# A Sister's Impulse Buy



## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

The three female bettas together plan fell through, leaving my sister three bettas that had to be kept apart. And, of course, I was pulled into it by my sister giving me her second betta. So now I endever to make and upkeep three different fish tanks. Sort of.

*NOEL*
This is the first betta fish: a pretty blue female betta.
She started out in a 1 gallon bowl bought at Michaels. 1 week later my sister and my sister never wanted to clean a fish bowl again.
So then came the ten gallon tank with apple snail and cycling.
The snail has since died (long live Aurther) and has been replaced by two small algae fish.
There is algae everywhere, and I have no idea what to do about it.

*TURTLE*
The second betta fish is my sister Katie's, a very pale and pearly betta female.
She started out in the same 1 gallong that Noel did.
She was in the ten gallon for a bit, but Noel "tore her a new one" and she was put into the 1/2. No worries, her ripped fins and tail are healing nicely.
Now she is back in the 1 gallon, and my sister is hoping to buy a 5 gallon for her.

*AURORA*
The third and most important (well she is now, cause she is my fisheh) fish: a palish bodied female with blue and purple on lower body, fins, and tail.
Was in 1/2 gallon and got ammonia poisoning. =(
Moved to 1 gallon when we thought Turtle would be staying in the ten gallon.
Bought her a three gallon fish bowl and moved her in. Cannot afford a tank, so I'll have to deal. Though she isn't in the bigger tank, she'll more likely survive longer because she is my fish. I don't mess around when it comes to animals. =P
Added gravel and made small sponge filter.
Filter creating giant bubbles, though, so I have to keep it very close to the top of the bowl or it is like a fish bowl tsunami in there.









1/2 gallon









1 gallon (with Turtle inside)









1/2 gallon and 3 gallon next to each other (with Aurora inside) to show where she began as compared to her space now.









The DIY filter.









Changed the DIY filter and added live plants

I made it by using an air pump, air tubing, an air stone, a pre filter sponge by Fuvel, and a rubber band.
I am fairly certain the rubber band is safe, as I went researching just in case. I'll just have to replace it every once and a while.

Next on the list of things for Aurora is live plants. Someone online suggested that I use Java fern and anubias, which will happen on my next visit to petsmart (as soon as I earn some more money). I am going to be waxing my dad's truck (Omgoodness...) and hope that the pay will be enough for the two plants as well as a heater. I don't need to use it yet because it is nearly too hot here anyway, but I found some for a good price and I'd rather get them now then lose the sale. 
It will be this one: http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-THEO-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater/dp/B0006JLPG8
I like that it is ajustable and fully submersible.
Then I'd like to get a watersprite plant. And then perhaps a lighting source? I have big windows that let in a lot of light (the bowl is not in the direct range of either of them, but gets plenty of light) so I am not too worried about the lighting. But you can grow more plants with lighting, so...

Keeping a log of measurements here for Aurora's bowl so I don't lose them.
First Testing - 
....pH: Too high to be read. It must be the water
....Ammonia: 1.0ppm
....Nitrite: 0ppm
....Nitrate: 0ppm

Second Testing -
....Ammonia: .50 to 1.0ppm
....Nitrite: 0ppm

Maybe thinking I should only test ammonia until it starts to go down or something.
​


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

As a hobby is any voluntary activity that eats your time and money, i think it is fine to call it a hobby. The terms "Aquarist" and "Aquarium hobbyist" are widely used.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Betta man to the rescue! Bettas need warm clean water! If the bowl is a one gal, you'll need a water change every three days!


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

here's a report I did on betta care! 
http://bettafishforums.com/index.php?/topic/1040-is-this-good/


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

Aquarist, hmm... I like that one XD Thanks!

It is a ten gallon with a filter and such, but the other two smaller ones are in a gallon and half gallon bowl.

BUT NOT FOR LONG =D
Last night I couldn't sleep at all because I was thinking too much (which was bad, because today was the first day back to school and I woke up late...) about how to solve all these fish problems and it hit me.

Petco is having that cool thing where it is a dollar per gallon, and I have been wanting to get a bigger one for my hermit crabs. SO!
I am going to wash my step-mom's SUV for some extra cash (I already have twenty set aside) and I am going to buy a fourty gallon tank for my hermies. But first it will inhabit two certain betta fish.

I am going to have my sister Katie (who owns one of the poor bettas) buy a heater and filter for a 20 gallon tank and use it in the fourty gallon until the first tank is cycled. Then we are going to put one of the bettas in the original ten gallon and the other will be put in my current hermit crab tank which I will be giving to my sister Katie for free IF she buys the filter and heater for it really soon so that the fourty gallon will be heated and such during their stay. 40 gallons seems like plenty of room to keep them from fighting when we don't have plants or hiding places (though we will still be searching for some when we got to get the tank).

What do you think?​


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

NO! Don't keep 2 males together! If you piled in plants and they were wild types, that might be okay, but not with the petstore bettas! If I was you, I'd just get a divider for the 10. Much cheaper!


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

XD, why does everyone immediately assume they are all males? I said in the first post that my sisters got "two more females". The first one is also female. All fish are female.

I will eventually be getting a tank with a male, but only one male. I definitely read enough to know that males should not be put with other betta. =D
And the fourty gallon will be for my crabs anyway, this is just temporary.
My sister is thinking of dividing my old tank (when she gets it) into halves so that she can have a male as well, though. ​


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

okay! When people say bettas, they usually mean males


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## giggitygiggity (Sep 14, 2011)

Nameless said:


> Petco is having that cool thing where it is a dollar per gallon, and I have been wanting to get a bigger one for my hermit crabs.​




What is this "dollar per gallon" you speak of???


Like a 50 gallon tank for $50 bucks??? Correct me if I'm wrong lol


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## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

giggitygiggity said:


> What is this "dollar per gallon" you speak of???
> 
> 
> Like a 50 gallon tank for $50 bucks??? Correct me if I'm wrong lol


Yes indeedy. For 10-55 gallons is how it is at my Petco.

Prepare to pay an arm and a leg for everything else though. AquaClear filters are on sale at Amazon right now though.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Hurry though, the sale ends soon. The 40 breeder is probably the best deal, but they sell out. You may need to call around.


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

If only they sold small tanks for $1 per gallon. I need 5 and 2-1/2 gallon tanks, but it's $15 bucks for those.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

they do. or at least at my petco.


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

Betta man said:


> okay! When people say bettas, they usually mean males


... Oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense. When I had my bettas when I was younger they were both male but I just assumed at the time that all bettas looked like them XD



emc7 said:


> Hurry though, the sale ends soon. The 40 breeder is probably the best deal, but they sell out. You may need to call around.


What? No, my dad says I can't go buy it unless I win a 10,000 scholarship! I don't see why he is saying this now. I made the money myself for the purpose of buying a tank and now I can't buy it! I really hope he was kidding. I'll tell him the sale is ending soon and hope he changes his mind. It will be pretty expensive after that to find a 40 gallon, especially since most that I have seen come with a hood which I won't need anyway once it becomes a hermit tank.


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## guppygirl2000 (Jan 6, 2012)

Well,
Depending where you live,
there is a fish store called big al's where you can buy quality fish tanks cheap, plus a huge selection of fish,
I got my new 29 gallon there about 2 weeks ago, and I only had to pay 100 dollars!
I know right?
anyway,
try to convince your dad,
you'll get it much cheaper at big al's.


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## guppygirl2000 (Jan 6, 2012)

Petco is really having a sale like that?
I have to go there!


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

guppygirl2000 said:


> Well,
> Depending where you live,
> there is a fish store called big al's where you can buy quality fish tanks cheap, plus a huge selection of fish,
> I got my new 29 gallon there about 2 weeks ago, and I only had to pay 100 dollars!
> ...


You got a 20 gallon fish tank for 100 bucks and it was a deal? I do hope you mean including the rest of your set up, because 100 for just the tank is robbery.


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## iheartfish:) (Jan 19, 2011)

I think that's what she meant...
Petco also has sales where they sell 10 and 20 gallon set-ups (without the stand, of course), for 20-30-ish and 50-ish dollars. That definitely beats buying a ten gallon for 10 bucks, but then spending 50 in filters, heaters, lights, etc. They even include the heater! On the ten gallon, not sure about the twenty... 
Look for sales!!!  Best advice ever.


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## phlyergirl (Nov 6, 2011)

iheartfish:) said:


> I think that's what she meant...
> Petco also has sales where they sell 10 and 20 gallon set-ups (without the stand, of course), for 20-30-ish and 50-ish dollars. That definitely beats buying a ten gallon for 10 bucks, but then spending 50 in filters, heaters, lights, etc. They even include the heater! On the ten gallon, not sure about the twenty...
> Look for sales!!!  Best advice ever.


Yeah, I got my 10 gallon as a kit at Petco for like $30 when they had a sale. Tank, hood, light, heater and filter. Totally a steal.


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

I don't like black plastic hoods, so I buy stuff on clearance all the time and store it until I need it. That way I can buy just the tank.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

I just bought a tank today! It's a 15 gallon. They aren't on dollar per gallon sale, but they're 40 dollars with a hood, light, heater, and filter.


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## guppygirl2000 (Jan 6, 2012)

No,
I paid $100 for a acrylic 29 gallon aquarium with full starter kit.


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

Tested the water in the tank tonight and got either 0.2 or 1 or something of Ammonia and a lowish number of nitrite.

So I am doing a water change and have no idea if I should add the bacteria suppliment. If I do, would that back track on progress or help it?​


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

Your ammonia will soar before you see any nitrites, then the nitrite peak will take over. Once that happens,you are in the homestretch. Until then, just keep at the water changes.


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## Discordia (Nov 16, 2011)

If you have any pet stores in the area that sell used items, I would definitely look into it before going to Petco. I got a used 55 gal in great shape that included the hoods, lights, and a nice wooden stand for $125. 

Make sure your floor can support the weight of a bigger tank, especially if you are putting it on the second floor. Also, if you get a 40 gallon you will need a stand specifically designed for it. Placing it on anything else would be dangerous. 40 gallons of water weighs 332 lbs. There will be some displacement of water from gravel (this weight needs to be considered too) and other items you place in the tank. 

Once you have it set up, don't plan on moving it unless you tear the whole tank down. 

I hope you get your 40 gallon.


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

Wow, haven't updated in like... forever? Sorry about that. Well first of all, the 40 gallon was a no go. My dad doesn't want anymore tanks in the house. But after a long LONG talk I have a bad feeling I guilted him into getting me a 40 gallon for my birthday (which, despite how happy I should be by getting a 40 gallon, I am very upset over. I hate guilt tripping and was hoping it wouldn't happen).

By the way, my wooden floor is directly over a concrete slab. Which is right over the ground. It used to be a garage or something. So weight will never be a problem. XD

But it wouldn't end up being a fish tank anyway. It was only going to be temporary. It would have ended up my new hermie tank.



SOOO!!!

The ten gallon is cycled. We tried to add the two other females but that all fell to pieces. One female (Aurora) flared up and tried to ram the container we were floating her in whenever Noel (the first fish) got even close to the container. The other one, Turtle, was fine at first. Noel and Turtle were let to hang out in the tank together because they would only watch each other with slight interest and then wander off. But by the next morning Turtle was flairing at Noel and Noel was attacking her. But only when Turtle flaired. Noel is clearly a safe choice to be around other fish unless they challenge her. She left the apple snail completely alone before he died, and now pays no attention at all to the two algae fish.

Which brings me to point two: The whole dang tank filled with algae after Aurther (apple snail) died. And the two small algae fish cannot seem to eat it all DX.

_______________________________

Turtle is back into the gallon bowl and with Katie. But Aurora (previously Babette) has been given to me. She was in the gallon bowl for a bit before I bought her a 3 gallon bowl from Michaels (Really, great place to check out for fish bowls sometimes) so Turtle was put back in the 1 gallon.

Next I got Aurora some black gravely stuff from Petsmart, though later I'd like to do a sand because I have read that they are better??? Anyway, and I have built a small DIY sponge filter for her. I love the simplicity of this filter. I have bought two sponges for it, one of which is hanging out in the ten gallon to collect good bacterium. Not sure how long I should leave it. Anyway, so every six months I will take off the sponge attached to the filter, wash the grime out, and put it back in the bowl. The sponge that was just sitting in the bowl will then become the new filter for the next six months. Does that sound good? 

It is empty of everything else for now, but next comes an array of live plants that should help the ammonia and stuff to stay down, and in the next fall I will have to buy a heater. 

--------------------

And there is my semi-giant update!


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## MagPie (Mar 2, 2012)

What does the algae look like? Do you have lights on that tank? And if so how long are they on for?

Good luck with your girls. It can be tough to keep them together cause they can get quite nasty with each other unless there is a really large group of them and even then it still stressful. Silly girls haha.


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

It looks green I guess. Just a green. I believe she leaves the light on all the time. Is she supposed to turn it off at night?


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## MagPie (Mar 2, 2012)

hahaha yeaaah that's why she's getting a lot of algae. After all the sun isn't out all day. When you have live plants you'd leave the lights on 8 to 10 hours. Without probably less is better since you wouldn't have plants to help combat the algae growth.

To help with the algae she could do a few days of black out. But if it's blue green algae that's different and not really an algae. I've had that stuff. Not fun.


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

She does have live plants in there, and two small algae fish as well. And it isn't blueish. I think? Looks pretty straight green to me ^_^

Eep, I hope it goes away soon. I put one of the sponges for my DIY filter into her tank to gather good bacterium and I don't want it to bring the algae along with it... Though my fish bowl doesn't have an overhead light, just the sunlight through two windows (neither of which shine directly onto the bowl) so hopefully none will grow.


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## MagPie (Mar 2, 2012)

If she has live plants she still wouldn't need it on all the time. It's pretty easy to tell if it is blue green algae. It can be pulled off in sheets and stinks like a swamp. She probably just has a normal algae. More plants would help too 

Well, there is always going to be algae but with a bowl I wouldn't worry about it too much. It doesn't sound like it gets a lot of light.


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

Uh oh. It can be pulled off in sheets. And it does... Well stink. I don't know about swampy. My town gets very swampy and it doesn't smell like that.


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## MagPie (Mar 2, 2012)

Well mine smelled like a swamp XD haha. Hmmm sounds like she might have it. Fish don't eat it and it doesn't go away by itself. It's a bacteria that grows like crazy when the nitrates are low or zero. I just got rid of it in my tank. I would pull it out and pull it out and it would still grow back. Mine didn't look very blueish either. There's a couple of different ways to get rid of it. I dosed my tank with Maracyn for five days and I haven't had it since. Of course you'd have to correct the main issue of low nitrates, which I've been adding ferts since.

Let me tell you, that stuff killed off several of my plants. I've read it releases toxins which harms fish and plants. But I didn't notice any ill effects on the fish, just the plants got smothered.

Feel free to pm me if you have any more questions


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

Really? Killed the plants? Well it as been growing all over them, but none of them are dieing. And she has had it for a while now. I'll tell her to get as much of it out as she can tomorrow, and I'll look up this maracyn stuff. But why would it grow with low Nitrates? I thought it was good to have low nitrates.

Meh, I'll PM this to you as well, so you don't have to respond here.

For anyone else reading, do you know how to properly make a DIY sponge filter? I just want to make sure I did it right. I got a prefilter sponge (two), an airator thing with the clear tubing stuff, an air stone, and I am holding the prefilter onto the tubing with a rubber band.

But this thing keeps making big bubbles. I thought that air passing through both an airstone and a sponge would break it up, but it comes out in big bubbles.

Also, how on earth does blowing air into a sponge create a filter? You'd think that all you were doing was pushing air through a sponge and into the water. But this somehow draws particles into the sponge? I don't get it!


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## MagPie (Mar 2, 2012)

Yeah it only killed a few the really hardy ones like the anubias made it out ok. But once I got rid of it all the plants are much happier! My anubias nana just gave me 4 new leaves in the last week  Anyway answered your PM


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## Nameless (Jan 8, 2012)

Oh, so my sister came home and the light is on for a bit. I think I'll tell her to keep it on for a max of five hours a day. There is still algae, but not nearly as much.


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