xXInkedPhoenixX

OMG, never heard Messy Murder Beans, that. is. HILARIOUS.

@Odd Duck oh we're in TOTAL agreement, I would NEVER recommend cheap nonstick- it's not worth it- in any way. BUT I would never tell someone NO nonstick is good because there are good, quality, safe options out there. AND you are doing the exact right thing for you- just not do it AT ALL. Birds are very sensitive animals (we have a Cockatiel in our family) so why try it?! Sounds like you might be in the Veterinary industry. I also worked in the rescue/shelter industry and I'm sure you know and have heard many owners downplaying the things they do/have done. It's very sad. I'm a HUGE fan of Le Crueset and have several "modern" pieces of that HOWEVER my 80-100 year old Griswold pans are the sweethearts of my kitchen and the BEST nonstick anyone can possibly buy (but there are strange people out there who want to put their pans in the dishwasher, so they still need modern non stick....they are missing out).

That's one BEAUTIFUL cube!!!

@Kilrkitty08 yep, strange but true. I use them in all my tanks, main focus: snails and bottom feeders, though my Black Neons will peck out of them even on occassion my Harlequins (but far less often). One of my feeder bowls is literally a fish shaped fishbowl, but there are many things people use for this (including the clear lab culture looking glass dishes some use for shrimp). They are GREAT to help contain bottom feeder messes (having larger river pebble in one tank keeps most of it from just sinking beyond their reach) and to monitor what the fish and other invertebrates ARE eating.

Maybe but I think I'd try the water soak method first. I know some of that glue can be stubborn because clay is so hard to get labels to stick to so they use some pretty crazy stuff.

Yeah I probably wouldn't risk it, thankfully they're pretty cheap so a plant will do fine in them. I tried to think of some way I'd feel safe using them after something like that but it's not worth it. Usually a good loooong soak in plain water should get the majority of those stickers off. For stubborn glue, I'd let it dry completely then use some sand paper.

The answer is yes, unglazed clay pots can absolutely absorb oils, fluids and etc.

@Odd Duck yes but your answer is in your text "Teflon" which is a brand name and certain type of non stick- which, and now I'm using technical term- frankly sucks- as a non-stick product anyway- notorious for flaking and starting that whole toxic shock thing to begin with. I also tended to find most people use too high a heat for cooking- period- whether they think they're overheating or not- any general home cook could probaby cut their usual heat down a quarter to a half and actually end up with better results. As with anything always do your research- for a household like yours you might just never use nonstick just because of the reputation. Personally I gave up on non stick years ago (though I have some wonderful pieces from a brand called Look that are 20 years old or more that perform like they day they were purchased- and since they were cast aluminum high heat would NEVER be needed- they perform a lot like cast iron just don't retain heat for as long), I now only exclusively use antique cast iron on my cooktops.

I used to be in kitchen retail in sales and as a buyer, I also tested things and am now also a tester for Amazon. Understand while what @Odd Duck said is sort of true, what needs to be stated is that you'd have to heat that cookware to over 500 degrees (which is broiling levels and nonstick cookware is NOT for broiling) for it to start to break down. Even good stainless/encapsulated cookware can warp and be damaged with this kind of heat. Also understand most household cooktops can't generate that much heat. So most nonstick cookware will never pose a toxic danger to a typical household. While I might be a part time Nerm, I AM a full time kitchen freak.

MOOORRE BABBBIIIESSS!!!!!!😍

@Grubhead perfect! Then either will work for you. That kind of thing is more reliable to me anyway. 🙂

@Grubhead Yes, having just put the timer on it yesterday (just a plain old manual timer I got at Target for $5 and change) it remembered the white and orange combination I set up yesterday no problems. I guess when I say I run low tech tanks I really run low tech- none of my lights are wifi (cause I don't have wifi) and have simple programming if any- but I still use dimmer switches even on my most high tech lights (but thankfully those have built in timers). It will probably help you like the tank more when you have that set up. 🙂

Beautiful fish, will be so neat to see what their babies look like!!

.....and in @HH Morant's tanks they go two by two.....

So I always thought the Sera O Nip tabs were so cool and neat to watch fish eat from the glass. I know there's a learning curve.... So today I tried it in my two 20gallon tanks today. Black Neons and Harlequins in either tank. The Harlequins never got a clue. The Neons sorta did. Eventually the tabs fell of the glass when I wasn't looking. Now......well....it's all snail food.....

@Grubhead interesting you have that experience, they must have put an even bigger pump in the 15. With the aftermarket modification/low flow bar added the flow in my 9 is CONSIDERABLY less. The tall plants along the middle and front don't move AT ALL. Only the Bacopa at the back moves a TINY bit, becaused I unintentionally baffled a lot of the flow with the sculpture in the middle. I actually don't mind the light. I usually just pick a light setting and put a manual timer on it. Done and done. I will likely not touch the remote again. But yes, if you are the type that likes to play with the lights a lot it's finicky and you pretty much have to be right on it to make it change. I put on the white and orange light combo and left it. Timer worked perfectly. I saw in a youtube video on person buying an aftermarket suction light bar and using that instead. So that's an option.

I am so very sorry to see this. That's what, at least 2 maybe 3 very loved Bettas on this forum dying of dropsy in a short time. I think it's extremely rare for a Betta to make it out alive from dropsy. I stopped having Bettas for a while because Kimono, my favorite betta in my profile picture passed from dropsy despite my life saving efforts. I may have gotten rid of his pineconing, but I believe in the end the damage dropsy did to his organs were more than he could take. Take heart in this. You took extremely good care of him and everyone here that gave advice wanted you to succeed as well- having that support with a sick animal is priceless. I was trying to save my Betta before I knew about any forums and don't have any "fish friends". Also know this, there's really no way to know what causes dropsy- my Betta's tank was pristine. I tested all the time, his temperature was great, he got varied foods, he was active, friendly, seemingly the healthiest of healthy. I looked at all the lists online of "causes of dropsy" none of which applied to my Betta. NOTHING you did, as it seems it was the same for Aurora, caused any of this. Sadly it happens and I am very sorry for you and little Aurora. 😞

@SheWhoConquers the seller I got it from has 2, the low flow option definitely cuts down on what you get with the original equipment, there are fairly large holes at the side and bottom of the bar so the flow is more evenly distributed, some down some across the top. There is still some agitation, as many have pointed out here and in reviews the pump on this tank is a good one, just not necessarily with low flow fish. It will be much more manageable for long finned Bettas than the original equipment without changing the pump itself. The hut to the right is actually a live moss covered resin or ceramic bridge I picked up at the big box, supposedly it will grow longer/bigger, we shall see.

Hi all. So. As I said I ended up keeping the Flex. I was waiting on the aftermarket part shipment before set up and an aquarium sculpture from Etsy (I like to support small business AND artists, the sculpture is the tall center piece in the pics to follow). I set it up on my days off this week. First the tank. I built a new sponge filter from coarse sponge I got from ACO, it was not thick enough so I just doubled up and zip tied them (it's what I had on hand and it worked). I cut slits for the other media, bio rings, Seachem Matrix and some crushed coral. The stock holder to put the sponge in and pull it out works fine on what I rigged up. I can see where the fine sponge the tank comes with could become an issue. Glad to those of you who pointed it out. The aftermarket parts are great, I ended up though leaving the stock intake grate that's at the top, in for now-better flow- but I used the more narrow grate for the bottom. I added an aftermarket low flow spray bar and that really seems to keep the flow to a tolerable level for my Betta's future home. I also added from the same shop the feeder hole cover (I won't be feeding from it more than likely anyway), a black Betta tunnel that is really unnoticeable at the waterline which is cool and a floating feeder ring. I changed my Betta's 3 gallon filter and put the dirty one in the tank (now it's in the back, which is why I like tanks like this so much, not a lot of visual clutter.) Deep Caribsea substrate. Found some decent spiderwood pieces and a real granite "tea light" holder now aquarium cave. I stole Bacopa, Narrow leaf Java and a sad Amazon (hoping it will come back to me in this tank) from my other tanks. Bought a little more Bacopa, Windelov Java, a moss bridge and an Anubias Nana. The aftermarket parts are great and they worked seamlessly with the tank. I of course ended up getting a manual timer for it and have messed with the lights only a little. I actually think the plants are going to do ok with the LEDs they have on it stock and it won't be too bright for the fish. The attached pics are with the bright whites for the pictures but I've found adding the orange to the white tones it down some and makes the colors in the plants/decor pop. I'm hoping when the lights come back on in the morning that's how it will look- Fluval says that it should come back on with the last light setting used. We. Shall. See. It's also super quiet. I'm really enjoying it so far, it's a beautiful tank. Thanks to all who helped here! @SheWhoConquers @mountaintoppufferkeeper @Beardedbillygoat1975 @Stef @KAYLON.NICHOLS @James Black @BriannesFishFam

Polyfilter is great to have on hand even if poor sad bowl doesn't pull out of this slump. Was this a bowl INTENDED for fish?? I wonder if it's crystal, which would mean there is lead in the glass. Most crystal intended for human use usually has either negligible lead or since you're not really intended to store liquid in it is safe enough for a dinner party. Lead crystal decorations however would probably have higher than normal lead content, meant to make the glass/crystal look clearer, more prismatic and beautiful, but over time would leach lead into liquid. I can't think of anything else that should be causing all these issues for you. I know you bought the bowl on amazon right?

Funny thing for me, I recently took some from my Mum's African Dwarf Frog tank that I set up for her to add to my Betta's tank. I thought it looked amazing. SHE, however, HATED IT. She acted funny/stressed, didn't eat as well and this was only a week. I removed every last bit of it yesterday (thankfully this is a 3 gallon tank so it's a lot easier than a larger tank), I put it in my birdbath outside.

Surprised more nerms didn't know about those pots. They've been on my wishlist a while but haven't pulled the trigger. They're not deep so can't be a plant that will need a lot of root space but they're neat. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D3GJ661/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_XC6E3HJE9XHSYBEW29VW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Oh my GOSH what is WRONG WITH PEOPLLLEEEEE!!!!! 😡 I am so glad your wife was there and kind enough to stop and check for signs of life.

He's beautiful, she's nuts!