Reddit mentions: The best aquarium test kits

We found 1,407 Reddit comments discussing the best aquarium test kits. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 64 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

5. Glass Co2 Drop Checker with 4dkh/PH Solution | Quickest, Most Accurate & Easiest to Use | NilocG Aquatics | Glass Co2 Drop Checker with 4dKH/Ph Reagent Most Accurate Monitoring of Your Co2 Levels

    Features:
  • Complete Kit: Our aquarium water C02 drop checker/monitor contains everything you need for efficient monitoring of CO2 levels in your tank. The fish tank C02 drop checker/monitor includes the highest quality glass drop checker, suction cup, and a 60ml bottle of 4dkh/pH reagent solution.
  • Easy To Use: The user-friendly CO2 detector is very convenient and gives you reliable reading in about 2 hours without syringes or other such items. Just fill the carbon dioxide monitor drop checker with the indicator solution and place it in the planted tank with the help of the suction cup.
  • Clear Readings: If the pH solution turns green/light green that means your aquarium tank has the optimal level of carbon dioxide. The yellow color of the aquarium kit liquid means the CO2 level in the water is very high while the blue color means there is insufficient level of CO2.
  • Essential Item: You need to be very careful about the health of your plants and carbon dioxide is one of their major requirements. This CO2 monitor kit is one of the most vital items of your aquarium kit that helps you to keep a constant check on CO2 levels in the water.
  • Quality Guaranteed: The high-quality glass CO2 checker. If you are not satisfied with the quality of the product or have some other issue, just let us know and we will issue a full refund.
Glass Co2 Drop Checker with 4dkh/PH Solution | Quickest, Most Accurate & Easiest to Use | NilocG Aquatics | Glass Co2 Drop Checker with 4dKH/Ph Reagent Most Accurate Monitoring of Your Co2 Levels
Specs:
ColorTransparent
Height3.3 inches
Length4.8 inches
Weight11.2 ounces
Width3.4 inches
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7. Fluval CO2 Indicator Kit

Monitors levels of CO2 in aquariumsProvides accurate dosing of CO2Ensures fish and plants live in a healthy environment
Fluval CO2 Indicator Kit
Specs:
Height5.5 Inches
Length1.8 Inches
Number of items1
Size10 ML
Weight0.1 Pounds
Width4 Inches
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19. Seachem MultiTest Copper Test Kit

Performance driven at affordable pricesMade in the USA with quality materialsField tested to ensure nothing but the best for your pet
Seachem MultiTest Copper Test Kit
Specs:
ColorCYAN
Height2.5 Inches
Length4.6 Inches
Number of items1
Size75 tests
Weight0.14991433816 Pounds
Width4.5 Inches
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🎓 Reddit experts on aquarium test kits

The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where aquarium test kits are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
Total score: 1,314
Number of comments: 436
Relevant subreddits: 1
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Number of comments: 10
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u/Dd7990 · 2 pointsr/bettafish

Unfortunately a 10g tank is far too small for any additional fish tankmates to be with a betta, but you can have some shrimp OR snails in the 10g as tankmates with the betta. If you really want to do a community tank, the minimum recommended tank size is 15g, but 20g or larger would be best for that.

Keep in mind, bettas DO NOT NEED to have tankmates, they are very territorial and aggressive fish. Most bettas will see tankmates as "intruders" to their territory; though a more docile betta will tolerate these "intruders" better than more aggressive bettas. Only rarely do you get lucky with a betta that has the personality of actually liking their tankmates, that is not the norm for most of our domestic betta splendens.

Tetras are nippy fish and although some people do keep them with bettas, they're not an ideal tankmate + they need a minimum of 15+ and must have at least a 20g for that many of them to be with a betta. https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/neon-tetra/ - Exerpt: "These fish should generally be kept in schools with at least 15 members. Smaller schools than this can feel threatened and this can cause stress... If you’re planning to keep a school of them, you should keep at least 15-20 of them. An aquarium that is at least 20 gallons is needed for this number of them."

Please see our community guidelines for compatible betta tankmates per tank size: https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tankmates

Please do thorough research on the needs of each species of tankmate(s) before you consider if they are a good fit for your betta/tank-size. Cories need minimum 6 of their own kind for best results, and they like to roam around so do need the space to be able to do so (20g and up is best, 15g at the absolute minimum) + sand-type substrate is gentler on their barbels (whiskers) vs gravel types. Also don't cram in too many fish or different kinds of fish, research stocking limits for the size of tank. As I said before, the 10g can humanely house 1 betta + a few shrimp or snails, no other fish.

​

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!! FISHLESS CYCLE, before you get the betta or any tankmates: The Nitrogen Cycle and the Fishless Cycle - getting your aquarium ready for fish - INJAF

I'd recommend Seachem Stability over other brands of beneficial bacteria, you need to shake it well before each use and add 2 capfuls per day (for a week or more) while cycling your aquarium, especially if you did any water change.

I also highly recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit so you're able to accurately check your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate during the process of cyling + afterwards for routine maintenance purposes.

https://www.amazon.com/API-FRESHWATER-800-Test-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B000255NCI/ <--- ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE, VERY IMPORTANT, liquid water parameters test kit. Three main things to check every-other-day: Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Not cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 0 Nitrate. Cycling in progress will read some ammonia and/or some nitrite, but little or no nitrate. Fully Cycled will read 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 5-10 ppm of Nitrate, then when nitrate reaches 15-20 ppm in a cycled tank a water change is necessary to reduce said nitrates.

​

As for Tank stuff:

I'd recommend a Sponge Filter setup over a HoB filter, because HoB tend to have a strong outflow which bettas don't like (and the one you got looks like it will be especially strong in the 10g tank since it's meant for a 20g).

Here's my favorite sponge filter setup which I use in my own 5.5g tanks (they're rated for up to 20g and are nice compact sponge filters, so do not take away much space from your tank).

https://www.amazon.com/Powkoo-Double-Biochemical-Aquarium-Gallons/dp/B01M3VALFU/ My bettas (and I) LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!!!

AND from Petsmart - I HIGHLY recommend the TopFin Quartz BioBalls ceramic filter media, the rounded pearl shape makes them fit a lot more into a small space such as the dual-media chambers in the sponge filter I highly recommended above. It looks like this in store: https://i.imgur.com/Xz50k5F.jpg (I think it's not yet listed on their website because the stuff is still a new release).

https://www.amazon.com/U-picks-Aquarium-Gallon-Quietest-Accessories/dp/B07RRNDMXJ/ Nice air pump with all accessories to set it up - quiet mini air pump, check valve, and airline tubing.

See it all in action: https://i.imgur.com/KAyjMaj.mp4 (not my tank but my friends when she was fishless cycling hers, and the sponge filter is nicely visible. Mine is hidden behind bunch of silk plants :< lol)

​

The Aqueon Pro adjustable 100w heater would be a bit much for a 10g unless you live in a particularly cold climate or keep the room at a chilly temperature, otherwise you would be fine with the Aqueon Pro adjustable 50w heater for a 10g tank - per the rule of thumb "5 watts of heater power per gallon" which is sufficient in most cases, except if living in a cold climate and/or the room where the tank is being kept is especially chilly.

​

Tetra brand betta pellets are CHOCK-FULL-O-CRAP-FILLERS - this is terrible quality betta food...

NorthFin Betta Bits, Fluval/Nutrafin Bug Bites, and New Life Spectrum Betta are HIGH quality betta pellets with good ingredients and little or none of the bad filler crap or nasty preservatives.

Hikari Bloodworms are great as a treat/diet variety as they add vitamins to their bloodworms, and ZooMed Betta Dial-A-Treat is nice for a 3-in-1 treat wheel container.

I'd recommend getting at least two different brands of the pellets I linked below + some variety of treats like bloodworms, mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and daphnia. Alternate them day by day, meal by meal or otherwise mix them up such that the betta isn't always eating only the same thing day in and day out for every single meal.

- https://www.amazon.com/Northfin-Food-Betta-Pellet-Package/dp/B00M4Q5DQ4/ <-- my favorite go-to betta pellet

- https://www.amazon.com/New-Life-Spectrum-Betta-70g/dp/B077MG4JR2/

- https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-A6577-Tropical-Granules-Medium/dp/B07194GD1F/

- Bloodworms with vitamins added: https://www.amazon.com/Hikari-Bio-Pure-Freeze-Dried-0-42-Ounce/dp/B00025K1GQ/

- ZooMed Betta Dial-A-Treat is a decent 3-in-1 treat wheel container which has 3 different treats for betta diet variety. https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Laboratories-AZMBP5-0-12-Ounce/dp/B003ZWCTZO/

- You can also try adding a vitamin drops to the food AND tank water - VitaChem Freshwater - Vitamin drops for aquatic animals - REFRIGERATION needed after first use/opening, to keep the liquid vitamin drops fresh. https://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Enterprises-ABE16708-Freshwater-Vitachem/dp/B00BS96V78

Beware of overfeeding, which is equally bad for bettas as underfeeding (they are gluttons and would eat till they burst if given the chance) https://i.imgur.com/4RR2LZ9.jpg. (save this pic for reference, feed betta as much as makes his belly match between 1st and 2nd photo, then let him digest back down to a normal belly before feed again.)

​

Again, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE... FISHLESS CYCLE before you get a betta or any tankmates, I cannot stress the importance of that enough. The Nitrogen Cycle and the Fishless Cycle - getting your aquarium ready for fish - INJAF

u/Oucid · 5 pointsr/bettafish

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

u/deejaywhy · 2 pointsr/PlantedTank

Fair warning, incoming essay haha

27 gallons is perfectly fine. The first thing you will want to read up on is the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling. The best way to cycle your tank is to ask a local fish or pet store if they can give you some used filter media to jump start your cycle. If not, buy an API test kit and follow the steps in those guides then your tank will cycle in about a month.

For filters you have two main options Hang off the back (HOB) or canister. HOB are easy to maintain and clean which seems great as a beginner. They need to be cleaned every couple-few weeks. Aquaclear are great HOBs. For your size tank I would get an aquaclear 50 or two of the 20/30s (one for each side).

I prefer canister filters. They give you more options for customization, can hold more media, and don't need to be cleaned as often as HOB. Buuuut they typically come at a steeper price. The most popular brands are eheim, fluval, and sunsun. I have eheims and love them. Reviews for sunsuns can be hit or miss, but they definitely have good value for their price. When picking a filter you generally want a turnover rate of 8-10 times your tank size. So 27 gallon tank, youd want about 216 - 270 gallons per hour (gph), keep this in mind when picking a canister.

If you plan on tropical fish you will definitely need a heater. Aqueon pro and eheim make good heaters. If you go canister, you can get an inline heater which are nice because you don't have to look at it or try to hide it in your aquarium.

For planted tanks you need a substrate. The cheapest option is to use pool filter sand along with some root tabs. Look into the walstad method if you wanna keep it low tech and cheap. The only problem with this method is that if you ever want to move plants or hardscape around it can be a bit messy. The more expensive route is to buy some aquasoil. There are a few types, but the most well known is ADA aquasoil. These substrates are packed with nutrients that last at least a couple years usually. In between is to use a porous substrate like Fluorite or eco-complete. These come with a little nutrients, but will need fertilizers to continue its benefit.

Fertilizers area great way to keep your plants happy and healthy, but for many plants are not really necessary. If you decide to use them you can buy them in liquid or dry form. I suggest buying dry because it is much cheaper, but you will have to figure out how much you need to dose. Luckily there are calculators out there that can do it for us!

Lighting you have many options. My favorite are finnex LEDs. They are middle of the ground pricing wise and do their job very well in my experience. Here is a good guide for lighting. When researching a light you want to use you should do so by finding its PAR value at the level of your substrate. Low is about 0-30 PAR, medium 30-50, and high 50+ PAR. Low you don't need pressurized CO2 to avoid algae, medium it is recommended, but you can get away with a densely planted aquarium and use of seachem excel, and high you need pressurized CO2.

I like to use hardscape in my aquariums. Things like rock and drift wood give a natural appearance to aquariums, provide shelter for livestock and take up space. If you get into aquascpaing, hardscape plays a major role.

Plant selection will depend on your lighting, fertilizer, and CO2. Here is a list of good low light/low tech plants. If you want more demanding plants do your research and ask questions if you have them!

Fish selection depends on you and what you like. See a fish you're interested in? Do NOT automatically trust a sales man at a petshop or fish store. Do your own research on the fish before buying and ask questions about people's experience with the fish and its compatibility with your tank. In a 27 gallon you can fit 1, maybe 2, groups of most smaller schooling fish and then some bottom feeders.

A general stocking plan would be 10-12 of a schooling fish like neon tetra (or something of that size), 10 salt and pepper cories, 6 otocinclus, and some red cherry shrimp.

The most important advice I can give you is to do your research. Doing your research will save you time and money. People are generally friendly and helpful on this subreddit so don't be afraid to ask more questions.

u/TheShadyMilkman206 · 1 pointr/bettafish

150 is totally realistic. Planted tanks are the best. I'm not sure what advice you've already received but 10 gallons is "big enough". It is just that the larger the body of water the easier it is to keep stable. 10 gallons is an awesome starting point. I'll take a shot at a $150 total setup, that is plenty for a planted tank:

u/BrilliantNova · 12 pointsr/shrimptank

I was in your shoes not too long ago, it's overwhelming! Here's a list of things that I bought, but I am not an expert so if others have better input go for that:

Equipment

  • 10 gallon tank with hood
  • Broad Spectrum Light The one that came with the hood did not provide enough for the plants, you definitely need to invest in a broad spectrum bulb.
  • CaribSea Flora Max Substrate I learned that shrimp prefer darker color substrate, this was worth the investment! My shrimp were so unhappy with cheap gravel, after switching to this substrate they are very active.
  • Air pump
  • Sponge filter
  • Heater, maybe optional for you?
  • Thermometer
  • Gallon Bucket
  • Siphon
  • Seachem Prime Because it's a smaller tank, I ended up poking a pinhole sized hole in the seal so that I could use it as drops rather than pouring it in.
  • [Seachem Stability] (https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-67101230-Stability-500ml/dp/B0002APIIW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499786377&sr=1-1&keywords=seachem+stability) Use this while you're cycling your tank, follow the instructions.
  • API Test Kit
  • Feeding Tray For the longest time I was really confused as to how the feeding tray worked, you can either get a tube or pre-soak the pellets and then drop them into the tray using long tweezers. This will help prevent ammonia/nitrite spikes.
  • Long Tweezer Set
  • Pellets Do also feed them blanched vegetables, make sure to peel the skin and buy organic to avoid chemicals/pesticides
  • Timer Outlet Worth the investment! So you don't have to keep remembering to turn the light on and off.

    Shop for whatever is cheaper, I have a huge heater because I had an extra one from before. I've read that it's not necessary but also have read that if you want them to breed you need to stimulate warm water. For now, I keep the heater off and leave it at room temperature of 72F. They seem very happy! Most important in my opinion, add plenty of plants and a marimo ball or 2.

    Lastly, I'm unsure of the siphon, I think it's good to have a bucket and siphon just in case your water parameters are looking bad so you are prepared to do a water change. From what I read, shrimp have a very low bio load and should be able to sustain themselves. Make sure to do tests regularly.

    EDIT I just read that this is your first aquarium, so here is a detailed write up:

    Setting up your tank

    1. Find a stable top to place your aquarium on, keep in mind a well sunlit room will mean more plant/algae growth. Make sure it's sturdy and made for heavy objects, don't want to place it on a flimsy shelf or it might break! I keep mine on top a waterproof place mat because water drips are going to happen.
    1. Rinse everything as a precaution! NEVER use dish soap!! If you must sanitize, vinegar is okay. Just make sure to rinse thoroughly. Also, NEVER use any kind of soap on your hands before handling things, just rinse well with water. Add your substrate, I lightly rinsed mine as there are beneficial bacteria living inside the substrate, pour it in. Make sure it's at least 2" of floor. Your water will be cloudy if you bought the substrate I listed, don't worry as it will settle after an hour and be clear.
    1. Fill water half way, use a small plate and pour the water on top of that to avoid the substrate being pushed around. NEVER use hot water! If you're using tap water be sure to always use cold water. It's also recommended to purchase "RO water" (Reverse Osmosis Water) as some times your tap water can be too "hard". The best thing to do is use the test kit on tap water and go from there. If the kH/gH are very high 100+ you will need to use RO water. I like to place my plants and decor now while the tank is half full. Place in your thermometer, heater, sponge filter, etc. After that, continue to fill all the way to the top remembering to aim the stream on top the plate. Leave about a half to an inch from the top.
    1. Take out plate, plug in filter, add in Seachem Prime and Seachem Stability. Please read the label for instructions and dosage according to your tank size. Since there is nothing inside you can add it after you've added the water to the tank. Moving forward, be sure to add the chemicals in the water bucket BEFORE pouring into the tank.
    1. Turn on filter, wait for the water to settle and temperature to come up. They say shrimp can tolerate 52F to 86F but ideally room temperature water is best, this is where your water heater will come into play. Follow which ever cycling method you choose before purchasing your shrimp. This can take up to 6 weeks.

      After your tank has cycled

    1. When adding your shrimp, there are many methods, the way I acclimate my shrimp is:
    1. Put the shrimp in a 1 gallon tub using the water that they came in.
    1. Drop in a tablespoon of the tank water, ONCE every 2 minutes.
    1. After the water has reached 1/3 old water, 2/3rd new water, your shrimp are ready to be placed into your tank.

      Please don't skip the important step of acclimating your shrimp! They are very sensitive to water changes and this ensures that they will survive.

      Here are my water parameters, people have all kinds of ranges but this is what works for me:

  • kH: 60 / gH: 40 / pH: 7.0 / NO2: 0 / NO3: 20 / Ammonia: 0 / Temperature: 72F

    I hope this helps... again, I was in your shoes not too long ago, it was really overwhelming. But after a lot of research I think my tank is in a good place :). Other users, if there's anything in my list that seems incorrect please let me know!
u/xxoczukxx · 3 pointsr/Aquariums

let me preface this with, i highly recommend you drill your tanks and turn the 10g into a sump. sumps are by far the best filtration for saltwater tanks. i feel like the cost of pumps, plumbing, and the glass/acrylic would come to about $100+ but it really its the best in terms of saltwater filtration. id look up a few guides on like drilling tanks and making sumps and see if its for you.

If not, you could use your aquaclear with sponges and filter floss (no need for biomedia, maybe carbon now and then though) as mechanical filtration.

the heater should be fine but you need a really reliable one. a lot of people like eheim jager or cobalt neotherm as they have good reliability as a temp swing or spike, while would be ok for a lot of freshwater fish and plants, can kill corals easily. yours should be fine if you want to stick with it though.

You are not going to need or want that canister. they have no place in saltwater as they are just nitrate factories.

So heres a few basic things youre gonna want:

red sea test kit - $40. the api freshwater actually works for salt if you have it, but red sea is more accurate.

the red sea foundation test kit is good if you want corals and stuff to test your kh, Ca, and Mg. - ~$50 - some people also use salifert test kits. up to you which one you wanna do.

hanna phosphate checker $50- down the line youre gonna want one if you do corals. a lot of people use it. i dont even have mine yet but good to keep an eye on as phosphates are pretty important to monitor in your reef.

rodi system - ~$140. this is super important . you could buy your saltwater premixed from your lfs but that will add up after a while. with this you hook it up under a sink to make rodi water (similar to distilled) and use that to mix your saltwater.

salt $75 for 175gallons of saltwater worth - red sea is seen as the best for corals but you can use the instant ocean sea salt as well. red sea just has better nutrients for coral growth. `


powerheads - honestly like $50 for two koralia 425's to $500+ for high end. id suggest this set of two jebao sw4's. they are wavemakers and you can control the flow and waves. they alternate on and off to make a current which fish and corals really like. this is like $100.
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On to rock and sand, these are your biological filtration and where all the bacteria live. for sand you want probably 1.5-2" of sand unless you plant to do a deep sand bed (look it up for more info) and you want 1-1.5lbs of rock per gallon. all live rock and sand is more expensive than going like mostly dry rock and dry sand and adding a tiny bit of live. doing this will mean that you have to wait for the bacteria on the live rock to spread throughout all the other rock and sand. in larger systems its a LOT cheaper this way but as my tank is small i went all live from the start.

live sand ~$40-50 - you can probably find it cheaper local. amazon marks sand up high cuz of shipping cost. 30lbs will probably give you a good depth. you could also do dry sand for slightly cheapr

live rock- this depends on where you live. around me the stores sell it for $6-7 a lb but if i go on craigslist i can find it for like $3 a lb. id look around tbh and see what you can find.

dry rock on the other hand can be found pretty cheap for like $2-3 a lb. like it said, i think its a bit slower but def cheaper to do dry vs live.

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this next part is dependent on whether or not you plan to do corals, which ill assume you are (cuz who doesnt want corals?!?!)

a light: there are SO much variety for reef lights. you can do t5, led, metal halide, and so much more. the light also depends on what type of corals you want to do and their light requirements.

id probably suggest something like a mars aqua if you want to go cheap. you power the whites and blues on a separate times so you can have em on two timers. id look around for advice on lighting schedules and such like this. the light is $100 and you are gonna want to find a way to hang it btw.

if you want to do high end lights, look into something like the aid prime hd or even a kessil a160.

always check ebay/craigslist cuz you can find some good deals for these on there!

if you dont do corals, honestly whatever light to light the tank up works.

if i missed anything, someone else chime in or ill add it later if i remember

u/ashleyasinwilliams · 19 pointsr/bettafish

Welcome to the sub and welcome to the fish-keeping hobby!

First off, I seriously can't thank you enough for being willing to learn and change to help out Draco and keep him healthy. I'm sorry the pet store gave you bad info, they really suck at that and that's why so many fish end up in this kind of situation. Unfortunately most of them don't get caring owners like you who are willing to get the adequate housing after finding out the pet store's recommendation was terrible.

Here's a link to the basic care sheet. Gives a good outline of what you need. Here's a link to the wiki as well. The basics you're going to need:

-A bigger tank (5 gallons is minimum, but 10+ is even better and tbh there isn't much of a price difference at all between a 5 gallon and a 10 gallon tank)

-Water conditioner (Tap water contained chlorine and/or chloramines, which are toxic to fish. New water needs to be treated before it's safe. I recommend Seachem Prime water conditioner, as it's very concentrated and also temporarily detoxifies ammonia which is useful during cycling)

-A lid (Bettas are naturally inclined to jump. Tank kits come with lids, or you can buy one separate like the versa tops, or if money is tight, you can get $2 plastic craft mesh and use that)

-A an adjustable heater (Bettas thrive at temperatures between 78-82 degrees F)

-A thermometer (gotta make sure the heater is doing it's job. Get a glass or digital thermometer, not those "stickers" they sell, as the stickers are super inaccurate)

-A gentle filter (Bettas don't like high current. If you get a hang-on-back style filter, you'll likely need to baffle it. Google "water bottle filter baffle" and you'll find really easy ways to do that. Otherwise sponge filters are a really great option, about as gentle as they come, and super cheap too)

-A water testing kit (You need to be able to test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. Safe values are 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite, and 20ppm or less nitrates. Get a liquid testing kit as paper strips are crap)

-Some decor so he doesn't feel too exposed (Avoid plastic plants as they can tear fins. Stick to live or silk. If you're on a budget, clean ceramic mugs make cute little hiding caves! Just make sure there's no soap residue)

After all that, you're also going to want to check out the fish-in cycling guide. Absolutely vital for fish health.

I'm pretty sure that covers everything, feel free to ask any questions you come up with! Good luck and I hope Draco lives a long, happy life with you :)

u/karasuyukito · 6 pointsr/Aquariums

Craigslist is your friend.

So is making a lot of the things yourself. (diy!)

For a start, here's a good site for making your own stand.

Discus are not really a good starter aquarist fish..... They need pristine water conditions and a very exact pH. I don't entirely recommend that particular fish for you at this time. But if you do decide on them, good luck. They are a lot of hard work, but can be a very rewarding fish.

Seriously, if you have the skills, make your own filter. It's possible, and fucktons cheaper than anything you're going to get new. Your best bet for filters would be to make/buy a canister filter or to make a sump for your tank. Protip for sumps: Build your tank stand around the design of your sump. You'll save yourself a lot of heartache in the long run.

I can tell you, for buying a brand new 75 gallon tank and everything that I needed for it, was over 1200$. And that wasn't even with super awesome filters, which is what you're going to need. (Although I love the ones I have, they just wouldn't cut it for Discus.) So yes, you're going to want to seriously craigslist for the things you want, or make them yourself. You'll get the most bang for your buck that way, I promise. So yes, realistically and for what you want, you're going to need to buy used and make everything else yourself. Especially with your budget, and the fact that you just can't get the Discus fish themselves cheaply. If you make everything, they could potentially be the most expensive part of your setup.

Please switch to chemical testings for your water parameters. The test strips are not nearly as accurate, and you'll want to know exactly what's up with your water if you really want those Discus. For the most part, this is the best kit you can get. You'll thank me in the long run.

For 4 Discus and friends, you're going to need AT LEAST a 55 gallon aquarium, and even then, I think that's too small. I've never actually had them though, but be warned. It will be a large tank.

If you want to plant the tank (Do Discus tear up plants? That one I don't know.) you're going to want to go with the Walstad Method. You'll get the best plant growth, for the least amount of work. And the cheapest. AND you might even be able to skip out entirely on CO2 dosing. If you do want to CO2 dose, there are a billion ways to make a reactor thingy from scratch, and could potentially cost you less than 10$. The only problem with those though, is unless you built one into the system, you don't entirely have a way to perfectly and minutely adjust your control, and you don't want to blow out your tank. CO2 reactors are also not cheap, but if you want to buy one, this is apparently one of the best you can get.

You could always start collecting and building all the pieces your going to need, but since you're moving so soon (and because you're going to want to completely cycle your tank before fish, seriously, picky Discus) you most likely better off waiting until after you move to set it up. Like I said though, might as well start making and collecting the pieces for it now.

Hopefully, I think I've covered all your questions. If not, feel free to ask. :)

u/Crimzonlogic · 2 pointsr/Aquariums

Yeah, unfortunately a setup like that was doomed to end in a fish death. I got a similar setup as my first tank from poor pet store advice, too. Mine was a betta instead of a molly, but it was still bad for the fish. We got had for a quick sale. Sorry about your molly. :(

First thing's first, if you want to create a healthy aquarium you must read up on cycling aquariums. Just putting a fish in a new tank and leaving it will cause ammonia to build up from waste and uneaten food and that will kill the fish sooner or later, usually sooner. This is undoubtedly what killed the molly. A mature, cycled filter will process ammonia pretty quickly, making it safe for a fish to thrive in an aquarium. All a cycle really is is letting a colony of nitrifying bacteria develop in your filter. There is a list of links on the right side of this subreddit with info on stuff about aquariums, specifically look at "helpful links". In there is an explanation of cycling and other stuff that's good to know. One more really important note is that even in a cycled tank, you must regularly change a portion of the tank's water with clean new water. A quarter per week is good for a lightly stocked tank. 50% weekly is better. The cycled filter will take care of ammonia/nitrite, but it won't do anything for nitrate and dissolved solids. Water changes help keep nitrate and dissolved organic junk from building up too much. Clean water is essential for keeping fish and other animals healthy, and dirty water won't cut it.

You said you want an undemanding pet, though at first, getting an aquarium going can be complicated and may take time. Cycling a tank can take several weeks to a couple of months, depending on how you do it or other factors. It usually takes about a month. If you don't have enough time to dedicate a bit of each day to testing the water and setting things up during a cycling process, then you may want to wait a bit to set up a proper tank. However, once a tank is cycled and you've gotten a hang of water changes, a simple aquarium setup shouldn't consume much of your time to maintain: It's usually a weekly water test and water change and daily feedings.

I recommend buying a master test kit to do water tests with. It's pretty accurate, more so than the little dip test strips, and cheaper than those in the long run, too. During a cycle you'll see ammonia and nitrite read very high at certain points, but a fully cycled tank should always read zero ppm ammonia, zero ppm nitrite, and less than 20 ppm nitrate. As for ph, the most important thing is that it remains stable and doesn't fluctuate a lot. If it reads 7.6 the first time you test, for example, you want it to keep testing for 7.6 every time you check it. If it fluctuates more than .2, then it might not be stable. Most common fish will be fine in a stable ph between 7 and 8.5 and livebearers like mollies especially do well in the higher end. Tetras prefer the lower end of that. If you use city tap water, then your ph will likely be somewhere around 7 or 8.

That 2.5 gallon won't really cut it for any fish. For mollies in particular I'd say a 20 gallon tank is a good minimum tank size, and a 20 gallon long is better than a standard 20 high. Mollies are supposed to be brackish fish(about halfway between salt and freshwater) but can live in freshwater tanks, so that's why the store owner was giving mixed info on that. They are pretty hardy as far as fish go, but they aren't invincible and still need properly cycled tanks. They also need aquarium heaters, unless you live in a tropical area and the ambient temperature in the tank consistently stays about 78 degrees. Whatever fish you get, an aquarium heater is almost definitely required. The majority of fish in the hobby will be tropical and need a consistent warm temperature, usually about 78 degrees F. A 100 watt heater would be enough for a 20 gallon, and they usually aren't that expensive. If you live in a warmer climate like California for example and you don't turn your house into a refrigerator with ac, you could get away with a 50 watt heater which will be a bit cheaper. Get an adjustable heater rather than a preset one. That way you can tweak the temp up or down a little if needed.

Mollies also are better off kept in "harder" water, meaning water that has more minerals in it. If you use tap water for your tank, then it will probably be good for mollies. You can buy test kits to find out what your water hardness is, and if it tests toward the higher end of the scale then it's good. Many other common freshwater fish in the hobby actually prefer softer water than mollies, however.

Mollies are livebearers that will breed rapidly and without any special conditions. A female will give birth to a bunch of babies about once a month if healthy. You could get a tank that has way too many fish quickly if you let them breed unchecked. Females are also often pregnant in the store since they are usually kept alongside males, so I would recommend getting several males and no females. If you do get a mix with females, you want at least twice as many females as males since the male livebearers typically harass the females relentlessly and can stress them to death. Having more females means the male's attention is divided and not always focused on one female.

If you can't do a big enough tank for mollies, a five gallon or ten gallon would be perfect for a betta. Bettas are hardy so long as they are in a tank that is cycled and heated, and they will usually pay lots of attention to you once they realize you are the one who feeds them. In either a five or ten gallon you could also keep an aquatic snail with the betta. In a ten gallon you could keep a school of pygmy cories with him, too. In a ten gallon tank, a honey gourami could be swapped with the betta as a single fish of interest. Platies are a similar species to mollies and a few males might be good in a well-decorated ten gallon, though they have a bit less personality than mollies in my opinion.

The stringy poop you mentioned could have been from internal parasites, internal infection, or constipation. There's no easy way to tell for sure. It's a sign something is wrong with the fish, that's for sure.

TL;DR having a healthy aquarium can be a big hassle to figure out at first, but it will be worth it if you get the hang of it and see your fish thriving.

Sorry for typing a full memoir, I just got home from work and I'm too restless to sleep but too tired to get up from my computer.

I spent so long typing this that other people managed to get in relatively long posts before me. Why did I type this much? lol