Search found 64 matches

by TwinTankman
Sun May 04, 2025 4:28 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Urgent: Saving my fish!
Replies: 11
Views: 69

Re: Urgent: Saving my fish!

Second the garlic trick. Also, check your filter media. If it's clogged, flow might seem strong but actual turnover could be low. When's the last time you cleaned the impeller?
by TwinTankman
Sat May 03, 2025 9:08 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Urgent: Saving my fish!
Replies: 11
Views: 69

Re: Urgent: Saving my fish!

Agree with DiscusDare. Run an airstone if you don't have one already. And double-check your heater's accuracy. I've seen faulty heaters cause similar behavior. What's your feeding routine like?
by TwinTankman
Fri Apr 04, 2025 1:17 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Do quick start products hinder beneficial bacteria growth?
Replies: 3
Views: 3752

Re: Do quick start products hinder beneficial bacteria growth?

I don't trust API Quick Start. Their research doesn't cut it for me.

First off, they used liver fish - not exactly the most reliable test subjects. And they fed them, which means the ammonia output varied. They didn't even provide the exact amount of ammonia being produced in the tanks. They only ...
by TwinTankman
Fri Apr 04, 2025 2:57 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: essential items for a new aquarium kit
Replies: 9
Views: 2683

Re: essential items for a new aquarium kit

I think you'll find that one algae scrubber might not be enough in the long run for dealing with algae. I've got 20 tanks, and I used to have 13 planted ones, but now it's down to 7. Over the years, I've built up quite a collection of algae-fighting tools - here's what I've got:

I use small ...
by TwinTankman
Fri Mar 28, 2025 4:10 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: exploring the world's rarest aquarium fish
Replies: 11
Views: 4685

Re: exploring the world's rarest aquarium fish

Most of my tanks are now actually Aqueon, previously known as All-Glass. I also have a couple of tanks from glasscages.com that I picked up used.

The logos on these tanks are pretty neat - they're small plaques glued to the glass. I've got a 150-gallon tank and a 125-gallon tank from them.

150 ...
by TwinTankman
Tue Mar 11, 2025 12:04 am
Forum: Fresh Water Plants
Topic: the steel wool of the plant world
Replies: 14
Views: 13234

Re: the steel wool of the plant world

They don't self-turn, so if you want to maintain their ball shape, you'll need to rotate them yourself. From what I recall, the ones I initially encountered seemed to originate from Japan.

I used to attend weekend fish events and would often stick around for the Sunday auctions. It was years ...
by TwinTankman
Sun Mar 02, 2025 2:04 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Almond Leaves as Food: Who Eats Them and Why?
Replies: 9
Views: 7812

Re: Almond Leaves as Food: Who Eats Them and Why?

Dried leaves in water naturally break down over time. I've been using catappas in my Altum tanks for years now. They last around 2 weeks before I replace them, usually when they're left with just the spines, like the ones in your photo. I also swap out the ones that start to become translucent.

I ...
by TwinTankman
Fri Feb 21, 2025 1:10 pm
Forum: Cichlids
Topic: uprooted plants and displaced gravel
Replies: 10
Views: 3338

Re: uprooted plants and displaced gravel

African cichlids tend to be quite aggressive towards plants, they can cause a lot of damage.
by TwinTankman
Thu Feb 20, 2025 10:11 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Amano shrimp death: two found deceased
Replies: 10
Views: 6079

Re: Amano shrimp death: two found deceased

Old age really does suck, fancy. I've recently turned 76 and I'm having to downsize my tanks because I just can't keep up like I used to. I've got a few that require me to climb on a small ladder, and that's just not a good idea at my age. I'm getting rid of my 6 foot tanks, including the 125 gallon ...
by TwinTankman
Sun Feb 16, 2025 1:07 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: buying fish that's been shipped: what to expect
Replies: 14
Views: 8342

Re: buying fish that's been shipped: what to expect

Actually what Collin said about the bacteria and salt isn't entirely accurate. I've been reading up on this topic and from what I understand, the diversity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria is greater in freshwater than in saltwater. Dr. Hovanec's research and others have shown this to be true.

One ...