most. Hasn’t tried to murder anything yet, which is nice. She also drinks out of puddles outside. Ironically, she is the only inhabitant of our home who gets bottled water 😂

I think so, especially if you have city water. We use water conditioner to spare the cycle/livestock from chlorine/chloramine... stands to reason taking conditioned water out of the aquarium and sparing the garden from chlorine is at least somewhat beneficial. Soil microbiology interests me as well. But I’m not an expert, I just like tomatoes 😂. I’ve been using “water change discard” on my houseplants for the past few months and they’ve never looked better. I’m fairly versed in NPK and my plants have never suffered from a lack of “food,” so it can’t just be the nitrates (which typically hover about 10 anyway in my ~understocked/planted tank). I’m plotting a raised container bed outside the window by my tank and plan to run the siphon out the window into the bed this summer. It makes me feel better about re-using all of that water (it’s a 55g tank, so fair amount to waste down the drain). I looked into the conditioner out of paranoia about unleashing chemicals on my food, and turns out sodium thiosulfate is considered by WHO as an essential medicine and is the antidote to cyanide poisoning! Just another reason to be in the hobby 😂. So I’m fine with it going in the garden from that perspective. Although I will admit, I do have algae on top of my seedling starts. Gets everywhere I suppose. We are at the very least encouraging the soil micro biome and “recycling” water. That’s a win for me. I’ll let you know if my tomatoes get ich, though.

I chose hornwort, learned about it from Charles at Goliad Farms. (If he’s a fan, I’m a fan 😂). But I am scared of what may come of the sparse amount I set loose in my tank...

@Daniel that is exactly why I found this so fascinating. I’m new to the hobby, so I check my water parameters often, mostly to reassure myself. Always after I get home from work, always in the late afternoon. Never thought I’d say this, but I’m excited to check my parameters tomorrow before sunrise. I don’t expect as dramatic a swing for me because I’m still building my tank and have <10 low light plants. Emersed pothos I don’t suspect would have an effect. But I’m still curious to see if there’s a slight difference.

This thread is spectacular! @Kalita I too have a curious nerd brain ☺️ I’m wondering if anyone here could chime in re: if/how the pH shifts could affect the efficacy of meds being dosed? Conversely, would the time the pH is “out of range” not last long enough to induce a clinically significant effect? My box of Paracleanse says ideal range is 6.4 to 7.6. The graph @Daniel kindly posted shows pH outside that range daily. I know ideally we use meds in a likely non-planted QT, so it’s likely not an issue for most. I’m asking out of curiosity.

I can relate to this. My ~2 month old tank is also in front of a window and I too wanted to cultivate some algae for my nerite snail. Due to the carp toddlers, I can’t really target feed him/her. If you’ve never watched a goldfish sniff out the most seemingly discreetly hidden algae wafer, it’s quite entertaining. 100% find/gobble-for-self rate. Dosed with ferts, left the lights on. I wished and wished for many weeks to no avail. Attributed my “failure” to emersed pothos with an ever-growing root jungle. And then, out of nowhere there arose a white carpet over all of my decor, green spots on the glass, diatoms sprinkled throughout. Guess I fished my wish 😂🙈 today I’m off to purchase many nerite friends. Hang in there, your day will come.

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. @Toobit67 what a story! Bet you got out of bathroom cleaning duty for awhile and never forgot that chemistry lesson! I am having a trying time with fish photography (so hard!) and waiting until the weather warms up to order more plants. Must. Have. All. The. Plants. 😈 Challenges of east coast life... but I’ll attach a docile dwarf Mexican crayfish shot for now 🙂 Edit: he arrived to us with only one claw

Hello everyone! I’m an avid gardener/science geek/crafter. A few months ago, my sister asked me if I wanted her goldfish she rescued ~5 years ago. ”Gee I don’t think so, aren’t fish a lot of work?” Long story short: she talked me into it, I forgot all about the conversation, and next thing I know there’s a 15 gallon tank on my kitchen table. Cycling in my vocabulary was a type of exercise. Ammonia? That’s stuff you never mix with bleach. The tank had fake plants. I loathe fake plants with the burning passion of a thousand suns (it’s the gardener in me). “You know people put real plants in aquariums” she said. “Huh I didn’t know that was a thing” I replied. To be fair, I also didn’t know ammonia was a “thing.” *enter Jimmy with the sponge bob interlude: 1,000 YouTube hours later* I had NO idea this hobby was so rewarding! It’s a marriage of everything I enjoy. Things quickly got out of hand over the past couple months. The OG goldfish now lives happily in a 55 gallon planted living room centerpiece with 2 fancy tail friends. I have 4 tanks and am plotting my stocking options. A huge thank you to aquarium co-op. As a newbie, I can’t convey enough how reassuring it is to order from your site and know I am getting tested & vetted products and high quality foods. It’s incredibly reassuring to watch a video and know the information is backed by science and experience. Oh, btw, ammonia levels in all tanks are 0. Anyone else enjoy the euphoria of a canary yellow test tube?