What do I need to buy and what is a waste of money$$
- Thread starter amyandlars
- Start date
rosita said:
I agree, but I would still emphasize on a QT tank. It's easier and cheaper to treat 1 sick fish in a 10 gallon tank, than 1 sick fish out of so many healthy fish in a larger tank.
I would also like to include Potassium Permangate. It's a great disinfectant for live plants (safe for plants), which kills bugs, snails, snail eggs, etc. that may hitch a ride on them. Plus PP can be used to disinfect tanks and equipment. It's better than bleach, becuase you never really know if you used enough bleach and there's a possibilty of killing plants if using bleach on them. With PP, the more you add, the darker purple the water turns. PP can also be used as medication for external parasites on fish as well.
Im going to sticky this for now. As this thread progresses, it can prove useful to many newbies who may otherwise get tricked into buying useless products 
Perhaps when it has stopped getting a lot of replies, we can get a good solid list of needs, good to haves, dont needs, and big no-nos.
Perhaps when it has stopped getting a lot of replies, we can get a good solid list of needs, good to haves, dont needs, and big no-nos.
To add. I think it is nice to have/need to have to have a net. So you can scoop out dead fish, floating leaves, and catch fish to move them. I use my net all the time to skimm duckweed off my 55g.
Another useful thing I have, more in the nice to have, is a turkey baster just for fish use. It is useful for getting water out for testing, and is perfect for feeding frozen foods down to bottom feeders.
Also, if you don't have a python, you need a bucket that is just for fish use. If you use your mop bucket to fill your fish's tank, the soap will kill your fishes.
Another useful thing I have, more in the nice to have, is a turkey baster just for fish use. It is useful for getting water out for testing, and is perfect for feeding frozen foods down to bottom feeders.
Also, if you don't have a python, you need a bucket that is just for fish use. If you use your mop bucket to fill your fish's tank, the soap will kill your fishes.
Hello,
My personal pick:
Not a must-have but still the best $8.99 I have spent yet. It comes with two attachments: a grabber and a cutter.
I use it to: pick plant matter off of my pump intakes, move things around on the aquarium floor, pluck dead fish (it happens), plant/trim plants, retrieve my thermometer when it floats out of reach...you get the idea. Very handy.
The Aquatic Gardener
My personal pick:
Not a must-have but still the best $8.99 I have spent yet. It comes with two attachments: a grabber and a cutter.
I use it to: pick plant matter off of my pump intakes, move things around on the aquarium floor, pluck dead fish (it happens), plant/trim plants, retrieve my thermometer when it floats out of reach...you get the idea. Very handy.
The Aquatic Gardener
not true killed mine!!
It can't be table salt... more like ROCK salt. Such as Empson Salt. I tried table salt once and it killed my fish.rbishop said:
really? I used iodized table salt in all my tanks and it hasn't killed or even hurt any of mine.JCchichlid said:
Were you doing regular water changes to prevent poor water quality? It's possible the salinity harmed your biological filter (good bacteria) and the ammonia/nitrite spikes killed the fish. Whenever I do ANY treatment, even a mild salt one for ich, I do water changes at least every other day, sometimes twice a day if needed.
