Newbie Questions

[Bettaman shane]

ok i'll remember hat and i'll write it down ;D

 

[sharkbait]

I've never used peat, but I believe the name of the peat most people use is spagnum?  Me thinks.  I've read in other boards that most any peat will work as long as it's pure peat with no additives as clothahump said.

 

[Matt Nace]

btw when I filtered with peat, it made my living room smell like dirt. It also will tint your water.

I kinda didn't mind the smell, but my wife did.hehe ;D

 

[Bettaman shane]

i kinda like the tinted water thing but maybe i'll do it outside so it doesn't smell like dirt

 

[ryanp15]

My Grandma used some peat on her water and it kinda has a brownish tint to it. I think it looks good cause it has a VERY natural look to it. It does make a dirt smell in the house but who minds the smell of dirt? ;D

 

[Matt Nace]

well, I liked the tinted water in my amazon tank, but I dont want tinted water in my others. That would like crap.

You cant even see the water in my other tanks...well you know what I mean...or maybe you dont....

 

[Bettaman shane]

i know what you mean i pride myself in having great water ;D Exscpecially when its better then the fish stores

 

[ryanp15]

My water is really clear too. I said my g-mas was brownish tinted and it looks really natural. I think she needs a gravel vaccumm for mothers day.... ;D

 

[Kristin]

no no no don't just age your water!!!! most of the time people are using chloramine now instead of chlorine, which does not evaporate. you havee to treat the water just to be safe.

 

[ronrca]

Choramine does dissapate after 3+ days. You really have to watch what water treatments you buy. Some only remove chlorline and not chloramine. Chloramine is made up of ammonia and chlorine (I think). Some water treatments will react and release the ammoina/chlorine bond hence ammonia in the water. Make sure the treatments removes both chlorine and chloramine. I use Sea Chem Prime. I think it is the best on the market.

 

[Cillana]

I've never used a Python so I don't have an opinion about that.

What I do is use my gravel cleaner and siphon into a 5gal bucket which I pour outside on the plants. Good fertilizer. I have some empty gallon jugs from distilled water that I use to refill the tank. I fill them up and add declorinator before pouring them into my tank. Carrying them two at a time is easy because of their handles and lids. I pour the water in relatively slowly so as not to disturb the plants or fish. My cherry barbs love to play in the current that the pouring creates.

 

[ronrca]

What size is your tank? I just to do that with my 30G but ever since I have my 90G, it took a lot longer with out the python.

 

[Kristin]

how would you set up a tank for a water python? would it be like a newt tank or a turtle tank on a larger scale? i have never heard of that before.
 and i could have sworn that chloramine did not evaporate, but i could be wrong or misinformed.

 

[ronrca]

A python is a water changer tool. Its called no-spill python. You can buy them in petstores. It connects to a sink and siphons water out of the tank. By turning a switch, you can then fill the tank.