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Got the pond running well again this year, but only after a tough struggle detailed in my blog post here: Pond v4 – Stuffisa

The cannister on this 190-gallon tank is on a 5-month cleaning schedule: The substrate gets vacuumed every couple of months or so, and the tank's been solidly stable since inception over 2 years ago. The Oscar started as a 3-inch baby, achieving his now 8" stature in that time. Fish all...

I REALLY want to do filter maintenance on the 190, but the Marineland C-360 is now in the "new record zone." It's been 5 months and the water is fine. Nitrate was creeping higher than I'd like last water change, but I think that's only due to the PWC schedule, which I will adjust a bit and...

Here:s a shot of my big guy at night under the blue light. He wouldn't hold still for the tape measure, but I'm thinking he's up to about 7 inches now:

I decided to go with a planted tank for the goldfish this winter - I know big mistake. I had swords, 2 kinds of moss and another plant I forgot what it was already. They are eating everything but the Swords! And they are Well Fed with normal goldfish food, trust me. Can anybody suggest...

So I finally got around to changing the filter media in the 190gal's Marineland C530 today, after 4 months and 20 days. The reason was I'm re-starting the 125gal goldfish tank because it's almost time to bring them in for the winter and get the pond shut down and put away for the season. A...

Jack (Dempsey) mugging for the camera:

Sorry for the click-bait! But so many threads start with something "wrong," I thought perhaps a little change of pace might be in order... :whistle: See below pic of my 190, looking from the end. Marineland 560 rated for 150gal, has been running 108 days since last cleaning. This is the...

Needing a little advice on projects to upgrade a couple of tank hoods in the near future. I suppose I'm a fairly competent all-around DIY'er, but this will involve water and electricity in close proximity, so mistakes are going to be pretty much verboten, at least from a fishy health...

Apparently my planted feeder tank is quite healthy. There's new things like tiny lily pads with a single root-like extension going straight down thriving in there. I didn't put them in there: It was abut 2 months since I got the leafy one you see along with them. Did they somehow hitch a...

I've been playing with a backyard pond the past few years. I think I finally learned enough to have a really good go at it this past spring, ongoing to date. Check out the progress on my blog. Maybe it'll give some of you an idea or 2: Acewiza's Pond Project

I think I've finally figured out where my cloudy water problems are coming from. Our water supply changed sometime last fall. The town did a deal with a different supplier, which apparently contains some bacteria that likes to bloom in my tanks. I did not put 2-and-2 together until just last...

I'm trying to raise/breed guppies, shrimp and snails for the crew in my main 109g tank. Started with a 10g which is doing fine, but t didn't take long to realize that tank needs upsizing. I have a new 20 set up and almost ready to go, but the issue I'm mostly concerned with at this point is...

So my Convicts spawned a couple months ago and now there's waaaaay too many fish in the tank. I found a pet store that will take them, but I can't catch the little suckers! I don't want to take everything out of the tank to make net fishing easier, either. That's what I ended up doing last...

About a month ago I set up a 10-gal feeder tank in the interest of feeding my gang healthier, fresher fare. It has 2 permanent-resident pygmy Cories, 4 guppies (1 male, 3 female), 4 glass shrimp, and a bunch of snails (for the puffers). The guppies are reproducing, can't tell what the snails...

For years I've been schlepping minnows back from the pet stores around here to feed my chichlids. There are presently 3 Convicts, a Jack Dempsey and an albino Oscar with seemingly insatiable appetites in my main tank. Can anybody raising their own feeders offer any suggestions or tips? I...

Mother and a passel of babies are doing fine:

Anyone know if Oscars are smart enough to know what "NOT" to eat? My young one (~5") turned up flat on his side at the bottom of the tank yesterday morning, but still alive. The evening before he appeared gorged like I've seen him before, as if he'd eaten several minnows at one meal. At the...

So I never had or "seem" to have had any Ph issues I know of, so I don't know what possessed me to get some test strips. 2 Different kinds. Bored, I guess. :facepalm: Anyway, the tests are saying my Ph is low around 6, on the acidic side. Any suggestions? TIA

Despite keeping fish for almost 20 years, I've learned nothing about differentiating the sexes. :oops: Can anybody sex our new Puffers? TIA:

I have, on occasion, failed to monitor the tanks closely enough when doing a water change and overfilled. Just wondering if anyone knows of a rule of thumb or downside to filling them clear up to within a fraction of an inch of the top? tia...

Hi everybody! Been into the aquarium stuff for a long time, finally decided to join the forum. Looking forward to sharing lotsa great info and stories. Paul