Argh, take note, why water features suck

[Lija]

Yeah..... I can write a book on why water features suck lol

Amy..... Mmmmm.... I tried to fix mine..... Like really tried..... Like scraping, glue, etc, shall I say it again.... I really tried....Ended up completely redoing my tank telling myself why on earth I was trying to fix and wasted so much time lol


just saying

oh and digital with probes are better,

[LilyPad]

Ugh Lija, it really stinks! I love the water area and can't understand why it started leaking suddenly after months. The amount of silicone I used...it should not be possible! Making me rethink the other tank I have planned out and do something simple instead, even if it means daily water bowl changes.

I have a digital with probes, the humidity measurement is never accurate. I take it out of the tank between uses, but as soon as I drop it in the tank, it shoots up to 99%. I don't really need to measure the humidity, I usually have a good idea of where it is at without measuring, I just like having it as a backup. So maybe I'll just stick with what I have. So long as I know where the temps are at, which the probe reads accurately and I can move it around the tank, I'm good.

[jarteta97]

Yeah, I worry more about temps than humidity. With humidity, if plants thrive, the frog usually thrives. With temp, though, you could have a 10 degree drop or raising, and the plants wouldn't show it at all. You might just find it easier to do a leca layer style tank, and still have the water feature, I don't know.

[Lija]

just get infrared gun and use it for all your tanks for humidity, with experience you just know if it s good or not.
honestly I have thermometers/ hydrometers only in tanks that are plugged into hydrotherms and only because these things read that I do check tanks close to daily with temp gun.

[LilyPad]

This may be a really stupid question, but will the infrared read water temp? I need something for the betta tank I set up also, so if that covers all of them, I'd be very happy lol

[Lija]

It reads anything, but on a surface.

oh I lied.... Pardon me, forgot, I have a few glass thermometers the floating kind. Paul said these are the best for anything.
i believe 2$ at Walmart. These would totally work for betta or frog tank

[Mentat]

A Floating thermometer like Lija mentioned is best deal for Betta. Sorry for water leak ; but that is nature of silicone when used to build a "glass wall dam" in an aquarium/enclosure. The issue is, new silicone wont stick well to old silicone or if any glass surface has a contaminant on it.

For it not to leak you have to scrape off all old silicone so that none comes into contact with new one. Also, after scrapping it; a cleaning with acetone (wear gloves and eye/breathing protection) to remove any contaminants and silicone remains is required .