# General > AquaTalk >  What is it that you hate most about the hobby??

## melthazor

Here is a post just for fun and just for laughs!

So as much as we all are aquarium enthusiasts/professionals, what are the things you hate most about the fish keeping hobby?

I'll start:

I hate it when you make a trip to the LFS, excited like a kid in a candy store, pay and bring home your loot...only to break the new co2 external reactor you just got because you accidently dropped it on the floor during setup. Bye bye $$$!

I hate it when you start fiddling with a tank you can't stop, even to the extend of making it worst then before! Probably even killing off the good bacteria in your tank. Face palm!

I hate it how canister filter manufacturers use an empty canister filter to test the flow rate per minute...I mean...who runs an empty filter? Thus, it irritates me when I bring home a brand new 150l p/h filter only to see it struggle to circulate 10 liters of water...I was expecting a whirlpool in that 10l tank! Oh come on!

I hate how for months you research on something on the Internet and when you are finally sure you're gonna set it up this way because it makes some sense...you get that minority who likes to screw with you and introduces a new and improved method...like where have you been the past months I was researching?! Now what am I gonna do with the aquarium parts I already bought?!!!

I hate how something that looks so simple as planting a few plants can be a nightmare for some! That "some" includes me...oh all the lying guides on youtube!  :Evil: 

Well these are some "i hate" senarios I've experienced. ..will put more in along the way when I think of them...In the mean time, do share your "i hate" scenarios with the fish folks on the forum so we can all laugh and say "yeah that happened to me once!"...

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## lzw814

I hate how this hobby always made me travel from one end of singapore to the other only to find out that they dont have what I want (my mistake for not calling them in advance). Just saying  :Grin: 

Agreed with the part that planting seem so easy on youtube videos! But is a nightmare for me!

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## melthazor

> I hate how this hobby always made me travel from one end of singapore to the other only to find out that they dont have what I want (my mistake for not calling them in advance). Just saying 
> 
> Agreed with the part that planting seem so easy on youtube videos! But is a nightmare for me!


Haha yes...travelling all the way to some LFS and coming back short is just irritating...especially when you didn't drive that day!!!

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## popimac

To add to the fun

I hate how I imagine the plants, the rocks, the equipments can fit into the tank and turns out in reality to be oversize for my liking! Blame it on my small tank! Lol

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

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## tetrakid

I hate not having the space for a 4ft tank in the kitchen or near the bathroom/toilet, then I got to put the tank in the hall or elsewhere. To me, it is absolutely necessary for the tank to be next to, or near a bathroom, or washing area, for obvious reasons.

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## melthazor

> To add to the fun
> 
> I hate how I imagine the plants, the rocks, the equipments can fit into the tank and turns out in reality to be oversize for my liking! Blame it on my small tank! Lol
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk


Haha yeah! Happens to me all the time...then i have to figure what to do with the other stuff that can't fit...vicious cycle!

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## melthazor

I have another:

I hate it when you go to a lfs, tell the owner/keeper you wanna catch some fish yourself but they end up catching it for you because for some reason they didn't hear the "myself" part. I hate it even more when there is only a few fish left in the tank and the lfs owner/keeper causes a whirlpool in the tank scooping up fish and gravel like a machete wielding crazy, crushing some fish to death while they are at it  :Knockout: ...then you smack your forehead  :d'oh!: and tell yourself "speak up the next time that you would like to catch the fish yourself!".

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## tetrakid

> I have another:
> 
> I hate it when you go to a lfs, tell the owner/keeper you wanna catch some fish yourself but they end up catching it for you because for some reason they didn't hear the "myself" part. I hate it even more when there is only a few fish left in the tank and the lfs owner/keeper causes a whirlpool in the tank scooping up fish and gravel like a machete wielding crazy, crushing some fish to death while they are at it ...then you smack your forehead and tell yourself "speak up the next time that you would like to catch the fish yourself!".


Before I scoop, I always ask the shop whether I can catch the fish myself. But if I see some small pails and nets around, I assume that customers can catch the fish themselves. Otherwise, some owners don't like inexperienced newbies stirring up their tanks of fish, since some fish can be absolutely hard to net and thus causing a storm in the tank.

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## melthazor

> Before I scoop, I always ask the shop whether I can catch the fish myself. But if I see some small pails and nets around, I assume that customers can catch the fish themselves. Otherwise, some owners don't like inexperienced newbies stirring up their tanks of fish, since some fish can be absolutely hard to net and thus causing a storm in the tank.


I always prefer catching on my own...because I'm anal about how people catch them...to me I think I'm quite gentle in catching them, don't really chase them around...and yes I agree that fish tanks should be near the toilet, tanks bigger than 2ft that is...carrying bucket loads to and fro is really taxing!

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## limz_777

i hate bba and hair algae  :Opps:  , the rest still ok  :Laughing:

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## Unmarked

I hate going to a LFS thinking "I'm only going to buy a few things I really need" then coming home with $20 worth of stuff and wondering "What was I thinking?".

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## thebaldingaquarist

i hate it when...

1. there is a plant i want to try out but can't, due to lack of equipment or impossible to achieve conditions
2. after trimming my plants i realise there is no more space for it in my tank and i have to throw it away when no one wants them... what a waste..
3. when i do hardscaping, i know what i want, i can visualise what i want, but can never scape until what i had in mind...

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## Darick

Try this.

I hate it when my tank leak. Especially in the middle of the night. I've to rescue all my shrimps and empty everything in the tank and losing my sleep. This just happens to me. It's not just "I hate it". Worst is that after the rescue and cleaning up for the past few hours, now I've to decide what to do next. Buy 2 feet tank (as before) or seize the chance to upgrade. Upgrade means new lighting since current one won't fit well. Do I do this or do I do that. Maybe this is better, maybe that is wiser. So many questions............

Now I can't sleep. lol.

Gotto go try and sleep. Still have to process all the questions after that. *sigh*

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## BFG

I hate it when I have a neighbourhood lfs that sells stuff at an elevated level but have to travel to lfs further away to get the same equipment at a lesser price.

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## melthazor

> I hate going to a LFS thinking "I'm only going to buy a few things I really need" then coming home with $20 worth of stuff and wondering "What was I thinking?".


Haha it's like a woman walking into daiso...she says "ill have a look"...her "have a look" is a $50 price tag when she is done!




> i hate it when...
> 
> 1. there is a plant i want to try out but can't, due to lack of equipment or impossible to achieve conditions
> 2. after trimming my plants i realise there is no more space for it in my tank and i have to throw it away when no one wants them... what a waste..
> 3. when i do hardscaping, i know what i want, i can visualise what i want, but can never scape until what i had in mind...


Haha I'm quite the same...I always have this picture in my mind...but when you really get down to doing it...it just turns out different...its like me giving my 7 year old son a haircut. And when I'm done with him, he looks like a train wreak! Only saving grace is, at 7 he isn't into looking good yet, because when I ask him if he likes his haircut I gave him he will smile from ear to ear and say yes! Then I feel bad and say I'll do a better job the next time!

So like aquariums, we will say "I'll definately do better at the next new setup!"...haha




> Try this.
> 
> I hate it when my tank leak. Especially in the middle of the night. I've to rescue all my shrimps and empty everything in the tank and losing my sleep. This just happens to me. It's not just "I hate it". Worst is that after the rescue and cleaning up for the past few hours, now I've to decide what to do next. Buy 2 feet tank (as before) or seize the chance to upgrade. Upgrade means new lighting since current one won't fit well. Do I do this or do I do that. Maybe this is better, maybe that is wiser. So many questions............
> 
> Now I can't sleep. lol.
> 
> Gotto go try and sleep. Still have to process all the questions after that. *sigh*


Oh my goodness! I don't wanna experience a tank leak...and yes the thought of upgrade means us spending more to get the right lighting, etc. What a pain...fish hobbyist are gluttons for punishment...We know it's poison yet we willingly take the poison like a true Romeo! Haha!




> I hate it when I have a neighbourhood lfs that sells stuff at an elevated level but have to travel to lfs further away to get the same equipment at a lesser price.


Yes I have experienced that with oyama paper! Have an LFS about 15 mins away selling oyama at $3 a feet! And I travel about an hour in the train just to go to a LFS that sells the same oyama at half the price! That day I just got lazy and said heck...it will come up to the same from transport costs!

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## tetrakid

> Oh my goodness! I don't wanna experience a tank leak...and yes the thought of upgrade means us spending more to get the right lighting, etc. What a pain...fish hobbyist are gluttons for punishment...We know it's poison yet we willingly take the poison like a true Romeo! Haha!


A leaking fish tank is no joke, especially if the leaking part is low down the tank, which means the whole tank will be emptied in a few hours. If one experiences single tank leak, it is one too many. This is why if I have my way, I will always fit a tray below the tank with a drain hole and small hose leading to somewhere safe to drain the water. And that is also another reason why I like to position my tank in the kitchen. Also, never never never use an old fish tank. It is not worth it, because the silicone seal does deteriorate in time.

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## Darick

You will never know when a tank is going to leak whether new tank or used tank. I just bought this tank for 2 months or so. Brand new. Then again, who knows how long the tank has been in the lfs already. The silicon used on the tank will not last forever. BTW, the leak is at the bottom of the tank between the silicon somewhere. I didn't find any crack or likewise.

Still pondering over my next step. lol.

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## tetrakid

> You will never know when a tank is going to leak whether new tank or used tank. I just bought this tank for 2 months or so. Brand new. Then again, who knows how long the tank has been in the lfs already. The silicon used on the tank will not last forever. BTW, the leak is at the bottom of the tank between the silicon somewhere. I didn't find any crack or likewise.
> 
> Still pondering over my next step. lol.


Yes, even a brand new tank is also a risk, though the risk is smaller. A lot also depends on how the tank has been handled. Tanks don't come in boxes like TV sets, etc, so it is possible for it to be mishandled eg by rough handling, which can affect the condition of the seals.

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## tco

I hate it after waiting so long for the plants to growth to desire height but need to trim its very soon as its over growth.

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## thebaldingaquarist

> Yes, even a brand new tank is also a risk, though the risk is smaller. A lot also depends on how the tank has been handled. Tanks don't come in boxes like TV sets, etc, so it is possible for it to be mishandled eg by rough handling, which can affect the condition of the seals.



Agree, hit or miss sometimes. Though i feel that a tank from a reputable maker should have some warranty of sorts.

Then again.. leak... upgrade!

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## jamesneo

My "hates" list: 
1) Topping and changing water
2) To remember, clean and change filter media in canister
3) Counting fishes and shrimps inside planted tanks. 
4) Spending too much time on the tank than other tasks.

A good hobby thou. Happy planting  :Smile:

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## diazman

I "hate" it when:

1) i sell away an equipment, only to purchase back the exact same model few weeks down the road

2) The time taken for java ferns to grow. I keep giving up on that plant  :Laughing: 

3) Alternative between a big and small scape tank because I get paranoid that the bigger tank will leak during the night

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## bennyc

In the begining, i find planting a filled tank is near impossible. But overtime, it gets faster and neater. 

Afterwhich, i find water change time consuming. But again overtime, the time taken gets shorter and shorter. as you become accustomed to do the steps without the need to think, which cuts a lot of time down.

My current "hate" now is algae management. It is a NEVER ending job. Sigh.........

Of course, itchy hand which leads to screw up something that is not broken or near perfection is always lurking around my top list of "hate"

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## thebaldingaquarist

i read this thread, i become very low morale. all the hate list is also my "don't like" list.

*unsubscribe*

don't want to face it. LOL

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## bennyc

Do not be discourage. Like and don't like always come together. In life also like that. 

I click like for you. Hahaha.

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## tetrakid

> Agree, hit or miss sometimes. Though i feel that a tank from a reputable maker should have some warranty of sorts.
> 
> Then again.. leak... upgrade!


Lol... It's not about warranty. It's about what happens when a tank leaks all the water out overnight.

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## tetrakid

> i read this thread, i become very low morale. all the hate list is also my "don't like" list.
> 
> *unsubscribe*
> 
> don't want to face it. LOL


In spite of all the associated problems, fish-keeping still has a huge following. Fish-keeping is one of the best hobbies a man can have. For one, the commitment, responsibilty and required attention are high when one keeps an expensive tank filled with expensive fish and plants, thus it can at least help to keep a man at home a lot, if nothing else.  :Smile:

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## Mookie

I got to say, I hate it when I got to clean the tank, but after looking at the crystal clear water. It all seems worth it haha

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## Mookie

> i read this thread, i become very low morale. all the hate list is also my "don't like" list.
> 
> *unsubscribe*
> 
> don't want to face it. LOL


You say only la Uncle Eric, but in the end I think you spend more time than others haha..at least the fish tank don't answer back like the Mrs LOL

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## melthazor

> i read this thread, i become very low morale. all the hate list is also my "don't like" list.
> 
> *unsubscribe*
> 
> don't want to face it. LOL


Haha don't low morale la! Actually fish keeping is quite oxymoron...relaxing yet hair pulling...haha!

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## furyprix

> Lol... It's not about warranty. It's about what happens when a tank leaks all the water out overnight.


sounds very familiar..just got this last week! *hate max*

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## tetrakid

> sounds very familiar..just got this last week! *hate max*


It is a good precaution to change a tank every 3 years or so, as the seals cannot last forever, especially under the strain of full load (tank filled with water). It is also advisable to to break an old tank before disposal, since other people may want to use it and thus risking a leak on their flooring at a later time.

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## Nicklks

Hmmm.... So many hates. This thread could cause someone to quit...

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## jasonwoo

> It is a good precaution to change a tank every 3 years or so, as the seals cannot last forever, especially under the strain of full load (tank filled with water). It is also advisable to to break an old tank before disposal, since other people may want to use it and thus risking a leak on their flooring at a later time.


I think it is better that the leaked tank should be given to other pet owner (eg. hamster) as a gift instead of breaking it up.

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## thebaldingaquarist

> I think it is better that the leaked tank should be given to other pet owner (eg. hamster) as a gift instead of breaking it up.


or paste masking tape with the words "leaking" before throwing. I do that and i don't break my tank. since its harder to dispose of sharp shards of glass than a proper tank in my opinion.

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## bennyc

> I think it is better that the leaked tank should be given to other pet owner (eg. hamster) as a gift instead of breaking it up.


Yeah. I second that. Breaking it seems extreme. I can imagine tetrakid, listening to rock music, shout "kill! kill! kill!", then he throw the fish tank down and in turn shattering it.

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## furyprix

> It is a good precaution to change a tank every 3 years or so, as the seals cannot last forever, especially under the strain of full load (tank filled with water). It is also advisable to to break an old tank before disposal, since other people may want to use it and thus risking a leak on their flooring at a later time.


changing tanks so often is very heavy on the wallet  :Crying: 

i intended to use it to cultivate emersed plants. but somebody threw it away for me..

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## melthazor

> Hmmm.... So many hates. This thread could cause someone to quit...


Nah...no true hobbyist will ever quit...

This thread is just for us to laugh about our experiences and mistakes made...

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## qngwn

breaking glass lily pipes is definitely my most hated part of this hobby.. imagine breaking an ADA lily, or CAL AQUA lily..your heart breaks along with it..

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## bennyc

> breaking glass lily pipes is definitely my most hated part of this hobby.. imagine breaking an ADA lily, or CAL AQUA lily..your heart breaks along with it..


Second that. Break low end one i also heart pain. Broke one set already.  :Sad:

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## melthazor

wah how did you guys break your lily pipe? i often hear lily pipes breaking from cleaning...

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## tetrakid

> changing tanks so often is very heavy on the wallet 
> 
> i intended to use it to cultivate emersed plants. but somebody threw it away for me..


When one, especially the non-aquatic member of the family, thinks about the devastating water leakage experience, he/she will never entertain the thought of having an aquarium. A bad experience such as a lot of damaged wooden furniture, appliances, personal belongings, books, etc will be difficult to ignore. Thus this is why it is so important to AVOID a tank leak at all costs. Even if it is expensive, it is part and parcel of this hobby. More peace of mind will come with a new tank rather than an old tank. Leaks are only a matter of time.

I agree that an old tank is excellent for keeping hamsters. After keeping hamsters for some time, I changed to keep hamsters in a new tank rather than use hamster cages, because it is so much easier to maintain. and keep clean. When the initial novelty wears off, it is important that maintenance is easy to tackle.  :Smile:

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## bennyc

> wah how did you guys break your lily pipe? i often hear lily pipes breaking from cleaning...


Hahah I can be very creative in breaking them. You can break them while cleaning, fixing to the hose, Dropping them while walking from tank to toilet, shift rocks or deco knocking into the lily pipe. I can go on but my fingers are tired.

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## tetrakid

> Hahah I can be very creative in breaking them. You can break them while cleaning, fixing to the hose, Dropping them while walking from tank to toilet, shift rocks or deco knocking into the lily pipe. I can go on but my fingers are tired.


Always buy two sets of Lily Pipes. Reason: they are made of glass.

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## melthazor

I hate to sweep up clear class...you cant really see...

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## tetrakid

> I hate to sweep up clear class...you cant really see...


Yes, if glass is dropped, make sure to sweep the whole floor area because small bits of it can be flung very far away during the drop impact.

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## bennyc

> I hate to sweep up clear class...you cant really see...


so far they break rather "clean" into 2 to 3 piece. Rarely shattered into many pieces. Maybe due to the composition of the glass. I would be happy if it was in the tank. Imagine if it was to shatter into so many pieces inside the tank. Then I will say good luck, mei mei.

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## bennyc

> Always buy two sets of Lily Pipes. Reason: they are made of glass.


I have 2 sets. I think a 3rd set is in order due to my clumsy fingers. Hahaha

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## qngwn

No more glass pipes for me.. Moved on to stainless steel pipes.. 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

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## Urban Aquaria

I broke many glass pipes when i first started using them 2+ years ago (luckily i bought the cheapo ones to practice on)... but once i "mastered" the art of handling glassware though repeated cleaning sessions (ie. don't rush disconnecting them, don't balance them precariously on edges of sinks, use a plastic cutlery tray to carry them around, ensure lots of working space when cleaning them etc), i've not broken anymore since.

Getting better quality glassware with thicker glass helps too.  :Grin:

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## bennyc

> I broke many glass pipes when i first started using them 2+ years ago (luckily i bought the cheapo ones to practice on)... but once i "mastered" the art of handling glassware though repeated cleaning sessions (ie. don't rush disconnecting them, don't balance them precariously on edges of sinks, use a plastic cutlery tray to carry them around, ensure lots of working space when cleaning them etc), i've not broken anymore since.
> 
> Getting better quality glassware with thicker glass helps too.


Urban, you seems to be answering to my post. hahaa :Laughing: 
So in your experience which are the better ones?

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## Urban Aquaria

> Urban, you seems to be answering to my post. hahaa
> So in your experience which are the better ones?


So far, i've been using the gUSH and VIV ones for more than a year and no breakages yet.  :Smile: 

The thicker and more uniform the glass the better... some of the cheaper generic ones i previously ordered online had relatively thin glass walls and inconsistent wall thickness, they would break even when i just do simple cleaning with a soft pipe brush (always at the sections with the thinnest glass), so even if one was very careful, the lower quality pipes will still have a much higher chance of breaking.

Its definitely worth physically checking each glass lily pipe closely to make sure it has thick and uniform glass walls, they are all handmade items so even within the same brand and batch of glassware i still find differences in the individual pieces. Avoid pieces which have uneven glass texture or hairline stress cracks, only get the best ones from the batch on display.

I guess that's one of the pitfalls when ordering glassware online, you cannot inspect it beforehand so its all about luck that you get a good one.

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## bennyc

> So far, i've been using the gUSH and VIV ones for more than a year and no breakages yet. 
> 
> The thicker and more uniform the glass the better... some of the cheaper generic ones i previously ordered online had relatively thin glass walls and inconsistent wall thickness, they would break even when i just do simple cleaning with a soft pipe brush (always at the sections with the thinnest glass), so even if one was very careful, the lower quality pipes will still have a much higher chance of breaking.
> 
> Its definitely worth physically checking each glass lily pipe closely to make sure it has thick and uniform glass walls, they are all handmade items so even within the same brand and batch of glassware i still find differences in the individual pieces. Avoid pieces which have uneven glass texture or hairline stress cracks, only get the best ones from the batch on display.
> 
> I guess that's one of the pitfalls when ordering glassware online, you cannot inspect it beforehand so its all about luck that you get a good one.


Thats valuable infomation! I shall scruntise my next set until the LFS boss chase me out. hahaha. :Wink:

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## tetrakid

> So far, i've been using the gUSH and VIV ones for more than a year and no breakages yet. 
> 
> The thicker and more uniform the glass the better... some of the cheaper generic ones i previously ordered online had relatively thin glass walls and inconsistent wall thickness, they would break even when i just do simple cleaning with a soft pipe brush (always at the sections with the thinnest glass), so even if one was very careful, the lower quality pipes will still have a much higher chance of breaking....


Yes, the thickness of the glass is very important. I remember I once dropped a huge glass water jug on the floor while handling it at a Tang department store. To my pleasant surprise, it didn't break, as luckily for me, the glass was quite thick. There were only two of those big jugs left, so I was very lucky as I had wanted to buy two of them, since that size jugs are very very hard to find anywhere. It helped solve my problem of having enough boiled but cooled drinking water all the time. I notice many people neglect drinking enough water as a bad habit and in the long term risk creating serious health problems for themselves. Sorry for the digress....

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## qngwn

Thickness of the glass affects the strength of the glass by a large amount. 

Coking back on track, I don't like to see the glass of my aquarium tank warping. Thus I usually go for thicker glass walls. Same reason and same concept. Every single millimeter counts when it comes to thickness.. 

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## Ingen

I hate it when one tank is never enough...
I hate it when tubs of branded plant tissues culture "vanished" from the tank after planting it two days ago...
I hate it when a cute little snail from months ago became a colony of thousands...
I hate it when fishes decided to take a "walk" outside water
I hate it when the clear hose turn brownish within a week when those in the youtube video are always clear!
I hate it when I spent days surfing tao bao and grabbing cheap deals that are now packed nicely in my storeroom...

I will hate it more if I do not have a tank at home to drown my hatred on lol

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## bennyc

> I will hate it more if I do not have a tank at home to drown my hatred on lol


Ingen, I totally agree with you on the last line. Looking back, it seems like i am finding "extra" job for myself to do. But i would super miss not having a planted tank if i ever decom and give up. Life will be very empty. hahaha

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## Ingen

> it seems like i am finding "extra" job for myself to do.


That's the line my wife likes to remind me of hahah.

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## melthazor

> Ingen, I totally agree with you on the last line. Looking back, it seems like i am finding "extra" job for myself to do. But i would super miss not having a planted tank if i ever decom and give up. Life will be very empty. hahaha


You know when I was younger I have always loved fish keeping. My dad was an amazing man...he bought me fish tanks and fish and all sorts of pets. My mom was the "anti-christ" when it came to animals in the house. Haha! When I was older I started buying fish tanks and keeping fish in my room, even bred fighting fish which my mom happily killed all my fries by forgetting to feed them when I was away at a school camp. Heck I even tried my hand at marine fishes for a while, until I made a bad move to shift the tank from my room to the porch downstairs (couldn't stand the sticky parquet floor in my room from salt water evaporation)...I forgot to put an airline in for the marine livestock waiting in a pail. Setup everything and walked over to discover a pail full of dead livestock. Wah that was my ultimate low man! So I got fed up and got rid of everything. Never had another tank until I got married and moved into my new place...then the fish keeping bug bit me again...miss the sound of water splashing from the rain bar of a canister filter. So I literally begged my husband to let me keep a simple 2 ft tank of gold fishes...haha! And after that, more and more tanks started coming in the house without his permission! Quite like the Trojan war, my Trojan horse took the form of an innocent, harmless and simple 2ft goldfish setup...which eventually led to the influx of tanks in the house. He must have felt like this  :Exasperated: , now I think he is immune already.




> so far they break rather "clean" into 2 to 3 piece. Rarely shattered into many pieces. Maybe due to the composition of the glass. I would be happy if it was in the tank. Imagine if it was to shatter into so many pieces inside the tank. Then I will say good luck, mei mei.


Haha that sentence is funny "Then I will say good luck, mei mei." And if a lily pipe ever breaks in my tank...one that I spent time planting the plants and all...I'll just turn off all the power running the tank, crawl into bed and cry!  :Crying: 




> So far, i've been using the gUSH and VIV ones for more than a year and no breakages yet. 
> 
> The thicker and more uniform the glass the better... some of the cheaper generic ones i previously ordered online had relatively thin glass walls and inconsistent wall thickness, they would break even when i just do simple cleaning with a soft pipe brush (always at the sections with the thinnest glass), so even if one was very careful, the lower quality pipes will still have a much higher chance of breaking.
> 
> Its definitely worth physically checking each glass lily pipe closely to make sure it has thick and uniform glass walls, they are all handmade items so even within the same brand and batch of glassware i still find differences in the individual pieces. Avoid pieces which have uneven glass texture or hairline stress cracks, only get the best ones from the batch on display.
> 
> I guess that's one of the pitfalls when ordering glassware online, you cannot inspect it beforehand so its all about luck that you get a good one.


I agree with selecting quality. And never be tempted to buy the ones off ebay. I actually have a set I got for my 18" cube, the quality is bad! The inlet cuts are jagged and the flow area seems to have either a kink in it or a manufacturing defect. Luckily for me, when I ordered it off ebay it never reached me after a month so I asked for a refund. And after getting the refund, the item only came 2 months later.




> I hate it when one tank is never enough...
> I hate it when tubs of branded plant tissues culture "vanished" from the tank after planting it two days ago...
> I hate it when a cute little snail from months ago became a colony of thousands...
> I hate it when fishes decided to take a "walk" outside water
> I hate it when the clear hose turn brownish within a week when those in the youtube video are always clear!
> I hate it when I spent days surfing tao bao and grabbing cheap deals that are now packed nicely in my storeroom...
> I will hate it more if I do not have a tank at home to drown my hatred on lol


That's my nano now...a growing population of cute tiny snails...which first started with one...then two...then.... :Shocked: 

I tell you...there is definitely an aquarium "syndicate" on youtube...hahaha...clean tubes clean tanks...like nothing ever bad happens to their tanks... :Laughing: 

Eh...I'm quite a hoarder for aquarium equipment and parts too. I have them stored under my living room table that has a skirting (I actually put the skirting on the table so i can hoard stuff under it), some in the already over crowded storeroom and under my 3ft tank stand.




> That's the line my wife likes to remind me of hahah.




Total opposite...this is what my husband says to me...and funny I have never seen a guy not into aquariums! Even my eldest brother and the brother before me used to keep fishes. Imagine if I married a man who was into aquariums, we would convert one of the extra rooms into a fish room! Imagine rows of custom made stands and tanks after tanks of plants, fish and heck even shrimps!  :drool 2:  Too bad...I married a teacher! Haha!

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## tetrakid

> I tell you...there is definitely an aquarium "syndicate" on youtube...hahaha...clean tubes clean tanks...like nothing ever bad happens to their tanks...
> 
> Eh...I'm quite a hoarder for aquarium equipment and parts too. I have them stored under my living room table that has a skirting (I actually put the skirting on the table so i can hoard stuff under it), some in the already over crowded storeroom and under my 3ft tank stand......


The worst that can happen is a leaking tank, especialy 3ft or bigger, next to fish dying, of course. Those who have not experienced a leaking fish tank will never understand. 

But all in all, fish-keeping can definitely build character, apart from the indescribable joy that the hobby can bring.  :Smile:

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## melthazor

My nano now has a oil film on the surface...I hate oil film! I hardly ever put my hand in and the film just builds up!

And the nano dymax co2 diffuser is no longer producing micro bubbles! ARGHHHH!  :Evil:  I hate that too! Things not working the way they are suppose to. I wonder if its due to DIY co2?

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## tetrakid

> My nano now has a oil film on the surface...I hate oil film! I hardly ever put my hand in and the film just builds up!
> 
> And the nano dymax co2 diffuser is no longer producing micro bubbles! ARGHHHH!  I hate that too! Things not working the way they are suppose to. I wonder if its due to DIY co2?


Ooh, that's exactly what I hate too - oil on the surface. You see, I am very obsessive about having a clean water surface, and I do all I can to prevent it. Livestock can't survive long without good oxygenation, so my TOP priority is to keep a healthy surface, which is where the real oxygenation takes place. My ideal setup is one where the surface is constantly 'dancing', and thus dissolving oxygen efficiently. To me, lifestock includes all those wonderful pet bacteria, and they too need a lot of oxygen to be happy. Without these wonderful bacteria, I would rather give up this hobby than doing things wrong.  :Smile:

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## bennyc

> My nano now has a oil film on the surface...I hate oil film! I hardly ever put my hand in and the film just builds up!
> 
> And the nano dymax co2 diffuser is no longer producing micro bubbles! ARGHHHH!  I hate that too! Things not working the way they are suppose to. I wonder if its due to DIY co2?


Low/no surface agitation which cause the build up of the oil film. The"oil" comes from fish food, which is rich in protein. either get an air pump or it is a good excuse to get a eheim surface skimmer.  :Evil:

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## tetrakid

> Low/no surface agitation which cause the build up of the oil film. The"oil" comes from fish food, which is rich in protein. either get an air pump or it is a good excuse to get a eheim surface skimmer.


Sometimes, oil can also get to the water from our hands. No matter how clean our hands are, it must be washed with detergent before we touch the tank water, especially after eating Changki curry puff or Kentaki, etc. Even a tiny layer of oil is enough to insulate oxygen from the water.

Surface skimmer is overkill for fresh water tanks. That's more for marine tanks. It is much better to eliminate the cause of the oily surface. That is why I go all out to ensure my water surface is tip-top and dancing all the time. Not just moving, but also make sure the air pushes itself all over the tank surface thereby spreading oxygen-rich water to the other parts. Oxygen is life. Oxygen is top priority in fish-keeping.

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## bennyc

> Sometimes, oil can also get to the water from our hands. No matter how clean our hands are, it must be washed with detergent before we touch the tank water, especially after eating Changki curry puff or Kentaki, etc. Even a tiny layer of oil is enough to insulate oxygen from the water.
> 
> Surface skimmer is overkill for fresh water tanks. That's more for marine tanks. It is much better to eliminate the cause of the oily surface. That is why I go all out to ensure my water surface is tip-top and dancing all the time. Not just moving, but also make sure the air pushes itself all over the tank surface thereby spreading oxygen-rich water to the other parts. Oxygen is life. Oxygen is top priority in fish-keeping.



Sorry tetrakid but I do not mean to be mean but it is kind of lame to insinuate that the oil is from curry puff. No doubt it maybe possible, but.... come on.

I beg to disagree on your claim that surface skimmer is for marine. If that is the case, they would have labelled it as such. Many people is using them for their planted tank. You might have your own opinion but others have theirs too. So let us leave it as such.

As I mention the primary cause of the oil film is most likely from fish food and low surface agitation. How do you come up with terms like "oxygen is life" ,"dancing water" and "cause of oily surface" I am amazed. I am trying to help mel but yur post is just creating vague terms and not practical actions that she could do.

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## tetrakid

> Sorry tetrakid but I do not mean to be mean but it is kind of lame to insinuate that the oil is from curry puff. No doubt it maybe possible, but.... come on......


Sometimes, when I touch my oily face and then put my hand in the tank to do something, I will notice some oil on the surface. Not easy to see, but by varying the angle of seeing, it can be seen. I can notice it easily because I am all the time very particular about oil on the water surface. That is becauise I put a lot of emphasis on good oxygenation at the water surface. It may sound far-fetched to you, but if you think it is bs, then it is up to you. Anyway, I will not more posts anymore if you think it is all bs. It may be exaggerated but definitely not bs.

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## felix_fx2

suddenly the most hated things in the hobby becomes... Oily face & curry puffs huh  :Laughing: .
All to one's belief, for me surface skimmer also i using. Creates alot of water surface to air exchange which is a minus for a planted tank but a plus for others.

There's no wrong or right here, only what the hobbyist genuine feels is the correct approach for the respective side for the hobby.

@melthazor, sis.. you can try bleaching the diffuser. it's likely stuck due to diy co2 having some guck that is choking. Met with same before

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## Berny

i hate myself the most in this hobby, period.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

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## bennyc

Mel, if you think you are going to be in this hobby for the long run.
You may consider using pressized Co2 injection. It is probably the most fun and worthwhile equipment that I have invested.

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## bennyc

> i hate myself the most in this hobby, period.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


why so emotional? Haha. I do hate myself getting so crazy into this hobby too.

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## qngwn

Pressurised CO2 is like a drug. But cheap drug compared to DIY drug..

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## felix_fx2

> i hate myself the most in this hobby, period.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


why so serious la friend.

To boldly go where no hobbyist have gone before......

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## Mookie

Hate people who have nicer tanks than me! 




Just joking la  :Laughing:

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## jasonwoo

I only hate that my place is not enough place/space to keep bigger tank like others.

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## TheAquarist

> I only hate that my place is not enough place/space to keep bigger tank like others.


I feel you... Brother took up all my space for tanks T_T

Sent from my HTC Desire 601 using Tapatalk

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## zola0653

I hate hydra infestation and algae problems. Also, when carpet plants do not carpet.  :Cool:

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## Henlek

I hate that plants have dinosaur names. 

Sooo difficult to pronounce, spell and remember.

Why not Mary, Jane, Toyota, Dell like that so easy.

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## angus

I hate needing red plants but not being able to grow or maintain the red plants despite the efforts

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## Cyberkinetic

Old tank syndrome and god-damned algae... never ending water changes ...

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## bennyc

Yes *god-damned algae. Make me keep working for the tank. Must take salary from Mr algae.

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## melthazor

> Sorry tetrakid but I do not mean to be mean but it is kind of lame to insinuate that the oil is from curry puff. No doubt it maybe possible, but.... come on.
> 
> I beg to disagree on your claim that surface skimmer is for marine. If that is the case, they would have labelled it as such. Many people is using them for their planted tank. You might have your own opinion but others have theirs too. So let us leave it as such.
> 
> As I mention the primary cause of the oil film is most likely from fish food and low surface agitation. How do you come up with terms like "oxygen is life" ,"dancing water" and "cause of oily surface" I am amazed. I am trying to help mel but yur post is just creating vague terms and not practical actions that she could do.





> Sometimes, when I touch my oily face and then put my hand in the tank to do something, I will notice some oil on the surface. Not easy to see, but by varying the angle of seeing, it can be seen. I can notice it easily because I am all the time very particular about oil on the water surface. That is becauise I put a lot of emphasis on good oxygenation at the water surface. It may sound far-fetched to you, but if you think it is bs, then it is up to you. Anyway, I will not more posts anymore if you think it is all bs. It may be exaggerated but definitely not bs.


Chill guys...haha no one is spouting BS...to each of their own ya? It's a happy thread...lets keep it happy...

About oily faces...hahaha I think I have the tendency to be looking at my tank...rub my face and then adjust stuff in my tank. Then realise I need to wash my hands prior...

Eh but the oil film really is sickening! I put in the rain bar to cause some surface agitation but it doesn't seem to work...I think I need to diy some sort of skimmer...Its so thick you know! I dont even know if it is oil film!

20140515_213350.jpg

IMG-20140515-WA0005.jpg

Snails getting more and more... :Shocked: 




> suddenly the most hated things in the hobby becomes... Oily face & curry puffs huh .
> All to one's belief, for me surface skimmer also i using. Creates alot of water surface to air exchange which is a minus for a planted tank but a plus for others.
> 
> There's no wrong or right here, only what the hobbyist genuine feels is the correct approach for the respective side for the hobby.
> 
> @melthazor, sis.. you can try bleaching the diffuser. it's likely stuck due to diy co2 having some guck that is choking. Met with same before


Ya the bigger bubbles caused by the gunk buildup...got a shock when I did water change on monday. Used the pipe and sucked up everything, actually wanted to take it out and brush, I don't know how I moved the suction pipe over the diffuser and the whole thing got sucked up and stuck to the suction pipe. Today is Thursday and the gunk is back!!!!!! I am really considering pressurised co2...




> Mel, if you think you are going to be in this hobby for the long run.
> You may consider using pressized Co2 injection. It is probably the most fun and worthwhile equipment that I have invested.


Can anyone advise me on pressurised co2? I was also thinking of a 2 way spiltter so I can feed two tanks...my nano and my cube which I am gonna set up. Also if price sensitive, please PM me...I wanna get the best deal. Oh and what is this I saw in a thread on AQ about some taiwan and german solenoid? Taiwan is ADA? German is JBL? If I use a manual regulator, what does it mean I have to do?




> Mel, if you think you are going to be in this hobby for the long run.
> You may consider using pressized Co2 injection. It is probably the most fun and worthwhile equipment that I have invested.





> i hate myself the most in this hobby, period.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


No hate, more love!  :Smile:

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## Urban Aquaria

> Can anyone advise me on pressurised co2? I was also thinking of a 2 way spiltter so I can feed two tanks...my nano and my cube which I am gonna set up. Also if price sensitive, please PM me...I wanna get the best deal. Oh and what is this I saw in a thread on AQ about some taiwan and german solenoid? Taiwan is ADA? German is JBL? If I use a manual regulator, what does it mean I have to do?


A brand new pressurized Co2 system (ie. 2L Co2 tank + china/taiwan-made solenoid regulator + bubble counter/needle valve + Co2 hose + checkvalve + diffuser etc) would usually add up to around $180-$200. 

Additional 2-way splitter with individual bubble counters/needle valves would just be another $20-$30, so its an economical way to share one system between 2 tanks and save cost.

You could get used equipment at less cost but mechanical/electrical items do wear out, so check to make sure they are still in good working condition and not faulty (especially the Co2 tank and regulator parts).

Between china/taiwan made regulators vs german made regulators, the german ones are usually higher quality and have longer working lifespan, but their prices are also comparatively higher, so it all depends on your budget. The majority of us use china/taiwan made regulators and they work fine. The key is to go for china/taiwan brands that have established LFS support and warranty (so if faulty can exchange or repair).

Manual regulators are cheaper than solenoid regulators, but you will have to personally turn the regulator on and off everyday, which is a hassle and may result in inconsistent Co2 injection, so its always better to just pay abit more and go for solenoid regulators instead, makes the entire Co2 system fully automated.

Btw, ADA is japan (the real ADA brand, not the china pirated one)... their equipment are in a whole different price range altogether.  :Grin:

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## melthazor

> A brand new pressurized Co2 system (ie. 2L Co2 tank + china/taiwan-made solenoid regulator + bubble counter/needle valve + Co2 hose + checkvalve + diffuser etc) would usually add up to around $180-$200. 
> 
> Additional 2-way splitter with individual bubble counters/needle valves would just be another $20-$30, so its an economical way to share one system between 2 tanks and save cost.
> 
> You could get used equipment at less cost but mechanical/electrical items do wear out, so check to make sure they are still in good working condition and not faulty (especially the Co2 tank and regulator parts).
> 
> Between china/taiwan made regulators vs german made regulators, the german ones are usually higher quality and have longer working lifespan, but their prices are also comparatively higher, so it all depends on your budget. The majority of us use china/taiwan made regulators and they work fine. The key is to go for china/taiwan brands that have established LFS support and warranty (so if faulty can exchange or repair).
> 
> Manual regulators are cheaper than solenoid regulators, but you will have to personally turn the regulator on and off everyday, which is a hassle and may result in inconsistent Co2 injection, so its always better to just pay abit more and go for solenoid regulators instead, makes the entire Co2 system fully automated.
> ...


Alamak (Oh dear)...I always have this habit of typing ANS as ADA...Thank you for your reply... :Grin:

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## limz_777

Any picture of the top? That look more like bacteria film and yes oil film can be cause by oily/sweaty hands too

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## melthazor

> Any picture of the top? That look more like bacteria film and yes oil film can be cause by oily/sweaty hands too


Yup...picture of the top is attached in my last post.

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## Urban Aquaria

The oil layer at the water surface is common in tanks with soil substrates and fishes/shrimps. The oils are mainly from the natural breakdown of organic compounds and wastes.

I noticed my tanks which use inert sand substrates, even with lots of plants, fert dosing and Co2 injection, it doesn't get any oil layer. But once i add in fishes or shrimps and start to feed them, the oil layer pops up within a few days, so i guess its mainly from the food and waste materials.

Feeding less frequently helps slow down the oil buildup noticeably, as well as reducing the bio-load.  :Smile:

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## melthazor

> The oil layer at the water surface is common in tanks with soil substrates and fishes/shrimps. The oils are mainly from the natural breakdown of organic compounds and wastes.
> 
> I noticed my tanks which use inert sand substrates, even with lots of plants, fert dosing and Co2 injection, it doesn't get any oil layer. But once i add in fishes or shrimps and start to feed them, the oil layer pops up within a few days, so i guess its mainly from the food and waste materials.
> 
> Feeding less frequently helps slow down the oil buildup noticeably, as well as reducing the bio-load.


 :Well done:  yup i think so too, pointed out by bennyc as well. I used to feed 20 round pieces of tetra pro energy...I have cut it down to 10. Had some cardinals that were underfed, was pumping them up. Now I put about 5 to 6 pieces and I did my first 50% water change. I'm also wondering if it could be due to my water conditioner Stress Zyme? Because its kinda thick in its undiluted form, also I use a 2L milk jug for water change and top up, so I normally put a tiny pump of it in which would be a lot (I put the stress zyme in a pump bottle)...normally a full pump = 5ml and treats 10L of water. Or could be the PSB bacteria I put in after water change?

Was thinking of getting a power head to power the BOYU EF-05 external filter (the flow is too slow), wondering if I invert it would it work like the Eheim surface skimmer? I don't see why it wouldn't...

Is there a nano surface skimmer? For tanks smaller than 5 gal? Or diy is the way to go?

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## wuguidan

I hate it when my fishes / shrimps die and i don't know why they died!  :Exasperated:

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## wuguidan

> A brand new pressurized Co2 system (ie. 2L Co2 tank + china/taiwan-made solenoid regulator + bubble counter/needle valve + Co2 hose + checkvalve + diffuser etc) would usually add up to around $180-$200. 
> 
> Additional 2-way splitter with individual bubble counters/needle valves would just be another $20-$30, so its an economical way to share one system between 2 tanks and save cost.
> 
> You could get used equipment at less cost but mechanical/electrical items do wear out, so check to make sure they are still in good working condition and not faulty (especially the Co2 tank and regulator parts).
> 
> Between china/taiwan made regulators vs german made regulators, the german ones are usually higher quality and have longer working lifespan, but their prices are also comparatively higher, so it all depends on your budget. The majority of us use china/taiwan made regulators and they work fine. The key is to go for china/taiwan brands that have established LFS support and warranty (so if faulty can exchange or repair).
> 
> Manual regulators are cheaper than solenoid regulators, but you will have to personally turn the regulator on and off everyday, which is a hassle and may result in inconsistent Co2 injection, so its always better to just pay abit more and go for solenoid regulators instead, makes the entire Co2 system fully automated.
> ...


I agreed with the Manual and Solenoid regulators. I am using the Manual regulator at the moment. It is easy for me to turn on the regulator every morning when i feed the fishes and check water level, switch off when i'm back home BUT the most difficult part for me is to control the bubbles per second setting i had used yesterday every morning when i turn on the regulator. 

Saving up for a electric solenoid regulator now.  :Sad:

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## BFG

I hate it that we are going off topic..........

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## Urban Aquaria

> yup i think so too, pointed out by bennyc as well. I used to feed 20 round pieces of tetra pro energy...I have cut it down to 10. Had some cardinals that were underfed, was pumping them up. Now I put about 5 to 6 pieces and I did my first 50% water change. I'm also wondering if it could be due to my water conditioner Stress Zyme? Because its kinda thick in its undiluted form, also I use a 2L milk jug for water change and top up, so I normally put a tiny pump of it in which would be a lot (I put the stress zyme in a pump bottle)...normally a full pump = 5ml and treats 10L of water. Or could be the PSB bacteria I put in after water change?


I guess its probably not the chemicals themselves which cause the oil but rather their reaction to certain compounds in the water which result in oily by-products... same for bacteria solutions, they work to further breakdown the organic waste hence more oil generated. Basically as long as there are living things and food in the tank, a portion of the oil they produce will float up to the surface. Humans also have to combat oily skin so its a constant annoyance in life too.  :Grin: 

Overdosing the chemicals may not cause as much negative effects (unless massively overdosed), but it could increase TDS quite a fair bit in the change water, so perhaps better to follow the recommended dosage to keep things moderated.





> Was thinking of getting a power head to power the BOYU EF-05 external filter (the flow is too slow)


Yeah, the Boyu EF-05 is a really low flow rate canister filter, i used it before and its 150 l/ph flow rate was slow enough (and after packing with media became even slower) that i could even use it in a betta tank at its max flow (though i'd say those who keep betta tanks can definitely consider this filter).

Maybe instead of getting a powerhead to increase its flow, why not just upgrade to a larger canister filter with higher flow rate, then you'll benefit from both higher flow rate + larger bio-media volume.





> wondering if I invert it would it work like the Eheim surface skimmer? I don't see why it wouldn't...
> 
> Is there a nano surface skimmer? For tanks smaller than 5 gal? Or diy is the way to go?


Yes, those small internal filters with sponge containers can be used as surface skimmers too... some people do that and i've personally tried it out too, just mount it upside down with the motor and outflow at the bottom, then position it so that the sponge intake grills at the top is at the surface water line, then it works exactly like a surface skimmer. Not as fancy as other surface skimmers like the Eheim 350 or ADA Vuppa, but it'll work.

Just remember to wash and clean the sponges regularly, as they will clog up quite fast with debris and oil. In addition, do put some fine sponges into the intake container so that shrimplets or small fishes don't inadvertently get sucked into it.  :Smile:

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## limz_777

> Yup...picture of the top is attached in my last post.


not sure from your pictures , as it was taken from the bottom , there are two types of film , one is protein film and the other is bacteria film

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## melthazor

> I hate it that we are going off topic..........


No sir we're not going off topic  :Very Happy: ...we're just discussing the solutions/options of the things we merely hate about the hobby. The rest are still free to share their "hates" for the hobby with us...




> I guess its probably not the chemicals themselves which cause the oil but rather their reaction to certain compounds in the water which result in oily by-products... same for bacteria solutions, they work to further breakdown the organic waste hence more oil generated. Basically as long as there are living things and food in the tank, a portion of the oil they produce will float up to the surface. Humans also have to combat oily skin so its a constant annoyance in life too. 
> 
> Overdosing the chemicals may not cause as much negative effects (unless massively overdosed), but it could increase TDS quite a fair bit in the change water, so perhaps better to follow the recommended dosage to keep things moderated.
> 
> Yeah, the Boyu EF-05 is a really low flow rate canister filter, i used it before and its 150 l/ph flow rate was slow enough (and after packing with media became even slower) that i could even use it in a betta tank at its max flow (though i'd say those who keep betta tanks can definitely consider this filter).
> 
> Maybe instead of getting a powerhead to increase its flow, why not just upgrade to a larger canister filter with higher flow rate, then you'll benefit from both higher flow rate + larger bio-media volume.
> 
> Yes, those small internal filters with sponge containers can be used as surface skimmers too... some people do that and i've personally tried it out too, just mount it upside down with the motor and outflow at the bottom, then position it so that the sponge intake grills at the top is at the surface water line, then it works exactly like a surface skimmer. Not as fancy as other surface skimmers like the Eheim 350 or ADA Vuppa, but it'll work.
> ...


Larger canister for a 10l? Any larger it would give a washing machine effect...I was considering the Fluval C2...pack it heavy with media to reduce the flow...




> not sure from your pictures , as it was taken from the bottom , there are two types of film , one is protein film and the other is bacteria film


Thanks for your observation...

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## qngwn

> I agreed with the Manual and Solenoid regulators. I am using the Manual regulator at the moment. It is easy for me to turn on the regulator every morning when i feed the fishes and check water level, switch off when i'm back home BUT the most difficult part for me is to control the bubbles per second setting i had used yesterday every morning when i turn on the regulator. 
> 
> Saving up for a electric solenoid regulator now.


If you only choose to turn on and off the regulator, you can get a second needle valve, those that is able to connect with your co2 tubes inline so that now you have two needle valves to play with. 

The first one that comes right out of the regulator is to turn on and off, then the second on is the needle valve to control the bubbles per second. Like that you don't need to keep adjusting the bubbles per second everyday.. As long as you turn on the right knob..

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## Urban Aquaria

> Larger canister for a 10l? Any larger it would give a washing machine effect...I was considering the Fluval C2...pack it heavy with media to reduce the flow...


You can use a single/double tap in the outflow hose to control the flow, so its possible to use say a Eheim 2211 (300 l/ph) or a Shiruba XB303 (360 l/ph), and then adjust the tap accordingly to reduce the flow if required.

This is an example of Eden 501 (300 l/ph) with single tap on the outflow hose used in a 13 liter tank:

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## aquarius

I hate it when I have to spend hrs and hrs meddling with my planted tank in what seems like a hopeless effort to battle algae problems.

I hate it when I don't have the space to house all the different scapes and biotopes I have in mind.

I hate it when I have to do my weekly water changes for my 5 tanks (3 x 3ft and 2 x 2ft), almost in a 1 tank a day manner cos using the tank water to water the plants. It feels tiring after a few yrs especially when you have to juggle work life.  :Knockout:

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## melthazor

> I hate it when I have to spend hrs and hrs meddling with my planted tank in what seems like a hopeless effort to battle algae problems.
> 
> I hate it when I don't have the space to house all the different scapes and biotopes I have in mind.
> 
> I hate it when I have to do my weekly water changes for my 5 tanks (3 x 3ft and 2 x 2ft), almost in a 1 tank a day manner cos using the tank water to water the plants. It feels tiring after a few yrs especially when you have to juggle work life.


Wow! 5 aquariums! That is "siong" (tough)! kudos man!

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## Ingen

5 tanks! That's lot of commitment my friend!

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## melthazor

Managed to get rid of the surface film...bought a surface skimmer from a fellow forumer...so happy now that the film is gone! Even made a auto top off for the nano, so the skimmer won't suck in air when the water level goes down...

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