Helpful Hints...

by **Sbenson11** Thu May 14, 2015 12:22 pm

Weather you have been around this hobby for years or just starting out we all have come across ideas that make life a little easier. Sometimes it turns out to be something really obvious and "Why didn't I think of that before".

At any rate I can hardly remember what I did 10 minutes ago let alone when I last changed the filter in one of my tanks.

So...

I keep a roll of masking tape and a Sharpie handy for doing the remembering for me. I use this on everything, Hang on the back filters, RO/DI filters even the calibrating solutions of my meters.

Helps me stay on top of things and helps avoid the "When did I..." type questions.

Helpful Hints... IMG_20150513_173229_zpstvwdpwgm

Helpful Hints... IMG_20150513_173229_zpstvwdpwgm

So I got the ball rolling,

What kind of helpful suggestions do you have for us fish keepers new and been around for while(notice I didn't say old).

Steve

by **Shell** Thu May 14, 2015 1:07 pm

What a fab idea - we always remember WC day, but regular filter cleaning is something we tend to 'miss'. So, I think we will steal your idea and do the same!

One thing I do not recommend are those programmable electronic alert devices (now it may have been just the version we had....threw it out, so no idea on the make!). It was suppose to alert you when it was time to change filters, do a WC, and when the temp got too high or too low. Well, it worked well for about 2 months, then it starting dinging at least once a day with a high temp alert...but the temp was fine each and every time!

I will have to think about some of the things we do to make things move along smoothly. I can say that we do the following helpful things:

-timers on lights for all panted tanks
-keep battery operated air pumps and extra tubing on hand in case of power outages
-run extra sponge filters in our bigger tanks, to use in case of a power outages or when new fish are in QT
-separate bins for each tank, each containing a vacuum, net, plant clippers, glass scrapers/sponges, etc.

Most of the above are given - not novel by any means! I will have to think about some do the other things we do...!

by Starfish Thu May 14, 2015 1:55 pm

I keep a maintenance journal. Every time I do a water change, it goes in the journal with date, the amount of gallons, whether it was well or town water, filter cleanings. I also jot down other notes like: new plant added or clipping, ornaments bleached or changed, etc. I think I will start writing in when fish are added or removed. I was keeping all the receipts for that info, but am now thinking it probably best to keep it in the journal as well. I am sure I am not the only one who keeps a journal in this way.

by l_l_l Thu May 14, 2015 2:39 pm

When I do my water changes,
I empty all my tanks 40%,
Then fill them up.
I have seen people the tank, then fill it up.
Go to the next one do the same.
When I just batch empty/fill, it takes me 45 minutes for 6 tanks (total volume of 155 Gallon) instead of an hour and half if I do one tank at a time.

by **hello_rockview12** Thu May 14, 2015 4:29 pm

Good ideas here. It's also a good idea to keep track of your light bulbs (fluorescent) as they lose their plant growing power after 6 months! A maintenance journal makes life easy for fish tanks, much like with a vehicle.

by **Shell** Thu May 14, 2015 4:38 pm

Starfish wrote:I keep a maintenance journal. Every time I do a water change, it goes in the journal with date, the amount of gallons, whether it was well or town water, filter cleanings. I also jot down other notes like: new plant added or clipping, ornaments bleached or changed, etc. I think I will start writing in when fish are added or removed. I was keeping all the receipts for that info, but am now thinking it probably best to keep it in the journal as well. I am sure I am not the only one who keeps a journal in this way.

I am impressed...and a bit embarrassed as, no, I keep no journal. Amazing that you do this...I am inspired to do the same! Shame on me..... Embarassed

by **Sbenson11** Thu May 14, 2015 6:59 pm

Shell wrote:
Starfish wrote:I keep a maintenance journal. Every time I do a water change, it goes in the journal with date, the amount of gallons, whether it was well or town water, filter cleanings. I also jot down other notes like: new plant added or clipping, ornaments bleached or changed, etc. I think I will start writing in when fish are added or removed. I was keeping all the receipts for that info, but am now thinking it probably best to keep it in the journal as well. I am sure I am not the only one who keeps a journal in this way.
I am impressed...and a bit embarrassed as, no, I keep no journal. Amazing that you do this...I am inspired to do the same! Shame on me.....

I have to say I am guilty as well, I keep a spreadsheet in my computer of the Koi I have, dates receieved, breeders, etc. However I have always said I should keep a journal of treatments, raits, date the fish go out, etc.

Good time to start one, just 30 years to late Smile

Steve

by GaryE Fri May 15, 2015 4:29 am

I keep planning to keep some kind of journal. I started one once, but then I spilled water on it.

It would be easy to start a fish room journal file on the computer, I guess, given the time I spend on this site reading you guys. I could also keep my own journal. It's still pretty amazing to me how easy it is to forget the little things we do that work when we have kept fish for a long time. Since I like getting my fish to breed, I have tried all kids of weird little experiments over the years. I find some of these fish again years later and start solving a problem I once solved, and notes would be very helpful. But I never bother to take notes.

Painter's tape is my trick. I note when fish hatched and such. I do this purely for fun and learning, so I tend to allow myself to be lazier about record keeping than I would be if this were a professional thing.

Fish keeping becomes a longterm hobby for most of us. We leave, restart, leave again... but as we inevitably get older, what we did 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago is still legit knowledge. We really should be able to draw on it if we remain interested.

by **Biulu** Sat May 16, 2015 7:50 pm

I only write down info on breeding. Things like the date, the temp, and then I follow up on things like hatching, development etc.

That is the only thing I do.

The water changes are weekly and there is no need to remind myself.

by **Sbenson11** Sun Jul 12, 2015 6:16 pm

Most of my tanks are rather deep and it used to bother me when I would put an airstone in one of these tanks only to have it sit a few inches below the surface. Will a few years back I came up with an idea that solved my problem.

Helpful Hints... IMG_20150711_133531_zpsfwae5f7q

Helpful Hints... IMG_20150711_133531_zpsfwae5f7q

it's a small stainless steel fitting and it weighs the air stone down as far as I want to let it go. You can also use plane old nuts as long as they can fit over the air hose and not bigger then the air stone you are using. You just need to make sure they are "Stainless Steel"

Steve