Common Newbie Pitfalls - Page 5 - Aquarium Advice

Swimmer32 · 07-10-2006, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by talloulou

...Don't even look at pH up and pH down products...

Out of curiosity, what's wrong with using these?

Another post mentions not to play around with your ph level. If it's stable don't mess with it.

Isn't it important to keep it in a certain neutral range, like in the low 7's??

rich311k · 07-10-2006, 10:57 PM

Stable is far more important. Fish will adjust to water quality, but they will not handle having a PH/Kh that bounces around.

Swimmer32 · 07-10-2006, 11:20 PM

What do you do if you have a ph crash or something similar?

Water changes?

dskidmore · 07-11-2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swimmer32

What do you do if you have a ph crash or something similar?

Water changes?

Regular water changes should prevent a pH crash. If you have a problem with keeping the pH stable, you might consider raising your alk rather than directly changing your pH. Alkalinity affects how easily the water changes pH.

Water changes can correct pH swings if the tap water has sufficient Alk.

hc8719 · 07-24-2006, 11:33 PM

biggest newbie pitfall of all time:

buying a tank and fish on the same day

i mean how many of us gasp in horror seeing a kid pick out some fish, and then put a 10 gal tank in the shopping cart...

Lonewolfblue · 07-25-2006, 12:06 AM

I would say the biggest pitfall, is believing the lfs when they tell you it's ok to start adding fish after 72 hours.

07-25-2006, 01:10 PM

Two places NOT to skimp on money:

Tank size
Test kit.

DON"T BUY THE CHEAPY TEST STRIPS. Buy a real test kit. And the biggest possible tank you can afford.

Lonewolfblue · 07-25-2006, 03:38 PM

Biggie #2
Incompatable fish (Both incompatable with other fish as well as tank size)

src · 07-29-2006, 10:03 PM

How to treat new plants before adding them to your tank: Let them soak for 2-3 minutes in a 20:1 solution of plain, unscented chlorox and water.

OK, so I fill up my bucket with 3 gallons of tank water. 3 gallons is 11 356.2354 milliliters. A 10 to 1 solution would be 10% cholrox, so that's 1135 milliliters. You need 20, so obviously that's 2270 milliliters.

Repeat after me: 20 to 1 is 5%, not 20%. Arrrgh!

Always double check both your math AND your assumptions.

newfound77951, sorry but I think I just killed most of the plants you sent me. Plus most of my plants. I'm giving them time to see if any bounce back, but what a STUPID mistake!

baldmtnbrew · 08-20-2006, 10:24 AM

I read in tropical fish hobbyist magazine that when I cycle my tank I can put a cooked shrimp in the tank I have done this but when do I take it out?

07-10-2006, 11:20 PM	#43
Swimmer32 Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 45	What do you do if you have a ph crash or something similar? Water changes? __________________ 6 x Black Phantom Tetras 6 x Zebra Danios 3 x Lace Gouramis

07-25-2006, 12:06 AM	#46
Lonewolfblue Planted Geek Community Mentor Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wenatchee, WA Posts: 7,857 Images: 7	I would say the biggest pitfall, is believing the lfs when they tell you it's ok to start adding fish after 72 hours. __________________ 26G Medium Planted Community - 65W CF Lighting - Emperor 280 Bio-Wheel - Established Feb 2004 55G Aggressive Community - Filstar XP3 - Established Dec 2005 75G Heavily Planted - Pressurized CO2, 520W Lighting, Filstar XP3 with spraybar - Established Feb 2006 29G Planted - 130W Lighting, Filstar XP2 with spraybar - Established May 2006 5 10G Tanks - Various setups - Tanks Established May-Sep 2006. 3 currently empty. 5.5G Crypt/Java Fern Tank - Established Oct 2006 My 29G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=78469 My 75G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70764 My 75G Makeover Thread: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=87691

07-25-2006, 03:38 PM	#48
Lonewolfblue Planted Geek Community Mentor Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wenatchee, WA Posts: 7,857 Images: 7	Biggie #2 Incompatable fish (Both incompatable with other fish as well as tank size) __________________ 26G Medium Planted Community - 65W CF Lighting - Emperor 280 Bio-Wheel - Established Feb 2004 55G Aggressive Community - Filstar XP3 - Established Dec 2005 75G Heavily Planted - Pressurized CO2, 520W Lighting, Filstar XP3 with spraybar - Established Feb 2006 29G Planted - 130W Lighting, Filstar XP2 with spraybar - Established May 2006 5 10G Tanks - Various setups - Tanks Established May-Sep 2006. 3 currently empty. 5.5G Crypt/Java Fern Tank - Established Oct 2006 My 29G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=78469 My 75G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70764 My 75G Makeover Thread: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=87691

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07-10-2006, 10:57 PM	#42
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	Stable is far more important. Fish will adjust to water quality, but they will not handle having a PH/Kh that bounces around.

07-24-2006, 11:33 PM	#45
hc8719 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 1,931	biggest newbie pitfall of all time: buying a tank and fish on the same day i mean how many of us gasp in horror seeing a kid pick out some fish, and then put a 10 gal tank in the shopping cart...

07-25-2006, 01:10 PM	#47
Guest Posts: n/a	Two places NOT to skimp on money: Tank size Test kit. DON"T BUY THE CHEAPY TEST STRIPS. Buy a real test kit. And the biggest possible tank you can afford.

07-29-2006, 10:03 PM	#49
src Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Richmond, Virginia Posts: 476	How to treat new plants before adding them to your tank: Let them soak for 2-3 minutes in a 20:1 solution of plain, unscented chlorox and water. OK, so I fill up my bucket with 3 gallons of tank water. 3 gallons is 11 356.2354 milliliters. A 10 to 1 solution would be 10% cholrox, so that's 1135 milliliters. You need 20, so obviously that's 2270 milliliters. Repeat after me: 20 to 1 is 5%, not 20%. Arrrgh! Always double check both your math AND your assumptions. newfound77951, sorry but I think I just killed most of the plants you sent me. Plus most of my plants. I'm giving them time to see if any bounce back, but what a STUPID mistake!

08-20-2006, 10:24 AM	#50
baldmtnbrew Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2	I read in tropical fish hobbyist magazine that when I cycle my tank I can put a cooked shrimp in the tank I have done this but when do I take it out?