What's Your Most Useful Non-aquarium Tool (for Aquarium Use)? - Page 3

[Nerium]

Running water, air dry.
Imagine there is, say, nitrate in your tap water, at (let’s go relatively high) 40 ppm. That nitrate could contaminate your next sample in that vial, but at literally 100ths of the concentration of what you’re measuring. So 20ppm in your next test might be 20.25ppm due to the contamination. Negligible and irrelevant, IMO.

A good point and thank you, though that's not what I'm actually trying to clean - I have a bad habit of walking away and forgetting the tests for a while and after years of use I have a number of tubes with colored residue from the test chemicals inside ... a very small pipe cleaner gets most of it but not the very end and it bugs me!! II' prolly gonna try something like a bit of sponge stuck on something but I just wondered if someone had found, I dunno, a baby's nose cleaning gidget or obscure cooking utensil #325 that just happened to be perfect for the job

 

[Bryangar]

I use hand soap to clean my tanks. It gets them squeaky clean

 

[DarkOne]

I use hand soap to clean my tanks. It gets them squeaky clean

Dawn blue dish soap is the best for cleaning if you need soap for aquarium stuff.

 

[Ronniethewitch]

Had a parasite scare awhile ago. Broke my tank down and to clean things from/in the tank I used my steam cleaner- no chemicals at all... kills bacteria AND parasites immediately. At the same time as breaking the tank down I was treating all the tank inhabitants in a smaller bucket-requiring less medication, so that when I returned them to their fresh tank they didn't bring anything back with them. I did have to recycle the tank but its been two months now without sign of any issues and has done the trick.

 

[Nick72]

Plastic Mesh Fencing

I've just lost three of the nine Red Eyed Tetra that I bought last Friday.

I really didn't think they would jump

Strange thing is they all jumped somewhere between 1am and 7am, when the lights were out and they should have been sleeping.

Just Implemented this $5 emergency overnight cover. Took all of 10 minutes to cut to size.





It's not 100% but I'm fairly convinced it will stop any more from jumping.

 

[H2O Concierge]

My computer. I can learn more in one day than I would have in the "old days" with a week at the library. For the more conventional answer... Medical hemostats, syringes and eye droppers

I use an egg cup to put frozen peas in and splash hot water on them to thaw them for the goldfish .... actually an egg cup is my go to for all fish food operations like that, hahah. Rarely get used for eggs!

Long reptile feeding tongs! I got them to feed some axolotls that I rehomed on to a friend and forgot to give them to her - now I find them great for all those tank-reaching situations where you don't wanna get your whole arm wet.

I'm another dog towel and plastic dish scrub user haha. Also for buckets, these flexible ones?

Originally used to use them as feed bowls for horses but can't recommend them more highly for water changes as you can hold both handles in one hand to carry and this closes the bucket a bit for less splashing, they're gentle on your legs to walk with,and they naturally form into a pouring spout to tip into the tank or wherever else.

Now I wanna know if anyone has any crafty items they use to clean the inside of the little test tubes for the API liquid water test kit!

I found an assorted sizes of bottle brushes at Freight Harbour. Use distilled water to rinse tubes. Sorry for the size of the picture.


9 Pc Tube/Pipe Nylon Brush Set

Item#90631

 

[FergusDaFish]

Hello, I use a rubber baby's nasal bulb(say that 3×fast)for water tests

You have a rubber baby?

Plastic Mesh Fencing
Just Implemented this $5 emergency overnight cover. Took all of 10 minutes to cut to size.


It's not 100% but I'm fairly convinced it will stop any more from jumping.

I need to do that to keep my cat from sticking his face between the light and the opening in the cover and drinking out of the tank. Took me weeks to figure out why that tank was losing water so quickly!

 

[DarkOne]

Flashlights.

I have an Olight S10 and a Braun 390 lumen light bar from Harbor Freight. The S10 is old but has a magnetic base so great for my metal shelving. It runs on a CR123a battery but I use a rechargeable. The Braun also has a magnetic base but it's a bit bigger. It's rechargeable (uses a 18650 battery) via MicroUSB.

390 Lumen Magnetic SlI'm Bar Folding LED Work Light
$40 but often goes on sale for $20. They sell pretty fast when it's on sale so it took a few months for me to get a 2nd (and 3rd) one. The 3rd is still in its packaging as a backup.

 

[LizP]

I use a brush that you use to clean out straws, they are bendable to get into areas that are hard to get the gunk out of filters when they are clogging etc.

 

[Biff]

A digital meat thermometer. My fish appreciate the exact same water temperature pouring into their tanks.

 

[angelcraze]

I use hand soap to clean my tanks. It gets them squeaky clean

I legit thought soap was a no no for aquariums. Then I read a drop of Dawn is great for removing dust from sand. What do you use soap on pls?

 

[Bryangar]

I legit thought soap was a no no for aquariums. Then I read a drop of Dawn is great for removing dust from sand. What do you use soap on pls?

I was kidding oops

 

[richiep]

Siphon tubes I rigged up at varying lengths for tank depths, great for spot cleaning, removing hard to get shrimp safely

 

[Michael.j.gomez]

Plastic pot scrubbers in filter for added bacteria!

 

[MomeWrath]

Plastic pot scrubbers in filter for added bacteria!

Those are great, and not to deviate from the thread, but it looks like you've got a ton of water flowing right back out the front by your intake tube and not getting filtered. Just something I noticed. Maybe too much of a good thing going in there? *shrug*

 

[Michael.j.gomez]

Those are great, and not to deviate from the thread, but it looks like you've got a ton of water flowing right back out the front by your intake tube and not getting filtered. Just something I noticed. Maybe too much of a good thing going in there? *shrug*

Yeah good eye, needs cleaning. Moving 6 tanks tomorrow(5-55gal). Can wait. Starting new maintenance schedule.

 

[bitseriously]

Does anyone have a trick for cleaning the bendy part of the aquaclear filter intake tubes? I have a bendy hose brush (1” brush that swivels and bends on a long flexy plastic line), but it’s mediocre at best.

 

[WTFish?]

Does anyone have a trick for cleaning the bendy part of the aquaclear filter intake tubes? I have a bendy hose brush (1” brush that swivels and bends on a long flexy plastic line), but it’s mediocre at best.

Same here, I have that too but it’s a pain! And it’s like 5’ Long!

 

[BRP]

A plastic old (credit) card, member card or what ever.

You can clean the glass with them without scratching it. Als you can remove the sand/small gravel from the glass to clean the glass near the bottom of the tank.

Move the card from the top to bottom. Except for green spot algae the algae come off easily.

 

[H2O Concierge]

Plastic pot scrubbers in filter for added bacteria!

To reduce overflow (unfiltered water) I decrease flow in my HOB. It also helps because with some media (like Seachem Matrix) needs a flow rate below 50gph for the BB to grow properly.

 

[goldface]

Dish soap for cleaning. It worked great for cleaning the oily residue off my Black Diamond Blasting Sand. Years ago, I used it to clean old aquariums as well.

 

[H2O Concierge]

I use a small silicone ice cube tray to make my own frozen treats.

 

[LizP]

A good point and thank you, though that's not what I'm actually trying to clean - I have a bad habit of walking away and forgetting the tests for a while and after years of use I have a number of tubes with colored residue from the test chemicals inside ... a very small pipe cleaner gets most of it but not the very end and it bugs me!! II' prolly gonna try something like a bit of sponge stuck on something but I just wondered if someone had found, I dunno, a baby's nose cleaning gidget or obscure cooking utensil #325 that just happened to be perfect for the job

So then what do you think should be used to clean out the test tubes? I thought they just said to rinse with water real good. I'm having a horrible time with my tanks Nitrate now. Every thing else is great.

 

[Ohio Mark]

So then what do you think should be used to clean out the test tubes? I thought they just said to rinse with water real good. I'm having a horrible time with my tanks Nitrate now. Every thing else is great.

I sometimes soak tubes in denture cleaner to help remove grime/ slime. Just rinse well afterwards!

 

[LizP]

I found an assorted sizes of bottle brushes at Freight Harbour. Use distilled water to rinse tubes. Sorry for the size of the picture.
Have you ever tried these cleaning brushes on Amazon for your long tube when you siphon water out? Mines getting cruddy lol





9 Pc Tube/Pipe Nylon Brush Set


Item#90631

 

[H2O Concierge]

9 Pc Tube/Pipe Nylon Brush Set


Item#90631
from Harbour Frieght have helped me with various needs

For the tubing on my canisters I use
I use something like this on my canister tubing. Now the python tubing is much longer. As a preventative measure I always try to drain as much water from the tubing as possible. I have used very hot water to fill and soak the tube. Then after some time flushed it with hot water. I use one Python to fill and another to clean (water change) my tanks. The one that is used for WC you can clean with an algaecide or even diluted bleach and rinse. If you are not using this waste water for cleaning your filters or decor I guess it wouldn't matter what you choose to clean it with since only the syphon tube end is the only thing contacting the water. Hope this helps.

So then what do you think should be used to clean out the test tubes? I thought they just said to rinse with water real good. I'm having a horrible time with my tanks Nitrate now. Every thing else is great.

This has probably been asked before...Have you tested your tap water. I too am constantly battling N3.

Dish soap for cleaning. It worked great for cleaning the oily residue off my Black Diamond Blasting Sand. Years ago, I used it to clean old aquariums as well.

I have a question. If you just started then how do you have 6000 ratings and Messages?????

 

[LizP]

This has probably been asked before...Have you tested your tap water. I too am constantly battling N3.

I have well water with the softening system. I will have to recheck it again, I don't remember what it was. I have been doing water changes with water that I let sit over night.

 

[LizP]

9 Pc Tube/Pipe Nylon Brush Set


Item#90631
from Harbour Frieght have helped me with various needs


For the tubing on my canisters I use
I use something like this on my canister tubing. Now the python tubing is much longer. As a preventative measure I always try to drain as much water from the tubing as possible. I have used very hot water to fill and soak the tube. Then after some time flushed it with hot water. I use one Python to fill and another to clean (water change) my tanks. The one that is used for WC you can clean with an algaecide or even diluted bleach and rinse. If you are not using this waste water for cleaning your filters or decor I guess it wouldn't matter what you choose to clean it with since only the syphon tube end is the only thing contacting the water. Hope this helps.


This has probably been asked before...Have you tested your tap water. I too am constantly battling N3.


I have a question. If you just started then how do you have 6000 ratings and Messages?????

Who are you asking this?

 

[H2O Concierge]

I was kidding oops

Dawn is gentle and they use it to remove oil from birds who get in contact with oil spills. Soap on nothing in a fish tank of course, but I guess you could put a duckling in it after it was thoroughly cleaned. But your fish wouldn't last long.

 

[kallililly1973]

Turkey baster, skewers, plastic mesh pot scrubbers for BB to cling to in my canister filters, potato chip bag clips to hold the pet store bag when acclimating new inhabitants, hard plastic soap dispensers for plant fertilizer, poly fill for all my filters instead of charcoal or filter cartridges, used gift cards for cleaning algae off the glass... I’m sure the list goes on and on... need to find ways to save a buck here n there... one last thing cinderblocks for fish tank stands

 

[H2O Concierge]

Who are you asking this?

To Nerium or anyone who needs small/medium brushes to clean things like test tubes and hoses.

 

[Kjeldsen]

Plastic clothes hanger with alligator clip. Keeps hands dry and prevents veggie theft.

 

[DarkOne]

I just ordered a pack of 16 dessert forks for $6 off amazon for holding down veggies. I've been using lead weights for plants but some are starting to break in half after constant bending.

 

[angelcraze]

I was kidding oops

Yeah, I heard a drop of Dawn works for rinsing sand. I just emphasize the 'drop' part. And some good rinsing afterward.

 

[Jack B Nimble]

I use a small silicone ice cube tray to make my own frozen treats.

Did that in past and drunk friends used for rye and coke.

 

[bruno hanham]

turkey baster for feeding and removing stuff

 

[GeorgeDaGreat]

Its got to be the toothbrush

 

[aae0130]

These.....

 

[trahana]

Tupperware containers! Perfect for temp holding fish when you need to do some deep cleaning.
Plastic mesh for aquarium dividers too.
Clear corrugated roofing or plexiglass/acrylic for DIY tank top

 

[bitseriously]

I have a cat that chews things. Yes, like a dog. No she's not the tool/tip I'm writing about.
One time she chewed up a dry sponge from one of those dual sponge filters, while it was on the basement table. Kind of like when sharks chew surfers, I think. "Hmm, this might be food, but I'll never know for sure unless I try a bite".
Anyways, I ended up with some spare sponge filter parts.

Turns out the perforated tube that goes inside the sponge is a perfect fit on the 1/4" i.d. tubing that I use for pumping water from bucket back to tank, which turns it into an ideal sort of flow disperser. The end of the black part is solid, so all the water has to come out the side holes. No substrate churning.

I am also able to use this setup when draining the tank, since the tank is 6' away from the sink (gravity feed straight to sink). So the cap on the hose prevents livestock from getting in as well.