What's Your Most Useful Non-aquarium Tool (for Aquarium Use)?

[DarkOne]

I use airline hose and a suction cup to make those. I did have to buy some connectors but it works the same. The suction cup holds it in place.

 

[NYFishGuy]

1 gallon milk containers, when cut as pictured its very sturdy when using the handle.

Top use: Cleaning sponges!
I found myself cleaning sponges in the water drained into a 5 gallon bucket couldn't get all the gunk out because the whole volume of water was instantly contaminated.
Now i use the milk jug scoop out .5 gallon (fits into 5 gallon bucket easily) squeeze sponge in there, dump into another 5 gallon bucket and repeat.

Other: Fish moving/ acclimation ect, small water transfer
Net /wet stuff storage

Maybe: small fish breeding rack tanks?

 

[angelcraze]

Rubbermaid bins/clear totes. I use them as extra tanks when I need something temporary, and to age my water for water changes. I use wheeled totes so I can move them between tanks.

Containers with perforated holes to use as fish isolation boxes. Add styrofoam to float it, or clip to rim of the tank.


Shower poufs as DIY media bags, whatever else you need netting for, like building banks in the aquascape. Take em apart from the middle and you have an endless tube of mesh.

 

[angelfishguppie]

Home Depot has wheeled platforms for garbage bins!

I just bought a 20 gallon trash can and wheeled dolly for water changes (Amazon). I toss a table cloth over it when done and it passes for an accent table.

 

[FishMommer]

Chopsticks - I wonder if they might also work with plantings?

I use boot trays for my back ground keeps splashes and drips in tank here are same boot tray two different times.

Wow that's something. I love the juxtaposition of the fresh plants growing so tropical like and the snow on the trees outside the window!

 

[midna]

Toothbrush, syringe, wooden skewers, pot scrubbies, a pickle jar, super glue, thread, a magnifying glass, paint scraper. I tried the straw thing for my frogbit, it didn’t work due to so much circulation but it was a great idea. I like seeing other ideas, nice post!

i forgot about super glue!!!

 

[Jack B Nimble]

Wow that's something. I love the juxtaposition of the fresh plants growing so tropical like and the snow on the trees outside the window!

Thanks and yes quite a contrast of two extremes.

 

[Blacksword72]

Small rubber tipped dust pan is great for removing gravel.

 

[BlackOsprey]

Two chopsticks superglued together to make one long stick. Need to poke at the substrate to release gas bubbles but don't wanna get your arm wet? Chopstick. Need to stir around the Equilibrium mixture before adding it to the tank? Chopstick. Need to brush some debris off of your plants? Chopstick. Need to shove a plant back into the gravel? Chopstick!

Quart size tupperware and mason jars are great for all kinds of uses too.

 

[Potato head]

A metal kebab stick just to push things around

 

[Fishcat]

Turkey baster, boot tray under the ten gallon, cat litter box for washing sand, and the out-of-date, but clean, syringes from work that I use for dosing Prime and everything else, and also for starting a siphon on airline tubing for small tank water changes.
(I work at a veterinary clinic and sometimes syringes go past their use date without being used)
Oh, and the quart measuring cups that hang nicely on the side of a bucket for putting water into tanks, and the snail trap shot glasses.

 

[coralbandit]

I use 5 g bucket paint strainers as breeder nets .

^^ I have added a small sponge filter to under it so fresh clean water is lifted into the net ^^
I also use terracotta pots /trays and roofing slates for my fish to lay eggs on.

 

[bitseriously]

I use 5 g bucket paint strainers as breeder nets .

I never knew there was such a thing, that’s awesome!! Non-aquarium plus an add-on diy. So do you float these in a larger tank, and is the bottom sponge fed by simple air line?

Chopsticks seems to be a winner, for many.

 

[coralbandit]

Yea the strainer is from Sherwin Williams [$6] and the sponge filter is an AquaTop CAF10 [$3].
They fit perfect in/on 12 inch wide tanks or you can float them in larger tanks by wrapping the rim with backer rod [foam rope /cheap] .The strainer can be used without filter just like any other breeder net .They really are great for livebearer fry or egg layers after first 2-3 weeks. The net is 600 micron I believe so tiny fry can get out .
I poked the hole in strainer and inserted filter. The CAF 10 is a highly un recognized tool IMO .a small sponge unit driven by air that has bio media[gravel] to help hold it in place as a weight. Did I mention cheap and small.

They are good "fool/full proof " duckweed floating plant corral also .

 

[Lucus Tate]

I haven't used it yet, but this hand pump siphon will hopefully make adding water back to my tank with a 5 gal bucket much easier and less disruptive to my fish and plants.

You guys and some great ingenuity!

 

[Ronniethewitch]

my garlic press. it has tiny holes to force food through. I put all the veg (peas, garlic, cucumber etc) that I feed them through the press and hey presto! food is small enough for them to eat. if I have to cut it up there are always large chunks that sit at the bottom of the tank to cause problems -but when it is small enough to eat in a single bite then nothing gets a chance to land on the bottom.

 

[LuxuriantTen]

I use plastic storage boxes as breeding tanks. As for a filter I just use a very small one, put within a ice tea bottle to get the correct flow!

 

[Bob_STL]

Syringes !! - especially insulin syringe for measuring Prime water conditioner. I only have a 10 gallon tank so my weehly water changes are only about 2 gallons & need 2/10 of milliliter of product.

 

[schmath]

I love this colander. I lay it across my tank before I pour water in and it disperses the water like gentle rain instead of a heavy stream that kicks up debris and messes with the scape.

 

[Kai Carlow]

I use a saucer (that you typically use to catch water beneath plant pots, not sure if saucer is the right word?) I cut a hole in it, put a suction cup through the hole and stick it to the side at the top, with some surface plants over the top as a nice little surface-den for my african clawed frogs! They totally love it gives them something to hold on to at the top of the tank but also have cover from the light.