Reef Discussion

NiCd

Lead Moderator
Jul 29, 2011
4,296
1,586
Sydney
Pro Tips
There has recently been some back to basics discussions which had brought up some really cool tips and tricks (one of my favorites being the use of garden watering timers on your RO- I think this has already saved me 100's of liters)

I wanted to see if we can put together a list submitted by members that at the end of it is stickied somewhere.

It doesn't matter if its something you think everyone knows like using vinegar to clean your pumps or the most obscure tip known to man, post em up!
P.S. If there is a business out there that wants to submit even a small prize we can look at doing a vote for some of the favorites at the end - please pm me!

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IJG3145

Member
Oct 27, 2015
442
162
South Gippsland
Buy a spray bottle from the supermarket. Screw the spray handle off and pull out the plastic tube. Use spray handle to squirt underwater and blast sand off rock. Can also use syphon hose in other hand to suck up the sand during water change.
That's a good one. Probably works better than the turkey baster I use. Actually it would have to work better.
 

IJG3145

Member
Oct 27, 2015
442
162
South Gippsland
Great idea on the thread and great idea on the timer. I missed that one. Shit - I could stop flooding my laundry floor! Really.....

OK here's my basic one, for people who use quarantine or hospital tanks. Homebrand green scourers - the thin ones. INSTANT BACTERIAL FILTER.

The last thing you want to put in QT or HT tanks is rock. I keep a couple of plain homebrand green scourers in my sump. When I need them I transfer them to the QT or HT and when I'm done I throw them out.

For small fish, I form them into a roll held with an elastic band. Instant fish hiding spot.

When in my sump they sit under my return pump, cuts down on vibration.

When not used for a while, they tend to catch detritus. Good because it's trapped before getting back into the display, when they've caught enough crap, toss them out and replace them. They're something like $2 for 5, cheaper at reject shops.

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IJG3145

Member
Oct 27, 2015
442
162
South Gippsland
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Part of my basic maintenance kit.
Because it is intended for microwave use, it is resistant to damage by heat, is totally inert and won't leech or absorb anything under normal use. They seem to be on special every few months too.

Hundreds of uses, but for me:
  • Use it to collect and hold water when testing tank.
  • When cleaning powerheads, skimmer, etc, this is where I stand my toothbrushes, pipe cleaner and test tube brushes in vinegar, seems to help.
  • Use it to sit droppers in when not in use, stored upside down on sunny widow sill to dry out.
  • Transferring new fish from the bag to the tank with minimal water transfer.
  • Small corals with nuisance algae? In the cup with water, lid on with vent open and into sump. Many algaes die off after 5-7 days without food and light. Most corals can stand that easily (not sure about sps).
  • Nassarius snails 'can' starve in aquariums unless target fed. I put food on the bottom for them, put the cup over the food and only the nassarius can get to it because they will tunnel to the food. After an hour remove cup and let all the critters have what's left. THIS I believe is what finally got my nassarius breeding - plentiful food supply.
  • Personally I would never use a copper treatment but if I did, this is where I would do it for small fish. It won't absorb copper - I've tried. Also good for dipping small corals etc. Plus you can disinfect it with bleach and it won't damage the cup.
  • Probably also good for throwing at ex wife when she comes to get kids and just can't help herself - make sure kids are not around first. :)
 

potatocouch

Member
Jan 16, 2014
1,124
153
Sydney
Always consult your wife or girlfriend or partner about any purchase.

Rules of thumb is, the bigger the investment is, the deeper shit you'll get into.

i.e.
  • Use their restrainer, chance is you'll be sleeping alone tonight.
  • Purchase 5 foot aquarium, chance is you'll be divorced tonight.
No joke. this is my pro tips!

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Savage Henry

Member
Feb 2, 2015
653
254
Buy one of those pump siphons from Bunnings. They cost next to nothing and are so handy.

If anyone can post a link that would be great.
 

Savage Henry

Member
Feb 2, 2015
653
254
Visit your local Asian specialty store for dried seaweed. I bought several different brands, each for about $3 a packet. I am progressively trying them out. The first one has been a great success with my Yellow Tang and Coral Beauty. The price is nothing compared to dried seaweed bought from Aquarium stores.
 

IJG3145

Member
Oct 27, 2015
442
162
South Gippsland
Visit your local Asian specialty store for dried seaweed. I bought several different brands, each for about $3 a packet. I am progressively trying them out. The first one has been a great success with my Yellow Tang and Coral Beauty. The price is nothing compared to dried seaweed bought from Aquarium stores.
You can buy nori at almost any supermarket.
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
1,661
Sydney
OK here's my basic one, for people who use quarantine or hospital tanks. Homebrand green scourers - the thin ones. INSTANT BACTERIAL FILTER.


You will notice on some supermarket brand scourer it clearly states not for aquarium use - since that discovery those handy green things have been relegated to the kitchen.
 
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Sam Parker

Moderator
May 6, 2013
4,802
2,397
Geelong
Glad the garden timer RODI has brought up some fantastic ideas!!

For anyone who missed it, a garden timer with a couple of John guest tubing adaptors makes a handy timer to fill your RO containers. Uses no power or float switches, just install in the water supply line of your RODI filter and twist in the amount of time it takes to fill your container. If you forget about it, it won't matter - it will switch off and not flood your house. Costs about $20 to make and can save you flooding the house.
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IJG3145

Member
Oct 27, 2015
442
162
South Gippsland
You will notice on some supermarket brand scourer it clearly states not for aquarium use - since that discovery those handy green things have been relegated to the kitchen.
It just means they can scratch, usually only an issue with acrylic tanks anyway. Some rich Sydney North Shore dufus tried to claim for damage when he used them to clean an acrylic display tank in his restaurant. The labels used to say "non scratch". That was 2000 from memory. I never use them for tank cleaning, just as a filter colony.

The reason for using the cheap home brand ones apart from price, is that they don't have antibacterial agents in them like some of the big brands, ie "Scotch". Although even that's rare these days, due to cost cutting I imagine
 
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IJG3145

Member
Oct 27, 2015
442
162
South Gippsland
Glad the garden timer RODI has brought up some fantastic ideas!!

For anyone who missed it, a garden timer with a couple of John guest tubing adaptors makes a handy timer to fill your RO containers. Uses no power or float switches, just install in the water supply line of your RODI filter and twist in the amount of time it takes to fill your container. If you forget about it, it won't matter - it will switch off and not flood your house. Costs about $20 to make and can save you flooding the house.
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I'm going to use this idea but I'll attach a caveat for anyone using ro/di units inside the house, (I do mine in the laundry).

All plastic timers leak. Some from brand new and you don't want it leaking on your floor. Of course if your unit is over the sink, no problem but most laundries have a window above the sink.

OK, I shouldn't really say "all" but we are on a 3/4 acre block and use watering systems extensively. I've used dozens of different timers, both manual & electronic, and without exception they all start to drip. It comes from the unit itself, not the connection to the tap or pipes, usually occurring where they make provision for an adapter to fit different taps.

I'm about to move mine outside anyway so I can run waste water straight into one of my drip systems. This will be a godsend for me. :)
 

NiCd

Lead Moderator
Jul 29, 2011
4,296
1,586
Sydney
I have stickied the thread now but the issue is 99% of users do not release we have more than a front page and there is no way for us to save things to it.
 

IJG3145

Member
Oct 27, 2015
442
162
South Gippsland
I have stickied the thread now but the issue is 99% of users do not release we have more than a front page and there is no way for us to save things to it.
Maybe if it had it's own heading instead of hidden in Forums? After all if this place (in fact all aquaria forums) needs anything, it's new/active members.