>>2155625

FAQ Section:

>Can I keep my Betta/Goldfish in a bowl?

No, unless you wanna risk nitrite/ammonia poisoning due to small water volume/excess waste and stunted growth.

For a Betta, get a cheap 5-10 gallon tank, give him some shade via plants and add filtration.

For Goldfish, get at least a 20 gallon tank and add 10-15 gallon per extra goldfish.
You want good filtration, since these fish produce large amounts of waste.

>I wanna do Aquaponics!

I most cases this a bad idea, since both plants and fish will suffer.
Water parameters for the fish will most likely be bad due to lack of proper filtration and plants not drawing enough harmful substances out of the water.
Your plants may become malnourished since fish may not produce enough minerals/waste to properly fertilize them.

Unless you have really thought this through, you are better off with both things being seperate.

>Could I start out with saltwater?

If you never took care of fish before, it is advisable to start out with fresh water beforehand. Gather knowledge and then, over the years, you can graduate into saltwater.
Saltwater tanks are much more susceptible and need closer monitoring in terms of parameters than most freshwater systems.
Also if money is an issue, be prepared to spend at least 500$-1500$ for your first saltwater setup and rather choose a big tank (55gallon+) to allow more stable water conditions.

>>2155626
>Is my lighting sufficient for the plants I wish to keep?

Unless you have a PAR Meter, it is hard to measure whether your lighting is truly sufficient.
If you got LEDs you could try using the Lumen per Litre. Let's say you have a 54l tank and use an LED that has 1600 Lumen.
Divide the 1600 by 54 and you got roughly 30 lumen per litre which is somewhat in the higher medium range.
So if you got a specific plant, just google it's lumen per litre or use flowgrow to get a rough idea.

As stated, this method has it's limits, since it doesn't take into consideration the PAR value that can differ,
depending how close the lighting source is to a certain area in your tank and how much shade is provided via other plants/hardscape.

It's always a good idea to just observe your plant growth and adjust accordingly, since lighting is only one factor of many, such as fertilization/co2 or water flow.

>Can I dump Chemical X into my tank to get rid of Algae?

You could, but many products may do more harm than good. In most cases you are better off fighting algae naturally by reducing your lighting exposure/eliminating exposure to sunlight,
decreasing hardness in your water (using RO Water to soften your tap water up), reducing your ferts in the water or waste by reducing the number of stocked fish etc.

Also there are many algae eating species, like Amano Shrimp, Siamese Algae Eaters (Crossocheilus in general), Otocinclus Catfish and Snails. But make sure they fit your tank in terms of other tankmates and size.
You don't wanna throw fish at a problem you could take care of in an easier way.

>>2155628

>How can I get rid of Snails?

Most of the time, it would be sufficient to just reduce your feeding.Most snail species don't harm plants but if you feel you have to many, boil a cucumber, put it in the tank to lure the snails, and collect them off.
There are also certain species like assassin Snails, dwarf puffer fish and loaches that like to eat snails but again, make sure they fit in your tank and don't cause trouble with tank mates.
Loaches for example get big and need other loaches to socialize otherwise they may bully their other tankmates.

>What are some easy beginner plants?

Undemanding plants include Anubias, Java Fern, Java Moss, Hygrophila, Elodea, Cabomba, Hornwort and Water lettuce for example.
Those plant species should even do well in low light/low fert situations and also grow rather easily.
As for Anubias and Java Fern, don't bury the rhyzome (fouls up the water), rather bind it to a piece of rock/wood.


I'm adding more FAQ points over time. If I made a factual error, feel free to inform me so I can correct it.

>>2155629
Good on you senpai, though these things usually end up in a pastebin. But out of sight, out of mind, right?

>>2155638
Damn, I didn't even consider that. Next time I know I'll have most in pastebin.

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My local hardware store has these huge containers for sale(100/200/30cm)(3/6/1ft), and I was thinking of buying one to make into a beachside aquarium vivarium thing.
Essentially I'd fill one side with water, build a sandbar on the other side, and run a pump to make a waterfall stream thing. Next I'll build a pvc pipe frame around the whole thing, hang a growlight or two, and encase the whole structure in transparent plastic. I want to fill the whole thing with carnivorous plants, moss, frogs, crustaceans, some fish, and maybe a turtle. The water part would be about 350 liters/80 gallons, and the seashore would be a dirt covered hollow shell over strapped down empty buckets.
I'm guessing the entire everything would be around 350kg/800 lbs. My floor is hardwood laminate on concrete slab, so not concerned about weight, but is there anything else I should worry about? Thoughts, ideas?

>>2155641
Great Idea! If I head a yard or enough space, I'd do something similiar.

I would be very selective about the animal species you wanna keep there. A turtle may snack on your plants, frogs and fish, same with bigger crustaceans.

This setup could be ideal for Newts, shrimp and fish.

Like maybe get some fire belly newts, african dwarf frogs, red fire shrimp and live bearers or tetras (be prepared that the newts might predate some of the tetras/livebearer fry and shrimp)

>>2155645
Oooooh, newts! Never thought of that. I love damp mossy environments, so the more amphibians, the better. Shrimp sound awesome too.

Aside from feeding bigger things, what exactly do you do with fry anyway? Fish reproduce crazy quick, and I don't want an overpopulated tank.

I currently have some danios cycling my first tank, a 15 gallon, which the internet has just taught me is a bit small for them, so definitely gonna move them to the bigger tank. I also like long river fish, eels, certain kinds of catfish, that sort of thing. My dream fish is freshwater pipefish, but only going to try them after I get really good at this fish keeping thing.

>>2155639
You could also post it as an image.

>>2155651
I just sell off my fry via this country's version of craigslist. Since I live in a somewhat big city, I can get rid of unwanted fry and make some nice cash on the side, same with plants/moss and shrimp I don't wish to breed.

>>2155641
Neat. While we are talking about DIY I use to live very close to the ocean. I had a good pump and lots of pvc pipe. Had it pump saltwater into my tank and water out. Constant fresh salt water. Eliminated the need for filtration (well water went through a little filtration to filter out some stuff) and exspensive gear. 400 gallon reef tank ran for years with zero problems and zero water changes.

>>2155668
Nice. Got any photos from that tank?

>>2155669
No. This was way back in th day.

>-Tetra Safe Start
NOTE: This will kick-start your cycling process and shorten it by a lot. (However it DOES NOT instantly cycle your tank.)
It is basically bacteria in a bottle. I've used this on numerous tanks and it works as long as you didn't get a bad one. (Make sure you shake it for 30 seconds or more before pouring the ENTIRE bottle into the tank

Does this take into account that Tetra safestart comes in 3 sizes?

>>2155668
Holy crap thats awsome

Is there any way to have a DIY water softening system?

what do guppies taste like?

>>2155732
Like poverty and disappointment.

>>2155668
Used to live next to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and this is how they do a lot of their tanks. They have to use divers to wipe the glass windows every couple of days, or else barnacles and shit grow on them. Did any ocean life develop in your tank?

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So I'm now convinced that "HC needs high light" is a complete meme.

I have been growing HC very well for a week under this single lamp outputting 400 lumens. The nodes are spreading across the substrate and not growing upwards.

When I started growing I was told on several planted tank forums that 400 is very dim for a planted tank. So I bought a second lamp doubling to 800 lumens. Still I was told that's not enough. So I built a diy lighting fixture with 1200 lumens.

This grew algae like wildfire so I bought a dimmer to dim the light the dimmer blew the led driver in the fixture so I decided to place the lamp over the tank and in went to quickly purchase another led driver.

But now I'm not going to bother since thus one lamp is doing absolutely fine.

Just shows how much misinformation there is invite hobby

>>2155717
In the laundry aisle they sell water softener

>>2155883
>1 danio

Today I poured clove oil into my parents 5 gallon tank that had 3 gold fish that could only swim an inch forward and back. They refused to upgrade. I sent them a pic and told me to throw everything out. It had to be done. I smashed the plastic tank so it won't happen again

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>>2155641
Why don't you put mudskippers in there? They're great little fish that are so interesting to watch! This is my tank right here!

>>2155889
There's actually 2. They're just there to hold the cycle until I get some celestial pearls

My mom keeps two red ear sliders in a 10 gallon tank for 5 years straight. No filter and in direct sunlight.

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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DISxkWJgb9o Here's a video of my old tank. I know I'm a old fart to be here.

>>2155900
Where have you been man! I've been waiting for you to upload new videos!

>>2155907
Busy with the senpai!

>>2155926
I need my fix man! It's been months!

>>2155900
Nice setup. Sadly I'm not very handy when it comes to building hardscape/backgrounds. Any pointers you got?

>>2155893
I'm so sorry to hear. Were you the gay that posted a pic of the poor fish?

I hope you are not exclusively mad at your parents but also at certain companies that still advertise this bullshit about goldfish being a bowl fish that needs no space.

Fuck that. Hope one day your parents learn to respect aquatic life more.

>used to be heavy into the hobby
>was in /aq/ every day
>one day realized I was neglecting my tank and wasn't really doing anything beyond the bare minimum
Why did this happen? I went from being autistic about it, then one day I woke up and stopped caring about my tanks. Thinking about selling off all of my stuff.

>>2155971
Same happened to me. I got tired of tank maintence. It might be better to keep a 55 gallon with small fish for me. I had cichlids and a Congo puffer in another tank which requires pristine water.

>>2155883
Yeah, it really doesn't take much light to grow plants. Especially when there's not a ton of CO2 or trace nutrients.

>>2155900
Very nice, but it seems like a lot of fish for a 33 gallon that's half rock.

>>2155900
Impressive
>Muh anaerobic pockets

>>2155677
You can't overdose. If you shake it REALLY well, Tetra admits that you can use only part of the bottle. But the remainder will die like 30 days after it has been opened, so there's that.

>>2155896
RES are hardy as shit, however they can only handle so much until it fucks them up badly, plus they can hide illnesses rather well so they could be in bad shape internally.

>>2156050
Speaking of which, how manageable is a sand bed as a substrate for a slider in terms of maintenance?
I've been running bare bottom but it's boring and doesn't anchor decorations well. I've heard it can fuck up canister filters

>>2156002
They all don't grow much bigger than they are

>>2156051
They will kick sand up. Have your input far away as you can from the sand.

>>2156050
They have a 4 ft by 4 ft by 6inch deep child's pool. I hopefully convinced them to at least move them into that.

>>2156066
Beyond that, how hard is it cleaning it and shit?

>>2156068
sounds like a much better upgrade

>move into new apartment
>excited to setup my 3 aquariums
>floor isn't level

You got me again, life. Gg.

One of my canister filters seems to be sucking in air through the intake and expelling pockets of bubbles periodically through the outtake after installing a new impeller in it.

Anyone know what's up with that and if it's bad for the filter? Never seen it happen before

>>2156065
A dozen or so fish at 2.5 to 3 inches apiece seems like a lot for a 20-ish gallon volume of water. But maybe that's just me.

>can't keep invertebrates alive but fish are happy and thriving
i have no copper in my water, and there's enough minerals to go around, what gives

>>2156287
How hard is it to modify the aquarium base to be level?

>>2156323
What food? Do the fish outnumber the inverts? Any aggressive fish? Do you have places for inverts to hide?

>>2156287
Put shims under the tank stands.

>>2155894
Why no live plants?

>>2156084
Just shove a sponge on the end of your filter so it prevents sand from getting in there. It doesn't need to be a massive sponge, just thick enough that it stops the sand. That way, instead of the filter getting clogged, the sponge gets clogged. And when that happens, just take the sponge off, squeeze it out, then plop it back on.

>>2156323
If they are dying off during molting then it means there is a calcium deficiency. This is easily solved by plopping a cuttlebone into the tank. The same kind that parrots chew on.

Just letting yall know, petco has their 1 dollar for 1 gallon deal going on right now. Just bought me a 55 gal for my bichir.

>>2156374
Not that anon, but mudskippers are brackish water fish and most plants don't like that.

>>2156400
I really wish that deal worked on smaller tanks. I want a 2.5 but I don't want to pay $15 for one.

>>2156400
I'd absolutely love a 55 but I don't have the real estate. Kinda pissed cause my bowfront 36 gallon was way more than 36 dollars when I bought it. Had to get the fancy one.

>>2155894
I thought you had to emulate high/low tides for mudskippers?

>>2156406
I want to say you're wrong, because I remember watching so many documentaries where plants and even trees grow perfectly fine in brackish waters where rivers and streams meet seas.

But then I realized you can't put a tree in your aquarium.

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>good thing spiders don't live underwater

>>2156427
>>2156406
there are plants that'll do fine in brackish water though, I think java ferns do well.

I've heard anubias can work too, but I've also heard they die in brackish, so I don't know who to believe there.

>>2156431
fun fact, sea spiders have more in common and are probably genetically closer to ancient anomalocaridids than to modern spiders

>>2156427
>you can't put a tree in your aquarium.
A lot of people do.
Mangroves do fine in brackish and saltwater, and they're fairly popular for open-top tanks.

a few other plants listed here:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/PIC/article.cfm?aid=29

>>2156439
Nigga how the fuck am I gonna keep a mango tree in my tank? It will eventually get to big.

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>>2156442
>he doesn't know how to bonzai

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>>2156442
>mango

>>2156431
>good thing spiders don't live underwater
No need to rely on similarities between spiders and crabs, because lucky for you, there's a real life arachnid that does just that!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjFew5Lk2r4

>>2156427
>But then I realized you can't put a tree in your aquarium.
Sure you can. Just not forever.

>>2156432
There are plants that can grow in brackish water (mangroves, certainly), but very few of them do so readily, and even fewer of those plants are commonly available commercially. Java fern and moss are very hit and miss.

Saw a Kuhli at Petsmart today

gosh but they're so cute. If only platy werent so damn nippy

>>2156420
Only if you want them to spawn.
That and about two feet of mud for a burrow.

>>2156295
If it's pulling in air, your intake needs to be lowered.

This is a dumb question

Ok guys I am the definition of new to this. I want to get a mantis shrimp or a pistol shimp on a scale of one to ten how are are they to take care of. I do not have any experience taking care of fish

>>2156628
On a scale of 1 to 10 they rank at:

7/10

In the realm of saltwater life mantis shrimp are relatively easy, but saltwater creatures in general are hard to care for.

I'd recommend you start with a planted freshwater tank first. It will give you some experience you need to maintain a saltwater aquarium.

>>2156630
So what would that entail of that would be just plant right?

>>2156632
nah, not him >>2156630 but planted tanks are just tanks with live plants in general. There are many freshwater crustaceans you could take care of, such as amano shrimp, CPO crawfish, colourful dwarf shrimp of the neocaridina genus etc.. Just beware that bigger crawfish species might eat your plants.

>>2156634
The thing is i only wanted a small mantis like 5 inches nothing to big but a may just do what you said would a 20/30 gallon be ok or is that overkill. money really is not an issue either

>>2156636
the problem is not the mantis shrimp itself, it's keeping stable water conditions for the mantis, which is harder in saltwater and requires more experience, exquipment, gallons and effort, compared to freshwater.

Freshwater shrimp at the most part arent very iffy. You could even keep most species in 5-10 gal but the more volume, the better.

in 20 gallon you could keep 100-200 dwarf shrimp and 10-20 amanos easily, if not more. Add some wood, stones, moss and easy plants and you are set.

Crawfish species are a bit more iffy, since they are sometimes more territorial and also can be destructive. Read up on the species and stock accordingly.

>>2156640
Ok thanks for the info

>>2156427
>>2156442
>>2156439


M A N G R O V E
A
N
G
R
O
V
E

I've got a 5.5 gal tank with 3 anubias, a java fern and a marimo.
I'm thinking of stocking the tank with either a Betta or a dwarf gourami.
I've got a 9watt fluorescent bulb and a 4inch airstone in the back of the tank.
Will the plants be fine? Am I gonna need co2?

>>2155894
That is cool as shit.
I didn't even know you could get those.

>>2156630
>It will give you some experience you need to maintain a saltwater aquarium.
I hear this a lot, but really what "experience" are you gaining with a planted freshwater tank that would translate to a non-reef saltwater tank, besides scraping algae and "Oh, it's Saturday, time to change the water"?
The biggest hurdle is just buying all the equipment. After that the only big difference is mixing salt and using RO water, and a planted tank isn't going to help with either of those.
If anon is comfortable risking $400+ on being able to handle basic responsibilities, I don't see why it matters.

>>2156680
co2 with the plants presented is not necessary, they can utilize it to some degree but won't benefit that much, since they are very slow growers.

The plants you got are very hardy. Just bind them to rocks/wood and don't bury the rhyzomes in substrate, so growing them sholdnt be an issue.

Either Betta or Dwarf Gourami are fine. Both are very hardy, the Betta moreso than the Gourami who might be a bit more active and demanding a 10gal rather than a 5,5 but you should observe his behaviour first.

You could also add floating plants and some moss. Both species love that.

>>2156680
A betta is fine. Dwarf gourami are more sensitive so I wouldn't recommend one for a 5.5. A trio of sparkling gourami would also be okay if you can find some.

Those plants will be fine with the light you have. They don't need co2.

>>2156687
>>2156688
Thanks guys. I was worried that many plants on a small space would compete too much for co2 and nutrients

>>2156690
Nah, as a very general rule of thumb, only plants that either are stem plants, have a red/pink hue, or are carpeting plants fully benefit from co2 injection.

The more plants you get the better. You also don't need an airstone if your plants produce enough O2 and the surface agitation of your tank via the filter is sufficient.

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I have a couple of weird issues to ask here:

1. I just got a new light for my aquarium in my bedroom, but I work nights and have trouble falling asleep with it on. Would it be okay to set my timer to shut off for an hour or two around the time I go to sleep? Maybe have it come on an hour earlier to compensate?

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>>2156706
2. I'm getting sick of all my airline and CO2 tubing suction cups turning hard and not working. Would it be a bad idea to attach them with magnets instead? It wouldn't be hard to get some small rubber-coated magnets and silicone the clip parts to them...

>>2156690
CO2 with an air stone doesn't work anyway. The bubbler will keep oxygen and CO2 levels low, but constant, regardless of how many plants you have in there, so more is merrier as long as you stick to low-maintenance plants. Look into crypts and buces.
You probably don't need the bubbler as long as you have a filter, since any kind of surface agitation is sufficient to keep things stable, but as long as you don't mind it, it certainly isn't hurting anything.

>>2156706
Split photoperiods are pretty common with planted tanks, so no issues there.

>>2156708
Pretty nifty idea. Considering the number of magnetic algae scrapers on the market, it should be doable one way or another.
Look up DIY magnetic algae scrapers for ideas.

>>2156686
Having experience maintaining a planted aquarium is better than no experience with an aquarium at all.

>After that the only big difference is mixing salt and using RO water, and a planted tank isn't going to help with either of those.

Yes, it will. Mixing RO water and salt is just like mixing RO water and stock solutions for a planted tank. Only you're mixing different compounds in the water.

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First of all, it's the first time i've come to this general, so sorry for asking questions which have probably been asked lots of times already.

Ok so here's the thing. I've always loved aquariums and all the exotic and colorful fish you can see in them, but i never really delved further into it. But lately, i've really gotten the urge to get into this hobby. Now i know it's a bad idea to jump straight into stuff like saltwater tanks or large tanks without having any experience, so i was thinking of just starting out with a small tank and some easy fish to begin with, so i could hopefully get some experience from this and eventually start trying out larger and more exotic fish in the future.

I've been doing some research and looking around and i've decided i want to start out with a betta fish (just one male betta and nothing else in the tank). Would pic related be a good choice (Biorb Flow 30 litre)? I'm not really that familiar with Biorb, but i have a feeling that it's the kind of tank/brand that most people here would look down upon. But the reason i'm interested in this one is because it's seems like it's made for people that don't really have a clue what they're doing or lack experience, which would be perfect for me. And it also looks great IMO.

Anyone here have any experience with keeping betta fish in a Biorb (not the spherical ones)? I've heard some people mention that the current may be a bit too harsh for a betta, but i've also heard other people who had the tank say the current was fine.

>>2156730
oops, typed in stock solutions instead of fertilizer powder. the powder is what you mix in to make the stock solution.

>>2156731
It's easier to keep a big aquarium balanced then a small aquarium

>>2156730
>mixing RO water and stock solutions for a planted tank
Who actually does this?

>>2156762
Some people buy pre-mixed stuff like Flourish.

You can get a pound of solid trace elements for $5 vs $5 for a bottle of Flourish.

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Finally got my fish to eat. He fuckin slams his blood worms like a madman now. I've been giving him either 1 thawed bloodworm or 2-3 freeze dried bloodworms a day now. Can they live solely off of bloodworms or should I mix it up with other things?

And also, since everybody's been talking about fertilizing things, I have a few questions about some of the plants in Sarge's 5 gal. I have a dwarf lily in there, and already within the 5 days that I've had the tank up, the thing has bloomed a lily to the surface (not yet unfolded) and has another one hot on its way. I have a 10gal sponge filter right beside it, which creates a little current as the bubbles come up, which drags the surface lily away from the plant. Will this harm the plant or is it fine? Right now it's like halfway across the tank by some of the floating wisteria in there.

Also, do dwarf lilies or water wisteria need any type of fertilization? The only plant other than those in there is two bundles of elodea, but I've worked with it in college labs before and know it will basically grow in any water, fertilized or not (which it has).

Also thinking of adding a memeball in there, too.

>>2156731
Larger tanks are generally more stable and less susceptible to temperature or water parameter swings, which makes them easier to maintain. For a general community aquarium the best "beginner size" would be around 80-120 liters.

Recommendations for a betta are usually 20 to 40 liters, so 30 is a good start. I don't see how the BiOrb tank is supposed to be any easier to maintain. That filter look like a pain in the ass to clean. You'll also need a heater if the room the tank is in gets much below 24C, and the stock lights won't be much good for live plants if you decide to go that routh.

If you want to eventually consider putting other fish in with the betta, see about getting a 40-60 liter tank that's at least 45 cm long.

>>2156769
The surface lily should be fine, the sponge filter shouldn't have enough current to harm anything.

As for the fertilization, depends on your water supply. Some water has enough trace elements to keep plants growing, others don't.

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>>2156769
Here's a pic of the dwarf lily, if anyone was curious. I think it actually looks really healthy, it's perked up a lot since I've put it in

>>2156731
What others told you holds true. Nothing wrong with biorb setup but I figure you would be better off getting a 10-20 gallon tank with t5 lights or leds used. The more volume, the better.

You can get all that and a betta aswell as substrate, plants and a filter between 50-150 $ dollars if you buy smart.

Flow should only be an issue with very longfinned bettas but you can regulate the flow by adding hardscape like wood/stone or floating plants.

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>>2156777
Okay that's what I thought, thanks. And I have well water, so it probably does have plenty of trace elements, huh?

>>2156783
Yeah, probably has loads of iron, magnesium, calcium. You should be fine, but if the plants begin to discolor just supplement with seachem flourish.

I have a 110 gallon freshwater tank and yesterday I siphoned a one by one foot area which depleted about 5 gallons of water. What's the best way to refill my tank up besides a pitcher a day of water left out for a day.

>>2156793
Python water changer + dechlorinator.

>>2156778
looks neat.
my dwarf lilies always melt

>>2156332
Algae wafers, majority of them are bottom feeders while I feed pellets to my betta. No aggressive fish, inverts have a small area to hide at the back of the tank. Fish outnumber inverts.
>>2156382
They've done successful molts before though, how much cuttlebone should I place into the tank, and where?

>>2156374
Just put some mangroves in there a couple days ago.

>>2156420
Not really. I've only seen it done once. But most people don't.

>>2156684
They're not easy to find. But they make GREAT pets. They're interesting, and full of life. Much better to keep a mudskipper instead of a frog or toad that hides all day.

stocking recommendations for a five gallon hex please

Hi /an/ only been lurking here for about a month, exclusively in the aquarium thread, as I've recently been interested in getting one. I want to look into a cheap, low investment fresh water setup to get a feel for caring for an aquarium to see if it's something I'd like to get more into. I have found a decent 20 gallon tank on Craigslist, no leaks looks good come with some other stuff all for $35, now I know the equipment is most likely bad but I'm mostly interested in the tank. Is a 20 gallon a decent starting size and is it enough room for fish to be happy in? Also can I feed the fish depending what they are, bugs I find at my place?

>>2156806
I'm not entirely sure since I have never owned shrimp before.

I've also seen people take a needle and poke two holes in the ends of eggshells, blow the egg yolks out, then widen the holes large enough for shrimp to crawl in and out. They also use fine grade sandpaper to smooth the edges of the holes.

Once the inside of the shell is cleaned out they just tuck the eggshell in the tank somewhere that the fish can't push it around or crack it.

I wish I had saved the pics, they are actually kind of cool.

One day, when I do own my own shrimp, I want to use a whole carton of eggs to make a "shrimp condo building"

Or maybe get some aquarium safe materials and use the eggshells as a basis for making cool little rocket ships for an outer space/moon themed tank.

>>2156847
20 gallon in my opinion is the best tank to start off with. The stand and the light is the most expensive equipment you'll need. And an updated filter is generally a good start. Aqueon quietflows are the best for a low-tech setup.

If you want to get really cheap, but effective setup, watch this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEoGhsTvzNk

>>2156838
>Shrimp (tons of species and even multiple breeds per species)
>Snails (tons of species, some cute as hell, like blue ramshorns, google bumblebee snails. There's even carnivorous assassin snails to keep the other snail populations in check)
>Lone betta fish
>african dwarf frogs (make sure they are legit, a couple of their MUCH larger and aggressive cousin species are identical to them when very young)
>newts/salamanders
>any species of schooling fish that STAY small enough
>DO NOT GET GOLDFISH. NEVER GET GOLDFISH. EVEN THE SMALLEST BREED OF GOLDFISH CAN LIVE UP TO TEN YEARS AND REACH OVER A FOOT IN LENGTH WHEN FULLY GROWN.

Best of luck fellow /an/imal!

>>2156726
Thanks, I'll try both ideas then.

>>2156847
Great starting size, depending on what you wanna stock. 20gal for 35 dollars is a good deal

>>2156864
> EVEN THE SMALLEST BREED OF GOLDFISH CAN LIVE UP TO TEN YEARS AND REACH OVER A FOOT IN LENGTH WHEN FULLY GROWN.

But I love goldfish, anon. I want to get a 75 gal and keep Mr. Goldman happy for decades.

>>2156855
The equipment is far more expensive and important than the tank desu. $35 for a 20 gallon tank is good if it comes with a decent light. A filter and/or heater would be a good bonus.

If you really just want the tank, Petco is supposed to be having their $1/gal sale right now, so you can get a 20 gallon for $20. A decent filter is another $20-30. You can do without a heater if you live somewhere warm (75+ all year) or choose the right fish. Lights can get crazy expensive, so look for those especially on Craigslist (fluorescent ones are better for plants, generally). For the bottom of the tank, you can use all-purpose sand or gravel from a home improvement store (rinse as much dust out as you can using a five gallon bucket). You can also use landscaping rocks from there (Mexican black, granite, slate, and shale are all good). If you want some cheap plants you can pilfer them from a nearby pond or stream, but they'll almost definitely carry some bugs in with them (not necessarily bad).

20-30 gallons is a perfect starting size for a community aquarium. It's large enough that the water parameters are stable but not so large as to be cumbersome to maintain. Aqadvisor.com can give you a very general idea of what you can fit in the tank and where your temperature and whatnot needs to be. It's not perfect, but it's something.

Feeding your pets bugs you find around the house isn't generally recommended because they could have parasites or might have some into contact with pesticides. It's fairly low risk, but it's not really a risk you need to take. Do invest in a high quality staple food for the fish. Omega One is about the cheapest one I'd recommend. Feeding fish low quality flakes tends to make them a lot more susceptible to diseases.

>>2156884
Actually he's wrong. Some of the fancy gold fish only get 4-6 inches some 6-8 inches

>>2155975
I have two twenty gallons and a nano betta tank. Doing weekly water changes quickly became a pain in the ass. Like, I knew it would be, but I didn't really appreciate it. I should really know myself better, and it's so easy to put off water changes until the tank is only 65% full from evap and the nitrates are off the charts.

I think I'm going to scale back. I'm pretty certain I want to keep the betta because it's distinct an unique, but I might drop both 20 gallons and wait until my life is a little more stable and focus on one large tank with hardy fish that can tolerate my laziness instead of a bunch of smaller tanks. Not only that but all of my fish are PetSmart-tier pleb fish and neon tetra only seem cool when you're a newb.

>>2156530
Spiders are still kawaii as far as I'm concerned.

>>2156889
Shoot, that was meant for >>2156847

>>2156838
Hex tanks aren't great. There's less back and forth swimming space versus a regular 5.5 gallon (10-12 inches instead of 16) and less overall footprint (70-90 sq in instead of 128).
It'd be okay for 2-3 dwarf frogs, inverts (Neo shrimp, micro crabs, snails, dwarf crayfish), a betta, or maybe some male Endlers. There are other very small fish that could work out but they're significantly higher maintenance.
It's definitely too small for a newt, and even the smallest schooling fish would appreciate more room to move around.

Is a nanoaquarium a lot of work? how often do you have to clean the tank etc? Thinking about getting my first one.

>>2157000
It's harder than a larger tank like 10g or 20g.

I recommend you start with a 10g and maybe get a nano as a second one once you are more experienced.

Looking back, a 10g is fairly small but easier to keep stable water parameters

Are there any disadvantages to keeping tropical fish in indoor ponds instead of aquariums?

Just realized that I have 2 dead trees in my yard I can use to decorate my tank this wood. Both died at about the same time 4 years ago and are dry and brittle

google says they should be a-okay after proper stripping and cleaning but I figured i'd check here first

One is a small, bushsized cherry tree that is pretty much all twigs. The other is a 1.5 storyhigh plum tree with 1-3 inch diameter branches. Any foreseeable issues with these? I live in a semi-arid desert area if that matters

>>2157027
If they have been completely dead and baking in the sun for over 12 months then they should be safe.

Just make sure you follow all the instructions you read online.

>>2157013
You don't get to look at the fish from the side obviously. That's about it.

>>2156857
>>2156868
>>2156889
Thanks guys you've been super helpful, if I can get a 20 gal for $20 bucks new from a store I'll definently do that instead, I live in Texas so a heater won't be neccesarry I think. I will look into a wide variety of different fish that will be best tank mates, and maybe of of those suckered Bros to clean the sides

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>>2157047
There are no suckered Bros that are fit to live in a 20 gallon, except Oto cats. And they are pretty notorious for dying in new tanks, and even well-established ones due to how they're usually caught and shipped

You could maybe try a single juvenile Bristlenose Bro, but they are fucking poop machines and you'll have to lightly stock your tank with really good filtration. Like at least rated for 200 gallons per hour or higher, and make sure to get a 20 gallon long tank (not high).

I have been looking at getting some shrimp for my tank. Something that would clean algae and/or food that falls to the bottom. I have read about amano, ghost/glass shrimp, and cherry shrimp but as far as I can tell they are pretty similar as far as what they eat.

Am I looking in the right direction for getting shrimp or is there something else I can put in that will keep the tank tidy in-between me cleaning it. My tank is a 20g tall with some live plants that I put in recently.

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Lads is there anywhere i can order a good betta split tank that comes with a heater and filter or do I have to buy everything separate?

>>2157113
Amanos are the best out of the three shrimp you listed when it comes to keeping tanks clean

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>>2157119
>Get a bunch of plants, fail to plan out placement, tank's looked like shit for a few weeks but plants finally get proper care and grow like crazy.

Help me redesign my tank, an.
Hard mode: draw me a diagram.

Also, which light?

>want to keep fish in the next 6-9 months
>looks for information about local online retailers and brick-n-mortar ones
>mfw lucky fish fad (giant fuckin' flower horn cichlids) has fucking destroyed fishkeeping, possibly for good
>few stores devoted to freshwater or SALTwater aquariums left

Just fuck my shit up, Singapore. The only good thing that has come out of my despair is that there's possibly a shop dedicated to RCS if it still exists.

If I want to make money and quickly selling dwarf shrimp, which should I get?

Something that sells quick at a nice price

is it necessary to put egg crate or some other type of support under rocks to protect the tanks glass bottom in tropical aquariums?

seems like its a common thing to do in reef aquariums

>>2157129
Both lights are fine, wpuld go for blue though. Atm its a bit random placed and has no structure as well as plants that are small now but will grow big later(amazon sword/echinodorus)

I would start with some more hardscape, get some driftwood or rocks, bank up the substrate at the back a bit. Gives youvthe illusion of more depth. Then rearrange the plants accordingly. I'mma try to visualize it later for reference. But in general, put big ones in the back, small on the front.

>>2157166
Depends on your region and availability, but rather start with neocaridina.

Orange, blue, yellow, red, white from expensive to cheap is usually the order for the pure colours.

That being said, red has the highest demand and is most commonly available.

>>2157047
Like >>2157100 said, try to get a 20 long over a 20 tall. Or you could go ahead and get a 29. Longer tanks are better for fish because it gives them more swimming room.

Bristlenose and rubberlip plecos are fit for a 20 gallon tank, but they poo nonstop, so they're not good for "keeping the tank clean."
If you just want something to eat algae in your tank, Amano shrimp and nerite snails are way better. Bristlenose plecs do have great personalities, but if you get one do it because you like the fish, not for "utilitarian" reasons.

>>2157166
Red neos have the highest demand, but sell for less than other colors of Neocaridina.
Caridina sell for more, but they're harder to breed. Crystal reds are the most demanded of those.

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What do you feed your goldfish? I'm rocking flakes and bloodworms as a start.

>>2157117
Nope, you'll have to DIY this one.

>>2157171
I don't but it is important to make sure the rocks are stable or else they will fuck up the bottom.

Biggest problem I have now is my cinnamon clowns have figured out to create sandstorms and kicking up sand up to the powerhead leave barebottom areas in the tank.

Anybody know if Plecos or large catfish can go with flowerhorns?

>>2157171
From what I understand it's mostly if you have digging animals in the tank, so they don't dig under the rock and crush themselves. It's just that "digging animal" + "stupidly heavy rocks" is more common in saltwater aquariums than freshwater ones.

>>2157184
>>2157100
Same anon, I looked up the 1$ for 1$ gallon sale at petco and it started like 2 days ago! This means I can get a new 20 gal tank for $20.00! It is tempting to get something bigger like a 35 gal but may just take small steps. I will get a long tank cause I want the animals to be healthy, I would be getting the suckered bro for utilitarian reasons, but since you anon have suggested better things, like the shrimp, I amy do that instead. I know this is in some pastebin, but since I have your attention, what filter brands/types should I avoid? I'm really good with computer parts not so much aquariums haha.

>>2157616
Really, anything that looks like shit, I don't trust. I mean, you can have success with a 25 year old filter, but it's gonna putter out at any time. My personal favorite for beginners are the aqueon quietflows. They come in beginner tank sizes and are really quiet so there's not much noise, except the water trickling. It should also mention, that a lot of your filtration should also come from plants. Jungle Val, ludwigia, java fern, java moss, amazon swords, duckwed, aquatic banana, and anubias are all great starter plants!

Does anyone have suggestions for how to filter several aquariums together? I want to have the same water running through two or three small (5 or 10 gallon) aquariums. I know fish stores usually do that, I just want to know how

>>2157616
Filterwise, I'm a big fan of eheim, but they are in the upper medium price range. Still never had any problems with them and they have great warranty.

The plants I mentioned in the FAQ at the beginning here aswell as the ones >>2157633 mentioned are pretty easy to keep.

Hey Guys, I'm looking for a small fish (or school of fish) I could put in my planted 2 1/2 gallon, and then probably transfer to a 10 gallon. The 2 1/2 gallon is more of a grow-out tank, but I wanted to have some movement, and my Petco (screw them) doesn't normally have any shrimp. I'll be starting a 10 gallon planted tank in September (going to college), so I was thinking of getting baby fish and transferring them when they get bigger. I'm considering a betta, but that might limit what I could put in the ten gallon with it. Any ideas?

>>2157702
I forgot to mention that the tank is heated and has a sponge filter.

>>2157238
Pellets are better than flakes. Bloodworms are okay as a treat, but greens aremuch better for nutrition. Peas, broccoli, green beans, romaine, spinach, etc. Cut them into bite-sized pieces and heat them in some water until they're soft. There's one anon on here who's had his goldfish on broccoli and peas for years.

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>>2157616
Hang on back filters are by far the easiest to maintain. Aqueon is one of the cheaper/simpler brands, but they're decent for starters. One thing about Aqueon filters that I've experienced is that they fry themselves really quickly if they suck up any dust or sand, so I'd recommend getting an intake sponge (pic) for whatever filter you end up buying.
Personally I like the Marina Slim series because of the form factor and the adjustable flow rate, but the only place I know you can get them anymore is Amazon. The Marina filters come with a half-decent intake sponge included.

Do you know what you're doing for lights?

>>2157702
Neither micro rasboras nor endlers would be cool in that tank, since even those should get 5-10gal.
Maybe try an african dwarf frog, if your water maintenance is good, still quite a question mark. Only kept 3 once in a 5gal before moving them to 10gal after a year.

>>2157702
Livebearer fry would be okay in there if you just kept a few of them and moved them out in September, but fry tend to have pretty high mortality rates and I don't know where you'd get them in the first place.
Have you asked Petco if they could order shrimp for you? They noramlly stock ghost, cherry, and amano.
Some people have kept scarlet badis in 2.5 gallon tanks, but that's a pretty high-maintenance proposition.

Honestly the best option is to just get a betta. You can get a female if you're worried about compatibility issues in the 10 gallon, since they're usually more calm.

>>2157724
I've read somewhere that ADFs are sensitive to vibrations in the water, so it's not recommended to use air pumps or air-powered filters with them.

>>2157716
No I'm really quite clueless, but I have yet to really research it, I figure a normal florescent for plants and the fish would be fine, I'm in the south so I don't think I'll need a heater, apartment is usually 75f-80f

>>2157763
>>2157702

>Honestly the best option is to just get a betta. You can get a female if you're worried about compatibility issues in the 10 gallon, since they're usually more calm.

while this is mostly true, it isnt 100%. Better safe than sorry

>>2157688
Just get a couple pipes/tubes. Get an airstone, and aquarium sponge. Put one end of the tube with the airstone/sponge in one tank, and have the other end of the tube empty into another tank.

>>2157766
A 2 ft T8 shoplight from Home Depot would be more than enough for plants, if you have some way of hanging it above the tank. You might need to get a glass top (or have a piece of glass cut) to stop fish from jumping out.

>>2157688
The way fish stores do it is by using a sump, which would require drilling the tanks.

Easiest way to do something similar at home is to get a really big air pump and run multiple undergravel or sponge filters off of it.

You could also just get a 55 gallon tank and silicone several acrylic dividers in place. Cut/drill small holes in the dividers for water to pass through.

>>2157238
I haven't fed my goldfish in months and he still looks full.

>>2157798

Dude what the fuck. you need to feed him

>>2157706
I've tried veggies before, but never boiled. Chopped up a cubic inch of romaine heart lettuce like you said, boilt, meshed, rinsed in cold water; the lettuce was all eaten up by the time I'd cleaned up.

Any problems feeding fish herbs this way? I'm thinking mint and thyme.

>>2157798
>Looks full
Tip toppity kekkles

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>>2157616
this is me

>>2157633
>>2157694
>>2157716
SOOOOO this is my tank! Cost me $20.00 WOW got a petco discount card and can't wait to read up and see what kind of fish and things to get! Also if you can see it, there is a $30 discount on aqeon products so I may look for their most cost effective equipment and make a super cheap, but still nice tank! I liked the suggestion of the shrimp for algae, instead of sucker bros, and thought the red cherry shrimp were very pretty. I also read up on lights and learned they should be on timers to prevent too much algae from growing, is this true? I would prefer if I could leave the light off during the day, and turn it on when I get home from work, and leave it on in the evenings and when i sleep.

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Is this a good environment for 2 fancy goldfish? I'm coming to the completion of the nitrogen cycle, just have to wait for nitrites.

Specs: 55G long filtered by Eheim 2213

pH: 7.9
GH: 18-20 depending on day
KH: 9

Plants: Java moss, a few stems of hornwort and H. Polysperma

>>2157903
Definitely get a timer for the lights, it should be mandatory.

>>2157903
Leaving the lights off during the day will help prevent algae growth, but you also probably won't be able to grow too many other plants. Something like java moss or anubias would probably do okay, though. I'm sure there are others that would be fine with a few hours a day.

>>2157905
Seems good to me, but when I had hornwort in my goldfish tank (keep in mind he's a comet, and will tear apart any plant I put in there even if he can't eat it), he would rip the "leaves" off super frequently, which would then get everywhere and clog up my filter.

>>2157906
Whoops, didn't notice you said they'd be on when you're sleeping. It seems like it'd be alright, but if it gets any sunlight it might mess with the fishes' circadian rhythm.

>>2157912
And... I replied to the wrong comment.

>>2157906
got it, will do.
>>2157907
the lights would be on from the time i get home 8:00ish pm and stay on until i leave for work in the morning at 9:30 am the next morning, do you think this is sufficient?

>>2157911
He sounds like a cheeky but cute little cunt. I have way too much hornwort anyway so it's no big deal if the fish tear it apart.

>>2157912
its ok lol, it is very dark in my apartment so they will get no sunlight when all lights are off

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Hi all, I posted in the last thread about taking care of my parents' three goldfish. I got their new tank up and cycling, I plan on testing the parameters tomorrow and adjusting from there. Sadly, this change didn't come soon enough for one of them, who passed about an hour after I initially posted, but I'm determined to help out these last two. Right now they are in rough shape, the tank is extremely cloudy despite my doing partial water changes daily, and they are gasping at the air. Really excited to see how they do once I can get them the new setup.

You all have given me some great advice so far, I do have one more question to ask: how concerned do I have to be about higher temperatures with Comet Goldfish? Right now my parents turned the AC off in their home since no one's currently there, and the tank temp is hovering around 85°. They won't be home for another week, so I would prefer to keep they air off while they're out (the have a massive 6000+ sq ft home, so it is pretty costly to run the AC). Let me know what you think, thanks for all the great advice

>>2157928
>how concerned do I have to be about higher temperatures with Comet Goldfish?

Very concerned. They are coldwater fish, and even 85F for prolonged periods of time with tropical warm water fish wouldn't be comfy

Take off the hood if you can, minimize lighting if there's no plants, and put a fan over it to cool the tank down. You're gonna have a ton of evaporation, but it's fine compared to having your current tank becoming a giant goldfish stew pot

0/0/0 parameters, and my fish are dying
i've never been cucked for my entire life until now

>>2157864
His stomach is full as hell hes eating something. I'll feed him if he starts to get skinny. I just figure he's eating waste and all that so I won't stop him.

Is there something wrong with certain mollies? Every one ive had that wasnt a black molly has been a spazzing, seizuring, upside-down swimming mess

the rest of my mollies are fine but my dalmations and variegates alway die in a month. Water is pristine, what the fuck is wrong with these things?

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Well I finally finished and Tommy is asleep, how'd I do on my first aquarium /aq/?

>>2157959
You act like you finished. Let me tell you something you never finish and as your style changes you'll gradually make it look different and have more variety. If I had to recommend anything though I'd say it's a bit open and needs a littl green.

>>2157948
Good to know, I'll just turn on the AC, I want these guys to be happy and healthy. The problem is I live an hour away from their house, so it's difficult with my schedule to pop in and check on things once I get them installed, so if I tried something like a fan I wouldn't be able to monitor the temp as often as I would need to ensure I could adjust as necessary

>>2157962
Haha I know, I just bought the kit today

Had the fish for a week, won him at the fair with my gf and now we take care for him. Started off with a small bowl but I realized that he wasn't that happy then I came here and realized he needed more space (thanks for the help btw). He's a Betta so I can't really find any other fish to add, thinking of taking the flag down because of the bright colors but idk I'm new to this

I want to use diffent clolr subtrate in my tank. What's a good subtrate divider? I plan on doing black(plant subtrate) and either white, red or blue

>>2157970
Bettas are for plebs. Get a wild fish or if it's illegal. But one from your state hatchery. I just bought 3 channel catfish all about 5 inches long for 4 dollars.

>>2157975
What are some.good freshwater fish to start out with?

>>2157973
White sounds cool

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>>2157976
What are you thinking about describe a fish that you would like. The best in my opinion are native North American fish they look cool you can't kill them. You can let them go in private pond and or catch them in ponds regarding state laws.>>2157976
>>2157976
>>2157976

>>2157980
Probably something that can live with a Betta, I was considering tetras? Or is this a stupid question if bettas really do fight/eat anything?

>>2157980
Probably more colorful fish too, but I want to avoid a warm water tank since I'm just a beginner

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>>2157983
Native fish are cold water easily and if you get something like a bluegill it'll eat the same food and is tough and not aggressive so it'll live with a beta.

Also they're very colorful as is any sunfish. Fun fact largemouth and smallmouth bass are commonly known as bass family but are really sunfish family.

>>2157982
depends on the betta. I have a male that wont bother anything but my females kill anything slow enough to be caught

>>2157957
or hes bloated from lack of food

>>2157996
If he hasn't been fed in months he'd be dead and he's lively as hell.

>>2156380
Sponge sounds like a nice idea, I'll probably raise the intake too just to be safe.

Also what's a good sand to use?
And how does one keep the sand clean once it's been set up?

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>>2157995
I think he's a nu-male beta fish

>>2158002
i think its just the way I introduced him to things. He was alone for awhile before I gave him some ghost shrimp to mess with and then some females. Now he's passive unless bothered. My newest girl is learning that the hard way

>>2157903
Careful with what you put with cherry shrimp. Larger fish could end up eating all of them.
Most Aqueon products are pretty iffy, I'd just get the filter. For water conditioner I'd suggest Seachem Prime or API StressCoat. For food Omega One is a good one that's easy to find. The only other thing you'd need is some kind of gravel vacuum, which you can just use a length of acrylic tubing for if you're strapped for cash.

>>2157916
That's a really long time. You can have set up the timer to turn the lights on from 8:00pm to midnight, then turn back on from 5:30am to 9:30am.

>>2157905
I'd recommend a large filter. One rated for 80+ gallons. Never underestimate how dirty goldfish are.

>>2157966
A bubbler could also help, if you can spare the expense.

>>2157917
You could try marimo moss balls, you can even split them open and attach them to things the same as Java moss.

Marimo moss is actually a type of algae that is very slow growing(for algae). And if I am remembering correctly, goldfish don't eat algae. Or at least wouldn't try unless they are starving.

>>2157958
Too much inbreeding.

>>2158001
I've seen anons here post about using pool filter sand. Supposedly because:

>no anaerobic pockets
>rinses easily before use so less clouding
>super easy to siphon so never looks dirty (unless you're a lazy fuck who never cleans your tank)

But that's just what I've seen posted, obviously you should do your research.

>>2157959
>>2157970
It's really bare. Get some silk plants for him to rest on and swim through.
The flag shouldn't be an issue, but if you notice him flaring at it a lot you can take it down.
If your house starts getting below 75 later in the year, look into getting a heater.
The safest fish to put with betta are peaceful, short-finned, and not super colorful. You should wait a few weeks before putting other fish in the tank to give it a chance to cycle first, though.
Ember tetras are hardier than neons and pretty easy to find. A small school of 5 or 6 would be a good fit.
If you start seeing algae and want an algae eater, Amano shrimp or a nerite snail would be much better than a pleco or loach.

>>2157976
Platies and white cloud mountain minnows are severely underrated. Near bulletproof and you don't even need a heater for them.

>>2158064
>rinses easily before use so less clouding
I call bullshit, but it settles down after a few days anyway so it's not a big deal.
My bigger problem with it is that, being a silica sand, it seems to cause chronic and aggressive diatom (brown algae) blooms.

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http://m.wikihow.com/Create-Aquariums-So-Lizards-and-Fish-Can-Coexist

>>2158076
I see, first time I've heard of this problem with pool filter sand. However, it makes sense now that I think about it.

Since you know more about it than I do, what would you recommend to our fellow anon (as well as me, in the future, when I finally get a tank again) as a viable alternative to pool filter sand?

>>2157959
as others pointed out, give him some more hides.

real plants also would be a nice addition. elodea, cabomba and some water lettuce as floating plant.

you can get the species mentioned for 1,99 at a fish store in big bundles and they are very undemanding of the water conditions.

>>2158081
The Bread/Cheese answer killed me.

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Who /refugium/ here?

>>2158090
Sadly I don't have a saltwater tank but yours looks really clean, good job.

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Rate my usb aquarium

>>2158081
With a jellyfish??
holy shit that would be dope

>>2158130
Looks understocked. Maybe put some more plecos and oscars in there.

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>>2158137
heard u talkin shit like i wouldnt no

>>2158048
I'll be using the Eheim supplemented by sponge filters then.

>>2157903
rather do a normal lighting schedule of 12/14 hours light with 1 -2 hours pause inbetween.

timers are neat but not a necessity if your work/life schedule fits the photo period, Nonetheless they are cheap and can help you out immensely.

Algae shouldnt be an issue when you have your lighting/stocking/planting/ferts figured out.

Rule of thumb on fishy tankmates for dwarf shrimp:

You wanna breed them: Only Otocinclus catfish and dwarf Corydoras like Pygmaeus, Hastatus and Habrosus are deemed breeding safe

If you just wanna keep them and don't mind losing some small baby shrimp:
Anything goes, as long as it's not a cichlid, betta, gourami etc - basically anything big and aggressive enough to prey on an adult shrimp.

How can I non-chemically remove blue-green algae? It's pretty much taken over my tank, and most algicides will kill inverts

I have 3 algae eater shrimp and theyre knocking it back, but I don't think they'll be able to get all of it.

guys i need a new filter for my 30 L shrimp aquarium, any tips?

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>>2158081

>>2158293
Do you even need one?

>>2158293

sponge filter

>>2158289
>chemically

with your hand. if you have algae all over your tank there's too much light

>>2158301

>with your hand

thats digitally tho

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>>2158081
brb killing self

>>2157990
>cold water
>with a betta

>bluegill
>http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/bluegill.htm
>Bluegills can grow up to 12 inches long and about 4 1/2 pounds
No way in hell am I putting that with a betta.

>not aggressive
I used to fish them and they'll go after an empty hook, so aggressive or not they're bitey fuckers.

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>>2158316
This.
All of this.

Why would anyone even suggest that

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>>2158309

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This seems a bit hefty but what would /an/ recommend I do for a 20g tall community tank? Open to suggestions about everything/anything but I really like DGs. I just started planting my aquarium and ope to remove all plastic plants here soon.

>>2158316
It takes around 6 years for them to get that big and they probably won't get that big in a tank and they're pretty friendly in an aquarium.

All of you must convert from these pleb fish and get native fish. They're is zero cons to them.

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I'm still doing research on what to keep but I'd like to keep these eventually.

Will platies nip at kuhli loaches?

>>2158380
Keeping native fish is more or less illegal in my state. The only native fish we can legally buy and keep as aquarium fish are rosy red minnows.

>>2158382

More tetras. Get a dozen. Theyre beautiful when they school.

If you use standard gravel you'll be lucky if you even see your khuli loaches. They LOVE to burrow.

>>2158083
>viable alternative to pool filter sand?
If you want sand, not really. The only sand that's cheap and readily available is other types of silica sand. "Black beauty" doesn't cause that problem, but the sand grains are really sharp and will tear up any snails or bottom dwellers you put in there.
If you want to use PFS, just prepare to clean the tank a lot for the first few months it's set up, or get some algae eaters that love diatoms.

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>>2158130
One of your fish is already a dead ghost

>>2158289
You can use hydrogen peroxide. Use a pipette to apply directly to the algae. It's safe for inverts in low doses.

>>2158301
>too much light
Blue green algae is actually bacteria, so it doesn't quite work like that.

>>2158378
>>2158380
ILA
L
A

GO
O

AWAY
W
A
Y

>>2158382
>Will platies nip at kuhli loaches?
I haven't has this issue, but then again my kuhlis have plenty of hiding places.

>>2158058
Good, I'll pick one up

>>2158417
Actually, natives are pretty dope. Such as the pygmy sunfishes, flagfish, the enormous amounts of shiners and darters, and sailfin mollies.

>>2158382
I'd ditch the platies and the tetras all together. I'd go for harlequin rasboras, or danios. That will look better with your kuhli loaches and rcs since they're all SE asian species. It allows for a biotope style, and it fits better.

>>2158431
Yes, yes, and yes, but not bluegill in a fucking 10 gallon.

>>2158519
The only thing that belongs in a ten gallon is fish less than two inches.

Guys, after 8 months of research, I think im finally ready for my first marine aquarium. Im looking for a 75 gallon tank with an overflow, does anyone know where I can find a good quality tank like that?

>>2158634
also if youre thinking about going marine, this guide is pretty good
http://www.reefedition.com/291/

>>2158634
I'm terrified of drilling my tank, and have a specific look in mind, so I'll be using this for my 70 gallon.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CJ2575K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You can find some drilled tanks at local pet stores too

>>2158643
overflow boxes are nice.

they work really well. A bit noisy, but so are drilled overflows.

>>2158643
Im scared of overflow boxes, I also am a bit confused on how to properly set up the sump so that nothing overflows, do I just fill the tank until everything overflows into the sump and then comes back correctly? is there a good refresh rate to aim for?

>>2158652
You pretty much have it right. Make sure the sump isn't full, so that if the pump dies, it won't overfill. These overflow boxes can be adjusted for the water level, so you can adjust the flow that way.
By the refresh rate, I assume you mean the amount of water flowing. That's just going to be the amount your pump pumps. I think there is a rule of thumb for flow rate, but you'll have to look it up.
I haven't used mine yet in an aquarium, but I did set it up in some buckets. I'd recommend that just to make sure you understand how it's going to work

>>2158652
not him, but overflow boxes are pretty simple. Once you start the siphon it won't break even if the pump stops or the power goes out. So you can just start the thing and never really worry about it unless it somehow gets clogged (anemones) or you pull the U-tube up and break the siphon. The overflow will start and stop itself after it's set up.

More important is punching a couple holes in your return line just above the water line in the main tank. This will spray a little stream of water out the hole and into the tank when the pump is running, but more importantly it prevents the return line from siphoning water into the sump when the pump is turned off.

setting the sump up is a bit trickier, but what I do is keep adding water to the main tank and letting it pour out the overflow into the sump until the sump is almost full.

that's the level you want, because then if the pump gets shut off the sump won't spill. Also mark the water line on your sump when the pump is running so you can watch for evaporation. Evaporation will lower the water level in the sump, NOT the main tank. So you have to keep an eye on that so your sump water doesn't go too low and burn up your return pump.

whatever the speed of your pump is how fast water will flow through the overflow.

>>2158657
So should I set up my ATO in the sump in that case?

>>2158652
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaDDKNA4cn0

>>2158663
it's traditional.
but unless you're using a float switch or optical sensor it doesn't really matter where you add the water. It usually goes into the sump just so you aren't pouring unmixed freshwater over your corals or whatever.

>>2158672
>unless you're using a float switch or optical sensor it doesn't really matter
if you ARE using something to sense water level it MUST be mounted in the sump though.

because like I said, your main tank will always be full to the overflow as long as the pump is running.

it's the sump water level that will drop with evaporation.