How have you made fishkeeping easier on yourself?

[DannyBWell]

I want to see and hear all the tips and tricks you fine people have learned that made the hobby easier for you. For me it would be finding the right connections to hook up a garden hose to my faucet to fill my tanks up. Also using a garbage can to dump the water into from the tank and pumping it outside with 25ft tubing.

[Griznatch]

For me it was my water change cart, along with the power head and python tubing. It has a power strip and shelving, and is sturdy enough to hold an 8 gallon tote. it's stainless, so spills are no big deal. The power strip has an on/off switch, so I just plug in the power head and can start and stop with the switch, instead of trying to unplug it with wet hands.

[Fonske]

I hit the gym and grew more muscles than @Zenzo so heavy buckets of water are much easier to deal with now... just kidding, no muscles, but getting somewhat in shape definitely helped with my manual water changing (WC) routine.

Also, a three-bucket process of  WC. One bucket for dirty water, another for clean water plus a third bucket to hold the siphons, sponges, refill pump, gloves, and other stuff neatly together and close to the tank I work with. Made the whole process much easier for me. 

[Kevin F.]

Definitely a python.  Drain into the flower bed outside, fill from the sink with proper temperature.

[Vanish]

I have a very similar setup as Griznatch. I use a cheap pond pump rated for 650 GPH ( It seems more like 100 to 200 GPH in practice 😂 ) connected to a power strip to use as a switch. In my three large tanks, I just drop the whole pump into the tank to drain. I don't have a good way to connect directly to a faucet, so I put a bucket in the tub/sink and pump from there to fill. Way more efficient that lugging buckets, though I still do that occasionally if I am doing a one-off gravel vac.

Edited October 8, 2021 by Vanish

[Patrick_G]

After watching @Zenzo’s and MD Fishtanks videos I’ve started adding WiFi switches to my equipment. I can turn off individual pumps, filters, heaters etc from my phone. 
My 75 gal is right next to a sink so I’d love to add a marine tank style HOB overflow that’s plumbed into the drain for easy water changes. 

[Vanish]

On 10/8/2021 at 10:35 AM, Patrick_G said:

I can turn off individual pumps, filters, heaters etc from my phone. 

I would love to be able to turn my water change pump off remotely, but the idea of using my phone to do it, when working around water, seems like a terrible idea. 😂 Please, show me how I am wrong!

[Guppysnail]

I know you are looking for equipment etc but… it used to be so relaxing to fish keep.  It was this way for a bit over 30 years. Then I discovered the internet.  Then it became nightmarish with all the things you had to do or not do or your fish would spontaneously combust (not on this forum) and I couldn’t understand how my fish stayed alive happy healthy and prolific. Then I stepped back and went with…this has worked this long so keep doing it. So I again found fish keeping easy and enjoyable. 
Also this simple little cup I got the idea on here for 😍😍😍😍 I can re-add water without demolishing my substrate. Better than sliced bread 😁

[MJV Aquatics]

- Switching from gravel to 3-4" of sand substrate that is never disturbed. No gravel vacuuming for me! Organics don't get down under to decompose and Malaysian Trumpet Snails manage things. The undisturbed substrate fosters an environment for advanced bio-filtration.

- Stay on top of routine periodic partial water changes! Lots of loose talk on the interweb about reducing partial water changes. However, with rare exception, as it is in nature, "There's no such thing as too much clean, fresh water".

- Using an inexpensive submersible pump connected to Python like hose for partial water changes. Water goes down the drain or out to the yard. The same hose with quick disconnects is used for refill either from a sink adapter or pumped from a 45g Brute trash can of preheated water (basement tanks).

- Filters - All of my filters are completely filled with sponge material. Sponge is often thought of only for mechanical filtration, HOWEVER, sponge material is also an EXCELLENT platform for biological filtration (I feel better than ceramics, plastics, or rocks!).

- Only clean filter sponges when flow rate noticeably slows down to a trickle. Much like the value of the undisturbed substrate, the beneficial biology develops and grows in the filter sponges. Excessive cleaning disrupts their progress so it's best to leave it alone until absolutely necessary!

- Feed only high quality foods augmented with live and frozen foods. High quality foods result in less waste and less waste means higher quality water.

-Plants, plants, plants. Plants, especially fast growing floating plants are ammonia sponges as they grow and convert nutrients (aka pollution) into plant tissue that's eventually trimmed/removed.

🙂

 

[Patrick_G]

On 10/8/2021 at 9:40 AM, Vanish said:

I would love to be able to turn my water change pump off remotely, but the idea of using my phone to do it, when working around water, seems like a terrible idea. 😂 Please, show me how I am wrong!

Haha, yes I’d make sure your phone is waterproof if you’re nervous about it. All Apple and Samsung S series phones from the last five-six years are at least IP67. 

[Torrey]

I made my life easier by:

 

Matching fish and plants to the water I have, instead of the other way around. 

There's [almost] no such thing as too many plants.

Investing in professional hair trimming scissors (easier grip in my hand, don't rust, easier to maneuver in small aquariums) to trim my plants- since the grip is ergonomic, I don't avoid tank maintenance due to anticipated pain

 

Buying pro grade test tube holders, and extra test tubes, so I have enough tubes to test everything on all my tanks, at once. Takes less time, and I only have to shake the nitrates bottle once, and add drops to 13 test tubes, instead of shaking 13 times, plus shaking the test tubes😬

 

Replacing gravel with sand, or with dirt capped in sand/gravel.

 

Plants grow so much better for me, in their natural sediment, and MTS keep turning the mulm into the substrate making it more readily available for the plants.

 

Plus, the **easiest** thing has been joining the forum so I can learn from everyone else. I never would have thought to use an acrylic soap dish as an aquatic plant holder, or buy an empty soap pump bottle to use the pump part for liquid fish/aquarium stuff... like Prime.

 

Or EZ Green, before it came with the pump.

[StevesFishTanks]

[Helan]

I just bought a bigger bucket 🤣

[OnlyGenusCaps]

3 words (or 4 depending on how you deal with hyphenation): automatic water-changing system. 

Everything I have is on mine, save one display tank, but that's on the other side of a wall from a bathroom sink, and I am seriously considering cutting though the wall to set an AWC up for that one as well, such is the difference it makes in keeping an aquarium. 

I am particularly fortunate in that it's easy for me to do this.  I am on a well = no chlorine/chloramine.  So, as long as my fish are happy in my hard water parameters, I can simply plumb to a drain, and then plumb in a sprinkler timer for the input.  I realize it is not that simple for everyone.  But if you can reasonably do it, don't hesitate.  It's the best! 

[Isaac M]

Adding a lot of plants to my aquariums with the aerial advantage. Plants like pothos, peace lilly, small palms, etc. growing out of the top of the aquarium suck the ammonia/ nitrates out of the water so well and helps to balance my aquariums. The shade they cast into the aquarium on the overhead lighting also minimize algae growth and make the fish feel safe as well. Overall adding these plants have added more beautiful foliage to my aquariums, made maintenance much easier and made the fish feel much more comfortable. 

[Waka88]

Python water changer

[PineSong]

 I bought a lazy susan for my fish food and bottle of Prime so everything stays corralled but is also easy to reach in the cupboard. I am more likely to feed a variety of foods at each meal when I can easily find them, and twirling the lazy susan is easier than reaching past one thing to get to another. 

 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I bought a floating breeder box when I started my first 20 gallon tank at recommendation to have for standard equipment in a "fish first aid" kit. I've since added the size up from that. Firstly I never planned on breeding anything (but nature has other plans always), however it's also been a life saver for injured or ill fish, snails, plants and introducing new fish. 

On that note I HIGHLY RECOMMEND keeping a fish first aid kit with all the necessary meds and equipment. I know it's an expensive initial expense for a lot of people but it is worth its WEIGHT IN GOLD. 

[Keeg]

Over filtering my tanks. While using filters rated for larger tank it feels like its keeping it extra clean. Plus I like to keep my tanks heavily planted, that way they suck up the nitrates. After reading this I am considering adding some trumpet snails.