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/diy/ - Do It Yourself


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1665088 No.1665088 [Reply] [Original]

I'm trying to build an aquarium for the first time and am confused on the bacteria and and all the living accessories I need to keep a healthy tank.

I see a lot of people using ADA products in their substrate to promote beneficial bacteria, but it is really expensive.

I want to do a bit of an aquascape with living plants, rocks, and a small amount of fish, shrimp, and snails. Could I get some recommendations on what I should be looking at for nutrients and bacteria?

Also, if I have a bunch of living plants, do I need a filter and pump set up? I'm getting mixed information on whether or not the plants will create all the oxygen the fish will need or not. Does it depend on how many plants are in the tank? If so, how do I know if I have enough plants?

Starting with a 20 gallon tank if this makes a difference.

>> No.1665117
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1665117

Is the rumor true that humans can use fish antibiotics with no health problems?

>> No.1665132

>>1665117
You can't use ANY antibiotics without health problems.

>> No.1665230

>>1665088
bump

>> No.1665383

>>1665088
bump

>> No.1665514

>>1665117
My buddy eats dog antibiotics. Same shit as people and over the counter.

>> No.1665534

Why the fuck would you come here to ask those questions? Go to an aquarium forum you stupid piece of crap.

>> No.1665537

>>1665088
for substrate just use whatever you like and can afford. i just used pool sand in mine because it looks nice and is cheap. some fish like cichlids do better with gravel. some substrates do come with bacteria in them to help kick start the cycle but honestly it's not worth it. really the only reason to use the expensive substrates is if you're going to go heavily planted or more exotic plants

as for the bacteria i suggest reading up on the nitrogen cycle. there's a few different ways to do it so you'll need to decide what you want to do. it generally takes around a month to get a tank cycled and ready for fish. you can buy bacteria supplements to help speed things up but i've always had mixed results. a lot of those supplements will claim to instantly cycle a tank or claim that it's safe to add fish right away but that's wrong and will usually just leave you with dead fish. buy yourself an API master test kit

you always need a filter. do not buy a filter that uses disposable cartridges. you want one that uses blocks of foam. cartridges are a long term expense and a lot of your bacteria will live in them so every time you change one you're also throwing out bacteria and risk causing your tank to go through a mini cycle. Fluval makes some hang on filters that also have other filter media like bio rings. if you want to spend the money i highly recommend a canister filter. they are quiet, filter better and have WAY more media options.

also check out r/Aquariums. i fucking hate reddit but they do have a good aquarium community

>> No.1665772
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1665772

>>1665088
As much as it pains me to say it op. Google it. There's a bunch of beginning low tech and high tech tutorial pages. Also check out the planted aquarium groups on Facebook. Here's some inspiration to think about what kind of scape you're wanting.

>> No.1665773
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1665773

>>1665772

>> No.1665774
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1665774

>>1665772
>>1665773

>> No.1665776
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1665776

>>1665514
Does he eat them like tic tacs or is he just cheap?

>> No.1665853

>>1665534
>why would you go to a DIY thread to ask questions about DIY stuff
Can you imagine...

>> No.1665856

>>1665537
Got an API test kit and am ready for that, thanks.

I'll get the filter then and look into the Fluvals. I'll lurk the r/, too.

I'm mostly confused about the CO2 set up at this point. I feel like they may not be as necessary as many people say. But all the pros use them. But they are also using them in a way that they are telling you to buy, which makes me skeptical.

Thanks for the input.

>>1665772
Yea, Google got mixed results doing that, though. A lot of people seem to recommend things that benefit them on a financial front. IE, they make money off their recommendations, which tells me it is bs. But I'll keep on keeping on. Got most of my stuff picked out, now I just got to place the order. Looking forward to my first set up :D

>> No.1665991
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1665991

heres mine. i just dumped some algae in for my otos so its a little green but its usually crystal clear with no filter.so clear i have to add algae.

>> No.1665992
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1665992

>> No.1665993
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1665993

>> No.1665994
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1665994

this is my new project.breeding bettas and guppies.no filter.no light.

>> No.1665995

>>1665856
CO2 mostly depends on what plants you have. I always stick to easy basic shit so I’ve never touched CO2. I do know it takes a bit to get it setup right and you have to be careful because too much CO2 can kill you’re fish pretty quickly.

>> No.1665998

this is my new project.breeding bettas and guppies.no filter.no light. my advice would be to pick up some ecocomplete substrate.dump it in.get some amazon sword on gel from petsmart so you dont get pest s.plant it.get some root tabs .put them around the base.get a fullspectum plant light at walmart cheap.get some mopani wood.it sinks because its dense..it will leech tannins for a whille but a few water changes will clear it up.java moss is a great natural filter.get some rose red minnows or other cheap feeder fish. they will help cycle your tank and they are super hardy and you wont be out of a lot of money if they die.dont add anything for 3 months and you will have a solid tank fully cycled.slowly add more plants and fish.if your plants are pearling( oxygen beads forming) that means they are getting c02 from your fish.if not at more fish.if they are not pearling your fish are suffocating so get it balanced or get an air stone.easy peasy.just takes time

>> No.1666002

also the stuff you posted from google is not a fair representation .those photos are taken after a serious cleaning and all the pumps and thing removed and they have co2 and thousands of dollars worth of lights.they are scapes by george farmer and other sponsored pros that are photographers trained in composition and students of takashi amano and shit ...thats a good goal but dont get bummed if it takes you 20 years

>> No.1667031

>>1665132
Based. Only use them as last resort. Both for your own sake and to avoid making resistant bacteria.

>> No.1667191

>>1665991
>>1665992
>>1665993
>>1665994
Looks good.

>> No.1667193

>>1665998
If the fish are suffocating, do I just leave the lights on longer? Or do I NEED to add more plants/air stone? Can the fish get too much oxygen?

>> No.1667201
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1667201

Postan my tank
There are way too many plants but I was just learning with this tank and now it just chills

>> No.1667223

>>1665132
This. Antibiotic literally means "against life".

>> No.1667242

>>1667201

nice plants, look pretty healthy.

>> No.1667460

Advice for someone who hasn't chosen a tank yet? I'd like a 20-30 gallon. I know acrylic is the way to go but why are they so expensive? I was thinking about the cheapy petco/petsmart ones. Like 30 gallons for $60. These ok?

>> No.1667482

>>1667201
yours i where i want that ten i posted to be.cool tank.

>> No.1667483

>>1667460
acrylic scratches really easy.so if you have sharp rock and things it might be a bad choice.also bad for scraping snail eggs and algae and mineral buildup.great for sand and ro water.get a 40 breeder and youll be happy with it for a long time.perfect size

>> No.1667485

>>1667193
more light.more plants.if they are at serious risk get an airstone by all means.dont let them die.flourish excel is great for speeding up th gas exchange.i never turn my lights off though.the fish just go to shady spots when they need too.and the harder you plants are working means that they have a better shot at out competing algae.over worked leaves will dull and die but just trim them and you get new healthy leaves and bushier plants that produce even more oxygen also i thing putting a little yeast in the substrate its great for feeding all the little creature that you want working behind the scenes.fish can get too much oxygen.like dont let them out of the tank lol its bad for them.but water can only hold so much oxygen and its not possible for it to hold an unsafe amount.H20 .get it cycling and give yourself some time to read up on gas exchange and plants before you add too many moving parts.i think youll feel better about it letting it be a slow artform based on the example you showed if youre op.take your time.dont jump to the end result you want.just 1 step at a time so you can always know what works and what went wrong.good luck bud

>> No.1667496

>>1667485
Cool thanks.

>> No.1668901

I have a general question. I have experience in operating an aquarium with live plants, but I've always used stuff from the store.

Is it possible to use gravel and mud from the local river? I have a mountain range 30 minutes away with an incredible river system that has no chemical run-off or anything. Can I use water/rocks/soil from the river/stream areas? What are the risks of getting parasites into the aquarium? I wouldn't put fish in it right away obviously, but has anyone done this before? If so, how did you manage potentially unwanted organisms?

>> No.1668919

>>1668901
My recommendation is to let the rocks dry, then bake them at below-boiling temp in the oven. Once the moisture is all driven out you can raise the temp but that may not be necessary.

story time: I had wooden salad tongs that were left wet in a sink for way too long - they stunk from bacteria contamination and no amount of soap and scrubbing could fix it. I baked them shits in the oven and they were good as new.

>> No.1670879
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1670879

Sorry, pretty unrelated.

What is this shit on my house plant?

>> No.1671107

>>1670879
Your plant has dandruff

>> No.1671144

>>1665117
>TFW a dog has a higher IQ than the average african.webm

>> No.1671150
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1671150

>>1667201
I fell for the LED jew. The light is too weak and I don't want to spend a bunch of money after my last mistake. What can I do to light my tank on the cheap to grow plants? I bought a grow lamp on the cheap but it has a warning to not have it on in the same room without eye protection on, so I can't use it without blinding everyone and everything near it. Also, my tank is now open top after installing the LED light and the water evaporates like a motherfucker. Should I cut a glass top for it, or just deal with it by topping off every day? Also, how can I remove the calcium evaporation ring without harming my fish with vinegar or PH down? I used a scrubber but the calcium build up just laughed at me.

>> No.1671192

>>1665995
It's really hard to fuck up proper pressurized CO2 if you have a bubble counter, drop checker, and a timer.

>> No.1671194

>>1671150
I had Chinese LED ADA knockoffs and they worked just great. Of course I needed a separate and powerful switching power supply. Maybe your power supply can't push the full capacity of your lights.

Use a razor blade carefully to remove calcium buildup.