Top 10 Aquarium 'Do Not's | BigAlsPets.com

[@criskp6861]

It is a miracle that my fish have survived until now!

[@Zapton5]

Tip number 11. Do not listen to retail staff on how to take care of fish. Do your own research!

[@russianidiot7327]

Victor Baker well, not petsmart or petco staff. But in Specialized stores, like Big Al's, they specially train their employees

[@burnsbits5829]

top tip. Don't tell the wife how much money you really had to spend on the set-up or fish!

[@BigAlsVOD]

It is always from craigslist, and it is always $5. That my friend, is how you fly under the radar.

[@shuaizhou589]

Agree!!!!!!!!!!! My gf hates pets

[@NCR_Ranger115]

Shuai Zhou Wtf

[@cap7387]

Burnsbits lol

[@lilreaper2132]

Burnsbits Are you serious

[@nou-jn6uz]

Algae: exists My army of snails: Let us introduce ourselves!

[@montolevenski237]

W

[@faviolacalderon7615]

This made me smile so hard xD

[@A.R.C.77]

I work in an aquarium shop and every single thing you said is 100% right

[@patrickwhiting4831]

They are an aquarium shop

[@bahilleli]

@@patrickwhiting4831 They are THE aquarium shop - at least back a decade or so ago, my fish geekery days are on indefinite pau$e

[@vamsipalla5608]

Sir recently I wash aquarium with cloths washing soap after all fishes are died then what are the precautions to take me

[@bahilleli]

@@vamsipalla5608 There's really few reasons to ever wash an aquarium with soap. You should wash it with plain water a few times to ensure as much traces of soap are gone, then fill with de-chlorinated water, and re-cycle the tank... If you aren't familiar with what 'cycling' a tank means or the nitrogen cycle - get familiar with that now, it'll save you a fortune in fish and frustration.

[@apalala4166]

Aquarium shops are a shit standard though. They sell fish bowls/nanos and plastic plants. Neither belongs in proper aquaristics.

[@lucasbaluyut5746]

I always watch this video once a month to make sure I’m doing good

[@Kamal_AL-Hinai]

Cool. This is a reminder then.

[@VIDEOHEREBOB]

If I may add a few more to your great list: 11. Do not overfeed. 12. Do not tap on the glass. 13 Make certain new water to be added is the same temperature as the tank water. 14. Feed more variety than just flake food. 15. Quarantine new fish before adding to main tank. 16. Avoid using colored or dyed substrate (gravel) 17. Seek advice for having a tank with compatible inhabitants. 18. Have spare accessories on hand such as an extra water heater, thermometer, and an extra air pump. 19. Inspect fish for disease, parasites, and injuries a least once a week. 20. Purchase a good water test kit.

[@MotleyStew]

VIDEOHEREBOB it’s called “Top 10”, so um.. no, you can’t add any more to the list. 😏

[@VIDEOHEREBOB]

@@MotleyStew I did say "may l."

[@katieandkaneki1653]

So why shouldn’t you ad coloured gravel?

[@olgasolis6845]

VIDEOHEREBOB so I can put gravel in my betta fish tank?

[@sevensixtwobyfiftyon]

Katie and Kaneki Colored gravel generally is sealed and less porous and is dramatically less effective at hosting nitrosomonas and nitrobactar bacteria.

[@mecca.9025]

That moment when you realize as a child, you were a fish murderer :(

[@taoutdoors8110]

I FEEL SO BAD OMG

[@zlavicsjane6959]

(Persian new year flashbacks) NoOOoOOo GOLDIE

[@TheRealAfroRick]

Love it. Made me consider some things I hadn't thought about. This should be playing in the background of fish departments everywhere.

[@SilverlonewolfX]

1 Do not let kids bang on the tank 2 Do not let kids near a tank unsupervised. 3 Do not let kids throw toys in the tank 4 Do not let kids feed the fish unsupervised. They tend to dump a lot, thinking dumping half a can of fish food is okay. 5 Do not let kids play around a tank 6 Do not let kids play games or watch Tv so loud it turns speakers into proximity mines around your tanks. 7 Do not let kids with food near your tank or some pizza will end up in there. 8 Do not let kids with crayons or markers near your tank. 9 Do not let kids with electrical devices near your tank. 10 You know that kid that kills his pets and dresses in black. Keep him/her far away from your tank.

[@jayl5505]

This is an amazing 10 Tips!

[@Maimimika]

bonus top tier tip: Don't have kids

[@Aiden-V2.0]

@Shadow, you're my hero.

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

Some kids make great fish owners while others are hopeless at it into adulthood. My cousin's 7 year old daughter keeps begging him for a 10 gallon aquarium kit that includes a heater and filter, but he refuses to get one because it's "too much trouble", so instead he keeps a big fancy goldfish in a large bowl and replaces it every time it dies. The daughter loves my 38 gallon planted tank. So hopefully she won't follow her dad's poor example.

[@takebacktheworld8090]

You must go through many fish!

[@lorit2650]

Great points.. one small one to add- don't ignore the identity tags that say 'community, caution, or aggressive . Fish will be fish and you don't want to add a predator to your peaceful community fish just because you like how they look. They will eat or torment the other fish if that is what they do. Those tags are not suggestions, they are warnings.

[@volo1826]

Thomas B another golden rule. Never trust those tags, often they are just wrong. Especially at big box stores. Always research the fish you would like prior to buying.

[@baseballhunter42]

Lori T Often those tags are more suggestive, I've very successfully set up tanks with a variety of fish temperaments. It really depends on fish combo / aquarium setup.

[@MooneShadow]

Lori T or turtles cause they live for killing fish :)

[@demonpride1975]

yes but honestly if you are just grabbing fish, without any kind of research, then you have it coming. doing even the simplest research will let you know which fish are prone to being aggressive, and which ones are great tank mates for each kind of fish.

[@demonpride1975]

@crazy_sarah da fangirl well any small none aggressive fish is a good choice. tetras are really good. and so are guppies. i have a 45 gallon tank with a double tail betta, and his tank mates are cardinal tetras and neon tetras. a few snails to clean up and a bristle nose pleco.

[@claypyrotech7473]

Sometimes when I do a water change I will use the dirty water to water my house plants or water the plants outside.

[@sweeflyboy]

Fish poo = ferts

[@Zaagvis]

i just use my aquarium for aquaponics

[@thekingofdiy]

Sweet! Big Al's is on youtube! Been using your online store as one of my go to's for years! (Great videos by the way!) Joey

[@BigAlsVOD]

+The king of DIY - Thanks Joey! Glad you like our vids! Always nice to hear from a long-time customer :) Out of curiosity, how did you find out about our KZbin channel?

[@thekingofdiy]

+Big Al's It was either from recommend channel or suggested video... One or the other! Either way, you were in my home feed.

[@BigAlsVOD]

+The king of DIY - Awesome! Well, welcome to our channel! #KeepOnTankin

[@ryangarcia2973]

they have tones in canada

[@inviktus3349]

*tons

[@rodbayan9974]

I remember when I was 16 when my Father brought a huge aquarium, I cleaned the aquarium with detergent everyday, change water, put predatory fish. It's like 300ish fish in the tank. :'(. I should have known better. It was 2007 though.

[@rainbowsixsiege6384]

I like the energy of this guy

[@angelarobichaud9286]

Thank you so so much! I bought fish last week at a store that specifically sells fish and told her I know NOTHING as I'd never had fish before. She didn't tell me half of what this video covered. Wish I had found this video beforehand.

[@jayl5505]

Research.

[@victoria-sr4om]

“Algae will never go away!” Unless you have lots of snails. Especially apple snails.

[@HappyGen0cide]

I couldn't imagine what my tank would be like without my pair of nerite snails.

[@karinaashmon]

Thank you plus alge eaters and pelicos

[@krisztianbazsik4814]

All of what you mentioned are symptomatic treatments and not solutions 😉

[@mercyk211]

The nassarius snails and banded Trojans are good for saltwater

[@robertl6440]

Not first time I see this video. This guy is funny and speaks clearly. If he sees this message you should do a youtube videos selling your services as a commercial acting services. You must give your talent a fair shot to shine.

[@ExtraOni]

Crap! I always change the filter pad when I tank clean. Im glad I watched this!

[@Vampiregirl42596]

Honestly, I’ve been doing this ever since I’ve had fish (five years) and I’ve been fine. It’s because I like getting it done all at once. My goldfish have grown big and strong (largest is 9in right now). I know it’s not recommended but they already make a lot of bacteria, and I also religiously use beneficial bacteria in a bottle so that bad stuff doesn’t happen.

[@dorothyhoskin6250]

Thank you Al, I'll try to be a hero and rinse my hands from now on.

[@MsArtemis01]

This list should be given to pet stores to give to new owners, among other do not. The nitrogen cycle should be number 1 in my book.

[@BigAlsVOD]

+MsArtemis01 - Agreed-- it would be ideal if every pet store could mention these points, but there's so much other information that a pet store will give a new aquarist (such as the importance of cycling the aquarium), that many of these "Do Nots" are not touched on. But, that's why we're here!

[@DjNotNicesNucka]

I work at a pet store. I try to explain basic stuff about the nitrogen cycle and basic fish care. No matter how much it is explained, some people just want a fish in a bowl and dont think of it any more than just a piece of furniture. It's sad.

[@toothpicdinosaur3777]

Pet stores want to sell you more, not teach you to take care of them.

[@goodvives1038]

KZbin has messages! 🎉 Add me as a friend youtu.be/addme/R6p7xe39yDakGSU0NwgPdsidx642cg

[@XandriaJax]

I've already started feeling the aquarium bug. I set up a 3.5gal tank with a betta and then a Mystery snail that are thriving back in Augustfor my birthday and 3 months later, I just set up and started cycling a 10gal. Thank you for your videos, my new addiction will be a well managed one♡♡♡

[@86Ondrej]

Great presentation. You should have your Tv show!

[@leroar7871]

**Releases fish into the wild** "Bye Bob! We will miss you!" _Bob doesn't like being released. He now plans to ruin the whole ecosystem._

[@HunterOnThat]

PiKaZaRd O so bob killed Kevin 😭😢😱

[@marktaylor3809]

He said this in the video, idiot.

[@RickysRabbits]

mark taylor that’s the point dumbass

[@taoutdoors8110]

😂😂😂

[@risksandhope1849]

"Do not ignore the adult size of your fish" I had the person selling me my two angel fish tell me that they would be fine in a 10gallon tank. Boy was I in for a surprise.

[@chel3SEY]

There are so many videos on this subject, but Big Al's are among the best. Great advice from an obvious pro.

[@jaridkeen123]

You could grow lettuce in your tank to keep the Nitrates low

[@maureenhoran2143]

What kind?

[@Nikuros]

When i make water change i use the water for my house plants. They LOVE it. I have a barrel where i collect rainwater, i use that water to rinse my filter media. I even tried to use the rainwater for one of my tanks when i make water changes and so far it works great and i don't need to use water conditioner. However if you use the rainwater put in a air-stone so the water circulate in the barrel and make sure you have a lid on the barrel so you don't get insect in it.

[@WhiteKoneko]

Another mistake I have seen done is people putting too much decorations into their tanks. I have also seen people think plecos grow to the size of the tank but this is false since certian plecos need certain tank sizes. I had a Bristlenose Pleco, very cool fish and it was very happy in the 29gal tank I had once.

[@BigAlsVOD]

Absolutely!

[@salsoteca72]

How many gallons per 1 Bristlenose Pleco?

[@WhiteKoneko]

galaxy star 10-20 for a bristlenose pleco if memory serves me correctly but my memory could be wrong too so I suggest you look up.

[@salsoteca72]

Thanks! Might get 4/3 guppies, 1 Marimo and 1 bristle nose Pleco and mystery snailOverstock?

[@shy_lifed1226]

OMG I made a huge mistake I got a regular pleco cause I was told he would not get any bigger wrong turns out my pleco got a foot an a half O.O lol now I have a 150 gal tank for him and my 5 Molly's

[@bl6032]

Superb video! We are new to the fish "game" and have lost a few of our beautiful fish through them becoming stressed and our lack of knowledge. This has really helped us out. Thank you very much!

[@HugoCornellier]

Extremely helpful video!! I learned so much, thank you

[@Timarpification]

Hey... Apart from the amazing sense of humour and simplicity of delivery, thank you for the passion with which you made this video. Oh... And this might sound out of place - simply loved your smile and piercing eyes.

[@karolis4904]

You should win an oscar for your charizma

[@josequins9099]

An oscar fish? Or oscar statue? LOL

[@dismantledavacado1140]

Its 2020 and i just found this video.. Absolutely love this dude

[@teejohnson3167]

Thanks for the tips it help me out a lot I just started a aquarium for boys but are fish keep dying so I hope these tips work😊

[@greennewt5147]

So glad the tap water in Switzerland is chlorine free and of better quality than even bottled mineral water (just compare nutrients and bacteria) Every time I leave the country, I miss this water sooooo much

[@Fish-mc2gs]

Thank you so much! I am going to get a blood cichlid soon, and i am very lucky to have found this video!

[@janetrothstein8618]

Thank you for the valuable advice. I have cleaned the filter and the sponge while water changes! I won’t do that anymore. My ammonia spiked and I think it was that and the sand. I removed most of it. I believe it was a problem even though I syphoned over it constantly. My fish were on the brink of death and I was constantly doing water changes everyday for two months sparingly feeding them. I removed most of the sand then everything went to 0. Happy healed fish using API products constantly. Amlock, Stability, Prime, now Melafix. Their scales and black spots on tail and gills have healed. Still on a few more days of Melafix before moving them to the new tank. Excited to start new and avoid dangerous water perimeter levels. I’m nervous about what is safe to put in the tank. To cause ammonia. Constant water changes is a lot of work but I’d do it all for my aquatic pets who jump through a hoop for me. Really. You are adorable!

[@Wlctz]

I think ignoring the nitrogen cycle is a big no-no

[@BigAlsVOD]

+W1lc4tz 31 - Absolutely!

[@ewanmarshall921]

+Big Al's when are you going to do another live qna

[@ZakEmerald]

Yep.. 1000% true

[@ericlind6581]

W1lc4tz 31 It is important but if you can’t wait, you will just have to change water very frequently till BB builds up.

[@dollyspine]

I’m planing to get my first ever fish so sorry if I sound dumb but what is the nitrogen cycle

[@BobCindyL]

You have such great body/facial language. It truly adds to the message you are trying to get across.

[@carenhall2066]

New Tip - IGNORE what pet shops tell you about fish sizes! My goldfishes (all 6 of them) grew to about 3x what the pet shop said they'd ever get in 2 months of my having them. 5 of them moved out of my 3ft tank to a guy's pond that he'd set up like a week before. So all my goldfish are now happier.

[@carenhall2066]

Sharks are BABIES when pet shops get them...when it gets to be a 20" adult, you can't say you expected the fish to stay baby size. Bettas aren't as aggressive as shops say. I have 2 bettas, 25 corys and my sharks all in one tank, NO FIGHTS! The bettas like having company and they love having the space for their territories! Ok...RESEARCH what pet shop people say. If they know what they're talking about, they'll be happy you care enough about your new fish enough to look at the issues.

[@idiotwilson1474]

Bettas shouldnt be togather, unless it's a female sorrority. It's a safety risk. Also, if They are males they may eventually fight unless your tanks huge. They can get stressed from even seeing each other. Just make sure there is plenty of hiding spits In case they do fight.

[@weefslider]

Alexis Wilson Even sororities are stressful for the fish and should be avoided

[@goodvives1038]

KZbin has messages! 🎉 Add me as a friend youtu.be/addme/R6p7xe39yDakGSU0NwgPdsidx642cg

[@sjsosokdksksk]

My biggest goldfish is 9.5 inches :D

[@becmoran9119]

The more I gazed upon him and listened the more he reminded me of Dory. Great advice thank you for sharing.

[@jamrockprincess]

I love this guys facial expressions!!!!!!

[@luisbustamante3094]

This guy;s facial expressions are what make the video so great!

[@frizzleedits513]

0:55 this isn't exactly not a "do not" I have no where else except to put my aquarium by a window, and I have Nerite snails that eat the algae and it's fine. If you start growing algae, get Nerite snails, they're awesome *PLUS!!* They don't reproduce in freshwater so you don't have to worry about an overpopulation!

[@adresc5391]

Great tutorial. Knew most of it. Except for the water conditioner and putting all the fish at once. Thank u

[@Aiden-V2.0]

I also don't recommend placing a tank near a window due to it messing with the temperature. In the winter it will be drafty, summer they'll bake, either way it'll make the temperature fluctuate way too much. Which brings me to my next point of feeling like every single little thing needs to be perfect. Of course there are general parameters of what is considered safe, but most fish will adapt and it's better to keep things constant rather than have it swing up and down as you try to keep your temp, pH, etc at a certain number. Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates being the exception, of course. To put it simply, if the water in your area is 6.5 straight out of the tap then put the pH Up away and just go with it. Fish like consistency. I broke basically every single one of these rules on my first tank many years ago and remember being so frustrated as I lost all my fish. It's amazing how much information is available nowadays.

[@melaniharley2680]

The BEST, ever! Really, thank you! An added plus? Watching it at speed 1.5 is the absolute best, you are so articulate that it works great! Very amusing but most importantly very helpful!

[@valentinromanyuk8013]

Thank you! You’re A fish saver!

[@RoGuExPaNcAkE]

I’ve always used a bigger filters for tanks. If I have a 10gal 20gal filter. 55gal then 75-80gal filter. It’s never let me down. Also I will dump water from tank into the toilet.. not outside. And if I DO dump my water outside it’s only a cup or two into the old ladies flowers. Works like a charm.

[@jpgmmg09]

Your always so entertaining! Keep it up man! You've got good info, with humor! I love it!

[@cameronfielder4955]

Very good video. Great info

[@jaridkeen123]

He is funny

[@tntwinmill]

We just got the fish tank from my daughters kindergarten class. Two other teachers asked me to take their fishes too. This is going to be a learning curve and hopefully i don’t kill any of them!

[@naomixxx6465]

I always clean the filter and do a water change for a year and they are all fine

[@michaelsorensen7567]

I'm curious how much bacteria is in the filter vs substrate and decorations. I have to imagine that an established tank would have *some* at least, so perhaps that's where it comes in. I'm new to the hobby, but have changed and rinsed filters same day every time without trouble yet...

[@Serendipity86UK]

Thanks for the tips, I just bought my first aquarium and it's currently going through its first no fish cycle (it's cloudy ATM) and I found this very helpful, esp the parts about not cleaning the filter in tap water and not doing the water change and filter clean on the same day, thank you

[@montgomb3]

I can listen to you talk all day. You talk with your eyes and hands. Really, you do need your own comedian TV show. But anyway, thanks for the tips. I will subscribe.

[@bobfallis]

During a water change, is it necessary to condition the new water prior to adding it to the tank? Or can it be conditioned after replacing what was taken out?

[@hannam7589]

It's 2:40 in the freaking morning what am I doing

[@cameronsinclair6138]

Makayla Scott ahaha I clicked on the goddamn link 😂

[@SecretweaponGuy]

Learning

[@dovedraws521]

Crackalackin 👍👌

[@SchiwiM]

Poor Shark 😂

[@destinyv.9248]

alrighty - ffs it 3:09 and now I want a fucking betta

[@Lokytradingvlogs]

Very good. Subscribed

[@annacollier5372]

Don't do heavy duty home renovations near the tank or the vibrations from machines can kill every single fish in a day.

[@RandyHenniger]

Awesome tips! 3 year fish daddy and I didn’t think about #2 filter change and water change on different days. Great tip!

[@rattiegirl5]

Good that you make clear that you need to just run your hands under tap water before putting it in the tank because "wash your hands" usually involves soap.

[@daniellagerwaard4309]

Very well done, very clear information; should be viewed by ALL new aquarium owners (assuming others already know these things).

[@ericamezcua9357]

Nice video...this was very educational 👍🏻

[@jayl5505]

Keep on Tankin!

[@aryaroy4309]

This is Shit

[@jayl5505]

Not very nice :(

[@RetiredCult]

I avoid issues with losing beneficial bacteria by putting unglazed ceramic beads in a mesh bag behind the filter media in my HOB power filter. I clean my tank and the filters at the same time, once a week, every week for the last 5 years. When I was first starting out, I had fluctuations with ammonia, until I did this. I rinse out the bag of beads at the same time as everything else. Since the ceramic is highly porous, the bacteria gets in there nicely and I don't lose it. It also helps that my HOB is rated for a tank three times larger. I have lots of extra space in the filter to add the beads. I even have a four loose ones in the bottom of the filter housing that never get rinsed. Give it a try. The beads are cheap at your local fish shop.

[@lenoreinniss9208]

I'm already pretty experienced with aquariums, but the dude was cute af so I watched anyway 😅

[@Timarpification]

It would seem that charm works across teams ;)

[@heenawadhwani8710]

You are too good ❤️ I am following all your rules as I am going to buy a small fish tank soon

[@SKYL1N3]

One big mistake: Showing the price of aquarium,aquarium equipments and fish to parents!! They will end up destroying them!!!!

[@greatdanelegend7001]

Jeremy you don't tell your parents before you buy aquarium stuff for 1k? xD

[@PETRIXXXX]

i would probably call peta

[@Aiden-V2.0]

Send them your bill afterwards.

[@Binnie_303]

Jeremy My parents hate how many tanks I have😂 and I've bought everything including my fish and plants.

[@adeonsajakarta2923]

When I told my parents my parents the price they cared for the aquarium more than me eventhough they still love me😂😂😂

[@seattleflyboard3807]

You can add all the fish at once if you utilize Purigen to filter water as it will remove the waste before it even enters the bacteria nitrogen cycle. the advantage of adding them all at once is it reduces agression if you are have aggressive fish.

[@ilikefishgbv5226]

Do not overstock

[@BigAlsVOD]

VERY good tip.

[@ilikefishgbv5226]

Big Al's thanks and I have a 55 gallon what plants should I put in it I would like something like a s repen

[@grannynara]

Can you elaborate on "overstock?"

[@Marquis-z2u]

This again. Overstocking is not wrong, ESPECIALLY if you keep African Cichlids like Mbuna. It's just filtration and water change one has to pay attention to.

[@goodvives1038]

KZbin has messages! 🎉 Add me as a friend youtu.be/addme/R6p7xe39yDakGSU0NwgPdsidx642cg

[@Threedog1963]

Hmm... I have typically always done the water change and filter clean on the same day without issue. I'll keep this in mind in the future. Thanks for the heads up. On another note, I recently bought a used 140 gallon tank that was a filthy mess and had to use chemicals to get the glass clean. First was window cleaner. After that, I have noticed the evaporation lines from hard water towards the top of the tank. I plan on using a citric acid soak on that. Having said that, I need to leak test the whole thing in my driveway, so I plan on filling it up and letting it sit for a few days before draining , rinsing with plain water and let it air out for a while before re-rinsing and using the tank.

[@niamhhand8505]

Ok so practical hack when cleaning your tank. Wash your filter sponge in the water you take from the tank. That way you can do a water change and clean the filter at the same time 👍🏻 your welcome

[@mememe853]

ahh......NOT

[@josieknott5919]

Great video showing what not to do and why for new fish owners! Thanks for making this it will help many!

[@vanillaguerrilla5052]

This video made me laugh and think about the movie the crooods when the dad tells them the story of the bear 'AND SHE DIED '

[@captlD45]

#8, I always use tap about 30 - 50% water change and my fish and plants are doing great..they actually seem happier when u do the water change. Ofcourse, tank has been running for over a year

[@harikrishnankazhanikunnath2495]

Can you suggest the best fishes for a 30 liter aquarium.

[@miakoopmans1083]

betta fish, small school of certain tetras

[@logankeseg4985]

I love this guys energy

[@XDeminox]

If you absolutely MUST change water and your filter on the same day, use beneficial bacteria supplements. windows are fine, IF you have a planted tank that will consume the phosphates the algea would be eating. even then, it helps to test for phosphates and control them. kh is just as important as ph. always use the liquid test kits, never the strips. research what fish go well together. don't mix slow moving fancy goldfish with agressive plecos. dont mix shy plecos with aggressive fish.

[@lizdugaro1748]

I've actually never had issues with the plecos with goldfish but then I also get them each as babies to grow together. 😁 Now getting a big ol pleco and some typical size goldfish or guppies, yeah you may have some issues. 😆

[@layziehorse72]

When you have an established tank that’s been around for years with the same fish you can ignore most of these rules lol

[@lorrieotter5232]

Awesome video chief !

[@essala1431]

DO NOT ADD ALL THE FISH AT ONCE!!!!!!!!! Edit: I had to take a screenshot of the guy's face at 6:48 because it's so hilarious!!!!

[@notmej2439]

XD lol

[@josemontalvo4532]

I’m new to your channel. Enjoyed watching. I subscribed and put notifications on. Although I’ve had fish since the 80’s, but when I retired I moved to the other side of the country. I sold my tanks to a responsible person. Now I’m looking to go back in. I love Amazon Basin fish. Great advice for newbies.

[@stellar3825]

I’m too scared to go in my tank with my hand without waching them first so does that mean i’m a hero 😂

[@BigAlsVOD]

Yes, and not all heroes wear capes!

[@motherofmagikarp9495]

This is a great video!! I just set up a tank for my sister's Christmas present (she's 8) and I feel like this would be a good video to show her because she will be able to understand it and it would be beneficial for her. Thank You!

[@greatdanelegend7001]

PetDynasty i hope that she knew she would get a fish tank... kids should never be given pets as presents unless they actually want them and are willing to take care of the pet to a certain degree. I got my fish tank when I turned nine and at that time I had done a lot of research. I actually paid a lot of money for it, too, because it was such a huge present I had to pay about a hundred bucks... I took a decent amount of care of it but if I hadn't wanted it and gotten it as a surprise, I would have probably just looked at the fish once in a while and would've not done anything to take care of them myself, except for feeding them.

[@raedeon]

Soooo I should move my tank to be in front of a window to get tons of algae?

raedeon Or install full spectrum lighting.

[@babydonnaP]

raedeon No, it's not just an algae problem you'll create by moving it in the window, you'll be creating water temperature fluctuations with the sun beaming down warming the water, then the sun goes and temperatures drop again, day after day this will cause more stress to the fish than you'll realise. This is why heaters play a role to have that set temperature to avoid fluctuations.

[@jdm.h0es344]

But here me out on this if you get a let's say a wild caught bass you gotta think the pond water is 80 to 90 in the summer so wouldn't that be normal for a bass or crappie or blue Gil

[@kjones3748]

Donna mine is by a window but I haven't seen algae. I never open the blinds if that could be a reason why I never see any.

[@ryancleary3866]

@@babydonnaP what you mean like it would in the wild... oh no how terrible

[@stevefite8832]

Some fish do grow correspondingly to the tank size. I had a clown loach live 25 years in a twelve gallon tank who only grew to 5 inches. They can easily grow over twelve inches in a big tank. I was lucky. I've had tropical fish for over sixty years and my best suggestion is to not overstock your tank. The less fish, the less pollution. Second suggestion is to let a new tank age with a few fish before fully stocking. The newer the tank the quicker your fish die. In time your tank will reach a sweet spot and your fish will reach old age.

[@xXdeathnoteX0x]

6:53 full top 10 list.

[@jayl5505]

Thank you :)

[@camcordertv]

Thank you

[@LouisButcher]

I like algae.

[@DergDoodles]

Saaame, I've put tanks close to windows on purpose because the fish, snails and shrimp love snacking on it. Also it looks pretty on the back of the tank imo, dunno lmao. Plus it makes any live plants in your tank grow like crazy even if your setup is low tech which is nice. Gotta make sure the tank isn't getting too much or direct sunlight though and obviously that you have a heater and thermometer so you can make sure it's not getting enough sunlight to cause fluctuations in temperature. Thankfully was never an issue with my tanks since none of them were near a window that faced east or west.

[@demonpride1975]

@evan yes that's a good thing for snails plecos and other algae eaters. but you still need to give snails nutrients other then algae. not to mention the fluctuation in water temperature. most fresh water fish like around 72 - 78 degrees. having a spike in temp in your tank can stress the fish out, and even out right kill them from the shock. plus you have to have a fair amount of algae eaters to keep up with the amount of algae you will produce. the amount of filters you will be going through from waste. this shit is all inter connected.

[@michaelshort2388]

My Cory's love it. they eat it. lol

[@mhunt7843]

Just watched your Top Ten Do Nots. You are great! I will definitely be watching more of your videos. Trying to get a new tank up and running after not having one for years. Due to a few issues it has been slow but hopefully this spring will be the year. Thanks again! Michael.

[@bufflcatgames2312]

Always change 50% to 30% of the water every week it keeps your fish happy and less stressed

[@naturalvivaria9663]

+Bufflcatgames Tough to boil it down to "always this exact amount at this exact time" because every setup is different. Planted tanks for instance will absorb a lot of excess nutrients meaning less water changes will be required.

[@Loafy23]

+Thomas B While I agree with the statement about WC for the vast majority of keepers there are those tanks set up using different methodology that almost never require water changes, only water to top off the tank due to evaporation. Research the "Walstad" method for more information.

[@Loafy23]

Thomas B I understand and commend that. There are far too many shops in the hobby that're more concerned with profit over animal welfare. I was just trying to make conversation.

[@SindyJ37]

Thank you for the tips!!! My 6 yr old goldfish is 14 inches long now and growing and I want to keep him healthy and happy

[@Jackariah-N.]

I just baught a bala shark thinking its going to stay small but i did reseach and its going to get to 12" long

[@lawshorizon]

Just release it into the wild when it gets too big -- Ha! Ha!

[@Jules_Angel]

All true! Thomas you're so humorous and adorable! Great video!

[@davidg.3617]

Can I put my aquarium next to a window if the window has blackout curtains and no one will ever open the window?

[@aa-vs2qm]

David Galindo yes

[@seamacaw4444]

David Galindo light=algae

[@TheRealAfroRick]

At that point it isn't really a window :D

[@idiotwilson1474]

My tank is near one with curtians. It's fine.

[@woss2010]

what about near window with air condition @@aa-vs2qm

[@lrparrish227]

I have 12 tiger barbs and have had them for a while about 8 months. But for some reason they all group together under the log and stay there. They don't swim around. The PH is 7.6, no ammonia, no nitrites and have had some nitrates but do water changes and regular maintenance. When the light is off they are everywhere but when the light comes on they go to the hiding place. I have tried varying the lighting but nothing works. :))))))

[@RileyWileyTomato]

I rinse my my sponges in tap water but not my biological media I think bio media is meant for biological Filter and sponges are meant for trapping particles

[@andrewcameron9834]

sponges in my opinion hold a ton of beneficial bacteria, look at air driven sponge filters for example. many people add a sponge to the intake of canister filters as well. technically everything holds bacteria and thing like sponges with a high surface area can hold quite a bit! they just do 2 jobs for us :)

[@RileyWileyTomato]

+Andrew cameron yes I know but it will slow the flow a lot

[@briannaharter4411]

why not use the water when you do a water change.you have to remove the water anyway and you can preserver the bacteria while also using less water.there really isn't a good reason to use tap water all it does is kill the bacteria and waste water.

[@AG.Floats]

A lot lives in the sponges too.

[@Slash0mega]

er.... no.... sponge filters kindof suck as a mechanical filter (trapping particles) but excel as a bio filter (eating ammonia) "bio media" works on the same principle as a sponge filter, lots of surface area that water can pass through for bacteria to live on. the more surface area, the more bacteria, the more eating of ammonia.

[@raesatify]

Youre sooooooooooooooooo fascinating and also expressive and funny at the same time