nabokovfan87

I have a hand saw "finishing saw" is what it's technically called. The easiest way is a ban saw. I use a straight up terrible pair of scissors and it's more about technique than anything specific. There's a channel on one end (U shaped) and then on the other end you have a longer piece that is only one layer thick. I mark off the cuts, trim the thinner section up to the U portion. At this point you can bring in something stronger, side cutters might work best here if you have the right teeth on them. I take my cheapo scissors and slowly grind the plastic against the edge back and forth. Once I get about halfway through I just muscle it. Once you get it cut, you can use the scissors and take off the fine edges. If you want to remove sharp edges you can rub it on a rock, concrete, or use sandpaper to smooth it out. I've also seen people use this same technique but use an exacto blade or use a razor blade.

yeah, that's the one. very unfortunate.

I completely understand that. I prefer prime over all the others. Every formula adds it's own little bit to the formula but they all "work" so to speak. Some add aloe vera for slime coat, other have additives to bind metals (I don't think they all do this). There has been hobbyists saying that prime won't let your tank "achieve the full cycle" when you're looking for anaerobic pockets or bcb baskets or other methods. I have never had issues using prime at all, ever. I know there are times when you need to use something else, especially some meds, that's the only reason to have something else on hand. This is noted on some medications, other may be affected but not noted, causing a lot of confusion. Here's an article on the topic:

I randomly found a 1/8 tsp that I use for safe. So I end up doing a % of that 1/8 tsp I need depending what tank it's for. If you're treating for ammonia as apposed to water conditioner it's a much higher dose. https://www.amazon.com/RSVP-Endurance-Stainless-Measuring-8-Teaspoon/dp/B003FIF80Q/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=1%2F8+tsp&qid=1658390449&sr=8-2 https://www.amazon.com/Measuring-Stainless-Smidgen-Kitchen-Cooking/dp/B09ST488G5/ref=sr_1_3?crid=138FEW74VCNUX&keywords=1%2F16+tsp&qid=1658390505&sprefix=1%2F16+tsp%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-3

I can't find the MSDS sheet for pretty much anything brightwell. It might be worth the effort to email them and ask for it. From their website: As for prime: Brightwell looks to be pretty specific for use with reefs / saltwater because of extra "stuff" it isolates.

I would start by verifying your PH before you decide. 1. Take a sample of water from the tap, test KH, GH, PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates 2. Aerate that same sample for 24 hours with an airstone and retest. This would be your actual water chemistry after off-gassing. 3. Compare results from #2 to your tank.

I would give them at least 24 hours before you do anything. A lot of times people will recommend to observe for a week and then treat. If you're doing the med trio, this is a different situation and you're essentially letting the fish "soak" in the meds so to speak as a preventative treatment and not an active treatment (active being, following the directions on the packages). yes you can use general cure in place of paracleanse. The only other thing you might consider adding is typically aquarium salt. @Guppysnail How would you handle this?

That's correct. There is a lot of misinformation. There was a REALLY good source I was following, I'll try to find it. At the bottom of the page it links to a few sources. Be sure to click through to those as well. Once of them is in french, but use google translate, no issues. https://gabhar.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/breeding-amano/

no you really don't need to worry. I run a pretty strong filter with very strong flow and they swim around with no issues. Especially towards the lights. I have them constantly in my 29G tank that have 4-5 females. If anything, it's a source of food for fish, but in a shrimp only tank it won't cause any harm at all. In freshwater you have about 3-4 days I believe to move them to brackish water. In the brackish tank I had an airstone and the light, nothing else. I wasn't successful with growth because I didn't have a viable food source for them. Rotifers of some kind was what they need and I tried feeding frozen. As far as air, there are some reports of the developing zoes getting air trapped in their shell and then they can't swim. I think the way to alleviate this was to make sure you didn't have too fine of a bubble on your air stone. correct. You'll see the little zoes swimming around in the water. They are released in the current, then flow down river towards the ocean inlet to feed. and yes, that's a real amano.

I don't use the liquid anymore so my testing setup is literally a towel and a flashlight and a can of strips. I found this... will definitely buy one whenever I end up having a test setup like yours again. https://www.amazon.com/Hand-Made-customised-Including-Tililly-Concepts/dp/B01AS7PBYE/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1L87MWCH8YUXM&keywords=aquarium+test+tube+holder&qid=1658383089&sprefix=aquarium+test+tube+holde%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-3 Was it this one? ^^

Here is a brief article on the topic. https://www.2hraquarist.com/blogs/light-3pillars/6500k-is-best

oooof. I'm so glad my unfilled tank that's on hold is not outside. I can't even imagine.

I have the same issue. It's real dumb.

looks like part of the pattern of the fish some online have those as well. Here's an example.

pretty much.... it's going to depend on how many you get. More of them means they will be a bit more confident in how they behave. They like to have cover. mine are literally out all the time. I have ~30 pandas and 5-10 of them are shoaling all the time, all day long. I see them checking out the wood and looking for food all the time. Your scape is good for corydoras in the sense that they have room. That being said, they don't have cover. The plants would provide that for them and you'll always see them. You can check out the photos of my tank in my journal and it'll be similar in behavior to that tank. The other tank I have has red lava rock with mopani over it (creating the cover) and that's where the panda corys are at. agreed.

Yep. Once you find the actual part number used by marineland, aqueon, or tetra, etc. you'll have a much easier time. I have the marineland rear trim and it lists all the sizes and glass needed. Depending on the tank you have, it'll be a different glass thickness and it would be a different cut on the trim itself. (they start with the same piece, 2-3 variations, then trim parts off depending on what tank it goes on)

check out the last stream with Cory on Steanfott aquatics. They were discussing the co-op light and when it'll be out, features, etc.

You can trim the roots, move it, and that will encourage new roots to grow and spread out. You can also potentially pot it and then that would contain the roots, if that's your main concern.

I wish this was the case for me. Walls suck in the new house 😞 seeing 90's here is "a cooler day"

Panda Corys and plenty of other varieties of corys are perfect to go with swordtails. Both of them like cooler water.

Ramp up/down just meaning a "slow progression" in either direction. Some fish get really spooked if the lights just turn on. Plecos is a good example of this. They might run into the glass or hardscape and injure themselves. Essentially the slow ramp allows the fish to acclimate to lighting windows and become adapted to the brightness instead of a harsh beam all of a sudden.

Ah didn't realize you needed it rigid, I thought it was to hang something from the ceiling. The other common thing that might be relevant is called piano wire. It's stainless steel wire prior to heat treat or anything like that. This is what a lot of springs are made out of. It comes in different diameters, making it easier or less easy to cut. This I link just as an example. It says "high carbon steel" which would leech some iron and rust over time. Others would be made out of the material you need, just something to always double check under that nomenclature. https://www.amazon.com/Music-Wire-032-Diameter-Long/dp/B002WXGIHC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2STYNFW7KQJSK&keywords=piano+wire&qid=1658352770&sprefix=piano%2Caps%2C432&sr=8-5 Someone suggested plant weights (I really need some!) That's probably the easiest way to get it done.

I just set it ON the top of the sponge filter. Wherever you have flow.

I go by the pump GPH and it's either 4-5x turnover per hour or it's 10x GPH turnover. I can't remember which. 29G tank currently, tidal 55, the pump is rated for.... 250 GPH ---> about 9x turnover. Again, the biggest thing here is buy the bigger filter, make sure you can finely tune the flow itself. Aquaclears have pretty terrible flow control in my user experience. for comparison, here's the "small" tidal which is the most difficult of them to adjust the flow. Still works well. the others have a larger dial so it's easier to have fine control.

You mean you were trying to take a photo of the ram and you got distracted by the snails and now you have to go back and take one of the ram!