(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best aquarium cleaners

Hey there! Bettas can be super fun to have and you’re gonna love watching Harmony grow!

It looks like a lot of people already started pointing you in the right direction, I want to add on to that a bit since this is a baby betta (or just much younger, cant tell that well haha sorry)

Babies need a little bit of extra care to survive, they’re more fragile than adults.

So important stuff: feeding, temperature, water changes, and “cycling” (Disclaimed: I may repeat stuff others posted)

Feeding babies - Since she is small, she only needs a bit of food each day. Babies need a lot of nutrients to grow, and we can’t always give them that super varied live diet, luckily there’s options like using supplements and frozen foods. It’s best to feed small amounts throughout the day, frozen bloodworms would work, soaked in Seachem’s Nourish for nutrients and vitamins she needs to grow healthy! You could feed one whole bloodworm a day or tiny pieces of crushed pellets, Fluval Bug Bites or Northfin Betta Bits are healthy pellets with minimum fillers and preservatives, lots of good ingredients too but shell probably still need a supplement like Nourish. You could probably find it online, I linked an amazon link below. In order to properly digest and metabolize the food, she’ll need the proper heat.

Temperature - Adult bettas can thrive in water temperatures between 78-80°F, babies on the other hand need the water to be a bit warmer at around 81-82°F. To achieve this temperature, youll probably need an adjustable heater. The smallest adjustable heater I can think of is a 25watt heater, which would be too strong for a small bowl like that.

Tank - A 3 gallon tank would fit a 25 watt heater nicely for now, then when she gets bigger you can upgrade her to a 5 gallon and still use the same heater! (A general rule is 5watts per gallon, but a 25watt would work fine in a 3 gallon) You’ll also need to cycle the tank, which i’ll explain more below, and do frequent water changes once its cycled because while the fish grow, they produce a hormone that if it builds up in the water can stunt the fish’s growth - decreasing the lifespan. In a cycled 3 gallon tank, 3-5 small water changes each week would be great in my opinion. You also want to keep the water clean of course! Gravel vacuums are great for that.

Now onto the big part, cycling and the nitrogen cycle.

Since you already have your fish, you’ll have to fish-in cycle.

Fish-in cycling -

Basically consists of 1/2 water changes every day using Seachem Prime. Do this until your tank is cycled, which I’ll explain how to know that below.

While cycling, add the beneficial bacteria directly into the filter daily.

• ⁠A good filter set up is something with low flow, it can be baffled if needed. For filter media (or the guts of the filter) cermaic bio media, aquarium sponge, and filter floss would be great. Don’t replace any of this unless it starts breaking down, then you’ll need to seed new media, but you shouldn’t have to worry about that for a long time.

You’ll need an API Master Test kit, this is an accurate way to know your parameters (such as ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate). This is more accurate than strips, with test strips its super easy to get an inaccurate reading. The kit also lasts longer so you’ll get your money’s worth. I’ll include a link below to the kit.

When the tank is cycled, you’ll test and find 0 parts per million (ppm) ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, and ‘x’ amount ppm of nitrate. (Dont focus too hard on what parts per million means, its just how this stuff is measured. Nitrates should be kept under 20ppm, they arent as toxic as ammonia or nitrites but can be in large amounts.)

After your tank is cycled, you’ll need to do weekly water changes a few times a week using a gravel vacuum preferably. Gravel vacuum/siphons allow you to get the dirt out of the gravel easily without needing to take it out. (Leave the fish in when you gravel vacuum, take care to watch where she is especially since shes small) Highly recommend getting one of these! Its a necessity!

• ⁠Avoid large water changes, it could offset the balance of your tank. Never rinse the filter media in tap water, that can kill the beneficial bacteria (which I’ll send links to explain that more in a second). To clean the filter inserts aka media, just take them out and swish or squeeze in old tank water till the gunk is out. You’ll probably only need to do this once a month or so.

You may want to opt for a sponge filter, it should be safe for the baby so she doesn’t get sucked into any filter intakes. To set it up you’d need an air pump, standard airline tubing, a check valve, and things to make a bleed valve so you can adjust it.

Links-

Information:

Nitrogen Cycle: https://fishlab.com/nitrogen-cycle/

Fish-In Cycling: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

My diagram/explanation on the cycle:https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/c8evu4/nitrogen_cycle_art_by_me/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

Supplies:

API Freshwater Master Test Kit 800-Test Freshwater Aquarium Water master Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cEpvDb8R85Q1K

Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater Conditioner - Chemical Remover and Detoxifier 100 ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255PFI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_u-kKDbTMV2W8K

Northfin Food Betta Bits 1Mm... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M4Q5DQ4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This is the best quality pellet I’ve found, here’s why:

• ⁠Nutritious, includes whole ingredients
• ⁠No fillers, hormones, or artificial pigments
• ⁠Packed with proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals
• ⁠Floating pellets, roughly 1mm (they float for a bit then drop, my bettas chase them down)
• ⁠Easily digestible to promote optimal nutrient absorption

(This stuff is advertised by seller, but if you read the labels its all good. Harmony will be able to eat 5-6 of these daily as an adult. 2-3 in the morning, 2-3 at night)

Seachem Nourish 100ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018CM0DO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sekRDbR4YR0NG

(If you do some research and find a supplement you like better, then by all means go for it!)

Helpful other supplies:

Seachem Stability Fish Tank Stabilizer - For Freshwater and Marine Aquariums 500 ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002APIIW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_k.kKDbDZMVD4J

(Bacteria in a bottle, it’ll help speed up the cycling process.)

Gravel Vacuum/Siphon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q97ZPSF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LblKDbFT79MAB

(Of course you don’t need this specific one, I just chose the best seller off Amazon as an example of what to look for. The local pet store should have these for around $10)

How to use a gravel vacuum: https://youtu.be/LYv5n0a85OY

So, since he's having such a problem getting to the surface of the water, the VERY first thing I would do is go and get a breeder net like this: Uxcell Fish Tank Aquarium Net Breeder, White Green https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00H4XTQQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oodXCb71NDJCS
(Hopefully ur local fish store or Walmart will have them, but they're smaller than this Amazon one.) Putting him in this net keeps him right near the surface so he doesn't have to struggle to get his much needed surface air and The bigger the net, the better...that way you'll have a little room to stick a plant or 2 like these in it: Blue Spotted Betta Plant, Amazon Sword Great For Betta Fish and Use Betta Leaf Pad & Betta Log https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00N3ISXBE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7qdXCb9ZDM0KQ
Betta Plant Red Anubias Leaf By Blue Spotted, Great For Betta Fish https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00M0NC1UM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JrdXCb86XDAZJ
Smarlin Aquarium Plants Decoration, Artificial Plants for Fish Tank, 2 Pack (6 inches Height) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07PH2L3QQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dsdXCbEV8JH9H
Giving him a nice, small silk leafy plant to rest on or hide under will help keep his stress level down and help him heal faster.
Also, get some frozen Daphnia from your LFS (Petco, PetSmart, etc.) Daphnia sould work as a gentle laxative for him... apparently peas are NOT the answer for constipated Bettas. If you can't find that, then get some freeze dried Daphnia such as this: Hikari Bio-Pure Freeze Dried Daphnia for Pets, 0.42-Ounce https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B003WRG54I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XDdXCbFWCWWVH
If you HAVE to use the freeze dried, try to soak it for awhile in some tank water, it's SUPER light and never stops floating. I pinch the shit out of it between my fingers under water and try to kind of saturate it that way

Next, you can either:

1. Completely fast him for 3 days, and see if he poops in his little temporary confinement, and if he does, let him out and see if he is back to normal. If he still can't swim right, put him back in the net and feed him a little bit of the Daphnia and wait. Keep ur eyes peeled for a (hopefully) healthy poo. Or:
   
   
2. You can give him an Epsom salt bath. I find conflicting ratios all over the place and maybe somebody else can chime in here and help us out but common mixture seems to be 1 Tablespoon per gallon of water. Here is a very good detailed step by step on how to properly do a salt bath:
   http://bettasplendid.weebly.com/salt-baths.html
   
   Let's start here and see what happens. But, hurry up and get him that breeder net!😉

The water changer you have is perfectly fine, though if it's too big it wouldn't hurt to find something smaller. For my Betta tanks I have the Marina Gravel Vac in the Mini size and I find it allows me to go through all my gravel and clean up the excess poop and such and in the process end up doing about a 50% change. I do this once a week. If all you've been doing is letting the siphon sit in the tank or skimming it over the top of the rocks, you're doing it wrong.

Start at one corner of your tank and plop it into the gravel, let it suck up waste, lift and move a few inches over and plop it back in. Continue doing this until the gravel in the tube hits the halfway mark and then just lift it a few inches to let the gravel fall out. Rinse and repeat until you've cleaned all gravel. If this is what you currently do, keep on doing it!

So, how often do you to a 25% change? If once a week, keep doing so but maybe try 35% and see how it goes. If once every two weeks, bump that to every week.

Non-adjustable heaters are notoriously bad. I've yet to find one that doesn't completely suck to be honest. 99% of them will only heat a small tank a few degrees above ambient room temperature which isn't ideal unless you keep your house a whopping 75°F year-round. For example, say you keep your house (or even the room yours tanks are in) at 68°F. Typically, standing water will always be 3-5° cooler. So with a tank that's roughly 63° - 65°F, a non-adjustable heater will only bring the temp up to 68° - 72°F. Sometimes they'll be unreliable and overheat your tank as well, more so if you do keep a warm house. Hopefully I explained that well enough! I'm admittedly pretty bad at wording things.

The smallest and probably cheapest adjustable heater you'll find is probably the Hydor Theo 25w which is good for 2 to 7g tanks. I exclusively use these for my bettas and love them. Never had a problem so far and it's been about a year of use already! I have mine set consistently to 78° and they keep a steady temp with maybe 1-2° variation on warmer days now that it's coming into spring here. It evens out nicely year-round though so I don't have to worry about boiling my betta babies.

Let us know the temp once you've got some thermometers going and if at all possible it'd be great to know your ammonia readings as well. Most pet stores will test your params for free if you ask. Too warm water can be just as detrimental as too cold and alongside a water parameter issue, could be the cause of your problem. Keep us updated and good luck!

Depends on what shrimp you want to keep, some of them require specific setup, like soft water Caridina (crystal shrimp and bees) and hard water Caridina (Sulawesi shrimp). "Base" will be very different for each of them. The rest of questions can be answered only after you decide on what kind of shrimp to keep.

Here are some of their photos and requirements. More on ShrimpFever website, or of any other supplier.

Next, make sure that you water is suitable for chosen kind of shrimp. Test or do online search for name of your city and water analysis. Or maybe you are already prepared to make optimal for them artificial RO based water.

Minimal tank setup: tank (not kit), filter (sponge is good), heater only if your room is cold in the winter, thermometer, light for plants, plants, a lot of hiding places for molted shrimp and babies (could be clumps of plants, wood, shrimp shelters). Substrate is species specific.

Sponge filter: T-shaped is my preferred kind. It should be connected to air pump by airline tubing, with check valve and double air valve to regulate intensity of air flow. Do amazon search for each of them, you will see how they look like. If power filter (=HOB), intake protector will be necessary for small shrimp and babies, sponge or stainless steel cylinder, pantyhose should work too.

If you will need heater, preset to 78F heater could be used only for neocaridina (cherries) and ghosts, but not for cold water caridina. Adjustable heaters could not keep temperature low enough, then external temperature controller (like Inkbird) could be needed. 50W should be enough.

Plants are up to you, this is very personal. I prefer the easiest way, low light low tech plated tanks mostly moss based (Christmas moss, weeping moss, spiky moss, fontinalis, Marimo moss ball, round pellia (actually liverwort, subwassertag or susswassertang), mini pellia. Do image search for moss tank to see moss trees, walls, hills, logs. Rootless plants do not require substrate at all.

Light is kind of plants specific, there are low light setups, fast and easy, and high light setups with fertilization schedule and CO2 dosing. Planted Tank subreddit can say what light fixture would be good for your tank and plants, if your price range. I'm using Nicrew and for other tanks, desktop lamps with daylight CFL. You will need tank cover (lid) for this kind of lights and to reduce evaporation. $5 timer is good enough, but you can ask for a better solution at Planted Tank.

Reliable online stores for livestock: you should name the country. ShrimpFever should be of no help if you are not in Canada.

Food sources for shrimp: depends on the kind of shrimp.

• Dwarf shrimp (cherry, crystals) will graze on the biofilm on the driftwood, glass, sponge filter, plants, with additional feeding by blanched or weighed raw vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, baby carrots, broccoli and so on, preferably low in sugar and holding shape well), leaf litter (do search for this and shrimp), and commercial food (you can see examples on ShrimpFever and find the same in your country). Mineral supplement helps with molting and color. Using feeding dish (like small Petri dish) helps to control pollution, this is even better. More about feeding them is in Shrimp Tank search.
  
  
• Ghost shrimp: anything you give them, especially live black worms, or frozen worms, will be appreciated. Variety and what doesn't pollute tank much.
  
  
• Amano and fan shrimp, no experience.
  
  Maintenance tools: if you will have substrate, gravel cleaner, sized to your tank, bucket, glass scraper.
  
  Tests: API GH/KH test kit; ammonia, nitrite, nitrate for cycling tank; pH just in case, TDS meter is helpful.
  
  Good to have: a piece of clear acrylic tubing for picking up uneaten food, this shrimp net. Scissors are up to you, I'm pulling apart my mosses by hands.

Sorry for the absolutely awful panorama of my tank, but it's the only way I could get detail.

My recent fert changes and dwarf gourami have gotten my hair algae under control. I also picked up an algae mower vac that helped me eradicate it manually - there's still a good bit left, but at least it's not growing. At the very front you can see my attempt at growing dwarf baby tears. You can't get the hair algae out of it without ripping the whole plant apart. If you look to the top of the picture you'll see that I have some dwarf water lettuce floating as well as a pretty large quantity of floating dwarf baby tears. I've been leaving it there and using it to fill in holes. My planting job looks shitty, but they're growing pretty well.

My question is - what are the chances of the baby tears making it to a pretty green carpet stage? Should I give up , rip it up, and try something else (monte carlo or dwarf hairgrass are looking good right now) or should I keep on keeping on? If there's hope I'll keep going, but if not I'm going to excavate the entire front and get rid of the floating replacement tears as well so my tank will stop looking so dingy and yellow.

I use something called a betta waste remover but it's pretty much a turkey baster. It's awesome for picking up the little poop. Since you're only going up to 5 gallon that should be fine but once I upgraded to a 10 then I switched to a gravel vacuum that's awesome, I think there is a mini version of it in case you're interested.

Turtles like treats like these or these. You could also buy a cuttle bone, as they enjoy biting on those for some extra calcium. Another supply that might be useful is [turtle habitat cleaner] (http://www.amazon.com/Nutrafin-Turtle-Biological-Habitat-Cleaner/dp/B002CZ0JUC). You can also buy decorations for a turtle tank (big rocks for turtles to climb, plants, "castles"). I hope this helps, good luck finding a good gift!

This is the way I see it. (I have all nano tanks, but 1. I have two 5.5 gallon tanks).

Option 1: Use gravel. Super easy. With Gravel, use this siphon and a bucket. Jam it in and disturb it all you want. Do the left half one week and the right half the next. Then just use aquascaping tongs (long tweezers) and simply replant by pushing in a few inches from where you want it and dragging it.

Option 2: Use sand. Super easy. With sand, use this siphon and a bucket. I use these in all my sand tanks. Because it's narrow, it doesn't suck up the sand, it's great! And I don't have to replant plants. It also is MUCH better for the smaller tanks, because it goes a little slower, it means you don't suck up all the water before you're done!! And really I don't use siphon the substrate every week in my 5 gallons anyway. If there's crud/mulm on the bottom I'll use the flexible hose without the rigid tube and either hover over the sand, or use my thumb on the other end to close it off while I disturb the sand periodically to suck up the crap. Other option, rubber band a chopstick to the hose extended down an inch or so, to disturb the sand. That'll make it easier to suck up the mulm as it gets disturbed. And unless you're letting Catappa leaves dissolve (like I do) then you may not need to do this. If there's only the fish poop and you're feeding good quality colored pellets, then you can just use a turkey baster to suck up the individual fish poop and use a plastic food container to scoop out the water even quicker than siphoning.

Oh dear. Is this your first big fish tank? Or first fish tank?

I would highly recommend getting a Python Water changer. It is a little pricy but it is worth the cost.

Other things you will probably need with your python for doing water changes/filling the tank.

- Some 5 gallon buckets from home depot (Great for all sorts of things, they just come in handy in the hobby, a must-have) Very cheap

- A Digital thermometer for water to help temperature match to your tank before adding the water.

- A fish saver cover for your python water changer to help you save fish when you're doing a water change.

I don't really have any good recommendations for vacuums unfortunately as I have quite large gravel, so I don't have any experience with more fine substrates. It was also a fairly cheap one, so it's not really the highest quality, but it gets the job done. I'll still link it anyways if you wanna check it out.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R736NC1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dnaZDbZAME3YS

It has interchangable nozzles, so you can have a short one or a long one. It also has "adjustable flow" but it really just means it has a clip that pinches the tube to make it flow slower. So that may be helpful to you. Best of luck.

First-timer in over his head here. Could use an assist with setup. The ultimate goal is setting up something my (soon-to-be) 2 year old daughter will enjoy watching.

Planning on purchasing:

Tank & Stand: Aqueon 45G tank ensemble - $250

Light: LED - Included with tank

Filter: MarineLand Penguin 200 Power Wheel - $21

Heater: Orlushy Submersible Aquarium Heater 150W - $18

Python: Python No Spill Clean and Fill Aquarium Maintenance System - $40, 24 inch adapter - $10, [hook] (https://smile.amazon.com/Python-Spill-Aquarium-Gravel-24-Inch/dp/B004PBHX4G/ref=pd_bxgy_199_img_2/146-3053739-1242457?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B004PBHX4G&pd_rd_r=42a7c2bc-877d-414d-b0c9-2960fa629e40&pd_rd_w=q7tkK&pd_rd_wg=fjx36&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=ZE4SB0SAMR7BKXT7Z4QW&psc=1&refRID=ZE4SB0SAMR7BKXT7Z4QW) - $20, and this adapter for my non-threaded faucet - $12

Conditioner: [API Water Conditioner] (https://smile.amazon.com/API-CONDITIONER-Aquarium-Conditioner-16-Ounce/dp/B004LO9KSY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2SD31AR7OVW3V&keywords=water+conditioner+aquarium&qid=1567987105&s=gateway&sprefix=water+condition%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-3) - $7

Bacteria: [API Quick Start] (https://smile.amazon.com/API-CONDITIONER-Aquarium-Conditioner-16-Ounce/dp/B004LO9KSY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2SD31AR7OVW3V&keywords=water+conditioner+aquarium&qid=1567987105&s=gateway&sprefix=water+condition%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-3) - $4

Test Kits: [API 5-in-1 Test Strips] (https://smile.amazon.com/5-IN-1-AQ-Test-Strips-100CT/dp/B077YS7Y4Y/ref=sr_1_3?crid=VPPBFJ1NJSMG&keywords=api%2Btest%2Bkit&qid=1567987538&s=gateway&sprefix=api%2Btest%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-3&th=1) - $26

That takes me up to $408. That leaves me about $100-150 in the budget my wife gave me to get decorations and the fish themselves. (It was supposed to be $500, but we always go slightly over budget)

Any recommendations on large and colorful fish that could attract and keep a toddler's attention? Preferably peaceful.

Any other recommended tweaks to the build? I haven't purchased anything yet, so I'm willing to completely scrap this and start over if somebody has a better idea of how to use the money.

I think that the Eheim one is a huge ripoff (I think it's around $50). I just got the TOM's Mr. Cleaner one for $12 and it worked great for me. I've only used it once though and I used it to just suck poop off the top of the sand without the gravel head attachment, so it might be great for a bare bottom tank too (no idea on longevity though since I just got it):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003OYOPNW/

TOM Aquarium Maintenance Algae Scraper Multi Tool 34 Length https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JM0K8/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_PDcgvb0ZCY0YB

I use this. Gives a lot more freedom rather than a razor blade but honestly I wouldn't do all of it at the same time. When I scrape off algae and coralline it usually puts tons of debree for a little while. So I tend to do like 1 side a day or something. We have a 80 reef.

What kind of bulbs are they? Have you tried to increase your lighting?

Here's what I'm referring to: http://www.aquascapingworld.com/algaepedia/full_view_algae.php?item_id=78

What I would try to do is remove your snails if possible. Let the algae grow for 3-3.5 weeks and than remove it with a battery powered vac like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003OYOPNW/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1372953769&sr=8-7&pi=SL75 It comes with an attachment that removes algae off the glass quite well.

The reason I say remove your snails is because when they clean a path it means new algae is going to grow there, so if you clean your glass at 3 weeks some of the algae is younger than that and will release spores.

Another option is to add a dose of hydrogen peroxide after cleaning the tank glass, it will kill the spores when they are released(this needs to be done carefully): http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Hydrogen_peroxide

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/hydrogen-peroxide

The best way to clean glass is a razor blade. Glass is hard and the razor won't hurt it.

I use one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Scraper-Cleaner-Blades-Aquarium/dp/B01N8PUHKA/ref=asc_df_B01N8PUHKA/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198088359792&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9974973108380134235&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9026850&hvtargid=pla-351099161421&psc=1

Good idea. Too many people rush it with starter bacs or buying the animals with the tank. Most fish stores don't seem competent enough. :/
Plants might look like dying after you added them. That can be normal, no need to panic if that happens. Just wait it out. Also, some plants don't like low light or temp. Natural selection, I guess. Check out "aquasabi", they have a plant database with great filters.

www.amazon.com/Boxtech-Aquarium-Gravel-Cleaner-Air-Pressing/dp/B07HMT7GPP/
I use one like this.

This is a copy/paste from another thread I did on this tank:

Hey!
So I was in your boat 3 months ago and with the help of some local saltwater guys I got my tank up and running. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT9FtqEUfgE[1] (looks a lot different now since i did some rescaping... I'll put a new video up soon)
Anywhosel... Don't go cheap... With anything... If you have to buy one piece at a time until you've got all your pieces do that. What I have:

Tank: http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Spec-Aquarium-5-Gallon-Black/dp/B0089E5VLC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392354430&sr=8-1&keywords=fluval+spec+5[2]

Lights: http://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-Marine-Aquarium-24-Inch/dp/B00GFTK7CQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1392354461&sr=8-4&keywords=orbit+usa+lights[3]

Pump: http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-Mini-Jet-Powerhead-VERSION-Misc/dp/B009LN1HWW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1392354739&sr=1-1&keywords=mini+jet+606[4]

Powerhead: http://www.amazon.com/EcoTech-Marine-VorTech-Propeller-Aquarium/dp/B003HLO636/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392354535&sr=8-1&keywords=vortech+mp10[5]

Gravity Tester: http://www.amazon.com/Salinity-Refractometer-Aquarium-Seawater-Agriculture/dp/B005ES6MOQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1392354641&sr=1-1&keywords=Refractometer[6]

Glass Cleaner: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061PIRGW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=20GUT5T0T21NZ&coliid=I1FAC5MICMTB5T[7]

I had freshwater fish before the saltwater and it's wayyy more maintenance but way more fun. You will want to abandon the freshwater the moment you get the saltwater up and running.

Just removing water is fine. If you like you can purchase a siphon to help remove some waste from the gravel.
As for cleaning the sides, I find these very useful.

For a 3 gallon tank I would definitely do 20-30% water changes twice a week. I would not add any more fish, aside from maybe a snail. Adding any more fish would overstock your tank, causing it to get dirty faster and upping the chances of illnesses.


No. Cycling takes at least a few weeks. (read the article I posted in an earlier comment) You can keep track of where it is in the cycling process by doing daily water parameters tests. Here is a really good kit.

Honestly, it's going to be kind of a pain to work in. I have a 29 gallon out of necessity (I didn't have space available for anything with a larger footprint) and often wish it was shallower.

They make gravel vacuums with longer rigid sections and in a more general sense, you can get tools designed for most of the work you'd do on any other tank, in larger/longer versions.

Get a step stool so you're not reaching over the tank and back down into it.

Fill it only partway with water while you're doing initial setup, so when you need to lean into it somewhat you stay drier.

Overall it is physically difficult and awkward, but it isn't drastically different from working on any other tank. It's just more reaching and usually getting more water on yourself, which is fine if you're prepared for cleanup.

I use one of these for my tanks under 10 gallons. Makes it easier and let's you do whatever you want to the gravel without losing track of time and draining half the tank in a few minutes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HMT7GPP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EHXCCbZBJE4ST

1. Substrate is just a fancy name for the gravel/sand/dirt/some combo at the bottom of the tank. Though I think they mainly use substrate vice gravel to describe stuff that you have live plants in. As for vacuuming it they sell siphon [vacuums] (http://www.amazon.com/Lees-Large-Economy-Gravel-Vacuum/dp/B003JVGHO0/ref=sr_1_14?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1373493240&sr=1-14&keywords=aquarium+vacuum) you start a siphon and use the larger end to vacuum up the gunk from your substrate.
   
   
2. Fishless cycling is better for the fish and therefore the easier method. You can do fish in cycling in a pinch but it's stressful for the fish and can cause illness/death. If you have to do this try and get some water and/or filter media from an established tank that already has a bacteria colony to jump start the process. As for how it happens in fishless cycling see the sidebar though the basic gist is that those bacteria (like yeast bacteria and other beneficial bacteria) occur naturally in small quantities so if you add a food source for them they will build up to the point they can handle the waste from your fish.
   
   
3. Um the vacuum might work if it's well rooted and not too delicate but I mean if you have live plants, a good filter, good stocking, and do appropriate water changes it shouldn't be too big of a deal other than the whole bad aesthetics of having poop on your plant.
   

I highly recommend this scraper as opposed to magnetic ones

This is an absolute life saver in situations like this.

a lot of people in the hobby use these: http://www.amazon.com/Python-Spill-Aquarium-Gravel-24-Inch/dp/B004PBHX4G


I dont know if this is the "sink siphon method" you're talking about, but I lose almost no water with this method. it allows you to go directly from your sink to the tank (and the opposite). Just make sure the temperature is pretty close to the tank, and you add Seachem Prime or whatever tap water treatment you use directly to the tank before adding the water. As far as reducing flow you can either purchase a smaller python tube, kink the line of a larger one, or use some form of displacement (like a plate or hand) between the tube and water.

NEMO!

Patience and a very small net.

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Scraper-Cleaner-Blades-Aquarium/dp/B01N8PUHKA/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_199_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=X969M1AX74NZPZXE0N80

Buy this I have a very crowded tank from my hardscape and was always moving things around. I found that gravel vac and man is it a tim3 saver for me.

Not from requested regions, but this is what I could think of:

1. To remove solid waste, using recirculating gravel cleaner, with a bag, that could be replaced by 50 micron pad, shaped to a bag. Discard after use. Mesh of Eheim gravel cleaner pulverizes poop too much. This one looks even better, custom mechanical media could be added.
   
   
2. Floating plants to remove nitrates. Discard excess of them from time to time.
   
   
3. Disposable filter floss in the filter, changed frequently.
   
   
4. Granulated activated carbon should absorb excreted substances that can't be tested. Changed frequently too. It requires pre-washing, but this could be done in limited amount of water.
   
   
5. If something has to be siphoned out, thin rigid tubing with airline, attached to it, would reduce amount of removed water.
   
   
6. See if Chihiros Doctor device could help with general tank health.

I've been considering buying this instead:

https://www.amazon.com/KollerCraft-Cleaner-Battery-Operated-Gravel/dp/B003OYOPNW/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1474004750&sr=8-5&keywords=gravel+vac

It doesn't remove or replace the water though.

I've also considered buying just the part of the Python that attaches to the sink and the tubing, then buying a length of tubing to reach as far as I need and using the end of the simple gravel vac I already have. All I would really be missing is the shut off valve at the end, so I would have to turn the water on and off at the sink.