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tonyjuliano

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Everything posted by tonyjuliano

  1. Located these… Early generation HOB… Siphon fed intake, needs air for return, so this air pump… Both items are period appropriate (early 1970’s). I’m thinking of just utilizing for “cosmetic” purposes. Both will be backed up with modern equipment, which will be hidden away.
  2. Bunsen burner… 🤫 Don’t tell my insurance company.
  3. I want to replace it with low iron glass. Also, need to add a pane to the bottom. Modern silicone doesn’t adhere to slate sufficiently. Tank was originally sealed with asphalt derivative, like most metaframe tanks were, and I don’t trust it, even though it currently seems to hold water.
  4. Made a nice little score on Craigslist today… Vintage, slate-bottom metaframe aquarium - 30 gallons - with original stand, for 20 bucks! Its a little rough, and is going to need a complete overhaul, but it’s pretty much a carbon copy of the first tank I ever owned as a kid (mine was only 10 gals. though). It actually holds water and doesn’t leak, but I’m going to replace all the glass anyway. It will be easier to clean up the frame this way. Planning on using it for a Betta Sorority based tank, with as much “period appropriate” stuff that I can find.
  5. Both rainbow shiners and white clouds are primarily cold water species that enjoy moderate current levels, and relatively hard water. Betta’s prefer warm, still & soft water, so it not a choice I would make.
  6. It’s simply this. If you think that growing healthy plants in a freshwater environment is challenging, it’s more challenging growing healthy live corals. Lighting is important in a planted fresh water tank, but infinitely more crucial in marine. If maintaining water chemistry is complicated on the freshwater side, it’s more complex with a marine environment. If fish choices are difficult, the same applies. There are just so many more variables to stay on top if in the saltwater world, and many “tight” requirements. And then of course, there are the dollars involved. More equipments is required, and that dedicated equipment is more expensive. Everything is more expensive, the corals, the fish, the chemistry, just everything. But if you are looking for a challenge, and have the requisite time and desire to devote to it, then it can be very rewarding too.
  7. Just like all other aerobic organisms, normal cellular function, is a pretty big “use”. From the first paragraph of THIS , peer reviewed scientific paper… ”Aerobic bacteria require oxygen for survival.” ”The obligate aerobes that compulsorily require oxygen for deriving energy, growth, reproduction, and cellular respiration. These organisms do not survive in the absence of oxygen”
  8. Ok, let’s clear up some things… First, what is your source of ammonia for the attempted fish-less cycle? Second, what is the actual ammonia reading, and what method are you using to measure it. The dark stained water is from tannins being contributed by the piece of wood, did you boil it before placement? In any case, this will not affect the cycling, or lack there of. As for the frogbit, it’s not “getting fried”, but is showing signs of potassium deficiency, very common.
  9. Not directly. What I mean is this… They will affect the water chemistry itself, but not the reading on the strip.
  10. I’m going to restate my objection to the wisdom of this approach, but not belabor the point. My whole assertion was more to do with its effectiveness and the possibility of interrupting the normal nitrification process. But you can also cause harm, due to oxygen deprivation, by “over-dosing” with Prime. Even Seachem states this… https://seachem.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001450473-FAQ-Is-it-possible-to-overdose-Seachem-Prime-
  11. Starved of a food source (ammonia in this case) for a year, not deprived of oxygen. Most organisms (humans included) can survive an extended period of time without nutrition. But very few can survive without oxygen, aerobic bacteria included.
  12. I’ve seen this before when there is a layer of biofilm on the surface. Snails love that stuff.
  13. Not everyone on this forum is anonymous. My name is actually Tony Juliano. Are you not HH Morant? Not a problem for me in this kind of venue. But, in my mind, posting on an Internet forum is much different than writing an article (many, actually) without stating who the author is, and also not attributing the work of others you cite in that article. Then when readers actually question attribution, and you refuse? Not a precedent that should inspire confidence.
  14. I usually preface my comments with “in my opinion” or “it is my experience”, but in this case I can state emphatically… No! The beneficial bacteria we know as responsible for the nitrification process require oxygen to survive. They are called “aerobic” bacteria for a reason. Definition of aerobic? “relating to, involving, or requiring free oxygen.” Want a peer reviewed scientific paper that states this? Happy reading… https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/aerobic-bacterium
  15. Fish-in cycling can be relatively safe and certainly effective (in the old days it’s all we really knew how to do it!). The point I was trying to make was that it’s my opinion that this method is best left to experienced fish keepers, who can usually pull this off with no casualties. But, in the end, it doesn’t really matter whether you have much expertise or not. Fish-less cycling puts no fish at risk, the same cannot be said for the alternative.
  16. This is exactly why I made this statement… Good call! But in fairness to @Nirvanaquatics, some of the “converted” substance is ammonium, just not all of it. Seachem will not elaborate on the intricacies of the whole process, just stating that ammonium is one of the results.
  17. The plastic card is the only thing I’ll use on the interior my acrylic tanks. As for the outside (glass or acrylic), I have a DIY formula… 4oz distilled white vinegar 4oz RODI or distilled water 1oz 90% isopropyl alcohol 2-3 drops original Dawn dishwashing liquid (the “plain old” stuff, no anti-bacterial or scented) Mix it all up in a spray bottle, and it performs better than any commercially available alternative, IMO.
  18. I’d like to see one too. But there are not a lot of scientifically peer reviewed articles dealing with a commercially developed product intended for sale solely to hobbyists. In fact, I’ve never seen any that fit this description, nor will you find one independently commissioned by the manufacturer itself. The advice I gave is based on my own experience and empirical testing, plus years of exposure to the intricacies of waste management and reduction during my professional career. Although the information on that website supports my assertions, I would caution anyone relying on postulations from this particular source. The owner/author refuses to identify himself (citing “privacy concerns”) when he has been questioned about the veracity of any of his claims. In my opinion, if someone makes statements of fact - only while shielded in a cloak of anonymity - then those assertions should be taken very lightly.
  19. This… And this… You would more than likely have to go weeks (as opposed to hours, or even some days) without seeing much of a problem in an adequately established planted setup.
  20. Have you tried adding Prime? 😉
  21. My experienced opinion… Do as big a water change, or series of them, to reduce the nitrite. Resist the urge to treat “chemically” there is no bottled product that will permanently fix this situation, or even help without potentially causing other issues. Let the cycle establish itself on its own as much as possible. Yes, you are more than likely going to lose some fish, but given the situation, that is probably going to happen no matter what you dump in that tank.
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