Aquarium "Life Hacks"

Water change without sucking [okay not really a hack but its good to know for those who don't] - I fill about half the gravel vac tube (the half that goes into the tank) with tank water, then cover the other end of the gravel vac (with my finger). Take the half out of the tank, with part of the tube with water outside the tank hanging over the edge of the aquarium. Then let go of the other end it starts to siphon water out.
 

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For the old-timer fish-keeper who had been using buckets for years to change and add water, the python was a HUGE invention. Now we can change water in 5 tanks for the time it took to haul buckets in changing /adding water for one. Instead of time for only one tank, we can now have five. Now that is some good/smart marketing on the part of the big corporate fish product sellers... we welcomed it with open arms and they sold us more products for our additional tanks. [[Sigh]]
 

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I couldn't afford a Python with a 50 ft hose so I made my own. It was super easy to make with one item from eBay and the rest from Lowes. I watched a YouTube video for instructions. It cost between $25 and $30 for everything. So much less expensive.

The other is panty hose. My daughter's betta tank filter was too strong so I cut an aquarium sponge in half, cut off part of a leg from a pair of well rinsed pantyhose, and tied it onto the HOB water outlet. I used black to match the filter and it's practically invisible.

I also tried to make a diy gravel vacuum today with some stuff I had around the house (yup, even pantyhose). It worked fine but it was too short for me to reach the whole tank.
 
I can't understand why no one uses a powerhead and a hose to change water instead of python. Especially "old time fish keepers". Powerheads aren't new as far as I know.
I use a cheap 300 gallon per hour powerhead connected to a garden hose that runs into my yardto drain my tank and I use a connector for the sink and the same hose to fill it back up.
Costed me way less than 40 bucks.
 

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I can't understand why no one uses a powerhead and a hose to change water instead of python. Especially "old time fish keepers". Powerheads aren't new as far as I know.
I use a cheap 300 gallon per hour powerhead connected to a garden hose that runs into my yardto drain my tank and I use a connector for the sink and the same hose to fill it back up.
Costed me way less than 40 bucks.
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Would this work to gravel vac? Or would the siphon be too strong and pull the gravel up with the water?
 
Would this work to gravel vac? Or would the siphon be too strong and pull the gravel up with the water?
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With big gravel it would work, with sand it would just suck it all up. When I want to gravel vac I use a normal siphon and do my gravel vac. Usually I can take less than 10% of the water and vacuum the gravel so no heavy buckets or anything like that.
 
I use little wooden skewers to move things around in my tank or get something from the bottom. They're food safe so I'm sure they're safe for my tank, they are also super cheap, easy to replace and very handy when I don't feel like getting my whole arm wet.

I know this isn't new, but I also love my magnetic glass cleaner. It works great for cleaning the glass and for holding the veggies I feed to my goldfish. It's my favorite "tool" right now.
 

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I realized I can repurpose 6 pack caddies as a bottle holder for various water additives:
View attachment 325227

Makes it so much easier to dose multiple tanks when they're corralled together like this.

Would love to hear "hacks" from others too!
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Genius! Can you send me one

Ok all you genius' I have a DYI request. I've got my API Master Freshwater Test Kit and I like to use a test tube for the same solution every time so I bought some colored rubber bands for the tubes and used a Sharpie on the caps. They all fit back nice and neat in the kit holder and I'm gtg.

My problem is that I also have a gH, kH and Phosphates test kits which are basically just a bottle (or two) and a test tube. They are just sitting on my bathroom sink counter loose and I would love to find a way to store them securely between testing. If anyone has a hack for that I'd be most grateful.
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Bam!
bef6bce4eb870b00fe3ebca7907207b3.jpg
Piece of styrofoam trash, some kabob sticks, viola! Test tube drying rack/storage. $.99!

Ill post a pic later but I use an airline tube and two suction cup airline holders to keep floating plants away from my filter outtake. I just put the cups on the front and back of the tank at the top and boom, invisible divider.
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I used the same idea, just with fishing line instead of airline tubing
 
The threads have been merged, it'll be easier to find all these good ideas if they're in one thread
 
Have to share this here too !

Its my diy brine shrimp hatchery, all I got was the eggs, the rest I had,
•bottle
•plant pot
• airline,conector,lock off.
•air pump
• bit of salt and water.

And boom live food, which is meant to increase fry survival and growth rates. I have to spread the word lol
OnTheFly
 
This thread is going to be dedicated to DIY tips, tricks and hacks we've learned through this great hobby of ours. Here are some of my DIY hacks. Please feel free to share yours to help others!

Mount a FREE magnetic strip onto your stand to hold anything metal. I have my scaping tools, my magnetic glass cleaner and a fork (used to hold down veggies).

38461299662_54bf73628e_b.jpg

So, how do you get this magnetic strip for free? If you live near a Harbor Freight store:
-Stop in
-Make any purchase (even if it's something for $0.59)
-Present this coupon at check out:
24621309398_f6da764dc7_o.jpg
- Get your free magnetic tool holder.

Don't worry if you're reading this and the coupon already expired. Just do a Google search for "Harbor Freight 18in magnetic tool holder coupon" and you'll find many more. At checkout, they don't even look at the coupon, you can show it to them on your phone and they'll just ask you to read them the coupon code they need to punch in.

Or if you really are too lazy to search for the coupon, and you feel like splurging to treat yourself, you can purchase it for $4.99 (regular price) 18 in. Magnetic Tool Holder
 
I have a large shower caddie with suction cups that I have stuck to the side of my 46 gallon, on the side closest to the wall. Isn't noticeable and is a good place to store fish food and such.

Airline tubing suction cups make a great way to hold pothos in place in a tank.

You can get an instant blackwater aquarium by adding decaffeinated black tea to the tank.
 
I tie fishing line to my fork, its easier to get out of the tank and it never walks away.
 

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Great ideas!! I'm going to steal your fishing line trick for my fork
 
I'm somewhat of a messy person. But one thing I can't stand is clutter and tangled wires and cords everywhere. Ironic isn't it?

Instead of having my power strip just dangling or lying somewhere on the ground with tons of tangled cords that mimics a bird's nest, I decided to mount the power strip to inside ledge of the tank. Doing this no only helps me manage my wires/cords better, but it also enables me to have that important drip loop.

38461298502_4388c95bf7_o.jpg
 
I have a large shower caddie with suction cups that I have stuck to the side of my 46 gallon, on the side closest to the wall. Isn't noticeable and is a good place to store fish food and such.

Airline tubing suction cups make a great way to hold pothos in place in a tank.

You can get an instant blackwater aquarium by adding decaffeinated black tea to the tank.
Click to expand...
Will Blackwater effect fish? Could I see a picture? Love to see one ....

Had to do something my wife kept taking it. Lol
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What do ya mean by fishing line on a fork?
 
Will Blackwater effect fish? Could I see a picture? Love to see one ....
Click to expand...

Some fish thrive in low pH, tannin-rich water, such as rummynose tetras, bettas, and angels. The brown-stained, acidic water is good for them and mimics the murky environments they hail from. Lots of driftwood, leaf litter, and floating vegetation make your aquarium feel more like home to them.

Just google "blackwater aquarium", really awesome looking.
 
What do ya mean by fishing line on a fork?
Click to expand...
This way he can lower the fork into the tank and retrieve the fork from the tank without getting his whole arm wet.
 
Some fish thrive in low pH, tannin-rich water, such as rummynose tetras, bettas, and angels. The brown-stained, acidic water is good for them and mimics the murky environments they hail from. Lots of driftwood, leaf litter, and floating vegetation make your aquarium feel more like home to them.

Just google "blackwater aquarium", really awesome looking.
Click to expand...
How much does it lower ph?
 
How much does it lower ph?
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It can lower it considerably depending on how many tannins you add. You can get your pH below 6 or even 5, though some species, like certain tetras, licorice gouramis, and wild bettas, really love that dark, acidic water.

Your nitrogen cycle can't even take place at levels under 6.5, because at those levels Ammonia is converted to mostly harmless Ammonium (bacteria don't process it very well). Doing water changes and having floating plants will basically keep your tank water pristine, despite the color.
 
I use a spray bottle and filled it with declorninator. I measured the amount it sprays and how much I need to spray.

I found out each squeeze is 10mg and I need like 5mg per gallon. By doing this I reduce over pouring too much into the tank (not that it’s wrong). Basically I’m not over pouring it which means I stretch the cost of the jugs farther.
 
Does it lower t ds too?
It can lower it considerably depending on how many tannins you add. You can get your pH below 6 or even 5, though some species, like certain tetras, licorice gouramis, and wild bettas, really love that dark, acidic water.

Your nitrogen cycle can't even take place at levels under 6.5, because at those levels Ammonia is converted to mostly harmless Ammonium (bacteria don't process it very well). Doing water changes and having floating plants will basically keep your tank water pristine, despite the color.
Click to expand...
 

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I tie fishing line to my fork, its easier to get out of the tank and it never walks away.
Click to expand...

I literally said (out loud), “Duh!” When I read this! I’ve been using a reacher with a magnet in the end. My arm still gets wet (it’s a 265) but not up to my armpit. I too am going to steal this trick!
 
I'm somewhat of a messy person. But one thing I can't stand is clutter and tangled wires and cords everywhere. Ironic isn't it?

Instead of having my power strip just dangling or lying somewhere on the ground with tons of tangled cords that mimics a bird's nest, I decided to mount the power strip to inside ledge of the tank. Doing this no only helps me manage my wires/cords better, but it also enables me to have that important drip loop.

View attachment 378158
Click to expand...

Yes! I’ll add to that.
It you get a piece of bright colored masking tape and use it to make a label to put at the end of the chord right by the plug you’ll always know just what plug to pull in an emergency or during cleaning.
73e0c0eadb0ccdcaaca151a0d6d5c08e.jpg
 
  • Thread Starter
  • #86
This is kinda sneaky but....

Get a stand that is a size or two bigger than your tank if you can afford it. (i.e. a stand for a 75 when your tank is a 40b)

That way when you want to upgrade, you don’t have to invest in another stand and you can easily say to your bf/gf/parent/whoever you need to get ‘permission’ from “This is actually a really inexpensive upgrade since the stand is already made for a blah blah size tank anyway soooo....”.

Here’s another thread of “hacks”:
Aquarium "life Hacks"
 
How many bags do I need for a 30 gallon and how long do they last?

Using for my gourami tank.
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I guess it depends on how dark you want it.

I was doing 1 gallon of tea per 5 gallons of water, using 2 bags.
 
This is kinda sneaky but....

Get a stand that is a size or two bigger than your tank if you can afford it. (i.e. a stand for a 75 when your tank is a 40b)

That way when you want to upgrade, you don’t have to invest in another stand and you can easily say to your bf/gf/parent/whoever you need to get ‘permission’ from “This is actually a really inexpensive upgrade since the stand is already made for a blah blah size tank anyway soooo....”.

Here’s another thread of “hacks”:
Aquarium "life Hacks"
Click to expand...
Doh! Didn't realize there was a thread like that already. Can a mod be able to merge this thread together with the one you started already?
 
  • Thread Starter
  • #89
Doh! Didn't realize there was a thread like that already. Can a mod be able to merge this thread together with the one you started already?
Click to expand...
We can ask.... Lucy or Coradee , would it be possible to merge the threads please?
 
I guess it depends on how dark you want it.

I was doing 1 gallon of tea per 5 gallons of water, using 2 bags.
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What's the brand of decaffined tea you use? Or does it not matter? Just wanna be on the safe side :]
 

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What's the brand of decaffined tea you use? Or does it not matter? Just wanna be on the safe side :]
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I just used Great Value, the Walmart brand.
 
Have you ever accidentally knocked over a test tube while testing your water parameters? I know I have. Nothing a drill can't fix.

38461299672_7347282588_o.jpg

38437560106_93d21364d5_o.jpg

Now, when I knock it over, it won't be only one test tube, it'll be all of them! I don't discriminate. Just sayin...
 
I have two:

first one is this gadget- no more struggling to get the siphon to work- you just jiggle the metal end in the water- poof! it's off and running- the flow is kinda hard so I put panty hose over the spout so it doesn't suck up my plants and fish.

I do the reverse for the new water. I don't even have to take the cover off the tanks lol



My next hack is in regards to my fresh plants-

I cut a piece of pantyhose off and wrap the roots with a rock or two and tie it up with some floral string or fish line. Then I only plant the rock and the plant with its roots float in the water (i've learned from reading that some if not most aquatic plants don't like their roots buried) .

The plants don't pop up out of the gravel out and they are easy to move and clean around.

I can also easily trim the roots to promote more leaf growth.
 
Get the 60 gallonwater change going with the python, then clean the other 2 tanks with a 5 gallon pail and a cut off section of hose. By the time your done the other tanks, the 60 is low enough to get the nasty stuff and you’re not standing around waiting for the tank to drain 60%. Filling it back up I do the small tanks first, then the big tank so that I can reassemble the small tanks while the big fills. (And clean up all the water I’ve managed to dump all over the house) I’ve managed to get all 3 tanks done in an hour.
 
I have two:

first one is this gadget- no more struggling to get the siphon to work- you just jiggle the metal end in the water- poof! it's off and running- the flow is kinda hard so I put panty hose over the spout so it doesn't suck up my plants and fish.

I do the reverse for the new water. I don't even have to take the cover off the tanks lol



My next hack is in regards to my fresh plants-

I cut a piece of pantyhose off and wrap the roots with a rock or two and tie it up with some floral string or fish line. Then I only plant the rock and the plant with its roots float in the water (i've learned from reading that some if not most aquatic plants don't like their roots buried) .

The plants don't pop up out of the gravel out and they are easy to move and clean around.

I can also easily trim the roots to promote more leaf growth.
Click to expand...

I don't know if this is common but the gravel vac I bought recently has a valve that does the same thing as the hose you linked. I also have the one you linked but it's for my motorcycle gas.

I like your 2nd tip. Need to find some pantyhose w/o getting weird looks.

I like the test tube holders from previous posts. The tubes are 1/2" so 9/16" should work for the holes. Need to get some 1/4" wood rods for drying.

The only tip I can give is that I have a 50ml beaker from a 3 beaker set I got from Amazon. I also have some syringes with blunt needle tips that are good for measuring doses of liquid chemicals. Both were bought for mixing e-liquid for vaping. I didn't want anyone to think I was cooking meth or something .
 
How am I just seeing this thread? These are great! Must do panty hose on plants!
 
I use plastic test tube for my water tests! I broke several glass ones, so I switched to plastic. They hold up great, although I wouldn't keep the chemicals in them for extended periods of time. I'll never have to deal with knocking over a tube and breaking it again!
 
How am I just seeing this thread? These are great! Must do panty hose on plants!
Click to expand...

I think because I started a "hack" thread and one of the mods merged it with this one.

the panty hose idea I came up with because every time I put a plant in the gravel- it would pop up and float and I got tired of all my plants floating.

I use plastic test tube for my water tests! I broke several glass ones, so I switched to plastic. They hold up great, although I wouldn't keep the chemicals in them for extended periods of time. I'll never have to deal with knocking over a tube and breaking it again!
Click to expand...

ive broken three this week alone.
 
I love DIY and I'm definitely stealing your caddy idea, that's genius! Guess I need to go get a 6-pack now

I have a few but here's the creation I'm most proud of. I attached a syringe to a length of airline to make an easy-start minI siphon! It can be started with one hand and no tube sucking
View attachment 325230
Click to expand...
You don't even need a syringe Just dip a few coils of tubing in the tank so they're filled with water, thumb over the end, pull the filled coils out with the end still in the tank.. .release thumb and instant syphon!
 
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