Unorthodox ways to do things
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
LR cooking/bleaching/killing
Paul B
Premium Member
I don't know, my tank looks the same as it did 30 years ago, but the lights are different.
My new un orthodox thing to do is to put cement in my tank with iron filings mixed in.
I noticed that I have this wierd bubble algae growing only on my cement rocks. Randy gave me an Idea and suggested that it "may" be the iron that is attracting the algae to the cement. It could be another chemical in cemenrt but I will try iron first.
I made a slab of cement about 6 square inches and I ground up some nails with a grinder into the surface of the wet cement. I wil let it cure for a week then put it in my algae trough. The trough is there to grow algae anyway and I want to see if I can enhance that ability with iron filings.
I love this stuff.
Mike_Noren
New member
Consider using peroxide or formalin instead. Aim for 25 ppm for formalin; not quite sure what a good dosage is for peroxide. Standard disclaimers apply, of course.
The peroxide could work well, and is reasonably safe to use. The formalin comes with health risks for which I would reserve it's use for only things were is really the best option, such as treating certain diseases or pickling specimens for scientific work.
Mike_Noren
New member
You mean that it's mildly cancerogenous? Yeah, it's a moderately nasty chemical, but it's remarkably effective at making life miserable for bacteria and protozoans, and it's got a larger margin of safety wrt damage to fish & shrimp than peroxide.
On that subject I'm experimenting with a home-made oxydator (device which continuously doses hydrogen peroxide to the aquarium) right now.
On that subject I'm experimenting with a home-made oxydator (device which continuously doses hydrogen peroxide to the aquarium) right now.
Mike_Noren
New member
You mean that it's mildly cancerogenous? Yeah, it's a moderately nasty chemical, but it's remarkably effective at making life miserable for bacteria and protozoans, and it's got a larger margin of safety wrt damage to fish & shrimp than peroxide.
On that subject I'm experimenting with a home-made oxydator (device which continuously doses hydrogen peroxide to the aquarium) right now.
On that subject I'm experimenting with a home-made oxydator (device which continuously doses hydrogen peroxide to the aquarium) right now.
For treating a tank with life in it, as in disease treatment, I would certainly use it. For just sterilizing water before use (what the bleach gets used for) I would stick to bleach or peroxide.
donald altman
New member
excuse my ignorance.. bu why not put the nail directly in the scrubber as is? LOL..
Paul B
Premium Member
Thats not ignorance, I do also have a nail in there. The cement with the iron filings on it has much more surface area then a nail. I also want to coat a large surface with a little iron to cover the bottom of my algae trough and I don't want to put that much iron in the tank like a piece of sheet metal. That would be kind of overdoing it.
There is very little actual iron in the cement I am using. :smokin:
I remember those old pumps :/ and the "tar tanks". the first ....idk hundred tanks...i ever had as a kid were mostly what a relative picked up for me at a flea market or junk store :fun2:
the first SW tank I ever saw was when we moved to san berdino ca in 1976...I loved those huge tanks that were everywhere in the area....then we moved back to the midwest and SW wasnt even an option here at the time.
I remember when I got my first whisper filter system :twitch: and how it was THE greatest invention I ever slapped on a tank
(way better than the old types)
the first, and only till a month ago, SW tank I ever had was 22 or 23yrs ago...living in the midwest limited my options for seawater........and though I dont remember the exact mix, I can tell you it was regualar table salt and epsom salts :rolleye1:
the experence was enough to keep me sticking to FW till a month or so ago....and I was AMAZED at how different things were, and how much easier to get.
the first SW tank I ever saw was when we moved to san berdino ca in 1976...I loved those huge tanks that were everywhere in the area....then we moved back to the midwest and SW wasnt even an option here at the time.
I remember when I got my first whisper filter system :twitch: and how it was THE greatest invention I ever slapped on a tank
(way better than the old types)the first, and only till a month ago, SW tank I ever had was 22 or 23yrs ago...living in the midwest limited my options for seawater........and though I dont remember the exact mix, I can tell you it was regualar table salt and epsom salts :rolleye1:
the experence was enough to keep me sticking to FW till a month or so ago....and I was AMAZED at how different things were, and how much easier to get.
