Comments on: Tell Us Your Best Aquarium Tip! http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:06:19 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kelly http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-2939 Kelly Sun, 16 May 2010 04:13:08 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-2939 I found all advise helpful, but was very impressed with Bryan simple logic the most informative. I found all advise helpful, but was very impressed with Bryan simple logic the most informative.

]]> By: james http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-1905 james Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:02:01 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-1905 Im a few months into my first marine aquarium. I probibily cant give a lot of advanced tips to you guys.But, with a good friend[fairly seasoned], and a llloooottt of reading. I discovered with all the great products on the market,research thoes also, I was fortunate enough to puchise my set up almost all at one store.listen close though THE BEST ADVICE I ,OR ANYBODY CAN GIVE IS DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR! Thats to everyone not just beginners.By the way save our reefs! Im a few months into my first marine aquarium. I probibily cant give a lot of advanced tips to you guys.But, with a good friend[fairly seasoned], and a llloooottt of reading. I discovered with all the great products on the market,research thoes also, I was fortunate enough to puchise my set up almost all at one store.listen close though THE BEST ADVICE I ,OR ANYBODY CAN GIVE IS DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR! Thats to everyone not just beginners.By the way save our reefs!

]]> By: Coleen http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-1878 Coleen Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:55:25 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-1878 Okay, this is for small tanks, but could be done for large tanks too. I have a betta, and his water has to be rather warm. My home is set for 68 degrees in winter. My kitchen gets colder at night after we go to bed. I have done all that is suggested to keep Buckshot happy, but I couldn't get the water to stay warm at night. He already has an emersible heater too. Here is what I did, I took some very thin insulation that had bubble rap inbetween it) used for wrapping pipes in a home. I cut it to size, and wrapped the entire tank, but let the front open/close like a door. It is working great!! In the morning, I open the front, and there he is all happy and hungry!! He is warm and happy throughout the night during our cold winter months here in Michigan. The added insulation to the walls (secured with two way sticky tape) was easy, and did the trick!! This does not look ugly, and I can remove it once winter is over with!! Also, when we take him with us to our camper, we wrap the tank for sure, since it gets really cold at night in that environment from time to time!! He goes where we go!! Okay, this is for small tanks, but could be done for large tanks too. I have a betta, and his water has to be rather warm. My home is set for 68 degrees in winter. My kitchen gets colder at night after we go to bed. I have done all that is suggested to keep Buckshot happy, but I couldn’t get the water to stay warm at night.
He already has an emersible heater too. Here is what I did, I took some very thin insulation that had bubble rap inbetween it) used for wrapping pipes in a home. I cut it to size, and wrapped the entire tank, but let the front open/close like a door. It is working great!! In the morning, I open the front, and there he is all happy and hungry!! He is warm and happy throughout the night during our cold winter months here in Michigan. The added insulation to the walls (secured with two way sticky tape) was easy, and did the trick!! This does not look ugly, and I can remove it once winter is over with!! Also, when we take him with us to our camper, we wrap the tank for sure, since it gets really cold at night in that environment from time to time!! He goes where we go!!

]]> By: Bryan http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-1833 Bryan Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:02:06 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-1833 Aquariums are natural, so when you respond to problems, try to do it the natural way. Through my many years in the industry I have found that if you use chemicals to "fix" a problem, usually adds to other problems. Remember less is more sometimes. For example: • If you start adjusting P.H. you will always have to, if you leave it alone, your fish will adjust. • If you remove Ammonia your nitrification cycle won’t cycle (there’s no food to grow Nitrites). • The higher your P.H. is the more toxic your Ammonia is to your fish. • Most algaecides quickly lower your P.H. and use lots of oxygen, starving the fish of it. • Water clarifiers chemically bond partials in your tank, which adds an oily slick on the surface which prevents oxygen from entering the water column. • If you add calcium to your tank it can make your P.H. lower at night. • Too much of any saltwater additive is toxic to almost everything. • Even medications can kill your nitrifying bacteria as well as adjust P.H. and sometimes other not so exciting results. If your Ammonia is high, cut back you’re feeding to every-other day. If you’re tank has suspended algae, cut out the light source for a couple of days. If you’re tank is cloudy, try cleaning filters and bi-weekly water changes. If your calcium is lowering in your saltwater tank, a simple water change will help that as well as replenish additives naturally found in the salt. Use medications sparingly, increasing the heat can help more than most ick medication will do. Remember Mother Nature knows best! Aquariums are natural, so when you respond to problems, try to do it the natural way. Through my many years in the industry I have found that if you use chemicals to “fix” a problem, usually adds to other problems. Remember less is more sometimes.
For example:
• If you start adjusting P.H. you will always have to, if you leave it alone, your fish will adjust.
• If you remove Ammonia your nitrification cycle won’t cycle (there’s no food to grow Nitrites).
• The higher your P.H. is the more toxic your Ammonia is to your fish.
• Most algaecides quickly lower your P.H. and use lots of oxygen, starving the fish of it.
• Water clarifiers chemically bond partials in your tank, which adds an oily slick on the surface which prevents oxygen from entering the water column.
• If you add calcium to your tank it can make your P.H. lower at night.
• Too much of any saltwater additive is toxic to almost everything.
• Even medications can kill your nitrifying bacteria as well as adjust P.H. and sometimes other not so exciting results.
If your Ammonia is high, cut back you’re feeding to every-other day. If you’re tank has suspended algae, cut out the light source for a couple of days. If you’re tank is cloudy, try cleaning filters and bi-weekly water changes. If your calcium is lowering in your saltwater tank, a simple water change will help that as well as replenish additives naturally found in the salt. Use medications sparingly, increasing the heat can help more than most ick medication will do.
Remember Mother Nature knows best!

]]> By: John http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-1819 John Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:10:04 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-1819 It seems like you never have a big enough pump. I always wish I had a larger pump on my 120. It seems like you never have a big enough pump. I always wish I had a larger pump on my 120.

]]> By: Mark http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-1818 Mark Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:29:20 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-1818 Don't be afraid to drop a bit of money on equipment rather than trying to get by on a bunch of cheaper band-aid solutions. There is no substitute for quality and in the end you will end up spending twice as much trying to avoid spending in the first place. My wallet and tank health both learned this the hard way ;) Don’t be afraid to drop a bit of money on equipment rather than trying to get by on a bunch of cheaper band-aid solutions. There is no substitute for quality and in the end you will end up spending twice as much trying to avoid spending in the first place. My wallet and tank health both learned this the hard way ;)

]]> By: Melissa R. http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-1817 Melissa R. Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:11:05 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-1817 We have a WINNER! Congratulations Vicki Raines! Please email me your full name, address & phone number so we can get your gift certificate to you. Facebook@DrsFosterSmith.com Thanks so much to everybody for contributing. I learned a lot from all these comments. It's a fantastic resource for beginners to look at! We have a WINNER! Congratulations Vicki Raines! Please email me your full name, address & phone number so we can get your gift certificate to you. Facebook@DrsFosterSmith.com

Thanks so much to everybody for contributing. I learned a lot from all these comments. It’s a fantastic resource for beginners to look at!

]]> By: Melissa R. http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-1816 Melissa R. Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:01:25 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-1816 Thanks everyone for the GREAT advise! We'll be announcing the winner soon. Good luck to you all! Thanks everyone for the GREAT advise! We’ll be announcing the winner soon. Good luck to you all!

]]> By: David Montgomery http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-1814 David Montgomery Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:41:27 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-1814 Stick to a regular maintenance schedule - take the few extra minutes to complete it each week and your livestock will thank you for it! Stick to a regular maintenance schedule – take the few extra minutes to complete it each week and your livestock will thank you for it!

]]> By: Tonya Gilmore http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/2010/02/best-aquarium-tip/comment-page-4/#comment-1813 Tonya Gilmore Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:30:21 +0000 http://www.dfs-pet-blog.com/?p=4956#comment-1813 Have fun and enjoy your hobby. Include children if and when possible to teach them to respect the tank. Make sure not to overcrowd your tank with fish and plants. Have fun and enjoy your hobby. Include children if and when possible to teach them to respect the tank. Make sure not to overcrowd your tank with fish and plants.

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