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drewzero1

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Posts posted by drewzero1

  1. On 10/1/2023 at 4:54 AM, Eric R said:

    @drewzero1, how's the saltwater tank coming along?

    Sorry for the delay... I don't check in here often any more, but the tank is surviving. At the beginning of 2023 I moved everything to a 10 that I partitioned for a filter/heater/pump chamber.

    Screenshot_20240301-175042.jpg.dd1cdf37eecf7acfc3f86c036905250e.jpg

    Lost the hermit crab last summer, recently replaced it with another blue leg who has been absolutely chowing down on the algae like an absolute champ. I have been vaccilating for a long time over whether or not I'm really ready for corals but I decided I had to finally just try something and see if I (and the tank) could handle it, so to that end I added a zoanthid frag.

    IMG_20240224_172106.jpg.22b25824dd1f7dd0497ab673d89fafcc.jpg

    Still very early on that one and only time will tell if I can keep it happy, but so far it seems to be acclimating well.

    The caulerpa and aiptasia have completely disappeared. Now most of the inhabitants of the tank are tiny isopods and digitate hydroids. I also lost the molly after a while and have not repeated that experiment, but I would like to try another fish in here: probably either a watchman or neon goby, or possibly a clownfish. My ultimate goal with this tank was clownfish, but I still don't feel quite prepared enough to care for marine fish. As my kids get older and more independent I hope to have more time and energy for my aquaria again!

    80b1cd1a-3bac-41af-9d15-d81a96699369.gif.3cdb870ff800f0d991015f288943c215.gif

  2. On 5/22/2023 at 8:18 PM, tetra said:

    In your experience, was LLDW the same as normal DW? Was it a slower grower or did it just not stick like normal DW?

    After looking at the replies, I've seen that DW is a hassle and I shouldn't buy it. So then I started looking at frogbit. I saw that it consumes a lot of nitrates but they don't get out of control like DW. And it looks a lot prettier than DW, too. I won't mind getting LLDW instead of frogbit if I'm recommended to, as it looks more appealing than DW.

    This is exactly what I was going to suggest, there are lots of floaters that have the benefits of duckweed without being so invasive. I've never heard anybody complain about a dwarf water lettuce infestation in their aquarium.

     

    I had duckweed for a bit and then it all kind of died off for about a year. I found about six leaves hiding in a corner and suddenly it took over again. Now I've got to scoop it out at least weekly to give my other plants any chance at getting any light. My algae problem is solved though.

    • Like 1
  3. It's natural for them to eat them sometimes, and it's also totally natural to feel sad about it. My way of dealing with it is to minimize intervention; I don't catch out the fry, and I try not to count them, so I don't feel too much responsibility for not being able to save some. I try to help them help themselves by keeping a lot of guppy grass, java moss, and vallisneria for the fry to hide in. I also try to make sure I'm feeding them enough, but that still doesn't always prevent them from getting ideas.

  4. I started with the strips and let people talk me into the liquid kit when I ran out-- never again! Testing is much more cumbersome which means I end up doing it much less often. Chemicals and glass test tubes are just more things I have to keep out of reach of my children. The strips may be less accurate but really I just need to know if it's time for a water change or not. Most of the time now it's just easier to reach for the siphon and dechlorinator instead of going through the trouble of testing first.

    • Like 1
  5. On 2/28/2023 at 10:22 PM, BeeGryphon said:

    I work in Seattle but I live further north than Edmonds so it's a bit of a commute, and the meetings are kind of late for that kind of commute (even longer out of commuter hours) on a work night, so I likely won't be going to those. I might check out an auction though!

    Yeah, I've read a lot of things that go "Here are good snails to keep with bettas!" and then a lot of other things that go "Do not keep [those same snails] with betta!" It seems a lot with betta fish depends on the individual fish, which makes sense. I think snails, aquatic or terrestrial, are cool little dudes so I'd love to have one or two, but I definitely don't want them getting nibbled at and picked on.

    I haven't kept bettas but I've had a few of their cousins the gouramis who can be a little *ahem* snail-curious. I've had mostly positive experiences with nerite snails. They keep their tasty-looking eye stalks and feelers pretty close to their shell so they're a lot tougher target than e.g. a mystery or rabbit snail. They can't reproduce in freshwater but if you happen to get a female she might lay little sesame seed-like eggs on tank surfaces.

  6. On 2/24/2023 at 10:50 AM, CrashBandit05 said:

    Kinda on topic, maybe not haha, but at my store we have several plants in the display windows and I'll bring a jug of dirty water from my aquariums and it's called "forbidden tea" by everyone😆

    Love the "forbidden tea," gotta remember that. We use it for houseplants and I'm trying to teach my toddler (who helps with the watering) that it's "yucky water" that's good for plants and not good for people. Same thing with duckweed on his hands after he helps feed the fish 🤢

    • Haha 3
  7. On 1/6/2023 at 2:56 PM, Mynameisnobody said:

    The white cloud mountain minnow or gold form. I’d get a dozen of these in a 20 with some anubias and Java ferns. Everything will basically be bulletproof. Easy, peasy, and super enjoyable. 

    When I upgraded from a 20 long to a 40 breeder I left the 20 up, pulled out the HOB and heater, and moved in my white clouds. Upkeep has been easier than tearing down the tank would have been. Feed lightly, clean algae and change some water once a month or so, and they've been my best bang-for-buck fish. Their behavior is a bit boring compared to something more curious like livebearers or gourami, but it's hard to beat the low bioload.

    • Like 1
  8. I've used it in nearly all of my freshwater tanks, but I no longer recommend it to people because of the variability between batches and the need to rinse it so much to get the water clear. I haven't had any issues that I could pin specifically on the sand, and my banjo cats spend most of their time burrowed under it.

  9. On 1/5/2023 at 10:30 AM, Caidenh24 said:

    Here is another update: So sense last time I have had to rebuild it at least 2 times. First time I used sketchup which has no parametric modeling. So I had to remodel it and I found fusion 360 has a free version. I used that and it worked, but I did it all bad and messy, so I did it again, this time neater and now it is done. I just need to make the tube. Do any of you know the diameter for the breeder box tubes? Thanks!

    the clear image of it is how it should look maybe a bit foggier, the blue one just makes it easier to see.

    C6A80C80-0E99-4711-BDEE-F013C0CE872B.jpeg

    603B599F-4E6D-4647-AD79-167D6F0E0B66.jpeg

    The outside diameter of my breeder box's uplift tube is approximately 13.4mm or ~0.52 inches. Usually tubing is measured by the interior diameter, but I don't have that measurement handy.

    • Thanks 1
  10. On 12/28/2022 at 10:54 PM, Fish Folk said:

    Nice! My toddler is a real handful in the fish room. That's a clever gift. I think we should buy stock in fishy crackers. 

    My family also gave him a book about ocean creatures, which has been just as much a gift for me. We're enjoying looking at the pictures and naming all the fish. (Seriously, what kind of two-year-old knows what a grouper is? Love this kid!)

    • Haha 1
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  11. On 12/24/2022 at 8:57 AM, Tanked said:

    ...

    Do either of you have any idea where I would send a Hohner Chromatica for professional cleaning/repair?  Mine has sentimental value but it has been suggested that it would be far cheaper to replace it.

    Good question. I've had mine apart a few times for cleaning, and the reeds definitely could use more attention. They're out of tune but as a family heirloom I'd rather not risk messing around.

    • Like 2
  12. On 12/21/2022 at 1:11 PM, Aiden Carter said:

    It’s going to be hilarious when they make glo guppies and people will be forced to sell them

    I think they'll probably stay away from livebearers. I wouldn't be surprised to see glo rasboras at some point. Gloldfish maybe? I hope not, unless they fix their tank sizes. Glouramis? Hard to compete with the already stunning dwarf gourami though.

    On 12/21/2022 at 2:03 PM, tolstoy21 said:

    Hmmmmm . . .  then I shouldn't admit I'm getting ready to go all in on a glow-fish aquascape for my kid's room.

    Every time we go to the fish store, he asks me for glow fish and I always say "NO WAY!!!!!!'

    But recently I thought, you know, it might actually be fun to just embrace the whole glow-fish thing and go all in on the crazy plants and decorations and substrate and lights, etc. and just do it up to an extreme glow-fishiness!

    Do it! I don't love the marketing but fish are fish. I kind of almost wish my kid was obsessed with glofish rather than clownfish. I could have put some in a tank I already had. But nooo... 😆

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  13. On 12/21/2022 at 12:37 PM, SugarBassJoe said:

    Any fellow bassist/harmonicist's?

    I've forgotten what little bass I ever knew, but still play my harmonicas pretty regularly. It's my only instrument a 2 year old can easily play so they get a lot of play time from both of us. (Though he's got his own accordion now and is learning to make some noise... it's a diatonic one so it's just like playing a harmonica with your fingers.)

    Do you play any specific genres? For harmonica I tend towards old (late 19th-early 20th century) standards, and I'm trying to learn more modern rock and blues riffs. Especially bending and a bit of cross harp.

    • Like 2
  14. On 12/20/2022 at 8:09 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

    I play a few instruments. Flute, baritone horn (euphonium), guitar.  

    A secondary talent would be the ability to make a weedwhacker sound using just my mouth.  TOP THAT! 😆🤡

    I'm a band geek for life! I played alto sax and clarinet in school. On my own I also picked up ukulele, guitar, harmonica, accordion, and mandolin. (Plus just enough euphonium to be dangerous, though I've completely forgotten that now.)

    A few years ago I had the opportunity to be a background musician on my sister-in-laws' album and played accordion, harmonica, and cajon (box drum)... it was a lot of fun being in the studio but I'm not sure my performance was really worth pressing to disc. (But technically, I'm now a published musician!) Nowadays I mostly just get out my accordion and harmonicas when my toddler asks for a dance party. He has a lot of fun asking me to play different songs for him and dancing around the house, and if I practice by myself I can never think of what songs to play.

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  15. Currently four: 40 breeder molly and banjo cat community; 20 long WCMM unheated species tank; 5 gallon saltwater tank; and a 1 gallon pickle jar with cherry shrimp and my lone Endler fry.

    Ideally I'd like to get down to three again, it was a good healtthy number.

  16. On 12/16/2022 at 1:19 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

    Here is my question, why in the news video in the first link were they seemingly pouring more water on the situation?!  I feel like 26,500gal was plenty.  Were they concerned there might still be somewhere that was dry?  Was this just insult to injury?  What?!  The world may never know.

    I noticed that too. My best guess would be trying to rinse off the saltwater to avoid salt/corrosion issues, but your guess is as good as mine.

    • Like 1
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