tricks of the trade: neat things that work

[Sk8r]

...shortcuts or ways to manage problems.

1. getting rock to stay-------make a ball of green/white putty, stick it at the contact point of a persistently tippy rock, and set it in place. Hold it there about a minute, then release. It forms a socket that will keep your rock from rolling that 1/4 inch that usually pitches it out of balance.

2. getting carbon or Phosban into the waterstream------women's kneehigh nylons, light beige: knot stuff in, rinse, use, toss. Cheap and throwaway.

3. getting sand clean:-------- conchs, nassarius snails. If you have over 150 gallons, a diamond goby might work, but they're too much for most small tanks. You can also stir a 3" patch at a time, if you have a bad area. Be careful. If there's black stuff down there, don't stir it: send in the conchs.

4. getting glass clean:---------phosphate comes in fishfood and is fertilizer for film algae. Maintaining a good pod population helps; running Phosban or some such phosphate remover is a good idea, especially if film algae is growing back in a few hours...phosphate 'binds down' and may not show up in tests, but it can still drive an algae bloom.

5. stopping a fish fight, with a new fish----------so they don't get along, and fins are in peril. Turn the lights out. They'll go to sleep. In the morning, fish not being too bright, they may think the other guy has been there forever. If this doesn't work, you're going to have to get one out.

6. a cheap fish/crab trap: cut the end off a liter bottle and glue it together backwards. Put food in it and sink it [using rock for weight if you have to.] Other means: 1. start feeding in the net, until you've got the culprit. 2. get a tall clear sheet of plastic. Set it in the aquarium near the corner until fish get used to it. Feed in that corner or herd fish into that corner. Swing 'gate' shut. Net fish out.

7. telling good from bad hitchhikers----------crabs, almost all bad; worms almost all good. Snails, if full-shell, iffy: If you think you've got a bad item, and have a chance to get it out, put it in your sump until you can ask online.

8. getting frags to stay put. Take out of water. Blot dry on base. Put superglue on base or green/white putty and let it get well-skinned over [if superglue]. Then rapidly and with authority submerge and hold in place without twitching while counting to 1000. Aiming for a small dimple in the base rock helps glue to hold fast. A superglue bond can be broken. They look nasty but will algae-over fairly soon. You can also glue the frag's rock to an intermediate rock that makes placement easier. You can often buy rubble from your lfs.


Others?

[MyCatsDrool]

another "catch 'em" trick:

get a long, tall, glass jar (like an olive jar) and put a bit of shrimp or scallop in the bottom. sink and tilt at a 45 degree angle near the offender to be removed. wait.

they check in, but don't check out.

i love #7. When in doubt, take it out. Sumps are great for keeping unknowns until you can assure the safety of the critter

Chaeto and calurpa work wonders on nitrate

clean the outside of the glass: wipe first with fresh water, then use a soft, dry cloth. if this doesn't work, add 1 tsp vinegar to 1 cup fresh water and repeat.

airline tubing is great for feeding in hard to reach areas. take the airline tubing and suck a small portion of liquid food into it, then put your finger over the open end wihtout the food in it. direct the tubing into the difficult area (you can even rubber band a chopstick to the end, then release your finger. you can even give a light blow to it to force out particles. great for in tank "dusting" too.

SW fish LOVE freshwater molly fry =)

[MyCatsDrool]

oh and here is another:

I mix saltwater in a cut off 5 gallon water jug with a pump and a heater in it for standby. you can buy them empty at walmart for like $3. You can even not cut it off, and cap it off too. premeasured to 5 gallons, and ready to go. i keep on a table higher than my sump with some tubing running from one end to the other, clamped off. when I need it, i just open the clamp.

[MyCatsDrool]

one more, i promise:

got a loud trickle in a sump? Clean burlap and a chip clip. drape the burlap over the area so both ends of the burlap strip are hanging over into the water on either side. It will not impede flow and absorb sound.