Good Aquarium Habits From Experience
- Thread starter cockroach
- Start date
If you have to turn off your filters and heaters for water changes(like most of us) then put them on a power strip with your lights. That way you'll be much less likely to forget to turn everything back on.
Improvements I ever made were:
- Over-filtering. I wish I had been over filtering a lot earlier, it has made such a huge difference.
-Under-stocking. This means less hassles when I go away as less water changes are needed.
- Automatic feeders. No more being dependent on a fish sitter who is probably going to be careless.
- Fish club auctions. Some good deals in there.
- Using window light to grow plants, I could never get plants to survive before I used window light.
One thing I would recommend to anyone starting out is to plan aquariums around their lifestyle. Some people are willing/able to spend more time with their aquariums. I sometimes reply to the general "how many fish can I keep" with how many water changes are you willing/able to do?. Keeping my goldfish in forty gal tank was leading to disaster. I didn't have time to do the huge water changes needed to keep ammonia down in a setup that size. Yet other people do just fine with goldfish in a thirty gal tank.
- Over-filtering. I wish I had been over filtering a lot earlier, it has made such a huge difference.
-Under-stocking. This means less hassles when I go away as less water changes are needed.
- Automatic feeders. No more being dependent on a fish sitter who is probably going to be careless.
- Fish club auctions. Some good deals in there.
- Using window light to grow plants, I could never get plants to survive before I used window light.
One thing I would recommend to anyone starting out is to plan aquariums around their lifestyle. Some people are willing/able to spend more time with their aquariums. I sometimes reply to the general "how many fish can I keep" with how many water changes are you willing/able to do?. Keeping my goldfish in forty gal tank was leading to disaster. I didn't have time to do the huge water changes needed to keep ammonia down in a setup that size. Yet other people do just fine with goldfish in a thirty gal tank.
Building a maintenance routine is must for good husbandry.
Less better quality is better than more crappy quality.
DIY can beat expensive brands if done correctly with lots of research.
Research!
Less better quality is better than more crappy quality.
DIY can beat expensive brands if done correctly with lots of research.
Research!
I try to be vigilant in regards to contamination/cross-contamination
*Any equipment that goes into or comes out of the tank gets a bleach bath before going into storage or back on the shelf.....nets, filters, tanks, heaters, etc
*For equipment that doesn't get disinfected regularly, I have dedicated equipment for each individual tank: water changing hoses, buckets, etc
*Water changes, water changes, water changes!!!! I do >50% every 3-4 days.
*Multiple filters on every tank.
*Heat controller on every tank.
*Won't ever use auto-feeders ever again. I just find that it just increases the chances of it fouling the water if it malfunctions. I don't trust people feeding my fish....from personal experiences and reading horrors stories online. I just let my fish go on a fast for 1-3wks while I'm away.....never had a single issue....never even seen a hint of a sunken belly
*Haven't used carbon as part of filtration system since the early '90s
*Won't use any sort of chemicals (clarifiers, algaecide, etc) in my tanks. I'm on well water, so I don't even have to use dechlorinator. I do use Seachem Safe, but only to neutralize equipment after a bleach bath
*Be vigilant during refilling the tank during water changes.....especially if you're multi-tasking. This mishap still occurs at least once or twice a year for me smh
*Any equipment that goes into or comes out of the tank gets a bleach bath before going into storage or back on the shelf.....nets, filters, tanks, heaters, etc
*For equipment that doesn't get disinfected regularly, I have dedicated equipment for each individual tank: water changing hoses, buckets, etc
*Water changes, water changes, water changes!!!! I do >50% every 3-4 days.
*Multiple filters on every tank.
*Heat controller on every tank.
*Won't ever use auto-feeders ever again. I just find that it just increases the chances of it fouling the water if it malfunctions. I don't trust people feeding my fish....from personal experiences and reading horrors stories online. I just let my fish go on a fast for 1-3wks while I'm away.....never had a single issue....never even seen a hint of a sunken belly
*Haven't used carbon as part of filtration system since the early '90s
*Won't use any sort of chemicals (clarifiers, algaecide, etc) in my tanks. I'm on well water, so I don't even have to use dechlorinator. I do use Seachem Safe, but only to neutralize equipment after a bleach bath
*Be vigilant during refilling the tank during water changes.....especially if you're multi-tasking. This mishap still occurs at least once or twice a year for me smh
I'd take this a step further, and seldom put my hands into the tank water. I do it when it is a must....and rearranging décor is not a must.
Many good and helpful suggestions above.
Not necessarily "habits", but I find that ATO aren't just useful for marine tanks. If using a sump, it decreases the frequency that's needed to top off the water to avoid return pump damage, it keeps the water level consistent which keeps the return rate consistent (from consistent head pressure in the sump) and most will have alarms if the water is below your set point and your back-up water is low.
Having a second thermometer probe w/alarm is good precaution, in case something goes wrong in the heater/controller department.
Consider the money we throw in this hobby, these things are worth it in my opinion - and relatively lost cost in the grand scheme of things.
Not necessarily "habits", but I find that ATO aren't just useful for marine tanks. If using a sump, it decreases the frequency that's needed to top off the water to avoid return pump damage, it keeps the water level consistent which keeps the return rate consistent (from consistent head pressure in the sump) and most will have alarms if the water is below your set point and your back-up water is low.
Having a second thermometer probe w/alarm is good precaution, in case something goes wrong in the heater/controller department.
Consider the money we throw in this hobby, these things are worth it in my opinion - and relatively lost cost in the grand scheme of things.
Many good and helpful suggestions above.
Not necessarily "habits", but I find that ATO aren't just useful for marine tanks. If using a sump, it decreases the frequency that's needed to top off the water to avoid return pump damage, it keeps the water level consistent which keeps the return rate consistent (from consistent head pressure in the sump) and most will have alarms if the water is below your set point and your back-up water is low.
Having a second thermometer probe w/alarm is good precaution, in case something goes wrong in the heater/controller department.
Consider the money we throw in this hobby, these things are worth it in my opinion - and relatively lost cost in the grand scheme of things.
Not necessarily "habits", but I find that ATO aren't just useful for marine tanks. If using a sump, it decreases the frequency that's needed to top off the water to avoid return pump damage, it keeps the water level consistent which keeps the return rate consistent (from consistent head pressure in the sump) and most will have alarms if the water is below your set point and your back-up water is low.
Having a second thermometer probe w/alarm is good precaution, in case something goes wrong in the heater/controller department.
Consider the money we throw in this hobby, these things are worth it in my opinion - and relatively lost cost in the grand scheme of things.
