Does Everything Have To Cost Us An Arm And A Leg.
- Thread starter paul-discus
- Start date
So it's okay to cycle your tank by effectively using your own pee and fish food ?!?!
As long as you don't drink or take meds lol.
Wow that's so cool - but i'm glad i stuck with the ammonia and waiting thanks!
LisaLQ
Fish Gatherer
Just distilled water from a chemist? Shall have to consider that possibly, but like Wilder, I've not been too impressed with the "real" stuff in the past, and have heard others have had similar probs (healthy fish in tank dying). But TBH so many more people say it's the bees knees that I'm wondering whether I've been too hasty to dismiss it.
Anyhoo, thanks for the info
Ps. I bet it was a single bloke (from Yorkshire if my hubby's moth wallet is owt to go by LOL) that thought of the weeing on the hand trick...save a fortune on soap!
SuperColey1
Planted Section
I've found that if 1 fish looks sickly or has a fungal or otherwise, that if I take him/her out and dab Methylene Blue then put back it seems to do wonders.
2 instances of this only but here they are:
In November My male black molly got a fungus type effect on his back then spread to his side, then all the scales on his underside pineconed. Took him out, dabbed his back, sides and belly and put him back in. He cleared up in approx 48 hours, and is still in there today chasing the females as if nothing was ever wrong.
This weekend one of the female black mollys had a white spot on her tail, not like a salt grain, and it was on both sides about 1/2mm wide in exactly the same place. On closer inspection it looked like some sort of fungal growth that was coming from this point on both sides. Out she came, dabbed the Methylene Blue, back in. 48 hours later and there is no white spot.
I can only say it worked in the 2 instances I have done it, and both I think were fungal
I know you think this off topic, but here is the money saving part:
1 - 3 or 4 cotton wool dabs saves dosing the tank with 20ml or whatever the dose is for your tank.
2 - It saves the electricity you use trying to equalise freshwater when doing a huge changeover to remove some of the blue coloured water (3 or 4 times)
3 - It saves you needing to use a carbon pad to remove the meds, and cursing that it doesn't do the job
4 - It saves you having to buy new plants because you've just killed them all or at best turned them blue
5 - It saves you having to buy new play sand to replace, the new pschodelic blue sand you've created.
6 - It saves you having to buy new deco and bogwood that is now a horrible blue colour instead of natural.
This list could obviously go on and on, because Methylene blue is a very powerful dye and ruins everything it touches (apart from fish with Fungus it would seem)
(I also like the Melafix answer. Will have to try that)
2 instances of this only but here they are:
In November My male black molly got a fungus type effect on his back then spread to his side, then all the scales on his underside pineconed. Took him out, dabbed his back, sides and belly and put him back in. He cleared up in approx 48 hours, and is still in there today chasing the females as if nothing was ever wrong.
This weekend one of the female black mollys had a white spot on her tail, not like a salt grain, and it was on both sides about 1/2mm wide in exactly the same place. On closer inspection it looked like some sort of fungal growth that was coming from this point on both sides. Out she came, dabbed the Methylene Blue, back in. 48 hours later and there is no white spot.
I can only say it worked in the 2 instances I have done it, and both I think were fungal
I know you think this off topic, but here is the money saving part:
1 - 3 or 4 cotton wool dabs saves dosing the tank with 20ml or whatever the dose is for your tank.
2 - It saves the electricity you use trying to equalise freshwater when doing a huge changeover to remove some of the blue coloured water (3 or 4 times)
3 - It saves you needing to use a carbon pad to remove the meds, and cursing that it doesn't do the job
4 - It saves you having to buy new plants because you've just killed them all or at best turned them blue
5 - It saves you having to buy new play sand to replace, the new pschodelic blue sand you've created.
6 - It saves you having to buy new deco and bogwood that is now a horrible blue colour instead of natural.
This list could obviously go on and on, because Methylene blue is a very powerful dye and ruins everything it touches (apart from fish with Fungus it would seem)
(I also like the Melafix answer. Will have to try that)
Miss Wiggle
Practically perfect in every way
best way to save money on meds is a hospital tank, it'll be much smaller that your normal tank therefore you use significantly less.
pond anything is cheaper than aquarium stuff, cos you get enough to last you a while as it's designed to cope with much bigger quantities of water.
decor such a rocks either get them from the countryside or go to garden centre's, they're cheaper there than in the lfs.
and one that i haven't tried but keep meaning to is to join an aquarists club near you, you'll apparently get people selling on or trading fry, fish, plants, corals etc much cheaper than in the shops
pond anything is cheaper than aquarium stuff, cos you get enough to last you a while as it's designed to cope with much bigger quantities of water.
decor such a rocks either get them from the countryside or go to garden centre's, they're cheaper there than in the lfs.
and one that i haven't tried but keep meaning to is to join an aquarists club near you, you'll apparently get people selling on or trading fry, fish, plants, corals etc much cheaper than in the shops
Arfie
Fish Herder
For cheaper lighting, get ordinary household bulbs (I recommend screw fitting instead of bayonet caps) in daylight which are just T5 bulbs for the house and they have a built in starter etc
I got mine from HERE at about £6 each then wired them in for a few quid. I think 50 watts of light cost about £18 including wire, plug and bulb holders.
WARNING: Do not allow them near water or condensation, mine sit nicely over condensation trays to prevent them getting wet.
With the floss used in filters, the like of Juwel recommend they are thrown away weekly, well if you are throwing it why not just rinse it under the tap, obviously it will kill some if not all bacteria contained in there, but no more than putting them in the bin will The Juwel ones will take about 10 good blasts under the tap.
Also don't replace your sponges in your filter unless they are falling apart. If it is severley clagged up, and rinsing and squeezing it in old tank water isn't clearing it, again, use the pressure of the tap to blast it clean, again all the bacteria you lose doing this would have been lost in the bin anyway
Make your own moonlights, there are plenty of instructions in the DIY section, but basically you can get a twin set of 12" blue cold cathode bulbs for about £6 delivered from ebuyer and a variable voltage adapter for a few quid off fleabay (I paid about £20 inc postage for 6) then it's simple to wire them and costs about £8-£9 which is about half what you pay for them even through fleabay.
Arfie
I got mine from HERE at about £6 each then wired them in for a few quid. I think 50 watts of light cost about £18 including wire, plug and bulb holders.
WARNING: Do not allow them near water or condensation, mine sit nicely over condensation trays to prevent them getting wet.
With the floss used in filters, the like of Juwel recommend they are thrown away weekly, well if you are throwing it why not just rinse it under the tap, obviously it will kill some if not all bacteria contained in there, but no more than putting them in the bin will
The Juwel ones will take about 10 good blasts under the tap.Also don't replace your sponges in your filter unless they are falling apart. If it is severley clagged up, and rinsing and squeezing it in old tank water isn't clearing it, again, use the pressure of the tap to blast it clean, again all the bacteria you lose doing this would have been lost in the bin anyway
Make your own moonlights, there are plenty of instructions in the DIY section, but basically you can get a twin set of 12" blue cold cathode bulbs for about £6 delivered from ebuyer and a variable voltage adapter for a few quid off fleabay (I paid about £20 inc postage for 6) then it's simple to wire them and costs about £8-£9 which is about half what you pay for them even through fleabay.
Arfie
SuperColey1
Planted Section
My cold cathode moonlights (12 inch) £4.50 inc postage off..................fleabay.........
linked to an old sagem 6v charger which cost £0.00 off. ....................my cupboard...
I'd say you was robbed matey. lol
smurfyy_2k3
it's a shame stupidity isn't painfull
not really cos some of the cold cathodes from ebay cost upwards of £20
My cold cathode moonlights (12 inch) £4.50 inc postage off..................fleabay.........
linked to an old sagem 6v charger which cost £0.00 off. ....................my cupboard...
I'd say you was robbed matey. lol
ox5477
Wet pets make the best Pets
One word "yes"
I'm glad its expensive, cause if it wasnt then more people who have no idea what they are doing would be doing it and these poor animals would be caught and killed in the home aquarium in much greater numbers. The fact that a saltwater aquarium or high-tech planted cost close to 500$ dollars and up for even the smallest and the most meager tanks is a good thing, cause then only the people who care about their money and the animals will do it because they actually see it as an investment and not just something to kill an afternoon.
I'm glad its expensive, cause if it wasnt then more people who have no idea what they are doing would be doing it and these poor animals would be caught and killed in the home aquarium in much greater numbers. The fact that a saltwater aquarium or high-tech planted cost close to 500$ dollars and up for even the smallest and the most meager tanks is a good thing, cause then only the people who care about their money and the animals will do it because they actually see it as an investment and not just something to kill an afternoon.
LisaLQ
Fish Gatherer
Soooo those of us on a low income are all unworthy owners....talk about tarring folks with the same brush lol!
smurfyy_2k3
it's a shame stupidity isn't painfull
tbh their are lots of people i know that would like to start a tank but cant and if there gonna do it theyll do it with goldfish
ox5477
Wet pets make the best Pets
hey hey hey, i'm not putting myself on a pedistal or anything, I'm in college supporting myself so I know how it is to be on a budget, thats why I dont have 90 tanks already
. I'm just saying there are def some people that would abuse the lower costs if they were there. I understand it makes it difficult for other people to even get the smallest of tanks going and thats a shame if they really are interested in fish keeping. But I still stand by my statement that it is good that things are more on the pricey side. If your frugal (as I think all fish keepers on TFF are, including myself 
) then you find other ways to get things, like going to a home improvement store for lighting instead spending a crazy price at the lfs or DIY a hood or stand. I dont want everybody on TFF to jump on me, I just think sometimes the higher prices can be a good thing
pica_nuttalli
don't be a twit
So it's okay to cycle your tank by effectively using your own pee and fish food ?!?!
As long as you don't drink or take meds lol.
Wow that's so cool - but i'm glad i stuck with the ammonia and waiting thanks!
meh, all urine and fishfood are is a biological source of ammonia. if you're going to go the "pee on your hand" route, then at least be somewhat clean about it and pee into a disposable cup
SuperColey1
Planted Section
too right. the most common fish tank that people who want fish as an ornament and not an interest, is one of those cheapo £20 brightly coloured 30L fish tanks and then in goes a potential 1 foot goldfish.................WITH HIS BROTHER OR SISTER.
My 125ltr with heater, cycled filter, hood with lighting some decos, fish food, gravel already in, cycled water already in. 2 common plecs and 2 mollies cost me £70+£10 petrol off ebay.
Then I bought 1 Betta and 2 black mollies for £7. rehomed 5 glolights, 5 danios and 1 black mollie for free. I would suggest all this for £77+10 is very cheap.
The only expense is that I am interested in the fish and their habitat, and have spent a further £125 on starting the planted side, £30 on 3 pitbulls. Next is another £100 on upgrading lighting+another CO2 kit+fertiliser etc.
In answer to the thank god its cheap so............etc. WRONG
Anyone can have a small to medium tank with nice but not unusual fish for cheap, but it gets expensive when you are actually interested in the fish and their tank.
FYI in UK 1 x 30-40L tank + 2 goldfish = £35, maybe less sometimes.
My 125ltr with heater, cycled filter, hood with lighting some decos, fish food, gravel already in, cycled water already in. 2 common plecs and 2 mollies cost me £70+£10 petrol off ebay.
Then I bought 1 Betta and 2 black mollies for £7. rehomed 5 glolights, 5 danios and 1 black mollie for free. I would suggest all this for £77+10 is very cheap.
The only expense is that I am interested in the fish and their habitat, and have spent a further £125 on starting the planted side, £30 on 3 pitbulls. Next is another £100 on upgrading lighting+another CO2 kit+fertiliser etc.
In answer to the thank god its cheap so............etc. WRONG
Anyone can have a small to medium tank with nice but not unusual fish for cheap, but it gets expensive when you are actually interested in the fish and their tank.
FYI in UK 1 x 30-40L tank + 2 goldfish = £35, maybe less sometimes.
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