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Sarina

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Posts posted by Sarina

    Materials Science in Reference to Aquariums

    in Photos, Videos & Journals

    Posted

    On 9/19/2023 at 12:18 PM, memorywrangler said:

    Do you know what the problem is with lapis?

    @Guppysnail is correct. Lapis lazuli dissolves in water and releases sulphur and it can also contain toxic minerals like asbestos and lead. In general, blue and green minerals/stones with a mohs hardness below 7 will usually dissolve in water and often contain asbestos, sulphur, copper, and other toxic minerals/metals.

     

    • Thanks 1

    What’s your favorite tank?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 9/18/2023 at 5:08 PM, AquaLu said:

    Im thinking reduce light source and/or introduce algae eating clean up crews may help with your concerns

    Unfortunately the reason my other tanks are in the condition they are in is because of my inability to keep up on maintenance. They are nano tanks and need pretty much constant care to stay in balance and for the plants to stay in check, and cleanup crew options are very limited. This one is 14 gallons and very low-tech, which makes it much easier to leave to its own devices and have it look awesome all the time. My physical and mental health has been poor lately, and I can't keep up on water changes or trimming. My plants are all very healthy, the tanks just don't look very good because they are rather unkempt (by my standards, anyway).

    Tips for painting 3D printed decor?

    in Experiments

    Posted

    Any non-toxic acrylic paint will be aquarium safe once fully cured, and sealing with clear krylon will ensure that it doesn't degrade super quickly. Sometimes the non-toxic acrylics aren't the best quality, so I definitely recommend a solid 2 coats of clear before it goes in your tank. 

    What’s your favorite tank?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I know I keep posting this tank but it has really developed beautifully and It's the only tank that isn't currently stressing me out with overgrown plants and hair algae 😅

    I am going to be consolidating because of recent health issues, but this one is just no drama, like ever. 

    IMG_7071.jpg

    • Like 1
    • Love 6

    Snakes keep eating my pond minnows

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I have had decent luck with granulated sulphur, however if they know that there's tasty snacks in there, they will likely push through the smell anyway. I had a few garter snakes that would consistently snack on my guppies and I ended up having to bring all of my fish inside for 2 months. Once the food source appeared to be gone, they didn't have much incentive to push past the sulphur to get into the water. 

    • Sad 1

    Emersed Vs. Submersed Aqaurium plants

    in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers

    Posted

    On 9/8/2023 at 4:45 PM, Pepere said:

    I sort of suspectif your water parameter, gh, kh, ph and nutrient levels macros, micros, co2 , lighting are the same or very close, melt would be far less than if there are significant differences.

    Most rosette type plants will experience some type of stress symptoms when transplanted not due to different conditions, but due to having their roots disturbed. Stem and rhizome plants are much more resistant to transplant stress because they rely far less on their root structure. 

    • Like 1

    Emersed Vs. Submersed Aqaurium plants

    in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers

    Posted

    Most plants are grown emersed at farms, so you usually don't have much choice in the matter unless you're getting them from another hobbyist or someone who farms plants submerged. Sumberged growing is much more time consuming and it complicates things by adding algae, water parameters, and light reduction into the mix. Emergent grown plants are much easier to farm on a large scale. 

    In my experience, even sumberged grown plants experience some melt when transplanted. 

    • Like 4

    Major ph confusion

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    In my experience the main reason tap water will increase in pH after a day or so is due to dissolved CO2 in the water. Adding it to your tank will increase the dissolved oxygen and decrease the dissolved CO2, naturally raising the pH. 

    I will also note that with a KH of 80ppm doesn't necessarily mean that you will have low pH, it just means that your pH is more stable. Other minerals present can affect pH that will not affect your KH number. Dissolved oxygen also tends to raise pH, so if your tank is well oxygenated this can also affect that number. 

    I would recommend not chasing pH. Domestic bettas are very adaptable to higher pH and unless you are seeing health problems that may be related to pH, I would not be too concerned. If you are looking to lower your pH naturally, more plants and fewer water changes can help achieve this, as plants will consume minerals in the water column over time. 

    Here is some more info on pH, GH, and KH that might be of interest. 

    I will also note that neutral regulator is a phosphate buffer, which can cause algae and bind nutrients that plants need. I would recommend discontinuing the use of that product, as well as the acid buffer. You should also assess whether your aquarium has rocks that will raise the pH over time. Anything containing lime stone will raise the GH and pH, and quite a lot of rocks contain some lime stone. 

    • Like 1

    White spots on face

    in Diseases

    Posted

    Hexamita doesn't usually form a cyst like that... I would suspect ich before HITH. It might be the result of stress, or potentially even dietary issues. 

    Just a reminder that you'll get the best help if you provide the following:

    • pH
    • Nitrates
    • Hardness
    • Nitrite
    • Ammonia
    • KH/Buffer
    • Water Temperature 

    Lighting for aquarium racks

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I would recommend looking into Barrina grow lights. They can be chained together and are pretty low power consumption while still looking good. They aren't like super great plant grow lights or anything, but they are effective and inexpensive and come in a bunch of different lengths. 

    • Like 1

    Val variety for 5 gallon

    in Plants, Algae, and Fertilizers

    Posted

    I would recommend dwarf sagittaria. It will grow taller under low lighting and will max out around 10-12 inches. Longer leaves you can trim at the bottom and it will generally only grow as tall as the next tallest leaf. This plant can take over if you're not careful, but I prefer it over val just because it is not nearly as aggressive and will stay appropriate length for smaller tanks. 

    • Like 2
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