What Works for Me May Not Work for You

this just happened last night

I turned down a night with the wifey cause I had to do a water change :eek3:

where do I go to turn in my man card?
 
^^I've done the same thing with minor regrets.
Shamwows work well for aquarium towels.
Dear god now I have the picture of that guys freak face and bad hair in my head.... I dont even remember the product when I hear WOW now.... I just think of freaky hair dude ....


My addition to what may not work but works for me:
Prime Water conditioner is jeesus juice... don't know whats wonky in the tank... drop in some jeesus juice!
 
I don't actually vacuum gravel when I change water

I don't change water as often as I say I do

I use tap water to clean filter media/refill canister

I overdose Flourish Excel

I don't use heaters on tanks that I probably should

I haven't tested water in years

I use low light to grow plants (and feel strongly that people feel the need to 'over light' small tanks)

I think everyone should read this thread and consider how they treat their fish/tanks before they criticize anyone else!
 
hmm suppose id better add to this, this thread is fantastic!

i have only quarantined once, and only for 3 days as it seemed fine.
i try to change at least 50% on both tanks once a week.
i only use dechlorinated water in my tanks,always treated before adding.
i rinse my filter media weekly in old tank water,never tap water.
i have taken on friends tanks for rehoming, then rehomed the fish as they were unsuitable for the small tanks, and sold on or given away the tanks-they still dont know and when they ask how their fish is i say oh yes he/shes doing just fine!
i have no luck whatsoever with keeping goldfish,i try my best,they throw it all back in my face.
we have today reserved 2 large barbs at our local lfs to go in the 180 as hubby doesnt want the goldies anymore, and i have just bargained with him to plan to try them together with the goldies before i let him get rid of my goldies, the tank is 74-76 so its anyones guess what will happen there.
after reading these threads im planning on trying a UGF along with the canisters on my 180.
i never wash hands before diving into tanks, unless ive used any cleaning products or hand creams, then i always wash and rinse real well.
i dont use nets on my fish, its always hands, unless im catching neons for any reason, even then i hate to use them.
 
Okay, I'm seriously going to have to read this entire thread! Thanks to all for their honesty too! ;)

- Use warm tap water to clean filters and media monthly (I run 2 filters on all my tanks and I do 1 filter one month and the other the next)

- I dose the entire tank with PRIME then fill from the tap (temp matched)

- I feed my fish 3 maybe 4 times a week (never frozen), but I probably feed more than I should on those days (nothing is left though)

- I shut the filters off during feeding, once the outflows push the flakes under the surface a bit

- If I have a death, I leave it in the tank for 1/2 day for the snails and shrimp (and other fish!)

- I usually use my 10G endler tank as a QT...! :eek:

- I ALWAYS gravel Vac on each WC! I usually go 8-10 days though...(I like to get aggressive with my Vacs as well - Moving things around, getting deep into the substrate, etc.)
 
Ok, my turn. And I finally get to get rid of the "never posted before" message!


~ I overstock but make up for it with a 50% and a 75% PWC every week (at different times)
~ I never have and probably never will test my water. My fish are healthy and doing fine and I think testing water only encourages us to fix something that doesnt need to be fixed. Any problems I have with the water I can fix with a WC. However I do have a master test kit that I replace every two years "just in case".
~ I used to seperate fry from community tank but lately have just been leaving them in there. I'm already overstocked anyways and don't need 50 or so baby fish. If they survive, great, then I'll find a new home for them. If not, it doesn't bother me one bit. That just means I can feed my fish a little less that day lol
~ I have no idea what a Python is and have no intention of figuring it out or ever buying one. The 6 gal bucket works just fine for me.
~ I never quarantine fish and have never had a problem. But I also refuse to buy any fish that looks like something is wrong with it and I ask lots of questions before I buy.
~ I have tons of different fish medications but all of them are un-opened. I hardly ever get diseases and if/when I do, high temp/aquarium salt usually clears it up in no time with no fatalities.
~ I have clown-puke gravel and very colorful fake plants thanks to my husband, but have gotten used to them and wouldn't want it any other way.
~ I have never had a live plant in any of my tanks.
~ My filter media gets rinsed in old tank water with every water change.
~ I never wash my hands before putting them into the tanks (unless I have cream on), but do afterwards.
~ I talk and interact with my fish daily. My husband thinks I'm nuts lol
~ My tank lights are on anywhere from 1 to 5 hours a day. Never more than 5. Otherwise they are off unless I have company. The fish seem to prefer it that way and the tank is in a brightly lit room so the fish are still visable whenever I want to see them or need to mess around with the tank.
~ My BN Plecos hate any and all vegetables and will not touch them no matter what. They will eat only Algae wafers, shrimp pellets and any flake food/bloodworms that fall to the bottom of the tank. I have tried to feed them every kind of vegetable/fruit imaginable and they just turn thier noses up at it no matter how long I leave it in there for. But they are thriving and healthy so I don't worry about it (too much).
~ I hate the look of snails in an aquarium, especially when they breed like crazy and are all over everything. This is why I refuse to have live plants. I don't want any hitchhikers.
~ All my filters are power filters from wal-mart. They work great and have never failed me yet (knock on wood). The activated carbon inserts that go into the back of the filter are a PITA and I always forget to replace them so i am looking for something else to put in there other than the carbon that I don't have to replace every few weeks. Any ideas?
~ I have fish cycled all my tanks with no fatalities. Two or three fish speed up the cycle very well.
~ I vacuum the gravel with every water change.
~ I feed my fish twice daily 6 times a week and fast them for one day.
~ My plecs get fed at the same time as my other fish instead of at night only. They are very active during the day and will eat whenever they get fed.
~ Catch all my fish by hand when they need to be moved. Except for the neons. Don't like nets, they stress out the fish.
~ Count all my fish multiple times a day and this also makes my husband think I am nuts. lol

I'm sure theres more but I think thats enough from me for now. Sorry it's so long but it was nice to be able to "confess" without getting harrased about my ways! lol. I spend way too much money, time and energy on my fish and tanks but love the hobby and would never give it up.
 
Oh, I didn't share them all...



:D
 
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