What have you learned? The experience thread!

[DaiMasters]

I've learned that there are a lot of rules for aquarium keeping. I've also learned, to paraphrase the Doctor(who), "Good aquarium keepers need no rules."

[SteveCGG]

The cheaper you try to do something, the more it costs in the long run! You get what you pay for....

[Totenkampf]

* nature is a scientific wonder of balance and is hard to replicate. i am still learning this actually. for instance when i super purify water for WC and then try to add the nutrients back into it that "I" think should be there which results in poor plant growth. the elixir to this is usually just pouring some plain old dechlorinated tap water into the tank to provide whatever little thing it is that i missed. i hate you valisneria

[Totenkampf]

* bigger aquaria are better for beginners than small ones, bad things happen more quickly with less water volume
* electric heaters are the devil and good for nothing save making soup. its worth it to buy two undersized heaters so that WHEN one fails then it doesnt have the juice to boil your fish.
* cypress knees will shoot out of an aquarium like a rocket unless you silicone them to the bottom of your tank, this is bad for your expensive lighting
* most DIY solutions that your read about on teh interwebs will likely cost you more cash in the long run when they dont work out right. spend the cash up front
* if you dont think that critter "A" can/will eat critter "B", you are wrong

[aquabee]

2. The solution to pollution is dilution.

that's awesome Mark!

[wesleydnunder]

1. Lazy people shouldn't keep aquaria. Keeping them healthy requires work. Period.
2. The solution to pollution is dilution.
3. The only thing that happens fast in an aquarium is a disaster.
4. There's always more to learn. Stay receptive and you'll be amazed at how much you can soak up from even the most unlikely source.
5. There are few hard and fast rules for fishkeeping. Some of the most beautiful tanks I've seen housed species of fish that people said, "You can't keep those together!"
6. Don't get so caught up in the minutae of fishkeeping that you don't take time to sit back and ENJOY your fish from time to time.

Mark

[ometh]

I've learned that patients is key to this hobby. Can't rush anything :P Also if it's doing ok don't **** with it!

[Lucille]

Find an environment where you feel comfortable asking questions. Do your part- read some, research some, you don't need to be spoon fed- but then if you need to know something, ask.
If you get ignored or jumped on, (that wouldn't happen here I don't think) just go on down the road a piece.

[eklikewhoa]

There's always room to learn more! Anyone saying they're an expert has failed that aspect.

[Lucille]

What comes around goes around. Even if you aren't a guru, if someone asks a question and you think you can answer, go ahead and try. Maybe when you need help, people will answer you.

[king]

I've learned that HFB is the devil. Before getting on here, i had just one 55 gal tank and life was peachy. Then i joined and 8 short months later i have 500 gallons. :confused:

But HFB is also the reason for this hobby being as affordable a it had been since joining. I also lore the vast pool of knowledge available on tap, like a never ending keg at a frat party.

+1.... Started with 55gallons...now at almost 200 and still thirsty. It was all good before HFB...lol

[eklikewhoa]

Give your new Eheim "every day fish feeder" a test run before you give it a go in the tank.

I just added about 20 times my normal amount of food. Looked like a snow globe. Doing a water change and vacuuming out as much as I can, but theres a lot left behind. I'm contemplating not using the feeder for the week-long vacation I have starting Wed due to the fact that I misused it today...

So yeah Give it a test run! The whole is bigger than it looks.


Thats what she said.

I learned this the hard way too but good thing I set it a bit lower than I wanted cause I was going to spread the feedings across multiples... caught it on the first feeding which fed about what I would in one.

[Crude]

Give your new Eheim "every day fish feeder" a test run before you give it a go in the tank.

I just added about 20 times my normal amount of food. Looked like a snow globe. Doing a water change and vacuuming out as much as I can, but theres a lot left behind. I'm contemplating not using the feeder for the week-long vacation I have starting Wed due to the fact that I misused it today...

So yeah Give it a test run! The whole is bigger than it looks.


Thats what she said.

[king]

It is impossible to keep all the fish you want at the same time.

[Complexity]

Any kitchen utensils she can reach will end up in the tank.

YES!! And kitchen utensils are actually better, in many cases, than the so-called specialty tools put out on the market, especially for planted tanks.

Don't buy the fancy scissors sold for planted tanks. Any pair of scissors will do, including the plastic ones with the rounded tips your toddler outgrew long ago. Fingernails also cut plants very well. Plastic scissors and fingernails don't rust.

Large plastic kitchen spatulas and spoons are great for moving sand around in a tank. They also work wonders for getting crud out from rock caves, just wave them over the crud, and the water current washes the crud out. Many plastic utensils also float to the top of the water if you ever drop one.

When designing a new tank, a cheap set of plastic putty knives (or broad knives or anything like them) are excellent for working with the substrate.

An old credit card is your best friend when cleaning off difficult to remove algae, such as spot algae, from acrylic.

Magic Eraser sponges followed by a dry towel cleans the outside of the glass quickly, easily, and thoroughly.

Bleach is wonderful for sterilizing and cleaning most aquarium products. Use dechlorinator to remove the bleach for immediate use and to get the bleach smell off your hands.

Vinegar is the antidote to hard water stains. Vinegar warmed in the microwave works even better.

Hydrogen peroxide is the best way to kill algae. Seachem Excel is the second best.

You will never look at rocks and sticks (driftwood) the same again.

Tanks are like Lays potato chips. You can never have just one.