Helping a Co-worker

[petluvr]

I think EVERYONE should have battery-powered air pumps for their tanks (if it's feasible of course-if you have a full-blown fishroom, get a generator). In the event of a power outage, if you don't run a generator, you will have no filtration running, so nothing will be helping with gas exchange. A tank can probably go a day or two without filtration without any HUGE problems, but without something to aid in gas exchange, you could start losing fish in hours (or less if they have high O2 requirements)

That's what your hands are for. Last winter my area was without power for almost two days. I would simply swish my hands through the water and I lost NADA fish, air pumps are for running sponge filters or to make pretty bubbles in my opinion.

 

[mgarrido]

I get into work today, and one of the guys I work with informs me that his wife went out last night to walmart:yuck: and bought a 5 gallon tank with 5 fish. I tell him first thing that the tank was not ready for fish, that it had to be cycled.:nono: So i tell him about the cycle, he tells me the fish will ok cause they used spring water to fill the tank:rant2:. I proceeded to tell him about the bacteria that will grow after the tank has been set up for so long. I as him about the fish, I hide out that she bought 2 guppies, 2 tetras, and a common pleco. I tell him that first thing the pleco is already 3-4 inches long and will out grow the tank very fast. Then comes the "he will only grow to the size of the tank.":thud:At that point I tell him that is just not true, and will deform and hurt the fish in the long run. I will be telling him when i get bigger I will give it a home in my 55 until I get my bigger tanks. After all this goes down I told him that I will bring him some of the gravel out of my tanks to get him a jump start in the cycle. Thanks for listing to gripe, I will try to keep this up dated.

Better than gravel is the bio media, throw a piece of your dirty filter pad, bio-balls or whatever you use and the tank would be cycled inmediatly, also explain to your friend never use tap water without dechlorinator. Good luck with your help :thumbsup: