What do you like least about maintaining an aquarium?

[Jeff]

**Only rule about this question, is you're not allowed to say water changes. That's too often the response about this hobby. It's an old bit, and it's not as bad as what most of you make it out to be anyway**

Mine is what happened today. Beginning of every month, I re-up with root tabs for all my plants. In a 10g tank packed with plants, I definitely don't look forward to it. Trying to get them in between plants that are near rocks and other plants, in a smaller area is tough. I even use the @Irene method of holding it in the middle of the root tab, and inserting at an angle. I still get ones that float up to the top. Thankfully, the ACO root tabs don't dissolve right away. 

Nonetheless, it's always water on the walls, stand, floor, everywhere. Always a huge mess, but it's for the better of the plants.

So, what's your non-water change..."I don't look forward to doing this for my tank" scenario?

 

Edited October 5, 2021 by Jeff

[Griznatch]

Catching fish in a heavily planted tank. I have a tried and true method, it's just a hassle and the fish don't like it. Second would be trimming/moving plants.

[Jeff]

@Griznatch ugh...been there. Agree...you're def not uprooting your plants to catch the fish. 

That's a good one.

[CalmedByFish]

Tedious time-consuming liquid test kits... but sometimes, you gotta have numbers closer than the strips can get. Bleh.

 

[Dwayne Brown]

Getting the suction going on the gravel cleaner without sucking in any baby or you endler's. It sucks when ONE makes its way into the opening and then have to stop the suction and let it swim out. 

[Atitagain]

On 10/4/2021 at 8:04 PM, Jeff said:

Mine is what happened today. Beginning of every month, I re-up with root tabs for all my plants. In a 10g tank packed with plants, I definitely don't look forward to it. Trying to get them in between plants that are near rocks and other plants, in a smaller area is tough. I even use the @Irene method of holding it in the middle of the root tab, and inserting at an angle. I still get ones that float up to the top

I poke a pin hole in mine with a sewing needle, just the tiniest hole will let the air out I gently squeeze as I descend.

but what I like least is, cleaning algae off of anything other than glass. ANYTHING 

[Odd Duck]

On 10/4/2021 at 7:19 PM, Griznatch said:

Catching fish in a heavily planted tank. I have a tried and true method, it's just a hassle and the fish don't like it. Second would be trimming/moving plants.

Fish trap is your friend.  The trick is finding the right bait and putting it in the right place.

On 10/4/2021 at 8:30 PM, Atitagain said:

I poke a pin hole in mine with a sewing needle, just the tiniest hole will let the air out I gently squeeze as I descend.

but what I like least is, cleaning algae off of anything other than glass. ANYTHING 

Yes.  Algae!  If I could manage to STOP OVERFEEDING it would be less of an issue.  🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️  When I control myself better my tanks magically balance.  But puffers and Bettas and cories and, and, and, are so stinking cute when they’re all rushing for the food!

Edited October 5, 2021 by Odd Duck

[Griznatch]

I catch them at night after they have been asleep for like 3 or more hours, and use a good flashlight. They are already kind of in stasis, the light freezes them in place. By the time they figure out what's up, they are in the net.  Caught a school of neons and kubotais in a fully planted 75 and 55 that way. I'd use a traps on bottom dwellers though.

[Odd Duck]

On 10/4/2021 at 10:21 PM, Griznatch said:

I catch them at night after they have been asleep for like 3 or more hours, and use a good flashlight. They are already kind of in stasis, the light freezes them in place. By the time they figure out what's up, they are in the net.  Caught a school of neons and kubotais in a fully planted 75 and 55 that way. I'd use a traps on bottom dwellers though.

Nice!  I’ve caught ember tetras out of a heavy planted tank with very random branched driftwood by using white worms as bait and propping it up on the driftwood.

[FrozenFins]

I actually like doing waterchanges, I enjoy cleaning the glass and doing the trimming. It feels satisfying when I'm done and the aquarium looks very clean!

Catching fish is a hassle, and so is testing tanks with liquad test kits. I also hate lugging buckets around and spillling water. Those are my top 3.

[lefty o]

scrubbing/scraping algae is my #1 dont care for it feature of aquariums.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@Dwayne Brownive used some filter sponge stuffed in the suction tube as well as cheese cloth put over the mouth tied with a rubber band to hold it in place - both have worked to keep Endlers and guppies out of the tube. I like the sponge best as it will collect more gunk while cleaning the substrate. 

My least favorite maintenance activity is taking apart a canister filter for routine maintenance. You’ll no doubt get mulmy poop water on something you don’t want it on. Then if a connection or a seal isn’t right late at night when you just want to go to bed it’ll blow and get more poopy water everywhere. Still for some reason I continue to buy Eheim classics and rue the day I ever found these blasted things! 

[Fonske]

Fishing the shrimp from the dirty water bucket during the process which I am not allowed to mention in this thread. My ghost shrimp are not afraid to go into the siphon at all. They are invisible over mulm unless they move. To make them move, one has to stir the water and get the dirt all over the net. Ugh. Still love my shrimp though, so it's not too bad after all :) 

[Flumpweesel]

the morning after you have just done a water change and trimmed and tidied all the plants got everything where you want it got all the root tabs in tucked the airlines neatly behind decor.  Then the next day the lights come on and you find out where the fish wanted everything, which is mainly on the surface in my case. 

 

[Guppysnail]

Hands down my least favorite task is cleaning the exchange lines in my canister filters. They flop about and nasty water get everywhere. I have had 7 reconstructive surgeries on my wrist on my dominant side. 2/3 plates did not hold leaving a non union.  This makes anything requiring hand and wrist dexterity (typing included) an amusement park ride. Cleaning the lines involves standing in the bath tub using my feet to anchor one end 🤮🤢. My bathroom needs scrubbed immediately after and then a very long hot shower. 

[ARMYVET]

On 10/5/2021 at 4:28 AM, Guppysnail said:

Hands down my least favorite task is cleaning the exchange lines in my canister filters. They flop about and nasty water get everywhere. I have had 7 reconstructive surgeries on my wrist on my dominant side. 2/3 plates did not hold leaving a non union.  This makes anything requiring hand and wrist dexterity (typing included) an amusement park ride. Cleaning the lines involves standing in the bath tub using my feet to anchor one end 🤮🤢. My bathroom needs scrubbed immediately after and then a very long hot shower. 

WOW.....That sounds like a nightmare!  I don't do any of that!!! I have 2 sets of hoses with ends on them.  When its time to clean....I take the dirty ones off and install clean ones. take the dirty ones outside drain them and spray them out with the hose and soak them in a bleach solution over night....next day rinse them thoroughly and hang to dry and wait to be switched back out.  If I had to do what you just described I would not have a cannister filter.  I applaud you and your tenacity!

[sairving]

Anything to do with algae removal.  Usually, all I have to do is remove it from the sides.  One time though, I had to remove the all plants, do a hydrogen peroxide dip, and replant them.  Then I had a problem with cyanobacteria and had to add peroxide to the tank itself.

[TheDukeAnumber1]

Hair aglae, anything and everything to do with hair algae is my least liked thing in the hobby. Everyrthing else is a treat in comparison.

[laritheloud]

Trimming and removing plants. It makes me nervous! Also just general maintenance while trying to be gentle to my plants.

Cleaning the canister filter and hoses is never fun, but at least I always take a shower afterwards...

EDIT to add: I have to agree with trying to catch a dang fish out of a heavily planted tank. I'm so bad at it.

 

Edited October 5, 2021 by laritheloud

[Maggie]

On 10/5/2021 at 4:28 AM, Guppysnail said:

I have had 7 reconstructive surgeries on my wrist on my dominant side. 2/3 plates did not hold leaving a non union.  This makes anything requiring hand and wrist dexterity... 🤮🤢. 

Wow GS, how in the world do you work on your aquariums??!? I broke my non-dominant wrist in 2019 very badly (plate, screws and 7 pins), and could never have maintained an aquarium during that time (tho I did still have to work, which involved a train commute and a lot of computer use, no fun at all one-handed). I feel so darn lucky that I've gotten back about 80% range of motion and haven't had any issues. I definitely feel for you. Dominant hand - yikes.

[KaitieG]

I hate cleaning sponge filters.   Yes, I've watched the videos.  No I don't do it well--it's a mess Every.Single.Time.  If I use a bag, I end up scooping up fish as I pull it out (guppies are not so smart) and then I have to search through my bucket of mucky water and try to net the fish.  I always end up with particles all over in the water and drips all over me and the floor and the air stones fall off and get lost in all the plants.  I like cleaning the HOB much, much more!

[DannyBWell]

Cleaning my HOB filters, particularly turning them back on after you've cleaned out the filter media and all that nasty water goes into the aquarium.

[Guppysnail]

On 10/5/2021 at 10:03 AM, Maggie said:

Wow GS, how in the world do you work on your aquariums??!? I broke my non-dominant wrist in 2019 very badly (plate, screws and 7 pins), and could never have maintained an aquarium during that time (tho I did still have to work, which involved a train commute and a lot of computer use, no fun at all one-handed). I feel so darn lucky that I've gotten back about 80% range of motion and haven't had any issues. I definitely feel for you. Dominant hand - yikes.

This is the main reason I went to bare bottom.  😁

[CalmedByFish]

I have a trick for this. The remaining grungy water in the HOB, without media, can be pulled out using a big syringe or turkey baster, with the tip held at the bottom. (Basically a gravel-vac for the HOB.) That'll get most of the grunge out.

On 10/5/2021 at 10:28 AM, DannyBWell said:

Cleaning my HOB filters, particularly turning them back on after you've cleaned out the filter media and all that nasty water goes into the aquarium.

On 10/5/2021 at 3:28 AM, Guppysnail said:

Cleaning the lines involves standing in the bath tub using my feet to anchor one end 🤮🤢. My bathroom needs scrubbed immediately after and then a very long hot shower. 

Any chance a HOB (or 45 per tank) could make your life easier?

[KaitieG]

On 10/5/2021 at 10:28 AM, DannyBWell said:

Cleaning my HOB filters, particularly turning them back on after you've cleaned out the filter media and all that nasty water goes into the aquarium.

I've heard of this happening, but I've never had it as an issue with any of my HOBs--never particles or nastiness when I turn them back on.  I wonder what the difference is (and I don't turkey baster out the water either!).  All of mine are self-priming...I wonder if that has anything to do with it or not (not a mechanical genius so that might totally not even be a possibility as I don't really know how the pumps, etc. work at all)