Quick and Dirty DIY in a pinch.

[Guppysnail]

I often find myself in situations I could take advantage of “IF ONLY I HAD” xyz on hand.  So I come up with weird randomness to make it happen. 
 

I have zero luck with breeder boxes. Things hatch in many style breeder boxes  for me but do not survive.   I do best with seasoned ugly tanks that have algae and microfauna.  I do not have just a simple floating breeder box.  
 

My panda Cory spawned again but my pleco eats the eggs. I have a fry/hatch/baby snail tank I just know these will do good in but my tiny filter stuck pleco and snails have eaten every egg on plant I’ve floated in there. 
 

Here was my QUICK AND DIRTY DIY in a pinch floating breeder I made from ACO plant pots. The goal was the minute they hatch they fall to the substrate filled with microfauna and some micron fry food from the CPD fry in there now. 
 

I would love to get ideas of what others use for various purposes in a pinch (bonus point for less than glamorous things 🤣) please share yours. 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Guppysnail

[TheDukeAnumber1]

On 5/18/2022 at 10:34 AM, Guppysnail said:

I would love to get ideas of what others use for various purposes in a pinch (bonus point for less than glamorous things 🤣) please share yours. 

 

Yes that's me 🤣

I am using a reuseable coffee filter with foam backer rod hot glued to it as my breeder box. Once the eggs hatch I feed plenty of sera micron and being so close to the light there is plenty of algae growth in the 'box'. Eventually they get live BBS until they are big enough to join the tank. Blue atm since I add a little methylene blue when the eggs first go in.

[Zenzo]

Your 12% battery life gives me anxiety!😝 LOL

Not a DIY tip, but one thing to try the next time you setup a breeder box, is to make sure that it gets plenty of flow from an airstone. I have done it with an airstone directly in the breeder box before, as well as underneath or right next to the breeder box. Also having some cover/hides/plants in the breeder box can help (less stress, etc.). 

[Guppysnail]

Thanks @Zenzo my phone was at 6% so my tablet has to wait for the charger 🤣 spare outlets in my house are nonexistent.

@TheDukeAnumber1 I absolutely love that.  I originally tried my ziss box in the parent tank but the powder micron food would no stay on the bottom. This is genius! 

[Zenzo]

6%?!!! I start to sweat when I get to 49%!

[Katherine]

On 5/18/2022 at 11:00 AM, Zenzo said:

6%?!!! I start to sweat when I get to 49%!

Me too!

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

I have floated a Tupperware in the parent tank. Then water changes are just really easy. 
 

@TheDukeAnumber1are these fabric or metal reusable? I love this idea!

[Guppysnail]

On 5/18/2022 at 2:48 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

I have floated a Tupperware in the parent tank. Then water changes are just really easy. 
 

@TheDukeAnumber1are these fabric or metal reusable? I love this idea!

I think they are something like these plastic mesh ones (at least I’m hoping because that’s what I just ordered 🤣) can’t give up my actual coffee pot one…..caffeine addict. 

[TheDukeAnumber1]

@Beardedbillygoat1975

@Guppysnail

Yup, the one I use is very similar to that one. Black plastic body with stainless steel mesh.

[Bev C]

I have not done to many dyi  but for gravel vac made from  pvc  pipe that I use with air pump love it  with sand  .. And  use panty hose for media bags in a pinch ..

The 2 most   stressful time for me 

1: when there was an electric outage for my whole town for a week  and 2 days ,,  I worked  so hard to keep fish going  but lost all of my tank   and food in my  2 freezers. thank goodness my house now  came with a small house generator that runs my tank and freezers and fridge 

2: When part of my fish got fried from a  faulty heater .. I learn from then on to have a temperature controller on  heaters to shut them off if it gets to hot 

 

[Guppysnail]

@Bev C I’m sorry you lost your fish. Power failure is a big fear for me. I’m finally set up with battery backups and generators. Definitely gives peace of mind. The pantyhose for media bags is so creative.  Thank you. Your diy gravel vac sounds fun.  

[Bev C]

@Guppysnail Thank you, I do not wish that on anyone. It was heartbreaking but with starting over I found pelcos  got my first one, could  not keep a plant because of him ... till my current pelco ..

Yes it is nice to be prepared for it in case you need it, so thankful the house I live in now came with a small generator already there  .. The woman who passed her family had it installed  she was disabled and need electric all the time  does not cover all the house but enough for freezer, tank and fridge ..

The pantyhose trick I learn from my fish store guy and remember the trick when I moved my fish  to the tank I have now needed to move some old gravel over, but I wanted to put in  bag to remove it easier  later 

The Gravel vac I was doing research on buying a battery one due to one hand sometimes cleaning substrate can be a little tricky found this video I tried itworks great for sand  some people say it works for  gravel but can not guarantee it .. You  might have to replace the tubing or stone after a year or  year and half use 

But I recommend

make 2 sizes of the pipe  one for regular use and 1 smaller skinner pipe with smaller air stone  for  hard to reach places  they do make skinny smaller pvc pipe 

a very powerful  air pump it works better,   I have pump  for 100 gallons 

for regular size pipe get big enough air stone the long ones work great 

very long airline tubing  to walk around with  

 

[Torrey]

I made my own airstone powered gravel vac so I could clean gravel and sand, catch sediment, but not *have* to do a water change (that whole living in the desert thing). I used clear uplift tube and the top directional flow from a UGF, and tie a filter media bag over the directional flow. It's great for my nano and pico tanks, I'm thinking I'm going to try Bev's for the dining room tank once it's set up.

@Guppysnail I leave my mesh floating breeder boxes in the tanks, suspended with zip ties over bamboo skewers (in my 10 gallon tanks). That way they have the biofilm ready. I'm playing with breeding the danios in the breeder boxes with those plastic 'aquarium gems' in the bottom. I'll be finding out next month if the fry escape the mesh I ordered, my current mesh is too big for danio fry (working great for endler fry, and they love hunting the baby amphipods!)

Suspended in the bedside tank, with endler fry growing out so I can identify which males I am keeping and which are going to the store.

'Aquarium gems' in the bottom provide decent bb action, and provide babies with biofilm to eat. Please excuse the assassin snail xxx action.

[Bev C]

@Torrey I found  the video by mistake researching battery vacs , If you make the vac please let me know would love to hear of your  opinion and see if it works for others  .. I have not seen  many fish keepers make something  but use a python or the traditional one.. 

I would love to hear  if it works on gravel too   I have only used for sand, and it works for me, have not use my old vac  since I made it ... I have Seachem  Black Fluorite Sand and Black Diamond Sand I like it,, and if you are just wanting to clean and do not want to remove the water it is great .. I have a habit to do a quick cleaning of the tank floor if  company is coming , Whoever comes always stops and looks at my tank  Best Wishes on it if you try it ... 

[HelplessNewbie]

On 5/18/2022 at 11:35 PM, Torrey said:

I made my own airstone powered gravel vac

Would you please share a photo?