# Fish Keeping Tips & Tricks



## accr (Nov 27, 2002)

I'm starting this treat so we can all share the tricks we use for our tanks. Feel free to add on to this threat everyone









- I keep my powerhead fully submerged underwater. To prevent my Ps from biting the wire and shock the whole tank, I sliced some water hoses in half and wrap around the wire. They would still try to bite it once or twice, but I doubt the hard plastic is tasty enough to make them bite again. (I do the same with airline tube for my digital theometer's probe wire)


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

if your over crowding then the smart way to do it make your tank into a washing machine. The more powerhead the better!

add a pacu if you want to train your juvi to each flakes


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## SimplyOrange (Jun 5, 2003)

*for those that dont already know: use airline tubing to remove waste from a bare bottom tank. also works in larger tank attached to a really long rod (from TAPplastics, hehehe.) doesnt work with severed fishy body parts.

*squeeze a nice bacteria colony onto a new bio-wheel or sponge filter to help establish the good bact. colony in new tanks. or move gravel/rocks from established to new tank.

*create your own covers like those tanks with an overflow. use plexi or whatever. drill holes can cover the back side with a screen to prevent smaller fish from entering. helps hide diffusers or powerhead.

*Use car window tints and place them under the hood to diffuse the light. can also be placed on side panels. (dont use permenant tints. use a removeable tint like Insta-Cling ®.)

*just like at Pet Smart/Co place salt in cups and cover with gravel. let the fish come to it rather than just scattering it.

*use tubing to feed those bottom feeders. especially with tankmates like p's. (not much reaches the bottom or stays down there for long) used it with e-cat/plecos and their wafers.


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## EMJAY (Feb 27, 2003)

> *just like at Pet Smart/Co place salt in cups and cover with gravel. let the fish come to it rather than just scattering it.


i dont get it, why do you put salt?

also this is a great thread here. maybe the starter should suggest it to Xenon. i vote for a tips and tricks section!


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## TerrOr (Jul 5, 2003)

o snap its eric said:


> if your over crowding then the smart way to do it make your tank into a washing machine. The more powerhead the better!


 Why do power heads help with over crowding?


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## JesseD (Mar 26, 2003)

TerrOr said:


> o snap its eric said:
> 
> 
> > if your over crowding then the smart way to do it make your tank into a washing machine. The more powerhead the better!
> ...


 the powerhead puts a current in the water and gives them something to swim in instead of fighting with each other.

it entertains them, in a sense.


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## TerrOr (Jul 5, 2003)

So if I were to fill my tank with powerheads how many rbp's could I get? 90G


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## SimplyOrange (Jun 5, 2003)

EMJAY said:


> > *just like at Pet Smart/Co place salt in cups and cover with gravel. let the fish come to it rather than just scattering it.
> 
> 
> i dont get it, why do you put salt?


its actually for fish that need abit of salt in the water. like guppies/livebearers. the salt in the cup concentrates it in that certaint area just until it all dissolves in the water. this way the fish can go to it if they need it. also think of it as leaking into the water instead of a sudden increase in salinity.

*and if you plan to overstock the tank, increasing the frequent water changes will help keep the ammo/nitrates down. adding a bunch of powerheads wont help with overstocking. JesseD is implying that it keeps them occupied so they dont fight with each other. it wont help with the waste management.

*those with sponge filters or corner filters for smaller tanks can attach a tube extension to the port where the bubbles come out. this will keep the current created by the bubbles going up from taking along the nearby floating waste.
(get it?)


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