Best Non-Fish Item Used For Fish Purposes

[Circus]

Just like the label says. What is the best, coolest, or just most useful non fish item you have used in or for your tanks?

 

[Circus]

One cool thing that I found today is these bamboo skewers, meant for use in shiskabobs and outdoor camping stuff. I was originally looking for a metal skewer, but I feel these bamboo ones are better. I am using it to feed my fish veggies, and to collect snails to feed my puffers.

And the best part, is a pack of them only cost me $0.88!

 

[itiwhetu]

Green nylon scouring pads, From the Supermarket cost next to nothing. For all glass cleaning. You can use them as filter pads as well. Make sure there is no soap or chemicals in them.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I was going to add the cheap scouring pads, for cleaning the panes of a tank, but @itiwhetu beat me to it.
I was then tied between my turkey baster and my bottle brush.
The former is great for retrieving small objects and for blowing things about, in a controlled manner, when I'm tank-cleaning.
The latter is great for twizzling any unwanted hair algae out of the tank.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

A spaghetti spoon.

Brilliant for moss ball placing and retrieval

A turkey baster.

Ideal for spot cleaning where the vac cannot reach and sand puffing to prevent gas pockets or compaction

 

[Circus]

The turkey baster I have used to feed my fish and to spot clean in my small tanks between water changes. The spoon and bottle brush are new ones. I wouldn't have thought use cleaning scrub pads, but it makes sense and is quite a bit cheaper than purpose branded stuff.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

All good advice. I would add that old credit cards/gift cards are excellent for removing the toughest algae, even bba, from glass without scratching it like scrub pads can. Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are also excellent for cleaning the glass--just make sure ou get the original that doesn't have any cleaning chemicals in it.

A shop vac is a life-saver when cleaning the substrate out of a large tank.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

glad I happened upon this thread! Turkey baster...why didn't I think of that?!

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

glad I happened upon this thread! Turkey baster...why didn't I think of that?!

If you have a Dunhelm within reach, they sell a good-sized baster with a bottle brush!

 

[FishHobby99]

Just like the label says. What is the best, coolest, or just most useful non fish item you have used in or for your tanks?

My husband.

Devised efficient labor free system for water changes (mostly used parts from Lowe’s) and much more.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

So. many. random. items! I can't pick just one.

Turkey baster is definitely top of the list. I got one to be able to move cory fry from container to nursery tank when they hatch, and also to clean out their tub - so useful for those things!

I also use it to drop food into the dish I feed my shrimp from, and for spot cleaning tanks, like removing bits of leftover food tablets without having to start a syphon and drain water etc.

I also have to have to system to carefully check buckets after a water change for shrimplets, and for tiny, almost invisible pygmy cory fry. Means emptying the bucket jug by jug until there's only a little water remaining- and a whole lot of muck, where the fry blend in perfectly. Turkey baster comes out to catch any I spot and return them to the tank, and to gently puff areas of the muck and check for fry. Then to remove the muck one baster full at a time into a jug, to look and make extra sure there are no fry in there. Takes ages, but has saved many a baby, and the turkey baster is perfect for the job.

Ones not mentioned yet: Stanley knife blades are great for scraping stubborn algae and hard water marks from glass, and for freeing stubborn suction cups.

I use a dishwasher brush like this one for all sorts of things;

Scrubbing algae from driftwood/stones/decor, scrubbing new wood/stones/decor, cleaning filters and stuff, whatever it comes in handy for.

One drawer in my fish stand is dedicated to fish only cleaning stuff, all sorts in there!

Oh, bottle brushes of various sizes for all the reasons listed above, including an extra long double headed one for cleaning canister filter hoses out. They collect a lot of yuk that would get blown back into the tank when turned back on otherwise!

 

[FishHobby99]

Great idea, the turkey baster! Will get new one soon. The husband ruined the old one working on his project car. Used the siphon yesterday to remove uneaten pellets from 2 tanks. Your way ever so much easier. Thanks!

 

[Fishmanic]

long handled grapper tool ...useful around the house to reach tall shelves or reach something that fell behind the washing machine etc.
It's great for moving ornaments, rocks etc without getting your hands wet. And they're inexpensive. It reaches to the bottom of my 24 inch tall hex tank.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GTWWJB5/?tag=ff0d01-20

 

[JazzyV]

Water bottle to add substrate into tank. Cut bottle bottom. Stick bottle into substrate. Pour in substrate do not allow any escapee. Leave for 5-10 minutes depending on volume for settlement. Slowly lift and allow it out in control amount increments. Now cap it and lift the entire bottle out of tank. Dispose couldy water. Voila. No cloudy and no disturbance in tank.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

OXO Turkey Baster with Cleaning Brush | Dunelm

Crafted from crack resistant, high heat plastic, this turkey baster by OXO features a unique bulb shape and collar for two comfortable grip options. Designed to...

www.dunelm.com