# Tools of the trade



## able_ranui (Feb 26, 2004)

What tools are necessary for planting/maintaining a planted tank? What do you use and what could you not live without? All I use right now is scissors from trimming and a python to change water. I'm just curious to what other people have/use.
thanks


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## C_perugiae (Feb 26, 2004)

I really like to have a floating thermometer handy to check the temp of the water before I add it to the tank when doing a water change. I also have a small powerhead and a 200 watt titanium heater with a broken thermostat (it's stuck on) that I use to heat the water going into my tank. I have to use RO water and buffer it to the right KH and GH because of my tapwater quality, so that heater comes in handy as the RO is usually chilly after sitting in my car all day.

There are three or four medicine droppers hanging around my room as well. The graduated ones are great for dosing meds and I have two small glass ones for feeding frozen foods. They work really well for that purpose, especially when spot feeding certain fish.

Other than those, my "tools" include a few different buckets and a siphon hose... nothing too fancy.


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

I use:

1) A python to change the water

2) Scissors to trim plants

3) Tweezers, to pull out algae from tight spaces, plant small stem plants...I could not live without a pair of these!

4) Set of brushes for cleaning dirty filter tubing

5) Algae scrub pad (of three different grades) for cleaning the aquarium glass (with extendable handle ).

6) Old tooth brush just to go over the glass a second time and make sure every speck of algae is gone...

7) Old plastic tupper ware lid, just to spread out the flow of water coming into the tank so as not to disturb the plants too much.

I like my tanks to be spotless.

Carlos


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## cS (Jan 27, 2004)

I use

(1) Water changer for weekly water changes.

(2) Tweezer/Scissor for aquascaping purposes.

(3) Old toothbrush for cleaning algae off of the glass.

(4) Measuring spoon set for all fertilization needs. I want to be buried with my measuring spoon set. I like it a lot.

Useful approximate conversions:
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoon
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 dash = 1/6 teaspoon
1 pinch = 1/12 teaspoon
1 smidgen = 1/24 teaspoon

(5) Nets of varying sizes for handling fish and removing debris after aquascaping sessions.

(6) Pipe cleaners for cleaning out dirty tubes.

(7) Towels for cleaning up. :biggrin:

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Vectrapoint's "Tools of the Trade"









Someone's picture of his/her tools.


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## C_perugiae (Feb 26, 2004)

I forgot to mention my white ice cube trays. I have five tanks running at home and check the parameters about once a week, so test tubes get to be a little time consuming. With my two trays, I can do four sets of tests at once (pH, KH, GH, NH4, NO2, NO3) and then recording the results is much easier as well. I keep track of everything I do to my tanks in a notebook. I know, a little OCD...


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