Tips

[doug z]

I thought we could all put together tips we've learned, the hard way or otherwise, about our hobby..

Aquascaping, filtration, fish compatibility.. Anything and everything..

And have it as a sticky here..

Yay, nay?

We could break it into subheadings, so it's not so willy-nilly..

Here's some of mine, if we're a go..



AQUASCAPING

1.

Instead of ONE rock, which would look artificial, get 2-3 smaller stones together.. Also make sure the driftwood, rocks, etc are the same TYPE.

2.

Remember the golden rule of having ONE focal point, at the 1.618 mark of your tank..

Measure the length of your tank and divide it through 2.618 to get your result..

So tank with a length of 48", your sweet spot would be 18.3" from the right or left side of your tank.


3.

Get either a blue or a black background for your tank, and a black or brown substrate. The dark contrast will really help make your fish, plants pop..


4.

Give at least 2" of space from the sides of the tank all around for no plants, so they don't smoosh up against the plants, and the fish can navigate around them..

5.

A new tank should not be trimmed for 3 months.

6.

A stem plant on first trimming should be allowed to grow to the top, then cut in half.

7.

Moss on rocks is great for edge work, blending an open sandy area into a planted area.

FISH

1.

Be sure to take the growth factor of the fish you want into account. Some fish will outgrow your tank, fast (common plecos, Chinese Algae Eaters)! While some will stay relatively small (tetras, corys).

FILTRATION

1.

If you can afford it, and have a tank bigger than 50g, consider getting 2 cannister filters.. It's better filtration, it's better for water flow, and it reduces the chance of algae blooms or ammonia spikes, as you are able to alternate filter cleanings (clean one one month, and do the other one next month). So perhaps get 2 filters rated for 100g, rather than one rated for 200g..

[sailor]

1. Get fish that suit your water conditions. It is much easier on the fish than trying to suit your water to the fish.

2. Stability in your water is one of the most important keys to a successful aquarium.

3. Research research and then research some more. Know what you are getting into.

4. Join a great fish forum such as th AC

[Billythefish]

1) lern about the fish you are going to get befor you buy then.
2)keep a clean tank with weekly water changes
3)dont over feed your fish

[Ryuu]

1. Always cycle the tank in the begining

2. Make sure you have a established temperture before adding new fish

3. Test your water at least twice a week

[travie]

Acclimate your fish properly.

[Ryuu]

Should we trim this up and put it as a sticky in the beginer forum after we get a few more posts?

[Halelorf]

Should we trim this up and put it as a sticky in the beginer forum after we get a few more posts?

I agree completely.

[Steff]

Put every plant or snail or whatever came from another running tank for a minimum of two weeks into a seperate tank without gravel or anything, except a little filter and some food if necessary. Otherwise you might discover, that you have got some unpleasant things (like planaria) in your tank. It is very hard to get rid of such things, so it is better to watch your new plants/animals very, very carefully before you let them in. Might keep away a lot of problems...

[doug z]

Should we trim this up and put it as a sticky in the beginner forum after we get a few more posts?

Works for me, though the tips I am hoping will be directed to advanced aquarists, not just beginners..

[doug z]

Some great tips so far, guys, thanks..

Stuff I've taken for granted, but what the begginer really needs to know..

Here's some more stuff I've come across:

Tips for caring for moss (Java, Christmas, Willow):
from the Aquatic Eden site


- Mosses love light. Although they will survive in minimal light (especially the ever hardy Java Moss) they will grow scraggly and stringy and grow very slowly. The more light you give your moss, the faster and fuller it will grow.

- Mosses grow best attached to something. This is their epiphytic nature. They can attach to almost anything using strong anchor fibers, but the best options are rocks or driftwood. Simply tie the moss down onto an object and within a week or two it will be safe to remove the string. If you let your moss drift around, it will grow stringy and be much less attractive.

- Mosses grow much better with CO2. Although not needed, growth is dramatically affected by CO2. When I first added CO2, my Christmas moss took off and grew very rapidly. Combined with higher light and being attached to something, it also makes the moss more dense and healthy looking.

- Avoid moss eating fish and bugs. Siamese algae eaters top out the list here as the worst offenders, but there are also reports of small bug-like animals that can also devour whole stands of moss in days. If you see stripped fronds or notice your moss looking more stringy than usual and you have an offender in your tank, you are best off moving them or trying to feed them enough so they don't take to snacking on your moss.

- Periodically clean out your moss. Moss works as an excellent filter, trapping all sorts of debris. The trouble is, this also encourages nasty types of algae to grow, including Blue Green Algae. When you change your water, run your fingers through the moss and shake out any loose debris, making sure to remove as much of it as possible from the tank.

- Avoid algae at all costs. It is next to impossible to clean any type of algae out of moss. Often, if your moss becomes infested with algae, you'll have to rip it out the affected areas completely. The fronds are just too small and delicate. Instead, maintain adequate CO2 levels and fertilize regularly to fend off algae.

- Mosses love being trimmed. As much as a pain in the butt it can be to try to trim moss and clean up all the cuttings, it will grow back thicker and fuller. There really is no strategy, just trim it back with scissors and try desperately to catch all the small pieces (otherwise you'll have moss sprouting up all over your tank!)


Tips on feeding otos and herbivore plecos (bristlenose)
from Practical Fishkeeping Magazine

Potato is a good source of carbohydrate. It's especially useful with newly bought Otocinclus and Royal panaques as these catfish quite often arrive in the trade with hollow stomachs as they will not have eaten before being transported.

When feeding potato, care should be taken to avoid polluting the aquarium. Uneaten potato should be removed after a few hours. Only feed raw potato, not boiled, mashed, roasted or chipped!

Frozen peas are an excellent food for most of the suckermouthed catfish. If you allow peas to defrost and then remove the outer layer, the peas can be lightly crushed between your fingers and allowed to sink to the bottom of the aquarium where the catfish will feed on them.

Lettuce is probably best blanched first in order to make it more palatable. Again, this can be tied to a rock or attached to weights.

[fins_n_fur]

When feeding potato, care should be taken to avoid polluting the aquarium. Uneaten potato should be removed after a few hours. Only feed raw potato, not boiled, mashed, roasted or chipped!

LOL on the chipped LOL so I guess the side of mayo, ketchup, or vinegar is out of the question...and not baked with sour cream or baked stuffed. LOL

Great idea, this thread, btw!

[doug z]

Yeah, you never know with some people, though..

Gotta add the disclaimers, and point out the obvious.. LOL

[Tigerbarb]

My #1 tip is to feed your fish a balanced diet, consisting of more than just one kind of food: I feed my fish Ocean nutrition community formula, (contains mainly seafood) Hikari algae discs, lettuce and small, chopped carrot bits. This will support long lasting lives of your fisheee fwends!!!
(This will support long lasting lives of your fisheee fwends!!!)

[Lady Hobbs]

Quarantine new fish from others for a couple weeks so not to introduce disease to current stock.

Do NOT buy fish that do not fit the size of your tank. Common pleco's, Oscars, bala sharks go in LARGE tanks.

Do not try to have a tankful of angelfish. It doesn't work due to aggression.

[doug z]

1.

Get as big a tank as you can afford..

A) you will always want one bigger

B) Bigger = more stable water parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp)

2.

Remember that the tank is but a small fraction of the total cost of an aquarium..

There's the filter, the substrate, the heater, the fish, the lighting, the fish food...

Don't get package deals, as these generally have stuff you will not want, either because it is substandard, or there is at least one item that you don't need or is diffrent than what you DO need..

3.

Live plants are nice, but be prepared for a more expensive set-up, if you want them to grow properly..

C02, high wattage lighting, liquid fertilizers, nutrient-rich substrates..

There are ways to keep costs down, mind, and live plants are worth the extra expense!

How to save?

* you can get low-light plants that don't require high watts per gallon, like Java Fern, java Moss, etc.. PM if you want a more comprehensive list)

* You can use liquid C02 supplements, instead of pressurized CO2 (anything over 50g, and you need pressurized) like Seachem Flourish Excel.

4.

Get a timer for your lights. And reduce stress to your fish by having the aquarium lights go off, THEN shut off the room lights 15 minutes later. They don't like sudden light changes..

5.

Only have your lights on for a maximum of 12 hours a day.. Fish need sleep, too..

[doug z]

Always getting Nitrites and nitrates mixed up?

Here's what works for me:

Nitrate rhymes with LATE

Late = last

And what's the order of a cycle?

Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.. Nitrate is LAST or LATE..

[cocoa_pleco]

REEF TIPS-

1. Take it slow, work on the tank over a 1 year period, not 1 month

2. Do not add uncured LR to a established tank

3. Tanks over 33g should have a skimmer

4. Most reefs need powerheads to bring corals food, clean them, and provide flow

5. Fill the tank with RO water and use RO water for topoffs, else youre gonna get alot of hair algae and cyano

6. Do not stick more than 1 tang in a tank unless its above 200g

7. Place high lights corals near the top, lowlights on the bottom, if youre using 3 WPG lighting or less place lowlights near the top

8. Use 50/50 lights, all actinic or all daylights wont work

[doug z]

Remember to test and record your water parameters once a week..

You can stay ahead of negative trends this way, and take corrective action BEFORE it becomes a problem..

Remember to test AFTER you've done a water change..

And if you can afford it, but a pH moniter..

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

They are far more accurate..

[Blue Ram]

An oto feeding tip:

Otos need a never ending supply of algae. A way that you can m,ake sure they get this is start by filling a container with water. Then put in some medium sized rock. Place this by some surce of light and in a few weeks the rocks should be growing algae. Then add a few in the tank. Once the algae is eaten off of those rocks put those rocks back into the container and put a few new ones in the tank and so on. Keep cycling the rock and you have a never ending supply of algae.

[doug z]

Difference between schooling fish and shoaling fish?

Schooling fish swim together all in the same direction (tetras), whereas shoaling fish just like to be around their own kind (corys), and don't necessarily swim as one.

Yes, of course there are shoaling fish that school together.. :)

Tetras again are a good example..

[doug z]

Rule of thumb when combating green algae (green water):

Cut back on light till it clears up.

Do 10% daily water changes till it clears up.

Cut back on your fish feeding.

Get algae eating fish, if you haven't already.

(Chinese Algae Eater, Bristlenose pleco, ainistrus claro, otocinclus)

[Steff]

Plants like it to have a little dose of liqid fertilizer every day, instead of a great amount of it once a week (or whatever it says on the bottle). This way they have everything they need in the right dose (and a fresh iron source). Depending on the tank a syringe does a good job in feeding the plants.

To estimate the right daily dose for them, just divide the amout of fertilizer given on the bottle by the number of days until new fertilizer is needed.
My plants are now growing much faster than I ever thought possible ant they are really green.

Remember to test the water for iron from time to time.

[doug z]

Good one, Steff..

That's what a friend of mine, an old salt at planted tanks, does..

He puts in a capful of Flourish every day..

I think I'm going to follow this approach, rather than over fertilize then do massive water changes, as seems to be the rage..

Iron I shouldn't have to worry about.. I'm putting about 3/4"-1" of pure, bagged laterite under my Eco-complete..

[doug z]

"DONT FORGET TO TURN OFF HEATERS BEFORE A WATER CHANGE!! I forgot to once, was lucky it didnt crack, but i did burn the back of my hand pretty good!"

- xoolooxunny

[sailor]

"I always say...stock the tank you have, not the one you plan on having."

from one of my co workers

[Taurus]

"DONT FORGET TO TURN OFF HEATERS BEFORE A WATER CHANGE!! I forgot to once, was lucky it didnt crack, but i did burn the back of my hand pretty good!"

- xoolooxunny

Remember to turn heaters back on after the water change. :c3:

[doug z]

I was concerned that I might have too MUCH lighting for my tank, with my 2 110w T-5 fixtures, and that I might be exceeding the light requirements of the plants to the point where I was just asking for green algae and other pests..

So I did some digging online, and in my books, and found some good tips to help prevent this from happening in a NEW tank:


Lighting with 2 fixtures:


Fixture 1 on for 8 continuous hours
Fixture 2 turning on for 4 hours in the middle of that time frame.

only use the full wattage for a few hours a day and don't go over 8 hours of total lighting for the first few months or so until the biofilter and plant mass can take care of any organics in the water column

[doug z]

Aquascaping tips:

Placing dark green plants towards the edges with lighter plants towards the center creates a nice contrast and a greater illusion of space.

The same principle applies to leaf shapes; finer leafed plants should be planted toward the center with broader leaves toward the edges.

With many stem plants the lower portions of the plant are not very well developed so it is a very good idea to obstruct this ugly part of the plant. Non-stem plants and/or hardscape i.e. small Crypts, Anubias, ferns, rocks, wood etc. are effective for this task.

- George Farmer

[doug z]

Another tip for new tank start-up (planted):


Use high grade carbon in the guise of Boyd's Chemi-pure in the filters for the first few weeks to take out the free radicals (dissolved organics) that are all over the place in a new tank. The chemi pure helps stabilize and clarify.

Dave66