What Works for Me May Not Work for You

This doesn't exactly follow the thread, but those of you who say you love your UGF, can you share why? Do you use them in a planted tank?

Here are my "habits" --
-20-30% weekly water change
-have only once quarantined a new fish (good thing...it died)
-Prefer aquarium salt to medication
-Don't use ferts
-use a 5 gallon bucket for quarantining sick fish
-heater goes on in the morning, off at night.
 
I love how this has become "The Fishkeeper's Confessional"! Great thread!

My turn:

- I overstock my tanks.
- My tank at work will sometimes only get one PWC per month
- I only test when something doesn't seem right. Actually, I just bought a test kit a few months ago. Ha.
 
-Do 25% water change once a week
-Clean filter once a month
-Do gravel vac every water change (and still can't get the nitrates down in my 40
-Don't always quarantine new fish
-Feed once a day
-Totally freak out every time a fish dies
-Really enjoy carrying buckets. It is a zen experience for me
-Count my fish before I go to bed
 
Hmmmm....
- I change 75% of the water in all tanks once a week unless I have fry, then it's usually 50% ever other day.
- Gravel vac every water change.
- Rarely test but I do keep fresh test kits.
- Use carbon in all my tanks, don't replenish it frequently.
- Pack my tanks as full as I can with plants, low light, low tech setups.
- Feed all tanks 2X a day.
- Love NovAqua+, hate prime and so do my fish.
- Use two heaters in all tanks over 20G.
- QT most of the time for 2-3 weeks, depends on the fish and the source.
- Don't keep much meds on hand, rarely need them.
- Like to keep my tanks at 80F, discus at 86.
- Temperature match fresh water with a tank thermometer...always!
 
PopPopsfish said:
Yea a little O2 injection . I love testing the limits, that keeps me from getting board and who know maybe I will learn something:evil_lol:.
Click to expand...

No O2 necessary...it's all in how the system is engineered and the equipment you use. O2 is extreme and not necessary...it brings on a whole other set of problems. It becomes an entirely different beast then.

-Ryan
 
-i treat everything bad with salt. and it works for everything.:thm:
-sometimes i forget to clean my filters for a few months
-i never use carbon, but cut sponges to fit the whole box part of my filters
-i pet my lungfish, at risk of losing a hand:devil:
-my lungfish only has a cheapo homemade filter that sucks so i have to clean about fifty gallons of water bucket by bucket often. i scoop his poop with a pooper scooper daily
-i just added some loaches to my twenty-nine gallon, knowing it's not big enough for them
-my husband feeds the angelfish like a hundred times a day. his tank is overflowing with mts.
-i already have seven tanks. i just ordered two more.:help:
-i do about 30% pwc on all my tanks weekly.
-sometimes i leave the lights on for way too many hours, because i'm usually busy all day and i want to see my fish
 
My water changes vary from 30% weekly to 50% every other week depending on how busy I get, I never use carbon, I only quarantine when my quarantine tank isn't full of other fish, I'm seriously overstocked but justify it by planning on upgrading when we get our house (within the month and with my plants my nitrates never break 20), I've kept three mellow male bettas together without dividers for months with no aggression issues, I'm really terrible about remembering to switch out my DIY co2, and I use old cat litter buckets for my water changes.
 
I keep it simple I think/
Buy used Eheim pros and use sponge filters .clean every 15-30 days depending on stock.

Not a fan of substrate ,just gathers gunk,barebottom potted or 70-80% slate bottom.

Not more than 2 types of fish in any tank.

I overfeed ,when I`m away for 2-3 days my fish actually look very healthy.
:lol:
 
1. I used to change out or add carbon to my filters monthly but was told it is not necessary just to rinse them in old tank water and replace only if they are falling apart ofcourse if I replace the filter in my 36g the filter does have carbon in it.

2. When I first started in the hobby I did monthly wc's and gravel vac monthly advise from a friend who has fish but found this was not enough so now I do 50% wc's and gravel vac every 2 weeks on 5g, 3g, and 36g and this works for the fish and for me the 2.5g gets weekly changes. I rinse the filters monthly.

3. I was not QTing new fish before adding them to my main 36G tank but learned through trial and error that it is not a good idea since I lost a few of my healthy fish by not QTing new arrivals so soon am investing in a 10g QT since I am planning on increasing the schools of some of my fish in my 36g. Better to be safe than sorry.

4. When I do wc's I do the bucket method I find it easier the python would just confuse me and I like the fact of dechlorinating the water prior to adding it to the tank. Still trying to figure out how you would do that using a python.

5. I feed my fish a variety of food alternating days spirulina flakes, thawed out frozen brine shrimp or soaked freeze-dried bloodworms, wardley essentials tropical fish flakes and at night 1 1/2 sinkable algae tabs that I break into small pieces for the cories or sinkable shrimp pellets. My bettas get bettamin flakes and once a week freeze-dried bloodworms and a once a week fast.

6. I test my tanks water monthly.
 
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This is a "confession" thread! I love it.

I LOVE tall tanks. I have a 30xh that is sitting empty... just need one more little space to open up.

I simply cannot have a tank without live plants. Can't do it.

75% water change on 5 of the 7 tanks with a python every week. The other 2 get 90% with a bucket - they are the 2.5g betta tanks. Still once a week.

I wish I had more restraint when it comes to sticking plants into a tank. I see a bare spot and *pif* in goes a plant. I have also started doing this to my next-door neighbor's tank as well. She hasn't had a problem with plants mysteriously appearing in her 55.

I have an all-pink tank. Pink substrate, pink snails, pink live plants. Sue me.

I prefer lots of little fish to 1 or 2 big fish in an tank.

Haven't done a water test in quite a while - I gave my test kit to a friend.

Haven't had to use any meds in awhile.

I have a handicapped betta named Aloysius. He has deformed fins and cannot swim very well. He does appear to enjoy lounging, so his tank has many lounging places. I have now had him for approximately two years.
 
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