# Tank Hacks



## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

There are some people on this forum that are more experienced betta owners than others... Although even the most experienced owner can learn...

Tank hacks are things we use daily, during fish water changes, playtime, etc. to simplify our tasks.

On this thread post all your hacks to teach every aquarist. These could help many, many people...

Thanks in advance.


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## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

Here are the following hacks I use for my betta fish( these also work for other fish):

#1: When many people buy fish food in bulk, mix up there own concoction, or like making homemade food, this hack could really help...








Use an old Nutella jar, peanut butter jar or pickle jar and clean it very well. Now you have a nice jar to keep anything you want inside ;-)

#2: when you are acclimating you fish to put inside their tank, there is a big possibility that when you release the fish, it could still go in shock...
Grab your smallest siphon and safely place the bigger end in your tank. Tie a knot on the other side( where there is tubing). 









Make sure the knot isn't to tight. Place the tubing in you acclimating cup, bag , etc. Get the siphon started: it should drip water from your tank slowly inside your fish acclimation cup, bag.
To free your hands, use clips to attach to the side of the tank.

Those were my hacks, I hope they made sense.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

AN alternative to the knot is using those black plastic air line tube pressure adjusters that have a knob for airflow (whisper air pumps come with this lil' item but not the airline tubing-its the only air pump i sue so i have a bunch of those lil' air pressure adjusters).


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## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

Cool idea Aqua Aurora
Keep em' coming


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Aqua Aurora said:


> AN alternative to the knot is using those black plastic air line tube pressure adjusters that have a knob for airflow (whisper air pumps come with this lil' item but not the airline tubing-its the only air pump i sue so i have a bunch of those lil' air pressure adjusters).


Great idea AA! I've got like four of those things and now I'm so glad I didn't throw them away


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## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

Ive got another really cool hack:
- Grab an old plastic bag and pour you fish water for acclimation( so basically whatever water you use to keep your fish in during cleaning) and pour inside the plastic bag; use an elastic to secure the top, but not tightly. Than clip the bag to the side of the tank or use your tank lid to hold it in place.









Pros:
-It speeds up the acclimation process as it absorbs heat better
- Easy to find around your house
- Reusing
- Stays in place really well, with the right objects...
-Safe: in a way where the betta cannot jump out of it
- and many more...


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

The dropper part of a dropper bottle (like in the API test kit) can be removed -- carefully, with pliers. Fill up your spare test bottle with Prime. Makes for easy drop by drop dosing.

Pop the top and put a small bead or piece of gravel into the #2 nitrate bottle. Makes a rattle-can out of it for easy, thorough mixing.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

If the safety seal on Prime isn't broken, you can pop a small hole in it to use for dropping as well.

Also API Tap Water Conditioner dropper cap fits on the Prime bottle as well.

(I actually wouldn't use that shopping bag, you don't know where it's been or what nasty chemicals it has on it :-?)


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

lilnaugrim said:


> If the safety seal on Prime isn't broken, you can pop a small hole in it to use for dropping as well.


Right. And if you poke the pinhole in the seal out near the edge, it works a treat.





lilnaugrim said:


> (I actually wouldn't use that shopping bag, you don't know where it's been or what nasty chemicals it has on it :-?)


Polyethylene bags are food-grade and clean -- if you use a brand-new one. I just don't get why you'd want to.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

lilnaugrim said:


> If the safety seal on Prime isn't broken, you can pop a small hole in it to use for dropping as well.
> 
> Also API Tap Water Conditioner dropper cap fits on the Prime bottle as well.
> 
> (I actually wouldn't use that shopping bag, you don't know where it's been or what nasty chemicals it has on it :-?)


I'd be more worried about it bursting-dunno where you get yours but the stores around me have very cheap supper thin bags that often have holes in them where they shouldn't.... _RIIIIIP!_


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Aqua Aurora said:


> I'd be more worried about it bursting-dunno where you get yours but the stores around me have very cheap supper thin bags that often have holes in them where they shouldn't.... _RIIIIIP!_


Mine barely make it out of the supermarket without falling apart. My local fish store gives me brand new bags whenever I ask for them. 

If I absolutely have to take a fish out of the tank, I have specimen containers that hang on the side of the aquarium, like the ones they use to when you buy a fish. They are reusable and are easy to sterilize, I just boil them for a few minutes. Dollar store containers work too. I have used these to cup fish when necessary and for acclimation of new ones. They are cheap enough to throw away if you don't fell like sterilizing them after use.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

#1 Float a large ziplock bag before pouring in new water during a water change. This will disperse the water and prevent the substrate from being stirred up.

#2 When I had a jar of NLS, it was a pain trying to pick out only one or two pellets from the wide mouth jar. So I put mine in a plastic squeeze bottle. You cut the opening holes yourself, so you can customize it to only dispense one pellet at at time.








#3 Try catching fish with two nets, using one net to chase them into the other net


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

For low NPT's or just any low tank that you want to get water into quickly, I use old PetCo cups, sink them to the bottom near the front and pour your water into that. Only works if there is enough water to cover the cup at least, similar to using a dish in fill up, but the plate allows water to roll off and disturb the substrate, the cup does not. Pour directly into the cup and you can fill up a tank quickly without disturbing substrate!

I use this for my NPT 20 long all the time when I do my water changes. In my 29, I just pour the water onto my Pygmy Chain Swords and they buffet the water from throwing my sand everywhere.

I'll get a video of it one day :roll:


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

That's a great idea! 

Personally, I would probably need to attach something to it so I can pull it out, I'm not a fan of sticking my hands in tank water >.<


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Oh? Well, you can use plant tongs if you have those. Or just slap on some rubber gloves for the moment to fish it out, that could work too 

Also when filling up a tank in the beginning, similar to your ziplock, you can place paper towels all over the substrate and they will rise when you fill up with water, protecting the substrate. It's not 100% fool proof, some paper towels like to come apart which is annoying, but for the most part; it works alright. The only thing I don't like, is the substrate if sand, is filled with air bubbles now. So when it comes to sand, I generally use this method instead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-XB0bwtZh8


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

When first filling the tank, saran wrap is my best friend  I love that stuff, lol!


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## Boshia (Aug 14, 2014)

It's always good to have an extra filter running in your cycled tank. That way, if you ever come across a fish that you can't leave the store without, just put that extra filter in their tank and boom! Instant cycle.


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## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

Very neat ideas guys! I tried all of those hacks. Worked perfectly!


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## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

This may be already a real trick but ill post it anyways, and its used for keeping your mystery snail shell nice and strong:
Cut about 1/2 inch of a cuttlebone for birds into you treated tank water the day before cleaning, to allow the cuttlebone to dissolve.
-PS: ( cuttlebone is perfect for mystery snail shells, and is absolutely safe for fish, plants, shrimp, etc...)
-PS: make sure to buy cuttlebones with no flavoring, dyes, etc... Just the pure ones 

The right type of cuttlebone:










The wrong type of cuttlebone:


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Crembrufundew said:


> This may be already a real trick but ill post it anyways, and its used for keeping your mystery snail shell nice and strong:
> Cut about 1/2 inch of a cuttlebone for birds into you treated tank water the day before cleaning, to allow the cuttlebone to dissolve.
> -PS: ( cuttlebone is perfect for mystery snail shells, and is absolutely safe for fish, plants, shrimp, etc...)
> -PS: make sure to buy cuttlebones with no flavoring, dyes, etc... Just the pure ones
> ...


Cuttle bone or crushed coral is often used to raise calcium in the tank for inverts but I did not know there was a wrong kind of cuttle bone so thank you for mentioning that!


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## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

Yup... Glad i could help!
I mean with betta fish, or any live animal in general, its good to kind of be aware of everything... Maybe even over protective&#55357;&#56843;☺&#55357;&#56843;


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## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

When you have old, unused, way too long plastic plants you can trim pieces of it to ue for this hack.
Grab some plastic mesh, cable ties,trimmed plant pieces, 2-4 suction cups.
Lets get started:
1- slowly bend your mesh into a roll
2- hold the shape in place while you cable tie the opened ends... You should be left with a barel.
3- find a way to attach the trimmed plants to the barrel
4- use the suction cups to keep the barel stable.

PS: I saw this image on a thread here, cannot remember which one. Sorry iif this is copying in any way... I just made so many of them and just had to post it😉😁


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## FinnDublynn (Feb 27, 2015)

Hmmmmmmmm.. I am sure I'll think of some soon lol


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## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

Lol Dublynn! It took me three years to pick up my own little tank hacks


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## FinnDublynn (Feb 27, 2015)

I've got a few.. Using sealant and glass from picture frames for glass canopies, and using airline tubing split to put over rough edges of DIY craft mesh dividers... But it's like, those are amateur hour lol


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

lilnaugrim said:


> For low NPT's or just any low tank that you want to get water into quickly, I use old PetCo cups, sink them to the bottom near the front and pour your water into that. Only works if there is enough water to cover the cup at least, similar to using a dish in fill up, but the plate allows water to roll off and disturb the substrate, the cup does not. Pour directly into the cup and you can fill up a tank quickly without disturbing substrate!
> 
> I use this for my NPT 20 long all the time when I do my water changes. In my 29, I just pour the water onto my Pygmy Chain Swords and they buffet the water from throwing my sand everywhere.
> 
> I'll get a video of it one day :roll:


Another thing you can use is a piece of bubble wrap. Just float it on top of the water and pour water. It works great! I use it in all my tanks


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## Sleepykitty (Jun 5, 2015)

Recently I've had an algae bloom in my tank and hair algae started growing all over my rocks and Anubias. I've just found that using a new, sterilized toothbrush works really well to clean it off since my hands or a sponge weren't having much of an impact.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Oh, that reminds me.

Mr. Clean sponges. They have to be the ORIGINAL ones, not the kitchen ones or anything. You can use that in the aquarium and it takes off Green Spot algae like a king! Way better than any algae scraper you find at a store! And there are no chemicals in it which makes it safe to use. I use them in all my tanks.

Here's an awful video of me using it:


But, before:


And after:


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## BlueLacee (Dec 8, 2013)

These are awesome. Thank you


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## charliegill110 (May 19, 2014)

Aqua Aurora said:


> I'd be more worried about it bursting-dunno where you get yours but the stores around me have very cheap supper thin bags that often have holes in them where they shouldn't.... _RIIIIIP!_


i've been burned more than once by those awful grocery bags. they always bust right as i'm walking in the door. and a couple weeks ago i was pulling on by the handles, really hard because it was heavy and i couldn't get it out of the trunk, so i leaned forward to pull harder, and the handles snapped and i full force punched myself right in the teeth. it made a crunch. i thought for sure i had broken teeth, but thankfully i didn't.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Oh and also, if anyone has house plants, you can use your old fish water (unless medicated or salted) to water them


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## FinnDublynn (Feb 27, 2015)

charliegill110 said:


> i've been burned more than once by those awful grocery bags. they always bust right as i'm walking in the door. and a couple weeks ago i was pulling on by the handles, really hard because it was heavy and i couldn't get it out of the trunk, so i leaned forward to pull harder, and the handles snapped and i full force punched myself right in the teeth. it made a crunch. i thought for sure i had broken teeth, but thankfully i didn't.


Once, YEARS ago, something similar happened to me.

My BF had to take me to the ER.

The LOOKS HE GOT when I'm like, "I punched myself in the face... I broke my own nose...I was bringing in the groceries..."

OMG I swear... they asked him to go get me a glass of water then asked me what really happened and told me it was a safe place!! And I'm like NO REALLY!! The handle on my plastic grocery bag broke, it was filled with two giant beef roasts, and when it broke my arm came up and broke my own nose. Seriously. He honestly didn't do it...


I'm fairly certain they still tell that story as an example of women trying to protect abusive BFs LOL


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## charliegill110 (May 19, 2014)

FinnDublynn said:


> Once, YEARS ago, something similar happened to me.
> 
> My BF had to take me to the ER.
> 
> ...



thats what i was so afraid was going to happen lol! like if i had busted my teeth out, NO ONE would have believed that. but then again it would make a funny story.


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## artemis35 (Jul 11, 2014)

Kisiel said:


> Another thing you can use is a piece of bubble wrap. Just float it on top of the water and pour water. It works great! I use it in all my tanks


I use a (fish tank dedicated only) plastic watering can to add water to my NPTs.

The showerhead-like spout really disperses the force of the water being poured in so that no plants and/or sand are disturbed. It doesn't even really cause enough disturbance to bother the betta, either. They swim right under the water being poured in and don't get buffeted around. I guess it is sort of like a rain storm for them?


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## Janmarper (Apr 3, 2015)

If I have to remove my fish from his tank, I use a ladle instead of a net. I can scoop him up much easier than with a net and there's a lot less stress, on me and him.


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## Crembrufundew (Jun 15, 2014)

Great idea Janmarper! I tried it and honestly I didn't get stressed out with catching my fish... That's a first!


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