Basic supplies to have on hand

SiNiStEr NaTiOn

SiNiStEr NaTiOn

Member
I'mdoing my best to remember what items in the past that I wish I had on hand. There where a few things that I did recall, but i know there more items I should have in case something comes up, and the situation can be fix right there, especially during the night when the stores are closed for the night, especially LFS.

So far I have the following items.

Api Freshwater master test kit (This is a must have item)
100' airline
10 3' rigid airline tubes
couple package of T's
Cleaning brushes for canister filter hoses
20oz bag of floss (bought at walmart)
API Stress Coat+
6 column pad to keep track of weekly water parameter's

what else shouldI have on hand. Since I'm returning back into the hobby after I got out of it 10 years ago, I'm wondering what everyone idea of what to have on hand or wish they had it on hand, because of you expiences with freshwater tanks. Please don't say UG, if you do I'll say "you can keep that yourself, it will never touch my tanks" sorry have to throw in a little humor there or was it humor, hmmmm thats the question. :lol:
 
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DaveK

Well-Known Member
SiNiStEr NaTiOn said:
I'mdoing my best to remember what items in the past that I wish I had on hand. ...
Click to expand...

The very best supply to have for a reef system is the basic knowledge of how a reef system works. The second best supply to have for a reef system is a large quanity of money.

Of the items on your list, I don't know what I'd ever do with 100' of air line tubing, but I would recommend having some on hand.

I'm not a believer in products such as stress coat. So I wouldn't get that. I feel it does a lot more harm than good, especially in SW systems.

I would add high quality carbon to your list. Even if you don't run it all the time, it's critical to have if and when you have a water quality problem.

I would also add test kits. The major ones are critical for any aquarium system.
 
SiNiStEr NaTiOn

SiNiStEr NaTiOn

Member
well dave for a SW system I know what to use and not to use from all of my research on reef, and my continution research I'm doing. but this is for FW. I am planning on taking one of the rigid tubing and cut it down to a certain size and apply heat to the tube to bend the tube and then put a certain length airline on it, what do i have a drip acclimation. of course the sweet fishies will be in a 5 gallon bucket for this process, then off to the QT, at which with this fw setup I'll pull enough water out of it into the QT tank so that way I know the parameters will be on target from the main DT. This QT process I will do it the same way as I would a SW QT.


As far as the stress coat goes, I have used this product in the past and it was great, not only that it also remove chlorine and chloramine. even though I use another product for that but it can't hurt to be double sure on the tap water treatment.

Mini that would be cover because I will have a few 5g buckets on hand, that would be dedicated to the FW tanks only.

Yeah Frankie I will be checking those links out for sure.
 
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livebait

Member
A basic emergency kit is a must. Short poweroutages can be rode out with: one or two battery operated air pumps which you can buy at any WalMart in the sporting goods section for under $10. I sell them in my shop for $7.95.
a good Ammonia test kit
and a bottle of ammonia neutralizer like Amquel for instance.
One other item I have in my 'bare bones' emergency kit is a product called BaitBuddies. They are solid o2 tablets that dissolve slowly and provide oxygen to the water for up to 8 hours depending on brand and tablet size.

The last ice storm that hit my area knocked the power out for 27 hours. I immediately covered my dt and qt with a blanket, put a portable propane heater in the room, put batt-op pumps in both tanks and after 12 hours started testing for ammonia and dosed one time in the qt. Didn't lose anything and my temps never fell below 69.

Sorry for the minor jack but either missed or no one mentioned having at least a minor emergency kit.
 
SiNiStEr NaTiOn

SiNiStEr NaTiOn

Member
hey livebait, thanxs for the input. I had totally forgotten about the O2 tablets, I used to have them on hand back in the 90's for power outages. I'm also planning on buying a bottle of ammo lock in case i do lose power for extended time. I had used amquel in the 90's and that is what I might get. the battery operated air pumps, now thats something didn't cross my mind yet, so thanxs once again.
 
SiNiStEr NaTiOn

SiNiStEr NaTiOn

Member
Frankie said:
Woodstock started a thread on medicine that you might want to check out: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/23111-medicine-cabinet.html
And Leebca has a good one too:
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...17-stocking-marine-fish-medicine-cabinet.html
Click to expand...

I had check those links out, and there are a few items won't be neccessary for freshwater, unless I built a brackish tank. but in the second link I saw in the list Sodium bicarbonate. That ther I will have, because that's what I will be using to raise the PH in my cichlid tank to 8.2 and I'll also will have epsom salt to raise the hardness to between the DGH to 4-6. My tap water is somewhat on the soft side.
 
SiNiStEr NaTiOn

SiNiStEr NaTiOn

Member
Well I got a 5 gallon bucket that I bought today to acclimate new fish, when I'm ready to add them.

I also DIY a drip acclimator, using rigid tubing, airline, and a connector that was in a package of T's that I can adjust the drips. I can't think of the name of it my brain started to shut down, after all it's 1:35 AM here. lol time to get to bed.

I did get a bottle of Seachem Prime. I used this stuff back in the 90's. I also messed around with my freshwater test kit for the heck of it using straight tap water.

Straight Tap result

PH 7.2
NH3/NH4 0 ppm
NO2 0 ppm
NO3 0 ppm

I knew the ammonia, nitrite, & nitrate would be at 0 ppm, I was more curious about the PH because my lfs said it's 6.8 in this area and according to the test it's 7.2. My lfs is 1/4 mile down the road from me.
 
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RachShaffy

Member
Wow, you guys like to over-complicate things!

The best thing to have on hand is a couple of bottles of Mellafix and Pimafix in case you notice anything that may be illness, a QT, a bottle of FW safe start (great for a sudden unexplained ammonia spike) and some aquasafe.

Yeah, have a stand by power supply for if there's an outage but don't worry too much! The best indicator is always gonna be the fish, anything else id just back-up
 
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