Sarina

@Galabar Mag float is considered the best in the industry these days, I haven't seen one of the algen ones in years.

I think the closest you're going to find to something like this now is going to be a Mag-Float.

Have you tried getting fish from a different source, or quarantining outside of this tank at home? If there truly is something going on with this particular tank, a separate quarantine tank may help eliminate that possibility.

@TheDukeAnumber1 PLA is totally fine for use in aquariums as long as the application isn't structural. The problem with PLA is that it becomes brittle when exposed to any water pH higher or lower than 7.0, which means that structural components have the potential to crack and break. They usually break along the print seams, where the layers adhere to each other, as this is the weakest point in the structure and not all layers will adhere equally. There is also a lot of major differences in quality with 3D printing filament, and since this is a blanket resource with no specific brands, it's safer if I just advise people stay away from it for structural stuff. It would likely be okay for 2-3 years, but for most of us that keep tanks going long-term, that can pose an issue if we have a component suddenly break. I have seen PLA parts used to convert/modify bulkhead elements under pressure, and that's kind of the danger zone you want to stay away from with that material. Anything that could potentially cause a lot of water to end up on the floor needs to be made out of a different material. For decorative items, or items that won't ever be under significant water pressure, PLA is an inexpensive and easy-to-work with choice for 3D printing aquarium accessories. I hope that clears things up 🙂

This will be an ongoing journal of my materials science knowledge related to aquariums. Questions welcome. Please alert me of any errors or new science that I am unaware of, I am always open to learning and updating my knowledge! My credentials: ~Certification of completion in Composites Materials Science from Lake Washington Technical College ~5+ years of experience in the fields of woodworking and composites fabrication ~63 credits of materials science and chemistry courses at various technical/higher education institutions ~9+ years of experience as a hobbyist fabricator Glass and silicone Glass and silicone are unique materials, and are oddly similar in chemical properties in spite of their very different physical properties. Both materials have a molecular structure known as a siloxane bond, made up of silica and oxygen. The most important thing to note about siloxane bonds is that they are very strong. Materials made with these bonds are resistant to chemical degradation, extreme temperatures, and even radiation. Because glass is so chemically resistant, it is very difficult to glue together with materials that do not share a similar molecular structure. This is why silicone is our go-to glue for aquariums. Even though Silicone is the most effective glue, it still is not perfect and degrades at a very fast rate in comparison to glass. This is because in order to maintain the flexible physical properties that silicone is known for, it contains organic (carbon atom) compounds that can change certain physical properties about it. The organic compounds found in silicone can alter its shore hardness (how firm the silicone is), its UV resistance, heat resistance, and whether or not it remains a liquid or cures into a solid. It should be noted that silicone that cures into a solid does so thorough a chemical reaction, and once it is cured it is very non-reactive. This type of polymer is called a "thermosetting" polymer. Polymers that can be melted into a reactive/liquid state again are called "thermoplastic" polymers. There are other factors that can be affected as well, however these are the most obvious and useful to us in this hobby. Because silicone degrades much faster than glass, is so chemically resistant, and is only in a reactive state when it is first applied, old silicone does not stick to new silicone. This is why when an aquarium needs to be re-sealed, you cannot just scrape the inside bead and put a new one down, you must take apart the entire tank and scrape off every tiny bit of old silicone and rebuild the whole thing with fresh, new silicone. Any old silicone that remains stuck to the glass will create a potential path for water to escape, and so will any material that prevents the silicone from adhering to the glass. It is advised to wear gloves and clean the glass panels thoroughly with alcohol, as even oils from your fingers can disrupt the silicone's adhesion to the glass. One of the most common myths I see about aquarium silicone is that chemicals and medications can seep into the silicone and then leech into the aquarium water later on down the road. This is untrue, silicone is incredibly resistant to chemical penetration due to the siloxane bonds. What can happen is silicone separating from the glass in certain places, and things getting stuck in those spots where it can't easily be cleaned. It is also likely that certain chemicals have leeched into the lid and upper frame of the aquarium, and evaporation/condensation washes those chemicals back into the water. Filtration equipment can also be made of more porous plastics, making chemical contamination a higher risk for those items. Plastics PVC Thermoplastic. Can be glued using several types of adhesives that include solvents. Generally safe for aquarium use. Can release chlorine gas if heated, heat bending requires proper ventilation, do not melt. ABS Thermoplastic. Can be glued using solvents. Generally safe for aquarium use. Heat bends very easily, but melting can release toxic fumes. Great 3D printing material for aquariums, but requires proper ventilation. Can be used for structural components as it does not break down as quickly as other 3D printing materials. Acrylic Thermoplastic. Can be glued with solvents and UV epoxy. Two kinds, extruded and cast. Cast acrylic is much stronger because the crystalline structure is allowed to form naturally. Cast acrylic is stronger, visually clearer, and more heat and chemically resistant. This means that extra care needs to be taken when gluing and polishing cast acrylic. Extruded acrylic is forced through a die, so it is more consistent in thickness, but it is structurally weaker and less visually clear when compared to cast acrylic. Popular choice for aquarium building due to high clarity and strength, but needs more structural support due to being less rigid than glass. Hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water over time. This can cause bowing, overall degradation, and weakens the crystalline structure over time. Does not make a good aquarium lid in spite of fantastic light transmission, due to the tendency to bow from hygroscopic absorption. Scratches easily, meaning it may need regular surface restoration to maintain clarity over time. Cleaning algae can be difficult Acrylic is susceptible to something called "crazing" which is a crackled appearance along the surface of the plastic. This happens when the crystalline structures of the plastic are broken down by chemical, heat, and/or UV exposure. Crazing cannot be repaired, so tanks with this type of damage are to be avoided at all costs. Crazing weakens the structural integrity of the plastic and makes it more brittle, a crazed area of acrylic can spontaneously burst under pressure, or crack if impacted the wrong way. Bonus: Acrylic paints All basic acrylic paints, including aerosols, will be aquarium safe once cured. Polycarbonate/lexan Thermoplastic. Very impact resistant and much higher chemical resistance compared to acrylic. Chemical resistance makes this plastic difficult to glue with solvent, or any other material. Not as visually clear as acrylic, but allows light to pass through just as well. PLA Thermoplastic. A popular choice for 3D printing, non toxic and very predictable. Made with plant-derived polymers, so this material breaks down faster when exposed to water. Parts made with PLA should not be structural, but filtration upgrades, decor, backgrounds, etc are fine. Can be glued with solvents. PETG Thermoplastic. Lesser-known 3D printing material. Aquarium safe and does not degrade as quickly as PLA, but is more affected by chemical, temperature, and oxidative stresses than ABS. Can be clear, makes excellent custom tubing. You can purchase "PC cooling tubing" and heat bend it to create your own intake and outflow for filtration. Polyester resin Thermoplastic. Not recommended for aquarium use unless sealed. Polyester resin is a thermoplastic that cures by quickly evaporating the solvent that melted it with a catalytic additive. This solvent can continue to leech from the plastic for a very long time. Not as UV resistant as other materials. Can be glued with solvents. UV cure resin Thermoset. Aquarium safe once cured. Great for gluing applications, but degrades over time with exposure to UV. Cannot be glued with solvents. Two part epoxy resin/putty Thermoset. Comes in a variety of colors, clarities, and hardnesses. Aquarium safe unless it contains additives are not aquarium safe. Some epoxy putties are impregnated with metallic compounds to increase weight and strength, these should not be used in aquariums. Some can be applied and cured under water without harming aquatic life. Cannot be glued with solvents. Polyethylene Thermoplastic. Extremely chemically resistant, so this material cannot be glued with solvents. Used to create fittings and other various aquarium components that need high strength and high chemical resistance. This type of plastic is used frequently to make power head and filter impeller blades. Can be heat formed, but only with proper ventilation as melting this plastic will create toxic fumes. Can only be heat-welded using special equipment. Styrene/polystyrene Thermoplastic. Brittle, degrades quickly, very cheap. This type of plastic is what foam packing peanuts and foam padding is made of. Can be clear, but does not have good visual clarity. Can be glued with solvents. Produces toxic fumes when melted, not recommended for heat forming. Concrete/cement Cement is the powdered stuff used to make concrete. These two materials are often conflated, but this is similar to conflating flour and cake. Cement is a mixture of Lime, silica, alumina, magnesia, sulfur trioxide, iron oxide, and calcium sulfide. Cement can be mixed with a number of different aggregates to achieve different textures, strengths, and appearances. The typical concrete mix is made up of roughly 10% cement, 20% air and water, 30% sand, and 40% gravel. This is known as the 10-20-30-40 rule. Concrete will harden water and raise pH, as it contains lime. Coating concrete with a surface treatment will prevent this. Drylok masonry paint is a popular choice, but acrylic paint, pond sealant, and liquid flex seal are also great options. Foam There are two types of foam, open-cell, and closed-cell. Open cell foam is the foam that allows water and air to pass through it. Closed-cell foam is impermeable and is commonly used in gap filling, waterproofing, and insulation. Almost all foam that does not degrade in water is safe for aquariums. Great Stuff foam is commonly used for 3D aquarium backgrounds as it is a cheaper alternative to the Pond and Stone variety, but is nearly the same material. General purpose urethane foams must be used with caution, however most are stable and safe when cured. Latex foams are not recommended, see section on latex below. Other stone/rock products Most stone and rock is safe for aquariums unless there is a high metallic content. Rocks containing lime will raise pH, KH, and GH, but are not toxic. Quartz-based rocks are mostly safe, especially clear crystalline quartz. The vinegar test is a great way to tell if a rock may contain lime. To perform the vinegar test, drip some vinegar in one spot on a rock you wish to test. If you notice any fizzing, or any sort of reaction, the rock contains calcium carbonate and will affect the water chemistry of the aquarium. Crystals and stones that are known to be toxic to aquatic life include, but are not limited to: Malachite Azurite Chalcopyrite Lapis Lazuli Turquoise Chrysocolla Lepidolite Actinolite Amazonite Angelite Garnet Hematite Labradorite Lodestone Pyrite Serpentine Tiger's Eye Unakit Cinnebar Chalcanthite Stibnite Torbernite Latex, urethane, and other rubbers Latex Latex is a natural rubber, derived from the rubber tree. It is one of the few rubbers that is 100% biodegradeable. Due to its high biodegradability, latex is not recommended for use in aquariums. The breakdown of this rubber can cause algae outbreaks. Urethane Urethane rubbers are typically used in tires, they are high strength, however they tend to oxidize and degrade quite quickly. Because of how quickly they degrade and how chemically reactive their makeup is, urethane rubbers are not considered aquarium safe. Vinyl rubbers Most vinyls are inert once formed/cured, and are safe for aquariums. Lots of airline tubing is made out of vinyl. Wood Most non-aromatic hardwoods are aquarium safe when fully dry. Aromatic hardwoods may still be used if they are properly seasoned and all aromatics/resins are oxidized/degraded. This process can take many years. To be the most safe, avoid coniferous/aromatic species as these can sometimes take much longer to cure fully and aromatics can be toxic in an enclosed ecosystem. Conifers like pine will leak resins long after being dried, which makes them absolutely unusable in an aquarium. Woods that cannot be used in aquariums are those that are too soft and which rot too quickly, causing a decomposition overload that the closed ecosystem of an aquarium. You can "cure" collected driftwood by leaving it in the sun on dry days when the outdoor humidity is less than 60%. Most Aquarium driftwood is kiln-dried, but the outdoor sun will work just as well. It is possible to build a solar kiln to dry driftwood, however there is a fire risk to be aware of and size/cost limitations may make this unreasonable. Examples of hard woods that are known to be safe include, but are not limited to: Mopani Azalea Ash Apple Cherry Basswood Beech Cholla Elm Oak Hawthorne Madrone Malaysian Manzanita Mesquite Pear Rosewood (Dalbergia spp) Birch Sycamore Alder Bogwood Examples of woods that are not recommended for aquariums include, but are not limited to: Grape vine Horse Chestnut Yew Walnut Pine Spruce Ivy Lilac Cypress Willow I know I have forgotten some things on this list, and if you have suggestions please let me know and I will add them as long as I'm confident in my knowledge of the material. Fin

@schmofam your fridge probably has a catalytic carbon filter in it like mine does. That's likely what's pulling the ammonia out.

Please email us at shipping@aquariumcoop.com and if you can, include a short video of the problem you're experiencing. If this isn't something we can troubleshoot, we will go ahead an start the warranty process.

@Galabar I don't know if I believe that just yet, in my experience shrimp don't eat a ton of algae, they mainly eat the biofilm on the surface of the algae, or consume decaying algae. I still put my faith in my Flagfish buddies. They do some pretty incredible work in my tanks.

@Galabar Yes I believe you can

This shrimp, as far as I know, is uncategorized and very new to the hobby. They are considered a "false amano shrimp" and have been mistaken for amanos in the past. They do seem to be a different species that comes from a different region. I asked a few shrimp experts and according to them there is no assigned scientific name for these shrimp yet.

@lefty o I think this could have been left unsaid. This thread was about being prepared so that you might have the chance to save your pets, which can help alleviate the anxiety we all feel when events like this occur. Just as a general rule of thumb, if you have to say "not to be mean" you probably shouldn't make the comment in the first place.

I want to second this, and also mention that if you have pets that need to go into carriers for transport, make sure that you train them for that instance in the event you need to make a quick escape. The last thing you want to be doing during an emergency is fighting to get your pet into their carrier, or having them run away from you when the carrier comes out.

@Guppysnail you were right to tag me, it’s Red Pagoda Stone 😉

A single male will be fine by himself. He may annoy his tankmates trying to breed with them, but such is the nature of livebearers. They aren't the brightest species, but I adore them all the same lol. @HelplessNewbie I just re-read your original post, I would absolutely not recommend adding a betta in with any type of livebearers, especially males. They are too flashy and too annoying, it will not be a good experience for you. She will either get too stressed from being harassed by the males trying to breed, or go on a murder spree, depending on her personality. Bettas and livebearers are just not compatible in my experience, especially if you're new to the hobby.

@HelplessNewbie I would recommend rethinking the male/female ratio. You usually don't want to keep fewer females than males, the males will harass them to death. If you aren't interested in breeding stick with males only. If you have females, you will end up with babies, and they tend to not eat their own fry. Just for perspective my 55g tote regularly had hundreds of fry at any one time. I started with 5 adults.

It definitely includes the sword, I bred wild type swordtails for a few years and my largest male was just under 6" from nose to tip of sword. I wish wilds were more common, and that I hadn't given mine up. They're hard to find and I definitely prefer them to the smaller line bred ones I see in retail stores now.

The biggest issue with using Easy Carbon to address algae long-term is that it is just one tool, it doesn't address the cause of the algae, it just weakens it and allows you to get rid of it faster. Easy Carbon should ideally be one facet of correcting an algae problem, while you address the imbalance that is causing the algae in the first place. This is essentially the most simplified version of the balance you are trying to maintain in your planted aquarium: When one of these things is out of balance and your plants are not using what is available to them, you end up with algae. In my opinion, small amounts of algae are normal and healthy for aquariums. As long as the algae is not out competing your plants for nutrients, or taking over your tank, I would just leave it alone. You could certainly try Easy Carbon, but keep in mind that some plants may be sensitive to it. I do keep a bottle on hand pretty much all the time, however I don't usually use it as part of my regular dosing routine.

For fungus I would recommend Ich-X over Maracyn, unless you think it's columnaris, in which case I would recommend the use of both. There's an article that goes into more detail about this here. Fungal meds like Ich-X are commonly used to protect eggs from fungus, so that should be safe. I cannot say for sure if Maracyn is safe, however I personally think you have a responsibility to put your adult fish over the eggs. Imo you can always get another batch of eggs from your fish, but your breeding colony members are not as easily replaced.

In my experience tiger lotus can come in a wide variety of colors, and some just don't have the red color that we are used to seeing. Some will show more red under higher lighting, and some will be pure green with red speckles. I have one outside in a pond that is basically solid green aside from one or two speckled leaves that it throws every once in a while. It's just the way that plant is, it's under full sun for 3 hours a day and it's still not red. You can sometimes encourage red growth with high light and CO2, and low nitrates, but this isn't a guarantee. If the genetics of the plant don't contain the proper variegation, you aren't likely to get the bright red leaves, but they will probably show some nice bronze/orange tones. You can certainly train your plant to stay low, but again, that usually requires higher lighting to maintain long-term. I've been keeping tiger lotus plants for a long time, and honestly all of the plants I have ever kept are a little different, and they can change over time, as well. They are super interesting plants, even if they don't turn as red as you might like.

@pcc The main reason that we stopped selling anubias is because we were having terrible problems with anubias rot from a variety of different suppliers. Cory actually talked about this in a recent live stream, start from 1:16:05ish. Whenever a plant has a high refund/replace rate, we have to reassess if it's something we want to continue to stock. It's not a great experience for the customer to buy a plant and then have it rot away to nothing a couple of weeks later, and it's not great for business to have to constantly be replacing/refunding a certain plant due to a disease we don't know a lot about. Cory is still working on getting Anubias back in stock, but based on what I'm hearing from other stores and suppliers, it's not just ACO that's having issues, it's everyone. I hope that helps clear things up, let me know if you have more questions.

I have kept Scarlet badis alone and in groups, and the one down side to keeping them alone is the fact that the males don't color up as much when they don't have another male to spar with. Unfortunately it's hard to keep a colony of them because females are few and far between in the aquarium hobby, their natural behavior when being collected causes this to happen. Female scarlet badis will run and hide when they feel a threat coming, males will defend their territory. This means that when a human approaches with a catch net, the females are long gone by the time the males are scooped up. That being said, in a 10 gallon I would recommend only keeping one, and I would recommend setting your tank up and letting it run for 3-4 months before adding any fish. If you can, seed it with daphnia, cyclops, seed shrimp, black worms, detritus worms, even planaria, and any other small live foods you can think of and feed a little bit of flake or powder food daily to let the populations just explode. I would also encourage you to plant this tank very heavily. This will give your scarlet badis plenty of live foods to eat while you work on getting him to eat prepared foods. Mine ate Repashy Spawn and Grow as well as frozen daphnia, but I also had cultures of live foods that I fed pretty regularly. Repashy in its powder form works great because they will pick it off the substrate and it will also help feed the live foods that exist in the tank naturally. Your other fish will appreciate the presence of live foods, as well 😊 I know it's a long time to wait for a tank to establish, but I promise watching a scarlet badis hunt live seed shrimp is well worth the wait.

I actually have a list! I'd recommend keeping only 1 species in the 4 gallon, and a minimum of 5 in a group of any of the tetra species. Most small fish will jump, even if they're not known for it, so it's recommended to have a lid. Killifish are well known for jumping, so choosing one of those will definitely require a lid. -Least killifish -Norman's lampeye killifish -Clown killifish -Green neon tetra (much hardier and a bit smaller than regular neons, but still very brightly colored!) -Scarlet Badis -White cloud mountain minnow -Any ricefish, there are lots of different colors -Ember tetras -Chili rasbora -Endlers livebearer (male only bachelor tank) -Celestial pearl danio -Pygmy corydoras -Neocaridina shrimp -Amano shrimp -Honey gourami -Betta

@Guppysnail happy to help! I think people believe that soft=porous, but with silicone that is far from the truth. I've done a lot of composites and materials science work in the past and if I had actually finished college I would have ended up with a minor in materials science. If you ever have questions about certain materials, let me know!

@Guppysnail This is incorrect. Silicone is very chemically resistant, which is why it makes such a great sealant and why it is used so often in automotive applications. Silicone forms what is referred to as siloxane bonds, which are incredibly strong chains of silicon and oxygen. These bonds are hard to break and very non-reactive, and will only stick to other siloxane bonds. Glass is also made out of siloxane bonds, which is why it can be glued with silicone and why the two materials appear totally different, but share certain chemical properties such as high heat and corrosion resistance. Copper does not absorb into silicone. It may, however, absorb into the more porous plastic of the filter in this situation. @Anjum There is a product called Cuprisorb that is made to absorb copper, and it's reusable. If it turns out your tank does have elevated copper levels, Cuprisorb should help. It's unlikely that the tank itself is the culprit, but the filter certainly could be.

Most of my tanks are way less level than that 😂 Framed tanks are generally safer than frameless if they're slightly out of level. You should be okay with the readings you show in the photos.